Using external blueprint generator
3 years ago

Can external blueprint generator be used in speedruns where blueprints are allowed?

Let me explain why I ask. This could be handy if example we have mining patch and place we need to connect it. Then we can just use software which will generate belt blueprint between those. Of course we cannot read it from game memory put we can bluprint patch and place where the connection should be and then export it and put it in program and then get bluprint string back and import it in game.

If voting is required then let's do it. It would be lot of work for nothing if this kind of software is made but not aloud. I also think that this will make 100% category more interesting.

Germany

Personally I would consider this a tool assisted speedrun and therefor not eligible for submissions.

Gaming_64 and teksturi like this
United Kingdom

I agree that getting a program to generate blueprint codes during a run for your specific situation would not be allowed, and even if it was the program would have to be made available to everyone running the game for fairness.

However, (correct me if i'm wrong) i don't see any reason why you wouldn't be allowed to get a program to generate them in a practice run and save the strings for use in a later run if you get the same situation - provided that you would normally be allowed external blueprint strings in that category

teksturi likes this
Centre, France

I feel like the general policy of not allowing both imported blueprint and set seed is precisely to prevent the use of blueprint fitted specifically to a map, and I kind of support the idea.

So I'd expect using BP generated by a tool during the run to be considered tool assisted and would probably vote so if it's ever voted.

That being said, I also love tool assisted runs and more generally tools for factorio, and I can see how this stance of mine means one less incentive to develop tools. I guess one solution would be for Wube to put recursive blueprint into the base game :D

Yeah. I get it now also. Not so good idea :D It is so true that if blueprints and map seed is allowed same time it will totally ruin the game. Then we can just make circuits that will turn on/off different things in base and everything will be made automatically by bots when we get them. Of course that would still be impressive but not a good speedrun.

Edited by the author 3 years ago

You don't really need it for 100%. Your imported blueprints will work fine.

Even with the very silly rule 100% doesn't use a set seed.

It's silly because unless you disable preview as an option you can just keep previewing until you find a map close enough to your practiced seed. On a 6 hour run, the 10 minutes you take would obviously be worth it.

It's a hurdle that doesn't add much except something for viewers to get annoyed by and skip over.

Perhaps using an agreed upon community seed would be a better idea. It ensures the playing field is even and removes the annoyance factor.

Not much in the way of submissions on 100%, which is probably why no one has bothered worrying about this.

edit: lol, looking at nefrums run he doesn't seem to be including the many previews he likely did before he arrived at his final map. I guess the rule is the timer starts on the last regeneration you do.

So, yeah, the rule really does nothing then. With megapatches you really have a lot of margin for error.

Also keep in mind, that the big improvement in speedrun time for 100% will come from using incremental blueprints. So in truth, you probably don't even want to just throw down one big blueprint even if you could.

You want to use incremental blueprints as it allows you to manage bots intelligently, something the speedrunners are finally catching onto.

If you're thinking about a tool to create, make one which can take a blueprint and split it up into sub-blueprints. I have some lua code which helps doing this, basically it allows you to insert entities into a set of blueprints.

This allows you to have say 10 blueprints of basically the same thing, but b1 is a subset of b2 which is a subset of b3 .. up to b10. The code assists such that if you change b1, it will insert the entity into blueprints b2 -> b10.

Once completed, I number them carefully in my BP book and they're very straightforward to just paste in during gameplay.

This is great for such things as putting down support structures first (power, belt, robotports, mini-malls, logistics chests, etc) and then the larger build afterwards. The massive improvements to productive curves are really impressive when you do this.

This is because bots placement intelligence is inscrutable in realtime gameplay. Missing a key belt or power pole means that your production may not occur until 100% placement occurs. If you use incremental blueprints, you'll ensure that support structure is built first.

There are other reasons as well, but I'm really getting away from your main point.

And towards that point, try not to worry about the rules here. I think you'll find speedrunning immensely more enjoyable if you don't turn it into a source of external validation.

Also, they openly admit a lot of the rules and categorization are geared towards getting twitch / youtube views. If that's your goal to, then go crazy I guess.

Edited by the author 2 years ago

i think it allowed in "New Game+" variations. Write in descriptions what this thing was used; it not breaks rules as writen.

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