Factorio Important Build & Production Ratios :: Power, Circuits, Science, Oil!

[@JukeboxParadise]

I was always so bad at ratios. Usually I build my factory and if something is missing I build something more to have some more resources that is needed. But holy moly... now I start to understand how these ratios work. I'm not that good at math. ^^ But it's ok. I can do other things much better. :) Thanks a lot for this helpful video.

[@Xterminator]

My pleasure. :) I completely understand, ratios and generally math stuff can be hard until you start to understand it and then it becomes a lot easier and can help a ton in-game with figuring out builds and such.

[@missamo80]

Love this. Please do cover smelting ratios, in particular the various furnace counts to saturate the different speed belts!

[@Xterminator]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed! :) Yeah, I'll definitely cover smelters and the furnace to belt ratios. In fact, the furnace counts to saturate belts was the primary reason I was thinking of to cover smelting. ;)

[@Zebitty]

This was really useful when it was current. Any chance of an updated version of this video?

[@BigMeanie69]

nigga just use this: factoriocheatsheet.com/

[@djherlockandfriends9973]

@@BigMeanie69 love you man

[@cenaloh4714]

@@BigMeanie69 i just found factorio few day ago and now can't stop playing! Thx bro, being searching this for a while now

[@Recon777x]

3:10 I actually paused to check my discord server on account of hearing your notification go off. :P

[@Xterminator]

Haha woops, sorry about that. Typically Discord will mute itself when I record cause of "streaming mod" but I guess that only applies when I use OBS, and this time I used FRAPS, so it decided not. lol

[@Recon777x]

I'd like it to mute when I watch movies. Thank goodness they put a "Do Not Disturb" option in the last update, eh?

[@rossblakeney2895]

Best explanation of oil ratios I've seen. Thanks!

[@Xterminator]

No problem! I'm glad the explanation was easy to understand. :)

[@jonmoore176]

Great tutorial! Thought I knew most of the ratios but there were a few in your vid I hadn't worked out particularly relating to belt compression

[@Xterminator]

Thanks! Happy to hear you learned a couple things from it. :)

[@Soulsphere001]

This video made me figure out a use for the reciprocal function. It took me a while, but I can now use it to figure out how long it takes to build something based on the efficiency.

[@Xterminator]

That's awesome! Will definitely come in handy. :D

[@Soulsphere001]

Yes, especially when using multiple factory efficiency values in one mini-factory.

[@Soulsphere001]

Oh, I also got some help for an equation that will tell you how many mining drills you need for your smelters. The ratio (number of furnaces):(number of mining drills) = (smelting per second) / (production per second) So, if you're using unmodified mining drills with unmodified electric furnaces, you take your smelting speed (4/7 ore per second) and divide that by your production speed (1/2 ore per second). (4/7) / (1/2) = (4/7) * (2/1) = 8/7 or 8:7 So you need eight mining drills for every seven electric furnaces.

[@theunmphaticpuma]

This video was awesome! really useful! I would love to see a video on how the different modules/beacons affect these ratios, or just how to design with modules/beacons in mind.

[@Xterminator]

Thanks! I'll definitely consider doing a video on modules/beacons and how to make correct ratio builds with them, etc. :)

[@Mpire101]

You really should have linked the factorio planner site: doomeer.com/factorio/ It gives the perfect ratio for any desired output rate for any item, even allowing custom settings for crafting speed and productivity boosts.

[@Xterminator]

Good point, I'll add it into the description. :)

[@DRY411S]

I like factorio.rotol.me which supports different game versions and some of the most popular mod packs. If you visit that link, you then need to go to the top right corner and tell it what version of the game you're using, then you're set.

[@grande1900]

call them factorials

[@kittylover3597]

thats awesome

[@beeninja2539]

Genius

[@Dienoth2000]

Any chance of an updated video for .15? Great job on all the vids! Enjoying them all as the game consumes my soul.

[@Xterminator]

Yup once I get time it's pretty high on my to-do list. :D

[@Davids6994]

every factorio player should watch this before playing

[@Xterminator]

That's quite a compliment. Thank you :) I wish I had seen something like before I started though, would of helped so much.

