MANIFOLD vs LOAD BALANCING!! in Satisfactory

[@ItsBitz]

So what do you run in your playthrough, Do you use Manifold, Load Balancing, or Both and why? Before people let me know, YES! I could have split 270 into 3x90 lines and then split them into 9x30 Lines, the reason for my explanation was to show other methods you can use to help you with the process

[@theNERDYwhiteBOYS]

I used to use load balancing before I understood how a manifold system actually works. After a few years of load balancing, though, I realized a manifold system has more upsides than downsides and began using it as my primary method of feeding the machines

[@Elmachtronic]

That load balance was wrong. If you split ores 3 way and each way in to next 3 ways it will make 9 smelters. 3x3 ;) so it isn't like you must do special stuff for that. But for more wierd stuff that come later in game much better is that Manifold system.

[@ItsBitz]

@@Elmachtronic The purpose of me doing that was to explain for the later game and other methods of helping your balance load

[@chewysnack28]

I usually use manifold because I generally play to let my brain melt not explode into fire lol.

[@SwedetasticGames]

I typically use Load Balancing for things like Coal Power, and manifolds for nearly everything else.

[@CommentPositionInformer]

So, let me see if I get it: Manifold: -Much simpler to setup -Much easier to expand -Production is tied to belt capacity, so no overflow is required -Much more space efficient Load Balancing: -Cool looking -No grace period where you wait for each consecutive machine to fill

[@ItsBitz]

EXACTLY!!

[@balsy]

i actually did my first playthrough with straight load balancing. the numbers were easy for me, but the room to make things look nice and compact were insane to do

[@squallstopher608]

I spent literal hours trying to figure out how to balance some of my lines. It didn't even occur to me that I could just under-clock some of my machines. This was very informative, thanks.

[@finnmitdrein2956]

Thank you so much! When I started the game, I only did Load Balancing, because other systems never occurred to me. I would spend not only 6 hours but half of my first playthrough just doing nothing, staring at my factory and figure out how to split, rejoin and then split the belt again so that it would fit and then I repeated it everytime I had to expand. But Manifold ist so much easier and more convenient to use and it makes planning so much more enjoyable. Although it looks kind of messy, but after trying both, I think Manifold is the way to go.

[@sirgouki6207]

Load Balancing is what we mostly use in Factorio. This gave me the idea to try doing a Manifold setup in Factorio to see how it'd work (I imagine not well since we use Load Balancing for a reason there).

[@StAjoraGames]

TBF we also have access to multiline balancers which Satisfactory probably won't ever have or even need.

[@markriemslagbaas]

Nice explanation on the different types of loading your machines. For your solution on the load balancing, I would have split the 270 line into 3 times 90 and then 3 times 30. Would save you a couple of splitters and all the hassle of the smart splitter. (I do get the need for the example though)

[@ItsBitz]

Hey bud i placed it in the pinned message, to explain my reasoning behind it

[@stanco3500]

Awesome video , well explained . My personal request would be if you could do one about fluids as well.

[@ItsBitz]

Noted! Thanks

[@bob8mybobbob]

I use both. Manifold is my default, but I’ll use load balancing for aesthetic reasons or just to change things up. A lot of times load balancing required giant swaths of belts running the same material, and I love to stand and watch everything going in unison. Or setting up yet another smelting facility sounds boring, so I’ll load balance to require a different layout. Using a smart splitter to slough off the excess from a full belt is something I’ve never used before, but is a great idea! I appreciate a fellow “use the slowest belt” player. Just using the fastest belt is certainly easier, but when they aren’t moving very much it just looks like an empty belt where something occasionally whips by, and I prefer getting to see the items moving around my factory. Plus it’s easier to diagnose if something is wrong. If any belt above mk 1 isn’t at least roughly half full, you know something upstream isn’t producing enough.

[@LordKnightcon]

As a couple people have mentioned, you can reduce the "heat up" time on a manifold production line by running belts with materials on them and preloading the machines in order. This gets trickier the deeper you get into production as you may not have easy access to full stacks of some of the composite materials. I think the most important takeaway for people is that both setups are capable of being 100% efficient, and they both have their uses. It largely depends on personal preference.

