What's Better?! MEGAFACTORY Vs MODULAR FACTORIES | Satisfactory

[@TotalXclipse]

What style are you going with and why?

[@MyogaSama]

Right now I'm challenging myself to build a world map with zero conveyor busses. My ore goes from the miner STRAIGHT into some kind of vehicle. My hopes are that the lack of conveyor busses will help reduce any late game frame rate loss. But also I think they just look so... basic lol. I mean, they're efficient (no power/fuel to run them) but I'm just not a fan. Why have all these awesome features like trucks, trains, and drones, and stick with plain old conveyor busses? lol

[@adamzemek8337]

As a beginning player I prefer modular style as it allows me much easier to increase a productivity of given module with new technologies I discover

[@myrcutio]

both i think? i have a main hub with a mall, elevator, and advanced production, but modular factories for the stuff that gets really out of hand (heavy frames, control rods, aluminum, batteries). Most of my trains are only moving ingots, but i have one dedicated line to my nuclear production that has everything needed for the waste recycling. it's a bit laggy.

[@bloggersniffle5358]

I generally prefer modular, but I usually end up putting oil and bauxite together into a somewhat mega base later in the game when I have trains. Then when I get drones I go out and make a bunch of modular bases and drone back the products. I've tried the mega factory route, but I usually end up getting bored before I finish it.

[@BedBug1984]

Modular - performance. Building too big just makes the game run like bung.

[@1991dougie]

I'm going modular. I like the idea of producing , putting on a train and sending it off to another facility, to produce something else and sending that product to merge with other products.

[@elan2199]

Just like microservices architecture xD

[@jakew.1859]

I always do this as well. There is just something about it that tickles my brain in the right way.

[@turnerdeedo4633]

@@jakew.1859 Agreed. I love that sort of stuff too. I am NOT one of the people who would get overwhelmed by logistics.

[@AnnoyingFlies]

I loved the train additions - I usually make "on site processing" plants out where the resources are and ship them back to a mega storage/sorting plant that ends up being the central factory. So good!

[@palma249]

What about a mega factory with sectors. Like a steel sector, power sector, rods sector and more. What do you think?

[@gambler1ish]

I went with the megafactory initially, as you get higher up though it gets quite tricky taking the conveyors up and around, now trying modular on a new save and things are running smoother, including the framerate xD

[@Likian5]

It's kind of easy to forget just how chill this game is meant to be when you're juggling so many different combinations of inputs and outputs of every resource you can imagine at the beginning. Once you get past all that though, even the most time-consuming factory builds always wind up being so weirdly... _satisfactory._

[@niytrus]

On my first play-through reaching endgame, this is exactly the kind of content I've been looking for. Getting your head wrapped around the macro-level logistics is key. Thanks for this content!

[@billsharp7698]

I really like the modular factory design, but without blueprinting capability it is a chore to build out completely.

[@asmo2183]

Yes, I wish Satisfactory had some sort of design map tool where we could plan in-game instead of relying on spreadsheets and 3rd party services

[@camohawk6703]

Another reason why mods are helpful.

[@krexin1532]

This comment aged well

[@zenferns]

@@krexin1532 my thought exactly 😂

[@thejjjwils]

@@sriousprobs477 Ah how is it done? Didnt even realise its been implemented

[@xosui5673]

"few people like traveling across the map" hypertube cannon go brrrr

[@Akai93]

I've always preferred modular. Early game I just put everything in the same spot for convenience, but once I have the required resources to start going modular then that's what I do. I just like the idea of having specialized factories, and being able to design them differently depending on what they produce. I also really love trains and the idea of shipping things between factories. It makes more sense to me, like how you don't see giant factories that make everything in real life.

[@ChickinSammich]

I'm currently using a hybrid of this - my "main factory" is made up of multiple buildings, where each building is dedicated to making 1-5 items. So there is a "Steel building" that makes steel pipes, steel beams, encased beams, and heavy frames. However, the main base is made up of walkable pathways between each building, so it's like a "downtown city" feel.

