A better Way to Built Electric Network / New way of connecting to electricity

[hitzu]

Make the ability to connects entities to electricity dicrectly via cables.

I like the new ability to make different electric subnetworks with the aid of electric switch. It's a great way to save electricty for example. Now I always control my outpost production and control pollution level. But there is a huge bustle when I have to separate different networks with the cable autoconnection. For exaple the row of laser turrets should be in the different network that the miners' network, but the autowiring power poles always tend to screw up everything and connect networks unexpectedly, especially because cables are so thin and it's very easy to miss one. I just want to connect my laser turrets together with a precise control. What could be easier?

[ssilk]

So what you really want is an easier way to separate networks, right?

[hitzu]

So what you really want is an easier way to separate networks, right?

Rather a better way to build separate networks.

[aeros1]

So what you really want is an easier way to separate networks, right?

Rather a better way to build separate networks.

Current game is not really supports separate networks well. It could be nice some hot button to disable autoconnect, and only connect to previous pole.

Also I'd like something to make power control easier. Either

Power box(Aka substation but name is already taken) - You may set which line primary, secondary, tretiary.... And for each line add minimal power requirment. So now my turrets are primary, and would depowered last. While some factories would be underpowered/unpowered till I fix problem.

or

Going in line with circuit networks allow reading power in accumulators and productivity on generators, via network. Adding "Power limiter" to control power that passes(can accept values from network, or have set value), and "Measurer unit" to read power in power network. Also power flap to prevent leakage from accumulators although if there is way to read on one of them their state this element wouldn't be necessary because if accumulators discharging switch could be used.

It is possible to use accumulators and two disconnected poles to limit power, but it is too rough ,as each accumulator has fixed output power.

[terror_gnom]

My possible solution was to name the electrical networks. When you start dragging a powerpole from a existing network, it will only connect to poles within the same network. To start a new network, you need to rename an unconnected pole (or a pole seperated by a switch)

[hitzu]

So what you really want is an easier way to separate networks, right?

Rather a better way to build separate networks.

Current game is not really supports separate networks well. It could be nice some hot button to disable autoconnect, and only connect to previous pole.

I see it like this. If you want to connect to the existing power network you should click with a power pole in the hand on the existing power pole and place it like usual— every new pole would connect only to the previous one (no more wire mess!). If you start by placing a standalone pole then it would be a new network, but of course you can connect and disconnect networks as usual with copper cables.

Also I'd like something to make power control easier. Either

Power box(Aka substation but name is already taken) - You may set which line primary, secondary, tretiary.... And for each line add minimal power requirment. So now my turrets are primary, and would depowered last. While some factories would be underpowered/unpowered till I fix problem.

This feature would be nice, I agree.

My possible solution was to name the electrical networks.

Yes please. Yesterday I faced a problem when one part of my base was powered by solar+accus array and another part by steam engines and I couldn't get where the bottleneck is! It was so frustrating! I wanted different networks were named and highlighted on both the game screen and the map.

[ssilk]

How about this: If I plug an electric network to a switch and the electric network is not connected to the "main network" (so that it can "surround" the switch), the game automatically prevents to connect this network with another network, cause it is a switched network.

Hm. That could result in very cluttered network. If we would put the circuit-network-stuff into another surface (see viewtopic.php?f=6&t=21928&p=192361&hili ... ce#p192361 what I mean with this) the poles would be free to have up to three power-wires (one "unswitched" and two "switched networks"). If they would have also different color, this would make really much sense.

[hitzu]

How about this: If I plug an electric network to a switch and the electric network is not connected to the "main network" (so that it can "surround" the switch), the game automatically prevents to connect this network with another network, cause it is a switched network.

Ok. Let's imagine I have two networks close together. I place a pole between them. What network the pole should connect to?

[CorBlimey]

My possible solution was to name the electrical networks. When you start dragging a powerpole from a existing network, it will only connect to poles within the same network. To start a new network, you need to rename an unconnected pole (or a pole seperated by a switch)

To be honest, I think the easiest solution is just to store cable info in blueprints. You can easily BP two or more poles and drop it with one ghosted on top of the other for the R/G wires to be 'remembered' and connect per the BP and I don't see why (once cabling in BP is added - which I think the Devs said is planned) this isn't an adequate solution.

Auto-connected poles in a BP connect to any auto-connected poles, but any pole with manual wiring is not auto-connected to anything (the new ones from the BP or existing ones)

[ssilk]

How about this: If I plug an electric network to a switch and the electric network is not connected to the "main network" (so that it can "surround" the switch), the game automatically prevents to connect this network with another network, cause it is a switched network.

Ok. Let's imagine I have two networks close together. I place a pole between them. What network the pole should connect to?

Simply the next one. And if they are the same distance then those with the lower network-number. If it doesn't fit you can still change it.

[hitzu]

How about this: If I plug an electric network to a switch and the electric network is not connected to the "main network" (so that it can "surround" the switch), the game automatically prevents to connect this network with another network, cause it is a switched network.

Ok. Let's imagine I have two networks close together. I place a pole between them. What network the pole should connect to?

Simply the next one. And if they are the same distance then those with the lower network-number. If it doesn't fit you can still change it.

You overcoplicate things.

1 - Grab a pole from the inventory
2 - Hover it over the exising power pole - on the right panel the game will tell you the name of this network and highlight all the wires and poles connected to it in a visible range
3 - Then you click on the desired existing pole to "connect" to it and place the next pole where you want.
4 - Every new pole would connect only to the previous one, and if it has colored wires connected to it, then the new placed power pole would connect with those wires too.

This mechanic just add one click before placing new poles, but gives a total control over what to what is connected with.

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In my first post I also proposed to be able to connect some entities directly with wires in order to better control different networks in tight space. For example laser turrets, inserters or lamps.

EDIT: a possible compromise solution is to be able to connect directly pole-to-entity with a cable, but the pole would lose its "power field" so it would supply only those entities that are connected via wires.

To be honest, I think the easiest solution is just to store cable info in blueprints.

What about pre-robot period?

[golfmiketango]

Auto connection of copper cables is seemingly broken, anyhow, for just one network. For example, creating a network of big power poles via robots, you will inevitably end up with disconnected power islands that you must fix by manually removing and re-placing the big power poles affected.

[aeros1]

I see it like this. If you want to connect to the existing power network you should click with a power pole in the hand on the existing power pole and place it like usual— every new pole would connect only to the previous one (no more wire mess!). If you start by placing a standalone pole then it would be a new network, but of course you can connect and disconnect networks as usual with copper cables.

Agree your solution is much better and organical. All you need to put first pole, and then drag from it. And when I build power network this way usually I'd Like to not add random poles on the way. The only time you'd have to disconnect wires is on your last pole if there are some poles that might snap.