Spidertron Improvements , SCOUT and FORMATION

[varundevan]

Introduce spidertron formations
with the limit in the area spidertron , if i am able to arrange a group of spidertrons in formation i suppose it unlocks interesting possibilities for various tasks in the game play.
Can cover a larger area with a single move , can share robots between spidertrons , can construct / fight a larger area with a group of spidertrons.

Also if i am able to premap a route for a spidertron and let it scout along that route contineously , then it automates a lot of manual work where i have to manually move the spidertron everytime when even a need arises , say to repair turrets , collect items.

there 2 are essential improvements in my opinion that takes automation to next level when it comes to spidertrons.
request developers to consider look into it .

[Epb7304]

https://www.factorio.com/blog/post/fff-404

[varundevan]

https://www.factorio.com/blog/post/fff-404

My suggestions is different ,
by sidertron formation , i mean , such that a group of spidertrons move in a formation that covers the larger roboport area without overlap. like an army drill. the position of the spiderton remains the same relative to the main spidertron which it follows.
this way a larger area can be covered with a single command.

[Epb7304]

https://www.factorio.com/blog/post/fff-404

My suggestions is different ,
by sidertron formation , i mean , such that a group of spidertrons move in a formation that covers the larger roboport area without overlap. like an army drill. the position of the spiderton remains the same relative to the main spidertron which it follows.
this way a larger area can be covered with a single command.

So wait, are you wanting them to act like sudo-roboports?

I'm not really sure the application tbh, since you can just move the spiders closer
and in the FFF I linked to the RTS tool keeps them in formation as you describe

[varundevan]

https://www.factorio.com/blog/post/fff-404

My suggestions is different ,
by sidertron formation , i mean , such that a group of spidertrons move in a formation that covers the larger roboport area without overlap. like an army drill. the position of the spiderton remains the same relative to the main spidertron which it follows.
this way a larger area can be covered with a single command.

So wait, are you wanting them to act like sudo-roboports?

I'm not really sure the application tbh, since you can just move the spiders closer
and in the FFF I linked to the RTS tool keeps them in formation as you describe

well .. if the spidertrons are groups what is the use of having a 5 spidertron's roboport area overlapping each other. if they can be arranged / oriented in a way we want them to be .. and let them move in the same position relative to each other , we can cover a larger area with a group of spidertrons and use them mor eeffectively ..

its already can carry a roboport , so not necessarily a psudoroboports, if they can act as a network it will be even better .. ofcourse ..

and then scouting .. in programmed routes .. saves me a lot of time tbh ... especially for combat and repairs ...

[CyberCider]

About the formation thing specifically: All you have to do is manually line them up once. When you select them all and move them around, they will stay in that formation exactly as you’d like. It’s practically already a feature.

Scouting could be kind of nice, but it seems a little too easy almost. No need for a roboport network or the electricity to power it, and no need for trains to send items over long distances, it’s all solved very simply and with no cost by a patrolling spidertron. Maybe that would be unbalanced.

[varundevan]

About the formation thing specifically: All you have to do is manually line them up once. When you select them all and move them around, they will stay in that formation exactly as you’d like. It’s practically already a feature.

Scouting could be kind of nice, but it seems a little too easy almost. No need for a roboport network or the electricity to power it, and no need for trains to send items over long distances, it’s all solved very simply and with no cost by a patrolling spidertron. Maybe that would be unbalanced.

oh .. I have been using remote to move spidertrons , making other spidertrons to follow one..
how do i select a group of spidertrons , by box select ??

Scout is porbably a nice feature , it is not an imbalance , it will give preference .. like belts and bots ..
and still it is not really good for moving items though ..

[Illiander42]

About the formation thing specifically: All you have to do is manually line them up once. When you select them all and move them around, they will stay in that formation exactly as you’d like. It’s practically already a feature.

Scouting could be kind of nice, but it seems a little too easy almost. No need for a roboport network or the electricity to power it, and no need for trains to send items over long distances, it’s all solved very simply and with no cost by a patrolling spidertron. Maybe that would be unbalanced.

oh .. I have been using remote to move spidertrons , making other spidertrons to follow one..
how do i select a group of spidertrons , by box select ??

Go to Wube's office and steal a copy of the current 2.0 build.

[varundevan]

About the formation thing specifically: All you have to do is manually line them up once. When you select them all and move them around, they will stay in that formation exactly as you’d like. It’s practically already a feature.

Scouting could be kind of nice, but it seems a little too easy almost. No need for a roboport network or the electricity to power it, and no need for trains to send items over long distances, it’s all solved very simply and with no cost by a patrolling spidertron. Maybe that would be unbalanced.

oh .. I have been using remote to move spidertrons , making other spidertrons to follow one..
how do i select a group of spidertrons , by box select ??

Go to Wube's office and steal a copy of the current 2.0 build.

LoL , i thought its possible in the current version ..
its quite annoying to manually move spidertrons to new positions .. that itself is taking 40% of my game play..

[Illiander42]

LoL , i thought its possible in the current version ..
its quite annoying to manually move spidertrons to new positions .. that itself is taking 40% of my game play..

You can tell spidertrons to follow other things then repurpose the remote, but the drag-select is 2.0.

The two mods I really want to see ascended in 2.0 that haven't been revealed already are AAI Automation and Recursive Blueprints.