Factorio Forums

I propose the following controls be added:
On the "Electric network info" screen, add two sliders to the Accumulator Capacity bar called "Low" and "High"

* You could not adjust the "High" slider so that it was below "Low" now "Low" so that it was above "High"
* The two sliders would effectively divide the accumulator capacity bar into 3 segments: Low, Normal, High
* The total power stored would alter the behavior of your electrical network as follows:
* Low power storage:
* Power usage priority: Solar, Steam, Accumulators
* Accumulators charge at maximum rate
* Normal Power Storage:
* Power usage priority: Solar, Steam, Accumulators
* Accumulators charge only if there is excess solar power, they will not charge if there is not enough solar to run your base.
* High Power Storage
* Power usage priority: Solar, Accumulators, Steam
* Accumulators charge only from excess solar power, they will not charge if there is not enough solar to run your base.

These control would prevent you from burning coal in a base that was able to supply itself entirely from solar, but would still allow you to set an emergency "low" reserve, where steam engines would kick in if needed.

How to switch off steam engines in the night, when enough accumulator capacity is available?


.... Always this repeating... I admit, currently not easy to find...

also, why add a whole new element to the game for the sake of it?

just let accumulator capacity be something that the green wire could carry and we're set.

ssilk wrote:How to switch off steam engines in the night, when enough accumulator capacity is available?


.... Always this repeating... I admit, currently not easy to find...

Probably also comes down to the fact that while yes it is technically possible to do in the game, the implementation of it is poor. I imagine most people who will pick up this game will want a much more user friendly option. Being able to turn off parts of the factory itself or using simple logic systems such as the one above seem the most likely to fit in with the game without causing people to bounce off.

Read it. Stands all there...

ssilk wrote:Read it. Stands all there...

I have read it. Believe it or not I have comprehended it also. The problem is, it is not a solution I like or wish to use. You may be happy with it, but I am not. Let's just leave it at that.

I personally think the existing controls for accumulator/steam engine control is a perfect example of awesome engineering. The game gave you some (limited) tools, and he "invented" a control circuit to toggle the energy-source. I do think there should be somewhat of a challenge to building things like that, and not just a button a player has to push. The current form gives a challenge to creating logic structures, and even has some possibility to optimize and fine tune those structures. That is a good thing.

On the other hand, it might be very hard for a player without knowledge about digital logic to get into, and the current system adds another layer of abstraction. But look at minecraft, even though it was a less abstract way of dealing with logic in the form of redstone, it hit it off and a lot of people have learnt about digital logic from it, and built some sick things(just look at the multi-thousand part APU's people built).

The current way of dealing with logic might not be the easiest for anything more than directly what it was meant for, but I sure like seeing it used to build more complex logic structures. I would like to see more than just the green and red network colours added.