[@Griggers]

A good ratio for blue science i use is (all at 1.25 speed) 12x blue science with 8 red circuits + 1plastic + 1 copper wire and you also need 1 green circuit with 2 copper wires(but i prefer to import that)/ 5 Batteries/1 filter inserter wich works at half capacity and can share the normal inserter if you go with 6 green science/ and finally 11 steel/electric smelters for steel if you want to produce that close by

[@DRY411S]

Great video. I seem to remember MadZuri did a perfect oil ratio for pre-advanced oil processing. Something like 1 refinery then chemical plants 1 sulfur + 1 acid + 1 battery + 1 plastic +1 flamethrower fuel (for the heavy and light oil so they don't back up and kill the gas production.) Are there any ratios for the sulfur->acid->battery and sulfur->acid->purple circuit production?

[@sergeygorbunov7453]

I usually just stockpile the byproducts in tanks until I research advanced oil processing. For the ratios you asked, it is 5 sulfur to 2 acid to 25 batteries / 300 blue circuits.

[@Xterminator]

Yeah I think he showed off that build in one of our Workshop videos about oil. :) There are definitely ideal ratios for sulfur-acid-battery and the circuits as well. I will probably do a video just on covering that type of oil stuff in the near future sense this one has been so well received.

[@flatsun2132]

I have trouble setting up efficient blue science I'm always short something can you make a video for a complete lay out of the blue science with all the mats that goes into it ?

[@GeekinaCave]

you can also add this one: 1 chemical plant - sulfur : 1 chemical plant - sulfuric acid : 5 chemical plant - batteries, which is great if you wanna get the max production in laser turrets and accumulators with minimal waste.

[@DRY411S]

Is there a ratio for purple circuits too? They need acid.

[@Soulsphere001]

Do the math and you could probably figure it out. Then you can upload a video about it, or make a comment about it here or on the Factorio website.

[@ultraa19941]

Would be nice if you covered how many science labs you need to have if you have that kind of science setup

[@sergeygorbunov7453]

It depends on research, different researches require different amount of science packs per cycle

[@bluelightfox]

And there's also the tech that increases lab research rate. It's (mis)named lab efficiency for some reason, but what it effectively does is increase research speed and consequently science pack consumption rate although the late game tech also tends to have higher recipe times (which means lower science pack consumption rates). Basically, there's no perfect ratio of science pack assemblers to labs.

[@flora_76]

thanks for the video, man, great job

[@rodmongodwood]

half of this is history now xD will you be making a new version once you guys have figured out the new numbers?

[@Xterminator]

Yup most definitely! :)

[@JoakimOscarsson]

Could you explain how you got the boilder to steam engine ratio? I get the feeling that 14:10 only is to speed up the initial transient? Once it's stabalised, only 5-6 boilers seem to be active at a time with 10 steamies? Or am I missing something? :)

[@jackalopegaming4948]

Yes, you're missing something. Steam engines only output as much energy as the electrical network demands, so if the electricity needed is lower then only a few steam engines will work. The 14:10 ratio will have all 10 steam engines working if power demand equals or exceeds their full output. An example of this: If you have 10 steam engines, their maximum output is 5100 kW. If your electrical system only needs 2550 kW to be fully supplied then only 5 of those steam engines will turn on. If the electrical demand is 6000kW though, all 10 engines will be running flat-out because they can't meet that demand since their maximum output is 5100 kW.

[@Xterminator]

Jackelope explained it quite well! Just to add on to that, in regards to the boilers... The reason that only a few boilers seem to be active at time is probably because only a couple of your steam engines are active sense your not requiring much energy, per Jackalope's explanation. :) If you were requiring say 3/4 or more of the max output of your steam engines, 5-6 boilers would not be enough. The engines would only run at like 1/2 of their max, and you would have power issues. Having the 14 boilers insures that if all 10 engines need to run flat out they can do so. Hope that helps.

