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factorio: install existing mod stack from mod portal (short-term) #69

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opened 2026-05-23 20:54:37 +00:00 by coilysiren · 1 comment

coilysiren commented

2026-05-23 20:54:37 +00:00

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Originally filed by @coilysiren on 2026-05-03T20:10:12Z - https://github.com/coilysiren/infrastructure/issues/92

Goal

Pull existing community mods from the Factorio mod portal and stage them on kai-server so the server can sync them to clients on join. Short-term operational task. Decoupled from the deeper "build own mods" track in #93.

This issue is the install half of the mod stack. The decision of which tier to run is in #83. The full tier menu (T1 vanilla+QoL → T2 Space Age → T3 K2+SA → T4 kitchen-sink reference) lives below.

What

For whichever tier #83 picks:

Fetch every mod ZIP via the mod portal API (https://mods.factorio.com/api/mods/<name>/full returns download URLs, requires factorio.com username + token).
Drop ZIPs into /home/kai/Steam/steamapps/common/FactorioServer/mods/ with the canonical <name>_<version>.zip filename.
Write mod-list.json reflecting the chosen tier, enabled flags only.
Pin versions in the manifest. Don't run "latest" silently (mod-portal RCE risk noted in #77).
Restart factorio-server.service and verify clients sync on join.

Acceptance

Mod ZIPs present on kai-server at the right path with correct naming
mod-list.json matches chosen tier
Server restarts cleanly, version pins recorded somewhere queryable (probably committed to coily under a factorio/cycles/ dir)
One test client can join and pulls mods via in-game sync without manual install
Mod versions captured for the cycle bundle so a re-deploy reproduces byte-for-byte

Out of scope

Wiring coily gaming factorio mods sync (mod-creation idea #4 / planned helper) - that's the longer-term tooling bet, separate issue.
Authoring own mods - separate issue (#93).
Discord bridge, telemetry, cycle bundle automation.

Tracking from: #77, related: #83, #84, #93

Three-tier mod stack

All Factorio 2.0 compatible. All queryable via the mod portal API at https://mods.factorio.com/api/mods/<name> once coily gaming factorio mods sync is wired.

Tier 1 - Open this weekend (vanilla 2.0 + lightweight QoL)

Goal: low friction. Friend group can drop into a vanilla server with no recipe surprises and a factory-planning pipeline that is ten times less painful. Nothing in this list changes balance.

Mod	Author	Why
Helmod	Helfima	Production-chain calculator. Plan rocket science backwards from "how much SPM" without spreadsheet tab-out.
Rate Calculator	raiguard	Click a machine cluster, get items/sec in/out. Pairs with Helmod for "is this belt actually saturating".
Even Distribution	321freddy	Ctrl-drag distributes items evenly across selected machines. Vanilla's "shift+click and pray" feels broken once you have it.
Bottleneck	trold	Coloured indicator on every machine showing input-starved / output-blocked / running. Read your factory's health at a glance.
Milestones	Wiwiweb	Tracks first-time crafts. Nice for a friend-group run.
Auto Deconstruct	mindmix	Marks empty drills for deconstruction. Late-game ore patches stop creating ghosts.
Bob's Adjustable Inserters	Bobingabout	Hotkeys + GUI to tweak inserter pickup/drop. The one Bob mod that pays for itself in vanilla.
Change Inserter Drop Lane	raiguard	Hotkey to flip which side of the belt an inserter drops on. Sub-50KB, zero cost, stops a recurring inserter-rotation dance. Promoted from T4 reference.
Belt Tracer	paybara	Hover-highlights belt/pipe/wire networks so you can trace them through the base. Pure debugging aid, no balance impact. Promoted from T4 reference.
Disco Science	danielbrauer	Aesthetic only. Labs glow with the colour of the science pack they're consuming.
Bullet Trails	Earendel	Cosmetic. Combat reads correctly.
Jetpack	Earendel	Doesn't get stuck on water tiles. Almost-not-a-cheat, definitely-an-onramp.

Thirteen mods (counting nothing), zero recipe changes, all stable, all maintained on 2.0.

