4 ms·

For cookie clicker and factorio the math was simple enough that you could mostly do it in your head, plus each of them had wikis that spelled out all the answer

by Taek 4y ago

For cookie clicker and factorio the math was simple enough that you could mostly do it in your head, plus each of them had wikis that spelled out all the answers. I think you only really need a spreadsheet if the numbers are dynamic and continuously changing depending on your situation.

bentcorner 4y ago
In Factorio I just let things buffer on belts and eyeballed things as I went along. The hard part was designing things such that I could arbitrarily scale out builders/belts as needs changed. Satisfactory requires you to be slightly more intentional with ratios but (at least when I played) I came up with some balancing belt designs that let me get away with not needing to be super accurate with matching input/outputs. As long as I kept things at like 101% it'd all work out at the end. I'd need to do some head math to figure out initial build capacity of some product and I'd expand after that as needed.
- massysett 4y ago
  I always used Helmod (a Factorio mod) to plan my factory. I though using a spreadsheet would be too hard. But by the time I figured out Helmod I probably could have just used a spreadsheet. But at least with Helmod it’s still in the game UI. Using a spreadsheet seems too much like work.
- Sohcahtoa82 4y ago
  > In Factorio I just let things buffer on belts and eyeballed things as I went along. Same. I'm surprised how many people talk about spreadsheets with Factorio. I cover a resource patch with miners, then keep building smelters until I end up with an idle one at the end of the line. When I discovered a new item I'd need to produce, I'd just built a small line of assemblers and see what my output looked like, and go back to fix any supply constraints. Was it optimal? Almost certainly not. But I definitely enjoyed not playing it as a spreadsheet.
  - argomo 4y ago
    Same. My first play thru I just allotted a large space into which to extend assembly lines if needed, then I brought their outputs back to a central spine from which I could siphon them off for input into subsequent assembly lines. I think this really helped me "feel" the concept of backpressure.
depaya 4y ago
Factorio has been talked about a lot on HN for it's parallels to programming. I think it would be an excellent learning tool for people looking to get into programming, and I think this also extends to spreadsheeting too. As you say, to start out the ratios are simple enough, but to a beginner it'd be a good exercise to plop the Red and Green science ratios into a spreadsheet for practice. Once you upgrade your assembly machines there is a modifier bonus applied across the board, now you need to account for that in your ratios. Not only can you pump out more product from the same footprint, but you potentially need to rebalance your ratios to account for the modifier. Once you get into speed/efficiency/productivity modules complexity can really ramp up. In addition to getting the ratios correct for the machines, belt speeds need to be factored in, production rates need to be considered...
- ineedasername 4y ago
  >I think it would be an excellent learning tool for people looking to get into programming That's a bit like using crack cocaine to help learn about the pharmaceutical industry.

by Taek 4y ago

bentcorner 4y ago

In Factorio I just let things buffer on belts and eyeballed things as I went along. The hard part was designing things such that I could arbitrarily scale out builders/belts as needs changed. Satisfactory requires you to be slightly more intentional with ratios but (at least when I played) I came up with some balancing belt designs that let me get away with not needing to be super accurate with matching input/outputs. As long as I kept things at like 101% it'd all work out at the end. I'd need to do some head math to figure out initial build capacity of some product and I'd expand after that as needed.

massysett 4y ago
I always used Helmod (a Factorio mod) to plan my factory. I though using a spreadsheet would be too hard. But by the time I figured out Helmod I probably could have just used a spreadsheet. But at least with Helmod it’s still in the game UI. Using a spreadsheet seems too much like work.
Sohcahtoa82 4y ago
> In Factorio I just let things buffer on belts and eyeballed things as I went along. Same. I'm surprised how many people talk about spreadsheets with Factorio. I cover a resource patch with miners, then keep building smelters until I end up with an idle one at the end of the line. When I discovered a new item I'd need to produce, I'd just built a small line of assemblers and see what my output looked like, and go back to fix any supply constraints. Was it optimal? Almost certainly not. But I definitely enjoyed not playing it as a spreadsheet.
- argomo 4y ago
  Same. My first play thru I just allotted a large space into which to extend assembly lines if needed, then I brought their outputs back to a central spine from which I could siphon them off for input into subsequent assembly lines. I think this really helped me "feel" the concept of backpressure.

depaya 4y ago

Factorio has been talked about a lot on HN for it's parallels to programming. I think it would be an excellent learning tool for people looking to get into programming, and I think this also extends to spreadsheeting too. As you say, to start out the ratios are simple enough, but to a beginner it'd be a good exercise to plop the Red and Green science ratios into a spreadsheet for practice. Once you upgrade your assembly machines there is a modifier bonus applied across the board, now you need to account for that in your ratios. Not only can you pump out more product from the same footprint, but you potentially need to rebalance your ratios to account for the modifier. Once you get into speed/efficiency/productivity modules complexity can really ramp up. In addition to getting the ratios correct for the machines, belt speeds need to be factored in, production rates need to be considered...

ineedasername 4y ago
>I think it would be an excellent learning tool for people looking to get into programming That's a bit like using crack cocaine to help learn about the pharmaceutical industry.