Normal Mode vs. Space Expansion

[PynkDyno!]

I see all these neat changes being discussed every Friday, but one question keeps bothering me:

I know there will be an option to either play the game normally or go to space, but will all these new features be included if we decide to play in Normal mode?

It may have already been answered or seem like common sense, but I can't help but to want to clarify-

[Hurkyl]

From FFF #378

Elevated rails be will one of the standalone official mods next to Quality and Space Age, so you can play a vanilla-like game with just the elevated rails for example, or other mods can just depend on Elevated rails.

Some features will also be in the update to the core game; e.g. I believe the bot improvements and the rail changes will be in the 2.0 patch.

[RiO]

Originally posted by Hurkyl:

From FFF #378

Elevated rails be will one of the standalone official mods next to Quality and Space Age, so you can play a vanilla-like game with just the elevated rails for example, or other mods can just depend on Elevated rails.

Some features will also be in the update to the core game; e.g. I believe the bot improvements and the rail changes will be in the 2.0 patch.

And of the features that come with the expansion, we know that at least the elevated rail and the quality features are implemented as separate mods that can be played separately in a normal, aka 'vanilla+' style game without needing to enable the main Space Age mod.

[Nico]

Originally posted by RiO:

And of the features that come with the expansion, we know that at least the elevated rail and the quality features are implemented as separate mods that can be played separately in a normal, aka 'vanilla+' style game without needing to enable the main Space Age mod.

Though you still need to own the expansion to get access to these mods.

[The_Mell]

Yeah, we must differ between 3 variants instead of just 2:
1) base game Factorio 2.0
2) 'full' expanded Factorio with Space Age Expansion
3) partialy expanded Factorio with Expansion owned but Space Age (mod) not activated

Rails with new radius and several program code advancements for map genereation, drone behaviour etc. will be a change included in patch for base game Factorio - so variant 1).
New paid content that is inevitable connected with Space Age will be 2) like all the space related stuff e.g. space platforms & grabbers.
Elevated rails, aka bridges, will have no dependicies regarding Space Age but will be part of the new paid content. Therefore variant 3).

i don't have a complete overlook what feature falls into which category because i do not care that much about it - i'm going to definitely buy the Space Age Expansion and maybe never play a 'base game' after that.

[Chindraba]

Originally posted by LyT!:

I see all these neat changes being discussed every Friday, but one question keeps bothering me:

I know there will be an option to either play the game normally or go to space, but will all these new features be included if we decide to play in Normal mode?

It may have already been answered or seem like common sense, but I can't help but to want to clarify-

Clarity isn't a simple thing, but I think I've managed to keep it sorted out as the changes keep rolling in. If it mentions space, planets, or the space platform it's part of the Space Age mod. Elevated rails are their own mod, required by the Space Age mod, and available in the base game - if you own the expansion pack. Quality is its own mod, also required in the Space Age mod and also requires the owning the expansion pack. Otherwise, unless it mentions being locked behind another planet it is most likely part of the 2.0 update which will be automatic for all the games currently being played. Even the dropping of the RCU as in item will affect the game you have now when it updates to version 2.0.

If you want the long answer, I've made a thread where I hope to keep things updated as they change.
https://steamcommunity.com/app/427520/discussions/0/4131557115914460412/

[PynkDyno!]

Wait, is this Space Exploration thing gonna be a MOD or an EXPANSION? I'm confused now-

[Khaylain]

Space Exploration is a mod that is available currently. Space Age is the official expansion of Factorio

[Chindraba]

Space Age is both a mod and the expansion. The Space Age expansion pack, as I believe it will called, includes 4 new mods, the main one is, of course, the Space Age mod. The other 3 are Quality, Elevated Rails and Expensive mode. Expensive mode mod will also be included in the update to current games when they get the bump to 2.0 at the same time as the expansion pack's release. Quality and Elevated Rails are supporting actors in the Space Age play, but can also be used by other mods, as long as the player owns the expansion pack.

It is somewhat confusing, however, as there is also, currently a mod called Space Exploration, which is nothing like the Space Age mod to be released by WUBE later. That the OP called it Space Expansion helps the confusion except that they also mentioned the regular Friday information releases, which must mean the expansion pack, not the current mod.

Of course, it even gets a little more involved since the creator of the Space Exploration mod was hired by WUBE to work on the Space Age mod and expansion pack.

[PynkDyno!]

OH

I think I got the names mixed up. Sorry for everyone who thought I was talking about the mod and not the expansion. I was, in fact, referring to the expansion coming this year-

I am big dum

[Chindraba]

No "big dum" there. It happens all the time - including on the Discord. It does get a bit twisted sometimes, but it usually gets all figured out in the end. The expansion and "Exploration" are close enough as it is and that it's also "Space" don't help none. Then the expansion pack's name and the mod's name being the same - common with expansion packs anyway, only adds to the confusion.

You ain't the first, you surely won't be the last. As long as you got the information you wanted, everyone else can figure it out as best as they choose.

[Nico]

Originally posted by LyT!:

OH

I think I got the names mixed up. Sorry for everyone who thought I was talking about the mod and not the expansion. I was, in fact, referring to the expansion coming this year-

I am big dum

The expansion will also be mods. Several, in fact, like the elevated Rails mod, the quality mod and the space Expansion mod. The base game is also a mod, called the 'base mod', though that's the only mod we can't disable.

[Khaylain]

Originally posted by Nico:

Originally posted by LyT!:

OH

I think I got the names mixed up. Sorry for everyone who thought I was talking about the mod and not the expansion. I was, in fact, referring to the expansion coming this year-

I am big dum

The expansion will also be mods. Several, in fact, like the elevated Rails mod, the quality mod and the space Expansion mod. The base game is also a mod, called the 'base mod', though that's the only mod we can't disable.

As far as I know you can actually disable the "base mod" as well, it's just that without that nothing is going to happen, basically. See https://www.reddit.com/r/factorio/comments/aetcva/what_happens_when_you_disable_the_base_mod/

[PynkDyno!]

Oh god not the modpocalypse