Tier 2 - The real run (Space Age + Tier 1 + Earendel companions + biomes)

Goal: a meaningful first-modded run. Wholly Wube-authored core (Space Age) so no compat surprises. Earendel's companion mods are the standard next layer.

Add to Tier 1:

Mod	Author	Why
Space Age	Wube (DLC)	The post-rocket campaign. Three new planets (Vulcanus, Fulgora, Gleba), quality system, real space platforms.
Alien Biomes	Earendel	Map gen variety: snow, volcanic, crater, all the dirt/sand/grass colours. SA-aware (only affects Nauvis).
AAI Containers & Warehouses	Earendel	Storage tiers between vanilla chest and roboport-fed. Fixes a real mid-game pain.
AAI Industry	Earendel	Burner machines and intermediate steps. Adds depth without breaking flow. (DOES change recipes; opt-in.)
AAI Signal Transmission	Earendel	Wireless circuit signals across planets. Solves a real Space Age annoyance.
Equipment Gantry	Earendel	Auto-installs equipment grid items into spidertrons / power armor from a chest.
Shield Projector	Earendel	Projected energy walls. Combat upgrade, fits the SA aesthetic.
Combat Mechanics Overhaul	Earendel	Walls block more projectiles, friendly fire off, sane defaults.
Robot Attrition	Earendel	Tiny crash chance for congested logistic bots. Forces real belt design at scale. Optional.
Informatron	Earendel	In-game help directory other mods register pages with. SA helpers use it.
Long Stack Inserter	snouz	Long-reach stack inserter. Fills a vanilla gap once you're past green-circuit scale. Promoted from T4 reference.
Rocket Cargo Insertion	S6X	Auto-load LDS, processing units, and rocket fuel onto the silo. Removes a tedious SA platform-launch chore. Promoted from T4 reference.
Elevated Pipes	Redotix99	Pipe-on-pillars, mirror of vanilla elevated rails. Solves tight-corner fluid routing post-Vulcanus. Promoted from T4 reference.
Pollution Scaling	ilbjanissary	Rescales pollution colour in mapview to the current worst chunk so pollution stays legible at megabase scale. Free, no balance impact. Promoted from T4 reference.

Result: vanilla-shaped game, wholly-Wube core campaign, polish layer from one author (Earendel) so compat is uniform. Plays for 100-200h before the friend group either tires or asks for more.

Tier 3 - Long commitment (Krastorio 2 + Space Age + Tier 1 QoL)

Goal: when the friend group has put in 100+h on Tier 2 and asks for "more". K2 has the most active 2.0 maintenance, hits "moderately increased complexity" without months-long Pyanodons / Bob's+Angel's commitment. K2 + SA officially compat in 2.0.

Add to Tier 2:

Mod	Author	Why
Krastorio 2	raiguard	End-game-tech overhaul: matter manipulation, fusion tower, advanced electronics. Roughly 1.5x the vanilla tech tree.
FNEI	npo6ka	Recipe browser. Becomes mandatory once you're past 30 unfamiliar recipes.
Waterfill	untraceablesmurf	Place water like landfill. Trivial QoL but you'll want it once K2 starts demanding pumps everywhere.
Text Plates	Earendel	Sign letters out of metal plates. Megabase organisation.

Deliberately not included:

Pyanodons (full stack): 1000h commitment, friend group will not finish.
Bob's + Angel's: more depth than K2, but T3 is "next run after SA," not "career change."
Space Exploration: was the T3 pick before SA shipped. Don't run SE and SA; pick one. SA wins for a friend group because it's authored.
LTN: Logistic Train Network is great but Space Age trains already cover most of it post-2.0. Add only if a player asks specifically.

Future Tier 4 (one-line note): if a single player ends up running solo + wants Pyanodons, that's its own server, not a community migration.

Edit (T4 cherry-pick): Six promotions absorbed from the T4 reference stack (later comment): Change Inserter Drop Lane and Belt Tracer into T1; Long Stack Inserter, Rocket Cargo Insertion, Elevated Pipes, and Pollution Scaling into T2. All sub-100KB, zero recipe-conflict, universal QoL.

