Harness the power of automation in Factorio with the Advanced Autonomous Industries: Programmable Vehicles mod. This guide dives deep into how you can command, control, and automate car-type vehicles, enhancing your factory’s efficiency and defense capabilities. Whether you’re looking to optimize resource transportation, establish automated patrols, or even launch vehicle-based assaults on enemy bases, AAI Programmable Vehicles offers a versatile toolkit for both vanilla and modded Factorio experiences.
Unleashing Vehicle Turrets for Base Defense
One of the immediate benefits of AAI Programmable Vehicles is the transformation of your vehicles into autonomous turrets. Any vehicle equipped with a weapon will automatically engage nearby enemies when not directly controlled by a player. This feature provides invaluable defensive support. Imagine stepping out of your car to lay down some blueprints, confident that your vehicle will stand guard, repelling any approaching biters. This passive defense mechanism significantly boosts your early to mid-game survivability.
RTS-Style Command and Control with the Unit Remote Controller
Take command of your vehicular forces with the Unit Remote Controller. This handset allows for real-time strategy (RTS)-style control over groups of vehicles. By selecting units, you can issue movement commands leveraging biter AI pathfinding. This opens up numerous strategic possibilities: dispatch miners to rich resource zones, orchestrate complex hauling routes, or direct combat vehicles towards enemy outposts. The intuitive interface of the Unit Remote Controller empowers you to manage your vehicle fleets with ease and precision.
Defining Paths and Waypoints for Complex Navigation
For intricate logistical operations, the Path Remote Controller is your key tool. Activated by pressing ‘Y’ twice, this controller allows you to create and manage paths composed of multiple waypoints. Vehicles can then be assigned to follow these paths, enabling them to navigate complex routes within your base or across the game world. Waypoints can be dynamically linked to players or other vehicles, facilitating advanced automation scenarios such as continuous loops between mining sites and storage depots, all without the complexity of combinator circuits. This waypoint system provides a robust foundation for sophisticated vehicle automation.
Automating Resource Hauling with Hauler Vehicles
Simplify your resource logistics with specialized Hauler-type vehicles. These vehicles feature an intelligent automatic inventory transfer system driven by their Unit Data settings. By default, Hauler vehicles are configured to accept raw resources, acting as mobile collection and distribution points. Miner-type vehicles, on the other hand, are pre-set to prioritize offloading mined resources to nearby Haulers. Furthermore, to ensure operational autonomy, all vehicles are inherently programmed to seek small amounts of coal or wood from Haulers for refueling. These automated behaviors streamline your supply chains, reducing manual intervention in resource management.
Utilizing Unit Data for Vehicle Customization and Logic
AAI Programmable Vehicles introduces the concept of Unit Data, allowing vehicles to store and process signal information. This data can be inspected using a Unit Data Scanner and configured via a Vehicle Deployer (upon initial deployment) or a Unit Data Controller (for dynamic adjustments). Unit Data supports Item Signals for inventory management and Virtual Signals (letters, numbers, zones) for storing custom information. This opens up advanced possibilities, such as assigning unique IDs to vehicles, organizing them into squads, or triggering alternative behaviors based on signal conditions. Unit Data empowers you to imbue your vehicles with sophisticated logic and customization.
Streamlining Inventory Transfers with Automated Systems
The Automatic Inventory Transfer System within AAI Programmable Vehicles revolutionizes resource handling between vehicles. Hauler-type vehicles and other vehicle types interpret Unit Data differently in this system. For most vehicles, Item-type signals in their Unit Data define target inventory levels. If a vehicle’s inventory falls below its target, it will automatically draw the missing items from a nearby Hauler. Conversely, if a vehicle exceeds its target, it will attempt to offload the excess to a Hauler configured to accept that item type. Negative values in Unit Data signal a desire to purge specific items from inventory. Default Unit Data settings, such as ‘Coal 50’ for most vehicles, ensure automatic refueling. Miners are pre-configured to expel ores and stone while retaining fuel. Haulers, by default, accept up to 12000 units of raw resources. This intricate system enables vehicle-to-vehicle resource balancing and efficient distribution across your automated network.
Tech Tree Adjustments and Specialized Vehicle Roles
To facilitate earlier access to vehicle automation, AAI Programmable Vehicles subtly modifies the Factorio tech tree. This adjustment allows players to integrate vehicle-based solutions into their factory designs sooner in the game progression. Furthermore, to encourage strategic vehicle specialization, the mod enforces a limitation of one weapon type per vehicle, promoting diverse vehicle fleets tailored to specific combat roles. Additionally, the mod introduces a constraint where enemy structures can inhibit nearby construction, adding a layer of strategic depth to base building and expansion.
Example Use Cases for AAI Programmable Vehicles
The versatility of AAI Programmable Vehicles unlocks a wide array of automation possibilities:
- Automated Mining Operations: Employ tile scanning to zone resource patches, dispatch miner vehicles to these zones, and coordinate Hauler vehicles to transport mined resources back to your base.
- Dynamic Patrol and Attack Squads: Deploy combat vehicles pre-programmed with zone assignments via signal data, enabling them to autonomously patrol designated areas or execute coordinated attacks on enemy targets.
- Vehicle Health Management: Implement logic to automatically recall damaged vehicles to base for repairs when their health falls below a critical threshold, ensuring fleet readiness and longevity.
- Autonomous Enemy Base Assaults: Utilize tile scanning to identify and zone enemy bases, then dispatch combat vehicles to these zones for automated assaults, minimizing player intervention in offensive operations.
Addressing Current Limitations
It’s important to note that vehicles commanded via the Unit Remote Controller or directed to XY-Tiles using a Unit Controller rely on biter AI for pathfinding. While generally effective, this AI can occasionally exhibit unpredictable or “derpy” behavior. Users should be aware of this limitation and plan vehicle deployments accordingly, especially in complex or tightly constrained environments.
Getting Started with AAI Programmable Vehicles
For detailed information on structure inputs, outputs, and configuration options within the AAI Programmable Structures mod (a complementary mod), refer to the forum page: https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?t=38473.
To kickstart your journey with AAI Programmable Vehicles, explore the “getting started” instructions and blueprint examples available on the mod’s forum page: https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=93&t=38475#p230122.
Explore the Demo Save File
A demo save file is provided on the forum thread, showcasing a basic automated setup to help you grasp the fundamental principles and functionalities of the mod: https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?t=38475.
Learn from Video Tutorials
Enhance your understanding through video tutorials by Nilaus and Seeeno (German / Deutsch), providing visual guidance and practical demonstrations of AAI Programmable Vehicles in action.
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of AAI Programmable Vehicles. Dive in, experiment, and unlock the full potential of vehicle automation in your Factorio factory!
