Friday Facts #380 - Remote view

[deer_buster]

Can we get the ability to upgrade via blueprint? (e.g. One blueprint has yellow belts, assembler 1, interters....upgrade blueprint has red/2/fast). And I mean using regular blueprints, not the upgrade planner...which isn't a blueprint

[pointa2b]

One last thought- The ability to fully manipulate modules in bulk would be extremely useful in vanilla, especially getting into larger bases with large repetitive setups, and/or jumping between different quality levels. You're currently limited to only replacing modules in machines if they already have modules in them via the upgrade planner, and this isn't something that can be copied or pasted either. Modules cannot be replaced via the upgrade planner either.

tl;dr allowing the functionality discussed in this FFF with modules to be used with multiple machines in a single action.

[ZakyGil]

What happens to the items already in a working assembly machine when the recipe is changed remotely?

[Chrisdasdasd]

Since we can set remote ghost recipes, can we finally add the ability to set recipes that you don't have yet? Just restrict the ghost from being built at all until the recipe is researched [...]

I need this!

[Zaflis]

I'm hoping the expansion would also address those people who love circuits The old lamps are old, not very clear when it comes to making graphs, displays and the likes. With mods i can have other end of the spectrum like this:
(Mod: Schall Lamp contrast)

lamps.png (438.81 KiB) Viewed 3378 times

They are floor lamps so you can walk or drive a car over them.

[BlackKnight]

Thus, might I suggest adding a way to 'alt-place' blueprints which construction bots ignore, and then mark them for construction later, with a new "Construction Planner" perhaps?

Even outside of my personal playstyle, this functionality would be beneficial to the player in many other ways - giving them colossally increased control over automated construction in general; For example, planning out a entire grand perimeter wall design, but only authorizing construction of key parts of it to preserve available resources AND ease load on the logistics/construction network. The possibilities are endless!

I like this idea of 'Delayed Ghosts' -- Not sure what name would fit. I think many players could use this. Personally, I often want to test build something virtual only but its within roboport range and so I have to find a spot in the middle of nowhere to test build setups before building them official into the real factory. I think this request is similar to the ConstructionPlanner mod.

Configurable blueprints
A few people mentioned something similar about blueprint editing. A very natural progression (I think) for blueprints would be allowing a full 'virtual' editor sandbox mode when a player edits any blueprint. This way they can add and modify as well as remove (currently) entities.
- Just reading reddit comments. Someone posted about the Compilatron icon being possibly for a virtual 'editor mode' layer. If so, this single layer would be a sufficient/preferable? solution even, to my previous suggestion.

[edit: added detail]

[Serenity]

One last thought- The ability to fully manipulate modules in bulk would be extremely useful in vanilla, especially getting into larger bases with large repetitive setups, and/or jumping between different quality levels. You're currently limited to only replacing modules in machines if they already have modules in them via the upgrade planner, and this isn't something that can be copied or pasted either. Modules cannot be replaced via the upgrade planner either.

Improving the Upgrade Planner for that would probably be enough. Especially allowing you to replace a module with "nothing" to remove them

You can get this function with the Module Inserter mod though

[myridium]

I have a big problem with the 'instant remote rotate', working as described in the FFF:

...we realized that making rotation just an instant action might be the way out. It doesn't break the immersion too much and simplifies everything greatly for us and for the player, so we just did that.

I think this choice is a big mistake. This instant rotation will allow the player to be able to remotely send (logistic) signals anywhere, on any planet, wherever he can view the map. For example,

• Make one of two logistic signals be sent on a remote logistics network by flipping a splitter.
• Send arbitrary signals through convoluted setups.
• Reroute resources as needed, any time, anywhere.
• That green chip factory absorbing too much of the copper? No problem, just rotate the belt backwards to block the copper flow.
• Need some more X delivered to space on a rocket? No problem, just rotate that belt. Do this for any resources you find you need while you're off-planet.
• Make 'field-programmable gate arrays' consisting of belt matrices including underground belt connections.

This change (instant remote rotate) betrays the very-important-philosophy of aligning instrumentalism with what is fun, which is one of the most important and defining design priniciples of Factorio.

Even if you have the logistic robot tech already, the 'instant rotate' will remove the feeling of being 'cut off' from a remote part of the factory, needing to travel there personally if you failed to set up enough logistic robot infrastructure. Or, even if you do have the infrastructure there, the feeling of latency in your actions is an inherent and expected part of being remote. I would find the instant rotate quite jarring, and if the rotation can be instant but nothing else is, it would feel to me like the remote interactions are not an organic part of play but an artificial gameplay construct. In other words, it would break my immersion.

In summary, I think the 'instant remote rotate' is a very bad idea, because it

• creates a (potentially quite large) misalignment between instrumental play and fun play;
• breaks immersion.

[Slywyn]

Since we can set remote ghost recipes, can we finally add the ability to set recipes that you don't have yet? Just restrict the ghost from being built at all until the recipe is researched [...]

I need this!