Tier 4 mod stack (reference): friend-group "kitchen sink + planet pack"

Pulled from a friend's mod-list.json (/Users/kai/Downloads/mod-list.json, 408 mods, 72 enabled). This is what an experienced SA-megabase player runs once they've burned through Tier 3 and want extra planets, extra industries, and bigger versions of every late-game vanilla building. Listing it here as the outer bound of the tier ladder so the spectrum is documented end-to-end. Not a recommendation for the opening Sirens session - way too heavy for friend-group accretion. Useful as a menu to cherry-pick from for Tier 2 / Tier 3 promotions.

Dropped 30+ pure library / graphics dependencies from the headline list (flib, informatron, bplib, mferrari_lib, common-prototypes(-graphics), PlanetsLib(Tiers), alien-biomes-graphics, space-exploration-graphics(-4), muluna-graphics, Nexus-Graphics, diesel_engine, machine-upgrades, quality_glassware, zzz-nonstandard-beacons, discovery_tree) - they auto-resolve as deps of the gameplay mods below.

Goal: extends Tier 3. Assumes SA + K2-or-vanilla-SA base. Adds planets, industries, and big-vanilla replacements. Months-long commitment.

Planet pack (the defining choice)

Mod	Why
Muluna, Moon of Nauvis	New planet, source of space science. Adds early-game space progression.
Planetaris: Arig	Hot-desert planet with valuable-only ore. Mid-game.
Nexus Extended Promethium Endgame	New endgame planet past Aquilo, extends promethium chain.
Tiered Solar System	Reorganizes vanilla + modded planet positions to match SA progression. Required when stacking planet mods.
Cosmic Social Distancing	Auto-spaces planets >5000km apart on the starmap. UX glue for stacked planet packs.
Redrawn Space Connections	Algorithmic re-routing of space connections so the navmap is readable with N planets.
Visible Planets in Space	Renders the planet behind your platform when in orbit. Pure flavor.
StarMap Background	Starry starmap instead of flat black.
BetterAquilo	Aquilo overhaul, makes it a real endgame challenge instead of a checklist.

Industry / late-game complexity

Mod	Why
Air filtering	Pollution-mitigation buildings. Pairs with pollution-scaling.
Flare Stack	Dispose of unwanted items + fluids. Standard late-game QoL.
Lubrication Tower	Beacon variant powered by lubricant. Forces fluid-logistics in beacon design.
Condensing Agricultural Tower	Harvests fluids (not just items) from Gleba plants.
Diesel Machines	Liquid-fuel-powered machine tier. Alternative to electric for early game.
Barreling Machines + Barreling Group	Dedicated barreling/IBC tier + recipe group.
Bricked Foundry	Molten-stone + cast-brick + cast-rail recipes for the Vulcanus foundry.
Easy Production Science	Reduces production-science recipe cost. Friction-reducer, not a complexity-add.
Easy Uranium 235	Same idea for U-235. Friction-reducer.
Bioprocessing Tab	New crafting group for Gleba/organic recipes. Pure organization.
Colorful Biochamber	Cosmetic. Per-recipe-color biochambers.

Bigger/better vanilla replacements (Snouz family)

Mod	Why
Big solar panel	60x output, 6.6x space-efficient. Megabase-scale.
Big accumulator	60x capacity. Pair with big solar.
Hypercell substation	Tier-2 substation.
Asteroid Collector MK2	T2 collector for SA platform megabases.
Space platform hull	Hyper-resistant walls for space platforms. Unlocks with carbon-fiber.
Focused gun turrets	2x range/speed, 1/4 angle. Defensive specialization.
Heavy Gun Turret	Bigger, more expensive, higher fire rate. Different design pressure.

Combat

Mod	Why
Armoured Biters	Adds "Snappers" enemy type. Real difficulty bump.
Big Brother 2.0	Radar upgrade research tree. WIP but functional.
Survival Gear	Start with kickstart machines + equipment. Friction-reducer for late joiners.