[@David.Bourgeois]

I used to set up load balanced designs, until I learned of the manifold system. The heating up period can make one unsure of their calculations, but once it's fully operational, it's really nice to use and right, expand on it ! And its compact footprint makes it convenient as well ! I've also tried to have a manifold one way with mergers at the smelters' exits that go up with a lift to another manifold that goes the opposite way with splitters to feed constructors. I kinda like it. Thanks @Bitz for reminding me of the Smart Splitter overflow parameter, I've never really experienced with it, but will definitively will !

[@mkaleborn]

Beautifully done sir! It’s interesting to remember how I ‘grew’ in my Satisfactory skill and knowledge. School of hard knocks and lots of inefficient designs (and many power outages!). Over time knowing when to use manifolds and load balancing became a big part of the fun of designing factories. Getting deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole of maxing efficiency, throughput and design aesthetics. Love this game!

[@xluckless]

Don't know if anyone already commented this, but the example you showed at 12:30 can be done much simpler with just 2 splitters. 120 will be split 60/60 and then you can use the 60 and split the other 60 in 30 and 30.

[@ItsBitz]

Indeed, and this was poorly said by me in the video, back when i recorded this.. I did state in another video, but my intention was to show people other ways, thats all

[@monolyth2191]

Manifold systems also work very well with vertical setups as well if you want to reduce your horizontal footprint. You can attach vertical conveyors to the outside of the splitters along your highway belt to bring product up to more smelters that can sit on another story above. Then typically what I do is I rejoin all of the product using the same manifold system and then distribute it to a bunch of constructors in the same manner. You can make some very compact and modular setups doing this.

[@bob8mybobbob]

I also do semi-load balanced. For example: if I need to split a line into five I might split it once in half, then split one half in two and the other half in three. It's not truly load balanced, but it takes less time to get all the machines producing semi-regularly. And it's a way to experiment with build styles without the headache of balancing everything perfectly.

[@Poke-ladd]

Honestly I was confused with manifold and how it works as I didn’t like it when my machines are too full or maxed out of a required item like iron ore but I see that now it’s helpful

[@ItsBitz]

Glad it helped!

[@boamorte6497]

Nicely explained sir, manifold all the way for me with the right design so much easier to expand

[@brunothehumble]

The load balance systems are my go to method of building the systems in my game. My brother and I created a system we like to call a Medusa. In effect we build each system where the input and the output both come to the center of the complex. The ultimate inputs are typically maxed out miners of raw ore being supplied and the output is the product of whichever system. Obviously we have to modify it slightly for the higher level systems like recipes that go through the assemblers and manufacturers and will sometimes build a low level Medusa to supply one or more high level systems with items like rods or plates. It makes for a remarkably compact footprint for a maxed out mark five belt of product. It doesn’t always work perfectly but it does give us stunningly high outputs to permit for some massive building projects without worrying about running out of products to build with.

[@RothAnim]

Good explainer! This made me realize some silly mistakes I was making, such as using load balancing for coal and a manifold for pipes, then wondering why my coal power plant startup was so rocky. Using the smart splitter for overflow is something I also need to use more of.

[@haruka3203]

Bitz! You should try out Factorio, it's another factory game just like Satisfactory except everything is in 2D, and you always get that "top down view", but it gets even more complex than Satisfactory!

[@katharinapeters6710]

i am using both systems in my most recent world depending on what i am trying to automate. predominantly manifolds and most of my load balanced setups are using overflow sinks so they are not working on 100% resource efficiency but that's alright. i instinctively went with load balancing when i first started the game and it brought me to the point of tears multiple times because i just could not figure out how the more complicated recipes are to be set up and i had no idea about smart splitters to regulate overflow. i felt so stupid that i dropped the game for about a year until i stumble upon this channel and decided to give it another try after watching a few of your vids. i don't think that i would have picked it up again or learned to actually play it without this channel.

