Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

Post your ideas and suggestions how to improve the game.

Moderator: ickputzdirwech

Post Reply
NauticalInsanity
Manual Inserter
Manual Inserter
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:11 pm
Contact:

Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

Post by NauticalInsanity »

TLDR: I suggest that constant combinators be able to have their settings adjusted from the map (global range)
What
Train stations currently are configurable globally. The player can select them from the map screen which brings up the station's settings menu. I suggest also extending this behavior to constant combinators.
Why
Combinator circuits serve as a means for the player to creatively implement automation logic on elements of their factory. The constant combinator often operates as a form of parameterization of that logic. However, the power of the circuit network is dampened by the fact that the player has to be next to a constant combinator in order to change its settings. This can already be done in a hacky way using a destruction planner, and then dropping a new blueprint down, so making constant combinators globally-accessible streamlines what is already in the player's capacity to do.

Giving global access to constant combinators meshes well with other global factory control features. Trains currently allow global access to their settings. This rewards the player for planning good rail networks and helps minimize the amount of tedious running around necessary to manage them. Blueprint's can also be stamped down globally, rewarding preparation and forethought from the player. Similarly, a globally-configurable constant combinator would reward players that devise clever circuits to manage their factory operations.

A concrete example:

I have a blueprint for a construction train depot. It has logistics storage chests and a roboport. A constant combinator describes to a circuit what items to unload into the storage chests in order to build (I don't want to unload miners if I'm building circuit assembly, for example.) From the map screen I can deploy the blueprint. From the map screen I can send my train to the station. However, my character has to walk/drive to the station in order to configure the constant combinator to request the right items.

Tekky
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 1039
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:53 am
Contact:

Re: Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

Post by Tekky »

I believe that these suggestions offer a more elegant solution to the problem:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=47429 global circuit network
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=49317 Radio Links for signals transmission
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=51628 Radio Signal Tower

In the first thread, I made the suggestion that the player himself should act as a constant combinator in a global wireless circuit network.

Hiowever, your suggestion may also have some advantages.

The third thread contains a link to two mods which have been updated for 0.16. I have not tested them, though.

m44v
Fast Inserter
Fast Inserter
Posts: 122
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 8:55 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

Post by m44v »

devs said that this is intentional and you're supposed to be there if you wanted to change anything.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=48625&hilit=combinator

User avatar
Optera
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 2915
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2016 6:41 am
Contact:

Re: Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

Post by Optera »

Being there became a moot point since blueprints update combinators.

I'm curretnly doing the following to update circuits on a spread out map.
Blueprint a combinator, paste it next to you, change the settings, blueprint again, stamp over the existing combinator at the outpost.

Being able to directly configure combinators simply would remove the requirement to create and place blueprints twice.

Tekky
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 1039
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:53 am
Contact:

Re: Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

Post by Tekky »

Optera wrote:Being able to directly configure combinators simply would remove the requirement to create and place blueprints twice.
A good point.

m44v
Fast Inserter
Fast Inserter
Posts: 122
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 8:55 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

Post by m44v »

Optera wrote:Being there became a moot point since blueprints update combinators.

I'm curretnly doing the following to update circuits on a spread out map.
Blueprint a combinator, paste it next to you, change the settings, blueprint again, stamp over the existing combinator at the outpost.

Being able to directly configure combinators simply would remove the requirement to create and place blueprints twice.
Right, is kind of inconsistent. I would suggest enabling editing of entities from the map screen but a construction robot has to go and make the change (same would happen when changing something with a blueprint). That way we don't need to workaround the issue with blueprints and the developers' idea that the player (or a robot) needs to be there for make changes in the factory is maintained.

Tekky
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 1039
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:53 am
Contact:

Re: Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

Post by Tekky »

m44v wrote:
Optera wrote:Right, is kind of inconsistent. I would suggest enabling editing of entities from the map screen but a construction robot has to go and make the change (same would happen when changing something with a blueprint). That way we don't need to workaround the issue with blueprints and the developers' idea that the player (or a robot) needs to be there for make changes in the factory is maintained.
I like that idea.

