[MOD 0.15+] Bucket Wheel Excavator 0.3.6(1st October)

[Boogieman14]

Like the idea of this mod, my new game hasn't unlocked them yet, but I just noticed a (very minor) inconsistency in the research requirements. The Mk1 and Mk3 miners both require Logistics 3, while the Mk2 miner only requires Logistics 2. Yes, it is minor, I'll just refer you to my signature

[jorgenRe]

Like the idea of this mod, my new game hasn't unlocked them yet, but I just noticed a (very minor) inconsistency in the research requirements. The Mk1 and Mk3 miners both require Logistics 3, while the Mk2 miner only requires Logistics 2. Yes, it is minor, I'll just refer you to my signature

But then Mk2 requires the Mk1 to be researched so in the end you do require the logistics 3 researched !
But i guess the Mk 1 was the one supposed to have the logistics 2 as a requirement :/

[Boogieman14]

Like I said: minor

Another minor thingy: when you remove an ore unloader, there's a message in the console ("Removed: ore-unloader"), I'm guessing that's some kind of leftover debugging message

Also, could you write a quite guide on how the unloader works, because I can't seem to get it working. Probably overlooking something way obvious, but I've tried placing it next to both horizontal and vertical track, but it isn't doing anything at all...

*edit* Took a look through the code and came across

Code: Select all

if ent ~= nil then

in the On_Built() function. Not sure what you're trying to accomplish there, but that ended up breaking the unloaders Commenting out that if-block made the unloader work. Next problem I ran into was that the mk1 unloader would stop at 800 units (16 stacks) while there's supposed to be room for 22. Guess that's a reason not to hardcode those kinds of limits (also, why don't you use the can_insert() test of the container? As an added advantage, that'd also make the unloader still work with non-standard stacksizes )

[jorgenRe]

Another minor thingy: when you remove an ore unloader, there's a message in the console ("Removed: ore-unloader"), I'm guessing that's some kind of leftover debugging message

Yea it sortoff is, but its a nice little message ^_^

Also, could you write a quite guide on how the unloader works, because I can't seem to get it working. Probably overlooking something way obvious, but I've tried placing it next to both horizontal and vertical track, but it isn't doing anything at all...

Thats really odd i just checked in my game and yea it doesnt work for me either so i got to find out why !

*edit* Took a look through the code and came across

Code: Select all

if ent ~= nil then

in the On_Built() function. Not sure what you're trying to accomplish there.

Thats a very important thing because what if ent is equal to nothing then the game will crash, if not continue ! AKA if ent does not equal to nothing then do stuff end

Commenting out that if-block made the unloader work.

odd

Next problem I ran into was that the mk1 unloader would stop at 800 units (16 stacks) while there's supposed to be room for 22.

Because it just looks like it has room for more !
ok for real it is a hardcoded limit because if i use the can_insert function it will return true even if it cannot insert all the ores. So you will basically end up loosing all your ore because it could only insert something like lets say 50 out of a 100 ore.

that'd also make the unloader still work with non-standard stacksizes )

It does work for any stack size that is less than or equal to a limit !
But it can only transfer ore that i have specified in the control.lua file !

Edit the reason why removing the if ent ~= nil then ... worked
was because i somehow screwed it over
Basically it was like this:

Code: Select all

if ent ~= nil then
local ent = event.created_entity

But should have been like this:

Code: Select all

local ent = event.created_entity
    if ent ~= nil then

Basically ent did not get registered because it would never get passed the if statement !

[Boogieman14]

Thats a very important thing because what if ent is equal to nothing then the game will crash, if not continue ! AKA if ent does not equal to nothing then do stuff end

You're setting ent in the very next line, so the starting state of ent doesn't matter at all (actually, I'm not entirely sure how lua handles this, but you're setting local ent in the next line, the if statement might be testing against a global ent - a different variable altogether)


*edit* ninja'd by your edit I guess that makes sense, not sure if that test is at all required, if On_Built ever gets called without a proper event argument, that probably means kovarex has screwed up big time (and it would also likely mean any mod that uses On_Built is blowing up)

[jorgenRe]

Thats a very important thing because what if ent is equal to nothing then the game will crash, if not continue ! AKA if ent does not equal to nothing then do stuff end

You're setting ent in the very next line, so the starting state of ent doesn't matter at all (actually, I'm not entirely sure how lua handles this, but you're setting local ent in the next line, the if statement might be testing against a global ent - a different variable altogether)


*edit* ninja'd by your edit I guess that makes sense, not sure if that test is at all required, if On_Built ever gets called without a proper event argument, that probably means kovarex has screwed up big time (and it would also likely mean any mod that uses On_Built is blowing up)

Better safe than sorry !
Though when an ent is saved in a global table then it is really really important to check if it still exists !

[Boogieman14]

Though when an ent is saved in a global table then it is really really important to check if it still exists !

In this situation, it wouldn't have mattered because you were declaring the local ent before using it. Also, global in this case means global to your mod. It won't ever interfere with any variable also called ent in any other mod.

[AlexTheNotsogreat]

Here are a few things I would suggest for this mod.
- Improve the textures, make them more then solid, dark colors
- Nerf the mining speeds on the excavators, they are too fast in my opinion
- Resize to make, for example, the MK1 Not crazy big.

But you can take your time with this, I am a patient one. Cool mod nonetheless.

