[Idea] Crates

[zergspartan]

Lets face it, large factories face belt capacity issues. It isn't uncommon for me to have 2 dedicated belts each for Iron and copper plates, Gears, and Wire.
So I suggest the following:

Crates: Crates hold an amount of items (a single stack or a number like 64). These crates can be placed on belts or used to give you whatever is inside. Inserters that pick up crates for assemblers place the crates contents into assemblers. Assemblers could be modified, or an assembler 3 made, to let you get the crates back. Or crates could just be consumed. Crates should be made of wood.

Crating Machines: Put items into crates, while uncrating should be automatic, placing items in the crates should require a special machine, if only to allow you to control the amount placed into the crate. Options could include specific amounts, percentage of the crates capacity, or a time limit before output.

[MF-]

Also awesome idea.
I am not sure whether this feature isn't equal to "trains", though.
You'd need beefier conveyor belts for crates anyway (=rails )

[Mysteria9]

While I do like the idea, at the same time I don't. I fear it would make the game "too easy". Part of the charm is to manage stuff like this, in my opinion.
I'd say let's just keep our nifty UFO's and move on!

[Kadaban]

While I do like the idea, at the same time I don't. I fear it would make the game "too easy". Part of the charm is to manage stuff like this, in my opinion.
I'd say let's just keep our nifty UFO's and move on!

I think kovarex commented on the "chest on belt" thing with the same reaction stating it would break or make transporting too easy.
Now if only I could find the comment again...

Edit: found it: https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... p?f=6&t=67

[MF-]

This could be balanced better.
Crates were meant to be limited to one ingredient.
I am not sure how big crates would still fit on the belt. 1/2 of a stack? 1/4 of a stack?

So far I am happily playing without a need for a feature like that.

[Hanse00]

It could work if there was a machine required to crate items, and uncrate them.

If it got balanced it could be quite an interesting idea.

[wrtlprnft]

How about a special kind of inserter that can move entire stacks, but only if it's not from or to the ground? So you can quickly move items between chests and assembling machines/cars (and trains, once they can actually carry cargo).

I could already imagine using this to build a quick refueling station for cars. The overall throughput should be lower than a properly filled express belt, so you don't use a long line of chests and crate inserters instead of transport belts, it would be useful where “bursts” are required.

[MF-]

Trains can't carry cargo? Oh.

[wrtlprnft]

Unfortunately not. Inserters can already load a car, though, if you manage to not run them over.

[YasP]

I was thinking more about automated forklifts or trucks with a crane that can pick up a lot more stuff and move it around on a road with two lanes so twice the size of a normal conveyor. It would use the normal provider - request chests to load and unload.

[Candunc]

Crates and automated forklift kinda things? Like trains but on a smaller scale, I like it!

[Hanse00]

Or trains! Sorta... not like an actual train, but a single powered cart that automatically moves down track between two or more destinations.
Would be even cooler if you could have multiple on the same track(s) and program them what to pick up from where.

[Dakkanor]

Or trains! Sorta... not like an actual train, but a single powered cart that automatically moves down track between two or more destinations.
Would be even cooler if you could have multiple on the same track(s) and program them what to pick up from where.

well you CAN do that with cars to a degree.....

i have a loading station which has a number of cars which get pushed by conveyor to a loading station to load up on copper bars (had a seperate foundry but it wasn't big enough to justify 8 stacks worth of conveyor belts and wad too dangerous for logistics robots because there was too much area to secure)

[Candunc]

Well, (flying) logistics robots should be made more expensive, that way there should be a smaller logistics thing. Trains are great for over medium - massive distances, conveyor belts get expensive over medium - large distances, but expanding on YasP's comment you have forklifts that are like logistics robots but run on coal or electricity. They run on road tiles (made from stone) and pick up / drop off stuff at loading areas (where crates are held) and can do stuff like current logistics robots. You would have to have a refueling area (They run on batteries or Coal), so they charge up or load up with coal, and they have a system where they pick up empty crates, drop them off at loading areas, then the crates (Loading areas can be configured to 'call' a forklift when it is full or half full or whatever, and it delivers it to a location that is accepting crates.

Loading areas are loaded / unloaded with inserters, which load / unload to crates. Forklifts are parked in designated parking spots (Like road tiles)

This probably won't be added in, but it could be used for spread out factories and to reduce the amount of conveyor belts needed in spread out factories.

[kovarex]

well you CAN do that with cars to a degree.....

i have a loading station which has a number of cars which get pushed by conveyor to a loading station to load up on copper bars (had a seperate foundry but it wasn't big enough to justify 8 stacks worth of conveyor belts and wad too dangerous for logistics robots because there was too much area to secure)

Very nice! I always knew that players will find many interesting usages we never could think of
Do you have save of this?

[Dakkanor]

Happily

https://www.dropbox.com/s/p2czsrsn4leqg2a/Dakk_1.7z?m

the system could do with some refining, 4 cars fit safely inside it but the conveyors don't always behave (might just be my parking) and i attempted to make a refueling station for the cars but i didn't want the trunk to fill up with coal, should experiment with smart chest/inserter to only put 64 coal in......

my main factory is to the west, its still pretty modest but feel free to look at it

[MF-]

Hmm.. interesting Creepers prefer attacking a car running on a belt loop to attacking me...

[kopema]

I was thinking more about automated forklifts or trucks with a crane that can pick up a lot more stuff and move it around on a road with two lanes so twice the size of a normal conveyor. It would use the normal provider - request chests to load and unload.

I like the idea of forklifts. How can you have a factory without those?

I don't see why they would have to be automated though. And I don't see why we need a separate kind of container called "crates." A Fast Treadmill is much more than adequate for moving any amount of materials in this game.

I'd just like a way to lift a whole Chest full of items at a time, and carry it where I need it to go.

[ssilk]

Keywords: Containers, Boxing, Cargobox, Cargoboxes