Factorio Forums

<insert name here> is in the way.
Cannot reach.
Etc.

Please let us disable this error text in the options somewhere. I frequently click on an existing power pole so I can run along and get auto max spacing, click on an existing transport belt and drag, etc, and the constant error text spam is exceedingly annoying. I can see how it might be helpful for someone learning the game, but I have 600+ hours in Factorio and it is an incessant distraction from gameplay.

In addition, it loves to spam 'cannot reach' when I'm just moving along chopping trees with the cursor at max range.

Examples of the annoying error text:

Building a furnace on a furnace, a power pole on a power pole, a belt on a belt, etc, probably shouldn't be an error in the first place?

I did not realize it at first, but now that you mention it.. Placing an entitiy over the same one should really not preoduce an error

pleegwat wrote: ↑Tue Feb 26, 2019 8:13 pm Building a furnace on a furnace, a power pole on a power pole, a belt on a belt, etc, probably shouldn't be an error in the first place?

Good point, agreed. I still would like an option to disable the error text entirely.

I'm about 8 hours into a singleplayer railworld and this 'feature' is still incessantly annoying. At the very least, using an existing entity for proper spacing of new entities of the same type should NOT generate these errors.

TL;DR

Don’t display ‘can’t build’ message (due to other buildings obstructing placement) until it has been attempted twice.

What ?

When trying to place things, I'll often accidentally click on somewhere where it cannot be built (by accident). Previously the little "beep beep" let me know the place was occupied and I needed to move my cursor slightly. In 0.17 the error messages come up every time, which gets quite distracting/frustrating when I already know why I can't place it.
This happens a lot when building lines of [belts], as the first one I place is usually on top of the end of the existing belt, in order to make sure I won't leave a gap.

Clearly these messages are very useful for new players, and often for existing players when the problem is not clear (one tile of water etc.)
Proposed solution:

• Keep all messages where buildings can't be placed for non-usual reasons (water, blueprint obstructed, etc.).
• When the building cannot be placed due to another building being in the way (the reason majority of time), do not display the message until the building has been attempted to be placed the second time. The first time only have the "beep beep", and the second time display the message. When the cursor is cleared, reset the count.

Hopefully this means confused new players, who attempt to place in the same place again, will get the message, but the rest of us can avoid it.

Why ?

I find the messages useful, but most of the time I see them I already know the problem, so they just get in the way. With this solution, they can still be shown for unusual cases where normal players might not realise the problem, and also in simple situations, but only on the second attempt.

Thanks - didn't spot this

Ambaire wrote: ↑Thu Feb 28, 2019 9:26 am I'm about 8 hours into a singleplayer railworld and this 'feature' is still incessantly annoying. At the very least, using an existing entity for proper spacing of new entities of the same type should NOT generate these errors.

I fully agree.