Best mods as 2021? Maybe some modpacks?

[clop1000]

What are the best mods?

[bhaktivedanta]

I think the question is too unspecific to be answered precisely, you need to clarify what experience you want from the game.
I will offer only some hints with respect to three different scenarios that I believe are the most plausible to look at for a first modded game experience:

- More complex game: AngelBob(+) and Pyanodon:
AngelBob refers to the set of mods consisting of both Angels and Bob's mods. They make production-chains in the game way more complex with more different ores required. The (+) hints that there are further possible extensions to them with respect to the economy graph, but for a first experience with highly modded production AngelBob should be sufficiently complex. Pyanodon's mod set is even more complex, so nothing I would start with as a first modding experience. For both you will want to consult dedicated tutorials w.r.t. what mods are the core and what are optional and what is the basic build order.
I used the term mod sets rather than mod packs as the mods do not necessarily come as a single packedmod (though I know that at least for AngelBob a wrapper is available)

- More options for pipes and belts: Beltlayer, Pipelayer, Flowcontrol, Bob's adjustable inserters
Beltlayer and pipelayer offer new layers for special underground belts or pipes, so that you basically have a 2-story factory. They make the game easier but help with large and complicated buildchains that will arise with complexity increasing mod sets such as AngelBob.
Flowcontrol gives you better control over pipe connections, making it possible to place pipes for different fluids next to each other. There are also several valves that could for example be used for priority management in fluid distribution.
Bobs adjustable inserters lets you configure inserters: pickup and drop tiles so you can for example have them pickup/drop in a 90° angle.

- Better enemies: Rampant
I will not go into the vast number of mods that offer more challenging enemy types but point out Rampant here which improves the biters attack tactics and does not let you get away with simply building defense at a single point on the straight line that connects your and the enemy base.

There are lots more aspects of the game that can be altered with various mods available to do the job. If you want to change something specific, feel free to ask. A description of what you are missing right now and how you want the game to behave will help you receive more detailed answers.

One more tip at the end on how to proceed:
What I do/did when looking for mods is google the keywords and then use various metrics to estimate how mature the suggested mods are.
Those metrics are:
- Number of downloads: Obviously, if thousands of people have downloaded it, it can't be that bad - or can it?
- Age / time of first release and date of recent updates: A mod that is several years old and has been updated recently is probably working without too many bugs. But note that some very mature mods do not get updated regularly any more - there is simply no need to. Sometimes you will have to find a forked-release if a new factorio version has arrived and the original author of the mod is inactive.
- External forums: If there is a large reddit about that mod you are considering, you not only have a resource for advise and troubleshooting. Without even reading the post the mere size of the discussion will give you an idea whether this is a popular mod (and thus supposedly worth to look at) or a tiny niche project that has not been (bug)tested by others yet.
- Discussion / Bug reports on the mod's page (linked to in the download description): If There are many not-too-recent bug reports the author has not reacted to yet, you know that the mod is probably not getting too much attention and likely to be buggy.

[tokinterror]

BOBS inserters only mod i use

[Leeux]

I'd personally suggest Krastorio 2... it's what I'm playing atm and it's awesome :)

It's more complex than vanilla, but from what I heard less complex that AngelBob pack and definitely less complex than Pyanodon's pack.

The main difference is that instead of being a collection of mods that you can pick and chose, it's a big mod that contains everything, that way what you get is a coherent/cohesive experience, and everything in it has a place.

I'm way past mid-game with it, and starting to build the stuff I need to get to end-game proper and it was all a blast.

I'd suggest pairing it with some other mods (as K2 recommends)** like Klonan's Transport and Mining drones, for example. That would allow you to not care too much about needing a Main BUS (there's a ton of extra things that you'd need to BUS otherwise) and also make the mining part of the transport network (though, that's optional.)

** EDIT: I checked on K2 mod page and I remembered wrong, it doesn't actually recommend the transport mod, only the construction drones mod. Still, they work really well together in my own experience!