[@Hopewelljnjk]

Ill add on a bit of math for you as well. A boiler can convert 390 kW of fuel energy into heating water. A steam engine can convert 510 kW of "water energy" into actual electrical power. So a steam engine needs 510/390 = 1.301 boilers per engine to run at 100%. The max water a offshore pump can output is equal to the amount of water 10 steam engines eat. Therefore to run 10 steam engines at 100% efficiency you need 13.01 boilers. If you did 13 it would be 99% efficient but you wouldnt get max output so you need the 14th for that 1% output. That is where the ratio comes from.

[@Xterminator]

Jacob Jones Great explanation! I never actually did the math myself, but seeing it makes me a feel just a little bit better about the ratio. Haha When you show the math like that it definitely makes a lot more sense for anyone who is unsure. :)

[@cattman4237]

I saw in FFF 160 that some crafting speeds might change in 0.15 e.g. red circuits crafting speed 8 seconds to 6 seconds

[@Xterminator]

Yeah, that will throw things off a bit unfortunately. :/

[@cattman4237]

Xterminator; I think that the ratio will become 1:6 instead of 1:8 because notice that red circuits have a crafting speed of 8 seconds and we have 8 red circuit assemblers per wire assembler.

[@Xterminator]

Cattman423 Yeah that would be right. Luckily the math works out for it go in evenly for any multiplicative of 2.

[@cattman4237]

Xterminator; Actually I think that we will either need to wait for 0.15 or make a mod to test the new ratios so we can be prepared, because some quick mental math says that we'll have a surplus of cable with the 1:6 ratio, I'll work it out on paper in the morning

[@Xterminator]

Perhaps my brain is just dying (entirely possible), but when I do the mental math it seems that 1:6 would work out perfectly just like the 1:8. I could definitely be wrong though, so I'd be interested to hear what you come up with.

[@michael_v92]

good job!

[@Xterminator]

Thank you!

[@xXNeoPivXx]

Great video, thank you for the effort :D

[@Xterminator]

Thank you, and your welcome. :D

[@SateLight]

umm.. how about belts, underground belts, and splitters? ty

[@Xterminator]

How about them what? Like ratios for making them you mean?

[@lukemilne6922]

Hey Xterminator. What mod do you use to spawn resources continuously from a belt? And a few videos ago I saw a mod that added attack bots/tanks that auto attacked biter bases. Any chance you could link them? Cheers heaps, loving your videos always fun to watch and informative

[@Xterminator]

Hey, thanks! Glad you enjoy the videos. :) The mod for spawning infinite resources from belts is called Spawn Belt: mods.factorio.com/mods/barrykun/spawn-belt The other mod for auto attacking bases is the Robot Army Mod: mods.factorio.com/mods/kyranzor/robotarmy

[@lukemilne6922]

Xterminator - thanks heaps, keep the videos coming.

[@lukemilne6922]

Also another question - can you don video on train stations for 0.14. Particularly signals to make a PAX station work and also a train stacker. Can't seem to get it all to run smoothly and was wondering if you could show some of you're set ups for multiple trains

[@Xterminator]

Luke Milne I could give it a try, but trains are actually one of my weakest points in the game unfortunately. :/ Perhaps I will someone more experienced join me, like MadZuri or something. There are some excellent train tutorials out there though, particularly the one by ColonelWill and Xeteth.

[@lukemilne6922]

If you could it would be appreciated. I know MadZuri is a legend at trains, just can't seem to find a quick 20min tutorial on the updated train systems. Will have a look for ColonelWill and Xeteth's. Thanks again

[@thebrosquad7095]

I remember when you only had 2000 subs

[@Xterminator]

Nice! It seems so long ago, but also not that long ago at the same time. :)

[@ZantaRulez]

wouldnt the science ratios be differents since the lvl 2 assembler has a 0,75 crafting speed not 1?

[@Xterminator]

If you use all the same level assemblers in your build, you can use base rate ratios and be fine.

[@IRELANDSELITE]

More ratio vids please

[@Xterminator]

Definitely!

[@drxcu]

Could you make an upgrade Video for 0.15?

