Friday Facts #363 - 1.1 is getting close

[scwarlock]

The lighting changes are nice. I notice, though, in that screencap the headlights no longer appear on the buggy, but the actual beams are still illuminated in the updated lightmap.

[Cooldude2606]

Building belts in a line without spraying them all over the place is really nice. Could you maybe add this also while pressing a button so it can be used for anything? E.g. if I create a new station I have to drag a line of chests but usually spray them all over the place. Being able to go in a straight line while holding e.g. Ctrl would be very nice.

1) do people actually manually move things into the trash, or do they just shift or ctrl-click them out of their main inventory

2) even in late take I still look at the crafting tab more, I only want the logistics tab when I want to change what I am requesting from the network, which doesn't really happen a lot after you set it up. And even in the late game, the crafting tab ends up being a kind of 'refresher' for what your production chain needs to look like even if you aren't actually crafting the item by hand.

+1 for both of these, a key to control stabilization for all building would be great and would still allow me to spray when I want to.

For the inventory panels would it be possible to allow us to select a position through the settings?
People who want it in the middle can have it there, or if they prefer it can go on the right, or even on the left!

And finally, the status light is really nice, but will it be a new type of element which we will have access to as modders (for custom guis)?
If we do have access to this element will it be limited to a select set of colours or can we apply custom tints through the api (like progress bars)?

[sorahn]

For the inventory panels would it be possible to allow us to select a position through the settings?
People who want it in the middle can have it there, or if they prefer it can go on the right, or even on the left!

I think giving too many options would bloat the settings or make it confusing to configure, but I would absolutely be down for a 'swap logistics and crafting panel location' checkbox. I think having the character inventory _always_ on the left for any UI (as mentioned in the FFF with the new inserter UI) is good design, but having the logistics panel pop up in the middle half way through the game is not. At some point Wube realized this too because they already moved it away from the middle once.

[McGuten]

Hello,

Im so excited about new version, tons of new QoL changes!

I would like to ask you for other clear items/tech names.
The equipment that has a second tier has technologies and style names, for example the energy shield:
energy-shield-equipment -> energy-shield-mk2-equipment
The same name for technologies.

Why the second tier is not "energy-shield-equipment-2"?

[MEOWMI]

Maybe the character tab (window) with the coloring options would be accessible via a button located in the bottom right, since that's where the weapons and armor are listed? That would solve the duplication ambiguity as well because you know you clicked a button right next to those fields.

Other than that, amazing as usual! Really looking forward to it.

[Jan11]

Agree at the moment the nights are not beautiful at all.


Please optional off-screen positions . There are to many arrows. And they are overlapping the toolbar etc. (No go)
I really don't want this feature, because I can use the Map function for this. If I would see the off screen arrows , I still would use the map to see where the bugs damage my base. It's a complete useless feature in my opinion. (and the color is terrible too)

Please optional

[valneq]

Agree at the moment the nights are not beautiful at all.


Please optional off-screen positions . There are to many arrows. And they are overlapping the toolbar etc. (No go)
I really don't want this feature, because I can use the Map function for this. If I would see the off screen arrows , I still would use the map to see where the bugs damage my base. It's a complete useless feature in my opinion. (and the color is terrible too)

Please optional

The arrows only show if you hover the alert. Don't hover the alert and no arrows will be shown. Easy and simple.

[Wanzimar]

With the lighting changed, why do we still have the day shadows at night? It looks sooooo wrong(

[steinio]

With regards to the rich text icon selector, I'd much prefer if the selector uses the "

+1000

[Amarula]

First the thrill of opening my email to see the notice that another FFF is here, then an entire list of improvements that I didn't realize that I absolutely have to have! Night lighting! Straight line belts! Access to icons when naming train stops! Improved technology icons with consistent bonus symbols! Did I mention night lighting?! This is like the best early Christmas present ever! Thank you, thank you, thank you! And here I was worried about what Friday the 13th might be bringing

For the inventory panels would it be possible to allow us to select a position through the settings?
People who want it in the middle can have it there, or if they prefer it can go on the right, or even on the left!

Or even make it drag and drop like the train stops in a train schedule, just grab a panel and move it over.

[Drison]

The reasons the logistics tab is in the middle rather than on the right:
1) It has an inventory, so it is faster to move items manually
2) It is actually used more in the late game I suppose
3) It was like that in the old versions

I was actually going to comment on the position of the logistics tab, but I read this first. Thanks for clarifying - that all makes sense (esp. #1).

