[MOD 0.12.11+] Torches

[Peter34]

I still like this mod a lot. But of course I only use it for early game. As I think most others do.

However, it's a bit cheaty that if I pick up a Torch and put it down again, it becomes insta-refueled with the not-so-small amount of fuel that all Torches are supposed to be "born" with.

You can use the same exploit with Burner Inserters, but in that case it's a purely theoretical exploit because the amount of inborn internal energy is so small that you'd have to pick-up-and-replace constantly. A ridiculously large amount of labour and effort for effectively minimal gain.

Torches are born with a fairly large amount of internal energy, though, so the exploit makes some sense there. Mostly I don't do it to exploit, though, but rather because I'm too lazy to go in and open the Torch Inventory interface and refuel them. It's faster to pick-up-and-replace.

To fix this workaround, I suggest that Torches turn into Wood when picked up, that is the Torch disappears and becomes disassembled into Wood, meaning the player has to craft a new Torck (which includes spending the Coal). The Letters mod already does that, when you pick up a Letter, although there it's meant for ease of use (if you crafted the wrong letter, e.g. an E you don't need, it auto-disassembled upon pickup so you can use the Wood to craft the desired letter), whereas here it'd be for balance.

It is, however, rather a lot of effort for something that completely ceases to be relevant after the first 20-60 minues of play, so might not be worth the trouble.

[Klonan]

I still like this mod a lot. But of course I only use it for early game. As I think most others do.

However, it's a bit cheaty that if I pick up a Torch and put it down again, it becomes insta-refueled with the not-so-small amount of fuel that all Torches are supposed to be "born" with.

Torches are born with a fairly large amount of internal energy, though, so the exploit makes some sense there. Mostly I don't do it to exploit, though, but rather because I'm too lazy to go in and open the Torch Inventory interface and refuel them. It's faster to pick-up-and-replace.

Yea i thought about this when i was making the mod, but i left it how it is on the following logic,

Its cheap to make a torch, and coal is cheap too, so its not really a big deal to get 1 piece for free
If its a real emergency, and you really have no coal to refuel, then its OK to cheat and get some light
Otherwise its pretty inconsequential, and its more you pay with time to pick it up and place it down, than to just set up an inserter into it.
And also i can see how its unfair to have them 'break' when you pick them up, if you mis click, and its gone... not a fun gameplay mechanic IMO

[Mooncat]

Just to inform you that I am waiting for this mod being ported to 0.13.
(Or I will do that if you are busy and allow me to)
(Also add the "hidden" flag so the fake entities are not selectable in logistic network UI?)

[Peter34]

Yeah, it's a nice little mod to have. It may seem obscure, but I can see two fairly good use cases:

1. YouTube LP recorders who want early-game night time illumination without resorting to console or other cheats.

2. Coop MP games, where more experienced players may want to place Torches to help guide new players ("use scroll wheel to zoom all the way out. See those 3 bright spots forming a triangle? That's where I am").

So I'm hoping it'll get updated to 0.13.

[Klonan]

I have updated the mod: https://mods.factorio.com/mods/Klonan/Torches

[Mooncat]

I have updated the mod: https://mods.factorio.com/mods/Klonan/Torches

Thanks a lot.

[Peter34]

Yeah, thanks a lot!!

[Peter34]

Is this mod going to get updated to 0.15? It's a fun little early game thing, to use before electric power.