Friday Facts #402 - Lightspeed circuits

[FactorioBot]

Here it is! (beep boop)

https://factorio.com/blog/post/fff-402

[SnowZyDe]

Gud

[steinio]

NICE.

Can the radar itself now output biter activity for example?

[Justderpingalong]

This one felt... surprisingly short.

One thing I will say however is that the simple addition of being able to hook radars into the wire network is GREAT. It should allow a full implementation of LTN, which I am glad for. However: I'd like to offer an improvement:

Currently, red and green circuits have a 'circuit ID'. What if we used this circuit ID to create distinct channels? Could be a simple if/else for both red and green. Either you use the circuit ID you're given as your channel, or you connect to a different circuit ID, of which you can copy/paste the numbers. Simple!

[husnikadam]

I am sure we could use way more complexity in the wireless signals transmission. But I love the simplicity perhaps even more than having some kind of configurable options.

The only question remains, how do we transfer signals between planets and/or space platforms?

[Vadymaus]

Good QOL. This foundry produces 480 gears per second?

[EvanT]

By "one channel" you mean the values of red and green cable will be added, transmitted, received and a single list of values will come out?

Edit: So storing the number of available trainloads in green and requested trainloads in red still needs a complete network wiring?!
It is actually mentioned in the fff that red and green signals are separated for transmission. So yeay!

[elfstone]

For Space Exploration it was absolutely crucial to send signals from surface to surface to create a complex interplanetary logistic. I'm not sure if that is not necessary in Space Age in the first place, or if there are other solutions, but some way to have interplanetary circuit networks would be really cool.

[gGeorg]

Radar transmition data = great. But adding 8 channels would be, ... you know better.

Cutting wires = yes, yes ! I have been asking for "cut&move" while keep connection for ages. When you design a circuitry which use more than 3 combinators, you spend more time by re-connecting and re-aranging then actual design-thinking.

Would it be bold ask for an "integrated circuit" a box 2x4 tiles which opens a virtual surface (a sort of space platform of a fixed size, one chunk , 32x32 tiles ). Box has 4 inputs and 4 outputs wires connectors. Only combinator's items are allowed to place inside the "integrated circuit box".

[FuryoftheStars]

By "one channel" you mean the values of red and green cable will be added, transmitted, received and a single list of values will come out?

So storing the number of available trainloads in green and requested trainloads in red still needs a complete network wiring?!

My guess on this is that they mean any transmissions from any radars are received at all other radars. You can't have, say, radar A transmitting to radar B, while radar C transmits to radar D.

[TheoMarque]

I ask for percentage output - can you add some switch to more "useful" speed without repeatable math? For example Foundry speed is 2500% but how many items input and output per second or per minute overall? Form first time I found Rate Calc Mod - my EVERY game need that - even Vanilla with this one only.

We have typical belt speeds, n items per second but merging numbers from assemblers and inserters to do best rate is heavy, without wiki or spreadsheet - is near to impossible especially when productivity modules and beacons arrive.
So, what is a problem for place just production rate replacing percents, speeds and other constant data in tooltip?

[gGeorg]

By "one channel" you mean the values of red and green cable will be added, transmitted, received and a single list of values will come out?

So storing the number of available trainloads in green and requested trainloads in red still needs a complete network wiring?!

I think, one channel means radar network makes one red and one green virtual wire per planet.
I would rather have option to set 8 channels, so we get 8 independent wireless networks. (each channel offers red/green pair of virtual wiring.)

On top of planetary surface radars, it would be nice have space radars, sending data on other planets.

[svalorzen]

These are the posts I love reading about the most!

[mmmPI]

Radar gets additionnal function ? that's already a good news, this function being to transmit wireless signal makes it even better and it fit the radars entity, but as mentionned, it's still a mystery how to transmit signals over planets
Copy paste preserving wire connexion ? Double yes ! This is one the main reason i'm using the picker dolly mod, and i'm using it all the time when doing combinators even in editor it felt necessary, i can't wait to test the new feature.
Good to hear that the limit of crafting cycle per tick has been lifted.
When looking at the video, i wondered how many iron ore would fit in a furnace with such speed, one wagon ? two wagon ? 20 fluid *4.3333 craft * 60 ticks per second ? That's 5K molten iron per second !

[IronCartographer]

Nice additions!

Seeing the radar hooked up to a circuit reminds me of discussions on how modules could have additional effects. Speed increasing radar scan rate, prod increasing radar radius. For roboports, speed could increase the charging power/rate, and prod could give them more charging slots.

Just some stray [food for] thoughts!

[Svip]

I am thinking the "one channel" for the radars is a game design choice more than a performance issues (I doubt it's truly a user experience concern, since they recently introduced priorities for train stations). Could seem a little overpowered to be able to direct any signal anywhere. Having to think hard about how to package a signal, so it won't get confused for another signal, increases the usage of some of the more advanced arithmetic functions, like the bitwise operators, but would definitely feel like a hindrance for most players.

[Tohim]

Found the teaser! Notice this excavator-claw-looking arm... thing on the player, hidden behind the UI window?

Screenshot_20240315-072952_Firefox.jpg (130.05 KiB) Viewed 12574 times

Screenshot_20240315-073010_Firefox.jpg (126.97 KiB) Viewed 12574 times

[aka13]

I like that a lot, thank you for including that. BLueprinting all large poles with wires was boring and tedious.

[Xiarno]

Do you have new estimation of release or is it still August 2024?
Can't wait to play it!

[mcmase]

Found the teaser! Notice this excavator-claw-looking arm... thing on the player, hidden behind the UI window?

Whoa, I didn't even notice! Usually I at least see what they're hiding/teasing even if I'm not 100% sure.

I checked the original foundry video and yeah, its not in there. I think you are right that it is on the player but I can't imagine what use the player would have for an excavator dig-arm. Anybody else got any ideas?