Factorio Forums

Hi,

I was wondering why circuit networks and blueprints are so far apart in the tech tree when they are conceptually so closely related to each other. And practically circuit networks also quasi depend on blueprints. So blueprints being a parent of circuit networks early in the tech tree would make more sense to me. Since green science introduces the first modular assembler design ( 3 cables -> 2 green circuits ) it's an ideal time to introduce them to DRY.

Thank you for taking the time to read 1/3 of it. The entire de facto content of the post. Goodbye!

Since it's related, the requirement of construction bots to place down blueprinted infrastructure seems also a bit inconsistent. Construction bots seem to me better at maintaining existing infrastructure than actually building new one. The thing is that the player can already place down everything instantly and free of cost while they cost resources to build and time and energy to operate, which feels more like a trade off the player is forced to take to use blueprints than a real upgrade. Especially since they already start repairing decently right away, but just need several upgrades before they can be even considered for building.

A boring but maybe more useful upgrade at that stage of the game would just be plainly increased placement range. Blue science tier infrastructure sees an explosion in complexity and more placement range would go hand in hand with the bigger and more elaborate blueprints the player would want to tinker with at that stage. And then eventually, to build blueprints of any size, they can use the massive amount of bots and all their upgrades they probably have that late into the game. Assuming they could also carry a lot more of the tiny items like concrete and wires in one trip.

Sorry you had to take the time to read all of it, which means I failed to communicate it clearly enough in the first 1/3.

First of all early game blueprinting will be implemented soon. However the actual solution is not yet provided and is being discussed.

Secondly you probably are messing up things - circuit network (combinators, red-green wires etc) is not related to blueprinting. However Logistic network (robot-powered transportation) is related a bit as both are performed by robots. And the last one is one step past blueprinting in technology tree so its not that far. Yet it does require blue science but still it does not effect blueprinting by any means.

So we all want some form of blueprinting early game and it is going to come. Believe!

Oh cool, so it's even the right time to provide my input? That's very good to hear.

Looks like I may not have separated the problem and my suggested solution well enough. Thanks for pointing that out. Let me try to improve it.

I meant that circuit networks heavily depend on blueprints if you want to actually use them, not that it's a dependency in the game - but it might as well become a dependency in the game in my opinion instead of being tied to construction bots as they are now. It would make more sense to introduce the player to blueprints first so they realize that once a solution is found, the implementation itself becomes trivial. Only then it makes sense to allow those solutions to also become arbitrarily sophisticated by adding circuit networks.

Winchestro wrote:Oh cool, so it's even the right time to provide my input? That's very good to hear.

Looks like I may not have separated the problem and my suggested solution well enough. Thanks for pointing that out. Let me try to improve it.

I meant that circuit networks heavily depend on blueprints if you want to actually use them, not that it's a dependency in the game - but it might as well become a dependency in the game in my opinion instead of being tied to construction bots as they are now. It would make more sense to introduce the player to blueprints first so they realize that once a solution is found, the implementation itself becomes trivial. Only then it makes sense to allow those solutions to also become arbitrarily sophisticated by adding circuit networks.

It's actually a pretty logical progression if you think about it:

Circuit network is pretty basic in concept, but with much potential, more and more of which becomes unlocked as you get more tech available that can be connected to the circuit network. The fact that blueprinting and automated construction are fairly far down the build tree is an interesting one to me. On the one hand, I actually don't use blueprints much because many of my designs are 'one offs' so no real benefit to blueprinting those designs. The main use I've actually made of blueprints has been to help automate expansion of the large solar+accumulator power grid that feed my kilobase (my largest factory to date, though nothing compared to what some people have made in this game). The grid is currently around 12,000 solar panels and about 10k-ish accumulators (correct 25-21 ratio for number of solar panels to accumulators). Automated construction feels to me like a late game tech tbqh. What I wish was more accessible sooner was the ability to automate repairs and resupply in a concise fashion.