New way for electricity

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darius456
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New way for electricity

Post by darius456 »

As a profession that I am an electrician, so I do not like the electricity system in the game. I would like to suggest some changes. I would suggest that the system of production and distribution of electricity was more similar to the real one. In real live, the power generating voltage is about 22kV (but not always) followed by a transformer voltage is transformed to a level suitable for transmission. In Poland we have a few basic voltage levels: 400,220,110 kV as high voltage, 15 and 6 kV as medium voltage and 230V as low voltage. I thing that in factorio also should be at least 3 different voltage levels for transfer energy and powering devices. For example low voltage level for inserters, lamps, medium voltage for assembly mk1 etc., ... higher tech level = higher voltage. Of course transformers should be also add to the game, with own power limit of course. Also each power line should have its own max power limit. This in not possible to push Giga Watts through one small line...

Just my thoughts DEVs no offense please.
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slay_mithos
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Re: New way for electricity

Post by slay_mithos »

While this would make it more realistic, it immediately reminds me of Minecraft mods and their 3 different approach to energy:
Do note that those are my feelings about these, I know a lot of people thinking completely differently about this.

IC2: Voltage based, adds a lot to realism, but not so easy to understand for new comers, and can bring "complexity" only to try and reflect realism.

BC: Different "cables" that have different max values, and resistance, a lot more user-friendly, but retains some realism with distance-based attenuation.

Others: Just different "cables" with different max values, no resistance. Very easy to work with, very easy to understand right away, but always irks people that like more realistic approaches.

Right now, Factorio operates with the third type (and 'infinite' max value for cables), making it easy to work with and easy to understand.
It also permits to have centralized power generation, and never have to worry about anything else than connecting cables to everything.

If the energy system was to change to a more "realistic" approach, I would rather see a "max" value on each type of poles than a voltage system, unless that voltage system is made in a way that does not get in the way of gameplay.
It also needs to be easy to understand for new players, because they already have so much things to learn about, and putting too much complexity into something as central and vital as the energy network could really break it for a lot of people.

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Drury
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Re: New way for electricity

Post by Drury »

Seconded, I'm perfectly happy with the way elecricity network currently works, as it allows me to focus on different issues in my factory such as resources running low or being improperly distributed. Having to constantly keep expanding my solar and battery farm plus making space for all those poles in my assemblies is bad enough on it's own, even without having to worry about half the energy vanishing in cables and overloaded wires not letting it flow properly - not to mention advanced stuff like voltage/current balancing.

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ssilk
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Re: New way for electricity

Post by ssilk »

As much as I would like that handling of different voltages etc, in my opinion we should not go this way, instead more going into separating electric networks.

The reason is, that handling with different kinds of electric power doesn't bring anything new into the game. We need to take more care, need more items, more planning, but the overall game keeps the same.

I want to show my current thoughts: different distribution can bring a lot more. One thing I think about is for example to have different electric distribution for
- defense
- assembly
- mining and furnace
- storing
This is one example, how that can be achieved, in general only regulated per entity. We can add "intelligent power poles" which can regulate the distribution (priorities) for each entity. And a control per network, to switch between the preferences, depending on the current needs. But also some other ways are thinkable.

So as a suggestion, which follows from this suggestion is, that it would bring some new elements into the game, when there is the possibility to have some "parallel electric networks or different distribution inside one area", which can be easily controlled.
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Drury
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Re: New way for electricity

Post by Drury »

Your distribution idea actually reminds me of Artemis Fowl books, specifically plasma network in Koboi Laboratories. The network was made up of a grid of vents through which energy flowed in the form of plasma in a gel-like medium, connecting to every plasma cannon in the building. I believe the network's only purpose was defense, hence I was reminded of it when you mentioned defense-specific energy distribution.

Plasma-fed cannons would be actually neat as a higher-tier turret, although that's a bit OT here.

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