Factorio Forums

Hello there! Since combinators and circuits got huge update there could be more use of them if we could produce some alerts on the map on some conditions. Say, I have an outpot(s) and have some logic that determines, that it is not OK at the moment (resources depleted / biters attack / etc). So it would be nice if we had an entity which will produce a mark on the map (possible with an alert sound) on some condition.

Added to the 100 others viewtopic.php?f=80&t=16566 Alerts, Alert-Info (Map), visible/audible Indication

I was only a few hours into Factorio before I realised how stupidly useful this object would be. Depleted ammo, ore/oil deposits and repair packs, drop in production of items (such as green chips or shortage of ammo), completion of large tasks (such as producing 100 t3 speed modules or a rocket), delayed trains, the list goes on.

This would probably be most interesting as a building with just a text field and condition, once the condition is met the associated text is thrown as an "Alarm" category of alert or something.

I would add that this is a perfect candidate to use the new color signals as well (and possibly others?). That way the player could configure the color of the alert as they think appropriate.

Thus, accumulator power dropping to zero could be a red alert, while oil stocks dropping below 80% could be a normal yellow one. Alternatively, a player could use new colors for things, such as deciding that purple alerts are a warning about mine production dropping, and black alerts are a warning about oil drum levels.

You know, a combinator-like device called the alerter would work nicely.

When its programmed condition becomes true, it triggers an alert with a user defined message.

Like so you can set it to tell you when you are low on a material, a train reached a station, or anything of a long list of things that can be done with circuits and logistics.