[@Miss_Trillium]

You can also use manifold with smart splitters if you want power to fluctuate a little less--left would be ore, straight would be overflow--repeat. Doing so means you won't have something at the end only sometimes kicking on, but rather in an off state until it is needed and ready to go. This is better if you need high efficiency--mainly if you're starting a new power plant and desperately need the power *now*

[@wild_lee_coyote]

One little tip on load balancing, you are working on 1/2 or 1/3 ratios depending on if you are using 2 or 3 belts. I do suggest you are family related with them as some of the later recipes may require back feeding of resources or balancing outputs. Like the recycled rubber and plastic requires a back feed of some of the product as feed stock for the conversion. Or say you want to balance 2 pure nodes and 1 normal nodes so they all the belts have a balanced output of equal amounts. Manifolds are nice but load balancing has its place too.

[@ravenhawk9999]

I primarily use manifolds, but for larger manifolds I'll also periodically inject via a merger more material from another belt if the demand for that stage of my production chain needs more than one belt of material.

[@Degenerecy]

From my understanding, manifold can cause the last smelter to tick on and off, for fractions of a second which as I recall from ImKibitz causes framerate issues or engine issues when you scale up. Something to do with the power fluctuating and stuff, however this was before they changed power(coal factories ran only to provide 'enough' power, now they run 100% all the time).

[@Degenerecy]

To add, this was also a few major patches ago. Since then they have upgraded the engine and changed rendering of machines at a distance(they used to always be 'loaded' in memory even off screen). That all being said I still load balance and not worry about under clocking. Under clocking works best in large scale to lower power consumption. I use modular power mod so I don't have any power issues since that mod, while more complex, solves all those issues behind power use.

[@SanarySeggnete]

In the same time, Load Balancing can cause the whole energy generator factory to tick on and off if you don't supply enough resources to the factory, which can be more troublesome than one smelter switch on and off (Imagine 30 generators or so all turn off in sync, blow your fuse just because one wrong calculation in supply speed) In Manifold case, only 1 or 2 generators would be off due to lack of supply.

[@pndb2016]

Yes, I've seen instances where the last one or two smelters or other production ticks on and off, as the incoming resource sometimes makes it there a fraction of a second too late to keep things running continuously. I usually fix it by taking a couple of extra of that resource from storage or handcrafting them and dropping them into the end units' inventories to provide a tiny buffer. You don't have to completely fill the smelter/etc. ... just a few extra in its input inventory is usually enough to stop that on/off ticking for the length of the game.

[@chrysshart]

I use load balancing because I really enjoy figuring out how to perfectly balance my machines in a way that is both aesthetically pleasing and modular. When I scale up, I just add another floor and split the incoming belt rather than re-tooling everything. That said, I tend to just hand-build everything I need to get to Mk 3 belts (apart from miners and Space elevator parts) before really getting into factory-building. I still only have about 350 hours in so I'm still doing that whole "get really far, learn a ton of stuff, restart so you can implement the new ideas" thing. Now that I have a better understanding of how manifolds work, though, I plan to start implementing them a little more where it would be more useful.

[@andrewboardman1113]

Ive been trying to load balance straight of the bat, its hell, im so glad you've introduced me to manifold.

[@Draco.Invictus]

a 1 to 9 load balance is very clean with 270 as you set up 3 sets of 3 smelters each set being fed 90 ore on a 120 belt. It would only use 4 splitters. I know that we were using 9 smelters as an example, but I just wanted to mention at for this instance, load balance would actually take less resources than a manifold (regarding splitters).

[@peartree1394]

This video was perfect timing , just yesterday I was trying to find a video explaining these splitter strategies. Thanks for this video and congrats on 15k subs

[@knexfan0011]

The one situation where I consistently use load balancing is nuclear processing. By load balancing every radioactive item, you prevent the buildup of full stacks of radioactive items in each machine, thereby reducing the radiation around the production buildings and reducing the rate at which iodine infused filters get used while near those buildings.