Spidertron + trains

Mod	Why
Spidertron Enhancements	QoL bundle: enter/exit, follow, etc.
Spidertron Patrols	Patrol routes + auto-load/unload docks.
SE Space Trains	UPS-friendly maglev space trains.
Minimal Electric Rails	Rails without gravel/wood that conduct electricity. Includes elevated variant.

QoL (cherry-pick candidates for Tier 1/2)

These are the mods worth pulling earlier in the ladder. Marked with promote if they should jump tiers.

Mod	Promote to	Why
Even Distribution	already T1 (under that name)	Confirms T1 placement.
Squeak Through 2	already T1	Confirms T1 placement.
Change Inserter Drop Lane	promote to T1	One hotkey, big QoL. Sub-50KB mod.
Belt Tracer	promote to T1	Hover-to-trace belts/pipes/wires. Pure debugging aid.
Elevated Pipes	promote to T2 (post-Vulcanus)	Same shape as elevated rails. Tight-corner solution.
Long Stack Inserter	promote to T2	Fills a vanilla gap.
Rocket Cargo Insertion	promote to T2 (SA only)	LDS / processing units / rocket fuel auto-load. SA platform builders want this.
Tile Upgrade Planner (Muluna fork)	T2 if SA	Upgrade-planner for tiles. Works without Muluna.
New Diagonal Inserter	T3	Real recipe-puzzle changer. Not friction-free.
Lightorio	optional flair	Glow on assemblers/chem/refineries. Ambient.
Disco Science	optional flair	Already in the meme tier. Free.
Enhanced Shadows	optional flair	Better-rendered shadows. Free.
Pollution Scaling	T2 if pollution matters	Scales pollution-color in mapview to match the worst chunk. Makes pollution actually visible.
Pollution: Impactful Smog	T3	Renders pollution as a smog cloud. Atmospheric, costs perf.

What this is NOT

Not a recommended opening stack. The friend-group lift to install + learn 70 mods is too high.
Not a list of "must run together." Most of the planet-pack mods are independent, but stacking them all at once compounds compat risk.
Not version-pinned. When this stack actually gets used as a reference, pin via the same flow as Tier 1-3 (see #92).

Cherry-pick into Tier 2

If we want the Sirens Tier 2 stack to lean a bit closer to "experienced SA player" without going full kitchen-sink, the highest-value adds from this list are:

Change Inserter Drop Lane (free QoL)
Belt Tracer (free debugging)
Long Stack Inserter (vanilla gap)
Rocket Cargo Insertion (SA platform builders)
Elevated Pipes (post-Vulcanus only)
Pollution Scaling (free, makes pollution legible in mapview)

These are all sub-100KB, zero-recipe-conflict, and have universal "where has this been all my life" reactions on the subreddit.