[Rebmes]

I'm always excited when you make the game even more beautiful ^^

[Mooncat]

Wow, so many eye candies. So many info. So many updates that we haven't thought of.

but I can imagine it being also helpful when playing with new/big mod.

How about this too?
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=77216&p=463224


And fuel slot filter, so we can select which item to be used as fuel.
I am playing a mod pack that allows burning wood with sand into charcoal in furnace (forgot the actual formula but something like that), and I don't want wood to be used as fuel since it is inefficient. I really hope that we have this option.
Edit: found a post about this: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=71819&p=459743

Men, I really want to play more Factorio. This game is so goooooooooooood.

... But life sucks

[Cleany]

I .. I think I love you guys, the best ever game is getting even better. I'm building a colossal megabase, cant wait to get old spidey more involved, especially at night, and the little tweaks are fantastic. I'll be opting in straight away. Oh and I'm wearing my chocolate inserter t-shirt right now too!

[Kyralessa]

I also have a question. Will there be a beta of 1.1?

Yes. It was in the post:

If we extrapolate the graph, the 1.1 experimental should be ready next week.

[Imarok]

Regarding the belt drag change:
Would it be possible to add a button for it. Like when you hold it, the belts will only be placed in one line, if it is not pressed you have the old/standard behavior.

+1
A hotkey for placing it in one line would be great.

[meganothing]

So many excellent GUI improvements, I fear after playing 1.1 I will not be able to play any factorio with a 0.x version number ever again.

One obvious improvement is still missing: Making map view just a zoomed out normal view instead of it being a distinct mode. The only reason for the distinction seems to be that the player is centered in normal mode and not centered in map mode.
And this could be easily changed so that 1) centering is turned off if you zoom out far enough and 2) there is a key to toggle centering, and 3) the map key toggles centering and zoom as well.

Another improvement in that vein should be to make the train map (where you select destinations for trains) preferably just another map view. I always have problems with panning in the train map because it works differently than in map view.

[Philip017]

re: removal of character tab,
I personally like the character tab, i change the color of my player there and i can access my armor inventory there while in a vehicle, i see that you have posted a screen shot of the player and spidertron inventory with both on the screen at the same time, this could be useful, but i would like to see those remain on the right hand of the screen instead of being attached to the left of the shortcut bar in the center.

re:adding a shortcut button to be able to access the rich text stuff by clicking,
I really like the addition of this shortcut button, for color changes the addition of a button eye dropper (as used in trains) could be added as well so highlighted text could be color changed.

re: night time lighting,
I still would like to see the addition of a always day mode where the player sees always day, but the electric grid still functions normally in a day night cycle. till then i guess it's always day command. also the screenshot makes it look even more dark so the addition of more lights will probably be the result in game.

re: breaking things,
the removal of old icons i dont think is necessary, i know it may slim down the game code by a couple kb, but it will break scenarios and mods that use that content. i dont think there is any real harm in leaving them in place but unused for the main game, but there is harm in breaking creations, mod and scenario creators have made.

[xeneonic]

I'd like to add a counter argument towards the removal of the character tab. The arguments for removal such as the weapons tab being a duplication aren't exactly true. When you are in a vehicle, such as a Spidertron or a Tank or a Car, etc... Some of these existing GUI elements get overridden by these elements. Your gun GUI starts showing that of the vehicle. Your equipment grid is replaced by that of the vehicle in the case of Spidertron or modded vehicles as well.

The Character GUI that is present right now allows you to change your Engineer's equipment while in a vehicle. If you normally are building things - say, an outpost for mining - you are likely to have roboports in your Engineer grid but if a sudden attack comes because of a path towards your main base, you'll want to switch out those roboports in your Engineer to PDs.

There are several other such exceptions such as the mod that allows you to start as a vehicle (i.e. spidertron engineer) where you can never ever leave the vehicle but still have the ability to equip a power armor on your engineer through the Character GUI and open it and alter it from there. Without the Character GUI, this function would be entirely lost.

[Mskvaer]

My wife looked disconcerted when I said my game is getting an upgrade soon. "Oh, it enables you to stay up playing even longer?".

Anyhow -

• Arrows to alert icon - YES +10

• Loss of Character Tab - fine by me. Crafting at far right - Yes, it will lessen the accidental clicks. Same GUI for all contents +3

• Straight belt building - Yes +1

• Map/blueprint - not applicable (yet)

• Moody night - Wow +5

Probably too late, too late - but is it possible to reposition the bottom shortcut-inventory? Sort of a choice to place it as a vertical list on left/right. My screen is extraextra wide, but I am short of vertical space.

Looking forward to trying the Beta 1.1