Suggestion: Gravel foundations

[Schlappspaten]

Following a gravel truck today (they're going to fix flood damages after some heavy rain here) it hit me:

Satisfactory needs gravel foundations made from unprocessed limestone.

This would provide an easy and (given a lower material demand) cheap way to build gravel roads, which in turn can help new players to better get their bearings around the map. Although I'm playing for quite some time now and think I've a more than basic understanding of what is where I sometimes end up running in wrong directions and getting lost anyway. ;)

It may also help experienced players to navigate over lower bumps and ditches and make manual driving a bit easier. Last, but not least, it might also make for more organic looking monorail tracks close to ground. Furthermore the foundations can be removed, processed to concrete and used later on in the game.

I don't think that gravel foundations will impact the early gameplay balancing much. Early use of limestone might be slowing down concrete production a bit, but better orientation and navigation with vehicles also provides better access to resources and makes exploring and route finding more fun.

[la merde]

Nice idea. I like it. Especially for design and "diversity" at your factory.

[nfgman]

Gravel track. Or asphalt track.

[sansee]

Could be like a late tech by-product of grinding the limestone, and then perhaps combining that with pure oil to create asphalt (maybe + some type of gas).

Though, I'm not sure how well that would work in this game, other than having the platform duplicated and just have different textures; dark grey, almost black, and gravel-type.

[Man's Best Friend]

If you're hoping for a road you can place like train tracks, you're sadly out of luck. They were prototyped in the early days of the game, but removed for a few reasons. Gravel roads even as just basic foundation segments that you can build roads out of would be fine... if it weren't for the current build system that lacks any kind of physics, and only allows rotation around one axis. It'd be neat to be able to just place segments of gravel on the ground just to make a visual path, but it would be no different than current foundation roads without mods unless they add in support for angling pieces to match the terrain.

I'd be all for it, but it likely won't happen.

[Lawn-Mower]

There are natural tracks around the terrain already (gravel/sand). The terrain (map) isn't editable/destructible, so the player adding ground based 'tracks' possibly isn't possible, unless they're raised above the ground level (and wouldn't directly hug it, they'd work like laying train tracks). Gravel foundations would still need a binding agent; that would just be a new texture and would look a little weird/silly. Foundations already come in asphalt, you just need to unlock them.

Would be great to have spline based roads though, like train tracks or belts are spline based. It's still sort of possible if you don't mind the time, bumps and z-fighting - just snap your foundations beneath a train track then dismantle the track.

[Schlappspaten]

Originally posted by Man's Best Friend:

It'd be neat to be able to just place segments of gravel on the ground just to make a visual path

That is exactly what I had in mind. Foundations working like every other foundation in the game, but looking like gravel and demanding less resources to build. They might look stupid as floor in a high rise building, but they would look so much better if you build a road in the "outback" or small ramps to overcome natural bumps and ditches. And they'll serve for better orientation, especially for new players. You can place power lines for orientation as well, or placing anything highly visible to mark your directions, but I think, a gravel road would look and work better.

Originally posted by Lawn-Mower:

Foundations already come in asphalt, you just need to unlock them.

This, and the materials required are making them less suitable for early game and beginners. Hence I thought about putting down foundations with gravel texture and lower material requirements. They might stay on the map or the player can choose to redo them for concrete or asphalt later on in the game, when production of the required stuff is much easier.

[Lawn-Mower]

Originally posted by Schlappspaten:

Originally posted by Lawn-Mower:

Foundations already come in asphalt, you just need to unlock them.

This, and the materials required are making them less suitable for early game and beginners. Hence I thought about putting down foundations with gravel texture and lower material requirements.

So, you're just asking for a different texture (that as you say is inappropriate for foundations in any other circumstance), and those foundations to be cheaper?

What materials? A single material is needed (not plural) for foundations. Concrete is literally the cheapest and most abundant thing in the game to make already.. As soon as coal power's up, there should never be a shortage of supply. Why would you want to go exploring with a zapper as your only piece of equipment before getting a basic factory going? Have you seen what nasties await the player out there?

A newbie venturing out much without a factory and just concrete and a zapper is a somewhat amusing proposition. It's different for old hats that know how to prepare for and handle the challenges that await..

It's just as amusing to be using laid track to find your way home (there is a map for a reason). And using the limited supply of concrete in your limited inventory for this, rather than using it to deal with challenging terrain spots to assist in acquiring the goodies.

You're aware that if you highlight a marker on the map a pillar of light becomes visible so you can navigate to it?

