Version 0.17.35

[FactorioBot]

Changes

• Increased the maximal length of station name to 1024, mainly to allow wider usage of multiple tags in the name. (68219)

Bugfixes

• Fixed that making blueprints of locomotive ghosts wouldn't include the schedules. (69856)
• Fixed that worms and spitters didn't show attack parameters in description.
• Fixed that the game would crash if it was closed when Sound Settings was opened. (69977)
• Limited the manual rail building distance to 3 times the normal building distance.
• Fixed dangling tooltip bug related to widget reorganization in map generator GUI and possibly other places. (69471)
• Fixed that the train time condition label wasn't properly set to squashable resulting in wrong layouting in certain languages. (69583)
• Fixed truncation of labels containing rich text. (69917)
• Fixed PvP and Wave defense starting base entities wouldn't spawn if a mod added a tile with a certain collision mask and a name which sorted alphabetically above dirt.
• Fixed PvP production score error when a mod or script adds another force during a round.
• Fixed PvP error when using DEFCON mode.
• Fixed that the shortcut bar selection list wasn't scrollable until the window was resized. (68804)
• Making disabling of features in map generator more clear by adding checkboxes for it. (65841)
• The wagon door opening animation (that is only available for horizontal/vertical direction) is now chosen based on the drawing sprite of the wagon selected instead of the orientation of the wagon. This means, that orientations really close to horizontal/vertical still use the animation. (68768)
• Fixed that changing map size didn't mark the map preset as modified. (67261)
• Fixed label text not updating correctly when cleared and had non-zero minimal width and height. (69763)
• Improved handling of whitespace characters in technology count formula parsing.
• Checking that only the l (or L) variable used in the technology formula on startup, to avoid errors later on. (69870)
• Fixed NPE error at startup that could occur when using mods. (69439)
• Fixed GUI window of an entity not updating when pasting settings to that entity. (69102)
• Fixed error in consistency check of ghost connections related to multiple connections to entities only in the undo queue. (70126)
• Fixed train condition fulfilling indication for artillery wagon. (69677)
• IDXGIOutput::FindClosestMatchingMode returning an error is not treated as critical failure anymore. (70152)
• Fixed that the Mods GUI go-to-dependency buttons wouldn't work in some scenarios. (69545)
• Fixed that ghost building mode works the same as ghost building (with shift) when it comes to rail building. (69761)
• Fixed that upgrading entities in would leave invalid module requests. (70040)
• Fixed, that sorting changes were moving the scrolled position in the browse game gui. It is now consistent with the mods gui. (70128)
• Fixed some achievements being given to players while the save game is loading, not respecting player online time. (64214)
• Fixed LuaTransportLine::output_line read for right-hand output lines of a lonely splitter. (70207)
• Fixes to make tabbed pane work properly when it comes to squashing in different situations. (69488)
• Tweaked the algorithm that is putting trains on rails to work properly in junctions when constrained by the direction caused by blueprint/ghost train building. (69457)

Modding

• Renamed the character entity type and name from "player" to "character" to make it consistent with how we call/access it in all other places.
• Renamed the technology personal-roboport-equipment-2 to personal-roboport-mk2-equipment and gave it corresponding icon to be consistent with other technologies of this kind.
• Renamed the technology power-armor-2 to power-armor-mk2 to be consistent with other technologies of this kind.
• Added optional storage tank prototype property "scale_info_icons".
• Added "manual_rail_building_reach_modifier" to the utility-constants.
• MapGenPresets' advanced_settings.difficulty_settings.research_queue_setting now works. (69546)

Scripting

• Mod GUI root elements (top/left/center/goal) are now contained in scroll panes, so when there is not enough space, it will become scrollable instead of being cut off. With enough space, it looks the same as before, the only change is, that the mod GUI contents can now not expect to be squashed by the screen, as it will just make a scroll bar instead.
• Added LuaCircuitNetwork::connected_circuit_count read.
• Added LuaEntity::time_to_live read/write for highlight box entities.
• Added LuaEntity::allow_dispatching_robots read/write.
• Added LuaEntity::toggle_equipment_movement_bonus().
• Added LuaEquipmentGrid::inhibit_movement_bonus read/write.
• Added optional 'radius' to LuaSurface 'find_xyz' functions.
• Added defines.inventory.editor_main, editor_guns, editor_ammo, editor_armor.
• AutoplaceSpecification::control is always included in property tree, even for non-peak-based autoplace specifications. (69286)
• Fixed a save corruption problem when using LuaSurface::clone_area(). (67207)
• Renamed defines.inventory.player_main, player_guns, player_ammo, player_armor, player_vehicle and player_trash to defines.inventory.character_main, character_guns, character_ammo, character_armor, character_vehicle and character_trash.
• Removed LuaStyle::title_top_padding, title_right_padding, title_bottom_padding and title_left_padding.

