Random No Crafting Ruleset (RNCR) Update 3

Start Location: Rocky Desert

Hours: 424

Vanilla Rating: 95%

With the release of Update 3 to the Experimental branch I needed to learn all the new things now that fluids were added to the game. I chose to use the RNCR style to bring it up to date.

Overview

This playthrough helped me learn all about Update 3 while it was in the experimental branch. While Update 3 had introduced the Dune Desert as a new start location, I had actually played at this location in a community multiplayer save on release day. With that in mind I decided to start at the Rocky Desert as I had never performed a start there.

I tried to spread out a bit more in this playthrough and build for expansion. I focused heavily on load balancing production lines that could be expanded as newer conveyor belt speeds were unlocked. 

Quarter Pipe foundations were introduced in Update 3 and I made use of them originally for tractor tunnels to transport steel ingots and copper ingots back to base. These were later converted to train tunnels as I expanded to collect more resources. However over time I found that the amount of foundations required to implement such a network eventually take a toll on saving and loading of the map.

This is also the first central storage I implemented when Overflow was added to Smart Splitters and Programmable Splitters. This was a snaking design I created which was created 100% in-game using the circle technique. I did however load the save file in SCIM and create the required shape first, I did this so I could identify key locations to stand when creating the shape in-game.

Before Overflow was introduced, major parts of the factories would lay dormant when their storage containers become full. When I implemented Overflow on all my production lines, the factory was always running as excess was going to the sink. It become apparent that this can also have a negative performance impact on the game, especially in locations where vertical production lines several floors high required many CPU calculations to be performed.

There is a 5% vanilla penalty with this playthrough. It was the first map I introduced “Your Name Here $95” signs in game, yes I was selling in-game advertising. This was when I became a full time streamer and I was thinking up ways I could create revenue. I sold my first sign on day one, a second sign was sold many months later when I revisited the save for the 3.6 Fluid Update.

With the 3.6 Fluid Update I revisited this save to play with the new Mk. 2 pipes and the Packager machine. This is where my signature Pack-O-Matic 5000 diluted fuel setup was born. In addition to this, I created a Nuclear Reactor facility in the Grass Fields with 3 x reactors overclocked to 250%. The entire production process of 1.2 Nuclear Fuel Rods p/m was created above the reactors and ONLY required 1 x Mk. 5 conveyor belt, all required ore would fit on the belt at just under 780 p/m. This did however require programmable splitters and overflow to be used extensively. I was very happy with how this solution turned out.

However as I completed the final production lines of Turbo Motors and Batteries performance was significantly impacted. On loading the save, the 3 x reactors would go offline almost immediately however pulling the power lever would bring everything back online (no exceeding power capabilities). Furthermore we found that standing in a specific location on the second top floor would reduce FPS to 10-ish and would also cause the 3x reactors to go offline. Ultimately this signaled the end of this playthrough.

 

Save File

 

Map Update 3 World
Published on Feb 12, 2020