Red/green circuits balance

[leadraven]

Hi, factorians!
First of all, I think it is incorrect to call green circuits "Electronic". It represents not electronic, but electric technology.
Thus I suggest to rename

• Electronic circuit
• Advanced circuit
• Processing unit

into

• Electric circuit
• Electronic circuit
• Processing unit

This names better capture the essence of technological progression, instead of mysterious "advanced". (like new science packs names)
Electric and Electronic sounds very similar, but anyway everyone call them green-red-blue.
Also having Electronic circuits before Electronics research is weird.

May be some technologies should require red circuits instead of green.
For example:

• Rail signals. Currently entire railroad tech branch might be researched in a row. I don't even understand why it is split into 3 techs. This new dependency will add some feeling of progression (again). Also linking Automated rail to Electronics would be nice, albeit very minor tuning.
• Combat robotics. Actually, basic Robotics tech, instead of only Construction and Logistic.
• Circuit network. It is very complex and powerful tool and, perhaps, appears too early in the game. May be it is worth splitting it in two : keep circuit wires where they are now (to make simple direct controls like tank-pump), but link combinators to red circuits (and change recipe respectively) to hide full power of circuit network behind more significant technological progression.

Thank you, will be glad to hear your opinion.

[Ranakastrasz]

Realistic maybe, but....

Nobody is going to like electric vs electronic. They are too similar, and bla bla bla.
Nobody in my gaming group calls them by their names. Its Green red and blue circuits.

[leadraven]

Realistic maybe, but....

Nobody is going to like electric vs electronic. They are too similar, and bla bla bla.
Nobody in my gaming group calls them by their names. Its Green red and blue circuits.

Topic isn't only about names, but about essences and respective changes.
Inspired by FFF-275 - 0.17 Science changes. Science packs also are red, green and blue, but they have representative names.

[Ranakastrasz]

Rail signals, no. We kinda need those for people who like early trains.
Combat robotics. Yes. Given they now require roboframes, making them require the tech that requires roboframes, or at least being higher level would make sense.
Circuit network, no. I don't care how advanced it should be. I like being able to setup logic early. And honestly the tech isn't that impressive, given how big and bulky it is. A LUA combinator, sure, but not the ones we have.

[bobucles]

Combat robots need flying frames? But why? They don't dock and recharge. It also pushes their tech tier WAY back when basic gun drones totally belong in green science.

I know that flying frames are technically green science, but it's like 2 tiers into green science. Basic drones totally belong towards the early-mid green science.

I'd rather see them use a basic engine and a unit of coal or solid fuel, like the good ol' RC planes. It emphasizes their 1-shot use.

[Ranakastrasz]

Combat robots need flying frames? But why? They don't dock and recharge. It also pushes their tech tier WAY back when basic gun drones totally belong in green science.

I know that flying frames are technically green science, but it's like 2 tiers into green science. Basic drones totally belong towards the early-mid green science.

I'd rather see them use a basic engine and a unit of coal or solid fuel, like the good ol' RC planes. It emphasizes their 1-shot use.

Presumably because of the battery, and because of the fact its a flying robot.
But I would prefer pushing that back to distractors, given those are the first really useful ones. Defenders are meh. Distractors, they have no limit on how many you can place. and so are pretty useful. And destroyers are, or at least were insane.

[leadraven]

Rail signals, no. We kinda need those for people who like early trains.

Many players like logistic network. But it is stills buried deep in the tech tree.
It is a question of balance and better progression pace.

[bobucles]

I don't see how renaming red and green will make things better. If anything it'll make things more confusing, because electric and electronic have very little separation of meaning. It'd all blend together and be a mess. Look for a different name.

Pushing rail signals deeper into the tech tree is not a good idea. Red circuits are pretty much a tier later in the tech curve. That's too long to wait with a non functioning rail network.
Combat robotics is already too late in the tech tree. It needs flying frames, which places it at the end of green science. The first drones should really be closer to the early/mid green science.
Circuit network could perhaps be pushed down. It is a nice convenience to have circuits unlocked early, but it's not game breaking to have it in the oil tier. Any later than that is pushing it too far.

[pleegwat]

Based on that reasoning, you'd be better off calling them analogue and digital circuits.

[Ranakastrasz]

Rail signals, no. We kinda need those for people who like early trains.

Many players like logistic network. But it is stills buried deep in the tech tree.
It is a question of balance and better progression pace.

Eh, let me rephrase. Its for people who want to use trains at all. If you don't have signals, then you are limited to singular tracks, with one train on them.

Hiding logistics late in the game is reasonable. Especially since the stuff for providing to the player is still pretty early. While there are a ton of arguments either way, I personally feel it can kinda break the game. But, on the other hand, UPS. And lazy, I guess? I dunno. Its just not as fun having the robots doing all the logistics. Building, sure. Providing materials to you? Sure. replacing belts, trains, and everything else? Not fine.