Adjustable Splitter

[EstebanLB]

I thought of this when designing a new layout for my complex in wich I use many splitter that feed the same line many times to use just a small fraccion of a belt flow for one side and a big fraction of the flow for another side. But If the splitter GUI will let us adjust how much send to each side would save us lots of space and materials. The GUI could have a slider showing a percentage and arrow so it is clear wich side each percentage corresponds to

[Arakasi]

If this functionality will be introduced in the game I would like also same functionality on Joiner position.

I deliver ore from several destinations which are different size/production output and I would like to prefer some to be able deplete them earlier than others...

[ssilk]

This is more or less possible with the existing splitters! Look at this pic:

It's a bit broader. Maybe open it in a new tab!
It comes out of this thread:
https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... f=8&t=1144

You see a cascade of splitters; with some math including you can create nearly every ratio of left/right splitting. For example 80%/20% is 4/1 or better 1/4. This is only a cascade of 2 levels, and can be made with 3 splitters.

I can not explain it better now, because I'm in holidays and have only my iPad.

Nearly the same is with joiners: because the left side of the joiner is preferred (see also in that thread!) with some math you can have nearly every ratio you want! First you need to split it up into the preferred ratio and then you fill in the side belt.

[grobyc]

This splitters setup works only if belts with material aren't overflew, if materials come in splitters are overflew then all go out with full speed not 1/8 but 1/1.

[ssilk]

Ah, then the use is to have an exact measurement of the ratio?
Well, I don't see any sense in that, as long as the players aren't able to set this ratio not only for one item, but for many. For example an electric circuit needs half a copper plate and 1.5 iron plates (not sure!). Would be really useful to have some kind of machine, which guarantees to let only that ratio thru. Because then you can built an assembly street only for el. circuits and don't need to fill up empty belts.

Maybe this can give you some idea, of how to make that:
https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... ?f=8&t=298

Or is the use of it some different?

[EstebanLB]

All those solutions are way too complex to reach what I propose for the splitter. And by being adjustable, you don't need to reconstruct anything.

[MF-]

All those solutions are way too complex to reach what I propose for the splitter. And by being adjustable, you don't need to reconstruct anything.

Reaching those solutions is what makes factorio fun for me.
Discussing whether the-feature-you-propose is possible to do with current mechanics, whether it's actually needed or how would one do it is one of the important factors in deciding whether to put it in or not

[ssilk]

Same opinion.
Edit: reconstruction is the players daily bread of factorio. This is like in real life! The problem is most times, that I built too optimized and there is just no space left for reconstruction.
Try to explain, why this is needed and why it can't be done differently.

[EstebanLB]

I'll upload a screenshot and the savegame to explain it better then

[Coolthulhu]

I like the current design of Factorio - simple elements form complex systems.
That said, an eventual "smart splitter" with settings like 70% of iron ore goes left, 30% goes right would be cool. It would be nice if they were the equivalent of smart inserters - expensive, but working at maximal (express belt) speed.

Making a basic, low-tier adjustable splitter goes against the current design, though.

[_0rbit_]

I have no need for such a splitter, because I always rely on fully backed up belts, but as a high tier thingie; why not?

I would probably rename the splitter and call it "redistributor" or something similar. The way it works now, it does not split the stream left/right into two.

If you put coal and ore on a belt and run it through a splitter you will still have coal and ore on both belts coming out. The funny thing is, if you do the reverse it still works. Have two iron and coal carrying belts fused by a splitter and you end up with a neat separate flow of both. No mixing occurs.

I think splitters should work differently, namely they should just split the left and right side of a belt. Items in the middle will randomly move to either side. This would allow you to unsplit material streams so you can redirect them without using filter/smart inserters.

[ssilk]

You might have a look at this https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... 6118#p6104