There was a time when quality wanted to be alone. She dreamed of a world where quality could exist without modules entirely, a world where quality could exist from the very start. But she soon realized that the player didn't want that kind of relationship. The player often wants to build without quality, free from its unfortunately harsh management complications.
After coming to terms with rejection, quality turned to the only friend she had ever known, the system that enabled her existence. And recently they discovered just how close they can be. <3 <3 <3
Overview
This mod has three main purposes:
- Applicable Quality: Bring out the generic nature of high-quality crafting machines by giving them additional module slots.
- Baby Steps: Embrace Factorio's overall approach to teaching new players by hiding more complex concepts behind progression goals.
- Quality Takeover: Simplify progression by eliminating entire technology arms that redundantly affect things already enhanced by quality.
Applicable Quality
Quality is a highly generic aspect. It just means "better," but when given a narrow context it becomes more specific. Consider ammunition. Factorio sort of arbitrates here, taking quality to mean damage.
However when considering machines, especially crafting machines, the situation becomes less obvious. Factorio takes quality to mean crafting speed, but its engine allows for so much more. This mod replaces the crafting speed bonus with extra module slots. If you want speed, use speed modules.
Baby Steps
Most machines are altered to have zero module slots at normal quality. Newer players who open the lab GUI, for example, probably don't need to be bothering with the module slots. They might not even know what modules are yet!
First-tier production machines with 0 module slots at normal quality, topping out at 5 (legendary):
- Assembling machine mk1
- Oil refinery
- Chemical plant
- Electric mining drill
- Pumpjack
- Centrifuge
- Lab
These machines are the gateways to quality and module slots for all machines. The first module-capable machines, with 2 slots at normal quality, topping out at 9:
- Assembling machine mk2
- Electric furnace
- Recycler
These high-level machines have 4 module slots at normal quality, and receive the highest bonus per quality level, topping out at 16 slots:
- Assembling machine mk3
- Rocket silo
Quality Takeover
Technologies obsoleted by quality:
- Artillery range
- Mining productivity
- Research speed
- Projectile damage
- Flammables damage
- Explosives damage
Quality module changes:
- mk2 gets a 6% speed penalty.
- mk3 gets a buff to 4% quality, but 7% speed penalty.
- mk2 and mk3 research costs increased to correlate with mk1 research cost.
- Legendary quality rareness is increased by 10x, to match its level jump from epic (2 levels).