Friday Facts #91 - Being the evil guy

[jerrycheng]

Excuse me, what is the "whole platform building", is it the the rocket launcher？

[webkilla]

How about a machine that sucks polution out of the air?

Like, some kind of filter. Sure, you'd need a lot, and it'd probably be really power-intensive... but why not?

Maybe it also needs a supply of water, and in turn produces some kind of slag or crap that you can do away with by incinerating it in a furnace. It would add another layer to the factory, as well as producing a bit of a catch-22 since you'll need power to run them and power = pollution, until you go nuts with solar farms

[kovarex]

Excuse me, what is the "whole platform building", is it the the rocket launcher？

No, the rocket building is done and prepared. The platform building is this: http://www.factorio.com/blog/post/fff-74

[jerrycheng]

Excuse me, what is the "whole platform building", is it the the rocket launcher？

No, the rocket building is done and prepared. The platform building is this: http://www.factorio.com/blog/post/fff-74

Thanks.

[Peter34]

I can only speak for myself, but I don't mind waiting if it means more sensor and logistic network stuff. Those are really important to me, and I have been really excited for those.

I can't see what good those Combinators will do, if I'm not able to measure how much percentage charge is in my Accumulators, or how percentage-filled my various oil type Tanks are.

I know there's some dude who wants to use the Combinators and the Lamps to "program" a computer to play Pong, and that's all good, more power to him, but I'm here to play Factorio, and without better sensors, what use would the Combinators be to me?

Edit: Mainly I'm concerned that I'll have to wait 3-8 months for alpha 13, before I get those sensors. The wait time from alpha 11.0 to alpha 12 was really, really long, something like 8 months I think, and that's when I signed up for this boat, so I have no idea how long alpha 10, 9, 8 and 7 took.

[Peter34]

Ehhh, as long as the rest of the stuff makes it in, it'll be a release worth waiting for. Hope no other delays pop up!

Is there a list, anywhere, of all the stuff that's going to be in alpha 12? I watched a video by Negative Root yesterday (I think it was him), and he said some stuff about alpha 12 that was totally new to me, which is very odd since I tend to read the dev blogs religiously (yeah, I'm one of those F5 guys too).

For me the main attraction is very, very clearly the Combinators in combination with the new Sensors, since without the Sensors I still won't be able to automate my factory properly.

[Peter34]

I, too, would rather wait an extra month or two for 0.12 to not have these features cut (delayed to 0.13 or whatever).

0.13 just seems like such a long ways away.

Yeah. I'd be happy to wait until freakin' late September, even, for alpha 12. As long as I get my Sensors. That's what I'm horny for. Combinators alone, what can they do...?

[MeduSalem]

Combinators alone, what can they do...?

Make lamps blink in funny ways.

The usefulness of that is up for debate of course.

[roy7]

I wonder if someone will mod in some signals as a stopgap. Will the api in v12 support custom signal mods?

[orzelek]

My understanding is that we'll get some basic sensors - just not the fancy train based ones?

As for the evil no's to features... thats a sad fact in world of software development(says me as a dev on project with milestone release in a week:D).
I'm hoping that we might wait shorter for 0.13 and those late features will make it in then:D

[kovarex]

Edit: Mainly I'm concerned that I'll have to wait 3-8 months for alpha 13, before I get those sensors. The wait time from alpha 11.0 to alpha 12 was really, really long, something like 8 months I think, and that's when I signed up for this boat, so I have no idea how long alpha 10, 9, 8 and 7 took.

I believe that 0.11 was really an exception because of the multiplayer and determinism fixing.
Also part of this approach of refusing over-ambitious releases should be, that the wait for 0.13 shuldn't be so long

[-root]

In my opinion smaller, more frequent updates are better then rare, big ones.

Agree with this. It seems like too much is being stuffed into the 0.12 update and its too big of a jump. Whatever comes out will be subject to the Kovarex effect, so each individual update will eventually be high quality and extremely stable.

but we really need to stay realistic and avoid over-ambitious release plans.

I think you've got the right approach Kovarex. You should chop up the roadmap and reduce the overall size of each of the updates. Leave the combinator stuff until after the endgame is in. Give us the optimizations as soon as possible. Trains into the network after the optimizations but before endgame.

We've got faith, just don't leave us hanging

[aRatNamedSammy]

Devs, dont be shy about delay.. some old games had no delay.. and ending without quality and loaded of bugs.. i prefer a delay, but well filled with features, and of course, no bugs (no bugs , meaning less as possible )

take your time, there is no rush ...

[deef0000dragon1]

I am going to say this straight forward. Don't half-ass the release. Add the sensors. Don't make us wait until 6 months later to use the Full functionality of it. Add something, PLEASE. I know its a lot, but knowing how you operate, I am willing to wait the extra two or three weeks for this release, instead of having to wait 6 months for the final part of a REALLY cool feature. Thanks

[ratchetfreak]

I am going to say this straight forward. Don't half-ass the release. Add the sensors. Don't make us wait until 6 months later to use the Full functionality of it. Add something, PLEASE. I know its a lot, but knowing how you operate, I am willing to wait the extra two or three weeks for this release, instead of having to wait 6 months for the final part of a REALLY cool feature. Thanks

Or at least moddable functionality to add the sensors

[kiba]

I am going to say this straight forward. Don't half-ass the release. Add the sensors. Don't make us wait until 6 months later to use the Full functionality of it. Add something, PLEASE. I know its a lot, but knowing how you operate, I am willing to wait the extra two or three weeks for this release, instead of having to wait 6 months for the final part of a REALLY cool feature. Thanks

If they cut up the releases into manageable chunk, you're not going to wait that long for a new release.

[JamesOFarrell]

For the people who want sensors now there is a mod called Smart Circuit System. Thanks for letting us know what will make 0.12. I really look forward to getting my hands on it.

[-root]

For the people who want sensors now there is a mod called Smart Circuit System. Thanks for letting us know what will make 0.12. I really look forward to getting my hands on it.

We can't wait til you get your hands on it either

[Peter34]

My understanding is that we'll get some basic sensors - just not the fancy train based ones?

That's not the impression I get.

[vampiricdust]

My understanding is that we'll get some basic sensors - just not the fancy train based ones?

That's not the impression I get.

The combinators will be present, but no other sensors, switches or machines related to the circuit networks will make it to 0.12. We will have to wait for 0.13 with this.

A logistic train network is my dream. Not even Railroad Tycoon had dynamic rail system. If I could have stations call specific trains when conditions are met, I don't know if I'll ever play another game again.

Set up a smart supply stop that will call for different supply trains based on demand. Smart ore shipping as trains will only get called to stations with enough ore ready to fill 'em. Specialized factories can ensure both a steady supply if available and get stuff shipped out to where it needs it, when it needs it. Oh dear devs, I patiently await, if not anxiously, for the end of the days of the dumb trains.