[Request] Radars with modules and more (better Big Brother mod)

[arZic]

Hi.

So I recently tried the Big Brother mod (https://mods.factorio.com/mod/Big_Brother), but in my opinion this mod is almost like a cheat because of how easy it is to get the research. I would like to have a mod that does the same, and some more, that's balanced and not too easy.

I have no experience in modding, so I dont know if my upcoming suggestions is even possible to do in Factorio.
If it is possible, I hope some of you amazing people would give it a try.

What this mod would do

• Modules for radars - 7 tiers
  Radius module slot: Change the distance of nearby pulse scanning (NPS) and long range survey scanning (LRSS).
  Speed module slot: Change the time it takes to scan one sector.
  
  Tier 0: NPS: 7x7 LRSS: 29x29 Speed: 33,333 sec
  Tier 1: NPS: 8x8 LRSS: 33x33 Speed: 29,999 sec
  Tier 2: NPS: 9x9 LRSS: 37x37 Speed: 26,999 sec
  Tier 3: NPS: 10x10 LRSS: 41x41 Speed: 24,299 sec
  Tier 4: NPS: 11x11 LRSS: 45x45 Speed: 21,869 sec
  Tier 5: NPS: 12x12 LRSS: 49x49 Speed: 19,682 sec
  Tier 6: NPS: 13x13 LRSS: 53x53 Speed: 17,714 sec
  Tier 7: NPS: 14x14 LRSS: 57x57 Speed: 15,943 sec
  
  Tier explanation: LRSS in tier 0 have a factor of 4,14 to NPS. Used the same factor on every tier, resulting in an increase of 4 on each tier
  Speed have an reduction of 10% from the previous tier.
  
  Research requirements suggestion: One tier for each science pack
  Module recipe requirements: To be discussed / Don't know if this mod is even possible.

• Modules for trains - 4 tiers
  Camera module (CM): Visibility, range etc.
  Battery module (BM): Power outside of stations (more slots each tier?)
  Floodlight module (FM) / automatic light module (ALM): Light around the train (require more power)
  Solar panel module (SM): Charge outside of stations (last tier only)
  
  Tier 1: Passive surveillance, CM T1 - Only reveals the train/small surrounding area when it's at a station. Only light in front of train.
  Tier 2: Medium surveillance, CM T2, FM T1 - Big/bigger area around the train is visible when at a station. Light around the train.
  Tier 3: Active surveillance - CM T3, FM T2, ALM T1, BM T1 - Battery module now available. Train is visible outside of station as long as there is charge in the battery. Battery charge at stations. Choose between more powerful lights or automatic lights that turn off in daytime to save battery.
  Tier 4: Full surveillance - CM T4, FM T3, ALM T2, BM T2, SM T1 - Solar panel module now available. This can replace batteries, but only work at daytime with no batteries. Useful on long railways and where trains dont have time to charge the batteries in between stops. Larger visible area. More powerful battery module. More powerful light module. Automatic light module power equivalent to FM T2.
  
  Research requirements: Should become available at the same time as tier 3,4,5,6 or 4,5,6,7 for the radar.
  Module recipe requirements: To be discussed / don't know if this mod is even possible.
  Power requirements: Don't know.

• Modules for big electric pole - 4 tiers
  Camera module (CM): visible, range etc.
  Floodlight module: (FM): Light to work at night
  
  Tier 1: Passive surveillance, CM T1 - Reveals small area around electric pole
  Tier 2: Medium surveillance, CM T2, FM T1 - Reveal big/bigger area around electric pole. Lights for better visibility at night.
  Tier 3: Active surveillance, CM T3, FM T2 - Larger area, more light
  Tier 4: Full surveillance, CM T4, FM T3 - Larger area, more light
  
  Research requirements: Same research as train.
  Module recipe requirements: Same modules as train use.
  Power requirements: Don't know

Mod name suggestions

• Radar and surveillance

• Surveillance

• Big Brother +

• Make radars great again

• Eye in the Sky

• Echolon

• or whatever you like...

[Deadlock989]

Radars, trains and power poles can't accept modules. Only crafting machines, labs and miners can work with modules. Without a change to the game engine or horrible hacks, there is no way of doing what you propose.

[pleegwat]

Trains can take equipment though.

[arZic]

I see, that's what I was afraid of.
Thought maybe it was possible to make a new entity for each of those that would be able to use modules.

Regardless, thanks for the replies.

[arZic]

Is it possible to do this by having different tier radars, locomotives and electric poles?
I wished for modules for more customization and less clutter in the recipe menu.

Instead of modules, the research tiers unlocks new radars and etc., with the proposed effects?
Radar MK 1-7
Train MK 1-4
Electric pole MK 1-4

Is it possible to apply different effects like radar coverage etc., to different entities or would it have to be a global upgrade?


Edit: This is just a shot in the dark, and I'm guessing its not possible, but..
Iv'e seen other mods re-skin a car to get a chest with slots that can be set with filters. So what about using the entity of an assembling machine or beacon, giving it radar properties and radar textures. And then using the module slots to change the radar and other properties?

[Deadlock989]

Is it possible to do this by having different tier radars, locomotives and electric poles?

Yes. That's what Big Brother does for radar, quite adequately. There are several hidden "tiers" of radar and when you place a new one, the appropriate radar for your current research level is placed instead of the default. When you complete new research, all existing radars in the world are updated with a new tier.

If you want a whole ton of extra tiers of locomotives and poles, look at something like Bob's mods, those have rainbow tiers of stuff galore.

Edit: This is just a shot in the dark, and I'm guessing its not possible, but..
Iv'e seen other mods re-skin a car to get a chest with slots that can be set with filters. So what about using the entity of an assembling machine or beacon, giving it radar properties and radar textures. And then using the module slots to change the radar and other properties?

You can't just "give" an entity the properties of another entity. An entity is what it is and modders are stuck with the palette of existing entities. You can have "composite entities" which are just two or more entities jammed together in the same spot, often with one or more of them being invisible. But that arrangement is prone to breaking under certain other mod interactions, and often prone to massively OTT scripting overheads running your UPS down if those entities have to do anything that existing entities don't already do, and anyway you're still stuck with whatever properties the existing entities have, so your radar-assembler hybrid would probably still look like it has a recipe to select and a crafting speed etc. You can override the gui for any existing entity but AFAIK those modded guis can't have interactive module or inventory slots so your modded gui can only have simple controls or provide info.

Long story short, I think someone would have done this by now if it were possible.

[arZic]

Yeah I understand, and agree that something like this would probably have been done already if it was possible. I just dont like the big brother mod, because I don't feel it's balanced enough for my taste.
Like I said in the first post, I have no experience in modding or programming, just something i wish was possible to do.

Thanks for taking your time and explaining why it's not possible!