[Boogieman14]

- Nerf the mining speeds on the excavators, they are too fast in my opinion

Mining speed seems ok, considering the power draw (at least for the Mk1, haven't done the math for the others yet).

Mk1: coverage 121 tiles, speed 7, power 1.6MW
Individual Electric miners: 5 units cover 125 tiles, combined speed 2.5, combined power 450kW

So for a bit over 3 times the power draw you get a bit under 3 times the mining output. And then I haven't even looked at the cost of these monsters. Purely from a materials cost perspective, these machines probably aren't anywhere near worth it.

[jorgenRe]

- Nerf the mining speeds on the excavators, they are too fast in my opinion

Mining speed seems ok, considering the power draw (at least for the Mk1, haven't done the math for the others yet).

Mk1: coverage 121 tiles, speed 7, power 1.6MW
Individual Electric miners: 5 units cover 125 tiles, combined speed 2.5, combined power 450kW

So for a bit over 3 times the power draw you get a bit under 3 times the mining output. And then I haven't even looked at the cost of these monsters. Purely from a materials cost perspective, these machines probably aren't anywhere near worth it.

That is totally up to you to choose whether you want something to look different for some extra costs or not,
but i will take what you are saying here into consideration when i trye to balance out the Modular mining machine im creating for another mod !

[jorgenRe]

Here are a few things I would suggest for this mod.
- Improve the textures, make them more then solid, dark colors
- Nerf the mining speeds on the excavators, they are too fast in my opinion
- Resize to make, for example, the MK1 Not crazy big.

But you can take your time with this, I am a patient one. Cool mod nonetheless.

Thanks for the tips yea i guess i could look into using the shif function to decrease its size. I havent touched it yet, but i guess i could !
But right now i'm currently working on another mod(The Underground) seeing as this mod, it is working, but seeing as there are alternatives for this kind of mod i'm not 100 % working on it, though i will return. Its just that what im working on now and then later the next mod after that is going to be something much more unique !
The next planned mod i have will be a mod that adds in new kinds of enemies that will require you to actually upgrade your defenses in a way you havent done before. !

[Boogieman14]

That is totally up to you to choose whether you want something to look different for some extra costs or not,

I'm not suggesting anything should be changed, just explaining why I disagree that the speed needs to be reduced

[AlexTheNotsogreat]

Here are a few things I would suggest for this mod.
- Improve the textures, make them more then solid, dark colors
- Nerf the mining speeds on the excavators, they are too fast in my opinion
- Resize to make, for example, the MK1 Not crazy big.

But you can take your time with this, I am a patient one. Cool mod nonetheless.

Thanks for the tips yea i guess i could look into using the shif function to decrease its size. I havent touched it yet, but i guess i could !
But right now i'm currently working on another mod(The Underground) seeing as this mod, it is working, but seeing as there are alternatives for this kind of mod i'm not 100 % working on it, though i will return. Its just that what im working on now and then later the next mod after that is going to be something much more unique !
The next planned mod i have will be a mod that adds in new kinds of enemies that will require you to actually upgrade your defenses in a way you havent done before. !

Alright, I understand how you can be busy with other stuff. I was actually worried I was pushing you by making this to perfect this mod. But, again, take your time!
P.S. The underground mod sounds and looks amazing~

[jorgenRe]

[quote="jorgenRe"
Alright, I understand how you can be busy with other stuff. I was actually worried I was pushing you by making this to perfect this mod. But, again, take your time!
P.S. The underground mod sounds and looks amazing~

Thank you !
And thats the reason why i like to create mods ^_^!

[klanticus]

It looks like the Ore unloaders are causing desyncs in multiplayer games. I didn't heavily tested to make sure it was the culprit, but I've started getting desyncs after placing a few of them. After we removed, no more desyncs happened. The excavator doesn't seem to cause any problem.

[jorgenRe]

It looks like the Ore unloaders are causing desyncs in multiplayer games. I didn't heavily tested to make sure it was the culprit, but I've started getting desyncs after placing a few of them. After we removed, no more desyncs happened. The excavator doesn't seem to cause any problem.

Hmm.. how odd :/
At least the excavators are script free, but the ore unloaders are heavily reliant on scripts to function. I do however believe what may be the cause so when I got some free time in this weekend Il look into fixing what I can
Edit
12:47 am then 7:18 am my post is behind the correct time :O!

[jorgenRe]

New update: 0.3.4
Now compatible with 0.12.11+
compatible with multiple surfaces !

[AnarCon]

hmm bug report first it was a error with a case sensitivity on the mod name which btw wasnt updated, it was looking for BigDrill_0.3.3
and second when i did correct that this one poped up http://puu.sh/kO0oD/18da40de52.png

[jorgenRe]

hmm bug report first it was a error with a case sensitivity on the mod name which btw wasnt updated, it was looking for BigDrill_0.3.3
and second when i did correct that this one poped up http://puu.sh/kO0oD/18da40de52.png

Okay i think you may have used the wrong version or something because firstly there is nothing wrong with the version on the folder name and in the info file.
Secondly the crash due to line 4 would most likely mean you was using the version found on the bottom of the page. The one for Factorio versions before 0.12.11

[capthavic]

Loving the idea, might give it a try later. Only complaints atm are the models, digger is adequate if a little basic and the unloader is just a black square. Not a huge deal but not very appealing to the eyes either.