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Filter options for ore miners
Posted: Sun May 10, 2026 4:21 pm
by bob152637485
This suggestion is targeted towards the situation where an ore patch is touching another ore patch, and it is difficult and/or impossible to mine one without also mining the other. I would like to suggest that miners be given a whitelist and blacklist filter option like inserters have. When the filter is enabled, any ore that is not permitted to be mined via the filter would remain untouched by the mining drill.
Re: Filter options for ore miners
Posted: Sun May 10, 2026 4:39 pm
by eugenekay
Feature exists (in the Modding API):
Filter Mining Drills.
Good Luck!
Re: Filter options for ore miners
Posted: Sun May 10, 2026 9:38 pm
by Panzerknacker
The whole point of the game is to be inventive and design something that will deal with the 'problem'.
Tbh I think adding filtering capabilities to every inserter in the game was already a very bad change.
Re: Filter options for ore miners
Posted: Mon May 11, 2026 7:30 am
by Stargateur
Panzerknacker wrote: Sun May 10, 2026 9:38 pm
The whole point of the game is to be inventive and design something that will deal with the 'problem'.
Tbh I think adding filtering capabilities to every inserter in the game was already a very bad change.
so you never use any logistic bot ?
Re: Filter options for ore miners
Posted: Mon May 11, 2026 7:37 am
by boskid
I still remember when i was adding mining drill filter option for modders, i asked another dev with decision power about adding filter to drills in base game and the answer was a definite "No". It went something like this: "drill with filter feels like it would look at each rock look what it contains from all the sides and be picky. Drills in game should be devastating environment, they take whatever hits their gears, if there would be some stray characters nearby or biters they should be also grinded and output onto belts, its brutal power meeting whatever touches the drill head".
Re: Filter options for ore miners
Posted: Mon May 11, 2026 8:14 am
by computeraddict
boskid wrote: Mon May 11, 2026 7:37 am
if there would be some stray characters nearby or biters they should be also grinded and output onto belts
Sounds like a fun mod idea. Turn off resource patch restrictions and put biter drills in wall choke points. Outputs spoilage.
Re: Filter options for ore miners
Posted: Mon May 11, 2026 10:16 am
by Panzerknacker
boskid wrote: Mon May 11, 2026 7:37 am
I still remember when i was adding mining drill filter option for modders, i asked another dev with decision power about adding filter to drills in base game and the answer was a definite "No". It went something like this: "drill with filter feels like it would look at each rock look what it contains from all the sides and be picky. Drills in game should be devastating environment, they take whatever hits their gears, if there would be some stray characters nearby or biters they should be also grinded and output onto belts, its brutal power meeting whatever touches the drill head".
This here characterizes how Factorio came to be, clear vision right there. Stuff like this makes the game feel good.
A simple dumb inserter should also pull everything from its source to its destination, even if it's biter, characters or body parts. I am for this behaviour that inserter will stuff a assembler full of crap regardless of the recipe.