[@Jesiah_Darnell]

This is so helpful, I didn't even know manifolds were a thing

[@mcmave]

Thanks Bitz, this was a great explanation! Loved the moment when you tried to explain something, forgot, remember and smirked in the process (there was a little cut in the video). It doesn't have to be clean, but that smirk did it for me. Lastly; loadbalancing is fun to play with, but it isn't very scalable. I'm using the manifold line with a belt for the excess items for tickets (if needed). It is a win win situation imo (like you did with the megabuild in U5 with the sushibelt). Mandatory emoji:

[@LiLBitsDK]

great little video and thanks for pointing out that when the manifold is filled up it pretty much works like a load balancer since they don't take more than they need... personally I always just fill them up before starting machines

[@whatguy05]

What I would like to see is a "torture" playthrough: unlocking everything in each tier, but ONLY automating the space elevator parts and oil-based parts ('cause you can't hand-craft them), and even then, only hand-feeding and/or removing the items to the machines (fluids can't be carried unless packaged, but you still gotta unpackage them to use them in most cases). Also: Only Biomass Burners, no automatic power.

[@Kinitawowi]

I prefer load balancing whenever possible; the big issue with manifolds is the lag time in fill up, which with some low production and demand ingredients can take forever - if I'm sending 60 encased beams to 6 manufacturers for heavy frames, it'll be hours before the manifold (ignoring all the ingredients' other prerequisites) catches. On the other hand, manifolds are great for simplicity - they expand easily, they don't eat as much space, they're probably the best way if your belts are full and fast enough, and you don't need to worry about how to make a 7 way splitter work. So the answer is, obviously, both. Need stuff to go into 30 assemblers? Balance it six ways and manifold the last five. On manifolds - I think the splitter internal buffer means the answer is yes, but does the highway belt need to be kept at the top level all the way down? If you're sending 270 to 9*30, after five machines it'll be down to 120 and could theoretically drop a belt.

[@SanarySeggnete]

For a long time, i use both If i want to build a compact factory for a single type of item, i use load balancing heavily, specially the liquid, abuse the water tower mechanic, everything progress from bottom to the top If i want a massive factory to mass product a large number of various items, came from numerous resources, I use Manifold. And believe me, if you build a load balancing factory all by yourself, and it works perfectly (Normally, you need to fix thousands of miscalculation before it work flawlessly), it's a pure Satisfactory

[@chilversc]

I find load balancing most important for coal power, where you don't want a long start up time to reach full power. You can also have hybrid with a spine at say 270 or 480 splitting into 60 belts. Then the 60's only need to split once to get 30/30.

[@mackp666]

Ive actually gotten into Load balancing as a first thought but have found manifolds can have their rightful prupous. Nice Haircut Bitz! thanks for the vids. Do Moar React Vids, its easy content bro.

[@bekonzjajem7702]

With smelters, I would use a different load balancing system, an 'upgraded Manifold'. It is a basic Manifold system, but each mk1 belt going off the main line is being split between 2 smelters. So every mk1 belt supplies 2 smelters. It can be easily expanded and all smelters are receiving 30ore/min.

[@BigHudd1]

This is awesome. I'd never seen a manifold system before and I was working on upgrading my factory last night and it was the load balancing one and a headache. Switching to manifold now

[@danielskrivan6921]

Another option for getting 9 perfect split is to have 3 outputs from each splitter instead of 2. Another option for 60/30/30 is to split once for 60/60, and split one a second time for 60/30/30.

[@ItsBitz]

Indeed i posted my reason for the explanation in the pinned message

[@FernandesTiago]

Thanks for doing it! You always hive a high quality content!

[@ItsBitz]

Thank you so much Fernandes

[@TheFinagle]

I have seen manifold vs load balance, and standard manifold vs smart manifold videos, but not seen anyone do a comparison of all 3 in one video. Personalty I like and stick to Smart manifolds because I always want as many machines locked at 100% production as possible, and usually have more machines than I have supply for so whichever resource is limited will decide how many machines run 100%, and the last active machine will be running at some on/off cycle and machines past that are just not running.

