Give assembling machines a stack size bonus

[DaveMcW]

Assembling machines shut down when their output stack reaches 2x the recipe. For single-item recipes, this means output inserters don't get to take advantage of their stack size bonus.

I propose increasing the size of the assembling machine output slot, equal to the level of inserter stack size bonus.

Code: Select all

Stack Size Bonus   Inserter stack   Assembling machine limit
      +0                 1                     2
      +1                 2                     3
      +2                 3                     4
      +3                 4                     5
      +4                 5                     6

This is not as big a problem for recipes like copper wire that produce 2x the input. But if you want to prevent those stacks from getting too big, you can do something like max(2 * recipe, 2 + stack size bonus).

[ssilk]

This means, you shrink the production control to the insert-side. You need to place the smart inserter on the input side, instead of output or input.

Example: alien science pack. Results currently into 20 items in output stack, or better: 4 eggs (2 for the input stack and 2 as assembled to 20 eggs in the output stack). can be stored inside the assembly. That's a good buffer, it doesn't hurt much if you have 2 eggs more or less. But with your suggestion we come to 8 eggs and that is a number, which in my opinion really hard at the corner where it begins to hurt, or where you could move you into a dead end. Especially for beginners.

Coming back: For me this means, That for "expensive" items, like alien potion, or tier 3 modules etc., that I've to built the smart inserter not longer on the output side. That shrinks my possibilities in a way, that I don't like.

I think, that your suggestion hits an important point, but I think just multiplying with something is not the right way, cause it influences the whole gameplay.

Wouldn't that not be a good candidate for a "space module"?

[JoeSchmoe]

I really like this idea. There are times I'm having difficulty feeding machines from a belt, not because I can't cram enough inserters around it, but because it runs empty before even a fast inserter can put something in. If you have something that only takes 0.5 seconds and its in an AM3 with a speed module or two. The machine can be stocked and the inverters get turned off. Then when the am3 starts requesting stuff again it can run empty before a fast inserter can restock it.

IMO if you're worried about waste you should be handling your worries through ways other than handicapping an AM from running at full speed.

[Wyrm]

The situation where this really shines is with an assembler-to-assembler or an assembler-to-chest-to-assembler production chains. (The stack bonus doesn't matter for belt-fed factories.) That way, an assembler can blaze ahead of the inserter(s), where their increased stack size can be put to full use to maximize throughput. However, the assembler-to-chest-to-assembler design has severe limitations in terms of space and not being able to cross over with itself.

Frankly, I would like to see inserters being able to take upgrade modules. Like, say, having a fast inserter fast enough to fill its side of an express belt.