Version 0.12.4

[generalmek]

when yo make new alot of enemy and scenario missions more when 12 mission?
why game stile in alpha?

[Phillip_Lynx]

... why game stile in alpha?

Because it is not ready yet. There is content missing. And it is not kovarex-stable

[jeroon]

... why game stile in alpha?

And it is not kovarex-stable

This game will never get out of alpha

[jockeril]

... why game stile in alpha?

And it is not kovarex-stable

This game will never get out of alpha

I feel like that sometimes too, but then I think - this game, certainly in 0.12.x version, has a very satisfying ending and even then you don't have to end it - just look at youtubers like root negative & mangled pork (bentham) that keep playing the same map adding more to their base every episode they play and sometimes setting new goals (or whatever their viewers suggest/request) or starting a new game with goals they find on Reddit or other forums...

This game can be called a full (almost) triple A game and from what the #devs are saying, with the new finishing touches to the GUI they, in my opinion, can sell the game as it is now. I would buy it (but I have already) and I'm planning to introduce it to the hebrew speaking crowd so they will see how great it is and buy it too (!)

[ReijMan]

...

This game can be called a full (almost) triple A game and from what the #devs are saying, with the new finishing touches to the GUI they, in my opinion, can sell the game as it is now. I would buy it (but I have already) and I'm planning to introduce it to the hebrew speaking crowd so they will see how great it is and buy it too (!)

And there are still cases of severe desync of multiplayer games to fix...

[slpwnd]

... why game stile in alpha?

And it is not kovarex-stable

This game will never get out of alpha

I feel like that sometimes too, but then I think - this game, certainly in 0.12.x version, has a very satisfying ending and even then you don't have to end it - just look at youtubers like root negative & mangled pork (bentham) that keep playing the same map adding more to their base every episode they play and sometimes setting new goals (or whatever their viewers suggest/request) or starting a new game with goals they find on Reddit or other forums...

This game can be called a full (almost) triple A game and from what the #devs are saying, with the new finishing touches to the GUI they, in my opinion, can sell the game as it is now. I would buy it (but I have already) and I'm planning to introduce it to the hebrew speaking crowd so they will see how great it is and buy it too (!)

The game will not be in alfa forever. For instance with 0.12 stable we will move to steam. It will be Steam Early Access but in case of Factorio it could be considered as an end of alpha stage and beginning of beta stage. We will see if we "officially" call it that way (even though it doesn't matter too much).

One day we will proclaim the game finished (current ETA is summer 2016 - but in summer 2014 we thought it would be summer 2015 so no assurances are given =)). And we are quite focused on working towards this. Then it depends on the community and how well the sales go what will happen next. There is an option of continuing the development on the base game / working on the data disc / using the engine to come up with something that would be called Factorio 2 / etc.

[Boogieman14]

The game will not be in alfa forever. For instance with 0.12 stable we will move to steam. It will be Steam Early Access but in case of Factorio it could be considered as an end of alpha stage and beginning of beta stage. We will see if we "officially" call it that way (even though it doesn't matter too much).

Just adding my two cents here, the Steam Early Access label has been damaged by many games that really weren't anywhere near ready for public consumption. One game I've seen "suffer" from this (at least in my circles) was Infinifactory, where I recommended it to some people who refused to try it (and that was even just weeks before the official release, so it was pretty much a finished game at that point already) purely based on the Early Access label and their experiences in the past.

I also realize you still have plans for more fleshed out endgame, but perhaps a non-early access release with promise of some free future content extension could work out better for you (because, apart from the endgame plans, Factorio does feel like a far more finished game than some of the triple-A games I've bought in the past that were "finished").

[DaveMcW]

People who are scared of Early Access can just wait until it's finished. They won't know what they're missing.

[jockeril]

People who are scared of Early Access can just wait until it's finished. They won't know what they're missing.

And I think it's our job to show them how great this game is and the benefit of acquiring it while it's still in alpha ! (remind them that the price goes up with the official release)

I spent 100 hours when the game was in 0.10 & early 0.11 to get to the rocket launcher (!) and "finish" the game - that's triple A for sure. and then there's replay-ability (not to confuse with replay option) with another map with different settings or goals (like accumulating items or materials...) - there's really no end to what can be done with Factorio - and it's not even close to the endgame content, according to the #devs

Yes you can quote me (but leave it out of the steam review - I'm going to put that there...)

[generalmek]

People who are scared of Early Access can just wait until it's finished. They won't know what they're missing.

