Preferential Splitters/Mergers

[Ghostly_Chris]

I was reading through the update notes, and I got the idea for a new type of splitter/merger. One such thing that would allow you to set a preference for certain output/input directions over other outputs/inputs. Like, slider bars setting how much of what goes in/out goes to/comes out of which direction, if that makes any sense. I suppose an example might help. Let's say that you have multiple machines hooked up in parallel each taking the same input. You're wanting all of the machines to get an even amount all the way down the line at the same time. On the splitter itself, you could set the forward conveyor as a higher priority over the left or right sides and incrementally lower it's priority as more is taken off the line by each machine. And similarly in the other direction, incrementally increase the priority of the rear conveyor of the merger as the parts come out.

Or you could use all that functionality to sort items on the line without regard to what is on the line itself. So if you know what the Input/output rate is of two machines and want to save on conveyors, you could match their inputs/outputs with the splitters/mergers and have multiple items on the conveyor rather than having to stack multiple belts on top of each other that carry different items and having to turn your factory into spaghetti hell, lol.

[Wolfgang]

You can already just merge different stuff on conevors. Which is exactly what I have on my storage belt. The different items are getting sorted out either by a smart or programable splitter (depending on the need).

[Kaito]

Hmmm one easy way to prefer one conveyor over another is to simply use slower/faster conveyors

[DarkCarnage]

i would like if there was option or a version that allowed you control the ratio when outputting things. like if you wanted to could side 2 sides at 45 (or what ever number needed) and output the rest down center so can optimize some set up.

[nfgman]

Could make programmable splitters have a purpose but by the time you get to those, you figured out why that's not necessary.

[kLuns]

the programmable splitter has some benefits

[Caver451]

It sounds like you're trying to solve a few issues:

1. Manifolds are easy to build, but can starve machines on their far ends, even when the quantity in at the beginning of the manifold is what you need. Balanced distribution is better for many tasks, but they can be tricky and take up a lot of space; you really need to get creative.

2. When balancing your inputs, if you have one machine that requires 1/3rd and another that requires 2/3rd, that is fairly easy, but more complex ratios can be a real pain and can take up a ton of room.

3. When you are trying to feed several factories from the output of a single factory, you're facing the manifold vs balanced input problem on a more irritating scale. You can sometimes control things by picking belt speeds wisely, but you can end up with a factory somewhere starved of a component, and a nightmare to figure out where the issue is.

Some folks might claim "this is the game," and I do tend to agree up to a point, but adding a mode to the Programmable Splitter to handle this sort of situation would be amazing. Just set how many items per minute each output is allowed, and your splitter-merger spaghetti gets a lot easier and takes up considerably less space.

Whether this sort of feature would be a quality of life benefit, or just a crutch for folks who don't want to figure out their distribution networks, is a question for which I am not prepared to commit an answer. :-)