Factorio Forums

I have realized that, when using the centrifuges, a chunk of U-235 or U-238 is spat out with a chance of 0.7% and 99.3% respectively rather than both isotopes being spat out at the same time like real life. In real life centrifuges continuously enrich Uranium so a small amount of U-235 with U-238 separated is always refined no matter how much uranium ore is processed and put into the centrifuges. So instead of the Factorio centrifuges only having one output where there is a chance of producing U-235 OR U-238 the centrifuges should instead have two progression bars, one for U-238 production and one for U-235 production, so the output of both is continuous. U-235 AND U-238. In this way after 993 pieces of U-238 are produced seven U-235 pieces are produced, the same as the U-238 progression bar completing 9.93 cycles and the U-235 progression bar completing 0.07 cycles. This would be a nice implementation as gamers will know when they will get one chunk of U-235 after processing so much Uranium ore rather than hoping a piece of U-235 is spat out even after processing tens of thousands of pieces of Uranium ore only to get U-235 or U-238 by chance, instead of getting a small amount of U-235 continuously. So, with the current game mechanics on Uranium processing U-235 and U-238 are produced spontaneously. Continuous production would be nicer and way more accurate.

Besides map generation (which is a necessary evil,) factorio is a relatively rng-free game. Players hate the uncertainty of rng and it only enforces boring gameplay within nuclear (ie. rushing and hoarding for koverex before nuclear power)

This exact thing is discussed all of the time :p