Logistics robot min/max supply

[rmm99]

I looked through all the threads and didn't see this specifically, so my apologies if I missed it.

It would be nice if requester chests had a minimum stock value in addition to the existing maximum stock slider. The reason being simply that the logistics network wouldn't try to fill the chest until the minimum threshold was reached. This should likely be put in as a research item. The point is that you don't have a constant flow of robots bringing stuff to the chest non-stop. Instead, once the minimum amount was reached, a bunch of robots would deliver back up to the maximum threshold and then leave it alone.

Just a thought; love the game, etc.

Cheers.

[Madara Uchiha]

That's an interesting idea, but here's a question: Why do you care?

If you have an available robot, why shouldn't he pick an item up and put it in the requester chest?

I'd much rather an ability to prioritize logistics robots tasks.

[ssilk]

@madara: Just make 2 requester chests. Or more. The robots serve the chests in equal amounts.

@rmm99: if you fill chests completely, the robots do it like so. I'm not totally sure, but it looks like they wait until a minimum of one stack is free again.

And how do you want to handle that? We need special controls. The stuff is complicated enough now and without real need I don't see a reason for that. Or do you have a reason?

[rmm99]

Well, I had a couple reasons. The biggest was simply the flood of robots constantly flying around carrying a couple items constantly. I found myself destroying tens of robots while trying to destroy stuff on the ground because they would cross the path where I happen to be disassembling. Another reason was lag. Rather than a constant flow of robots, they would run the gauntlet in spurts. The downside to this is there would be more at certain times rather than a constant flow. I was having fun with robots and running almost a thousand or so just to make them work it.

In my head, I didn't think this had any great complexity. I envisioned a second slider (like how some online stores do a min/max cost search on a slider bar) that would be on the left so you could move both the max and the min on the same bar.

In any case, it was just a thought so I came here

[ssilk]

Well, for the first reason, I think I can say, that the devs wanted to enable to blend them out. Like layers. Yes, currently it's a mess, but I think I can live with it and your suggestion spreads this effect a bit, but I think it's no good solution.

To the second, I can understand. It's just fun to watch them, all at once. I recommend to make a big train station, some stops, and make it so, that the trains come all at one time in.

When you described the second slider, I envisioned another usage. The requester chest logic for the character and the requester chests is exactly the same. Now there are good reasons (already discussed) to enable for the character a "one time request", three stacks of combat robots for example. When it is full, the request is deleted (or better ghosted/paused, so that you can repeat the request).

That logic would be also valid for the requester chests, because same implementation. Now I think here for a third option: when it is empty, the request is autorepeated.

So in the end we have three simple modes (instead of two sliders):
- auto: as now
- manual: request is paused, when fulfilled, manual restart
- repeat: request is paused, when fulfilled and auto started, when empty

And in this last mode I can see this second slider, but for the first implementation not needed.

There is also one point which should be discussed: when is a request fulfilled? Assumed I have a inserter, which constantly puts out items from the chest, the robots can never fulfill a request, when the chest is more than 30-50 tiles away. I mean the request must be fulfilled, when the items inthe chests plus that what's on the way is enough.

[benai]

Hi,
it's quite an old thread but i am looking exactly for this kind of option after using the the mod robot world.

I want to set a safety stock, a reorder level and ordering amount of items within the requester chest to reduce the flying and that they have more time for other stuffs.

For example:
safety stock: 10 unites
reorder level: 60 unites
ordering amount: 150 unites

So that i have when delivered 210 unites at least.

Is it somehow possible within the game or via a mod?