https://mods.factorio.com/mod/PowerOverload
What do you think?

Hi,

from short testing I haven't discover any compatibility issues. So I guess both mods work together without problems. About the merge question I don't think there is something to merge, since both work well even in the same game.

Regards,

-max2344

It looks like there's no advantage of using Electric Transformators mod separately from Power Overload because PO's transformators do the same and more (have UI actually).

However, I'm not using PO mod because it's difficult to add to existing save to update gradually.

Maybe you could either inherit idea from PO or join forces with other mod author? What I would like to see in ET or PO is:
- concept of some poles used solely for transport, not coverage
- way to decouple networks (transformators)
- UI overview of individual electric networks (that would be INSANELY!! AWESOME) even if without graphs, just list with some stats as way to monitor and debug networks
- power poles consuming electricity or/and non-100% efficiency (cost of transport)
- overload mechanics to force player to segment networks and use transformators, however maybe not destroy/damage poles but drop efficiency to like 50% at choke points

Hi,

I'll quote since then it is easier to answer :D

[…]

Maybe you could either inherit idea from PO or join forces with other mod author? What I would like to see in ET or PO is:
- way to decouple networks (transformators)

this been ever working since the first release of ET. On the output of the ET transformer is always another electric network id added or merged. How/what do you imagine this to be actually?

• UI overview of individual electric networks (that would be INSANELY!! AWESOME) even if without graphs, just list with some stats as way to monitor and debug networks

This is being partly or fully covered with our related projects power- and capacity combinator for monitoring and control purposes. Also since the networks are separate, the usual in-game electric network statistic can be used for each network. What do you think about here?

• concept of some poles used solely for transport, not coverage
• power poles consuming electricity or/and non-100% efficiency (cost of transport)
• overload mechanics to force player to segment networks and use transformators, however maybe not destroy/damage poles but

drop efficiency to like 50% at choke points
This is some concept of the PO mod. I've been playing with similar ideas though it was different than implemented with PO mod. If I consider an implementation, i'd add it as a separate mod though.

Regards,

-max2344

Well yeah I know you can decouple with ET, I was just listing all features I'd be happy to see regardless of their implementation status.

Built-in gui doesn't have a list of networks unless I'm missing something, so you'd have to click on power poles of networks to get to the UI.

I think transport power poles and efficiency drop at choke points doesn't contradict ET philosophy, I'd like to see it in the same mod. Currently there's no real purpose of using ET at all other than for cosmetic/accounting reasons.

BTW, I can't use power combinator mod due to it's conflict with "useful combinators" which also has power management combinator entity named exactly the same

I see.

About the GUI. It is a bit difficult with the network id, since it can change whenever a connection changes. In theory it would be possible to add such statistic,however the user would need to know which network id belongs to which actual network at that point in time. Also it'd help to know which stats are then interesting. However it doesn't have much to do with Electric Transformers, we'll evaluate your idea for implementation. This functionality would implemented with another mod.

IRL the industrial transformers for power conversion dump the load and have generally few safety mechanisms which prevents them or the power lines to go up in a flash. Would be possible, but would require maintenance tasks in-game no idea if that is adding or destroying the game experience. Automatic dropping/resetting is even more weird logic since can have various unwanted side-effects. In general for ET, yeah, smth can be done with the overloading case, however we need more information on what should how happen and when. As the transformer would work more like safety device, the power poles wouldn't explode. I thought about simply disconnecting the wire on that line in question.

We'll look at that compatibility issue with "useful combinators".

Regards,

-max2344

https://mods.factorio.com/mod/UsefulCombinators/discussion/5f34c529c73008c9d6f087e1
for reference

UI:
If you have events firing on id changes, then you can let user label networks and track underlying ID changes. Minimal list of Id/title - Consumption would be sufficient to begin with, when if you click on a network it would open appropriate vanilla gui for it.

As for "overload" and related mechanics, I think it makes sense to encourage decoupling of networks in some way.