Friday Facts #379 - Abstract rewiring

[FactorioBot]

Here it is! (beep boop)

https://factorio.com/blog/post/fff-379

[Splitframe]

Amazing.

[SnowZyDe]

Omg

[aka13]

I love the wire changes, I love the pole changes, I love the additional visibility, and I love the fact that these item-items get removed to shortcut-items.
It going to make all the interactions so much nicer.

I am really looking forward for the next FFF. I hope it does what I think it does, streamlining interactions "from map" in radar coverage, since the wire changes logically point to that.
This will be a very nice touch for the game.
Appreciate your work.

[TheoMarque]

Nice optimization but many times i would just place pole without any autowiring. Why? to do separate network near power switches. Now to achieve this is build a pole and immediately click on pole to disconnect all wires. When i place second ple - i need to do the same operation on both poles. Annoying.
I would like to option to spam power poles without any wires to connect them manually.

Second fear is "cables spaghetti" hanging over machines. It might be awful.

[husnikadam]

The remaining shadow problem - shadows are still being drawn flat over a non-flat entities. F.e. the powerpole casts a flat shadow over the inserter in the FFF pop quiz image. Is that it? Edit: Also, I think that tall entities like assemblers don't get shadows casted on, the casted shadows just go 'under' the entities. Geez I can't unsee that now

[svalorzen]

This post is amazing, but it made me realize that the shadows of the cables actually go on top of the sprites whether it makes sense or not, and it makes me sad now. I had never noticed it before!!

[Serenity]

You might also notice that the shortcut bar can now be up to 12 slots wide!

Yay

remote interactions will be a focus of the next FFF

Remote constant combinator please

[IForgotMyName]

The developers made an incredible reworking of power system communications, although a small part of the players needed it. I think the overhaul of Spidertron's controls (which is much more commonly used) will be great; Given the hint at the next FFF and the lack of mention of remote in today's FFF, we'll probably know about changes in Spidertron next week!

[jamezhall]

RIP https://mods.factorio.com/mod/WireShortcuts - you were loved <3

Ha but in seriousness, great changes! can't wait to play!

[DanGio]

Very nice changes ! The new toolbar icons look so tiny though I hope they will get bigger in the release

[SnowZyDe]

This could have been released in 1.1.93

[Tooster]

Shadows based on depth maps next?

Really nice additions, the wire items were a real PITA.

Any news of changes for modding API of wire connectors or more entities with connection support (pipes, assemblers)?

[SaiMoen]

Nice optimization but many times i would just place pole without any autowiring. Why? to do separate network near power switches. Now to achieve this is build a pole and immediately click on pole to disconnect all wires. When i place second ple - i need to do the same operation on both poles. Annoying.
I would like to option to spam power poles without any wires to connect them manually.

When dragging an electric pole with circuit wires, it will drag those as well.

Sounds like placing normally doesn't autowire.

[Ghoulish]

Brings it home that even seemingly simple changes can take weeks to work through.

[morhp]

The obvious remaining flaw is wires and wire shadows drawing in front of structures when they logically would be behind them.

Good post, though. I hope there will be a way to place poles without automatic wire adding (maybe by holding shift or some other key during placement)

[Néomorphos]

I am a bit puzzled by the 2 types of copper wires. Wouldn't it be better if you clearly split the 2 items? Introducing a different icon for the wire in the toolbar, so that there is no confusion possible with the copper wire item in recipes and on the bus

[Jorn86]

The developers made an incredible reworking of power system communications, although a small part of the players needed it. I think the overhaul of Spidertron's controls (which is much more commonly used) will be great; Given the hint at the next FFF and the lack of mention of remote in today's FFF, we'll probably know about changes in Spidertron next week!

What lack of mention? The Spidertron remote is literally one of the abstract item examples.

[IForgotMyName]

Finally, I'll can quickly build laser turret defense with an energy-saving system. So far, even with the blueprints, it's a complete hell of spaghetti wires, which is almost impossible to untangle in case of a mistake

I remember how I once made a stupid mistake, and to find it, I drove around the entire defense of the base

[gGeorg]

Code: Select all

"Tiny inconsistencies in a video game's graphics, UI design, controls, etc. 
can taint the experience, even if most players can't articulate exactly why."

1. Wiring and their shadows was weird, but exactly as you said, I could not express how it should be fixed.
2. Create abstract class for signal wires is perfect solution. It tickle my "fair play" nerve for inconsistency of re-wiring and production of signal wires. So my soul feels better now.
3. ghost wiring bring nice new feature you forgot to mention, complicated defence wall ( laser wall with auto-switch off capability ) can be fixed ( restored from rubble) only by robots.

BTW: regarding combinators
1. are you going to add a memo box to each combinator, so player could make notes for further use ?
(it is annoying when you come to your old contraption then you have to re-invent it first, to be able to fix it.)
2. Also please make another level of abstraction, allow combinators put into a "merge box" lets say integrated_circuit with 4 inputs and 4 outputs wires connectors. So it take small amount of space and smaller amount of energy.