User avatar
Optera
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 2915
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2016 6:41 am
Contact:

Re: Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

Post by Optera »

m44v wrote:Right, is kind of inconsistent. I would suggest enabling editing of entities from the map screen but a construction robot has to go and make the change (same would happen when changing something with a blueprint). That way we don't need to workaround the issue with blueprints and the developers' idea that the player (or a robot) needs to be there for make changes in the factory is maintained.
Good point. I'd go a step further and also allow remote adding & removing wires in case there is a bot and it has wires available.

mp0011
Fast Inserter
Fast Inserter
Posts: 216
Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2017 1:17 am
Contact:

Re: Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

Post by mp0011 »

Optera wrote:Good point. I'd go a step further and also allow remote adding & removing wires in case there is a bot and it has wires available.
Aren't the wires "magically" appears when bots are building from blueprints? I had lot of situations, where blueprints were finished by bots, with complete wiring, while I have no wires in the inventory...

Also, bots are repairing wiring of fallen poles despite its lack in inventory.

Also, who set that stupid background color for this textarea? I can't see a pointer!

User avatar
Optera
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 2915
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2016 6:41 am
Contact:

Re: Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

Post by Optera »

Yes, currently they appear magically.
If we need to add logic for bot flies to combinator to set value it could just as well have the requirement to carry wires for rewiring.

Atlas
Inserter
Inserter
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2018 8:09 pm
Contact:

Naming and remotely controling constant combinators

Post by Atlas »

Abstract:
Ability to switch constant combinators on or off from anywhere on the map to simplify sending signals to the network based on player's decisions.
Description:
When you place a constant combinator and open it's interface you can set up which signals it transmits and turn it on or off. I suggest, that we should be able to give a name to this combinator (similar to train stations). All the combinators would then appear in a menu under the minimap (next to active trains menu and achievement list), where they can be turned on or off remotely.
Purpose:
Remotely controllable constant combinators would be useful for sending signals to circuit network based on decisions, which can't or shouldn't be automated.
If for example you want to have complete control over lights in your factory, just connect all lamps to the network and set them to work only if they receive signal "A". Then add a combinator, set it to transmit signal "A" and name it "Light switch". Now you would be able to switch the lights from anywhere by using the menu.
It could be used to switch on or off entire parts of factories such as backup power plants.

Tekky
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 1039
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:53 am
Contact:

Re: Naming and remotely controling constant combinators

Post by Tekky »

Related suggestion thread that was started one week ago:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=57028 Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

EDIT: The above link now points to the current thread, because the threads have now been merged.
Last edited by Tekky on Mon Jan 29, 2018 7:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Koub
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 7175
Joined: Fri May 30, 2014 8:54 am
Contact:

Re: Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

Post by Koub »

[Koub] Merged into older topic with same suggestion
Koub - Please consider English is not my native language.

mpgoodwin2
Burner Inserter
Burner Inserter
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2018 5:04 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

Post by mpgoodwin2 »

+1

I have blueprints for stations, and can just go and adjust the amount that has to be available for the station to be enabled. I'd like to be able to control incoming rail signals to indicate if the station has enough for two or more trains, but this requires me to go there in person, rather than just adjusting from the map view

Tekillaa
Fast Inserter
Fast Inserter
Posts: 163
Joined: Fri Mar 01, 2019 7:04 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow adjustment of constant combinators from the map screen

Post by Tekillaa »

m44v wrote:
Wed Jan 24, 2018 10:22 pm

Right, is kind of inconsistent. I would suggest enabling editing of entities from the map screen but a construction robot has to go and make the change (same would happen when changing something with a blueprint). That way we don't need to workaround the issue with blueprints and the developers' idea that the player (or a robot) needs to be there for make changes in the factory is maintained.
I like the idea with the addition of another thread about free wires after the research. Plug wires and change settings on logic item should be available when the set up is in a logistic area (around a roboport) maybe? Many discussion come from the fact that blueprints can build something with particular settings in a roboport area as long we got view with a radar, so maybe allow configurations in this area is a good way to not create "tempo blueprint" or many copypaste actions which seems to be superfluous for just change a setting. Some people can think it will be very near from a god mode : i disagree, in the suggestion, we need a roboport, a radar (and probably bots?) to make actions, so it's balance to my eyes to allow the player such actions with this context. The result gives more homogeneity on the player possibility to my PoV.
It should be add in the game: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=67650 :)

Post Reply

Return to “Ideas and Suggestions”