[@johelsa]

I like this idea

[@kiillu2008]

I do the same :)

[@DarioMarken]

So basically you're getting all the benefits and almost none of the cons except lag?

[@thetoyodacar2264]

yes. I do this too. Very manageable compared to pure megafactories. You can think of it as coding. Each block has a function, in and out. If you lack iron parts you can just build another function/block to supply more advanced crafting.@@DarioMarken

[@judas1337]

I like this discussion since it’s so similar to “Monolith vs Microservices architecture” in software development. I think the recommendations are about the same. When you first start out and, specially in the first game, you don’t know what you need go with one single factory. But as the load and functionality increases it gets harder and harder to work with and also the system performance gets more strained there will come a point where the trade-off for the complexity of distributes factories will be less complex and faster to expand than one single factory. But these distributed factories, like the microservices architecture, is primarily an organizational structure to promote “independent deployability” (independent buildability?). I’m noticing this primarily when playing Satisfactory and similar games in multiplayer. My friends and I very early start focusing on different production lines and if we’re all building on the same factory we often block each other and it also takes a lot of overhead coordinating what one person is building so it doesn’t doesn’t interfere with the area someone else is building. So doing separate factories and setting up a transport network between us really increases our build rate.

[@eleskovic_]

I actually thought the same and proposed a microservice arch with a message broker (a storage hub in this case) :D

[@shasta1990]

This is such a great comparison specifically about how having friends work on the same monolithic factory can start causing issues.

[@Pangamma]

Yeah. Basically, unless you go modular you'll always be refactoring your factories as you unlock new tech. But if you have things as more modular you can optimize and improve points in the supply chain separately which is great.

[@k-nick97]

I combined both in my most recent playthrough. I have modular mini-factories for smelting and basic production, as these tend to take up a lot of space in a mega-factory when going for high production volume. From there, this dozen or so basic resources goes to a mega-factory and main base in the dune desert where I have a bunch of machines turning them all into various advanced components (and a storage room to access them all).

[@MartianLeo_T]

Same

[@apucsw_ahn]

Same, combine both is more efficiency for factory growth.

[@qwe5qwe566]

I started with centralized approach as I was used to it from factorio but soon discovered that here it doesn't work that much since it is far easier to saturate belts just by even single resource node. Therefore it is easier and cleaner to make modular setup and build dedicated smaller factories near resource nodes and then use trains for higher tier items or when resources required to build it are not close together. Also it makes little sense to transport several belts of raw resources to central base when I already know I need all the input to make just a few things which I could produce locally near the nodes and then ship the final product which is far more compact to transport.

[@nuke___8876]

I usually fall somewhere inbetween the two. To me, it makes more sense to produce stators if I have steel and copper wire/quick wire nearby and I know I'll need a lot of stators. Stators+overflow can go to a megafactory/warehouse. Stators go to the next product, overflow steel/wire goes to other tier 2-3 products.

[@FredRated1967]

8:50 I quickly learned in my first playthrough that smelting ore near the source (constructors for concrete) goes a long way to making life a lot easier, being that it does free up floor space at the main factory.

[@paecmaker]

Loool, the ad I got was for actual real world factory planning. Like I like logistics as any other Satisfactory player, doesn't mean I'm quite ready to start my own factory just yet.

[@MadApplesWA]

Got Satisfactory a few days ago, totally addicted. After watching this amazing video, I have been converted to modular buildings, its a great idea! Thank you.

[@matteofalduto766]

I like the modular approach because: 1. Transporting stuff around is fun. 2. One big factory can be overwhelming from an architectural design point of view: keeping everything consistent and orderly is a lot of work. I can have one messy factory created out of necessity at one point and then build another one where everything is perfectly aligned, symmetrical, consistently spaced and decorated without having to delete and rebuild thousands of elements as I realize midway to change some design aspects.

[@pyrolucky5741]

Same. I like seeing trains just running around transporting goodies.