Use the automatic updater if you can (check experimental updates in other settings) or download full installation at http://www.factorio.com/download/experimental.

[thecatlover1996]

• Limited the manual rail building distance to 3 times the normal building distance.

Well, that is nice.

[robot256]

Renamed the character entity type and name from "player" to "character" to make it consistent with how we call/access it in all other places.

Looks like we are waiting for the API docs to be updated? I don't want to guess exactly which references were changed.

[Bilka]

Renamed the character entity type and name from "player" to "character" to make it consistent with how we call/access it in all other places.

Looks like we are waiting for the API docs to be updated? I don't want to guess exactly which references were changed.

lua-api.factorio.com is updated. Nothing on there changed because of this change. See also: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=70188

[eduran]

• Mod GUI root elements (top/left/center/goal) are now contained in scroll panes, so when there is not enough space, it will become scrollable instead of being cut off. With enough space, it looks the same as before, the only change is, that the mod GUI contents can now not expect to be squashed by the screen, as it will just make a scroll bar instead.

On my 1920x1080 screen width is limited to 1920 pixels (matching the resolution). But height is limited to 720 pixels, leaving some unused screen real estate. Is that intentional?

Edit: By limited I mean that at this point scroll bars show up.

[Kargaros]

Now none of the armor equipment technologies have the fancy tier number in the bottom left corner.
For the power armor itself I can sort of understand this decision as the previous tier of armor is not an ingredient. However personal batteries, energy shields, and personal roboports are straight up upgrades that use the previous tier as an ingredient similarly as for instance transport belts, assemblers, and combat robots -- all of which have numbered tiers.

On the topic of inconsistent numbering of tech tiers:
-- Green circuits and red circuits have unnumbered techs, but then blue circuits are listed with number 2 though it's the third tier of circuits (because the technology is named "Advanced electronics 2").
-- The first tiers of automation and logistics are unnumbered, but the first electric energy distribution has number 1, as well as all the passive upgrades (inserter capacity, bullet damage, ...) start with a numbered tier 1.


Addendum: If you are fond of calling equipment "MK2" instead of adding a "2" at the end, perhaps a new way of handling the tier numbering of techs would be in order? This would also make it possible to make the first Automation and Logistics techs show the number 1 without adding "1" to the name.

[Qon]

Renamed the character entity type and name from "player" to "character" to make it consistent with how we call/access it in all other places.

Looks like we are waiting for the API docs to be updated? I don't want to guess exactly which references were changed.

lua-api.factorio.com is updated. Nothing on there changed because of this change. See also: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=70188

It's updated, I agree.

But nothing changed you say?

inventory

defines.inventory.player_main
defines.inventory.player_guns
defines.inventory.player_ammo
defines.inventory.player_armor
defines.inventory.player_vehicle
defines.inventory.player_trash

inventory

defines.inventory.character_main
defines.inventory.character_guns
defines.inventory.character_ammo
defines.inventory.character_armor
defines.inventory.character_vehicle
defines.inventory.character_trash

I had to change at least one of my mods because of this change (control.lua mod)

[Bilka]

It's updated, I agree.

But nothing changed you say?

Nothing on there changed because of this change.

I put that there because I knew someone like you would come along :p

[Qon]

Nothing on there changed because of this change.

I put that there because I knew someone like you would come along :p

I don't see how this is not a part of renaming the player to character (when you mean character). That's exactly what happened in the quoted part. Yes renaming 'player' to 'character' in the data stage is technically separate and could be changed independently, but these were obviously changed together as a part of a bigger combined change with a consistent theme

That was what this Factorian was after I think:

Renamed the character entity type and name from "player" to "character" to make it consistent with how we call/access it in all other places.

Looks like we are waiting for the API docs to be updated? I don't want to guess exactly which references were changed.

[_Attila_]

• Mod GUI root elements (top/left/center/goal) are now contained in scroll panes, so when there is not enough space, it will become scrollable instead of being cut off. With enough space, it looks the same as before, the only change is, that the mod GUI contents can now not expect to be squashed by the screen, as it will just make a scroll bar instead.

On my 1920x1080 screen width is limited to 1920 pixels (matching the resolution). But height is limited to 720 pixels, leaving some unused screen real estate. Is that intentional?

Edit: By limited I mean that at this point scroll bars show up.

The scrollbar is useful, but leaving the max window height at 720 pixels is useless. There are mods that require more space, the screen has it, why not let the mods use the screen space as they see fit.

Please add the scrollbar only when the bottom of the screen would be exceeded, not before.

