Friday Facts #180 - Map interaction

[Engimage]

I do like the new map markers. But I would suggest extending this by adding a programmable item which would display the text or a certain sign based on circuit network.
This item can also optionally display a holo (alpha blended) sign of increased size icon in normal view (non-map) to help marking certain areas and supplementing visual alerts.

I'm sure this could be really useful for making really creative stuff which could also be viewed directly from map!

[DeadPlanet]

Maybe someone mentioned this already, but being able to 'ping' on the map would possibly be nice.
Like a marker that would blink 2 or 3 times and then be gone.

[ToxicTiger]

In the minimal mode maybe you could have a mode where you could add mods before you fully launch the game so you don't have to restart.

[aober93]

In the minimal mode maybe you could have a mode where you could add mods before you fully launch the game so you don't have to restart.

Thats essentially another mod browser out of game. Just use a batch file, which is actually quicker than mod browsing.

something like:

Code: Select all

del /S /F /Q "%appdata%\factorio\mods\*.*"

copy "%appdata%\factorio\mods - vanilla\*.*" "%appdata%\factorio\mods\"

"C:\Program Files\Factorio\bin\x64\factorio.exe"

[Mr. Tact]

I really like the resource patch information, that will be useful. I've considered downloading mods which do something similar, it will be nice to see it in the base game.

[super_aardvark]

Showing the exact content of the ore field gets me thinking...

1. Why not have that gated behind tech? Just show the ore type, not the number, before that.
2. Add some kind of seismic scanning tech/building (similar to the radar) that can find new ore/oil patches far from the base (without the need to actually reveal the terrain). This would need to have a large range to be worthwhile, but maybe you could come up with limitations that would render it not-overpowered -- since of course we don't want to eliminate exploration. Maybe it only indicates the direction of the thing you're looking for (handheld device, say), or it doesn't tell you exactly what it's found, or it's very expensive or power-hungry.

[AntiElitz]

What i would really love to have for MP is a Ping/signal that i can put on the (Mini)map that shows up for like 5 seconds with a sound notification as you have them in most RTS. That woudl significantly helpt with communication!

[lxl]

I'd like to be able to use blueprints and "redprints" from minimap.

[Supercheese]

What i would really love to have for MP is a Ping/signal that i can put on the (Mini)map that shows up for like 5 seconds with a sound notification as you have them in most RTS. That woudl significantly helpt with communication!

Doo dee doo...

[Gully]

Hello,

those map improvements look really cool, appreciate it.

I have a suggestion. Maybe for the map, maybe somewhere else: See the contents of logistic chests (or signals) from remote. And see it in some way that doesn't spill over the screen even if it's 30+ different items/signals. Right now it's a bit complicated - walk into the logistics area, place a logistic chest, search for the item, notice that it's out of the screen...

[Shadus]

What I would like to see on the map update:

I appreciate the different types of maps. Glorious.

But what I often find myself needing most, especially in early games (especially, especially in desert maps) is a bright contrast pollution overlay. This slightly red tint on yellowish/orange ground isn't distinct enough, and I certainly don't suffer from color blindness. I can't imagine what someone who does goes through trying to depict variant shades.

In fact... it would be ideal if I could turn on and off each layer of the map... toggle things like resources on/off... pollution on/off... ground texture on/off... trees on/off... factory on/off... each as a different layer so I could see all of them... or turn them all off and see nothing but black for unexplored, medium blue for water, and a simple, contrasting color (let's say a brightish yellow) for explored ground. That should give three different shades if you were to look at the map in greyscale (total color blindness).

I'm not saying it's a simple fix. Far from it, I'm sure. But color blindness options and shade distinction are simple ways to make the game more accessible... and are features that benefit those without vision problems as well. It's kind of win/win.

[beltiras]

Suggestions

1. Have Red/Green wiring overlay.
2. Create a "node" object that can be Red/Green wired and named (seen on map), when you mouse over in the map, you can get a glimpse of information that is passing through the node.
3. Have a "heat" map based on how much electricity objects are using.
4. Have a button that will flash all vehicles, maybe even have an arrow of some sort to really get the point across that your car wasn't destroyed, and you simply misplaced it among all the other buildings and trains in the railyard.

THIS!

9000 times THIS!

