Make Robots follow the Roboport net on long paths

[AtomicStryker]

If your Logistics Network happens to have anything but a cubic shape, robots fly over "uncovered" area, run out of power, and crawl long distances towards the nearest Roboport.
I suggest Robots "path" via Roboports until they are in the destination cell, in which they can beeline.

[SuperSandro2000]

The dev's know that and tried to fix but it didn't work. For now robots don't disappear when they are out of power.

[Alfdaur]

I had them fly right over a big bitter nest...

[SilverWarior]

I must say that I like this idea. It will however require adding of more complex pathfinding algorithm to Robots which could in the end affect the game performance, especially fot those pepole who have large number of robots.

[ssilk]

I would like it so:
There are new element of a "buoy". I think to something like the robocharge mod https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... =14&t=3798
but don't describe this in detail.

Now the algorithm is the following: the robot flies to the target, if there no buoy in that direction, which is more near. If there is a buoy in about that direction, it prefers to fly to that first.

So what happens is, that all robots fly from buoy to buoy, if they are placed near together. With that it is possible to define "preferred paths" and make for example that the bots fly around a biter nest.

[Adamo]

This could be easily fixed. Whenever a robot first calculates its path to its destination, it checks whether it has enough energy to reach that destination. If it does not, it can choose a free refueling port nearest the line of destination, fartherest out from the current position. The robots will then emergently follow whatever path your roboports take. These calculations are trivial.

[bobingabout]

I think there is another suggestion that suggests the check energy first thing.

but Yeah, I agree with that ,and this topic, they should try and remain inside the logistic area at all times, rather than flying in the void.

in the example that you have 2 different large logistic networks far away, linked by a trail of roboports, they should follow the trail, because those areas void of logistic zone could be filled with biter nests.

[ssilk]

The reason to suggest this with a buoy is, because it is much more complex to check if every robot path is inside an area, instead of just find the shortest way over some buoys. But technically there is nothing against having such buoys at all the 4 edges of the logistic areas.

[bobingabout]

or you could say a roboport is a buoy, so the robots would fly from roboport to roboport, and only leave the "path" to pick up an item, where it would go stright back to the nearest roboport, and to drop the item off, or place it, where once again it would go stright back to the nearest roboport.

[Adamo]

I think there is another suggestion that suggests the check energy first thing.

Yes. Checking for sufficient energy will remove any need to set up "buoys" or anything else. The bots will naturally follow the shape of the network.