And I think it's our job to show them how great this game is and the benefit of acquiring it while it's still in alpha ! (remind them that the price goes up with the official release)

I spent 100 hours when the game was in 0.10 & early 0.11 to get to the rocket launcher (!) and "finish" the game - that's triple A for sure. and then there's replay-ability (not to confuse with replay option) with another map with different settings or goals (like accumulating items or materials...) - there's really no end to what can be done with Factorio - and it's not even close to the endgame content, according to the #devs

Yes you can quote me (but leave it out of the steam review - I'm going to put that there...)

i finish game 3 times on different settings, not interesting more...need chalenge or missions

[Krayt]

Then set your own challenges to accomplish.

[Turtle]

There's no mention of the change on stack splitting getting reset when you drop items into machines. It's a really annoying change. Is it going to remain this way or are you guys seeing how the community likes the change? If it's going to remain this way, is there a way to mod it back to the way it was in 0.11.x?

[RoddyVR]

i finish game 3 times on different settings, not interesting more...need chalenge or missions

If you like fighting bitters:
Max bitter settings, small starting area... the challenge is SURVIVE.

If you want a challenge that doesnt include fighting for your life:
High frequency, low-med richness, small iron and copper deposits, small starting area (so you dont just live off initial deposits)
find a way to automate building of the many miniscule mining sites you'll need to keep your factory growing. blueprints are your friends, the challenge is not to have to edit the mine build after the robots place the stuff down (except maybe connecting the electric cables and output belts/rail to your main lines).

If you want a challenge for your logical thinking/planning side:
any settings, build a factory that will deliver whatever you tell it to (say with a master control constant combinator), while only mining the resources needed to construct whatever it is you ordered, without having full belts/chests of stuff lying around everywhere. (an empty factory, that when i order 10 gears, will mine 20 iron ore, smelt it then make the gears, if i order an electric engine, will pump the oil needed for lube and mine the iron copper needed for one engine and then produce it from those materials).

If you want something of a mix:
high bitter settings (not neccessarily max), lowish resourse settings (so you have to go outside starting area at some not too late point). Play with self restrictions of:
1. no personal weapons, you cant kill bitters by hand (turrets only).
2. cant mine/pick up turrets. so turret creep becomes territory conquering, not just clearing and you cant jsut spam insane amounts of turrets cause you wont have space to build anything there afterwards if you do.
I havent actualy tried this mode yet, so cant recomend resource settings that ballance alright with having to build so many turrents (depends on if you build bullet or lasers i guess too).

[roman566]

Was something changed in bitter behavior model? I started my first game in 0.12 and they really swarm me now. In 0.11 I could just rush for a dozen burner drills and set up a basic automated factory before fist attack, now I had to scrap automated mining/smelting as it was too difficult to defend it as I was attacked by 30-40 small bitters every minute or two.

[Peter34]

Was something changed in bitter behavior model? I started my first game in 0.12 and they really swarm me now. In 0.11 I could just rush for a dozen burner drills and set up a basic automated factory before fist attack, now I had to scrap automated mining/smelting as it was too difficult to defend it as I was attacked by 30-40 small bitters every minute or two.

It may be the case that the presence of Trees - and their absence in desert terrain - does a lot to affect the timing of the First Contact Event(tm).

Maybe more so in a12 than in a11.

[jeroon]

Was something changed in bitter behavior model? I started my first game in 0.12 and they really swarm me now. In 0.11 I could just rush for a dozen burner drills and set up a basic automated factory before fist attack, now I had to scrap automated mining/smelting as it was too difficult to defend it as I was attacked by 30-40 small bitters every minute or two.

Yeah, I noticed the same, you have to start thinking about defense earlier in the game now. I think it's a good thing, you are on a hostile planet after all

[Peter34]

Was something changed in bitter behavior model? I started my first game in 0.12 and they really swarm me now. In 0.11 I could just rush for a dozen burner drills and set up a basic automated factory before fist attack, now I had to scrap automated mining/smelting as it was too difficult to defend it as I was attacked by 30-40 small bitters every minute or two.

Yeah, I noticed the same, you have to start thinking about defense earlier in the game now. I think it's a good thing, you are on a hostile planet after all

This is somewhat balanced by Gun Turrets being twice as awesome. Cough up 10 of the red potions, and you can craft a portable (pick up and re-locate) defensive item that'll rip through early game Biters.

Turrets do cost twice as much time and materials to build, but they utilize ammo much more efficiently (twice the bang per buck, relativ to a11).