Factorio Forums

I don't know if this is even considered a bug or if I didn't notice all the time...

I just started a new game with 0.12.27 without mods, created a steam engine setup with a working boiler and water, put poles next to the steam engine, but it shows the "not connected" icon.
There were no consumers connected yet, the network shows 0W, but the steam engine is clearly connected.
When I put some consumers in the network it works and the icon disappears, but isn't the "not connected" icon irritating when the setup was connected properly?

That has always been the case. I think it makes sense, as long as others no consumer the engine had no use and reminds you of it. I agree that it's irritating for new players

It is correct behaviour, the icon is there as long as there are no consumers in the network.

It is there to help you when you have few of the steam engines disconnected from the network and you don't notice.

I just want to mention this is an always repeating beginner question, there are countless questions in the forum about this and I recommend to change this in a way, that there is some kind of tooltip or so.

ssilk wrote:I just want to mention this is an always repeating beginner question, there are countless questions in the forum about this and I recommend to change this in a way, that there is some kind of tooltip or so.

Nobody reads tooltips/messages I've watched several videos where people spam click right past the "starter info" popup at the start of a brand new install 15 times in a row instead of reading it, clicking the check box that says "don't show this again" and never having to deal with it again.

How about replacing the steam engine's "no power" icon with a "no factory" icon?.

And on the topic of steam engine icons, they need a "no fluid" icon too.

DaveMcW wrote:How about replacing the steam engine's "no power" icon with a "no factory" icon?

I think a lot of the issue is: most new players setting up steam engines for the first time haven't seen the "no power" icon so they don't know there is a "not connected" icon to differentiate between.

I disagree. They immediately understand that the icon means "no power", and assume the steam engine is incapable of producing power.

I think this should go with a little (or not-so-little) rework of the alerting system. I mean : the thing that's on the lower right side of the screen and only can tell that combat is engaged, building is damaged, building is destroyed.

I think Factorio should benefit a more advanced, historized event list, with stacking events, a brief description, an icon that would refer to what's going on in the game, and would list all kinds of events, with this being configurable by the user. Events like :
- Not enough power
- Not connected to power
- turret empty
- power production not connected to power consumption
- No science going on
- in case of bad train signaling, a tip on what's missong/wrong
- ...

Once the player won't need one kind of alert any more, he could just uncheck this lind from the alert system.