Consumables, pollution, coal filters

[leadraven]

Sorry for multiple suggestions in one topic, but they are connected.

First of all I suggest to increase pollution influence on the factory itself, not only biters. Examples :

• Solar panel produce less power in polluted regions (thanks to numerous previous suggesters).
• Polluted water cannot be used in boilers and chemical reactions.
• Robots fly slower in polluted air.

Countermeasures:

• Air and water cleaners that consume coal filters - new application for coal.
• New slots in production buildings - Consumables.

Player chooses which consumable to be used in each slot and they are loaded by inserters, logistics or manually.
Consumables are consumed just like fuel, improving factory in module's manner for limited time (affected by production speed multiplier). Examples :

• Coal filter - reduces pollution
• Lubricant barrel - increases speed
• Battery - reduce power consumption

[Sad_Brother]

If you add filters, you should add pollution cleaner to consume filters and clear pollution.

Why battery should increase power consumption? No.

Pumped water should be clean or you get liquid chaos. What should you get with pollution level above zero? Pump get less water than maximum?

[leadraven]

If you add filters, you should add pollution cleaner to consume filters and clear pollution.

I've mentioned cleaners...

Why battery should increase power consumption? No.

Reduce. I don't really care about explanation. I just like battery as intermediate item and wish it to have more industry applications.

Pumped water should be clean or you get liquid chaos. What should you get with pollution level above zero? Pump get less water than maximum?

Dirty water definitely shouldn't be a separate liquid, and numeric pollution level is an over-complication.
I'd suggest pump not to work with water above certain pollution level at all, and force player to use more advanced water treatment plant. But player has a chance to stuck with dirty water and no recycling.
So yeah, higher pollution -> lower water throughput might be a best option. Water treatment plant must also be affected by this effect, but to a lesser extent.

[mrvn]

If you add filters, you should add pollution cleaner to consume filters and clear pollution.

I've mentioned cleaners...

Why battery should increase power consumption? No.

Reduce. I don't really care about explanation. I just like battery as intermediate item and wish it to have more industry applications.

Pumped water should be clean or you get liquid chaos. What should you get with pollution level above zero? Pump get less water than maximum?

Dirty water definitely shouldn't be a separate liquid, and numeric pollution level is an over-complication.
I'd suggest pump not to work with water above certain pollution level at all, and force player to use more advanced water treatment plant. But player has a chance to stuck with dirty water and no recycling.
So yeah, higher pollution -> lower water throughput might be a best option. Water treatment plant must also be affected by this effect, but to a lesser extent.

I would go the opposite way: Make dirty water a separate thing. If the pump is in a region with too high pollution (some is OK or there won't be any clean water anywhere) it outputs dirty water. If you boil dirty water you get residuals in the boiler, e.g. Slag. You then need extra inserters to remove the slag from the boilers or they will stop working.

Recipes using water can decide if they want a dirty water flavor too. But I would think not. For chemical processes filter the water first. Just for boilers I think there must be a way to work with polluted water or you get stuck with no energy to clean the water.

[invisus]

I would go the opposite way: Make dirty water a separate thing. If the pump is in a region with too high pollution (some is OK or there won't be any clean water anywhere) it outputs dirty water. If you boil dirty water you get residuals in the boiler, e.g. Slag. You then need extra inserters to remove the slag from the boilers or they will stop working.

Might be an interesting mechanic, but only if you can find a use for, or a reasonable way to dispose of the "slag."

[vanatteveldt]

See also: Bob's + Angel's

[mrvn]

I would go the opposite way: Make dirty water a separate thing. If the pump is in a region with too high pollution (some is OK or there won't be any clean water anywhere) it outputs dirty water. If you boil dirty water you get residuals in the boiler, e.g. Slag. You then need extra inserters to remove the slag from the boilers or they will stop working.

Might be an interesting mechanic, but only if you can find a use for, or a reasonable way to dispose of the "slag."

Simple use would be to make landfill out of it.

Also the aim would be not have dirty water. Go green and you won't have to fill chest after chest with slag.

[invisus]

Simple use would be to make landfill out of it.

Also the aim would be not have dirty water. Go green and you won't have to fill chest after chest with slag.

Landfill is a pretty sound idea. Would this require two landfill recipes or does the game allow optional ingredients? None come to mind.

I think using slag as an aggregate in concrete, or as ballast/foundation for rails would be reasonable as well.

[Ultros]

This mod viewtopic.php?f=190&t=7548&hilit=negative+emissions seems to do something like you are suggesting regarding removing pollution. I agree that it should be a part of the vanilla game, it just adds a new level of depth and increases player agency regarding pollution, since the current method of dealing with it is to basically kill off any biters that are within the cloud.