Factorio Forums

TL;DR

Let platform-to-platform logistic requests be set to take from a specific other platform, and let "provide materials to other platforms" provide it to other platforms requesting it from you.

What?

As currently implemented, a platform can either request materials from other platforms, or it can supply them to other platforms, but it can't do both. The way you can currently set a logistic request as coming from a specific planet, it should also be possible to set a platform request as coming from a specific platform. Then those materials can still be provided to other platforms. Also, please make it so this is settable per group instead of per individual request, as it's already tedious as hell to set planet and surface/platforms/both for every individual request.

Why?

I am trying to implement an orbital supply depot. Specifically, I am using one planet as a hub to receive materials from one other planet send them to a different planet. Right now this involves sending a lot of material to the surface and then expensively launching it back up into space when another platform arrives that needs it. The ability to transfer materials from platform to platform should fix this, but right now there is no simple way to have a platform both automatically receive materials from other platforms, and also automatically provided them to different platforms. This makes an orbital supply depot nearly impossible unless you want to do a lot of messing around with circuit networks. I have seem other suggestions to fix the orbital supply depot problem that all seem a little overcomplicated. What we really need is the ability to set specific trade routes like we already can with trains and planet-to-platform transfers.

TV4Fun wrote: Tue Sep 01, 2026 5:54 am As currently implemented, a platform can either request materials from other platforms, or it can supply them to other platforms, but it can't do both.

Note that it can do both easily, as long as the materials are different. It's requesting/providing the same item from/to platforms that's the issue.

Alfonse215 wrote: Tue Sep 01, 2026 1:55 pm

TV4Fun wrote: Tue Sep 01, 2026 5:54 am As currently implemented, a platform can either request materials from other platforms, or it can supply them to other platforms, but it can't do both.

Note that it can do both easily, as long as the materials are different. It's requesting/providing the same item from/to platforms that's the issue.

Yes, you are correct. A platform cannot both receive and supply a specific item to orbital platforms. That is the issue I have.