Factorio Forums

In vanilla I have no trouble, play a very slow steady game, slowly develop and expand my base. Usually one big rectangle, not outposts.

But two space exploration (forst time using mods) runs now and both times I just get into purple/yellow science and am overrun by spitters.
Not even got close to actually building a rocket.

The main issue I have is just not enough Iron. Resource patches seem much harder to come by.
I cannot produce enough bullets and faster belts to defend my base.
I normally go with the belt fed wall turret wall.

Coal (steam power) was an issue on the 2nd run, but covered it with solid fuel which I had never found a use for before (had 3 good oil fields).

So differnt play is required.

Do I keep as small as possible until I get lasers and then go a solar+laser wall strategy?
Do I need to be much more focussed on my research and no just get everything at a level while I build up for the next (thus saving resources?).
Do I need to go back to mining outposts? (not enough resources to defend a rectangle). Guess for safety they would need to be self powered (why I stopped doing them in the first place).

Is it just me, or is this intentionally MUCH harder than vanilla. I just wanted to see space.

Edit: Attempt 3 is going better. Focussed on Solar and laser walls, so resting resource consumption is none. Seems to be working slowly. Have had a little peek in space but do not have the stuff to set up there yet. The 100% biters planet is pretty crazy, don't think I'll be paying them a visit.

Highly recommend this mod. First time playing with mods, and it feels like proper game. Really well balanced.
There's soem base stuff I think Vanilla would benefit from:
- Adding sand/glass to make stone more than just rail and concrete
- The "burner" tech level before getting to electricity
- Love the way almost everything is an ingredient to the tech which supecedes it. Only think I have no real use for now is my machine gun turrets

As for the space stuff a fair bit of trial and error but slowly getting the hang of it.
First time I've used circuits for more than letting me know when a mine is empty.
Still a long way off an automated setup, tend to be manually loading rockets with whatever my platform needs.
Water/fuel/barrel stuff is challenging.

But do have science rocket automated now so got to feel pleased with myself there.

Does make the game long. But that's a good thing. At this stage in Vanilla all there is to do is expand my base when I need more mining patches. But here I have so much more to do. But think I need to automate what I have first before expanding more.

I do miss rail in space (rail is my usual way of moving liquid around to where it's needed), so think purple space science will be my next goal.

But highly recommend this mod, looks and feels really professional.

the reason this stuff isn't in the base game is because, the more stuff thats added to the base game, the fewer customisations can be done by mods. at least, that's what wube devs have said.