Mod to limit robot activity areas?

[scribbler957]

In previous games I've had the problem of robots doing what they wanted instead of what I wanted. Is there a mod that will, for example, let me set some robots to only fill/empty certain chests or not leave the range of their roboport?

I'd like to have a larger network but be able to make sure some things are handled first, some robots stay on their section of wall, etc. Maybe something to have multiple overlapping networks (each roboport/logistic chest can select a color or label and they only interact with that specific network).

Is such a thing even possible within the modding limits?

[Fel]

It's not possible.
Bots are part of a network, so either you make small networks to have more control over what you are doing (and much, much more efficient bots as a result) or you continue with your large network with all of the downsides of it.

Many people get out of the large network after a while because of its limitations and work out how to get a similar ease of use as large networks with trains as a base.

Basically, bots are not supposed to be an end-all answer but just one of the tools at your disposal, so if your current setup doesn't satisfy your needs you might want to look into how to effectively combine belts, bots and trains (as well as some circuit logic to make it even better).

[scribbler957]

If it can't be done, it can't be done. Thanks for the info.

I think I saw a mod that sets the roboport construction area to match the logistics area. That would keep the bots from wandering on accident, but still leaves a 1 tile gap in repair coverage, which is only really an issue on the walls.

[scribbler957]

Hmm, I've seen mods with custom logistics and construction ranges. I don't suppose a modded roboport have a network connection range of 0? It would allow for independent roboports acting as small, isolated networks without gaps. Maybe a 32x32 logistic/construction range and drop one in the center of each chunk, or a specialty 16x64 for wall duty.

I'd still need to avoid overlaps and deliver materials by train/cart/drone/belt/trained-monkey-with-a-backpack, but my main base could continue to supply me while the specialty areas remain disconnected.

[Fel]

The connection is based on the logistics network.
The construction area being wider is actually a plus since the construction bots are able to build and repair in that area while still belonging to their logistics network so they go back to the proper place as well.

For walls for example, the usual practice is to put the roboport somewhat far from the walls, covering everything that needs to be repaired only with the construction area.
Each roboport ends up being alone but there is no need for gaps in the construction area if you place them at regular intervals that are far enough to not connect but still cover everything in the construction areas.

[scribbler957]

I was thinking of using them to deliver ammo, so closer to the wall, but I see your point. I had this idea for easy ammo upgrades by whitelisting all the ammo at the requesters and limiting what goes into the providers. Also, less ammo filling miles of belts. It's good to know they won't wander to a closer unlinked network though. If I must, I could use the Moar Roboports production roboport (32x32 construction and logistics) with alternating offsets to keep edge to edge separate networks. Thanks again.

[jamiechi]

Krastorio2 lets you change modes of the roboports from normal mode to either just logistics or just construction. Don't think it lets you change the size of the area though. I no longer play with biters enabled, but when I did, I just ran belts of ammo.

A good way to minimize the belt system, is to use SchallBeltConfiguration to increase the range of the underground belts to 32 or more tiles (maybe just the blue belts?). This will minimize the belt work and make it easier to deliver the ammo where you want.

Others have suggested to create a completely separate logistic network for the base perimeter. A short belt or two to move the ammo between networks would work fine in this case.

[RiO]

Originally posted by Fel:

It's not possible.

Overlapping networks is definitely possible.
https://mods.factorio.com/mod/LogiNetChannels

But it's a hack that has to rely on forces.
And that's a very scarce resource to mess around with.

[Fel]

That's a nice trick they used to make it possible, definitely worth having a look at (and good to be wrong once again since it's better this way).

[Z0MBE]

get a logistics combinator mod, hook everything up to it, use reset latches to time when bots need to do things, so whether they do a job or not is based on requests. This works into you setting exactly how much items are in a system, you can set the max and minimum amounts allowed, goes over production, stops producing, goes under production starts up -
- when production is full by the terms you set, robots will stop doing their activities unless needed - This is a very useful tool in all of factorio imo

[Z0MBE]

so when I do it this way, it will be like everything gets produced to it's maximum and is in *waiting mode* until it reaches its minimum which only happens when science is done. I have pollution scrubbing too, so eventually this just leads to no pollution and little power cost as well as little bot use or pollution scrubbing use