I think it's appropriate that the game doesn't encourage exploration too early on for new pioneers, until at least the space elevator is up as your guide beacon..

As with anything in Satisfactory; exploration is something you have to work for. Laying track for the purposes of exploration via vehicles, not only defeats the purpose a bit (you've already explored in order to lay the track first) but sounds like way too much work.

Ultimately, you have the tools to go ahead and do this if that's how you wish to play the game, you'd just rather a different aesthetic and not have to build enough machines to quench your concrete thirst..

[Schlappspaten]

Originally posted by Lawn-Mower:

What materials? A single material is needed (not plural) for foundations.

You're starting with "Ficsit foundations" requiring 5 concrete AND 2 iron plates per foundation. Concrete foundations need to be unlocked for coupons in the shop. In the early game there are many other things to buy there too: Wall/top mounted belt holders, different types of foundations, floor and wall openings for belts and pipes, wall mounted insulators and so on (There are of course different opinions on what is important and what should be bought first, different play styles are a thing as well as different views on aesthetics.)

Concrete is literally the cheapest and most abundant thing in the game to make already..

Simple limestone doesn't need any processing besides of mining. And if you have some iron works going it's a lot of waiting and collecting biomass, which lends itself to exploring.

Why would you want to go exploring with a zapper as your only piece of equipment before getting a basic factory going? Have you seen what nasties await the player out there?

Because every beginner running into those challenges has the option to set alien creatures to "Passive". If I were new I'd choose to restart with passive creatures the first time I die and have to recollect my inventory.

It's just as amusing to be using laid track to find your way home (there is a map for a reason). And using the limited supply of concrete in your limited inventory for this, rather than using it to deal with challenging terrain spots to assist in acquiring the goodies.

Hence I suggest using limestone. If I have to deal with challenging spots to get some harddrives/resources I'd use a belt or if mkII belts are available the stackable belt mounts. Much easier, than to throw around a lot of foundations.

You're aware that if you highlight a marker on the map a pillar of light becomes visible so you can navigate to it?

(...) until at least the space elevator is up as your guide beacon..

You're aware of the fact, that the HUB shows up in the compass at the top of the screen. Following these markers, compass indicators or the space elevator can get you quite easy into dead ends or over steep cliffs. I'd nevertheless not suggest to throw gravel tracks everywhere. But think: You collect biomass and explore, you find a quartz node and like to build a gravel road, to get there and back and set up a truck route later in the game. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to do so, without having to search and navigate again and again, until you either know the way or build something else anyway?

As with anything in Satisfactory; exploration is something you have to work for. Laying track for the purposes of exploration via vehicles, not only defeats the purpose a bit (you've already explored in order to lay the track first) but sounds like way too much work.

I'd not suggest to build track for exploring, but if you find something you think is worthy to connect to a nicely working road, you should be able to do so. Also, if you explore some caves, they have big bumps in the way, that could be ramped/leveled out with the suggested foundations, without using iron plates and processed limestone aka. concrete. This may help for the first few truck routes as well. I've seen enough tractors and trucks hitting obstacles, because they inadvertently jumped some bumps in the "natural" roads.

(..) a different aesthetic (..)

Which would be a real bad thing? I've laid monorails all around the map, most of it pretty close to ground, which would look so much better and more realistic, if it weren't for big bulky and impassable foundations. I don't like block my or the alien creatures' ways, but also like to build bridges, overpasses or ramps for passages only where needed, for aesthetic reasons of course. Aesthetics are important part of the game, at least for me.

[Lawn-Mower]

Originally posted by Schlappspaten:

Originally posted by Lawn-Mower:

What materials? A single material is needed (not plural) for foundations.

You're starting with "Ficsit foundations" requiring 5 concrete AND 2 iron plates per foundation. Concrete foundations need to be unlocked for coupons in the shop. In the early game there are many other things to buy there too: Wall/top mounted belt holders, different types of foundations, floor and wall openings for belts and pipes, wall mounted insulators and so on (There are of course different opinions on what is important and what should be bought first, different play styles are a thing as well as different views on aesthetics.)

You're right. My bad.. I've not used standard since U5.

...every beginner running into those challenges has the option to set alien creatures to "Passive". If I were new I'd choose to restart with passive creatures the first time I die and have to recollect my inventory.

Fair enough, not something I do or have ever considered I guess.

If I have to deal with challenging spots to get some harddrives/resources I'd use a belt or if mkII belts are available the stackable belt mounts. Much easier, than to throw around a lot of foundations.

That's an interesting approach. I wonder how many beginners would think of this.

