Using the console, you can change the game to god mode, so that you play without a character (and therefore also can't take damage). This is described on the Factorio wiki on the following page:
https://wiki.factorio.com/Console#Enable_god_mode
Maybe you will be able to play the game that way. However, this will disable achievements.
Before doing this, I suggest you empty your character's inventory into a chest, because everything in your inventory will be destroyed.
If you want to keep your player, you can also use the following command to make yourself invulnerable:
Code: Select all
/c game.player.character.destructible = false
The biters won't even attack you, they will simply ignore you, unless you attack them. However,
the red flash will still appear when they attack you, even if it causes no damage.
An alternative would be to simply play without enemies. That way, you will only receive damage if you do something stupid, like get hit by a train or detonate a grenade near yourself. Since patch 0.15, you no longer require enemies to obtain science packs.
I have tested all of the above only with version 0.15 (experimental). I have not tested it with version 0.14 (stable version).
This Reddit thread also contains some information posted by a Factorio dev on this issue, however I am too unfamiliar with modding to understand what he is saying. I am unable to find the definition of the "character prototype" he is talking about.