Can you increase the range of Beacons? Any Tips?

[Slimurgical (Stormy)]

I just ask because atm, I can't really put them to any actually good use due to how actually abysmal their range is. My factory, able to produce every type of tech (minus alien packs) easily and automatically, while supplying a massive steam engine with solid fuel, I have very little space with which to fit beacons.

If you can't, I kinda don't really see the point of even making the things to begin with.

I mainly want to use them to further speed up the rate at which my electric furnaces process ores and stone.

Just by the time I get to the point to even be able to make them, my factory is essentially packed for hte most part.

I mean, if I didn't NEED to use conveyor belts, I could probly make it work, but i've tried to use worker bots before, and it ended up beign a massive mess and kind of unable to work in moving mostly every material and resource in need of movement.

Any tips?

I imagine if I abandoned belts in only my main factory, I'd probly need alot of workerbot upgrades right?

[KatherineOfSky]

Any assembly needing beacons works with conveyor belts.... just ask me -- I did an entire mega-base belt-based! :-)

The reason for beacons is that it is has been calculated that energy-cost per item is actually *less* with using productivity 3 modules in the assemblers + Speed 3s in the beacons.

As an example, this lovely setup for red circuits by Mike C: http://imgur.com/pjWuZNu

For electric furnaces, you only need 16 furnaces in a line with Prod3, and Speed3 Beacons, making sure to split the product halfway along the line (so you can fill both sides of the belt). This setup will fully compress a blue belt.

In general, you don't need to use modules or beacons if you are just making one rocket... but if you are going further than that, they are very useful.

[Nailfoot]

Additionally, as you have discovered OP, the beacon's range is a serious issue. Your factory designs have to account for them. Basically, by the time I get to beacons and can pump out level 3 modules by the thousands, I have ripped up my entire starting smelting area and rebuilt it with beacons.

You would NOT want to design your initial smelting area to allow for beacons as you would be quite inefficient. Set up a good blueprint, use your bots to easily rip out all of the old stuff, and plop down the new & improved smelting system.

[Lothos]

i used to do my reds similar to that one, but found they simply did not produce fast enough to warrent a straight line of more than a couple sets. I found the ring layout much more efficient. And just build more of em :/

[KatherineOfSky]

Originally posted by lothos:

i used to do my reds similar to that one, but found they simply did not produce fast enough to warrent a straight line of more than a couple sets. I found the ring layout much more efficient. And just build more of em :/

They didn't produce fast enough? I use 8 of these arrays in my mega-base.

[Lothos]

i had used the 1x8 line ones before and i couldn't get enough materials to the end of the long lines with a single feeder belt.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=891721769

[KatherineOfSky]

Originally posted by lothos:

i had used the 1x8 line ones before and i couldn't get enough materials to the end of the long lines with a single feeder belt.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=891721769

In the pic I posted, the throughput is the same as the picture you posted. There are two feeder belts -- a full belt of plastic, full belt of green circuits. You have 1/2 and 1/2 and 1/2 and 1/2.

[Lothos]

yeah, but this is the layout i switched to after my straightline 1x8's were failing me :D

[KatherineOfSky]

Originally posted by lothos:

yeah, but this is the layout i switched to after my straightline 1x8's were failing me :D

What I'm say is -- the layout I posted works, 100% tested :-)

Edit: Oh... and not sure if you noticed -- your layout has no beacons!

[Lothos]

is the red circuit output on the same belt as the copper cable on the bottom? hard to make out in the pic

[Nailfoot]

Originally posted by lothos:

is the red circuit output on the same belt as the copper cable on the bottom? hard to make out in the pic

The copper cable is handled by long inserters and isn't on a belt at all in the "round" setup. The belt you see snaking through the middle is only for red circuits.

[Lothos]

i know that, I'm asking KoS about hers :/

[Nailfoot]

Originally posted by lothos:

i know that, I'm asking KoS about hers :/

Oh, well, duh. I suck.

[Varenvel The Festive Dinosaur]

if somone uses logistic robots you can even use more efficient designs(be advised i use mods who add more modules but rules are the same)


http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=892758231

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=892758555

[Lothos]

IMO, using solely robots is not "efficient" for efficiencies sake. It's a lazy copout to a properly routed belt network. Granted I will use robots for one off pieces like the satelites for the silos.

[Nailfoot]

Originally posted by lothos:

IMO, using solely robots is not "efficient" for efficiencies sake. It's a lazy copout to a properly routed belt network. Granted I will use robots for one off pieces like the satelites for the silos.

Oh, I disagree! I love putting my minions to work. I will build almost all "low" throughput stuff with bots at remote outposts.

Higher quantity items like circuits of course stay on belts but beacons, modules, solar panels, etc are all bot based on their own individual bot networks.