Wanted: coal-powered Assembling Machine f. early game

[Peter34]

The game seems obsessed with rushing the player to electricity as quickly as possible.

Sometimes it's nice to play more slowly, stay in the Coal Age for longer time, before making the great leap forward to electricity.

But two things impede this. One is Research, you can't do that without electrical power. I actually think that is reasonable, though. The other impediment is more annoying: That you can't do automated production at all without Electricity, since the Assembly Machine requires electrical power, and you must also have power in the first place in order to be able to research it.

I think the early game would be made more flexible, and ultimately more fun, if it was possible from the get-go to build a Primitive Assembler Machine, or perhaps call it a Burner Assembly Machine to be consistent with established game jargon. It could require fuel to function, Coal or Wood as fuel input, and require a Stone Furnate as part of its creation (similar to Burner Mining Drills).

And - crucially - it should be much slower than an electrical Assembly Machine. I'm thinking 40% or 33% the speed. In terms of efficiency, it should also burn something like 150% as much energy compared to if you put the fuel into a Boiler and ran it through a Steam Engine. The Assembly Machine requires 90 kW, so this Burner Asembly Machine should require 135 kW.

[bobingabout]

now that they've merged the internal code for Furnace and Assembly machine, this should be very doable.

[Jythier]

The whole game is based on research progression. That said, it is my belief that the first thing you should be able to do is automate red research packs. IE, I want to be able to automate prior to researching anything. I feel the game doesn't feel right where I have to craft RPs in order to research assemblers.

[Peter34]

The whole game is based on research progression. That said, it is my belief that the first thing you should be able to do is automate red research packs. IE, I want to be able to automate prior to researching anything. I feel the game doesn't feel right where I have to craft RPs in order to research assemblers.

That's most of my point as well. I just want a slowboat Steam Crafter that's 33% or 40% the speed of the initial Electric Crafter, and I want it mainly so I can have it churn out red magic potions for me.

The remainder of my point is that I think the game should be more accomodating to different player styles and player preferences, including the preference of staying in the "steam age" for a bit longer instead of rushing to electricity.

[infinitehubgear]

I like the idea! It could open the door to more electricity-independant backup systems.

[bobingabout]

Mods.
Modding can easilly make that burner assembly machine.

what else do you want burner powered options for?

[CreeperDaReeper]

Mods.
Modding can easilly make that burner assembly machine.

what else do you want burner powered options for?

Why not just stay one step ahead of that question and go with the extreme answer? EVERYTHING! (Within reason of course.)

[sillyfly]

Coal-powered lamps! And a gun-turret that shoots flaming coals on enemies!

[Peter34]

Mods.
Modding can easilly make that burner assembly machine.

what else do you want burner powered options for?

Mod makers =! game designers.

That's all I have to say about that.