VTN by PMAP

[PMAP]

Introduction

Hello everyone and thanks to Google Translator.

The developers are busy improving trains and stations (Train 2.0), and while we wait, I decided to share my implementation of a logistics train network system in vanilla.

System: Vanilla Train Network
Goal: The system simplifies the setup of trains and stations, as well as further interaction with them.
Author: PMAP
Version: 1.01

Book of blueprints

• Posted on the website https://factorioprints.com/view/-NpzR-KqhdlJUYW2BcH7
• Contains the system itself in the form of a constructor.
• Additionally contains a simple railway as an example of organizing a global network and connecting stations to it (the test scenario is built on it).

Test scenario

• You can see this system in action by downloading the test scenario. Unpack it into your scenarios folder. There you can see the station settings and try something out.
• Using the console command "/c game.player.create_character()" you can display the character.
• Using the console command "/c game.speed=X" you can speed up the game, 1 - normal speed, 2 - x2, 3 - x3 and so on.

Megabase

• In addition to the test scenario, you can look at the operation of VTN in a megabase.

The benefits of this system

• No mods required, built on the vanilla game.
• Can be used at the beginning of the game, you only need trains, stations and combinators.
• Unified for any train length.
• Completely eliminates the need for the player to set up train schedules.
• Any station can work with several resources.
• The logic of each station is self-sufficient, there is no need to deploy anything else (such as a smart depot, central server, etc.).
• There is no need to come up with names for the requester (unloading) stations, they are all the same.
• Convenience in understanding the work (very close to drone chests - requests and provides).
• Allows you to completely copy any production with stations and trains, without needing to change anything.
• You can use any train in the system, at any time, for your own purposes, and then send it to a provider or refueling station (via a schedule), and this will not interfere with the system in any way.

Disadvantages of this system

• Near each station there is a “pack” of combinators intertwined with all kinds of wires, it doesn’t look “very good” and can “hurt the eye.” But this is at first, and over time you get used to it.
• Setting up a station without the help of drones is labor-intensive.
• The need to combine all stations into one network (red and green wires).

Details

Global and local networks

• All stations must be united into one global network (for example, by big electric poles along the entire railway), both red and green wires.
• More than one global network is not allowed, only one.
• The required resources are displayed in the red network, and stations “communicate” with each other there.
• The green network displays resources available from providers.
• The station must be connected to the global network through the medium electric pole (next to the lamps).
• Medium electric poles without lamps are the station’s internal network and cannot be connected to the global network.
• In the red local network of the station displays the contents of the train.
• In the green local network of the station displays the contents of the station's chests/tanks.

System shutdown

• The book contains a blueprint based on a lone locomotive at a station.
  Connect the big electric pole with the red wire to the global network.
  With its help, you can completely stop the trains of the system and delay them at stations.
  By switching the locomotive to the “Manual” state, the system is turned off, and vice versa.
  A locomotive is used, as the game allows the player to switch its mode at any distance.
  There is no need to refuel the locomotive.

Refueling station

• Trains arrive at such a station after every fifth trip to refuel.
• Present in the book because it has a unique name.
• In the test scenario, you can see the option of organizing refueling stations.

Regular provider station

• Can provide more than one resource and more than one liquid.
• You can set a priority (from 1-high to 10-low, indicated in the constant combinator marked “PRIORITY”, signal “P”).
• There is balancing of the loading of boxes and tanks (can be turned off using a permanent combinator marked "DISABLE BALANCER").
• Each loading section has a permanent combinator for the balancer, indicating the number of boxes/tanks per resource for this section (the number must be with a minus sign).
• A station may have more than one delivery train (indicated in the permanent combinator marked "LIMIT", signal "L").
• The station must be renamed (for example, by the type of resource supplied).
• The same name can be given to several stations, provided that the resources they supply are identical.
• The station will respond to the request only if the train is loaded with the specified minimum (if necessary, indicated in the permanent combinator marked “MINIMUM”).
• Providers stations contain the trains themselves (the schedule cannot be changed), create copies of it in the stacker (if available).
• Loading areas must be installed according to the blueprint and only then, if necessary, modified.
• Color of lamps at the station:
  • Red - the chests and the train at the station are empty (the train will not be sent anywhere)
  • Yellow - the station is not ready to send the train (the train has not yet returned to the station or the departure minimum has not been met)
  • Green - the station is ready to send the train