[@MrPaddyF]

Modular, small factorys and a megabus to connect the stuff. Love it

[@reallyanotheruser7290]

I typically WANT to go with the modular approach but i can never do it (except for basic oil stuff and aluminum) because it feels like you need every resource and every item for everything, so you have to transport everything to everywhere. So yea, its extremely overwhelming. Thats also kind of the blockade i have that prevents me from going past basic aluminum tech

[@techwizsmith7963]

Sorry I'm a year late, but if the quantity you need at a given area is less than a typical train, you could instead build Depots that bring in Large Specific trains and transfer items to Small Dedicated trains of mixed Cargo to go to each Module. That's typically how I've done it in Factorio anyways

[@cryolitegem]

I like the idea of each little factory having a comically large power switch to shut it down when needed

[@sean_is_geynt9131]

Consider: for modular factories, if your needs change you can completely renovate the entire factory to suit the new inputs and outputs. Whereas a megafactory requires more thought and planning into it to achieve the same result. I frequently upgrade my factories whenever I discover new ways to do it and ive been finding it fairly easy to set up buffer stations with dedicated overflow lines to allow transport to be less of an issue.

[@AndrewJamison79]

I tend to lean more toward Modular but I struggle when starting a new game because that point where you start to break away from your starter factory and separate everything gets a bit rough for me anyway. I like having a few Storage hubs between factories that are separated by long distances to speed up logistics a bit, I also use Drones to send items to way far off factories that only need a few items, i like the challenge it presents my design however usually ends up being square and not very unique sadly.

[@DonCDXX]

I tend to hybridize the two forms. I'll go modular for refining the ores and for anything made by a constructor, everything with 2+ components goes to the mega factory. Mainly I just really like trains.

[@TheChillinCloud]

I have currently spent 60 hours on one of my saves building a mega factory, now I want to start a new safe just to build a modular.

[@Dydreth]

I've never tried a modular style, so I'm going to try that. I'm working on unlocking all the tiers then will be tearing down my starter base. Once update 6 drops, I'll just start building without having to worry about getting things unlocked. Really looking forward to that and trying some new build styles.

[@adrianwilliams6577]

I've gone for modular as I'm not a great planner and appreciate room to expand, my main factory in grass fields is supplemented by five or six other factories. I built a Steel engine courtesy of Kibitz and needed to belt coal from other biomes to keep the engine operational. I've reached Tier 6 and I've enjoyed creating the means to ship specific items to the main factory, getting Silica to flow to the grassy fields was a major exploration quest. Travelling to fix logistics reminds me of Death Stranding, having to turn back when I forget to pack my truck with essentials is a pain, at the same time I enjoy the journeys.

[@b.delacroix7592]

I've done modular since the beginning. I now have a mix of early factories and new factories. You can see the progress from both learning the game and the releases. Obviously the Update 5 stuff is really easy to determine as the buildings look so so much better.

[@halxenden3614]

This is an additional benefit to modular factories that I don’t think is covered by TotalXclipse’s “experiment with different designs” point. Especially for newer players in the early-mid game, you can literally see the progress between factories 😁

[@michaelbauers8800]

I spent weeks rebuilding my starting area into my now preferred vertical, single raw material factories. Generally speaking, I refine on the bottom floor, and each floor above makes one recipe, for simplicity of design. Then the only challenge is running vertical coveyers between floors, while trying to keep things relatively clean looking. I will also overbuild. For example, I might build out 8 machines to make wire, and 8 to make cable, and not worry about how much is actually needed. Excess machines will just stop working. It's not power optimal, but it's time saving for me to not obsess over exact amounts needed. That only works for simple, single, or maybe dual raw good chains. For example, I have a motor only factory, that has one floor for each needed recipe, and I send it steel, copper and iron ingots via train, from an area that had all the needed resources. I do something similar for an electronics factory, though that one needs some work to clean it up. I think those mega factories can look really cool, but too much work for my tastes. I am partly pragmatic, with a goal of building what I need for the end products ( e.g. supercomputers.) I spend a lot of time trying to make clean looking factories, but there's a limit to how much work I want to put into it.

[@neowyvern]

Thanks!

[@TotalXclipse]

Again thank you! I greatly appreciate it!

