Allow dependency on core

Place to ask discuss and request the modding support of Factorio. Don't request mods here.
User avatar
_CodeGreen
Long Handed Inserter
Long Handed Inserter
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2022 11:30 am
Contact:

Allow dependency on core

Post by _CodeGreen »

There have been a few times where I want to depend on a specific Factorio version, whether it's because of an API method that was added or changed, a new prototype type was made, or any other thing that would make backwards compatibility broken.
There have also been a few times where I've made a mod that doesn't rely on the base mod to exist, even though you can't turn it off through normal means.

Naturally, a few times out of a few times I've done both at the same time, and want to depend on a specific Factorio version without having a dependency on the base mod. Why is that a problem? Well, maybe if some extremely ambitious modder makes a mod that disables base entirely and does it's own separate thing, I'd still want my mod to be able to be used. Sure, it's unlikely, but if it does happen, I wouldn't want that mod to instantly be unnecessarily incompatible with mods that don't actually have any incompatibility issues.

The easiest solution (in my opinion)? Allowing mods to depend on core, since that literally can't be technically turned off like base can. No new field in the info.json is required, it's using a system that already exists for this kind of thing, and modders wouldn't have to live in fear of a non-base mod anymore.
It also just feels better to depend on an engine version rather than the content version.
My Mods | If you can't make it perfect, make it adjustable
User avatar
Quezler
Fast Inserter
Fast Inserter
Posts: 247
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2016 6:37 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow dependency on core

Post by Quezler »

I support this, as just discussed on discord (https://discord.com/channels/1396775903 ... 0785350676) i have ran into it too a few times, ofc it is indeed highly unlikely someone does (manage to) disable base but it'd be nice to mark a mod to need a certain version of the game itself when it does not depend on prototypes or assets from the base mod at all, allowing core in the dependencies field would be a nice and clean solution for this.
Bilka
Factorio Staff
Factorio Staff
Posts: 3464
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2016 9:20 am
Contact:

Re: Allow dependency on core

Post by Bilka »

The core mod doesn't have a version number to depend on.
I'm an admin over at https://wiki.factorio.com. Feel free to contact me if there's anything wrong (or right) with it.
User avatar
Quezler
Fast Inserter
Fast Inserter
Posts: 247
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2016 6:37 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow dependency on core

Post by Quezler »

Bilka wrote: Tue Aug 12, 2025 2:16 pm The core mod doesn't have a version number to depend on.
Any downside to just setting it (read: hardcoding) to the game's version that it is launched with instead of from an info.json?
User avatar
_CodeGreen
Long Handed Inserter
Long Handed Inserter
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2022 11:30 am
Contact:

Re: Allow dependency on core

Post by _CodeGreen »

The request in this case is to pretend core has a version number for the purposes of the dependency, that way mods could use the dependency system as it is now to control the allowed engine version, instead of needing a new info.json field along the lines of factorio_version, or changing factorio_version's behavior.
My Mods | If you can't make it perfect, make it adjustable
protocol_1903
Filter Inserter
Filter Inserter
Posts: 291
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2022 4:33 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow dependency on core

Post by protocol_1903 »

+1
If you need to reach me, message me on discord.

I make qol mods. Check them out, maybe.
https://mods.factorio.com/user/protocol_1903
If you have a mod idea, I can look into it.
Post Reply

Return to “Modding interface requests”