Specialized provider station

• Behavior is similar to a regular provider station, with minor changes.
• Reacts not to the requested resource, but to a special signal (indicated in the constant combinator with the mark "SPECIALITY", "ABCDEF" signals cannot be used).
• Does not inform the global network about its resources in chests and trains, but only with a special signal when ready.
• It is possible to send a train to a regular requester station if you specify a resource signal with a special signal (make sure that the train is loaded with this resource).
• Unlike usual, in the absence of cargo and minimums, the train at the station will be ready for departure.
• There can be several special signals (make sure that the train will provide the necessary resources for requests for each signal).
• Direct purpose - construction trains, trains for defense, player and the like.

Regular requester station

• Can request more than one resource and more than one liquid.
• You can set a priority (from 1-high to 10-low, indicated in the constant combinator marked “PRIORITY”, signal “E”).
• There is balancing of the unloading of boxes and tanks (can be turned off using a permanent combinator marked "DISABLE BALANCER").
• Each unloading section has a permanent combinator for the balancer, indicating the number of boxes/tanks per resource for this section (the number must be with a minus sign).
• A station can request more than one train (indicated in the constant combinator marked "LIMIT", signal "D").
• All requester stations have the same name (the name cannot be changed).
• Does not inform the global network about its resources in chests.
• The station will request a resource only if there is not enough of it in the chests/tanks (indicated in the permanent combinator marked "MINIMUM").
• A station can be passive, that is, ask for something only if there is a certain minimum of any resources in the network (indicated in the constant combinator marked “PASSIVE”).
• Unloading zones must be installed according to the blueprint and only then, if necessary, modified.
• Color of lamps at the station
  • Red - chests at the station are empty
  • Yellow - resource chests contain less than the specified minimum
  • Green - there are enough resources in the chests
  • Blue - the station is in passive mode (sleeping)

Specialized requester station

• The behavior is similar to a regular requester station, with minor changes.
• If a resource is needed, the train requests a special signal (indicated in the permanent combinator marked “SPECIALITY”, “ABCDEF” signals cannot be used).
• You can request a train from a regular station if you indicate the resource signal with a special signal.
• There may be several special signals (make sure that for each signal the suppliers are able to provide the necessary resources to the station).
• Direct purpose - construction trains, trains for defense, player and the like.

Player Requester Station Section

• This section calls a train when a player is nearby.
• If you install it in a regular requester station, then the train that is marked in the arithmetic combinator is called (the signal “P” is written in the blueprint, accordingly you need a specialized station with a signal “P”, you can change it to your own signal).
• If installed in a specialized station, then the train that is marked in "SPECIALITY" is called.
• If a requester station needs a resource, then a train with the resource can arrive, that is, it called it before the player called his train. You can also use it, only send it later to the supply station.
• A station in passive mode will prevent the call.
• The provider station will only dispatch a train if that train is ready to depart.

Recommendations

• Do not place large stackers at requester stations, otherwise they will take over the trains that are unnecessary for them when others do not have enough.
• It is better not to supply more than one liquid by one train, this can cause difficulties and inconsistencies during unloading, since the game does not have a filter for liquids.
• It is advisable to indicate to the supply station the minimum resources for sending as much as the train can accommodate.
• At requester stations, be sure to use filters (manipulators and switching conditions in pumps).
• You should not request more resources than the station can accept (chests/tanks), otherwise this station will endlessly idle trains.
  Also, you should not request as much resource as the maximum the station can handle; this may delay the train at the station if the chests are full and the train has not yet been unloaded.
  It's best to request 2 or 3 full lineups.
• Balancing will work for multiple resources only if each resource has the same number of chests/tanks (otherwise it is better to turn it off).
• Boxes/tanks in the loading and unloading areas are connected by wires in parallel, so unnecessary ones can be safely removed (don’t forget to adjust the number of boxes for the balancer).
• At the provider station, for better operation of the manipulators when loading into boxes, you can adjust the balancer by indicating the value 4 in the combinator marked "DISABLE BALANCER", instead of a large number, and turn on the combinator itself.
• You may need to replace steel chests with drone chests, and to avoid missing wires, install them directly on top of the steel ones, the game will replace them, leaving the wires in place.
  Manipulators can be replaced in the same way.
• It’s better not to load the trains of regular suppliers with different resources, and if you want to, then load each car equally, so as not to experience problems at requester stations.
• It is better to place several groups of refueling stations on different sides of the base, so that trains do not crowd in one place.

