[MOD 1.1] Xander Mod v3.6.1

[khadgarion]

Double post

[Repofme1]

Hi all -

Version 3.2.0 is now available on the mod portal. Brief summary:

Content overhauled just up to blue science pack
Playtested up to middle green science - similar to last update
Nominally complete up to middle green science - content and balance feel good, major change unlikely
Added migrations for 3.1.0 worlds - should be complete, but (as always) I might have missed something

This update mostly includes more materials, parts, and technologies for building up to blue science. Not especially exciting, but I plan to shift focus back to machines, equipment, and other useful stuff for the next few weeks. I also updated the original post with current test world screenshots.

The other big piece of news is that versions 3+ are now on GitHub in their own dedicated repository, at
https://github.com/Factorio-Xander-Mod/Xander_Mod_3/

Thanks to my friend Alex for helping (and motivating) me to set this up.


EDIT:

Thanks for sharing all those previous worlds! I liked seeing all the different approaches, and how long they took, it makes your collective effort much more real to me.

[plugwash]

Just tried playing this new version with a friend, unfortunately we seem to have hit a snag that blocks progress.

Tungsten blocks need an electric refining furnace.
Electric refining furnaces need Improved assembly machines.
Improved assembly machines need electronic circuits.
Electronic circuits need active electronic components.
Active electronic components need tungsten blocks.

[plugwash]

We cheated our way to our first electric refining furnace and kept playing, reached blue science successfully.

It looks like in the current version, after blue science it pretty much reverts to stock, so I would expect the rest of the game to be relatively easy.

[Repofme1]

We cheated our way to our first electric refining furnace and kept playing, reached blue science successfully.

It looks like in the current version, after blue science it pretty much reverts to stock, so I would expect the rest of the game to be relatively easy.

Thanks for the tip! I guess I wasn't paying attention when I made that recipe, it will be changed to regular crafting in the next update.

[plugwash]

We kept playing and I noticed another problem.

Yellow science can be produced successfully, but purple science requires "electric furnaces", which seem to be a different item from the "electric refining furnaces" that can be produced in this mod.

[Repofme1]

Hi all -

I know it's been a long time, and I too wish I could have gotten this update out earlier. It's not especially large, either, but it does include better entity sprites in the graphics-pack-1. Hopefully I won't have to update the graphics packs again for a while, which would be good because I could focus on more frequent updates to the core mod. Other good news is my personal situation has seen a distinct improvement in the past month; maybe I will have more motivation for the mod

Very abridged patch notes:

Content overhauled slightly past blue science pack
Most new material consists of hydrocarbon refining - petrochemistry! (jk not nearly as much as Angel's )
Also tweaked machine models to look better and correctly work with pipes (finally!)
Playtested up to middle green science - not much news
Nominally complete just up to blue science - content and balance feel okay, major change unlikely
No new migrations, since it didn't seem this update needed them - as always, I might have missed something

Regarding game progression:

I understand the issue with purple science, since I had to re-do the base furnaces with XM items (it's a long story). When my work gets there, that on its own will be an easy fix. I'm honestly surprised that yellow science didn't encounter more trouble.

My own testing is now behind, so that's my next focus chunk. I have loosely stuck to my established patterns, so balance should be O.K. (fingers crossed). We'll see.

[eradicator]

...

Gratulations on the update and the improved personal situation. I'm still in "read-only" mode, but at least wanted to let you know that you're not unheared ;).

[Repofme1]

Hi all -

Xander Mod 3.4.0 is available on the mod portal, finally upgraded to work with Factorio 0.18. The main new chunk here is the mipmap-enabled icons, which I reconstructed throughout what should be the whole mod. There is relatively little new content besides this, but I did add another tier each of boiler and steam turbine for intermediate-temperature steam (300 C compared to 165 and 500 in default). My intent is to provide a mid-tier stepping stone that also works with the steam cogeneration from exothermic processes like sulfuric acid.

...Wait.

I forgot the recipes and research to unlock them >.<


Oh well, something for 3.4.1 I guess.

[khalismur]

Great mod, thanks for keeping it updated! If I manage to finish a game with it I can give you some feedback. Been having a blast.

[TheGringe]

Thank you for keeping the updates coming, I played until chemical (blue) science packs and can't wait to continue with the upcoming content and technologies. I think the chemical science pack really feels like a chemical one when you look at the factories that produce it (I added a screenshot of a 1 chem-pack/second build (southern section)).
Also the added waste dump feels really balanced as it is quite big, so one is encouraged to use as many of the extra products as possible, but noobody is forced to produce with perfect ratios.
I also like that advanced circuits are not needed as an ingredient for chem. science, but are needed for the machines for it.
Generally the costs of factories at first seem quite expensive, but when automated are actually very well achievable (e.g. the 20 refineries, 64 electrolyzers and 1000 train tracks it took me to build the chem science build). Thumbs up for that.
By the way: RSO seems to have problems spawning heavy-sand - not a problem at the current state, as the starting area always offers heavy sand, but it might run out in the future.
And I hope magnetic ore will find a use again. Looking forward to it, as well as to the remaining oil technologies being researchable.

Once again thanks for the mod and in reference to the current situation, stay healthy and safe

1 chem/sec

screenshot-tick-7048349.jpg (1.31 MiB) Viewed 7286 times

[Repofme1]

Thank you for keeping the updates coming, I played until chemical (blue) science packs and can't wait to continue with the upcoming content and technologies. I think the chemical science pack really feels like a chemical one when you look at the factories that produce it (I added a screenshot of a 1 chem-pack/second build (southern section)).
Also the added waste dump feels really balanced as it is quite big, so one is encouraged to use as many of the extra products as possible, but noobody is forced to produce with perfect ratios.
I also like that advanced circuits are not needed as an ingredient for chem. science, but are needed for the machines for it.
Generally the costs of factories at first seem quite expensive, but when automated are actually very well achievable (e.g. the 20 refineries, 64 electrolyzers and 1000 train tracks it took me to build the chem science build). Thumbs up for that.
By the way: RSO seems to have problems spawning heavy-sand - not a problem at the current state, as the starting area always offers heavy sand, but it might run out in the future.
And I hope magnetic ore will find a use again. Looking forward to it, as well as to the remaining oil technologies being researchable.

