use powers of 2 for logistics

Post your ideas and suggestions how to improve the game.

Moderator: ickputzdirwech

LoSboccacc
Filter Inserter
Filter Inserter
Posts: 253
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 9:35 pm
Contact:

use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by LoSboccacc »

so, all stack in games go by power of 2 (from 32 to 128)

it would make sense for the logistic system to use the same steps

so 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 etc.

or at least have a stop for 64 and 128, if you like to have the decades 10 20 30 40 50

User avatar
ssilk
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 12889
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:35 pm
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by ssilk »

https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... ?f=6&t=980

https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... f=6&t=1206

https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... size#p6906

Or in other words: the problem is known, very different suggestions, but a solution is currently not in focus. :)
(My current opinion is, that the displayed/selectable sizes should depend on the number of that currently selected, chosen or otherwise related item for one stack)
Cool suggestion: Eatable MOUSE-pointers.
Have you used the Advanced Search today?
Need help, question? FAQ - Wiki - Forum help
I still like small signatures...

kovarex
Factorio Staff
Factorio Staff
Posts: 8184
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2013 12:00 am
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by kovarex »

Actually what we are planning to use powers of 10 for stack sizes everywhere instead.
Powers of 2 are useful in minecraft, where you have to divide the stacks to build the crafting area, but Factorio works differently and stack sizes of power of 2 are almost pointless.

slay_mithos
Fast Inserter
Fast Inserter
Posts: 204
Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2014 7:22 am
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by slay_mithos »

Well, the main point of power of 2over power of 10 stack size is to optimize the data on the hard drive.
Power of 10 is better for the end user, because it's easier to see stacks of 100 than 128.

Cilya
Inserter
Inserter
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 4:07 pm
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by Cilya »

None of them does have any use in a gameplay point of view. To limit the size of the inventory is only useful to force the player to use transportation means. But, the game is currently limiting the number of stacks, not exactly the number of items. The difference is that it only is annoying for the player : he can transport very large amount of items, but he still needs to remove very small stacks to get this space.

naryl
Burner Inserter
Burner Inserter
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2014 12:38 pm
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by naryl »

With powers of two there are stack sizes of 32, 64, 128 and 256 items in a purely exponential scale. They're close enough so you can find a nice stack size for any item. With powers of ten you get either 1, 10, 100 and 1000 which is too far apart or have to introduce a multiplier and make the scale non-uniform (as done in the logistics system).
But the real current issue is that different facilities have different stack size scales. Inventory gets powers of two while logistics gets powers of ten with multiplier which does nothing but waste inventory slots.

User avatar
ssilk
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 12889
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:35 pm
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by ssilk »

See some posts above: Kovarex announced to change that.
Cool suggestion: Eatable MOUSE-pointers.
Have you used the Advanced Search today?
Need help, question? FAQ - Wiki - Forum help
I still like small signatures...

User avatar
Drury
Filter Inserter
Filter Inserter
Posts: 794
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:01 pm
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by Drury »

naryl wrote:With powers of two there are stack sizes of 32, 64, 128 and 256 items in a purely exponential scale. They're close enough so you can find a nice stack size for any item. With powers of ten you get either 1, 10, 100 and 1000 which is too far apart or have to introduce a multiplier and make the scale non-uniform (as done in the logistics system).
But the real current issue is that different facilities have different stack size scales. Inventory gets powers of two while logistics gets powers of ten with multiplier which does nothing but waste inventory slots.
You have a point, powers of 2 are better than powers of 10 due to them not being so far apart, it's only the inconsistency with logistics that kills it.

I'd rather keep powers of 2.

User avatar
ssilk
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 12889
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:35 pm
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by ssilk »

Power of 10 dosn't mean in my eyes, that it is 1, 10, 100, 1000, more like 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, etc.
Cool suggestion: Eatable MOUSE-pointers.
Have you used the Advanced Search today?
Need help, question? FAQ - Wiki - Forum help
I still like small signatures...