[@MindResonator]

I do the same. I have variable rate production lines, so a smart manifold is by far the best option. There's also the benefit that you can either feed from the start of the line of machines when overflowing down the manifold, or start filling from the far end of the line by overflowing into the machines. This allows feeding different items from opposite ends of a production line keeping the feeds synchronised. I'm so happy with the Copy Paste function for smart/programmable splitters added in Update 6 😁

[@Razgrize-nc7fs]

Love your vids blitz!!! just getting into coal power, the load balancing and manifold are hella usefull, tbh i think i have abit of both, i use a main 'highway' for my resources, but then load balance splits from that for specific things (like coal being split for power and for steel), your builds are insane and your approach to this game is very calming and logical, much appeal to my brain that likes to go brrrrrrr a little too often

[@slappyfordaddy]

I did a load balance play last year and it was so stressful and i legit went mad at times. i had whole diagrams drawn out. Diary's full of equations of what i had coming in what was being used and so on. was great in the way that once i had finished a section of my factory and i knew it was running at 100% and load balanced but the extra time it took was insane

[@AbsoluteHuman]

You can balance 9 belts pretty easily with 1 splitter and then 3 all outputting on three belts each tho. Either way, I feel like the place to do fine load balance is when you have some very expensive slow producing items and long belts that will take an eternity to backlog.

[@ItsBitz]

Check the pinned message my dude!

[@AbsoluteHuman]

@@ItsBitz oh ok sorry, my first comment was redundant then 😅

[@BigRigginRoger]

if you're ever up to it, i'd like to see an advanced load balance system for those oddball numbers, this was a great beginners guide for load balancing

[@SigmaSixSoftware]

TotalEclipse made one that shows how to load balance 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc it requires feedback but it works

[@leifgunnartoth8070]

I allways set up smelters and constructors in 3s, making sure I allways produce more than what the machines need. If I need 100 on an item, I build enough machine to create at least 100, without over- or underclocking. I like to see lines full, that means I'm producing enough.

[@SirHackaL0t.]

The example of 8 smelters for the load balancing is easy to do for 9. Split the first into 3 and then each of those into 3. That gives 9!

[@ItsBitz]

Yep, i explain why in my pinned message

[@SirHackaL0t.]

@@ItsBitz I haven’t seen that. Was watching the video - it is KZbin after all. :)

[@rohbust56]

i feel like manifolds are better for production lines, but load balancing is better for energy, coal gens, nuclear power plants, etc cuz if u use a manifold with power plants you'll only get one, and the last few will fluctuate, and you mightn't be able to keep the right amount of power to fuel the rest of them and then your stuck with 1.5 coal gens and 3 overclocked biomass burners... i know this is specific i just have early game ptsd

[@skun406]

I always do the manifold. It takes a while to saturate, but it's very easy to spend several hours doing something else. There's always something else to do in Ficsit.

[@parkercole6389]

I'm relatively new to Satisfactory, and the iner OCD demon in me went straight to a load balancing system without even knowing the name of that system, and It has been a brain melting, headache inducing, nightmare to deal with 😅😅😅 I've already torn everything down and built it back up twice thinking "okay, THIS time I got it!" Only to realize 9hrs in, something was off... I'm gonna try a manifold system now 😅

[@ogulcanalp8671]

As a new player I wasn't able to come up with a solution to perfectly split my 300/min iron ore output into 10 smelters with load balancing. Thanks to this guy now I can sleep peacefully.

[@lighthawk99]

I personally do a combination of load balancing and manifolds. If the final number is a power of 2 or 3, I will load balance. Anything else or if I am under space constraint, I will use a manifold.

[@christopherhall5361]

when I set up a manifold to say, smelters, I usually put a stack of ore in the smelters so the conveyor system becomes saturated much sooner

[@nostrum6410]

manifold, load balancing becomes a nightmare as your base grows

[@caesaraugustus8281]

Excellent video and description of the two terms. I never knew the difference, and i've got a little over 300 hours on Satisfactory. I actually use a mix of the two styles depending on what i'm doing but I never really thought about it. I never apply math to anything in the game I just build instinctively and let me tell you building a huge turbo fuel power plant (25k Mw) that produces all of my plastic and rubber in one place........was nuts. lol Had to build a yeety cannon to get to it from every other site because it was always going off line! Finally got it perfectly balanced so on to nuclear!!!!

