.. highlight:: none .. default-role:: py:obj .. py:currentmodule:: factoriocalc Comparison to Other Tools ------------------------- FactorioCalc provides similar functionally (although with a different interface) to many other tools, including `Max Rate Calculator `_, `Factory Planner `_, and `FactorioLab `_. Max Rate Calculator ................... FactorioCalc can analyses most blueprint and determine what they produce. This provides similar functionally to in game tools such as `Max Rate Calculator `_ and `Rate Calculator `_. It is admittedly less convenient to use, but is able to take account that some machines will not running 100% of the time, therefore making it more accurate. Note that FactorioCalc can't analyses blueprint that smelt more then one type of item (for example a steel factory that starts with iron ore) due to the lack of recipe information in the blueprint. Factory Planner ............... FactorioCalc provides similar functionally to the `Factory Planner `_ mod and `Helmod `_, however the interface is very different. Like Factory Planner, FactorioCalc let's you build your factory by specifying the recipes you want to use and letting the solver figure out how many machines you need. In FactorioCalc you specify what you want symbolically, as Python code. This gives you far more flexibility than any GUI can provide. FactorioLab ........... FactorioCalc provides similar functionally to `FactorioLab `_ via the `produce` function, but it works slightly differently. When there are multiple choices of recipes that can be used `produce` requires you to specify which one you want, rather than just chose one based on some metric. This gives you more control over the process. FactorioLab will work with most mods. However, I found using it with Space Exploitation a frustrating experience mid-game as it kept using recipes that where not researched yet and I gave up trying to blacklist them all. The `produce` function can be made to work with mods that don't have too many choices for recipes such as Krastorio 2, but this has not been done yet. `produce`, as it is currently written, is unlikely to ever work well with more complex mods such as Space Exploration, but I do not see that as a downside as with so many choices it is easier to build your factory by combining the recipes you want to use, and letting the solver figure out how many machines you need.