Automatic scouting drones

[osndok]

At the moment, I have tended towards playing "train worlds" with the settings for biters to be more sparse then the (comparatively quite dense) defaults. The only downside is that when the need arises to go get more resources, I have to aimlessly drive around in the black to look for ore patches.

I think it would be nice to have a "dumb" scouting drone, that (perhaps) when placed would:
(1) pick a random direction,
(2) path-find to the nearest uncharted block along that direction
(3) having explored the chunk (or failed at path-finding to it), it repeats the process (Going back to #1 to pick a new vector)
(4) maybe it can burn fuel for locamotive power, like a car or train? but when it dies it would not generate a navi warning (as it is expected to be a one-way trip)

It might make for some interesting strategy changes, such as motivating the player to clear out particular-yet-distant biter nests before closer ones, if they occupy a navigation choke-point and keep destroying all the scouting drones that you send out.

[Ranakastrasz]

There are two elements in game with similar effects already.

Radar, and more specifically, radar outposts. A single radar and a bunch of solar panels+ accumulators. Not sure exact ratio, but its probably easy to find.

Reveals a large area, eventually, and you can build it with bots. Make a bunch of these in ever expanding rings, likely while you explore.

Second, and far closer, artillery shells.
There is a reason they use radara in their construction. One shell, manually launched, reveals a massive number of chunks. And if range is an issue, set up an outpost and then swing the thing around until you find a good position.

Still, I agree that a more automated method might be better, but these two methods seem to work well enough, even on railworlds.

[Ranger_Aurelien]

The only downside is that when the need arises to go get more resources, I have to aimlessly drive around in the black to look for ore patches.

To echo what Ran says, I tend to add extra Radar units at the corners of my powered base. Each one speeds up mapping within a large number of chunks. I think each one will map all its radius in 8 hours.... Aha:

"With a total number of 797 chunks (29×29 − 7×7), it takes one radar 7 hours 20 minutes to complete one full scan cycle."

This link discusses minimum power scanners:
https://wiki.factorio.com/Radar

But if you build multiple Radar units at a location they will process the chunks proportionally faster. In the other extreme I recall someone sharing a blueprint for a 20% power radar setup.



P.S. Note that revealing a lot of chunks at a time is a good way to grow your save file by a lot as it must generate a ring of invisible chunks around the visible. Try it a bit at first as you need...

[wobbycarly]

You might like to take a look at Nilaus' "Arrowhead" design for some inspiration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDbOWy7 ... r&index=44

[aradralami]

You might like to take a look at Nilaus' "Arrowhead" design for some inspiration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDbOWy7 ... r&index=44

About the video wouldn't it be better if the attack blueprints had walls? They would be slower to build but be more resilient. Maybe only near artillery as it receives most of the attacks?

[osndok]

An alternative to fuel-burning scout drones (as again, I don't know how hard this stuff is to implement or what kind of in-game load it would have), perhaps the scouting drones could be solar-powered, and only move/scout during the day?