[2.0] Non-consumption Inputs

[BraveCaperCat]

I'd like to be able make a machine that takes in 2 items, a catalyst and another ingredient, then outputs 2 more items, the catalyst back and another result. However, at least in my case, it doesn't make sense for the machine to "output" the catalyst, rather for it to just stay in the input slot without being consumed.
I won't ever need to take the catalyst out of the machine anyway, unlike with Kovarex Enrichment from the base game where the 40 Uranium-235 is the catalyst used to produce a bit of extra Uranium-235 from Uranium-238, which can then be used for other stuff.

My proposal? A new property for ItemIngredientPrototype and FluidIngredientPrototype, perhaps called ignored_by_consumption. What this would do, would be, instead of having the machine consume the input, it would leave it as-is. This could either be a boolean (applies to the entire amount or doesn't apply to any of it) or an integer, (applies to a set portion of the amount or none of it) though for my purposes, it doesn't really matter.

Of course, using this property stops items from being consumed, so it should also be ignored by stats.

[Stringweasel]

Can't you just reduce the amount of ingredients required? Basically, what's the difference between:

Code: Select all

{     inputs = { "catalyst" = 10, ignored_by_consumption=true},
      outputs = { "catalyst" = 5}  }

and

Code: Select all

{     inputs = { "catalyst" = 5},
      outputs = {  } }

[Brathahn]

maybe take a look at pyanodons mods, production buildings like the moss farm or tree farm.
there are catalyst items but instead of being in the recipe, they are actually modules that increase the crafting speed of the building. without any "catalysts" the building will produce nothing because the crafting speed is effectively 0.

[protocol_1903]

maybe take a look at pyanodons mods, production buildings like the moss farm or tree farm.
there are catalyst items but instead of being in the recipe, they are actually modules that increase the crafting speed of the building. without any "catalysts" the building will produce nothing because the crafting speed is effectively 0.

While it is effectively zero, we also have scripts running that disable the entities when no modules are found.

[BraveCaperCat]

Can't you just reduce the amount of ingredients required? Basically, what's the difference between:

Code: Select all

{     inputs = { "catalyst" = 10, ignored_by_consumption=true},
      outputs = { "catalyst" = 5}  }

and

Code: Select all

{     inputs = { "catalyst" = 5},
      outputs = {  } }

I don't understand your argument... ignored_by_consumption would prevent an item from being consumed in a recipe when it's crafted, but the recipe couldn't be crafted without that item.
If you really want to know the difference, the top recipe runs if you put in at least 10 catalyst, does not take the 10 catalyst and gives you 5 catalyst over and over again, (until you take the input catalyst out) where-as the bottom recipe runs if you put in 5 catalyst, takes that 5 catalyst and gives you nothing at all.

maybe take a look at pyanodons mods, production buildings like the moss farm or tree farm.
there are catalyst items but instead of being in the recipe, they are actually modules that increase the crafting speed of the building. without any "catalysts" the building will produce nothing because the crafting speed is effectively 0.

You may want to be able to put multiple different catalysts into the same machine to do different things, though. You'd need to check if the catalyst is the correct one for the recipe at runtime.

maybe take a look at pyanodons mods, production buildings like the moss farm or tree farm.
there are catalyst items but instead of being in the recipe, they are actually modules that increase the crafting speed of the building. without any "catalysts" the building will produce nothing because the crafting speed is effectively 0.

While it is effectively zero, we also have scripts running that disable the entities when no modules are found.

If you only have 1 catalyst per building, that would seem quite performance heavy. That might not be true, though.