DrNoid
Long Handed Inserter
Long Handed Inserter
Posts: 55
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 10:43 am
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by DrNoid »

ssilk wrote:Power of 10 dosn't mean in my eyes, that it is 1, 10, 100, 1000, more like 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, etc.
Those would be powers of money, since most coin/banknote systems use that ;)

:o There's even a wikipedia entry on number systems like that http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preferred_number

But personally, I'd prefer to just type in the number. Much better than messing with a slider.

User avatar
ssilk
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 12889
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:35 pm
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by ssilk »

Cool, never known. :) But I know the numbers and ever wondered...

So stack sizes would be with the rounded R5-series:

Code: Select all

1      2      3      4      6      10      16      25      40      63    100     160     250     400 ....
(the first 5 are rounded!)
Or for the E6:

Code: Select all

1      2             3       5       7      10      15      22      33      47      68      100     150     220 ....
Useful? I think in the first moment a bit irritating. But I think I could get used to, why not?

And for further discussion, please don't mix the stack sizes with the sliders, to select the number of items. Ideally they are the same, but for the sliders I want to have more (R10 or R20 or so)
Cool suggestion: Eatable MOUSE-pointers.
Have you used the Advanced Search today?
Need help, question? FAQ - Wiki - Forum help
I still like small signatures...

slay_mithos
Fast Inserter
Fast Inserter
Posts: 204
Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2014 7:22 am
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by slay_mithos »

Let's just stick to Fibonacci numbers^^

User avatar
ssilk
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 12889
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:35 pm
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by ssilk »

Hehe. Already suggested: https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... cci#p22230 :P


I think all the suggestions above are not so useful. The target was to make the stack-sizes easier, not more complex!!

I found these number very useful, which we know from photography and I suited it to Factorio:

Code: Select all

1     2       4      8      15    30      60     125    250     500    1000 
I really like the numbers here. They feel good. :)

And again: These are stack-sizes :!: The number of items, which a stack can hold. Nothing else.



And for the sliders or other stuff:

Code: Select all

1     2     3      4      5     6      8     10     15      20      30     45     60   100     125    250     500    1000     1250    2500    5000    10000    12500    25000     50000    100000  ....
And I really don't like the slider at all... in my eyes it makes sense to select first the context (I'm the player and want to fill ONE stack of this item or is it for a very big storage and I want to fill up some chests?).

Then the exact value in this context, because - I repeat me, but I think it's important - it depends on the context. It's different if the player selects one item or one stack.

But that's a complete different thread.
Cool suggestion: Eatable MOUSE-pointers.
Have you used the Advanced Search today?
Need help, question? FAQ - Wiki - Forum help
I still like small signatures...

just_dont
Long Handed Inserter
Long Handed Inserter
Posts: 57
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2014 1:24 pm
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by just_dont »

We should even have sliders in circuits. There should be an input field to put any number into it (I'm already highly irritated by the lack of "0" on current sliders). Okay, perhaps WITH a slider, so that a lazy person could also make numbers without using keyboard.

Lee_newsum
Filter Inserter
Filter Inserter
Posts: 436
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2014 9:41 am
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by Lee_newsum »

and as big as number as you can.

User avatar
ssilk
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 12889
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:35 pm
Contact:

Re: use powers of 2 for logistics

Post by ssilk »

just_dont wrote:We should even have sliders in circuits. There should be an input field to put any number into it (I'm already highly irritated by the lack of "0" on current sliders). Okay, perhaps WITH a slider, so that a lazy person could also make numbers without using keyboard.
As said, this is a completely different problem. Or better "they". For example the problem, that the equal-sign is useless with bots/inserter stack size bonus.
Cool suggestion: Eatable MOUSE-pointers.
Have you used the Advanced Search today?
Need help, question? FAQ - Wiki - Forum help
I still like small signatures...

Post Reply

Return to “Ideas and Suggestions”