Following these markers, compass indicators or the space elevator can get you quite easy into dead ends or over steep cliffs. I'd nevertheless not suggest to throw gravel tracks everywhere.

But think: You collect biomass and explore, you find a quartz node and like to build a gravel road, to get there and back and set up a truck route later in the game. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to do so, without having to search and navigate again and again, until you either know the way or build something else anyway?

Even with enemies switched off you have navigation problems like this? If you just took the time it would take to lay track to instead observe your surroundings, would you still have navigation problems? Don't get me wrong, I got lost a few times myself, but in my mind that just helps you gain familiarity with terrain.

I'd not suggest to build track for exploring, but if you find something you think is worthy to connect to a nicely working road, you should be able to do so. Also, if you explore some caves, they have big bumps in the way, that could be ramped/leveled out with the suggested foundations, without using iron plates and processed limestone aka. concrete. This may help for the first few truck routes as well. I've seen enough tractors and trucks hitting obstacles, because they inadvertently jumped some bumps in the "natural" roads.

This would be nice. Not a problem I've ever faced personally as I've always built roads for trucks..

I've laid monorails all around the map, most of it pretty close to ground, which would look so much better and more realistic, if it weren't for big bulky and impassable foundations. I don't like block my or the alien creatures' ways, but also like to build bridges, overpasses or ramps for passages only where needed, for aesthetic reasons of course. Aesthetics are important part of the game, at least for me.

You can lay track directly onto the ground (doesn't have to be on a foundation or other buildable), but even so, it would be nice to be able to have a gravel track below them. I try to only run them on predefined track type areas (if on the ground) for this reason (which is pretty limiting).

[Sawboss]

Any new parts or cosmetics are welcome, I say.

[markuswolfe]

Originally posted by Schlappspaten:

Originally posted by Lawn-Mower:

What materials? A single material is needed (not plural) for foundations.

You're starting with "Ficsit foundations" requiring 5 concrete AND 2 iron plates per foundation. Concrete foundations need to be unlocked for coupons in the shop. In the early game there are many other things to buy there too: Wall/top mounted belt holders, different types of foundations, floor and wall openings for belts and pipes, wall mounted insulators and so on (There are of course different opinions on what is important and what should be bought first, different play styles are a thing as well as different views on aesthetics.)

Personally, I think we should start the game with pure concrete foundation, and the iron plate plus concrete foundation should be unlocked in the shop. I think I am hardly alone in this opinion.

That said, I'm still in camp "dude, concrete is cheap".

[Schlappspaten]

Originally posted by Lawn-Mower:

If I have to deal with challenging spots to get some harddrives/resources I'd use a belt or if mkII belts are available the stackable belt mounts. Much easier, than to throw around a lot of foundations.

That's an interesting approach. I wonder how many beginners would think of this.

Not many until now, I guess. But it's worth pointing out that there are a lot of different approaches. Using creative solutions is part of the fun in the game, at least for me.

Even with enemies switched off you have navigation problems like this? If you just took the time it would take to lay track to instead observe your surroundings, would you still have navigation problems? Don't get me wrong, I got lost a few times myself, but in my mind that just helps you gain familiarity with terrain.

Absolutely, running around helps a lot with familiarization and I was pretty confident about my orientation on the map. But I've recently switched on global illumination and adjusted gamma to a more normal level which makes some parts of the woods very dark and look very different than with "normal" illumination and raised gamma. It's close to look like a whole different map ;). (And even after some 2000hrs there are still areas of the map I haven't yet fully explored, let alone used to build stuff there.)

It doesn't happen very often now, but I can still remember my very first go on a map, where I got lost in valleys, in woods and in caves. I've found a quarz node and marked it on the map, but wasn't able to return there with the tractor later on bc. I went there on foot first (and left no markings on the way, which wasn't very straightforward)

You can lay track directly onto the ground (doesn't have to be on a foundation or other buildable), but even so, it would be nice to be able to have a gravel track below them. I try to only run them on predefined track type areas (if on the ground) for this reason (which is pretty limiting).

I started this way and it soon became apparent that I needed some elevated tracks to avoid steep climbs (Being a RL railroader I've natural reservations about steep tracks and tight corners, they belong to rollercoasters not railways) and also fit the tracks and stations better into the industries. And again being a railroader: I don't like flying rail installations...

[Doc✪Hollywood]

99.5% transpartent foundations would be nice.

Everytime I play on a big platform the game becomes quite soon very boring.

[Doc✪Hollywood]

Such round foundaments would also be nice:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3269142452