Repath of train destination

• The game mechanics have a peculiarity in the behavior of trains: they can change the target station with the same name if they cannot get to the original one or the second one seemed more achievable to them.
  And since in my system all the requester stations have the same name, this feature becomes a problem.
  I put a lot of effort into minimizing the appearance of this mechanic.
  At the moment the probability is small, but still remains.
  To protect requester stations from such a phenomenon, filters are used (manipulators and switching conditions in pumps); a train that goes the wrong way will simply leave in a couple of seconds.
  A couple of tips, although banal, reduce the likelihood:
  • Try to avoid traffic jams.
  • Try to satisfy requester stations in a timely manner.

How to place a provider station

• Using the blueprints from the book, lay out a straight road.
• Place the blank under the station (for example, “RW. Station (1 train)”).
• Select one of the stations in the blueprints (for example, "PS. Regular").
• Place it in the blank for the station so that the medium electric poles and the lamp coincide.
• Be sure to rename the station.
• Select the wagon loading blueprint (for example, “PS. Cargo wagon”) and place it in the section next to the station so that the medium electric poles and lamps coincide.
• You can further add more loading sections.
• Add fuel to the train and set the switch to "Auto" (if there is a gas station, it will go there and return).
• The train will be ready to transport everything you load into it.

How to place a requester station

• Using the blueprints from the book, lay out a straight road.
• Place the blank under the station (for example, “RW. Station (1 train)”).
• Select one of the stations in the blueprints (for example, "RS. Regular").
• Place it in the blank for the station so that the medium electric poles and the lamp coincide.
• Do not rename the station under any circumstances.
• Select the blueprint for unloading the wagon (for example, “RS. Cargo wagon”) and place it in the section next to the station so that the medium electric poles and lamps coincide.
• You can further add more unloading sections.
• Specify the resource required at the station (in the combinator with the "MINIMUM" mark).
• Be sure to configure the filter in the manipulators/pumps (by default, fish and water are indicated there, respectively).
• If there is a ready-made train with this resource in your network, then it will already be sent.

Conclusion

I hope this system is useful to someone.
Leave your questions here, I will try to answer them.

[DarkShadow44]

Can you put a high level explanation how how this whole thing works?

[PMAP]

Can you put a high level explanation how how this whole thing works?

I don't want to describe each combinator. But I will describe the algorithm embedded in them, maybe it will help.

Let's skip some preliminary moments and imagine that all supply stations are ready to send their trains, and some request station suddenly needs resource Z.

1. The request station informs the global network about its lack of resource Z.
2. The supply station of resource Z reacts to this and declares its desire to send a train.
3. All other stations in the system fall silent, the communication channel is blocked.
4. Several applicants may apply at the same time.
5. In this case, the supply stations start a game of more/less for elimination based on train identifiers and priorities.
6. The winner is the one with the smallest number.
7. As soon as the winner is determined, he begins to ask the stations requesting resource Z to open, in turn, from the most to the least priority.
8. Any opened station reports this, and at the same moment the train departs, and the game itself chooses which one it will go to.
9. The station that sent the train calms down and unblocks the communication channel.

All these processes occur in several game ticks, and the opening of the station and the start of the train generally in one game tick.

[GenoSupremo]

This looks really cool i would like to understand how it all works in motion. Bit silly but i cant seem to get your trains to run seems you have create something super complicated. I tried the red wire, doesn't seem to work nor switching it to automatic.

[PMAP]

This looks really cool i would like to understand how it all works in motion. Bit silly but i cant seem to get your trains to run seems you have create something super complicated. I tried the red wire, doesn't seem to work nor switching it to automatic.

I assume that you are trying to use the system in the new version of Factorio.

In version 2.0, my system does not work. I do not see the point in fixing it, since the new version has new mechanics and I do not yet know how they will change the system. If I have the desire and time, I will implement a new one, like "VTN 2.0".