Logisctic SubNetwork

[bartek990]

Hi guys!

Some time ago I had a problem with handling large logistic network, trains and steel distribution. I had a blue science production uni on the one side of the map and an oil processing area on the other connected by train system (steel and batteries transport). At firs everything seemed to be ok, but after a while, amount of production and transport get wild, so I've build some roboports to control the quantity of distribution. I've put some request and active provider chests by the train stops and it ends up with logistic robots putting steel into chests by station A, train transporting it to station B and unloading to chests, robots getting it and moving back to station A or to storage chests "on the end of a world".
Later on I've solved that problem by splitting logistic network and connecting them by logic circuit system (it was tough with fluids) but I think it should be easier to manage such advance technology in the game as logistic system and I've got an idea - maybe the excluding roboports into separate network function will be useful?

This is how I imagine that

SubNet.png (2.33 MiB) Viewed 3556 times

From top to bottom:
- list of roboports in particular logistic subnetwork (window - like button).
- name of subnetwork
- area of influence colour
- count of robots which will be "resting" or doing tasks on the area of subnetwork
- option of getting resources from other networks (in this case robots from main network can deliver e.g. steel to chests in subnetwork)
- option of giving resources to other networks (in this case non of networks can get anything from Wild boar, so nothing will travel to strange directions on the other side of a map)

There could be something like an exchange chest to share resources between different networks too (which are in the... "reception area").

What do you think?

I would like to write a mod like this but I don't have any skills in programming - maybe someone of you?

[Koub]

This has already been suggested, and I think something like this should make it into vanilla.
Here are some links to topics aroung logistic networks, roboports, ... viewtopic.php?f=80&t=18093
The part you should have a look to is under Logistic Network extension

[bartek990]

Thanks. I've posted it, because I read some posts about "wild logistic robots" and suggestions about changing their behaviour algorithms - nothing about network structure, but yes... there it is.

[Rseding91]

The concept is interesting but the way the Logsitic Network is implemented code wise it wouldn't work at all without a complete re-write which would take a *lot* of time and introduce a large amount of bugs in the process.

[bartek990]

Really? I thought it's like putting to code something like "do as always but don't connect with others" - so I've suggested it, but as I said... I have no skills in programming.
But thanks for your attention.

[ssilk]

The concept is interesting but the way the Logsitic Network is implemented code wise it wouldn't work at all without a complete re-write which would take a *lot* of time and introduce a large amount of bugs in the process.

Just for pure personal curiosity: What's with viewtopic.php?f=67&t=8905
because I designed the idea with that in mind.

[bartek990]

The concept is interesting but the way the Logsitic Network is implemented code wise it wouldn't work at all without a complete re-write which would take a *lot* of time and introduce a large amount of bugs in the process.

Just for pure personal curiosity: What's with viewtopic.php?f=67&t=8905
because I designed the idea with that in mind.

After reading the post from ssilk I have an idea. If it is so difficult to change roboports way of working maybe creating a new structure would be a solution?

I'm thinking about sort of "older technology" than logistic network - let's call it logistic centre. It would be a separate building with separate robots which won't connect with another with logistic centres or roboports - just on its own area of influence.

Than it would work as belts - locally, while roboports with logistic network would work as trains - globally.

To transport an information about resources on the area of logistic centre there could be added just new type of (logistic) wire - than centres would act similar to smart chests.
In the example with mines you can put let's say 3 logistic centres to cover the mine area, put to every of them 50 of local robots (they wouldn't travel out of each centre area because, centres don't connect into a network by themselves) and connect them by logistic wires to transfer information about quantities of iron mined. Areas of influence should be a little bit merged and on this merged fragments you can put some request and active provider chest to enable an exchange between centres. Than on the one side of mining area you can put a roboport which will cover one of chests to put recourse into the logistic network.
Alternatively you can put an iron to the train to transport it to smelting area and connect a logistic centre and a roboport by logistic wire to provide an information about quantities (if the implementation of that would be hard too, it is possible to create some thing like "dump chest" - it'll be "reading" informations from wires and "translating" it for logistical network.

How about that?
(If my English is too hard to decrypt I'll make a graphical illustration for a next time ;P)