Allow logistics transfers between space platforms

[ncc1702]

TL;DR

It should be possible to transport cargo from one space platform to another if they are in orbit around the same planet.

What?

There should be a new section that appears under the Orbital Drop Slots when two or more platforms are in orbit around the same planet that allows cargo pods to move cargo between them.

Why?

Currently, afaik, in order to move cargo between platforms that cargo must be sent down to a planet's surface and then launched backup again. This seems wasteful, especially when attempting to build new platforms where the resources to do so may come from multiple locations throughout the solar system.

[Karbon14]

TL;DR

Let space platforms in the same orbit send items between each other.

What?

Currently, space platforms can only ever receive items through rockets launched from the surface. This remains the case even if a different space platform in the same orbit has all the items the first one needs. Right now transferring between two platforms requires landing the items on the surface only to immediately launch them straight back up again.

The logistics request for space platforms currently has an option for which planet to import a certain item from, it would be nice if you could select your other space platforms in that menu and then if the platforms were in the same orbit the items would be sent over.

10-29-2024, 21-42-49.png (236.68 KiB) Viewed 5874 times

You could potentially have the auto-trash of space platforms first search for other space platforms requesting that item nearby, instead of simply always dropping to the planet, allowing you to make a platform that automatically exports to other platforms.

Why?

The simplest answer for why, is that I assumed this functionality would be already in the game given it makes sense. The game already establishes that space platforms can fire logistics pods to send things down to the surface of a planet from orbit, and these look visually the same as what gets launched on top of a rocket. Combine that with the fact that the game is very clear that multiple platforms can all exist in the same orbit of a planet, and it seems obvious that these pods should launch between platforms. It was so obvious to me that this would be a capability of the game that I spent an hour fiddling with the logistics setting trying to get it to work before looking up if it was even possible, a clear sign of what would be an intuitive feature.

My mind first planned out my grand strategy for the mid-game would be to make my main base be a ship, automatically creating things from asteroids as a floating mall and also serving as an orbital shipyard to help bolster my interplanetary logistics. Unfortunately, without the ability to send things between space platforms any 'shipyard' would have to send ship parts down to a planets surface only to be launched right back up again, defeating the whole purpose of it.

As for how this changes balance, the big change would be that this would allow for orbital shipyards like I described above, which would probably be one of the better ways of making lots of ships in orbit. I don't think this is too game breaking however or detracts from other strategies, it requires a pretty large space platform to be able to efficiently create space platform parts in large quantities, which means you already need a fairly reasonable sized rocket production to begin with. Additionally doing everything in space does come with a cost, as a factory of a given size will be way cheaper on any planet than in space, and space prevents certain buildings from being used anyways.

In summary, gravity wells are for losers, this is Space Age and we should be able to truly bring the factory to orbit instead of pretending the engineer is smart enough to make tentacle hands that grab asteroids and automated spider robots but not to repurpose a drop pod to simply go to a different space station in the same orbit.

[spectria.limina]

I think this is a critically missing feature too. It would be very flavourful to be able to make a giant space starion that prepares ammo and fuel for other platforms. Instead of making big ships, you could make little zippy cargo ships with no local production.

But this would have some significant balance implications so perhaps it would be best for modding, to make it possible for a space platform hub to be configurable between able to fulfill requests only from the planet or also from other space platforms.

That said, I'm not 100% sure it's not possible by updating a logistic filter by script to refer to another platform. Probably isn't possible but worth checking!

[Dixi]

Item transfer from one platform to another, while they on same planet orbit, would be a nice feature.

Maybe it is not implemented yet, because all departures from platform are free, while such transfer, probably should cost some resources or energy at least.

[assimilater]

Just searched for how (if possible) to do this, entered "factorio transfer " and it autofilled "between space platforms", and this was the first result. Which I find really funny, especially since this post was created today.

I'll add the use case I was thinking of to see if it was possible:

Space platforms are limited by weight, asteroid processing is heavy. It would be nice to have a platform in orbit doing the processing, and send fuel to other space stations which refuel before transporting to other planets. You could refill on ammunition for turrets, fuel, or white science. It would also give use to the interrupt system which you could use to tell it to refuel at a planet when it gets below a certain threshold in your tanks.

Oops never pressed send and it's tomorrow

[Alaunus_Lux]

I really like this idea, though I can only imagine it was restricted due to balance reasons. But generally a main selling point of space based manufacturing is that you can cut out the expensive step of launching heavy materials from an environment with gravity.