They've historically said no to this, but this ghost recipe manipulation seems like it's BASICALLY what we actually want, just without the ability to set unresearched recipes in the ghost. All they need to do is make it so that a machine with an unresearched recipe can't actually be built as if you just "don't have" the machine, and it wouldn't break anything. Which you can practically already do.

[-scv-]

While the expansion is being prepared, is it possible to change one model in the game?

Solar panel (I want the visual effect of operation and shutdown).

Yes, there are batteries, but they indicate charge and discharge. Moreover, the source of energy may not be solar panels.

options:
or
a) change the color of the solar panel or add a glow
or
b) add work indicator

11.png (256.8 KiB) Viewed 3279 times

or
c)replace with new version

99.png (245.52 KiB) Viewed 3279 times

I can't draw but...

44.png (42.24 KiB) Viewed 3279 times

...you will do much better.

although it doesn't suit me only

thanks

[Tohim]

Thus, might I suggest adding a way to 'alt-place' blueprints which construction bots ignore, and then mark them for construction later, with a new "Construction Planner" perhaps?

Even outside of my personal playstyle, this functionality would be beneficial to the player in many other ways - giving them colossally increased control over automated construction in general; For example, planning out a entire grand perimeter wall design, but only authorizing construction of key parts of it to preserve available resources AND ease load on the logistics/construction network. The possibilities are endless!

I like this idea of 'Delayed Ghosts' -- Not sure what name would fit. I think many players could use this. Personally, I often want to test build something virtual only but its within roboport range and so I have to find a spot in the middle of nowhere to test build setups before building them official into the real factory. I think this request is similar to the ConstructionPlanner mod.

Configurable blueprints
A few people mentioned something similar about blueprint editing. A very natural progression (I think) for blueprints would be allowing a full 'virtual' editor sandbox mode when a player edits any blueprint. This way they can add and modify as well as remove (currently) entities.
- Just reading reddit comments. Someone posted about the Compilatron icon being possibly for a virtual 'editor mode' layer. If so, this single layer would be a sufficient/preferable? solution even, to my previous suggestion.

[edit: added detail]

Oh my, I didn't know a mod like that existed - I didn't even know a mod like that was possible! Thank you so much for bringing this to my awareness, this is exactly what I needed!
Now, if only this functionality could be made vanilla...

[melind]

Really like this one. I can say having played Space Exploration that having more remote control totally changes the way you play the game and is a very welcome addition when playing on extra planets or even on one planet.

The ghost update is also interesting. I'd say overall great improvement but I'm surprised that for some objects I get more visual clarity with the 1.1 ghosts, but the much harder to see entities are way better in 2.0. Plus I've had more then a few times where I've mistaken 1.1 blueprints, mostly power poles, for real entities. The only thing that jumps out at me is the grass is extra visible in 2.0, I'm guessing because the green of grass becomes extra saturated with the blue shading over it? It may be a good idea to tone down colors that are not part of the blueprint, like grass/trees, so it is easier to see the blueprint.

[melind]

While the expansion is being prepared, is it possible to change one model in the game?

Solar panel (I want the visual effect of operation and shutdown).

Why would you be looking for this? Solar panels are on during the day and not on at night. And they also aren't binary on/off, there is a period of semi-power as well during dawn/dusk.

[-scv-]

777.png (51.51 KiB) Viewed 3232 times

changes in the duration of day and night and the power of panels for planets

[mmmPI]

... why Informatron is listed as a place to be?

I think It got promoted to space platform manager:)

[fusionfan]

This is all very useful and nice. I just hope all the ghost changes won't increase the GPU requirements?

[TheRaph]

The remote view is cool, but I think that controlling everything in remote view should be an upgrade in tech tree or a physical upgrade in radar.

If you able to change recipies in assambler and direction of belts right from the beginning will kill the fun of having to walk trough your tiny factory. (remote building is not a thing you have to research for bots first). The difference between RTS and WSAD-controlled character fades out if remote actions are available on early game stages.

And I would like to have an achivement of not using remote view controll until first rocket.

[mwls]

One feature request for remote/map view: currently opening the map centers it on the player's current location. This makes remote editing very tedious, as you have to pan/zoom the map back every time you switch back to your player for whatever reason. Please let the remote/map view remember the last place you were looking!

I was thinking something similar. The FFF also mentions the new approach also applying to trains. I'm hoping that this will resolve my request to have the trains UI remember the previous selection upon reopening.

[Gemma]

explorer1
explorer2

then explorer 3
???

what's next, explorer_4?!

<3

[ScottyWired]

Even if you have the logistic robot tech already, the 'instant rotate' will remove the feeling of being 'cut off' from a remote part of the factory, needing to travel there personally if you failed to set up enough logistic robot infrastructure. Or, even if you do have the infrastructure there, the feeling of latency in your actions is an inherent and expected part of being remote. I would find the instant rotate quite jarring, and if the rotation can be instant but nothing else is, it would feel to me like the remote interactions are not an organic part of play but an artificial gameplay construct. In other words, it would break my immersion.

An option during worldgen could be "instant rotation" or "mark for rotation".

I'd also like to see options for ghost colours.