Modeling and Analyzing the Strategy Game "Factorio" Using Modular Petri Nets and the General-Purpose Petri Net Simulator.

The video game Factorio is a popular real-time strategy game that hosts a variety of gameplay scenarios analogous to real-world problems such as factory building, pipeline optimization, and conveyor belt logistics. It also considers environmental costs such as pollution and energy consumption. This game focuses on automation and resource management within the context of creating and maintaining factories. Players are challenged to design efficient factories, automate production, control energy consumption, and balance resource utilization, all while defending against environmental challenges such as pollution and hostile enemies. Factorio is a complex software; however, studies have demonstrated its ability to enhance student satisfaction when integrated as an educational module at the university level. This paper aims to utilize the power of Petri Net theory and the practical tool GPenSIM to model and simulate several Factorio pipelines and score them against one another, exploring which pipeline configuration is optimal. The primary objective is to make a mathematical model (Petri Net) to better understand the game's complex mechanisms, identify bottlenecks within the system, and explore opportunities for optimization within the network of modules. The insights gained from this paper may find practical applications in real-world scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]