Factorio Forums

TL;DR

Have a device that can define a logistic group based on its circuit network input. Or, have the device send circuit signals to a specific space platform

What?

Create a kind of advanced signal transmitter, reminiscient of the signal transmitter from the Space Exploration mod. This might be unlocked on Fulgora or even Aquilo. Once placed, the UI for this transmitter lets you name or select a logistic group. Then, that logistic group's contents will be set to the circuit network inputs the signal transmitter receives.

This is the very generic version of the solution. Alternatively, the signal transmitter could select a specific space platform that it is transmitting to. Each space platform would then have a checkbox for "Request items based on incoming transmitter signals" or something like this.

Why?

The driving idea for this is improving interplanetary logistics. The more specific solution, where there is a specific system for sending requests to a space platform, tackles this directly, while the more generic solution seeks a way to further automate logistics groups.

I seem to remember that there was an FFF where a dev said they were too lazy to add more than one wirelessly transmitted circuit signal per surface. You make a good point that the existence of logistic groups probably lays the foundation for them to easily add a more powerful wireless circuit network.

I'm not sure this would fully solve the automation issues mentioned in several other threads, because we would also need a way to read one (and only one) space platform's signals and/or logistic requests, and a way to automatically trigger a rocket launch to a specific platform, and ideally a way to dynamically* adjust which logistic groups are being read and written by an entity (to avoid requiring massive overbuilding: you don't want to have to duplicate your logistics and signal processing infrastructure every time you add a new space platform).

But having said that, I do think that this is a neat suggestion which would be useful for many things.

*Even Earendel's AAI Signal Transmission mod you mentioned isn't dynamic in the sense I mean, or at least it wasn't the last time I used it. You can specify a transmitter to read or write a specific "channel" when it is built, and you can manually change the channel, but I don't think you can automatically scan different channels or set the channel based on circuit logic. I may test that since I think it is updated for 2.0 now...

Yah, way of transmitting and receiving from different sources is what we need.
Logic channels, which for now, we can only get from mod like Erendels signal transmitter: https://mods.factorio.com/mod/aai-signal-transmission

I also made a request for it here as well: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=121016

This is SUCH a good idea. It gives us interplanetary signals, as well as multiple channels, and in a simple way that opens up OTHER automation possibilities at the same time.

Best suggestion I've read in a while.

Similar ideas:
Combinator that sets logistics group
Circuit signals on ship radars
Add a proper logic channel interface to the game (logic network for combinators and such)
signal sharing between planet and orbit
Radars on space platforms should link signals to the planet under them

Wube I am committed to this being added, along with Set requests for space platform hub via circuit signals, to have more optimized logistics before I finish my playthrough of space age and take time off from factorio for another year or two.

I think an interesting other feature of this addition would be that all constant combinators become potential output devices if they subscribe to certain logistic groups.

Imagine a clock signal logistic group that broadcasts a universal clock to constant combinators around your system.

Wait, constant combinators can do that now? Although I do really like the general idea, I hope it can be separated from the constant combinator entity, because the suggested behavior is... not constant. Also, it would make any significant tech or resource gating impossible, since it would be terrible to gate constant combinators behind interplanetary exploration. I feel like separate entities would be better for clarity and flexibility, something like:

combinators <--> wired connections only
radars <--> wireless on the same surface only, and only one channel (this is the current behavior)
some new entity <--> wireless across surfaces, and multiple channels (thus it could be made more expensive than the previous two)

bluegreen1024 wrote: ↑Sat Nov 16, 2024 5:35 pm combinators <--> wired connections only
radars <--> wireless on the same surface only, and only one channel (this is the current behavior)
some new entity <--> wireless across surfaces, and multiple channels (thus it could be made more expensive than the previous two)

Yah, that is basically what I think also, which currently is possible with Erendels signal transmitter, would love to have such channels in base game though
https://mods.factorio.com/mod/aai-signal-transmission

This definitely should not be implemented via logistic groups. There's no need to pollute the logistic group selection menu with a bunch of virtual groups only used for signal transmission, and constant combinators should not double as universal wireless receivers. There are problems with that both conceptually and from a balance perspective.

There would have to be new transmitter and receiver buildings, and if multiple transmission channels are desired they should exist as a separate concept from logistic groups.