I hope it's added either by the devs or a mod maker. Having space platform delivery capsules cost a small amount of fuel and some iron or steel would make it at least have a drawback, though I'd still enjoy it if it were costless, unbalanced or no.

[aischylos]

I think one way that it could be balanced (although the mechanics are complex enough it would need to be a mod and even then I'm not totally sure) would be to require some sort of docking or shuttle mechanism. Basically make it so that you need to use valuable edge space on your platform to allow input/output instead of magically using the central hub. The amount of edge used could limit throughput and it would also add some logistical complexity.

[Tinyboss]

I think it would be cool if they literally docked--moved to the same surface. There could be a dedicated "docking port" entity that could pass a couple of belts, pipes, and circuit wire connections.

Probably a billion technical reasons why that would be difficult/unbalanced, but it sure would be neat.

[Niizuki]

I fully agree, this would be a good feature.

[Zorku]

Conceptually, I'm not sure that there should be any cost for transfers between platforms. When actually in orbit, you could just toss the items and let these asteroid collector arms snatch them out of the air vacuum. Any kind of fuel requirement would be trivial next to what it took to get out of the gravity well, so it probably wouldn't be worth worrying about.

The only real worry with this is probably along the lines of having some huge number of platforms collecting asteroids... except that we can already do that and send them down to the planet for free if we feel like it.

-

The SE mod Earendel made did give you this kind of platform to work with, and quite a lot of other stuff to do up there, with fuel costs that scaled in relation to how far you were going and what gravity you had to fight to get there, and the ships you made would dock with platforms to allow unloading any interesting cargo. All doable with the game engine, but maybe they decided that some of the jankiness kinda sucked and that it wasn't the best game feel? Or maybe they just wanted to make a unique experience and push us to venture out to these alien worlds a little more. Big space platforms would probably be a better idea if there was some kind of creature out there that would come harass you somehow, but maybe they just didn't have any ideas that panned out for that?

[EustaceCS]

I'd agree to support this feature under one condition.
And the condition is...

The sole source of platform to platform items transfer is docking.

Put these transport belts to good use with tile-perfectly designed "docking ports" or utilize long-handled inserters to just throw stuff at destination platform.
Anything goes.

[Zorku]

11-02-2024, 17-09-40.png (8.35 KiB) Viewed 5156 times

Saw this in the help. Are we just stupid somehow?

[Alaunus_Lux]

Cargo landing pads can only be built if gravity is more than 1m/s^2. So not on space platforms.

[Khazul]

Be really useful for refuelling and re-arming platforms or quick resource drop offs etc.

It probably wouldnt actually save on any resources as stuff would still have to be lifted from a planet somewhere, just make transfer/turnaround potentially a lot quicker.

+1 for this.

[Phantom329]

I would suggest adding the ability to transfer items and players between ships that are over the same planet. The common usage for this would be for building ships that use materials from another planet. I build over Nauvis to avoid asteroids but end up importing things like belts to the surface, just to launch them to orbit again. It would be a nice QOL feature.

Also the mech suit could enable player transfers between ships via jetpack with a nice animation.

[Sworn]

just been able to sent items from station A to station B would be already a plus, having to send it down to the planet to send it up again make 0 sense!

[mmmPI]

Also the mech suit could enable player transfers between ships via jetpack with a nice animation.

I think there are other suggestion for ship to ship transfer of items, but not this x). I think it could be reflected on the title, i think this is fun and much less of a hassle to consider the implications, i like this one.

For ship to ship transfer, it goes from some simple to very complex the extend of what players suggest and how they say they want it in the game. I have some appeal for the idea but it's difficult to consider a system that would fit sometimes exclusive propositions of how it should be done.

[Niizuki]

+1
I agree, maybe you would need a new building, like a shuttle bay to move to another platform, and shuttle bay would require some fuel to be used, so it wouldnt be enteirly free.

[Koub]

[Koub] Merged into an older thread with the same suggestion.

[Tinyboss]

For ship to ship transfer, it goes from some simple to very complex the extend of what players suggest and how they say they want it in the game.

The very simplest implementation would be a target dropdown for when we shift-click in the hub inventory. It can use exactly the same cargo pod launch animation, but then the cargo pod lands on the other platform instead of the planet.