[@BadroghYT]

Great analysis of the pros and cons. Fully agree on your take here. After several games in multi and solo, I found myself doing a not so mega factory with several satellite factories for complex late game items (like aluminium and nuclear power). Now after your argument on the architecture, and my love for building roads and train system, I feel like I need to give much more chance to the modular dedicated factories.

[@Hallucitania]

Great Video! I'm just starting out and currently modular, - I'm still a small fry. I had no idea all that was ahead of me and You, sir, make it look very slick!

[@verbisdiablo]

I thought I was the only one having texture glitches and that my gpu was dying. Now I feel better. Also modular factories are the best, especially if you wanna play around with vehicles. Keep up the good content man love your channel

[@BulletShaba]

I'm sort of going with a split build. I go modular for producing The base iron components of rod's plan of rod's plates and screws With a separate factory for copper goods, but I go megafactory real quick for it for most things that require the assembler or manufacturer.

[@Mike-pd6np]

I would like a mix of both. A mega factory that's made up of smaller, modular factories, and have all the resources transported to it. You could still use trains to transport the items, so you'd still get the feeling of the world being alive, but have the convenience of everything in one spot. It also would look really cool to have a mega factory, with lines of items and big busses that run throughout the lands.

[@ProfWollhoven]

There is a 3rd option: starting with the game, looking up stuff on KZbin, seeing all those awesome factories, burning out from watching the vids. And this is how my Satisfactory experience ended after 70 hours

[@Secretsofsociety]

I like modular because it feels more realistic and I feel like its easier to troubleshoot and balance inputs/outputs.

[@Tyrfingr]

started playing yesterday, so i'm in a real quandary. Setup my first coal power plant, next on the list is steel foundry. As things get more complex, one starts to ask whether a huge factory or modular is better.

[@PhoebusAmoebus]

Goddamn, that architecture is some next-level stuff. I have a pretty barebones (but still pleasant) aesthetic in my factories by comparison. What I've been doing in my current playthrough is making several large "complexes" where several production lines are set up based on local availability of resources, and for Phase 3 I set up a large "artery" that was part train/part conveyor belt to transport components between the complexes for final assembly into the space elevator parts. Now that I've finally made it to Phase 4, I'd like to get a larger network of trains running (and drones once I unlock them) - the big barrier for me was getting the desired throughput over long-distance travel with trains, and the fact that I hated setting up railway spaghetti over long distances.

[@zefnoly9147]

My first proper game I am going modular because it is frankly easier for me to handle (and I love trains and have experience with similar train systems in other games so no issue there) With help of a neat system ive made in google docs I calculate all I need there. Update it with new recipes when found. When I then play later I build the needed machines and train stations and it works exactly as calculated... And it gives me time to enjoy the game as I already did the math before launching the game. I just then look at numbers and I know. "oh I need 24 constructors" for that and that. Then I just chain up belts. On top of that it also easily allows me to calculate excessely produced items. Which I intentionally do to send excess items to the main hub I built. Where I prepared storage containers for foreseeable items I need. I will admit I ended up spending a lot of time building my railnetwork. But that is because I go for a neat detailed design. Found nice methods to make very nice modern suspension bridge designs. I skipped using cars entirely. I thought of using them. But trains just looks better. And I like how they run on electricity (as a fan of electric transportation irl) I hope they eventually update drones to dont require stupid single use batteries as well. It frankly makes no sense for the technology that exists...

[@sgtkasi]

Modular helps with condensing items, which makes transit easier along both conveyors or vehicles (trucks, trains, drones, etc). I also think it looks a lot more neat and tidy, but I know that's personal preference.

[@whitey211]

A big reason I don't want to do a mega factory is the time it can take to correct a small layout mistake. What would take 30 minutes to fix in a large modular factory could take hours in a mega factory.

