Earlier access to personal construction bots

[cogwheel]

This idea grew out of, but is distinct from, my suggestion to move personal roboports earlier in the tree. The reasoning is the same here.

Rather than changing the function of the existing items, there could be a lower tech, more limited option for getting construction bots to follow you around as soon as you have them researched. Here's an example:

Add one recipe

Robot Control Unit
(probably some other name to avoid confusion with rockets)

2 steel, 5 gears, 9 advanced circuits

Unlocked by Robotics, works like a personal roboport when equipped to a weapon slot. Allows control of 5 robots (so max 15 if you fill all your slots). As a balance for not needing batteries, robots launched by an RCU do not benefit from speed or capacity research.

Change recipes

Roboport

35 steel, 20 gears, 5 Robot Control Unit

There is no net difference in the cost of this compared to before the change.

Personal roboport

10 steel, 2 processing units, 2 Robot Control Units, 45 batteries

Small difference in the circuit needs (and significantly less H2SO4), but mostly very close to the original

[Deadly-Bagel]

You posted this in your previous topic, and it's basically the same idea, you want earlier access to bots, and the discussion is also pretty much the same. Modular armour is very easy to research and craft, and the personal roboport is also pretty easy to get.

How about you explain exactly why you want this? You've said the reasoning is the same but all you've said is that you think it should happen. To convince everyone else you're going to need to give us more than that.

[Klonan]

I don't think there is anything wrong with the current balance of roboports and personal roboports

So this will probably not be changed in the future.

[cogwheel]

I don't think there is anything wrong with the current balance of roboports and personal roboports

So this will probably not be changed in the future.

Fair enough. Keep up the good work!

[hi_impact]

As I've gotten better and better at the game I have started craving construction bots as early as possible as well so I can be my own lazy bastard.

My flying robot frame factory is incorporated into my early rush to advanced oil processing and I really do think the tech is well placed. Right after when you get to making robots is when you need more than a yellow belts worth of material so it works out perfectly, as you can walk over with your newfound construction bots and duplicated your smelters.

I do think the Flight tech needs something else attached to it since as it stands is literally filler tech.

[voddan]

How about self-driving grounded construction bots?

They could be fueled by coal, and thus not require plastics and advanced circuits (or even electricity!)
Their functions would be very similar to flying construction bots, with minor differences because roboports are not needed.

Here is a topic with similar ideas: Ground-based worker bots for early-mid game