[@krentebol008]

13:00 ''and the time it takes this to crap'' :p Thanks for the vid! ;)

[@RamblingMaddGod]

Do you know anything about optimum Accumulators to Solar panels when doing a pure solar factory? I've seen different people doing math and claiming different numbers. I've mostly stuck with 7 panels to 6 accumulators which seems to work

[@Xterminator]

Damn, I should of added that Solar to Accumulator ratio into this video. I can't believe I forgot. Lol Sometimes you forget the most obvious things. Anyway, for your question. The most optimal ratio is .84 Accumulators per Solar Panel. So you can math it out from there based on how big of a layout you want. For example, it could be 100 panels and 84 accumulators, etc. Some people do prefer to use a .9 ratio though because in some cases the .84 ratio doesn't always provide enough power at night from accumulators.

[@RamblingMaddGod]

Thanks

[@azraelle6232]

That .84 ratio works out to be 21 accumulators for every 25 solar panels, just in case that makes it easier to understand.

[@jumpinjaggi8152]

Why not use blue factories for the red and green science packs?

[@Xterminator]

Because I'm a derp. :p I spent like an hour planning out stuff to make sure I wouldn't forget anything, and of course I forget this part. There isn't really a reason to not use blue assemblers, in fact you should definitely use them once you start making blue packs, that way all of them are using the same level assembler and the base rate production speed I mentioned will still apply. I just somehow forgot to mention that part. :/ I'll try to add in an annotation explaining that.

[@jumpinjaggi8152]

ok, cool

[@Sworn973]

Hey Xterminator, do you know the ratio for how many science labs to max out? I know there is a limit on the research speed but i don't know how to optimize that.

[@Xterminator]

Hmmm I didn't know there was a limit on research speed. I think that is only limited by the amount of packs you can produce to feed the labs. I mean I've seen people build like 500 science labs that all work together as long as there are packs being made to support them.

[@Sworn973]

really? Damm i probably miss understood something :'( kkk, ok then.

[@offtheball87]

It'd change depending on the research you're doing. There's no really optimal ratio. Some research takes 15 seconds per unit, others take 60.

[@Dale.Woodall]

just take the average of 30seconds per research item. your making your packs at 1 a second so make 30 labs. the belts will help balance this as well. they will backup the extra if your doing a longer research and then let that extra flow when doing a shorter one. ive also found that double this vids pack production is a good amount. 10x red 12xgreen 24x blue. the purple is a whatever to me. i drop more production if i see im running out.

[@Sworn973]

Yha, when i first asked that, i was thinking that is a Limit on the research speed, so when you reach this "top speed" doesn't matter how much labs you add, the speed won't change. But probably I miss understood something.

[@taffarelo33]

You guys are using mathematical models for this game??

[@Xterminator]

To an extent yeah. :P If you want to get really in-depth and accurate with ratios and stuff in Factorio there is quite a bit of math required.

[@taffarelo33]

Could you give me a example?

[@Xterminator]

Well figuring out ratios requires math, so does figuring out module and beacon production numbers. For example, figuring out the 3-2 ratio for green circuits, you would need to do some math to see how many cables a circuit requires, and then how many cables are made per cable recipe and the time each takes to make, etc. This is a very simple example and it gets much more complicated when you factor in higher speeds and productivity modules etc.

[@taffarelo33]

Start to think about and maybe someone have use a machine learning approach or a more sofisticated method to play this game.

[@DonaldMcDade]

Are these ratios still true after .17?

[@Xterminator]

Unfortunately not. I need to do a new version for 0.17 ratios when I get a chance.

[@TylerOstergaard]

so first of i'm such a noob at this game we will get that out of the way but with your green circuits here 10:11 your long inserter seems to be picking up 2 green circuits is that a mod or is that how they work normally? just wondering thanks for the info :)

[@PixelTheFerrox]

It's not a mod. When getting farther with research, you unlock stack inserters. After you have that done, you have the choice to research having the stack inserters pick up more items, but that research has a passive effect of giving non-stack inserters the ability to pick up more than one item. Hope that helps, kind of scatter-brained way of explaining it. Sorry!

[@TylerOstergaard]

NLxSniper lol no worries man makes sense thanks for explanation :)

[@PixelTheFerrox]

You are very welcome!

