Factorio Forums

TL;DR

Give players the option that if they switch recipes via the circuit network, machines will keep incompatible modules (like productivity modules in a non-intermediate recipe) in a "dormant" state, until the recipe is switched back.

What?

Currently when you change recipes to something that can't take quality/productivity modules, the incompatible modules are removed. Then, if you switch back to the original recipe, there is no way to re-add the modules except by hand. This prevents some builds that switch recipes back and forth, for instance between circuits and modules in an EM plant. There are several possible fixes to this, but one is to let machines hold modules in a "dormant" state, where they do not have any effect, but are not removed, and return to normal functioning if the recipe switches back to a compatible one. This can either be a game-wide default, or a per-machine option. In this mockup image, I've put it as an option that only appears as a checkbox under "Set Recipe" if the machine is connected to the circuit network.

Why?

The real reason I want this is because I'm doing a challenge run where I make extreme use of a single EM plant in space, which is controlled by the circuit network to change recipe from cables/circuits to modules. But when I make that change, the modules are removed, and there's no way to automatically re-add them. So to get the productivity I want, I'd have to manually add modules to the machine when it switches back to circuits.

+1

This would also be very useful for engine units. Right now you can’t cast all three ingredients of an engine unit with just one foundry, because switching to pipe casting takes out the productivity modules. I just hope this isn’t difficult to implement for some reason.