[xoco]

What i would really love to have for MP is a Ping/signal that i can put on the (Mini)map that shows up for like 5 seconds with a sound notification as you have them in most RTS. That woudl significantly helpt with communication!

+1
Maybe also implement a way to point at things (like the "Selection Display Mode" in the Map Ping Mod ) so we don't have to hump factories and dance around chests to clarify things in MP

[beltiras]

And guys, if you really want to make the game to be more colorblind friendly then remember that the most contrast colors pair for normal vision people - red and green - don't work on colorblind people. So the red pollution on the green map for them looks like yellow pollution on the yellow map. Also most of them don't differentiate blue and purple. So the most informative color of the pollution for them would be either blue (hard to see on water) or black.

You can take the color blindedness to a whole new level. In my work on medical devices I have to produce reports that have good contrasts for not just weak-red color blindness but ALL of the anomalies and anopias. I found http://www.color-blindness.com/coblis-c ... -simulator to be an excellent resource to understand how contrast works for different eyes. I know it's a lot of work to find the proper color schemes for 7 different eye types (nothing can be done for the lone poor soul who has dog vision) but I think that once you start one with a general solution in mind, the others will fall into order. It did for me and the reports.

PS: I see regularly and no one in my immediate family is color blind as far as I know. I just wanted to share something that was relevant and seems like lots of people here are color blind.

[kovarex]

I do like the new map markers. But I would suggest extending this by adding a programmable item which would display the text or a certain sign based on circuit network.
This item can also optionally display a holo (alpha blended) sign of increased size icon in normal view (non-map) to help marking certain areas and supplementing visual alerts.

I'm sure this could be really useful for making really creative stuff which could also be viewed directly from map!

This was already implemented as part of the circuit network improvements some time ago

[allbad]

I really like all the improvements, but what makes this game fun is overcoming obstacles by automation. I really hope you'll make all the new conveniences tied to tech we have to research, or buildings we have to build. Some Examples:

- an "Ore Patch Scanner" building
- Central Station (to tie all the train stations together)
- Roboport Coordination Tech

Thanks!

[arides]

Showing the exact content of the ore field gets me thinking...

1. Why not have that gated behind tech? Just show the ore type, not the number, before that.
2. Add some kind of seismic scanning tech/building (similar to the radar) that can find new ore/oil patches far from the base (without the need to actually reveal the terrain). This would need to have a large range to be worthwhile, but maybe you could come up with limitations that would render it not-overpowered -- since of course we don't want to eliminate exploration. Maybe it only indicates the direction of the thing you're looking for (handheld device, say), or it doesn't tell you exactly what it's found, or it's very expensive or power-hungry.

I second this thought (especially #2). I often play maps with few, small patches to promote exploration & expansion. In such a scenario, it's often required to fully explore vast empty area before locating a resource patch; knowing where I should be exploring towards would be a huge benefit.

[Trisaster]

Since you asked if there are things we want for 0.15 so here are my suggestions (please excuse my bad english, im german)

I want to be able to tell my trains to only go to a train stop, if certain conditions are fulfilled, and otherwise skip that train stop and continue with the next stop. The conditions would either be things like:

1. the amount of an items the train has inside itself (similar to the already existing "waiting mechanic" at train stops)
2. any information provided by the logistics system
3. special conditions like the amount of available other train stops (explained further down)

With these conditions there would be much more freedom in long term planning for trains, and in automation in generall.
For example, i could tell trains to only refill their coal, if they have under 10 coal with them. One could then build a fuel refill station, that only gets visited by a train occasionally.
Also i could use the logistics system to tell my trains, to only come to a certain mine, or a station in generell, if there is stuff ready to be transported,
thereby reducing amount of needlessly waiting trains immensly, and making things overall more automated and smooth.

A problem with this mechanic could be the occurrence of Trains which have no vaiable train stops to go to in their list. This problem could be solved with the third kind of conditions i mentioned.
One could simply build an waiting station for trains which have nowhere else to go, and let them wait there for a fix amount of time or until other train stops become available

[aober93]

hmmm i just realized the roboport influence map is alreay in the game. Just that it only activates on blueprints. lol

[Flexoking]

Moin,

I wait so long for this feature. :*
One Idea more: The movement of the biters. (For the last 5 min/other scale) - some sort of heatmap
So the map becomes more strategic.

Greetings Flexoking