Friday Facts #381 - Space Platforms

[Amarula]

So much to love!

Here's one simple feature that we love: You can dump items overboard with inserters.

Now I really want to be able to use a similar mechanic to dump unwanted items into a lake! Or maybe over the edge of a cliff

[Earendel]

I think this really captures the spirit of what makes SE fun, when you first get to space, and amplifies it.
I am also cautiosly optimistic, that it seems that kovarex feels similar to how I feel, on what is not fun in SE.

The gameplay of this was designed by me, kovarex and v453000 together. It's more about what is right for a streamlined experience. This is an example of what I meant in FFF373 and the different game design goals. If you have different goals and different engine capabilities then you choose different options for the way things work.

[Tohim]

Are asteroid chunks really the only source of materials for the machines on the platform? Or can inserters pull from the hub invetory as well?

[Epb7304]

Are asteroid chunks really the only source of materials for the machines on the platform? Or can inserters pull from the hub invetory as well?

It was shown that inserters can pull from the hub when they were making space science in space

[pejsek]

Looking good. I have many questions but I look forward to figuring it out when it's released. I am excited to see what all of this will turn into.

[Punishbear]

Was momentum considered? In space, nothing is slowing down your spacecraft once you turn off your thrusters. From this FFF, it seems a platform slows down once you turn off its thrusters. And I wonder if you choose to ignore this for gameplay purposes or if there is some braking force applied.

[Tohim]

Are asteroid chunks really the only source of materials for the machines on the platform? Or can inserters pull from the hub invetory as well?

It was shown that inserters can pull from the hub when they were making space science in space

Oh, of course I guess it makes sense why the setups shown here were designed in favor of asteroid collection though.

[Bidoas]

Could space platforms be griefed in multiplayer by someone destroying the hub?

[djnono]

Really like the new content. One thing I would love to see trickle back to planet however, is the ability to read missing contruction items through roboports (unless this was added recently, I've been very busy the last couple of years, and didn't had time to play much).

It would be weird to have a remote system be able to do that, but not the local network

[sentinel7]

I love the engine design.
I wonder if higher quality engines could give aesthetic changes in addition to better power.
Like higher quality has more of the internal components covered up, looks more futuristic and the exhaust gets brighter, bluer, and less smoke coming out indicating its fuel burn is getting more and more efficient.

I know this might increase the work by 5x .

[vetvicka]

Some of the concepts reminds me the galaxy trucker Just a coincidence?

The thruster flames set a new and very high bar for the graphics Very well done

[FuryoftheStars]

Exposed belts in space. Things would be flying about. It feels like bots-only in space would make more sense in terms of believability. But I get the point of making it belt-only. But exposed belt in space as a concept is just utterly wrong. It breaks the immersion for me. (Granted, I probably won't care THAT much once we can actually play the game.) I think something like a pseudo-pipe system with loaders would make more sense conceptually, but that's probably asking for a lot, practically. New graphics, new entities, etc. I'm not really asking for change (it's an aesthetic thing that, if "corrected", would affect gameplay), just something that crossed my mind.

Belts could be considered as having little clamps, hooks, magnetic plates, etc on them without really having to change anything. Bots in space require a new entity (as the ones we have now are turbine powered) that should somehow be able to fly around and keep up with the movements of the platform (seems it's flying separately from the platform thus does not immediately get thrust changes applied) even when low on power.

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Considering the platform also acts as power delivery, I can see the platform also having it's own built in constructors.

I agree, not looking for more complexity*, but just for the look of things it would be nice if stuff was built by e.g. thruster bots instead of space-magic.

* Just having the hub magically supply unlimited bots would be fine with me, to avoid build queues and bot counting. But I could see not everybody agreeing with that, and then we're going down the rabbit hole…

My response to this about bots in space is the same as above.

It's a trade-off, though. Either you have folks complaining about the realism of the platform being its own constructor, or you have folks complaining about the realism of independently floating, small thruster powered objects somehow keeping pace with the rocket propelled platform and updating speeds instantly, even when low on power. The platform method, imo, is better. Is it the best? Maybe, maybe not.

[FutureSpec]

Anybody else getting Cosmoteer* vibes from this post? (in a good way)

Space platforms can specialize in different tasks, so it can be motivating to optimize them for different design goals. You can aim to make a huge platform that can load thousands of items, or a small platform with capacity sacrificed for speed. Would you like a minimal platform so you could get to that first planet as soon as possible, or do you perhaps fancy a gigantic platform that can craft its own components mid-flight?

* Cosmoteer: Starship Architect & Commander -- a fantastic ship-building game that Factorio players would love

[FuryoftheStars]

Oh, one thing that I saw but then forgot to comment/ask about:

Space platforms cannot have holes in tiles

Any particular reasoning? I think it would have been neat to be able to create platforms with various holes in them.

[iTob]

One thing that I might have missed, is it possible to have multiple space platforms? I tried to find if it was explicitly called out. In the post, it does refer to "platforms", but will it be possible to have multiple platforms? I can imagine how useful it would be to have purpose-built platforms for different things (ie, to have a small but nimble transport platform and a massive giga-factory platform and maybe one in between?)

I'd also like to know. And if yes, can goods be transported from one platform to another? I imagine having one large static platform in Nauvis' orbit for space science production and smaller moving platforms ("spaceships") for cargo transportation but can those goods actually be transferred from platform to platform? Or is transport only possible via rocket from platform to planet and vice versa?

[barnaclebob]

Ever since the first FF resumed my excitement gets ratcheted up a notch every week. If they keep this up im gonna explode well before they release it. Absolutely cannot wait.

[Slasherbane]

Interesting FFF , but that a shame we cannot build train T_T on space platform . I dream a space factories with trains ...but the real thing is without it ....sad

[Losparkeros]

Two: The thruster exhaust plume. The exhaust itself looks amazing. The plume behind it, not so much. In my head, it means you have some really bad combustion ratios going, being very inefficient. It also looks messy to me for some reason.

We're talking about Factorio here. If we don't pollute every single corner of galaxy with our incredible inefficient technology, what's even the point?

[aka13]

I think this really captures the spirit of what makes SE fun, when you first get to space, and amplifies it.
I am also cautiosly optimistic, that it seems that kovarex feels similar to how I feel, on what is not fun in SE.

The gameplay of this was designed by me, kovarex and v453000 together. It's more about what is right for a streamlined experience. This is an example of what I meant in FFF373 and the different game design goals. If you have different goals and different engine capabilities then you choose different options for the way things work.

I am glad to hear that. I like your work as well, obviously.
In the text kovarex was highlighted as the entity giving direction, so I continued on that trend.

It is obvious in every way (in a good one) that you are one of the main influences behind the SA. I am really looking forward to it.

[Splitframe]

Two: The thruster exhaust plume. The exhaust itself looks amazing. The plume behind it, not so much. In my head, it means you have some really bad combustion ratios going, being very inefficient. It also looks messy to me for some reason. (Maybe because it's a giant expanding cloud of smoke in space...) Again, just an aesthetic thing. However, changing it won't harm gameplay, so I do kind of hope you take this criticism into consideration.

Maybe have the plum reduced with each increase in Quality.