Distribution of repair packs all over the base

[Bi0nicM4n]

Currently roboports send number of robots in the network, and while this feature is cool, I could live without it (wouldn't want to, but still). Distribution of repair packs to roboports is much more crucial, but we can't do it since roboports only output robot counts. So I suggest that roboports also have to send number of repair packs stored in them individually, so that robots don't have to fly all across the factory to pick them up when biters are attacking.

[Hakkayo]

A really easy solution I found for this problem is to just set up a requester chest for repair packs and put it with an inserter next to every roboport that way all roboports stay full all the time.

[Bi0nicM4n]

A really easy solution I found for this problem is to just set up a requester chest for repair packs and put it with an inserter next to every roboport that way all roboports stay full all the time.

You see, that's the problem. Now that repair kits stack to 100, all my roboports are gonna be filled with 700 repair kits each. I don't need that much. Earlier, 50 repair packs per roboport were more than enough. And those were buffed, so a mere 25 is sufficient now.
And more importantly, this easy solution doesn't work that well when you have to supply roboports at the edges of your base. That's where aliens attack, and that's where repairs are needed ASAP. And the time it takes for one roboport to fill before it goes to the next? Obviously too long to be safe, especially when you have tens of roboports to supply.

[afk2minute]

A really easy solution I found for this problem is to just set up a requester chest for repair packs and put it with an inserter next to every roboport that way all roboports stay full all the time.

You see, that's the problem. Now that repair kits stack to 100, all my roboports are gonna be filled with 700 repair kits each. I don't need that much. Earlier, 50 repair packs per roboport were more than enough. And those were buffed, so a mere 25 is sufficient now.
And more importantly, this easy solution doesn't work that well when you have to supply roboports at the edges of your base. That's where aliens attack, and that's where repairs are needed ASAP. And the time it takes for one roboport to fill before it goes to the next? Obviously too long to be safe, especially when you have tens of roboports to supply.

Well if you think that its so important to have them spread (in my opinion thats overengineering) then just use provider chests, robots can grab from them easy. Make a train or belt them near the edges so it will supply them.
Another option is to use separate network (if you want to use robots to deliver repair packs).
Also you can just fortify you perimeter well enough so it can withstand any alien attack without the need of fast repair.

There are much more needed signals for a roboport - count of robots in the current roboport and a possibility to "call" robots to current place with a signal...

And for this suggestion i think the ability to limit roboport item slots (just like with chests, maybe ability to select filters on robot like in a cargo wagon) would be a much more better solution for problems like this that having signal "repair packs".

[Deadly-Bagel]

Also if you just fill up a roboport, when the repair bot is finished it will try to return but the roboport doesn't have enough room for the repair packs! I'm not actually sure what the bot would do in this case =s probably try to drop it off at a storage chest or something.

Personally I don't find this too much of a problem... A repair bot will grab its full capacity of repair packs (is it four or five?) and when it's done, it will drop them in the nearest roboport. If you're losing turrets, it generally doesn't make much difference whether the bot had to grab a repair pack from storage or not as spitters will happily target the robots themselves. Just have a supply of turrets to the logistic network and you're good.

Also I haven't tested it but when you connect a roboport to the circuit network you get the option of selecting network robot counts or "roboport inventory" - EDIT: Misremembered. You have the option of counting bots in the network or passing the logistic network to the circuit network, nevermind.

[Bi0nicM4n]

Well if you think that its so important to have them spread (in my opinion thats overengineering) then just use provider chests, robots can grab from them easy. Make a train or belt them near the edges so it will supply them.

From my experience, using provider chests with requesters to get repair packs to roboport didn't work at all, since bots grab repair kits from passive provider and put them to requester, which are then put back to provider by inserter, etc. Also I'm not a fan of belting in this case, it is more complicated compared to making a blueprint of roboport with power pole, inserter and requester chest and then simply plopping it down everywhere. And I simply don't like it when bots have to fly from the other side of my base to get to repair packs and then get all the way back to make repairs.
Anyway, this is not urgent, but I thought it could be simple to implement and useful to have in vanilla game.

[afk2minute]

Well if you think that its so important to have them spread (in my opinion thats overengineering) then just use provider chests, robots can grab from them easy. Make a train or belt them near the edges so it will supply them.

From my experience, using provider chests with requesters to get repair packs to roboport didn't work at all, since bots grab repair kits from passive provider and put them to requester, which are then put back to provider by inserter, etc. Also I'm not a fan of belting in this case, it is more complicated compared to making a blueprint of roboport with power pole, inserter and requester chest and then simply plopping it down everywhere. And I simply don't like it when bots have to fly from the other side of my base to get to repair packs and then get all the way back to make repairs.
Anyway, this is not urgent, but I thought it could be simple to implement and useful to have in vanilla game.

Thats why i said you should make a train\belt to load these chests.
or use separate robot network.

[bobucles]

Why not just let construction bots pull directly from requester chests? It would solve all these problems in one fell swoop.

[ssilk]

Hm.