Integrated Circuits

Post your ideas and suggestions how to improve the game.

Moderator: ickputzdirwech

Post Reply
clingbeetle
Manual Inserter
Manual Inserter
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2018 9:16 pm
Contact:

Integrated Circuits

Post by clingbeetle »

Hey guys,

Factorio is my favorite game of all time, hands down. I've put many hours into it but just recently I've been playing around with circuit networks. I love that circuit networks are in the game, but currently the need to place down each component in the world and wiring everything up to the inputs and outputs is a bit tedious, especially if you're doing more in depth processes. I don't think they should be completely replaced, but I would like to see the addition of integrated circuit networks. So basically you would create a circuit, then you can open up a ui and place objects onto the circuit like arithmetic and decider combinators, and wire them up just like you would in game, but everything is kept in a single circuit in your inventory. Then you could place down something like a circuit reader in the world, then just stick your integrated circuit into it and connect all your inputs. This could allow for incredibly complex circuit networks that dont require you to build a massive structure.

mrvn
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 5723
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2016 9:10 am
Contact:

Re: Integrated Circuits

Post by mrvn »

clingbeetle wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 9:28 pm
Hey guys,

Factorio is my favorite game of all time, hands down. I've put many hours into it but just recently I've been playing around with circuit networks. I love that circuit networks are in the game, but currently the need to place down each component in the world and wiring everything up to the inputs and outputs is a bit tedious, especially if you're doing more in depth processes. I don't think they should be completely replaced, but I would like to see the addition of integrated circuit networks. So basically you would create a circuit, then you can open up a ui and place objects onto the circuit like arithmetic and decider combinators, and wire them up just like you would in game, but everything is kept in a single circuit in your inventory. Then you could place down something like a circuit reader in the world, then just stick your integrated circuit into it and connect all your inputs. This could allow for incredibly complex circuit networks that dont require you to build a massive structure.
You can do that in factorissimo but transfering circuit signals in and out of the factory building is a huge drain on UPS so it's not really feasable as replacement for general circuit building.

User avatar
Oktokolo
Filter Inserter
Filter Inserter
Posts: 883
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2017 5:45 pm
Contact:

Re: Integrated Circuits

Post by Oktokolo »

clingbeetle wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 9:28 pm
I love that circuit networks are in the game, but currently the need to place down each component in the world and wiring everything up to the inputs and outputs is a bit tedious, especially if you're doing more in depth processes. I don't think they should be completely replaced, but I would like to see the addition of integrated circuit networks.
You might find one of the following mods usefull. They all implement microcontrollers in different ways and can be combined with vanilla combinators:
Programmable Logic Controller Unit
Advanced Combinator
Microcontroller

Optymistyk
Long Handed Inserter
Long Handed Inserter
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2020 9:41 pm
Contact:

Integrated Circuitry

Post by Optymistyk »

I am the kind of guy who designed a Minecraft redstone calculator at 14. In short I like to nerd out. I enjoy using the circuit network to create overcomplicated solutions to simple problems. The thing with the circuit network is that it can get really messy. Unlike Minecraft where you can place wires in three dimensions so that they don't overlap(and that you can paint any colour), in Factorio it's very easy to end up with tangled-up wires that are a nightmare to keep track of

Image

I'm sure the guys who made a raycasting engine and a Pacman game in Factorio would agree.

It also doesn't make much sense that in the game you're using turrets and bots with advanced tracking and targetting systems that are really small, yet even a single combinator that does 2+2 is the size of a gosh darn wardrobe

Image

There's a mod I started using called Integrated Circuitry that helps mitigate this problem to some extent. First, it provides dedicated poles for circuit network wiring to make your circuitry more orderly. Secondly, it allows you to put multiple combinators into a small 2x2 entity, drastically reducing the size of the whole thing.

