So far, I've really enjoyed your Aquilo Overhaul project; turning it into a well-oiled machine with all the interaction between planets was a blast! Thanks!

I've also been using: https://mods.factorio.com/mod/big-furnace/ (though there are a few similiar mods with similar graphics even), which uses heatpipes to create a really cool more advanced furnace.

Sadly it doesnt seem to register the Tempered High-Entropy Alloy, which would be the cherry on top now that I am preparing the spaceship that will reach the shattered planet, along with building my final mega-base.

puppy-eyes

Hi,
Thank you for your message. I’m glad you like the mod.

I think it's better if this recipe can't be done in the heat furnace. Here is why:

Firstly, on the realism and the concept behind this alloy.
I did some research into alloys and metallurgy whilst designing this part of the mod.
A tempered alloy is stronger, but also more brittle. There is a process that allows the atoms to rearrange themselves within the material’s structure in order to improve its properties whilst retaining this strength. To do this, the metal must be heated, but to a lower temperature, and held at that temperature for a certain period of time.
From that point of view, it wouldn’t make sense to put it in this heat furnace at over 800°C.

As for the balance, I’ve made sure that this recipe doesn’t accept any productivity modules, as it simply involves reheating a material without transforming it. And to avoid making it too easy, because the more production stages a product has, the more productivity bonuses can stack up, leading to an excessively high gain in the end. So, once again, the 50% productivity bonus of the heat furnace doesn’t fit with the global idea.

Finally for the gameplay, the increase in the heat furnace’s speed could be compatible, even though the concept of this stage is that it should be slow.
I like the ‘leap’ in scale you have to make at the start of the game to move on to chemical science. The cost isn’t huge, but you need to build way more assembly machines because the recipe takes noticeably longer to craft.
I wanted to bring that back towards the end of the game, by once again presenting a significant challenge in terms of scalability, even more so on Aquilo, with the need of heat pipes everywhere :)

Heya Cubick, thanks for the detailed explanation. I won't argue with you, as it makes perfect sense.

Come to think of it, I'm fine with generating a small Lua script for myself that does what I asked, simply because after so many hours — and looking at my current playthrough —I'm personally fine with it pushing the boundaries of realism.

Thanks!