[@GeoguessrTips]

do you need smart splitters for manifolds? sorry if this is a dumb question im kinda new, thanks!

[@joshuafreer564]

Another great informational video thank you bitz!

[@ItsBitz]

Your Very Welcome Josh!!

[@vanher282]

That was super easy to understand. What about using all outputs from splitters? For example 270(?) line into 3x90 and those lines into 3x30? I don't play the game so I don't know how it would look size wise etc.

[@ItsBitz]

Hey Vanher, I put the answer to that in the pinned message, in case people asked why I did not use that. But you are correct that is a way it can be done

[@DecodedWasTaken_]

I wish i knew how to build like you do. You're amazing btw love ur vids!

[@goodisnipr]

The question about power: Is overclocking cheaper on MW than building extra buildings? Qty of buildings: Clock Setting on each building: Power Consumed Each: Power Consumed Total: 2 100% 4MW 8MW 4 100% 4MW 16MW 2 200% 12.1MW 24.2MW so it's cheaper on your power grid to just build the extra buildings. And because of entropy, this is realistic. I've been hearing that update 7 will do something to the power consumption of overclocking and I'm against the idea of making a machine at 200% use 8MW because that's just not accurate to reality. For a vehicle in reality to travel 2x faster, the power consumed must increase 4x. Satisfactory is being generous by making it only increase 3x.

[@andmos1001]

I use load balancing for electricity, where you need to get power as fast and efficent as possible

[@sharkking9679]

Manifold does it in most situations. For coal powerplant (or other buildings that need to use a steady ammount of ressources) Load balancing makes sense because with manifold the last ones barely can get enough ressourcesif you have same ammount on one belt that is used in all buildings.

[@bob8mybobbob]

When I’m building a coal power plant I’ll either have a miner running to storage or throw down some portable miners (depending on if I have power or not), and then when I turn everything on I’ll fill all the generators by hand. After that everything runs smoothly, even with super long manifold lines.

[@morgan5941]

Just connect power first, coal second and let it fill your plants while you're doing the water. You'll get buttery smooth power from the get-go.

[@Paladwyn]

I always use manifold systems but my issue is crippling. I try to build for the future instead of the present, to minimize rebuilding later on. This causes me to factor in and calculate for things that aren't relevant right now and getting overwhelmed with numbers. So I've been trying to avoid that and just build modular, with easy to upgrade sections instead, but my brain won't let me.

[@raef404]

I did the balancing first, but .. yeah now i just use manifold mainly it is easyer to expand. Next what i need to do is probaply dedicatet smelt/factory for screw..

[@ashleymartin3260]

Hey! I know this video is a lil old, but you mentioned a playthrough where you did a full game doing load balancing. Is that in a playlist or somewhere I can find it? I’m interested in seeing that!

[@ItsBitz]

Its not unfortuantly, i did it on twitch and this was last year.. Sad times

[@ashleymartin3260]

@@ItsBitz F. I bet that would’ve been stressful tho lol

[@onepunchtocelebrate670]

Hey man. Just wanted to let you know, found your reaction of let's game it out amazing cuz you're obviously knowledgeable of the game and not just stealing content, and also cuz I am hyped up to see, after all of Josh's builds how satisfying this game can be :)

[@onepunchtocelebrate670]

I work with numbers everyday, granted they are with addition/multiplication. So yeah. I am happy

[@jonisalmela2399]

Math... Thats dumb. I just oversaturate everything with buffers and chain everything by threes. Need more ores? Buffer and link it. Line staggers? use a smart splitter and move it up the line. Super scalable.

[@Katasterismoiable]

Thanks Bitz. Helps a lot.

[@augustoalmeida223]

Great content mate 🚀🚀🚀

[@ItsBitz]

Thanks my dude!!

[@siXSages132]

I really want to get more into this game and this guide is so helpful.

[@ItsBitz]

Do It!!

[@SirHackaL0t.]

