this doesn't work and it makes me sad
What I thought
Inserter A could drop an item on the ground at its target tile (x,y), said item could be picked up from the ground by inserter B (whose source tile is (x,y)), and all the while inserter C, which happens to be placed on tile (x,y), simply minds its business.O the confusion! The shock, anger and finally grief, as I found that nay, try as I might, inserter A *will not drop the item* if inserter C occupies (x,y)!
I seem to remember this used to work when I played the game some years ago. Did something change? Did I misremember?
Why even do this?
Of course, I was more innocent back then, and likely would not have ever implemented such depraved arrangements in my designs. Back then, I was content with simple straight rows of assemblers and belts. I lived in a logistical eden and treated the members of the Holy Trinity of Assembler, Transport Belt & Inserter each according to its nature, as the almighty makers intended. Inserters moved items from belts to assemblers, or from assemblers to belts, and it was good.In their infinite wisdom, the makers allowed for a third possibility: Inserters moving items from assemblers to assemblers. Who among us does not recall the rapturous joy of first learning this arrangement, and witnessing Factorio's most divine ratio - 3 Copper Cable into 2 Electronic Circuit - manifested in perfect synchronicity.
But for this misguided author, it was not enough. In time I started to hunger for more. More elaborately synchronized assemblers, more symmetry. The sight of intermediate products snaking around on transport belts became abhorrent to me. My factory designs changed over time.
Subtly, at first. I started to produce plastic locally at advanced circuit and battery plants in just the amounts needed. Soon I found myself setting frivolous goals such as producing flying robot frames without belting neither engine nor electric engine units. I started convincing myself that my pursuits were righteous and just, and in pious devotion to the Ratios that the Architects had ordained.
One day, while attempting to lay out some constellation of science pack assemblers according to the laws of the ratios, I first committed the sin. In my zealous frustration I suffered some intermediate items to be put on the ground by inserters in the spaces between assemblers. Surely, what would ordinarily be no less than travesty would be excused in light of my noble purpose? After all, there really was no other way.
And so, I became unfettered. I had divorced myself of nearly all scruples regarding the use of inserters. So far have i decended, I recently started to entertain the idea of eliminating belts altogether, my mind filling with visions of endless chains of inserters hurling raw ore across the plains...
Pity me, dear reader, for driven by this maniacal ambition I seem to have forgotten the Game Mechanics. Hours I have spent meticulously designing my newest factory - a central ammunitions factory - and instead of basking in satisfaction and deserved pride, I am confounded by my own ignorance.
What would have been the crown jewel of this factory was its red circuit foundry, a symmetrical constellation of 12 red circuit assemblers fed directly by integrated copper cable, green circuit assemblers and plastic plants, without intermediate belts.
my k00l red circuit factory (that does not work)
