What I’m looking for can really be described as one of the following:

  • Opus Magnum but the reason to optimize is so that I save resources and generate resources faster?
  • Factorio but I can’t expand infinitely and have to instead make the factory more efficient rather than just growing exponentially?
  • Compact Claustrophobia but without an infinite number of compact machines?
  • Last Clockwinder but with a much greater focus on planning and less on execution?
  • BandoCalrissian@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    I think Satisfactory hits a few of these targets, if you haven’t already tried it. The amount of resources is determined by a map that is not procedurally generated, so there is a hard cap to your resources per minute, though the resources never run out. So end game focuses more on playing efficiently rather than brute expansion.

  • cholesterol@lemmy.wtf
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    1 year ago

    Factorio but I can’t expand infinitely

    This can be done with an island map. You can download an infinite resources mod so your patches never run out.

  • Alteon@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Maybe Techtonica? It just came out on Gamepass. It’s like Satisfactory but in a cave and you can’t just build anywhere… honestly, it’s just another factory game though.

    You play Dyson Sphere Program yet? It’ll scratch a lot of itches. Riftbreaker was pretty fun as well. A little meh at the higher levels though.

  • _Mantissa@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I think I actually know exactly what you’re looking for. Factoryidle (.com) is a “idle” game but is very involved and nuanced. As you progress you get small expansions to your factory floor space but the real boost in productivity comes from upgrades that make things more efficient. Each upgrade impacts different resources, thus changing your optimal ratios and forcing you to redesign the factory several times to be be optimal. I will say that a downside of this “build better not bigger” game philosophy is that it’s basically been solved as there are community made factory layouts that can’t be beaten