Factorio Forums

Sorry if this has already been suggested

It is pretty simple - If a turret is actively tracking or shooting an enemy, it produces a circuit network signal (configurable) when connected to the circuit network.
Also, if a turret is damaged, it produces a different signal (this could be a value related to how damaged it is).

Why could this be useful?
Well you could hook it up to a lighting system which warns you when an attack is going on and sends a train down to resupply it.
But finally, my favourite reason is to send trains out to run over the attackers whenever the turrets are engaged, just like in the trailer!

I'm sure there are plenty of other uses or variations on this idea - feel free to discuss them

More options is never bad i say...

Yes. But I see the output signals as a wireless stream and in an own network (NOT logistic network, let's call it alarm network!)
And that special signal includes also the coordinates of the source.

Reason: there could be only one signal from one source per tick on that bus. So the maximum number of signals per second on that alarm-bus is 60 per second.

That would enable stuff like "if a signal comes from that area/range turn on extra lasers".
For range calculations we need then a specialized combinator.

Now (0.13) that most items can be connected to the circuit network, I think it would make sense to be able to retrieve the amount of ammo of a gun turret via circuit network

Possible uses for this could be :

• For signaling purposes: adding a red light next to a turret to show if it has low ammo
• Detecting an attack (because the turret uses ammo) and taking automatic countermeasures

For signaling purposes: adding a red light next to a turret to show if it has low ammo

Until they implement this, I bet you could do this with a chest that feeds into the turret, since chest contents can be read. I'm so doing this.

Many approaches and solutions can be found here: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=27477.

mickael9 wrote:Now (0.13) that most items can be connected to the circuit network, I think it would make sense to be able to retrieve the amount of ammo of a gun turret via circuit network

Possible uses for this could be :

• For signaling purposes: adding a red light next to a turret to show if it has low ammo
• Detecting an attack (because the turret uses ammo) and taking automatic countermeasures

Usually when using gun turrets I put a box next to them and an inserter to keep them filled. You can also belt-feed them if that is more to your liking.

I do like the idea of being able to detect an attack by looking for a decrease in the ammo held in the gun inventory though. That alongside the ability to have radars produce a signal when enemies are within a certain range of them would make some very efficient defenses possible.

I was recently trying to add my gun turrets to the circuit network (connecting to either lights or programmable speaker) to emit a signal when low on ammo, but the gun turrets cannot be connected to the circuit network. I think they should be able to be connected to the circuit network.

I guess that this will never happen, because the game intends you to either supply the gun turrets with a belt or a requester chest. It is already possible to create an alert when a chest or a belt is low on ammo.

Moved to not implement, cause the simple and cheap solution is to automate supply and check, if the automated supply has enough goods.

for gun and flamethrower turrets, I want to read how much ammo they have

for laser turrets, I want to turn them off and on

A signal pulse each time a shot is fired would also be nice

sparr wrote:for laser turrets, I want to turn them off and on

You can turn laser turrets on and off with a power switch.

British_Petroleum wrote:A signal pulse each time a shot is fired would also be nice

Going on a tangent, perhaps we could collect shot statistics as well? Shot distance, hit or miss, damage dealt... idenfitied target type?

The original poster's suggestion about gun turrets has already been suggested 4 weeks ago in this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=44927 Gun Turrets and Circuit network

EDIT: Meanwhile, the threads have been merged. Therefore, my above link is no longer valid.

Tekky wrote:The original poster's suggestion about gun turrets has already been suggested 4 weeks ago in this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=44927 Gun Turrets and Circuit network

Yeah but that one, as usual, has ssilk considering only a tiny fraction of the possible use cases before declaring that an alternative exists

Compared to that linked thread I don't see much improvement.
- There is the power switch, that should be used to turn power off. Agreed, that is currently to complex, but a simple option would be to handle two different electric network would be to add new kinds of poles for example.
- There are inserters that can be used as indicator if items are missing (if the hand is empty) or the inventory mod.

ssilk wrote:There is the power switch, that should be used to turn power off.

Gun turrets don't use power.

Further... how can I check the type of ammo in the turret?

How can I add the turret's ammo to the signal total for a circuit network like I can for almost anything else that has an inventory?

How can I tell when a turret is firing, if it doesn't fire enough to consume a whole ammo item?

There are so many things that a circuit connection might allow that can't be done by just connecting circuits to power/inserters.

sparr wrote:

ssilk wrote:There is the power switch, that should be used to turn power off.

Gun turrets don't use power.

But you suggested to turn it off for laser turrets...

Further... how can I check the type of ammo in the turret?

How can I add the turret's ammo to the signal total for a circuit network like I can for almost anything else that has an inventory?

How can I tell when a turret is firing, if it doesn't fire enough to consume a whole ammo item?

Well, I thought, you are the suggester. Not me. Answer the questions yourself please, cause if you can answer the question you could create a much more specified suggestion.

There are so many things that a circuit connection might allow that can't be done by just connecting circuits to power/inserters.

Next question: Why do you think, someone finds it useful to use such a feature? Cause from my point of view, turrets have a very temporary state.

ssilk wrote:Why do you think, someone finds it useful to use such a feature? Cause from my point of view, turrets have a very temporary state.

Sometimes I feel like you seriously lack imagination. You frequently fail to see uses for mod feature requests, and that seems to apply just as much to circuit network suggestions.

Counting turret ammo would allow more accurate control of ammo delivery to outposts.

Counting turret ammo would allow limited ammo supplies to be more evenly balanced between multiple turrets.

Turning laser turrets on/off would save their idle power when they aren't needed. They might need a warmup time if this gets implemented, for balance.

Turning gun/laser turrets on/off would allow biters to be funneled to particular areas through trickery.

Counting or pulsing for turret shots would allow circuit activity based on biter attacks, maybe lighting up lights in the spots attacked most recently or often.

And that's just off the top of my head, what I could think of in 30 seconds.

sparr wrote:

ssilk wrote:Why do you think, someone finds it useful to use such a feature? Cause from my point of view, turrets have a very temporary state.

Sometimes I feel like you seriously lack imagination. You frequently fail to see uses for mod feature requests, and that seems to apply just as much to circuit network suggestions.

Well, I thought we talk here in general about suggestions for the vanilla game. If you want to have a modding feature there is a own board...

Counting turret ammo would allow more accurate control of ammo delivery to outposts.
Counting turret ammo would allow limited ammo supplies to be more evenly balanced between multiple turrets.
Turning laser turrets on/off would save their idle power when they aren't needed. They might need a warmup time if this gets implemented, for balance.
Turning gun/laser turrets on/off would allow biters to be funneled to particular areas through trickery.
Counting or pulsing for turret shots would allow circuit activity based on biter attacks, maybe lighting up lights in the spots attacked most recently or often.
And that's just off the top of my head, what I could think of in 30 seconds.

Ok, you can write very fast. And I know what can be done from technical view. But I asked why should someone do it. Cause one possibility to use doesn't mean to use it.

Well of course I understand turning on/off the turrets, cause I would use that, cause current way to use electric switch is too much hassle to use. (the electric switch is similar to this suggestion and much too seldom used).
For example I don't understand, why I should count the ammo in the turrets. Either it's enough or it's too less. If too less I will see that very soon. If not I need to refill, until it is enough.

Or why should I count the shoots?