Once again thanks for the mod and in reference to the current situation, stay healthy and safe

Thanks for the compliments! I feel that I'm finally making a good mod, after several lesser attempts, but it really does encourage me to hear that other people think so. I sometimes worry about the low frequency of my updates, but personally, I just have to work at my own pace - on everything I do. Slow and steady builds the factory.

As always, your world is more advanced than my test one, so it's good to see what it takes to scale up my recipes. One of my big problems in the past has been poor balance (everything too expensive ), and I'm glad that my current technique is producing balanced mechanics.

My idea with the waste dump was to give it a large size but high capacity, to encourage using fewer of them - that is, centralizing the storage of each chemical with one tank and dump system. And the chemical science pack is supposed to embody its name more, with really 'chemical' ingredients, and the piston-cylinder to represent pressure-volume experiments

Looking forward, I have solid ideas for chromium from magnetic ore, and stainless steel from that. Plus a lot more - I've only just hit blue science! My latest update should have most of the advanced oil content, although maybe not much use for it yet.

Do you notice RSO issues with any of the other ores? I suspect the problem is that I haven't written an RSO config for Xander Mod 3, in which case none of the ones I added should work... I made RSO configs for earlier XM projects (1, 2), but currently it's lower priority for me because of two things: one, the base ore gen has improved a bit recently, and I finally have a good general workflow so writing the main mod attracts all of my attention.

Hope you stay safe as well.

[Repofme1]

Hi all -

The latest version 3.4.1 is now available on the mod portal. Quick summary:

Content overhauled to early blue science
Fully implemented mid-tier steam temperature (300 C)
Modules, tier 1 and 2
Playtested up to late green science - not much news
Nominally complete up to early blue science - content and balance feel okay, major change unlikely
One migration for improved cast iron recipe - as always, I might have missed something

Regarding the current coronavirus situation, I hope that all of you are doing your best to stay safe and limit the spread of this disease. I am doing well, just staying at home, and I wish well to you end everyone else out there.

[TNT90]

It seems like the 3.4.1 version is dependent on 0.5.0 version of the graphic-1 pack. But the graphics-1 pack is at version 0.4.1.

[Repofme1]

It seems like the 3.4.1 version is dependent on 0.5.0 version of the graphic-1 pack. But the graphics-1 pack is at version 0.4.1.

Thanks to everyone who caught and posted this. An error on my part, corrected in mod version 3.4.2 just published.

[Garg1979]

the Research , Automation Science Pack , wont unlock anything.
cant craft red pots.

[jakeyjkp]

Same here - can't get to Automation Science. Can't see any way around that without creating a new scenario with the components added.

[Homeboi-Jesus]

Been a long time fan of the mod and am really to happy to hear you have more free time and is doing well these days! Playing the latest version of the mod it seems that coke production was heavily nerfed to 4 coal -> 9 coke. Why is that the case? I am all for complete realism, but that seems a bit steep and puts a heavy strain on the early to mid game do to the very large amount of coke needed to automate things. Also I noticed that you had selected to change the components that make up the firearm magazines to bronze, lead ingots, and black powder. Why was this changed as well? The old way with lead ingots smelted to bullets, bronze made into casings, and black powder seemed perfectly fine and I had no issues mass producing them either. The new way seems easier and lacks the realism offered before. Also I noticed a graphical bug for the firebrick furnace; when destroyed it has the destruction of the old stone furnaces from base game. I don't know if you just haven't had the time to change such a minor detail or not, but I figured I would bring it up in case it was not known.

Again, absolutely loving the mod and I'm looking forward to updates for it!

[Repofme1]

Hi all -

I'm working on 3.4.3 to publish soon, which will fix the automation science pack bug. I also have several graphics bugfixes in the works, and a bit more clarity in the crafting menu as well. Hopefully this will be out in the next day or two.

Another thing I'm trying to figure out is changing the starting items to fit with XM better. I can find the file where the freeplay scenario items are defined, but I don't know the path to reference them in Factorio's main data list. Essentially, I could hard-code change them on only my computer, but I can't write a mod file that will change them. I would appreciate if anyone who is familiar with this part of the code could offer some help.

[kingarthur]

Hi all -

I'm working on 3.4.3 to publish soon, which will fix the automation science pack bug. I also have several graphics bugfixes in the works, and a bit more clarity in the crafting menu as well. Hopefully this will be out in the next day or two.

Another thing I'm trying to figure out is changing the starting items to fit with XM better. I can find the file where the freeplay scenario items are defined, but I don't know the path to reference them in Factorio's main data list. Essentially, I could hard-code change them on only my computer, but I can't write a mod file that will change them. I would appreciate if anyone who is familiar with this part of the code could offer some help.

You need to remove them during player creation in control stage. Here's a copy of the code I use in pyblock to add some and remove items.

Code: Select all

  		
script.on_event(defines.events.on_player_created, function(event)
	
  local player = game.players[event.player_index]
  
  player.insert({name="landfill", count=1000})
  player.insert({name="stone", count=200})
  player.insert({name="wood", count=100})
  --player.insert({name="iron-axe", count=1})
 
  player.remove_item("iron-plate")
  player.remove_item("stone-furnace")
  player.remove_item("burner-mining-drill")
  end)