Does there exist a factory game or zachlike that's like this?:

WillRegex@lemm.ee to Games@lemmy.world – 19 points –

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?
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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.

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.

Check out SpaceChem, matches most of your bullet points. It's a level-based puzzle game like Opus Magnum though.

I second this, it's what OP is asking for. Word of warning though: this game is hard as hell. It reached a point where I'd spend 2 hours on a level, realize I messed up and can't salvage this, and gave up. I never got really far.

I've played it two or three times, each time making it a bit farther. I think I made it about halfway at best.

I thought SpaceChem uses the same mechanic as Opus Magnum where the benefit of optimization is just the player's place on the histogram. I'm looking for more interaction between machines than that.

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.

Would Riftbreaker Prologue give a good idea of the gameplay of Riftbreaker?

Yeah, I believe so. Looks pretty much the same.

Shapez

Shapez looks like it has the same problem as factorio, where expanding outwards is always possible and easier than micro-optimizations. That's not the kind of gameplay I'm looking for.

It's a mobile game, but Sandship kinda checks all those boxes.

Seems interesting shame there's no paid bon freemium version, though.

When I launch it on my phone, it's just a black screen.