[2020] Friday Facts #361 - Train stop limit, Tips and tricks

Originally posted by capitan_Sheridan

I was hoping to read about the logistics for the spidertron, but found nothing :(

Originally posted by KvaNTy

Please make so Tips and Tricks window opens on a random available topic, not just on last selected.
I can't count how many times I thought "Oh, I completely forgot this feature existed!".

Originally posted by p75369

So we decided that even if the limit is changed, any trains with a reservation will still go there.

I like the sound of this decision. I already had a circuit based system that would do most of this, but one problem I had with it is that when rates were such that it would ping back and forth across requesting a train, turning the station on and off and confusing other trains.

Originally posted by chayleaf

if not all tips are unlocked at the start, the player needs some kind of notification when new tips are unlocked, or the locked tips will stay unread forever

Originally posted by matheod

It should also be nice to have a way to see locked tips. For exemple, you want to know what train can do before researching them.

Originally posted by jaredjeya

Do the tips stay unlocked if you start a new save? Or does it reset?

That is to say, are the tips locked/unlocked per save or is it global?

Originally posted by tweetchy

For the first time since 2014 I have stopped playing Factorio due to a bug. It hurts that this occurred on 1.0. All of my Spidertrons spend 95% of their time thinking they're going too fast to release construction bots, even though all they're doing is sitting still and not constructing. I've looked into this bug and the results were just too wait for the next patch, so here I am, waiting. Is this due to be resolved any time soon?

Originally posted by mrbaggins

Please make the train station name box filter the list under it, like every typing box in the game.

I ask every FFF that mentions trains on here and I've posted twice on the suggestions forum. It's ridiculous that this is the one text box with what appears to be a list of search results under it that first, isn't filtered like the rest, and second, is useless after 100+ stations

Originally posted by kovarex

This is a bit problematic when you think about the implementation, as the stop edit box has already its name in the edit box, which would basically hide (almost) all the other stations.

But we can always add search to the window, it could help somewhat I guess.

Originally posted by vicarion

What kind of tips would you have found useful when playing the game?

I've actually somewhat been keeping a list of things like this. I have attempted to not include things that I'm sure will already be in there (like train basics).

• You can rotate a train while it's moving (if it's not attached)
• You can rotate fluid input on an assembler
• Before you unlock construction bots, you can still use blueprints to change the rotation of fluid input in bulk.
• Right click to make 5 of something
• Control click to make all of something
• Zoom out to see more
• Trees can be cleared with grenades and poison capsules
• You can use inserters to daisy chain science labs, and turret ammo.
• Use burner inserter with coal/wood and notice it fuels itself
• face burner miners on coal to each other so they feed each other
• Productivity modules are best on higher value items. The highest value item is the rocket silo.
• Efficiency modules also reduce pollution, using them on miners can drastically reduce your pollution cloud.
• You can manually connect/disconnect power wires
• Change concrete/landfill area by using +/-
• You can setup circuit networks without building any combinators to do simple but useful things, for example stop cracking heavy oil if you're low on lubricant.
• You can construct something through the map view.
• Use C to manually fire at a target
• Many things can be built directly on top of an existing item, mostly upgraded versions, but also splitter over belts, etc.
• Double clicking request amount text field zeroes it. It also clears train stop conditions.
• Shift Right-Clicking picks up recipe from assembler/chemplant, shift-left clicking on requester chest drops ingredients into request fields
• You can set default request amount to 1 in game options
• Pressing q acts like a pipette tool, picking from your inventory item your cursor is on.
• Pressing q over ore selects miner.
• You can press z to drop items onto a belt. You can hold it down to rapid drop.
• You can also use z to put a single item into an assembler/miner/furnace/etc. It can be helpful early game to put a few coal into a miner/furnace.

Originally posted by mrbaggins

Not quite sure what you meant, but thanks for making the idea work.

While I have you, should the train "add station" button immediately give focus to the search box for typing more letters?

And optionally, keyboard selection from lists would be good.

IE, my current workflow is

• Click train
• Click plus for add station
• Click search button
• Type name
• Click station I want
• Repeat steps 3-5

Whereas with focus and or arrow key selection

• Click train
• Click plus
• Type name
• (Optional down arrow to correct one)
• Click ( or press enter)