Factorio Forums

The idea replaces alien artifacts with a goo. The goo is a substance produced by underground life forms that biters used to produce this goo for food. Ironically, this goo is extremely valuable in research & high end technologies. Players need to process the goo in chemical plants to produce alien substrate. These alien substrates would replace alien artifacts as the ingredient for alien science packs.

The nice part of the idea is it provides infinite alien science with diminishing returns. This eliminates the grinding nature of alien artifacts while honoring the idea of killing nests for science progress. I would say that burrows yields should be in line with the age of the nests. The older the nest is when killed, the greater the yield of burrow. This doubles as a way to make nests farther away more rewarding as they are likely much older as players work out to them.

Idea influences: Alien Plant mod & Peace mod.

I like very much the idea. I see the inspiration of peace mod, indeed, it's a really more elegant source of "alien research material" than the current artifact system.

Yeah, I know it's rather tedious to get them. I don't play anymore without a mod alternative to getting them. However, the mods don't really fill the same role the artifacts do.