_Originally filed by @coilysiren on 2026-05-03T20:10:12Z - [https://github.com/coilysiren/infrastructure/issues/92](https://github.com/coilysiren/infrastructure/issues/92)_ ## Goal Pull existing community mods from the Factorio mod portal and stage them on kai-server so the server can sync them to clients on join. Short-term operational task. Decoupled from the deeper "build own mods" track in #93. This issue is the install half of the mod stack. The decision of which tier to run is in #83. The full tier menu (T1 vanilla+QoL → T2 Space Age → T3 K2+SA → T4 kitchen-sink reference) lives below. ## What For whichever tier #83 picks: 1. Fetch every mod ZIP via the mod portal API (`https://mods.factorio.com/api/mods/<name>/full` returns download URLs, requires factorio.com username + token). 2. Drop ZIPs into `/home/kai/Steam/steamapps/common/FactorioServer/mods/` with the canonical `<name>_<version>.zip` filename. 3. Write `mod-list.json` reflecting the chosen tier, enabled flags only. 4. Pin versions in the manifest. Don't run "latest" silently (mod-portal RCE risk noted in #77). 5. Restart `factorio-server.service` and verify clients sync on join. ## Acceptance - [ ] Mod ZIPs present on kai-server at the right path with correct naming - [ ] `mod-list.json` matches chosen tier - [ ] Server restarts cleanly, version pins recorded somewhere queryable (probably committed to coily under a `factorio/cycles/` dir) - [ ] One test client can join and pulls mods via in-game sync without manual install - [ ] Mod versions captured for the cycle bundle so a re-deploy reproduces byte-for-byte ## Out of scope - Wiring `coily gaming factorio mods sync` (mod-creation idea #4 / planned helper) - that's the longer-term tooling bet, separate issue. - Authoring own mods - separate issue (#93). - Discord bridge, telemetry, cycle bundle automation. Tracking from: #77, related: #83, #84, #93 --- ## Three-tier mod stack All Factorio 2.0 compatible. All queryable via the mod portal API at `https://mods.factorio.com/api/mods/<name>` once `coily gaming factorio mods sync` is wired. ### Tier 1 - Open this weekend (vanilla 2.0 + lightweight QoL) Goal: low friction. Friend group can drop into a vanilla server with no recipe surprises and a factory-planning pipeline that is ten times less painful. Nothing in this list changes balance. | Mod | Author | Why | |---|---|---| | Helmod | Helfima | Production-chain calculator. Plan rocket science backwards from "how much SPM" without spreadsheet tab-out. | | Rate Calculator | raiguard | Click a machine cluster, get items/sec in/out. Pairs with Helmod for "is this belt actually saturating". | | Even Distribution | 321freddy | Ctrl-drag distributes items evenly across selected machines. Vanilla's "shift+click and pray" feels broken once you have it. | | Bottleneck | trold | Coloured indicator on every machine showing input-starved / output-blocked / running. Read your factory's health at a glance. | | Milestones | Wiwiweb | Tracks first-time crafts. Nice for a friend-group run. | | Auto Deconstruct | mindmix | Marks empty drills for deconstruction. Late-game ore patches stop creating ghosts. | | Bob's Adjustable Inserters | Bobingabout | Hotkeys + GUI to tweak inserter pickup/drop. The one Bob mod that pays for itself in vanilla. | | [Change Inserter Drop Lane](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/ChangeInserterDropLane) | raiguard | Hotkey to flip which side of the belt an inserter drops on. Sub-50KB, zero cost, stops a recurring inserter-rotation dance. Promoted from T4 reference. | | [Belt Tracer](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/belttracer) | paybara | Hover-highlights belt/pipe/wire networks so you can trace them through the base. Pure debugging aid, no balance impact. Promoted from T4 reference. | | Disco Science | danielbrauer | Aesthetic only. Labs glow with the colour of the science pack they're consuming. | | Bullet Trails | Earendel | Cosmetic. Combat reads correctly. | | Jetpack | Earendel | Doesn't get stuck on water tiles. Almost-not-a-cheat, definitely-an-onramp. | Thirteen mods (counting nothing), zero recipe changes, all stable, all maintained on 2.0. ### Tier 2 - The real run (Space Age + Tier 1 + Earendel companions + biomes) Goal: a meaningful first-modded run. Wholly Wube-authored core (Space Age) so no compat surprises. Earendel's companion mods are the standard next layer. Add to Tier 1: | Mod | Author | Why | |---|---|---| | Space Age | Wube (DLC) | The post-rocket campaign. Three new planets (Vulcanus, Fulgora, Gleba), quality system, real space platforms. | | Alien Biomes | Earendel | Map gen variety: snow, volcanic, crater, all the dirt/sand/grass colours. SA-aware (only affects Nauvis). | | AAI Containers & Warehouses | Earendel | Storage tiers between vanilla chest and roboport-fed. Fixes a real mid-game pain. | | AAI