No, you don’t need to utilise overflows and shards. Just get your splitters to do the right number. All numbers can be done with 2, 3 or a combination of these two. You final example doesn’t show how to do the same for manifolds either.

[@dontpokejosh]

small/tiny scale = balanced splits.. mid scale manifold... large scale balanced manifolds! basically break down to smaller manifolds where i can to reduce fill time SCIENCE!

[@ItsBitz]

FOR SCIENCE!!!!!!!!!

[@garethbromley1229]

Thanks for this gem, really useful. Would it be possible to get some thoughts on buses for transporting goods around resrouce generators/factories and what the pros/conns of shared vs unique buses (belts) my be?

[@andylastname566]

I started out doing load balance based on the numbers, might do manifolds now lol

[@ItsBitz]

It's a lot simpler for sure 😆

[@andylastname566]

@@ItsBitz after watching some videos..I realized I had to salvage everything and properly lay things out.

[@clownboy84]

Quick question. if anyone can advise. on a manifold. after the first spliter do you go mark 1 belts into the smelter and mark 3 between each splitter or just mark 1 from the start of the manifold on

[@SigmaSixSoftware]

Slight issue with your setup, splitters have 3 outputs so putting 9 is easy you have 1 splitter for each set of 3 and then 1 splitter feeding into those 3, you should have used a number that’s not divisible by 3 or 2

[@ItsBitz]

Thanks for your input, but I explain the reason behind what I did as the pinned comment. Its my fault for not clearly explaining my doing in the video

[@jacovanderschaaf3044]

how does this work with pipelines? im using the watertower method, and from the youtuber that show me how to set up watertower, he said you can split it of infinity?

[@ThatWeirdCellist]

Bro, at 8:40, you could still use 9 and end up using only 4 splitters. Let's say 270 goes down the line. Split it in 3, now we have 3 lines of 90. Then do it again for each line of 90. No over/underclocking needed.

[@ItsBitz]

Indeed, I was demonstrating other ways to do it.

[@FallenEnix1]

Thank you very much for your content. I can now build with a less Spaghettis like mess.

[@Primarch_Vulkan]

Manifold only for me, it's faster, easier and takes up far less space.

[@rhonin210]

hey Bitz love the vid. clear explanation.

[@MrInternetHermit]

So manifold for early game/mass production & load balancing for the finicky late game products?

[@ItsBitz]

It's entirely up to you, whatever makes the game more enjoyable to you. For me Load Balance early game, then when you unlock Splitters, move onto Manifolds

[@MrInternetHermit]

@@ItsBitz Thank you

[@LiLBitsDK]

@@ItsBitz how would you load balance without splitters? ;-)

[@rickibristowe3458]

I used to load balance and Underclock, when underclocking would actually be a benefit in power consumption. Now that the savings were removed, I no longer 'find any point' to load balancing. Which is a shame, to me. I would have more factories highly underclocked, perfectly load balanced. Which could be replicated and stacked. Sure the cost to build them was more. But, I didn't care, now, it make no sense to underclock. Pity.

[@protator]

"Load balancing" is nonsense. It does only one thing, it speeds up the warm-up phase of a group of machines. It has zero effect on production once everything is running. The easiest way to start up a factory and make sure everything is running at max efficiency is to slightly over-saturate the input side of every production stage and overflow the respective excess onto a sushi belt and sink it. Good way to get coupons early game, and you don't have to sink much to make it work. You can for example run 240 ore from a Mk.II miner into 10 smelters, clock half of them at 24/s, the rest at 23/s. Eventually all buffers will be full and a hand full of ore wird go into the sink. Same on the output side. Connect the smelters' outputs, feed the 235/s ingots to the next row of machines, set those to 230/s total, and overflow onto the sushi belt. Etc...

[@Esenfur]

if u care top, break down the REAL deep balancers. its a good summary but showing how u balance 32+ machines Is where fuckery begins and then u decide manifold.