[@ryuucz960]

how do you make "creative mod ? :D

[@Xterminator]

You mean cheat mode? That's what I was using in this video. It's just a command: /c game.player.cheat_mode = true There is an actual Mod called Creative Mode though that lets you do a lot more stuff.

[@JDTeam]

for steam engines 2 18 13 is the best EDIT: 2 17 13

[@Xterminator]

JDTeam well it's another ideal ratio yeah. I don't really see it working better than than the 1-14-10 sense that ratio works 100%.

[@JDTeam]

for boilers to steam engine 17 13 is the best (17*390 = 6630 and 13*510 = 6630) and I allways have space for that extra pump

[@Hopewelljnjk]

In reality you are wasting over 50% of that second pump. 1:14:10 is the best single pump ratio or 3:40:30 is the best for ideal shoreline use.

[@winkieman666]

Will someone PLEASE do a vid on how to update a mod? I have tried doing it in "Notepad+++" and it just breaks the game so it won't even start... Don't understand what I am dong wrong.

[@Xterminator]

It depends what needs updating. If your just updating it go from like 0.13 to 0.14 then all you need to do is change the version of factorio it needs to run. You can do that from the info.json file in the mod's root folder. If you actually need to change code for part of it then I'm afraid I can't help, because I know nothing about modding. :/

[@winkieman666]

Ok, I give up.... can't figure it out, every thing I try just crashes the game...

[@Xterminator]

Winkie Man Damn. :/ Well my guess is that it's a mod that requires a more complex update than just changing something in the info.json file. Which mod is it you're trying to update?

[@winkieman666]

Well this time it is "fluid-barrel" and i am guessing it is because I am just too old for this stuff, seems like it should be easy but never works.

[@Xterminator]

Winkie Man Hmm for fluid barrel it should just need to have the required Factorio version changed in the .json file. If that isn't working though, you may need to replace it with a similar mod like OmniBarrels.

[@Rakkfalen]

Your oil cracking math does not include any heavy oil for lubricant.

[@Xterminator]

That is correct. Personally, I would suggest building a smaller separate refining setup to turn heavy into lubricant and then just send the petro and light into the rest of the system.

[@Rakkfalen]

Xterminator that would probably work better... I added a refinery to this layout to try to get that little extra bit and it threw all the ratios out of whack. :)

[@GinjaNinja32]

It also doesn't take into account that if you're making solid fuel, you significantly cut your output by cracking light to petroleum. For each 3 light oil, you get 2 petroleum from cracking, which gives you a single solid fuel; alternatively, by making solid fuel directly, you get 3 solid fuel for the same input. The same is not true of heavy oil, though; for 4 heavy oil you get 3 light oil, which gives 3 solid fuel, compared to 2 solid fuel directly. With no cracking at all, advanced processing will get you 7.75 solid fuel for each 10 crude; cracking heavy to light brings that to 8, but cracking everything to petroleum only gives 4.5.

[@Xterminator]

True it doesn't account for solid fuel, but honestly I'm not sure why you would want solid fuel for much. if you need a lot of it for power or something then I would personally just say build a separate build for it rather than making your petroleum output suffer from making it instead of cracking.

[@Shiznoz222]

Wheeeeee

[@Xterminator]

Shiznoz222 wut?

[@Shiznoz222]

hi?

[@supercables251]

Stop explaining why the ratios work, just tell us them. the only reason people are watching your video is because they trust you.

[@Xterminator]

That's dangerous business then. I guess we are just different then. I like to know why something works the way it does rather than just being told the answer and assuming the person giving it to me is always right.

[@supercables251]

I like to know how stuff works to, it's just that i came for the video because i knew how stuff like the power plant works, i just wanted the ratio; like if you ask me for the voltage rating of an LED and i responded with a lesson on the structure of the led, how it works, and tossed the rating in the middle. Remember that people watching these videos aren't looking for a tutorial, good video still; i just wish it was shorter and more like a reference manual.

[@Xterminator]

Fair enough I suppose. I just figured that if people already knew how all this stuff actually works that they wouldn't need a video to tell them the ratio, but I do see your point. In the future I'll do it a bit differently, and give the ratio first and then explain why it works that way.