Don't make red science first step.

Rinin · Post by **Rinin** » Wed Jan 15, 2020 8:12 am

This expanding base from FFF is nice, but first step is not red/green if we are talking about new players. Not even close. Right now it seems people who design campain played for way too long. Yes every veteran could and would hancraft to automation tech, because it's doable and fast, but it's not the first step.

Probably comments will add something but as far as I see separate missions should cover something like.

Coal based production
Power production
Science automation
Limited military
Metall mass production / mainbus
Automated defence
Trains
Oil
Offence
...

Let player have his fun with every step. It is fun. It's not fun for veteran in sandbox, because they have different goals, but it is fun for the new player with clear local goals.

Don't force players to speedrun to the rocket and don't limit them to some perfect design you created, let them explore the game and learn how to build their design.

The more time you spend on small steps, the more players could learn how the game works. Game is consistent, and if you learn how buildings and inserters operate - you will learn half of the game on coal already. You will not need to explain simple questions about inserters and miners anymore when you move to electricity, so spend some time on first steps, veterans will be able to skipp them fast.
Automation is fun but two/four coal miners feeding each other is automation, cycle belt with coal to power up all the drills and smelters is automation, cycle belt with coal and iron ore to fully automated iron production is automation. It's simple, not overwhelming, and it teaches basics.

You have all the steps for nice and slow learning curve, don't waste half of the game, because you played factorio too much and tend to rush to space science/other "interesting" stuff. Everything is interesting for the new player, he has the blessing not to be bored even without the power armor