Low-Tech Game Mode

[omega_haxors]

What I am proposing is a completely new game-mode for Factorio which would change the focus completely off electricity. Due to the way the game is set up now, it assumes at almost every avenue that you have access to an electrical grid, and the game is balanced as such. Obviously this leaves a whole lot of potential on alternative power sources and transfer almost completely untapped.

I've written a bit of a story explaining somewhat how the experience will go:

My not-so-short story

Alone. Crash landed on an alien planet. Many of your crew, if not all, are dead. Those that survived have moved to safer territory while you were out cold, presumed dead. Unfortunately, you have no idea how to make anything that isn't extremely basic. Just as you think things can't get any worse, you find out that there are others waiting to make you their next meal. Shot after shot you finish them off, only to remember that you have no idea how to make ammo. You are going to need to make some primitive weapons. You fasten some stone together to make a spear and...! you are attacked again! In desperation, you toss your stones at the aliens only to find out they're surprisingly effective at taking them out.

For now.

It's getting dark, so you make a small light source by burning some logs in a campfire. It's evident that the aliens of the planet prefer to attack at night, but are also afraid of fire, and will stop at nothing to avoid it. Many ambushes have fallen short due to a hasty retreat to the campfire. Maybe they will get over their fear eventually... Hopefully not.

Stone tools just aren't cutting it anymore. You need metal. Unfortunately, though, you have no idea how to make ingots, so you are going to have to stick with stone, for now. You were able to set up basic defenses in the morning by piling stones into a wall which is capable of keeping out enemies, but has very little structural integrity. This leaves you yearning for a way to automate stone production.

First, you make a crank. Then, you make a drill head. A few shafts, a few gears, and finally a gear box. You are able to use these ingredients to make a basic autominer, ran off your own elbow grease. Simply approach the crank and run into it to spin it and any connected shafts and eventually to an autominer. Unfortunately, anything made of stone will quickly break, and constant maintenance is required, but it's a lot less work than doing it yourself.

After a bit of experimenting, you were also able to make a grinder using shaft power, which turns your stone into dust. This dust can be dumped in the river to... sink into the river. What did you expect, it's not like anything was holding the stuff. You're going to need to make a container for the stuff, and unfortunately for you making water-proof anything is way over your head. At least you can use the dust to temporarily blind (maybe) the enemy, or more likely, yourself.

To be Continued. (whenever I feel like it)

Feature Ideas:

No Electricity: Not now, not later, not ever
Sticks and Stones: Basic weaponry
Shaft Power: Primitive power transfer
Breaking: Things break down often due to shoddy design
Repair: Super easy to repair/replace due to low quality ingredients
Fires: Works like a burner lamp. Keeps aliens away (clears aggro)
Looting: Everything you get that is advanced is found or scavenged
Boulder Battery: Store shaft power by suspending a boulder
Waterproofing: Allows late-game progress
Steam: Does what it obviously should do. Scald your enemies!
Pneumatics: Late-game power transfer