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Why does Beacon require Blue circuit research when they are not used to craft it?
Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2026 6:22 pm
by Plantagen
Almost everything in Factorio has a logical research order, and you need to research every part needed to craft X before you can research X. This makes sense.
I noticed today that Beacons are the exception (perhaps there are a few more, but not many).
Beacons require blue chips research, but they do not require blue chips to craft. Why then do we need to research blue chips first?
Re: Why does Beacon require Blue circuit research when they are not used to craft it?
Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2026 6:34 pm
by boskid
I tried to find an answer but archeology leads towards a change 13 years ago around game version 0.6.0 when a technology for basic-beacon was added, at that point it had dependencies set to {"modules", "advanced-electronics-2"} and later "advanced-electronics-2" was renamed into "processing-unit". So no constructive answers, it was like that virtually forever.
Re: Why does Beacon require Blue circuit research when they are not used to craft it?
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2026 6:33 pm
by astroshak
Perhaps because blue chips are needed for tier 2 and 3 modules?
Using a beacon for tier 1 modules seems a very expensive proposition for such a small gain.
Re: Why does Beacon require Blue circuit research when they are not used to craft it?
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2026 3:19 pm
by Alfonse215
astroshak wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2026 6:33 pm
Perhaps because blue chips are needed for tier 2 and 3 modules?
Using a beacon for tier 1 modules seems a very expensive proposition for such a small gain.
This may have been true pre-2.0, but with beacon scaling, one beacon and 2 speed module 1s give a 60% speed boost. With careful construction, that one beacon can touch 12 machines. That's not a bad investment.
And if you're playing with quality, it can get better.
Also, in SA, if you go for purple science, module 2s may not be on the table yet. So it is a bit weird that you have to get blue chips for beacons.
Re: Why does Beacon require Blue circuit research when they are not used to craft it?
Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2026 4:29 am
by Plantagen
astroshak wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2026 6:33 pm
Perhaps because blue chips are needed for tier 2 and 3 modules?
Using a beacon for tier 1 modules seems a very expensive proposition for such a small gain.
Beacons are cheap and tier 1 modules are cheap too. I use them a lot. Especially for Rocket silo but also in other places. My priorities are usually purple & yellow science, green circuits. Going to try them to speed up research as well.
Tier2+ modules on the other hand are expensive and a bother to produce, usually too much work for me except for science labs and for space platform/Aquilo.
Re: Why does Beacon require Blue circuit research when they are not used to craft it?
Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2026 4:32 am
by Plantagen
boskid wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2026 6:34 pm
I tried to find an answer but archeology leads towards a change 13 years ago around game version 0.6.0 when a technology for basic-beacon was added, at that point it had dependencies set to {"modules", "advanced-electronics-2"} and later "advanced-electronics-2" was renamed into "processing-unit". So no constructive answers, it was like that virtually forever.
Was advanced-electronics-2 required to craft beacons back then?