[doe]

Sorry if i posted in wrong place, but i cant seem to load my save after the update, it gets to 100% and then stops there. I have disabled the mods what the launcher said wont work.

Any ideas? Appreciate any help.

[Bilka]

That was what this Factorian was after I think:

Renamed the character entity type and name from "player" to "character" to make it consistent with how we call/access it in all other places.

Looks like we are waiting for the API docs to be updated? I don't want to guess exactly which references were changed.

Well, whatever doc they were after, the wiki prototype definitions page + associated pages are also updated now.

[Zinic]

In this update, I noticed a weird bug that I couldn't reproduce. I accidentally saved over my save that had the bug present, but you can see it in the image attached.

Edit: I've deleted the image. It showed a smelter not having the smelting icon. I thought this was a bug, but it's not. Now that I am paying more attention, I see it happen often. It just means no ore is inside the smelter.

[Ultros]

In this update, I noticed a weird bug that I couldn't reproduce. I accidentally saved over my save that had the bug present, but you can see it in the image attached.

This has always been the case. When the smelter isn't smelting anything it has no icon.

[Schallfalke]

Modding

• ...
• Renamed the technology personal-roboport-equipment-2 to personal-roboport-mk2-equipment and gave it corresponding icon to be consistent with other technologies of this kind.
• Renamed the technology power-armor-2 to power-armor-mk2 to be consistent with other technologies of this kind.
• ...

I always thought that the suffix/middle "mk2" names were the inconsistent part, because suffix "2"/"3" are used everywhere (other "upgrades" such as electric pole/substation, assembling machines, etc).
Now this update gives us the opposite, this inconsistent part grows...

Futhermore, the "-mk2" naming convention no longer gives the handy level indicator at the lower-right part of tech icon. The "-mk2" does not always appear at the end of string, so I don't expect the in-game tech name parser can easily identify this and give the proper number 2 in the level indicator, in the future versions.

Seriously, I think these changes actually lowering the quality of the tech system, rather than improving it.

[gaelyte]

It seems that the devs don't want to make the obstacle avoidance for the rail planner. Is it possible to mod it ?

[Optera]

Modding

• ...
• Renamed the technology personal-roboport-equipment-2 to personal-roboport-mk2-equipment and gave it corresponding icon to be consistent with other technologies of this kind.
• Renamed the technology power-armor-2 to power-armor-mk2 to be consistent with other technologies of this kind.
• ...

I always thought that the suffix/middle "mk2" names were the inconsistent part, because suffix "2"/"3" are used everywhere (other "upgrades" such as electric pole/substation, assembling machines, etc).
Now this update gives us the opposite, this inconsistent part grows...

Futhermore, the "-mk2" naming convention no longer gives the handy level indicator at the lower-right part of tech icon. The "-mk2" does not always appear at the end of string, so I don't expect the in-game tech name parser can easily identify this and give the proper number 2 in the level indicator, in the future versions.

Seriously, I think these changes actually lowering the quality of the tech system, rather than improving it.

Most entities use '-2' Turning all those into having a 'mk2' suffix will break more than the other way around.

[Deadlock989]

I don't like the mk2, mk3 either if I'm honest. It's not a big deal but I'd prefer everything to be -1, -2, -3 consistently, and it would work better with the tech tree as well.

[dee-]

I agree.

[Schallfalke]

Let me make a supplement to my above post.
It is not necessary to make the tech and entity names the same. It is okay to keep them separate. Let me list some examples:

• Tech name: automation-2
• Entity name: assembling-machine-2

• Tech name: advanced-electronics-2
• Entity name: processing-unit

• Tech name: logistics-2
• Entity name: fast-transport-belt

• Tech name: electric-energy-distribution-2
• Entity name: substation

• Tech name: advanced-material-processing-2
• Entity name: electric-furnace

So it is okay to have separate names, suggested as below:

• Tech name: power-armor-2
• Entity name: power-armor-mk2

• Tech name: energy-shield-equipment-2
• Entity name: energy-shield-mk2-equipment

I don't like the mk2, mk3 either if I'm honest. It's not a big deal but I'd prefer everything to be -1, -2, -3 consistently, and it would work better with the tech tree as well.

Yes, I feel the same with you.
Entities can take whatever naming convention (which is another big discussion), but I prefer every tech sticking to suffix "-2", -3".

From a logical point of view, the "MK2" labelling is given to a product.
The project (refering to tech in this game) name is very often some generic name (e.g., "Advanced Combat Rifle", "General Support Rocket System", "Advanced Tactical Fighter"). The product ends with totally different naming (e.g., XM29 OICW, MLRS, F-22).
Codename using some hideous number set (e.g., "XA-1234") is another story, which is more for secrecy and security concern thus not fitting with this game.