Factorio Forums

Howdy. Often I don't have items and want to place ghosts to be placed by robots in the network. My current choices are:

1) Craft the item and then place ghosts;
2) Scroll around radar range and find the items, CTRL-C and place them;
3) Add them to my "Logistics", wait for the items to be delivered, place them, and then delete them from "Logistics"; or
4) LEFT-CLICK empty hotbar and assign the items, click on them to create the ghosts, place them and MIDDLE-CLICK to remove.

I'm suggesting a much simpler approach--allow selecting an item as a ghost from the "Crafting" menu, preferably by using the "Q" key.

Yep, this would be a great QOL improvement.

You can actually set an item on the hotbar even if you don't have it (click an empty slot or middle-click to clear a filled one). Then, in the settings somewhere, is an option that I believe is off by default that will let you use those items from the hotbar to place ghosts even if you don't have one.

FuryoftheStars wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2019 1:52 pm

You can actually set an item on the hotbar even if you don't have it (click an empty slot or middle-click to clear a filled one). Then, in the settings somewhere, is an option that I believe is off by default that will let you use those items from the hotbar to place ghosts even if you don't have one.

Yes, that's my #4...

This setting already exists in 0.17

Nope, that's #4 again...

wobbycarly wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 01, 2019 11:04 am

This setting already exists in 0.17

As BlueTemplar said, that setting allows #4 to work. It does not allow you to select an item from the "Crafting" menu as a ghost.

+1 for enabling direct selection of entity ghost from crafting menu/grid.

Oktokolo wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 01, 2019 12:22 pm

+1 for enabling direct selection of entity ghost from crafting menu/grid.

+1. I agree 100%

I support this notion!

Nice QoL suggestions, although I use the hotbars regularly, I often want to pick a more seldomly used item without setting to many practically useless filters. The crafting menu gets useless anyways sometime in midgame, so why don’t keep some functionality.
The option should be to toggleable by the above mentioned enable ghost picking

I find myself using Q more that the hotbar as I know where my items are placed in the factory.
So when I try to ghost place an item I know I have in my logistics network I tend to press Q in the craft menu but nothing happens.

Adding the ability to create ghost items from the craft menu by hovering over the item and pressing Q is a neat touch.

Also I think i’m addicted to this game. ok bye

I also frequently try to Q the recipes before realizing that it does not work like that.

I would especially love if that ALWAYS picked a ghost, even if you had that item in your inventory. It is very annoying when you are building something and suddenly the item gets deselected because you ran out. Having to hold shift to build further away (or just always) is also annoying, and with a proper ghost you don't have to.

It is very annoying when you are building something and suddenly the item gets deselected because you ran out.

Cursor Enhancements fixes this and possibly your other issues as well. I agree this is a great feature. I think the devs have said at one point the current behavior is needed especially for players who don't yet have robots or don't realize they are placing ghost accidentally.

current behavior is needed especially for players who don't yet have robots or don't realize they are placing ghost accidentally.

Then make it an option, just like "Pick ghost item if no items are available". Actually, I suspect all the ghost-related options can be enabled with a single checkbox, because if you want any you probably want all of them. That also includes ghosts of dead buildings, as it is convenient to see clearly what you need to rebuild.

Also, a "Tips and tricks" entry explaining what ghosts are should be unlocked when you encounter one.