[@zefnoly9147]

Exactly. They aren't very future proof. Imagine starting your mega factory early on and then you "whoops!" found better recipes or whatever. You have to delete specific parts of the factory. While avoiding hitting parts you want untouched. With modular designs you can delete mostly without worry. Future proofing them requires you to plan a lot more ahead in terms of design. Leave huge empty spaces. It may also cause more lag as the computer have to deal with more 3D model loading in one place. Which puts more strain on GPU. Spreading factory around the map allows the game to easier unload most of the factory. Causing a better FPS experience potential. Besides CPU usage... What I mean with "unloading" is unloading 3D models and animations. So the only things performed is the calculations made for the production...

[@peckc16]

The tough part with trying to go modular is it's fairly heavily reliant on trains, but you need to automate a decent amount to get to that point which for me ends up being a pretty massive first base

[@jeremyr.7982]

A playthough with all little modular factory around the map could be a amazing and unique idea. Drones, trucks and trains with logic can be challenging too. I hope we can soon have this content on this channel for further updates.

[@nostrum6410]

ive given up on trucks, drones and trains are fine. Ive seen recently trucks work significantly worse

[@cak102]

What a well organized video this is! I feel like I just sat in on a college course on the game.

[@Grom76300]

the architecture in your videos are always eye candy. Damn

[@CrazyChris576]

I'm doing a mixed build. My hub is going to serve as both a construction location for lower-tier parts and resources and a storage site for everything being built throughout the world. I also plan to have several modular factories spread throughout the world to build the higher-tier and more complicated parts and resources.

[@Anonymous-ks8el]

Hybrid Solution: Manufacture the highest tiers of components at sub-factories then transport them to where they're needed or to factories manufacturing a sufficiently more complex item I don't transport any ore, ingots, plastic, rubber or T1-T3 items between factories, it's easier to setup multiple sub-factories as part of the hybrid factories (HMF factory makes everything it needs) A central factory for end-game items and structures (turbo-motors, nuclear) reliant on most items being transported in is still a good idea

[@Gigachad-mc5qz]

These buildings are stunning i wish i could build something like this

[@shawnp6653]

Wow, those modular factory flyovers, with trains, make want Satisfactory.

[@AhamkaraMommy]

On our server we actually do a hybrid world, we have a bunch of smaller factories with trucks ferrying things about, then bring them to train stations that bring it all to a main factory in the center of the map.

[@simonwesterlund1]

what a great video, I’ve always thought that mega is the way to go, but now I kind of like modular more!

[@lancearmada]

So i went with a mix of both. I started on the forest and it had all the iron i would ever need, so i basically had these modular skyscraper designs using manafolds where my smelting tower could be expanded out or up due to how i built it, but all the outputs dont come out of the same place, so i can have outputs from one floor or section of one floor go one direction and another go a different direction. So i ended up building a skyscraper for each of the things i needed to make. All the skyscrapers are in the same location, so it is a megafactory (or factory city), but its all still modular. The only downside was that when i got to the final tier i needed a ton more production and it would be difficult to rework my towers to take in input from far off production areas because the towers were already built fairly close together.

[@storytsunami]

I'm kind of already using a combination of each. I've got all basic and advanced copper and iron products in one "Megafactory" but I've got Steel, Aluminum, and Electronics in different buildings all nearby. Sadly, most of which I'll have to either move, or start over fresh for Update 6.

[@ladyalicja2562]

I like modular. I am playing slow and didn't get the trains yet so there is lot of belts around my factories. Can't wait for transportation to unlock ☺️ it looks really fantastic!

[@Shadow_Wolf37]

I enjoy building modular factories, yet when update 5 came out I decided to try and build a mega factory. It was a slight disaster because I still ended building a city type of thing, just all in a condensed area, lol.

[@Gledii]

Maaan. this looks great. im just starting exploring the game and i cant even imagine to get closer to this. i like the idea of modular factories, used to do that in Anno1800. letss see on this crazy game..cheers

[@Karmasu_L]

Transporting wires is an interesting example. Yes they are more individual items, but they go in bigger stacks, so in total you'd have less stacks of wire than you'd have of copper ingots.

[@haydenjondreau]

I want to make an Industrial complex, one place where all the processing happens, but different smaller buildings around the complex that do different things. Combines some of the advantages of the megafactory with the advantages of the modular, although you dont eliminate all the disadvantages.