Industry | Earendel | Burner machines and intermediate steps. Adds depth without breaking flow. (DOES change recipes; opt-in.) | | AAI Signal Transmission | Earendel | Wireless circuit signals across planets. Solves a real Space Age annoyance. | | Equipment Gantry | Earendel | Auto-installs equipment grid items into spidertrons / power armor from a chest. | | Shield Projector | Earendel | Projected energy walls. Combat upgrade, fits the SA aesthetic. | | Combat Mechanics Overhaul | Earendel | Walls block more projectiles, friendly fire off, sane defaults. | | Robot Attrition | Earendel | Tiny crash chance for congested logistic bots. Forces real belt design at scale. Optional. | | Informatron | Earendel | In-game help directory other mods register pages with. SA helpers use it. | | [Long Stack Inserter](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/long_stack_inserter) | snouz | Long-reach stack inserter. Fills a vanilla gap once you're past green-circuit scale. Promoted from T4 reference. | | [Rocket Cargo Insertion](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/RocketCargoInsertion) | S6X | Auto-load LDS, processing units, and rocket fuel onto the silo. Removes a tedious SA platform-launch chore. Promoted from T4 reference. | | [Elevated Pipes](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/elevated-pipes) | Redotix99 | Pipe-on-pillars, mirror of vanilla elevated rails. Solves tight-corner fluid routing post-Vulcanus. Promoted from T4 reference. | | [Pollution Scaling](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/pollution-scaling) | ilbjanissary | Rescales pollution colour in mapview to the current worst chunk so pollution stays legible at megabase scale. Free, no balance impact. Promoted from T4 reference. | Result: vanilla-shaped game, wholly-Wube core campaign, polish layer from one author (Earendel) so compat is uniform. Plays for 100-200h before the friend group either tires or asks for more. ### Tier 3 - Long commitment (Krastorio 2 + Space Age + Tier 1 QoL) Goal: when the friend group has put in 100+h on Tier 2 and asks for "more". K2 has the most active 2.0 maintenance, hits "moderately increased complexity" without months-long Pyanodons / Bob's+Angel's commitment. K2 + SA officially compat in 2.0. Add to Tier 2: | Mod | Author | Why | |---|---|---| | Krastorio 2 | raiguard | End-game-tech overhaul: matter manipulation, fusion tower, advanced electronics. Roughly 1.5x the vanilla tech tree. | | FNEI | npo6ka | Recipe browser. Becomes mandatory once you're past 30 unfamiliar recipes. | | Waterfill | untraceablesmurf | Place water like landfill. Trivial QoL but you'll want it once K2 starts demanding pumps everywhere. | | Text Plates | Earendel | Sign letters out of metal plates. Megabase organisation. | Deliberately not included: - Pyanodons (full stack): 1000h commitment, friend group will not finish. - Bob's + Angel's: more depth than K2, but T3 is "next run after SA," not "career change." - Space Exploration: was the T3 pick before SA shipped. Don't run SE *and* SA; pick one. SA wins for a friend group because it's authored. - LTN: Logistic Train Network is great but Space Age trains already cover most of it post-2.0. Add only if a player asks specifically. Future Tier 4 (one-line note): if a single player ends up running solo + wants Pyanodons, that's its own server, not a community migration. --- **Edit (T4 cherry-pick):** Six promotions absorbed from the T4 reference stack ([later comment](https://github.com/coilysiren/infrastructure/issues/77#issuecomment-4367069476)): Change Inserter Drop Lane and Belt Tracer into T1; Long Stack Inserter, Rocket Cargo Insertion, Elevated Pipes, and Pollution Scaling into T2. All sub-100KB, zero recipe-conflict, universal QoL. --- ## Tier 4 mod stack (reference): friend-group "kitchen sink + planet pack" Pulled from a friend's `mod-list.json` (`/Users/kai/Downloads/mod-list.json`, 408 mods, 72 enabled). This is what an experienced SA-megabase player runs once they've burned through Tier 3 and want extra planets, extra industries, and bigger versions of every late-game vanilla building. Listing it here as the **outer bound** of the tier ladder so the spectrum is documented end-to-end. Not a recommendation for the opening Sirens session - way too heavy for friend-group accretion. Useful as a menu to cherry-pick from for Tier 2 / Tier 3 promotions. Dropped 30+ pure library / graphics dependencies from the headline list (`flib`, `informatron`, `bplib`, `mferrari_lib`, `common-prototypes(-graphics)`, `PlanetsLib(Tiers)`, `alien-biomes-graphics`, `space-exploration-graphics(-4)`, `muluna-graphics`, `Nexus-Graphics`, `diesel_engine`, `machine-upgrades`, `quality_glassware`, `zzz-nonstandard-beacons`, `discovery_tree`) - they auto-resolve as deps of the gameplay mods below. Goal: extends Tier 3. Assumes SA + K2-or-vanilla-SA base. Adds planets, industries, and big-vanilla replacements. Months-long commitment. ### Planet pack (the defining choice) | Mod | Why | |---|---| | [Muluna, Moon of Nauvis](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/planet-muluna) | New planet, source of space science. Adds early-game space progression. | | [Planetaris: Arig](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/planetaris-arig) | Hot-desert planet with valuable-only ore. Mid-game. | | [Nexus Extended Promethium Endgame](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/Nexus) | New endgame planet past Aquilo, extends promethium chain. | | [Tiered Solar System](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/Tiered-Solar-System) | Reorganizes vanilla + modded planet positions to match SA progression. Required when stacking planet mods. | | [Cosmic Social Distancing](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/Cosmic-Social-Distancing) | Auto-spaces planets >5000km apart on the starmap. UX glue for stacked planet packs. | | [Redrawn Space Connections](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/Redrawn-Space-Connections) | Algorithmic re-routing of space connections so the navmap is readable with N planets. | | [Visible Planets in Space](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/visible-planets) | Renders the planet behind your platform when in orbit. Pure flavor. | | [StarMap Background](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/Better_Starmap_Background) | Starry starmap instead of flat black. | | [BetterAquilo](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/BetterAquilo) | Aquilo overhaul, makes it a real endgame challenge instead of a checklist. | ### Industry / late-game complexity | Mod | Why | |---|---| | [Air filtering](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/air-filtering) | Pollution-mitigation buildings. Pairs with pollution-scaling. | | [Flare Stack](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/Flare%20Stack) | Dispose of unwanted items + fluids. Standard late-game QoL. | | [Lubrication Tower](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/lubrication_tower) | Beacon variant powered by lubricant. Forces fluid-logistics in beacon design. | | [Condensing Agricultural Tower](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/condensing-agricultural-tower) | Harvests fluids (not just items) from Gleba plants. | | [Diesel Machines](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/diesel_machines) | Liquid-fuel-powered machine tier. Alternative to electric for early game. | | [Barreling Machines](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/barreling_machines) + [Barreling Group](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/barreling-group2) | Dedicated barreling/IBC tier + recipe group. | | [Bricked Foundry](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/bricked-foundry) | Molten-stone + cast-brick + cast-rail recipes for the Vulcanus foundry. | | [Easy Production Science](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/easy-production-science) | Reduces production-science recipe cost. Friction-reducer, not a complexity-add. | | [Easy Uranium 235](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/easyuranium235) | Same idea for U-235. Friction-reducer. | | [Bioprocessing Tab](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/bioprocessing-tab) | New crafting group for Gleba/organic recipes. Pure organization. | | [Colorful Biochamber](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/colorful_biochamber) | Cosmetic. Per-recipe-color biochambers. | ### Bigger/better vanilla replacements (Snouz family) | Mod | Why | |---|---| | [Big solar panel](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/snouz-big-solar-panel) | 60x output, 6.6x space-efficient. Megabase-scale. | | [Big accumulator](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/snouz-big-accumulator) | 60x capacity. Pair with big solar. | | [Hypercell substation](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/snouz_better_substation) | Tier-2 substation. | | [Asteroid Collector MK2](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/snouz_better_asteroid_collector) | T2 collector for SA platform megabases. | | [Space platform hull](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/snouz_space_platform_hull) | Hyper-resistant walls for space platforms. Unlocks with carbon-fiber. | | [Focused gun turrets](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/snouz_long_electric_gun_turret) | 2x range/speed, 1/4 angle. Defensive specialization. | | [Heavy Gun Turret](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/heavy_gun_turret) | Bigger, more expensive, higher fire rate. Different design pressure. | ### Combat | Mod | Why | |---|---| | [Armoured