Does SpaceAge have any important changes for the base game in Factorio 1.0 compared to Update 2.0?

[Unik]

What would that be?
Thx

I'm happy with the base game and would also use the Update 2.0 features that I don't know yet. But I'm not interested in Space Age; at first glance, there are too many new game elements with the planets for me.

[^4Steel ^1Jackal^2~FYANB~]

in space age there are a few base game technologies that are locked behind the new planets.
cliff explosives are from vulcanus, spidertron is from gleba, and some power armor equipment is from fulgora.
tier 3 modules are also locked behind the different planets as well.

edit: actually i may have misunderstood the question, are you asking what happens if you run space age in version 1.0 of factorio? you cant. its not possible.

[Fel]

No, the changes to the base game were included in 2.0.

That being said, the DLC also contains quality and elevated rails as separate "mods", that can be used without space age itself being active.
But the price of the DLC is way too high if you don't intend to use space age and only want one or both of those extra parts.

[End of history]

I haven't played it without space age, but as far as I understand many of the quality of life improvements make it into the base game and technologies that are locked behind planets (like cliff explosives) are not locked here. You can also dabble with the quality mechanics, but do double check everything I say here.

So if you own the base game you'll just get all of this for free, but you won't get things like the elevated rails.

[Unik]

But the "Quality Modules" aren't included in the 2.0 update, are they? At least I don't see them in my base game. But that would be an important/useful feature for gameplay, wouldn't it?

[Fel]

Quality and elevated rails are both part of the DLC (but can be activated without space age for a "vanilla+" run).

Basically, all quality of life features are in 2.0, additionnal content is in the DLC (in the form of 3 "mods", space age, quality and elevated rails).

[Nico]

Originally posted by Unik:

But the "Quality Modules" aren't included in the 2.0 update, are they? At least I don't see them in my base game. But that would be an important/useful feature for gameplay, wouldn't it?

Quality modules are part of the Quality mod, which is one of the 3 mods that are included in the expansion. So it is not part of version 2.0 but of Space Age.

2.0 introduced a bunch of other new features, like trigger technologies, an improved remote view, smarter bots, new rails, new Nauvis map generation, flipping buildings, landing bays to get space science and probably a bunch of other things I currently can't remember. But all fo it is mostly just improving the base game features, only the expansion really introduces brand new content.

[Chindraba]

Originally posted by Unik:

What would that be?
Thx

I'm happy with the base game and would also use the Update 2.0 features that I don't know yet. But I'm not interested in Space Age; at first glance, there are too many new game elements with the planets for me.

The simple answer is that Space Age, when the mod is enabled, makes some changes to the base game, some of them rather important. If you are happy with the base game in 1.1 you should still be happy, and even happier, with the base game in 2.0 using just the free upgrade and not getting the DLC.

There are very few important changes between 1.1 and 2.0. Of special note is that many of the key bindings have changed, how the space science works is a bit different and the Rocket control units have been removed. There are a few recipe changes, the art work and the curves of rails have changed, spidertron controls a different, radars can now act as planet-wide WiFi, and there's a new combinator.

There is no reason to get the DLC right away if the "draw" of Space Age isn't there for you. You can probably get over 100 hours just exploring the new possibilities in the base game. You might never even want the DLC at all.

Other than the Space Age mod itself, the DLC also adds two other mods, Elevated rails and Quality, which can be turned on/off like any other mod - but don't disable Steam achievements or make in-game achievements count as "modded" play.

From a game-play perspective Elevated rails is a simple change. There are no recipe changes or other stuff. It just adds the ability to use elevated rails. If you like using, and optimizing, trains it can be a big deal. If not, it might almost be unnoticed in your game.

Quality modules, rather than Quality of Life changes, is an interesting, and controversial, mechanic which can basically change everything about how you build the factory. It adds another layer of complexity to how you optimize mega bases. Nothing in complexity compared to SE or py, of course, but still some.

Both of those mods can be used if you own the DLC without turning on the Space Age mod. They can be used together or on their own. The Space Age mod requires both of them, however when it is enabled.

Earlier someone said the idea of getting the DLC just for the elevated rails was not worth the price. That is likely true for most players. There are other players, such as myself, who like trains in the game so much that the price of the DLC just for the elevated rails is worth it. That's the only reason I purchased the DLC. Space Age looks interesting, and I'll play it once anyway, just to see the new stuff in action. I'll probably return to just playing the base game with elevated rails for the next few years anyway.

Quick summary: Don't get the DLC. Play the updated 2.0. When, if ever, you reach the point where you want more Factorio you can decide if Space Age will give you that 'more' or if you just need a couple new mods instead. Maybe someday the DLC will 'call' to you, and maybe it never will. Spend the money when, and if, it does, but not until then.