So is a "space platform" basically a flat top comet?

[RedHaze1911]

Just wondering about the visual logic. We wont make actual giant space ships in the next update, right?

[ManiacalManwich]

Willing to bet its like the Space Exploration mod. Seems alot of the expansion is taking heavy notes from it.

[Fel]

It is closer to a space ship, even if not quite a proper one, since it even works as a power grid.
What we see is just a flat surface because that is how the game handles playable space but it wouldn't be the first game to represent a full spaceship by a flat surface with rooms (most 2D games involving spaceships tend to do that after all).

There doesn't seem to be a concept of needing oxygen or a proper outer shell, so it is kind of weird to call it a proper spaceship but it also doesn't quite fit the "flat comet" for me.
Maybe something in between that has either gravity or another way of keeping stuff on it from just drifting off?

[Chindraba]

"Flat top comet" is an interesting visual, and probably not too far from the game version.

But, yes, just a flat spot in space with rocket motor on it so you can float your "island" anywhere you want. The only "enclosed" space on the platform is the hub, which is where the engineer sits for their entire time on the platform. The storage space of the hub can be extended by adding on cargo pods. everything else is as open to space as the factory now is open to the sky. The engineer cannot even walk on the platform. Instead everything is done the same way you would do stuff in map view now. The difference there is there are no bots in space either. The platform is a mechanical marvel (or monstrosity) and is able to do the things bots would do for "building" things.

The only "space ships" we'll see are the rocket we launch.

[Alshain]

They showed us pictures...

https://factorio.com/blog/post/fff-373

[Fel]

That is what we are basic ourself on.
It is stylized into a flat area with machines and belts on it but it wouldn't be showing us if there is also a "roof", and possibly walls around the structure.

For example, the smaller bits of asteroids don't damage anything when they come into contact with the structure, which tends to indicate some form of protection from those even is it is not shown.

[Alshain]

Originally posted by Fel:

That is what we are basic ourself on.
It is stylized into a flat area with machines and belts on it but it wouldn't be showing us if there is also a "roof", and possibly walls around the structure.

For example, the smaller bits of asteroids don't damage anything when they come into contact with the structure, which tends to indicate some form of protection from those even is it is not shown.

The bits of asteroid (or ore or whatever it is) are on a lower plane, if you look close the ones that look like they impact the front come out on the back side.

[Fel]

The only ones that "come out on the back side" are the ones inserters throw away though.
You will notice that nothing shows up in the back between the two engines for example, where no inserters are throwing stuff away.

The ones on the front also briefly show a shadow before vanishing, so maybe you could argue that they are "above", but this doesn't make much sense if the debris slide far enough above/below to not damage anything while all asteroids would damage the structure.

[Chindraba]

There are also approximately zero asteroid impacting from above of below. Quite the "astronomical" odds against that being true. Unless, of course, it's just a 2-dimensional game plotted in 2-dimensional space with a funny perspective in the drawing to make it look and feel 3-dimensional.

They have already given us the information that the smaller asteroids are too small to damage the platform, and are ignored by the defensive weapons.

The benefit of being 2-dimensional is that you don't need weapons covering 360 degrees around the platform in all 90 degrees of inclination and declination. The unfortunate effect is that you also don't have 3-dimensional space to build in. No skyscrapers or 50-level high assembler plants. Even the elevated rails are on the same level as the rest of the factory, just with special collision masks to handle the look of being elevated.

Our fancy new platforms are "platforms", floating islands in space.

[knighttemplar1960]

The space platforms are very dense compared to a comet. Gravity can be simulated in space by acceleration or using magnetic fields for things that are ferrous or have a large enough dipole moment (like water ice) and non-ferrous material can have iron bands or capsules around them to make use of magnetic energy.

Also this is a game and cinematic too. Real asteroids in real asteroid fields are separated by comparatively long distances because gravity is extremely weak compared to other forces (that's why you can use a magnet to pick things up against Earth's gravity. Gravity is a much weaker force than electromagnetism). The distance between the asteroids in our asteroid belt is an average of about 965,600 km (600,000 mi). The density you see in movies and the Factorio screen shots are what you would find in Saturn's ring system and not through out planetary spaces.

Physics is suspended in the Factorio universe. That's why the belts use perpetual motion and you can carry a couple hundred trains in your backpack.

[GreenBeanN1]

From what I have read it acts as some kind of space train.
There are 5 location. A, B, C, D and E. Set it to one of the four destinations and the space train moves to that location. Or the "space" around the space train starts to move, it doesn't really matter. There are no rails but look at the mechanics of the mod cargoships and you know what I mean.

Maybe it is possible to change the course to other locations (for example: halfway between A and B but change direction the C). But in that case a space train map would be useful.

Trains on Nauvis can refuel and reload. Space trains cannot and collect the resource from the environment. When at a location it will be possible to launch rockets with cargo.

So one can launch nuclear reactors into space but the downside is that everything has weight now. The more weight the more fuel the and engine power is required.