[@OpenWorldAddict0]

I find ( and ths not just for Satisfactory but any factory building/automation game) that doing kind of both is the best. Going completely modular at the very start (which i tried to do in Factorio) is very challenging, and can take quite amount of time. This is just because you don't really have the technology or infrastructer to really make going modular work that wel. It is best to start with a main 'mega factory' to get yourself going and start climbing up the tech trees. Once you have access to things like trains, drones, etc; and have the production infrastructra to automatically produce all those things, then you can start going more modular, maybe even pairing back the size of your main factory as well.

[@jvp3640]

I generally use a sort of hybrid. As an example: In the Northern Forest is an area with a lot of good coal nodes, there are also a couple of Pure Iron quite close by and some limestone as well. So I set up a steel products factory there which outputs steel beams, pipes and the encased beams. I also tend to set up a reinforced plates factory next to a bunch of iron nodes, plastic and rubber are made next to oil nodes, etc. However I also usually end up with a quite complex electronics factory near the group of caterium nodes next to the huge waterfall in the northern forest which produces things like circuit boards, AI limiters, computers, super computers and more.

[@BinaryKiller_Recoded]

I build circuitry styled factories, let's say you want reinforced iron plating factory : 12 smelters : 6/1 miner + 6/1 miner = 12 smelters = 120% efficient with that smelter and miner set up you can have up to 32 constructors doing various things, and from there you line up a bunch of assemblers to create the final product

[@nonny4740]

You can really reduce FPS loss by hiding things away. Putting conveyor belts below the floor and splitting the factory into multiple layers means that everything isn't visible all the time, which for me made everything just run fine even with a pretty massive factory. Also, on the resource distribution front for mega factories, it helps to plan how it'll work first. It's super OCD, but before I even start I've already worked out how I'll move things around and which recipes I want to use for every component. My go-to distribution design is to put the core resources below the factory in dedicated channels and the manufactured components above the factory, you just pull what you need from the channels for each thing you're building :)

[@SteezyE117]

I was going to make a factory for like tier 1 mats, y'know plates and rods, then others for other tiers, but I like the fully modular idea better

[@EduardoSevero]

now I really wish I could play with some friends where each one is responsible for some modular factories and then we connect everything

[@dhanssolo]

i think i will do a combination of modular and mega factories. i started with modular and kept them as dedicated micro factories. but i recently built a 100x50 platform and am setting up logistics to bring resources to. my idea is to have small factories creating all the redundant resources (aka plates, screws, wires) and having all the complicated machines at the main hub. this hub will also be my central storage.

[@vincentguttmann2231]

I think I'm going for an inbetween. Not fully modular (one factory only does one step of manufacturing), but dedicated smaller factories near their respective resource nodes, to keep logistics manageable, but still having them look somewhat busy.

[@LotusBoi1989]

there's one more option that, while might be the most efficient, is a style I've really come to enjoy i call it a "job shop" similar to a megafactory, but instead of automating absolutely everything from start to finish, you automate all of the more basic components, then have one area near your mass storage that is a lot more flexible. you can either pipe directly from main storage containers into machines, or slap down a few containers and just slot in enough materials for a "run" of parts. again, probably not the most efficient, but it's gotten me all the way through tier 5 and partly into 6. all on a relatively small footprint, which is something that brings me no small amount of joy.

[@Lucu04]

The space point of modular factorys is the main part of why I like modular ones

[@carter1080]

I tend to make multiple smaller factories surrounding my main factory that specializes in some of the harder things to make. It's just fun!

[@Staysa001]

its eerie to see someone put a train station almost exactly where I put one.

[@benwhite24]

Outstanding video Brother! Thank you for putting this out! Oh, how I wish I could do this..............

[@Onebadterran]

I like Modular factories because I like watching the trains come and go. To me, that is pure joy and entertainment.