Biters](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/ArmouredBiters) | Adds "Snappers" enemy type. Real difficulty bump. | | [Big Brother 2.0](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/big-brother) | Radar upgrade research tree. WIP but functional. | | [Survival Gear](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/SurvivalGear) | Start with kickstart machines + equipment. Friction-reducer for late joiners. | ### Spidertron + trains | Mod | Why | |---|---| | [Spidertron Enhancements](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/SpidertronEnhancements) | QoL bundle: enter/exit, follow, etc. | | [Spidertron Patrols](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/SpidertronPatrols) | Patrol routes + auto-load/unload docks. | | [SE Space Trains](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/se-space-trains) | UPS-friendly maglev space trains. | | [Minimal Electric Rails](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/minimalist-rails) | Rails without gravel/wood that conduct electricity. Includes elevated variant. | ### QoL (cherry-pick candidates for Tier 1/2) These are the mods worth pulling earlier in the ladder. Marked with **promote** if they should jump tiers. | Mod | Promote to | Why | |---|---|---| | [Even Distribution](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/even-distribution) | already T1 (under that name) | Confirms T1 placement. | | [Squeak Through 2](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/squeak-through-2) | already T1 | Confirms T1 placement. | | [Change Inserter Drop Lane](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/ChangeInserterDropLane) | **promote to T1** | One hotkey, big QoL. Sub-50KB mod. | | [Belt Tracer](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/belttracer) | **promote to T1** | Hover-to-trace belts/pipes/wires. Pure debugging aid. | | [Elevated Pipes](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/elevated-pipes) | **promote to T2** (post-Vulcanus) | Same shape as elevated rails. Tight-corner solution. | | [Long Stack Inserter](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/long_stack_inserter) | **promote to T2** | Fills a vanilla gap. | | [Rocket Cargo Insertion](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/RocketCargoInsertion) | **promote to T2** (SA only) | LDS / processing units / rocket fuel auto-load. SA platform builders want this. | | [Tile Upgrade Planner (Muluna fork)](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/tile-upgrade-planner-muluna) | T2 if SA | Upgrade-planner for tiles. Works without Muluna. | | [New Diagonal Inserter](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/new-diagonal-inserter) | T3 | Real recipe-puzzle changer. Not friction-free. | | [Lightorio](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/lightorio) | optional flair | Glow on assemblers/chem/refineries. Ambient. | | [Disco Science](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/DiscoScience) | optional flair | Already in the meme tier. Free. | | [Enhanced Shadows](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/enhanced-shadows) | optional flair | Better-rendered shadows. Free. | | [Pollution Scaling](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/pollution-scaling) | T2 if pollution matters | Scales pollution-color in mapview to match the worst chunk. Makes pollution actually visible. | | [Pollution: Impactful Smog](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/visible-pollutants) | T3 | Renders pollution as a smog cloud. Atmospheric, costs perf. | ### What this is NOT - Not a recommended opening stack. The friend-group lift to install + learn 70 mods is too high. - Not a list of "must run together." Most of the planet-pack mods are independent, but stacking them all at once compounds compat risk. - Not version-pinned. When this stack actually gets used as a reference, pin via the same flow as Tier 1-3 (see #92). ### Cherry-pick into Tier 2 If we want the Sirens Tier 2 stack to lean a bit closer to "experienced SA player" without going full kitchen-sink, the highest-value adds from this list are: - **Change Inserter Drop Lane** (free QoL) - **Belt Tracer** (free debugging) - **Long Stack Inserter** (vanilla gap) - **Rocket Cargo Insertion** (SA platform builders) - **Elevated Pipes** (post-Vulcanus only) - **Pollution Scaling** (free, makes pollution legible in mapview) These are all sub-100KB, zero-recipe-conflict, and have universal "where has this been all my life" reactions on the subreddit.

coilysiren commented

2026-05-30 05:43:23 +00:00

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Iceboxed in the 2026-05-29 backlog burn-down: factorio install mod stack, hobby toy. Reopen anytime if it becomes real.

coilysiren closed this issue

2026-05-30 05:43:23 +00:00

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