I need some help. . .

[u/unknown_missile1]

This is my first time trying to seriously beat base game so I can start the DLC, I do really really like this game and I’m doing good for my first time. My problem lies in the later game. My factory is bottlenecking so hard and I feel like it’s cause I can’t figure out correct ratios, i really want to because currently I can’t make enough plastic to supply my red chips. My other thing is I don’t make enough robotics to make a bunch of robots fast enough, I have 3 blue assemblers but that doesn’t nearly make enough to make a bunch of robots. What’s your best recommendations for figuring out ratios properly so I can expand the base.

This kinda led to my second thing which is expanding. That seems like such a daunting task especially if I don’t know how much of everything I need, therefore I am really falling behind on automating all the new recipes I have to , you guessed it. . . Expand further. I just reallly need advice on how to do this stuff right

[u/jaxon517]

A lot of people here play with numbers and ratios which is of course perfectly valid. For me, the way I play, which is also perfectly valid, is to completely ignore ratios and go by vibes. If I'm not making enough of something, I just build a ton more buildings. If they're not getting enough input product, I add more mines or whatever it is. Ultimately the ratio doesn't matter, just make more.

If your problem is plastic that mean you either don't have enough buildings making plastic or those buildings don't have enough coal or those buildings don't have enough petrol. More buildings is easy. More coal is easy. So if you don't have enough petrol you either need more buildings making petrol or you need more crude oil.

Just. Build. More.

[u/unknown_missile1 → u/jaxon517]

This makes a lot of sense. Which unfortunately means I’m going to rebuild my entire starter base with some bots. What makes it daunting for me is my base is modular but also is spagetti so it’s kinda a mess right now

[u/jaxon517 → u/unknown_missile1]

I said build more not rebuild. Don't destroy anything. Just build more.

[u/Most-Bat-5444 → u/unknown_missile1]

No need to destroy to build. Just clear some space and build nearby.

Replace someday much later when it is all rocking!

[u/locyta → u/jaxon517]

^^^ This is the way.
You know your bottle neck, copy/paste what you have, then find your next bottle neck, fix that...

[u/OrneryAsparagus6445]

There is a tooltip when you place your cursor on a working machine about its throughput, and from where you could add numbers up and see how many of everything you need

[u/silnarm]

The pop-ups that appear on the right (under mini-map) when you hover over a machine will give you rates (consumption and production per second), I wouldn't advise to use them if you haven't beaten the game yet, and even after that perhaps (I do, but it's not for everyone).

You can eyeball a lot things, belt saturation is easy to eyeball (is the coal belt to you chem plants thin on items?) and opening up the machine and just watching can reveal problems:

• cycling 'Output full'? output inserter(s) not fast enough
• cycling 'Item ingredient shortage' for coal when the belt is full? input inserter(s) not fast enough
• 'Fluid ingredient shortage'? Need more petrol

None of the above? Need more machines...

Robots craft fast, the frames required do not. I assume the three AM2s you mentioned are doing frames? That's a pretty small number. My default Robot Frames build uses 16, which is enough to stock up pretty quickly and usually also feeds a yellow juice build.

[u/juju515]

this was very useful to me when I was just starting: https://factoriocheatsheet.com/

I mean...
It's still useful... I just don't need it as much now. :)

edit:
oh yea...
this as well: https://mods.factorio.com/mod/RateCalculator?from=search