[@cebo494]

I tend to go with a slightly simplified version of the modular factory described here. I don't setup separate factories for all of the different intermediate resources (outside of my mall where I build most items in low volume). I instead only ship base (but processed) resources, so basically just ingots, concrete, plastic, rubber, raw quartz, and fluids. Although I try to limit fluids and prefer to just build the factories that need them near the resource nodes when possible, but sometimes you do need to transport them, especially nitrogen in my experience. During the midgame before I get drones I'll ship some finished products as well, mostly just heavy frames, but I switch those to drones as soon as I can. Low frequency items are best for drones. It's just much simpler to build all/most of the intermediate components on-site in the exact amounts needed instead of creating a dedicated factory for most of them; there are very few intermediate components appropriate for dedicated factories. Most of the time you only need a few per minute anyways and any factory you set up will quickly be outgrown by your demand for that item. If you just build a separate assembly line for that item in the factory that needs that item, you always have exactly the amount you need and only need to worry about transporting the few base resources that you use in every factory. The only things you ever need to expand over time are your base resource factories ie. the ones I listed above. But you constantly need to expand your resource extraction anyways regardless of which build style you use.

[@halfingdan3443]

I like having a mega factory with surrounding modular "satellite" factories. The big one producing all the high complexity and the modules making the components, and low complexity items.

[@sp3lllz]

I started on a mega factory I didn't really get much lag with my 4070 but decided now about 100 hours in to slowly pivot to a modular factory setup.

[@TheCyberCore]

I prefer a mixture of both. Smaller factories building very basic (level 1 or 2) materials directly from ores/wells and transporting them to a central megafactory. This way you could easily expand the ore exploitation with dedicated factories while reducing some of the complexity of the megabase while still having all products centrally available. Additionally, you still reduce the time to travel on the map to tweak your production compared to a completely decentralized approach.

[@AJ213Probably]

I was thinking of doing modular factories transporting items to a central storage to the center of the map. Right now, since I only have trucks, I will just use them to transport the items.

[@jaye1967]

I currently use what I call a speedy build, with the aim to complete package 4 as quickly as possible. Mostly this is a mega factory type build, but it is modular as basic parts are produced right next to resource nodes they use (ie iron plates are produced as close to the mine as possible). These are then shipped by conveyer or rail to a central factory that makes all the more complex parts. Also, I play a more in game universe reality style as walls and roofs are unnecessary as weather and wear have no effect on the equipment.

[@thesittingpigeon138]

I usually go for a megabase early game, but once I am producing enough supplies to keep me supported, I start to go into modular

[@ctx4241]

I would go with modular but ginormous space requirements for train stations or train station + sorting center without major bottleneck are extreme. + Steam Trains together with coal power is a must for this game. Setting up sprawling train network for last Elevator stage feels bad, imagine doing that for every modular plant. Also I must say I don't want to cover every square inch of that beautiful map with concrete.

[@reappermen]

Yeah, the train infrastructure is really to big in satisfsctory, especialy the train stations and their ludicrous length. Plus the extra space and infrastructure needed just for powering a rail network is absurd before you go big nuclear. Which also makes trains sadly less interesting for logistics in satisfactory, considering trains are basically late endgame only, aside of maybe a single train or two for midgame.

[@TexasKosmonawt]

Mega: I'm gonna stay in one part of the map. Modular: I paided for the whole map, I'm gonna use the whole map.

[@arcclite1144]

I did mega up to tier 6, then started modularizing from the bottom up - literally, as my mega factory did the build complexity tiers mostly by floors up to a central hub.

[@DownwithEA1]

Just setup the foundation for a 42x42 megafactory & I'm thinking I need to rethink modular factories before proceeding. With frames in mind now, I'm probably going to only use the large area for higher tier manufacturing & spread out the machines within it. Just make it look really nice somehow.

[@LIA-52]

I have a hybrid factory, basically I have mega factories modularly spread across the map. I have a mega factory per end product (i.e. the things we stuff into the space lift and whatever else is at the end of a tech tree that doesn't go into such parts).

