Factorio: Pollution's Persistent Presence And Lingering Effects

In the game Factorio, pollution is a major concern for players as it attracts biters, which are hostile creatures that attempt to destroy the player's factory. While pollution does not dissipate immediately, it can be absorbed by the environment, including the water, soil, trees, and spawners. Trees are particularly effective at absorbing pollution, but they will eventually die if exposed to high levels of pollution, so deforestation should be avoided. Players can reduce pollution by using efficiency modules, which decrease pollution and energy requirements by 80%, and solar panels. Additionally, certain mods offer ways to construct pollution-absorbing buildings. It's important to note that even if pollution doesn't reach biter nests, it still contributes to their evolution.

Pollution absorption by trees

Trees are an essential part of the Factorio ecosystem, and they play a crucial role in absorbing pollution. While trees take damage from pollution, they also help to reduce it, making them a vital natural resource in the game.

Every single tree in Factorio absorbs a small amount of pollution per second. This absorption rate varies depending on the level of pollution in the chunk, or section of the map, that the tree is located in. If the pollution level exceeds 60 units, trees in that chunk will start to lose leaves or become more grey. Despite the visual damage, each tree will absorb 10 units of pollution. This process continues until the sum of the tree's grey percentage and leaf loss reaches 120%. At this point, the tree's appearance becomes locked, and it can retain some leaves while being very grey or vice versa. Interestingly, the density of a tree's leaves impacts its absorption rate, with less dense leaves resulting in slower absorption.

The presence of trees can significantly influence the player's strategy in Factorio. As trees absorb pollution, players must carefully consider how many trees they cut down, especially if biters are a concern. Preserving trees can help manage pollution levels and slow down the evolution of biters. However, trees alone may not be enough to fully contain pollution, as the evolution factor is primarily influenced by the pollution produced by the player's machinery.

Additionally, players can utilise trees strategically by growing them manually or through agricultural towers. These grown trees can act as renewable barriers against pollution spread. However, it's important to note that trees cannot be replanted in the vanilla version of the game, except in Space Age.

In conclusion, trees in Factorio serve a vital function by absorbing pollution and helping to mitigate its negative effects. Players can use this knowledge to their advantage by preserving existing trees and strategically growing new ones to create natural defences against pollution and its consequences.

Pollution reduction methods

In Factorio, pollution is represented as a red cloud, produced by buildings involved in processing items, and it spreads outwards steadily. The pollution cloud triggers biter attacks and determines the size of the attacks. The evolution factor is not increased by the spreading/absorbed pollution, but by the pollution produced by the player's machinery.

There are several methods to reduce pollution in the game. Firstly, it is important to focus on the buildings that generate the most pollution, such as steam burner boilers, resource extraction, and raw material processing. By using efficiency modules in these buildings, pollution can be significantly reduced. For example, filling electric mining drills and oil rigs with efficiency modules can reduce the pollution they generate by up to 80%.

Another way to reduce pollution is to transition from burner boiler-based power to solar panels. Solar panels generate less pollution and, when combined with efficiency modules, can further reduce pollution and the number of solar panels required. Additionally, going nuclear can also help reduce the pollution cloud, as mentioned by a player.

Trees also play a crucial role in absorbing pollution. Each tree absorbs a small amount of pollution per second, but they will eventually die if exposed to high levels of pollution. Therefore, it is important to preserve trees and avoid deforestation to maintain their pollution-absorbing effects.

Lastly, there are mods available that offer ways to construct pollution-absorbing buildings, providing additional options for players to manage pollution in the game.

Pollution and enemy evolution

In Factorio, pollution is represented as a red cloud, produced by buildings involved in processing items. It spreads steadily in all four cardinal directions, and can generate new chunks if it spreads to them. The pollution cloud triggers biter attacks and determines the size of the attacks. Biters will attempt to reach the source of pollution and destroy it.

Pollution also affects the evolution of enemies. Every tick, the pollution produced by the player's machinery increases the evolution factor, causing enemies to evolve at a faster rate. However, the spreading or absorbed pollution does not increase the evolution factor, so containing pollution will not prevent enemy evolution.

To reduce pollution, players can use efficiency modules, which reduce the pollution and energy requirements of machines by up to 80%. Solar panels can also help reduce pollution, as the reduced energy requirements mean fewer panels are needed. Going nuclear can also help shrink the pollution cloud. Additionally, trees absorb pollution, but they will eventually die if exposed to high levels of pollution, so deforestation should be avoided. Certain mods also offer the ability to construct pollution-absorbing buildings.

While it is possible to reduce pollution, it is challenging to completely eliminate it. Even if pollution is contained or reduced, enemies will continue to evolve, and the pollution cloud will continue to spread and be absorbed by the environment, including water, soil, trees, and spawners. However, by managing pollution effectively, players can slow its spread and reduce the frequency of enemy attacks.

Pollution spread mechanics

In Factorio, pollution is represented as a red cloud, produced by buildings involved in processing items. It spreads outwards at a steady rate in all four cardinal directions. The rate of spread is 2% per 64 ticks, and it can generate new chunks if it needs to spread to them. The evolution factor is not increased by the spreading/absorbed pollution but by the pollution produced by the player's machinery at every tick.

Pollution attracts biters to the player's factory. Biters in a polluted area will attempt to reach the source of pollution and destroy it. Trees absorb a small amount of pollution per second, and their leaves degenerate slowly when exposed to high levels of pollution. They will eventually die and stop absorbing pollution. The ground and water also absorb pollution.

To reduce pollution, players can use efficiency modules, which reduce the pollution and energy requirements of machines by 80%. Solar panels can also be used, and nuclear power is effective in reducing the pollution cloud.

Pollution and biter attacks

In Factorio, pollution is represented as a red cloud, produced by buildings involved in processing items. It spreads outwards steadily and triggers biter attacks. The pollution cloud determines the size of the attacks, with biters attempting to reach and destroy the source of pollution.

To reduce pollution, players can use efficiency modules, which reduce the pollution and energy requirements of machines by up to 80%. Solar panels can also help reduce pollution, and when combined with efficiency modules, fewer panels are needed. Additionally, trees absorb pollution, but they will eventually die if exposed to high levels, and their absorption rate decreases as they lose leaves and turn grey.

Players can also try to prevent pollution by using certain types of furnaces and power generation. For example, electric furnaces with efficiency modules produce less pollution than those without. Boilers are more efficient than electric furnaces, and burner boilers are extremely polluting. Going nuclear can also help reduce the pollution cloud.

By reducing pollution, players can slow the evolution of enemies and decrease the frequency of biter attacks. However, even if pollution doesn't reach biter nests, it will still contribute to their evolution.

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