Factorio Forums

New name for modules: Boosters

* Speed booster - machine runs faster, uses more power
* Production booster - machine produces more, uses more power, causes more pollution, runs slower
* Efficiency booster - machine uses less power

Makes it clear what they do: boost some aspect of the machine.

Makes it clear that they are stackable; adding multiple boosters of same type increases the effect.

I recommend to have a google search before.
https://www.google.de/search?q=booster&tbm=isch

There are real-world equivalents to these modules:

1. Variable Frequency Drive. Added to motors or pumps, these increase productivity, speed, AND efficiency by providing precise control and regenerative braking capabilities.
2. Amplifier Modules. Added to relay modules and I/O substations provide more fine tuning of signal operations. (see also: DNC cards). This is an older style of control, however. Many modern systems incorporate all of this functionality into logic controllers.
3. Flow control valves (needle valves). Added to hydraulic systems can increase efficiency/productivity in hydraulic systems by recovering unused pressure/flow to return to the system.

So basically what I am getting at is that you can change the names of these modules to reflect some real world applications, though the real stuff is generally more system-specific.

Amplifier Module runs into the same problem we're trying to fix, it conflicts with an existing category. Additionally these amplifier modules have specific purposes, though I can't find exactly what you are referring to the ones that come up on Google take a signal and amplify it. That is a modular component, it takes a signal and boosts it. Modules in Factorio don't work that way since different machines do different things so the best explanation is it interfaces with the way the machine works.

Also while they sound very fancy, the average player is going to have zero idea of what they do just from the names. In fact I'm still confused which is which. Obviously the first is speed, I initially thought Amplifier Modules were Efficiency but then reading Flow Control Valves that would make more sense.

This is a good example of signal amplification
DNC (Direct Numerical Controllers) work in a somewhat similar fashion.

As far as the naming goes, you could just call them amplifiers. (Speed Amplifier, Productivity Amplifier, Efficiency Amplifier)

A lot of these words would also work LINK

Yeah Amplifier isn't bad, added to the list, though it's something of a confliction when it comes to Efficiency. Amplifiers typically multiply something where as Efficiency Modules divide it instead.

I think they should be named modules, because the icon shows an electronic module.

The icon shows an electronic board, not specifically a module.