[@likethislikethat916]

Im still new at the game and I think for my own mental organization the modular is going to work for me. Im definitely feeling overwhelmed with which items to prioritize. I just reached tier 2

[@jkleylein]

I started out making mega factories, usually building one until it gets awkward and then finding a new site for a bigger one to continue with more advanced parts, using railways to move stuff between the plants. For my current build, though, I made a Hub facility with one main plant and a couple satellites nearby, using tractors to move parts between them. When I reached Phase 4, though, I essentially abandoned the Hub plant and started making small factories scattered around the map and using trains to move the goods. This was mostly because I wanted to create an extensive rail system and this gave it some purpose. I now have rail lines all over the map and am just to the point where I can produce all the Phase 3 goods with these factories. I'll need a bunch more track to add all the Phase 4 factories I will need.

[@Amelie12]

Before i start the Video: i do both, some things inluding the player strorage are in one big place, some things like normal energy, core energy, aluminium and oil are in different places

[@Dokattak]

I usually just import raw resources like ore directly into the factory. But I do find that I could’ve used a handful of my other factories and link them with another factory. I should go modular when I get everything up and going, and I get enough resources to actually make the modules.

[@happy_waves9786]

Y'all have to much talent for this

[@JP8431]

Dude, thx for your videos. They are amazing!

[@6zwbob]

technically speaking all modular factories are just mega factories that haven't filled all the space in between yet :P the whole map is my factory

[@Derekloffin]

I'm going with one semi-mega factory for build up, then modular past that. Basically, I want the 1 mega factory to have access to some production of every useful component (stuff you use to build in some manner or another). The plan currently is that the very tippidy top of the chain produces a minimum of 1 normal machine's worth of output. I'm pretty close to done that now, but going beyond this to a full exploit, I just don't see it working. The insane logistics you'd need to get all the resources into one location is just mind boggling and you'll almost inevitably run out of space and have to make new space which mucks up your design. Which actually highlights an issue with mega-factories you didn't mention, redesigns are HELLA expensive. If you have to move something, or the like, you can end up spending weeks doing this as you're essentially rebuilding nearly everything you have. With a modular, even if you mess up and have to move, it is only that one module, and maybe some of the logistic connections you have to rebuild which is way less expensive time wise. Now if we had blue print this wouldn't be so bad, but without them... ugh. I've had to rebuild my 1 semi-mega twice and each time was insanely painful.

[@IsThatDrak]

bet it was nice to flex the new computer, "i can handle big factories now muhahahahahaha"

[@spaceshoe2635]

I think kibitz has learned in his update 3 playthrough which one is the way to go🙃🙃🙃

[@Ducker99999]

Personally i do "modular islands". one big factory above the ground that smelts everything and undearneath it, trains bringing all the materials needed. Then i will basically build another square next to the smelting one etc going more and more outwards with more complex recipes. The empty space between those islands is used for belts. Eventually some of the early islands need redoing so i will build more vertical.

[@ascelot]

Think biggest issue with this game is progress to size of your factory, and when you get something wrong, or require a part, that requires a part that requires a part, can get quite daunting, especially when need to redo your entire factory.

[@gavinleonard4848]

I'm kind of an in-between, I build small-medium sized factorys and produce quite alot/some of stuff and stored in that same building, unless it's far away, like caterium. Ex: I have a building for basic materials and a building that makes its own basic resources and makes it into other stuff via assembler.

[@watchvideo7225]

I allways had a half/half version. I allways outsource the smelting and the power production as i allways felt smoke producing facilities wouldn't make much sense inside a nice looking factory. The ingots would then be transported to a big factory, one "mega factory" for each space elevator project.

[@Freeze12654]

Im still in my first save and ive build modular factories but at one spot next to each other like a industrial city

[@idiomi8556]

Megafactory because I have a bunch of mods including underground belts which are completely broken, basically teleport items to and from anywhere on the map, splitting/merging capabilities, and work vertically

[@crescentsheath1190]

@TotalXclipse Do you have any plans to make your videos in a higher resolution than 1080p ? :)

[@TotalXclipse]

Maybe when I have faster internet... And when I start playing in a higher resolution