Factorio blueprints and designs Web application

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Is it a good idea?

Poll ended at Fri Sep 16, 2016 9:36 pm

Of course it is!
6
60%
Yes. We will see what comes out of it.
4
40%
Neutral about it.
0
No votes
No. The Community gets along just fine.
0
No votes
You are wasting time - excellent tools already exist.
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 10

OpalescentDonut
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Factorio blueprints and designs Web application

Post by OpalescentDonut »

Hello Factorians,

I have been playing Factorio since its Indiegogo campaign and I have really enjoyed time spent with it. But without planning it can be hard to accomplish great projects, thus people share their designs and learn along. Sharing comes to a simple solution of "screenshot". But are there any other information I can derive from this image? If user is nice enough he posts some information like throughput, etc. but should not it be automated somehow? Like, instead of browsing a multitude of forum threads and YouTube videos one could just open up a repository of some sort, select a filter, and see what is the newest creation for manufacturing Blue Sciense Packs? Here comes my bundle of thoughts. I am curious whether you like this idea or not.

I am planning a website, so as to everyone can use it (mobile version/application included). It would allow users to:
  • create new blueprints using an embedded, graphical editor
  • publish them, share them, rate them
  • see item production details, numbers, and other scientific goodies
  • see materials needed for a design
  • search for a blueprint by tag (for main bus, for production bus, etc.), type (balancers, train unloaders, etc.), name, needed resource, etc.
  • add enhancement proposals for users' blueprints
  • import and export blueprints
Mainly that.

The embedded editor would use some simple graphics but if Factorio team agrees then in-game tiles could be used, along with in-game controls (like keyboard camera movement) and sounds. A Factorio look and feel will certainly be pleasant for eyes and mind!

I have also thought of production simulation: you could see how many items will be produced with that specific design. You would set input tiles (transport belt, etc.) and output ones (transport belts, inserters, etc.) and an algorithm would then compute how many items are needed in input in order to have this and that output throughput. Or the other way around. Many possibilities can be invented.

An important feature would be import and export. Originally I thought of directly dealing with save files (unfortunately they are binary and without some help from Factorio developers or modders it will be hard for me). After uploading it a map preview would be shown and user would then choose an area with design he wants to import to the website. Or it could simply use in-game blueprints - a user selects some prepared blueprint item. Export would use these blueprint items too - simply adding a new item to the player's inventory.

And how it could be used within this forum? Maybe an image file embedding - a design preview is shown as a picture but link directs to the website with this specific design. This would not need any changes in the forum.

This project would be open source with a permissive license and open to new enhancements - anyone could contribute to it. I do not want to make money with it, but there could be, for example, some ads should it be too costly for me to host it. I also apologise if there are already similar solutions but I am not up to date with all these tools and forum life.

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aubergine18
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Re: Factorio blueprints and designs Web application

Post by aubergine18 »

Sounds awesome. If you can make it really easy to share *and* preview the blueprint strings that would be great on its own.

I'd start simple though:

1. Register/login
2. Post a blueprint string + some details (keywords, summary, etc)
-- some keywords auto-added based on what's in the blueprint
3. Page appears showing preview, materials needed, and the blueprint string for easy copy
-- use default placeholders for any unrecognised entity/item/etc

Then at least we can start getting a decent library of blueprints, have people rating them, commenting, etc.

Next iterations...

* Scan mods website, download every mod, catalog the modded entities/items/etc so they can appear in blueprint previews
* Version control, for updating existing blueprints
* Search and other "discoverability" enhancements
* Online designer/editor thing (how will this handle mods, etc?)
* Ability to fork blueprints - like forking a github repo, then abiliy to make changes (but no merging)
-- would be useful for people to show how they'd approach a specific goal
-- forks should remember where they originated from (link back to parent)
* More detailed stats - eg. production rate

Hope you go ahead with this project!

Don't be put off by lack of comments in this subforum, the idea is awesome. Just start with the basics tho...
Better forum search for modders: Enclose your search term in quotes, eg. "font_color" or "custom-input" - it prevents the forum search from splitting on hypens and underscores, resulting in much more accurate results.

OpalescentDonut
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Re: Factorio blueprints and designs Web application

Post by OpalescentDonut »

I have not thought about mods when it comes to sharing blueprints; shame on me, vanilla lover. Blueprint Strings look primising and are certainly better solution than dealing with saves. Also, a new mod could be written (or extending the Blueprint Strings) that could handle blueprints repository in-game - one could log into his account and get blueprints for any design he liked on the website (whole list and previews would clutter the interface, wouldn't it?). Also direct export from game would be possible.

Ad "editor thing". Help with mod support would be greatly appreciated. Basic support is just spattering placeholder graphics for mods (the ones which simply add items to the game). For now, vanilla is the most important.

Version control is a brilliant idea. After forking and editing a design, diffing it could be possible, so that posting it in a comment as an enhancement will show a base design and, for example, green elements which have been added or removed.

Well, there is already a website with Factorio designs - http://factorioblueprints.com/. However it lacks features we are discussing about here, since preview is just a screenshot and no production information is shown, etc., and its copyright year shows no maintenance since then.

For now I will wait for some more feedback. It can be an entertaining experience for me to create such a website so I stay positive.

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aubergine18
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Re: Factorio blueprints and designs Web application

Post by aubergine18 »

There's no network IO in the factorio API so connecting in-game UI to a remote server won't be possible. :(
Better forum search for modders: Enclose your search term in quotes, eg. "font_color" or "custom-input" - it prevents the forum search from splitting on hypens and underscores, resulting in much more accurate results.

OpalescentDonut
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Re: Factorio blueprints and designs Web application

Post by OpalescentDonut »

If we cannot use in-game API for that, then operating system API will be friendly. :) Developing a mod (external; as package it will not have this capability) which replaces a few files here and there in Factorio directory should do the trick.

I will make a universal REST API for all blueprint actions, so modders can easily use it and focus on a mod itself. I aim for the website skeleton to be ready before the end of the week.

Bizobinator
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Re: Factorio blueprints and designs Web application

Post by Bizobinator »

Is the website available?

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