#Assembler progression

19 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

stable quest
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We have 3 tiers.
T1 speed 1, power 50
T2 speed 1.5, power 100
T3 speed 2, power 250

The problem: Early on power costs resources, which adds a higher price/product tags to T2+ and by default T1 assembler is the most efficient. As real estate is free, using T2 assembler doesn't make sense. Doubly so with the duplicator mod - you just select a 8-assembler line and copy it.

Situation changes a bit once you unlock solar panels (why do they open up before more efficient fuel opens up?) as suddenly power isn't as much a constraint. T1 assemblers are still more efficient but you now can be lazy and upgrade an assembler if you don't want to expand a line. At least that's how I used T2 assemblers. I don't remember using T3 assemblers for anything but robot parts.

More advanced assemblers are slightly more space efficient (in a game where space does not matter) yet they are less efficient overall despite being 'advanced' and it just doesn't make sense.

Please consider ways to fix this disparity. Suggestions:

  • Perhaps make T3 assemblers link storage automatically in some fashion with some limits? Like making a 2x2 or 2x3 'large assembler' or stuck a couple vertically. While this doesn't make assemblers themselves more efficient it permits massively reducing footprint. Sheer convenience of that should outweighs the cost in power which at that point only costs some effort to place
  • Make T3 assemblers accept air or water as a coolant for further boost to production speed.

P.S. Factorio assemblers also consume more power at higher tiers, but they compensate with 1. slots. 2. pollution. Late game it's the early assembler that are less efficient. But there are niches for T1. If you have a receipt that is rarely needed, receipt can't take productivity modules and assembler idles most of the time, a T1 assembles, which uses less 'idle' power can be a proffered option.

high wren
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  1. Power is pretty much effectively free the whole game
  2. More machines = more lag (endgame), and also more annoying to layout (all through the game)
  3. Workstations allow you do have less machines too, at a higher power cost. More machines = more workstations and robots cost.

Basically, power efficiency is not worth my time to care about.

stable quest
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Power is pretty much effectively free the whole game
It does consume a lot of ignium early on. While ignium isn't the most 'in demand' resource, I did halve a deposit to run boilers.
More machines = more lag (endgame)
And at the endgame power is actually free.
and also more annoying to layout
With the duplicator mod I simply copied an 8-assemblers setup and was done. Without the duplicator everything else becomes annoying. And blueprints are supposedly planned.
Workstations allow you do have less machines too, at a higher power cost. More machines = more workstations and robots cost.
Using them this way actually reduces power cost per item. If a workstation gives a +30% speed, +10% to power bonus, machine becomes more power efficient, not less.
The efficiency are the ones are I'm using and they do make things very power hungry.

high wren
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By layout I don't mean placing them, I mean designing a layout. Also, you use less machines whether you use efficiency or speed. Basically, they already have a boost like the coolant thing you mentioned.

stable quest
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By layout I don't mean placing them, I mean designing a layout.
Why would that be an issue? If I have 8 assemblers making electronics, a can just make it 64 later. No special layout needed. If it goes over belts' throughput, a full belt goes up or down and new belt gets the new output/input, for all to merge at a single storage and re-distribute from there.

high wren
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Imagine I needed double the assemblers here, and how much more annoying it would be to set up
#screenshots message

stable quest
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Why do you even build such a setup instead of using verticality?

high wren
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Because this is better

stable quest
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How? My shiping pads are at the top floor, assemblers are below and can be extended indefienetely,

high wren
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Weren't you just going on about infinite space?

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Also, I don't want to cover up my beautiful factory with ugly shipping pads

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And even if I did, that wouldn't actually help

stable quest
high wren
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It's about creating a layout

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Listen, if you don't want to use the t2 and t3 assemblers, that's up to you, but I like them, and see no reason to change them

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It's the same in DSP, I don't think there's any bonuses to using higher tiers in that one other than using less space

stable quest
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DSP starts with free wind power and progresses to infinite burnable oil then to a DS. DSP's buildable space is kind of constrained in a number of ways (multi level facilities are a requirement).

torpid creek
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I agree that higher tier machines are kinda meh. Being more expensive and using more power, makes them feel not worth using. It's dissapointing that I almost never use them. While better performance is nice, I feel that should not be part of the reason a machine is to be concidered better. Performance should be something you only have to care about if you go mega. It should be something an average player never has to concider, so it shouldn't be part of the 'balancing'. It always annoys me when a 'better' machine isn't at least as efficient as the previous version. They don't feel like an improvement, just like a 'we gave it more power so now it goes faster' pay extra for that.

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Also while power is basically infinite, if you crank up the power use you'll have to equally crank up the power production, which is a minus for anything that just eats more power without really giving much as compensation.