Factorio Forums

Intending additional power storage graph can help a lot in balancing solar-oriented power system. Especially it'll help to say how more consumption can afford your current power supply.

This was suggested by someone else two years ago, but it isn't in game yet. Would be great to have this.

I would like this, although I dont know how it would be implemented. If you graphed the current capacity next to the production of like, say, your solar panels, the accumulator graph will be so high that it would turn the steam engine line into a squiggle at the bottom.

TuckJohn wrote:I would like this, although I dont know how it would be implemented. If you graphed the current capacity next to the production of like, say, your solar panels, the accumulator graph will be so high that it would turn the steam engine line into a squiggle at the bottom.

That already happens, if the production of something is insignificant compared to the number of copper wires it's just a squiggle at the bottom of the graph.

That's why we need to be able to filter what gets shown on the graph.

Well, in my opinion it should be easy to have a mod (let's implement it first as mod), that shows you, how long (in minutes:secs) your current accumulator capacity will last (for your "nearest" electric network of course). And when this is implemented, also more info about the current electric state.

ssilk wrote:Well, in my opinion it should be easy to have a mod (let's implement it first as mod), that shows you, how long (in minutes:secs) your current accumulator capacity will last (for your "nearest" electric network of course). And when this is implemented, also more info about the current electric state.

Agreed. here is a formula that the mod could use:
PS: Something to note is that if the charge of the accumulators hits 0, then the equation will return an error as it will attempt to divide by 0, which is never good. This means that this will have to be inside an if structure that checks to make sure that x and y != 0

I think it would be most effective to have some type of visual indicator on the accumulator itself. Just like how liquid pipes and tanks show their storage, accumulators should show their energy in a similar manner.

bobucles wrote:I think it would be most effective to have some type of visual indicator on the accumulator itself. Just like how liquid pipes and tanks show their storage, accumulators should show their energy in a similar manner.

Like, perhaps a battery graphic on the side of the accumulator? You woul dhave to be careful so that it does not look too redundant in accumulator fields.

bobucles wrote:I think it would be most effective to have some type of visual indicator on the accumulator itself. Just like how liquid pipes and tanks show their storage, accumulators should show their energy in a similar manner.

No, I meant monitoring history dynamics. You can tap any powerpole and see accumulator charge even if you're on the other side of your base.

TuckJohn wrote:If you graphed the current capacity next to the production of like, say, your solar panels, the accumulator graph will be so high that it would turn the steam engine line into a squiggle at the bottom.

This issue is already exists in game called "Planetbase" - when you turn on accumulator graph - all other values drop to a line at the very bottom : )
I believe the best way to intend it is to simply overlay it on power producing graph with independent scale, using some other line type - bold or dashed etc. - thus it's dymanics easily compared to power production doesn't make graph too complex (now it's only 3 lines at p.producing graph - steam, solar and acc.discharge - will be 4) and for sure it does NOT need another graph window for a single line.

ssilk wrote:it should be easy to have a mod ... that shows you, how long (in minutes:secs) your current accumulator capacity will last

Nay, it won't say much - then it have to have another timer nearby - how long in minutes for the dawn, or else it is quite useless - I think, I shouldn't explain why : )

Also the main idea of having the power storage graph is monitoring power capacity during past nights, which you have missed because being buisy (in Factorio you should ALWAYS be buisy)
Say your current night is okay, there's 20% charge left - you feel safe, and add new refinery, while missing the fact the night before massive biter wave came and lasers drained charge down to 5%, so next night biters will come and suddenly your lasers and whole factory will shut down.
And my idea is prediction possibility to avoid such situations.

Also it will help a lot new players who will see clearly when they have to add new accumulators.
And, if honestly, experienced players also will feel more comfortable with power ballancing : )

Has anyone ever tried implementing this using combinators and lamps?

I should say, I'm trying and I can't seem to get my shift register to work.