Image

While this mod is great and I think it should be part of Vanilla to begin with, I think it could be further improved to take Factorio engineering to new heights. While the mod allows you to build really tiny circuits, it doesn't allow you to copy them easily - every time you want to re-use the circuit you have to build it from scratch manually. Now, imagine if you could design your own tiny Factorio computer(or whatever you fancy), then mass produce it and put it wherever you want in a small 2x2 entity like that. You'd start seeing smart bases and circuit wizardry way more often as they become easier and more viable to apply in-game. To me Factorio is all about interesting solutions and this single feature would enable a world of possibilities.

Koub
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 7441
Joined: Fri May 30, 2014 8:54 am
Contact:

Re: Integrated Circuits

Post by Koub »

[Koub] Merged into older thread with same suggestion.
Koub - Please consider English is not my native language.

User avatar
valneq
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 1157
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2019 7:43 am
Contact:

Re: Integrated Circuits

Post by valneq »

I kind of feel like we should mention
https://mods.factorio.com/mod/circuitissimo
in this context, too.

Optymistyk
Long Handed Inserter
Long Handed Inserter
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2020 9:41 pm
Contact:

Re: Integrated Circuits

Post by Optymistyk »

valneq wrote:
Sat Nov 14, 2020 4:28 pm
I kind of feel like we should mention
https://mods.factorio.com/mod/circuitissimo
in this context, too.
Yeah I just installed circuitissimo and it's almost what I had in mind.
The only problem is once again copying circuits. Blueprinting does not work at all as it doesn't include all the combinators inside. The only way to copy an integrated circuit in Circuitissimo is by shift-right clicking, shift-left clicking. And it works good enough if you happen to have a working circuit nearby that you can copy. But if you don't - tough luck, you have to do it from scratch

User avatar
ssilk
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 12888
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:35 pm
Contact:

Re: Integrated Circuits

Post by ssilk »

You can request that feature from the author of circuitissimo. Not here. :)
Cool suggestion: Eatable MOUSE-pointers.
Have you used the Advanced Search today?
Need help, question? FAQ - Wiki - Forum help
I still like small signatures...

Optymistyk
Long Handed Inserter
Long Handed Inserter
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2020 9:41 pm
Contact:

Re: Integrated Circuits

Post by Optymistyk »

ssilk wrote:
Sun Nov 15, 2020 7:50 am
You can request that feature from the author of circuitissimo. Not here. :)
I did, but I think he died (or at least left Factorio).
I'm also not sure if this is even possible to do in a mod. If it was wouldn't someone have done it already?

Kyralessa
Filter Inserter
Filter Inserter
Posts: 514
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2016 5:58 pm
Contact:

Re: Integrated Circuits

Post by Kyralessa »

Optymistyk wrote:
Sun Nov 15, 2020 12:34 pm
ssilk wrote:
Sun Nov 15, 2020 7:50 am
You can request that feature from the author of circuitissimo. Not here. :)
I did, but I think he died (or at least left Factorio).
He updated one of his mods two days ago. I think it's fairly likely he still exists.

McDuff
Fast Inserter
Fast Inserter
Posts: 236
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2015 11:09 am
Contact:

Re: Integrated Circuits

Post by McDuff »

Another way of approaching this idea.... (self plug)
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=90147

User avatar
ssilk
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 12888
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:35 pm
Contact:

Re: Integrated Circuits

Post by ssilk »

There is also this mod: https://mods.factorio.com/mod/ImprovedCombinator

Hope it works...
Cool suggestion: Eatable MOUSE-pointers.
Have you used the Advanced Search today?
Need help, question? FAQ - Wiki - Forum help
I still like small signatures...

User avatar
Impatient
Filter Inserter
Filter Inserter
Posts: 883
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2016 2:51 am
Contact:

Re: Integrated Circuits

Post by Impatient »

ssilk wrote:
Wed Nov 18, 2020 1:42 am
There is also this mod: https://mods.factorio.com/mod/ImprovedCombinator

Hope it works...
+2

Thanks for mentioning this!

Post Reply

Return to “Ideas and Suggestions”