factory catalyst goods

[poppo]

Hi!

I want to add "catalyst" goods.

• Factories can work without supply of catalyst goods
  
• Catalyst goods boost factories produce (like electricity,passenger and mail)
  

I suggest three patterns to add catalyst goods:

• add new desc type "factory_catalyst_desc_t", which has same flag as factory_supplier_desc_t and boost ratio.
  
• when factory_supplier_desc_t's consumption==0, we treat it as catalyst. (but we need boost ratio and consumption ratio for catalyst)
  
• we add "catalyst number", which supplier goods number is larger than catalyst number, these goods are treated as catalyst. (but we need boost ratio)
  

Here, I paste the patch with version 1 (add factory_catalyst_desc_t)factory_catalyst.patch.

[prissi]

I think this is a very interesting change. However, I am currently on holiday and not really have time to review and test such big changes.

Moreover, one needs also discuss how and when the factory builder builds those catalysts. Otherwise they will never appear other than if they are part of another chain.

Maybe like the distribution wieght for normal factories, or just with less retrys?

[poppo]

if we add factory_catalyst_desc_t, we can define distribution weight.

[prissi]

But the factory builder is not yet aware of those factories ...

[poppo]

The factory builder and factory connect method can be same as current factory_supplier_desc_t. The only differnce is "factory can make production goods without eat catalyst goods".

I'm assuming that catalyst goods' connection method is same as supplier desc, and eating method (consumption) is similar to electricity.

[prissi]

But the current factory builder does not build such factories unless I have misinterpreted this patch.

[Václav]

Well, if I understand correctly, may it be that in agricultural industry, good equivalent to fertilizers (manure, urea or so) could be sent to farms to increase production. This (sometimes) would be good - rather than electricity.
But on other hand, for simulation of classic catalysators (that allow to reaction would run, at all), you can simply use one more source good even now. But I am not sure if this is what is really needed in this game.
Opinion based on playing of other similar games:

Simutrans is about traffic simulation, not about indsutry simulation (like Industry Giant by JoWood or so). And even in Industry giant nothing like catalyst goods is used (even if more than one good is used for production, like in Simutrans).

So, for this I am not sure if this is good idea (excepting case of fertilizers for agricultural industry as booster instead electricity).

[poppo]

Currently, factories can produce when more than one supplier goods comes. So, we cannot treaet non-necessarily required goods, e.g. fertilizers for farmers.

These are intended for use as agricultural fertilizers, food for factory cafeterias, and electronic components for increasing production, among other applications.

Furthermore, since this good is not directly necessary for industrial production, designating goods that do not yet exist in the industrial network will not affect the production network.
When the era setting is enabled, designating goods that do not appear until a later era as "catalyst goods" allows you to simulate increased production resulting from the evolution of fertilizers or technological advancements in electronic components.

[Andarix]

...
When the era setting is enabled, designating goods that do not appear until a later era as "catalyst goods" allows you to simulate increased production resulting from the evolution of fertilizers or technological advancements in electronic components.

This method of increasing the intensity has actually existed for a very long time, it just doesn't work effectively.

https://simutrans-germany.com/wiki/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=en_FactoryDef&no_bl=y#Parameters_for_permanent_production_increase_in_version_REAL_GT_110.0.1_

german forum thread