[@tidusffx1147]

Generally I prefer to have belts able to take the full overclock in case of emergency need I can boost but otherwise its a good example video

[@AlpieInternet]

it would be so much nicer if the belts doubled each time, IE 60, 120, 240, 480, 960. I use both, sometimes a hybrid system

[@SirHackaL0t.]

I prefer a load balancing system. It doesn’t take much more room, uses less splitters and makes starting and stopping much quicker as each machine gets the same amount of ingredients at the same time.

[@doriancarriat4241]

Manifold do not use more splitters and it takes less space. For example, with a 480/min resources, you can have 16 smelters for a total of 8 splitters on manifold. Pretty sure that's less than a load balancing can do.

[@SirHackaL0t.]

@@doriancarriat4241 how many items will make it to the end of the 8th splitter though. Yeah, thinking of the numbers it seems the manifold will take slightly less splitters. :)

[@doriancarriat4241]

@@SirHackaL0t. 60 incoming into the last splitter divided by 2 for 2 splitters of 30 (Each splitter provided 2 smelters in a mirror configuration)

[@SirHackaL0t.]

@@doriancarriat4241 The 1st splitter would split 720 into 240, the second into 80, the third into 26,6, the 4th into 8, the 5th into 3 (ish), the 6th into 0.5, the seventh, well, eventually they get one. After a while the items get to the last few machines but it takes a while. Before we had overflow splitters there was a 7 stage splitter/merger that acted as an overflow and one item every so often would make it through it all to be thrown away. This is the issue that balanced systems doesn’t have. :)

[@lainverse]

Both. Load Balancing is beautiful to see in action, but technically pointless and overcomplicates the design. Especially when you expect to expand on it. Manifolds are extremely simplistic, but not as majestic to watch in action. By far easier to expand on, though. In some cases I've combined manifold and load-balancing in the same factory where I balanced incoming resources between a few larger modules, but in the modules used manifolds.

[@jamespearson3216]

Thank you so much for this video!

[@E__N_]

Thanks for the tips for when I do get satisfactory

[@ItsBitz]

Your Very Welcome!

[@danielbright5672]

Starting the game I never realised the importance of paying attention to the precise feed rates and I just did manifolds everywhere. Now I'm going to give this a shot and try and get some high efficiency. Thanks!

[@artimas420]

thanks, this will help people out alot.

[@piotrwarrior557]

Life would be easier if splitters could be set to ex. 30p/m on the right side, 15p/m on the left, 10 in the middle

[@PaladinodoCerradooficial]

Yesterday I build a huge base... when I finished I dont like mysettings HAHA I belive using a Giant Base dont is I like to administrate... What is more eficient, little bases to made some things or a giant who can do all?

[@pndb2016]

Putting everything into a Giant Base can make it more difficult to make changes in the future, and thus it requires more planning ahead of time to make sure you have room for expansion and any other changes you might want to do. Building many little bases can make things easier to change, but it means you have to send materials back and forth between all these bases, and that requires a different type of planning ahead of time. I don't think either is necessarily more efficient than the other, and it comes down more to what you play style is and what you like and enjoy. One thing to consider, though. If you construct a large megafactory all in one place you could begin to experience performance issues from your CPU/GPU. As you move around the map, Satisfactory loads and unloads chunks of the world, and I believe the unloaded chunks are handled differently (they require less computing resources) than the loaded chunks. If one or more of those loaded chunks has a gigantic megafactory in it, game performance might suffer as your computer tries to handle all your game world's processing all at once.

[@Toksyuryel]

Thanks for making this video. A video about this exact topic recently popped up in my recommendations and it was unwatchable.

[@lowernorth9972]

What are your pc specs and performance? Tossing up between upgrading to a 3080 or just going all in and getting a 4090 down the line. That thing is fucking mental.

[@Slimmeyy]

I wouldn't recommend going full out if all you're doing is gaming. The xx80 cards are the highest that I recommend normal gamers buy. So if you have the patience to see 4080 testing results, that's a good time to decide whether to go 3080 or 4080. Or maybe even 4070, as that could have better performance for the same price as a 3080, who knows.

[@IsThatDrak]

i tried a line balance run twice now i always give up around the unlock of manufacturers lol