[Izaon]

I've started dabbing into Space Exploration. Game isn't too different until you launch the rocket, but than you start building a multi-planet logistic network, making science in space, with new end game goal of building a spaceship.

If you want to up the complexity it is fully compatible with K2

[RiO]

İlk olarak Izaon tarafından gönderildi:

If you want to up the complexity it is fully compatible with K2

It is, but sadly it has some bugs with aforementioned Transport Drones. Like Leeux I'm also in the middle of a Krastorio 2 playthrough which combines K2 and Transport Drones.

When paired with Space Exploration, something breaks and the little drones just drive off into outer space. (My gut says there's a conflict between what both mods use as layers to define what is 'space' vs what is 'road.')

I wouldn't want to give up on those little drones, because we already have trains, so now I want working road transport. (Give me my Transport Tycoon, damn it! :P)

[Giantkin]

ive been greatly enjoying seablock for over a year now. (well til the latest forced auto update broke everything)

[vts6482]

İlk olarak RiO tarafından gönderildi:

we already have trains, so now I want working road transport. (Give me my Transport Tycoon, damn it! :P)

Haha, indeed!
IIRC there was a road transport mod of some kind? Never tried it myself though. Let's face it though, TT was mostly about trains anyway :)

[Leeux]

İlk olarak vts6482 tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak RiO tarafından gönderildi:

we already have trains, so now I want working road transport. (Give me my Transport Tycoon, damn it! :P)

Haha, indeed!
IIRC there was a road transport mod of some kind? Never tried it myself though. Let's face it though, TT was mostly about trains anyway :)

Yeah, it's Klonan's Transport Drones (here -> https://mods.factorio.com/mod/Transport_Drones) and it's awesome, works really well. I'm using atm and loving the way it simplifies moving stuff around the base.

[Von Zardoz]

Krastorio 2

[theslay66]

I can't play without Logistical Train Network (LTN). Seems a bit complicated at first, but when you get it running, managing an huge trains network is a breeze. No need to rename your stations, no need to affect each train on a specific route, they just go where they are needed.

[SkobaN]

Space exploration + Krastorio 2.
I dunno, mb i am to stupid but it takes tons of time for getting even middle game. I think it needs about 1kh while solo without community blueprints.

[Subak]

I like Factorissimo<sp?>. I think it works well with 'complexity' enhancing mods.

It lets you build buildings you can enter and build inside. There are Input/Output connections on the buildings so from world view it looks like you are pumping raw resources in and getting finished products out.

Inside the building, you build your mass of furnaces, belts, assembly machines, inserters or whatever. It lets you condense your factory footprint by placing buildings that take not-so-many tiles of "world space" having many more tiles of build space when you go inside.

I think it makes the early stages better in particular no matter what other mods you're using.

Condensing the footprint like that means It's faster to get to different parts of your spaghetti finely tuned engineering masterpiece to grab more supplies for expansion, get to where that expansion needs to happen, and even build that expansion (less need to clear obstacles like rocks/trees).

[Leeux]

İlk olarak Jo Daddy tarafından gönderildi:

I like Factorissimo<sp?>. I think it works well with 'complexity' enhancing mods.

It lets you build buildings you can enter and build inside. There are Input/Output connections on the buildings so from world view it looks like you are pumping raw resources in and getting finished products out.<snip>

I saw that on some screenshots here on Steam, and didn't knew which mod it was... Thank you for mentioning it, I might give it a try at some point!

[𝓝𝓪𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓫𝓸𝓲]

Seablock was really fun for a modpack. I haven't played it since it came out though.

[Cyber_Chupacabra]

Angel and Bob is amazing, same as already mentioned Krastorio.
Pyanodons - only if you want really long hardcore gameplay as the mod is just insane ;)
If you want something that will not
interfere with your base game try Yuoki Industries, very nice mod that will give you many optional things to do!