Proximity detector for asteroids?

[rudyauction509]

Not sure if this is possible, but I’d find it super useful to have some kind of proximity detector for asteroids to use in automating space platforms. Something like “When asteroids get within X tiles of detector, output Y signal” or “count asteroids within configurable detection range and output as signal”. Would be handy for when asteroid density becomes too high on the way to Shattered Planet and begins to overwhelm defenses - use the signal to either reverse course or reduce speed. Maybe a modded radar? I’ve been changing speed manually so far, blasting through the early part of the trip and slowing down later on, but monitoring the ship gets tedious after a while.

[bkennedy99]

For Shattered Planet you can use the number of collected promethium asterioids as a kind of proxy for current density (assuming a turnaround when stores are half full) - I'm currently thinking of some kind of system that looks at ammo production over last minute as more dynamic proxy

[gangerM]

I like the idea!
I'm going to make something, will take a few days because I haven't made something with an UI yet, will post here when I made it or have a version that could be tested.

[gangerM]

I made the initial release; https://mods.factorio.com/mod/asteroid- ... -detection

I don't know how much of a performance impact it will have and the UI is a bit 'jank', but it should function.
Please let me know if it works for you!