How to install on Mac both basic game and Space Age expansion?

[brunzenstein]

… I saw a notice somewhere that Space Age has different game play than the base game in the early stages of the game, so they recommended that new players start by buying the Space Age key as well.

I think you're probably referring to a sentence in this blog post: https://factorio.com/blog/post/factorio ... ge-release ….

Yes! That's what I remember reading.

instalment went like a breeze — I was asked if I wanted to replace the existing Factorio app, I said replace and the instalment was done.
So far so good

[BlueTemplar]

I have no idea about Macs, but in Windows/Linux if you use the standalone website version you can just have how many different folders of the game as you want, and they will all work independently of each other (including, saves, mods, achievements...)

Heck, you can even have both Windows and Linux binaries in there, and it will (almost) just work on both ! (You still need to switch between '/' and '\' for paths inside /config/config.ini)
(At least until you decide to update to a newer version of Factorio, at which point one of the binaries will become unusable, so maybe NOT the best idea...)

Are similar things possible on Macs ?

P.S.: Knowing Gog, I would expect it to work in the same way with their version, but AFAIK, that's not possible with the Steam versions ? (At least without much more hassle ?)

I love it when people tell me I am not foolish! But if "you cannot play Space Age without both keys", does that mean that the game's app on my computer, when it runs, somehow checks with WUBE that I have bought the right keys?

I'm not 100% sure how this is implemented, but I believe that the Factorio.com website would not allow you to download the Space Age bundle at all without having your account "upgraded" with both keys. I don't know and can't comment on how any runtime license checks would work.

Yeah, IMHO, that's exactly the case and the reason behind the 'lock key' implementation—besides the clever move of using GOG as a subcontractor to avoid crooks trying to steal accounts. I’m pretty sure Factorio creates a special user 'account' to check whether you’ve purchased both keys for the base game, and it acts accordingly.
A Space Age without the base game just wouldn't work that way.

I think you might be confusing GoG and Humble Bundle's applet here... (also, not to be confused with Humble Bundle as a Steam keys reseller itself.)

Factorio has DRM for :
- The stores : Wube's through the Humble Bundle applet, GoG's, Steam's
- In-game updates (much smaller downloads usually)
- Mod portal access (can browse but not download)
- Wube-hosted MP server matchmaking (other MP is DRM-free)

[brunzenstein]

I think you might be confusing GoG and Humble Bundle's applet here... (also, not to be confused with Humble Bundle as a Steam keys reseller itself.)

Factorio has DRM for :
- The stores : Wube's through the Humble Bundle applet, GoG's, Steam's
- In-game updates (much smaller downloads usually)
- Mod portal access (can browse but not download)
- Wube-hosted MP server matchmaking (other MP is DRM-free)

your right - thanks for notifying