{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/automation-programming--t116","type":"mechanic","id":"automation-programming--t116","lang":"en","title":"Optimizing a production or automation system","summary":"Optimization improves a working system's measurable result by comparing speed, cost, space and resilience.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/automation-programming--t116/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/automation-programming--t116.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/automation-programming--t116.md","aliases":["Optimizing a working system"],"tags":["Automation and programming","Mechanics and variants"],"sourceIds":["source-96be186d8ada50a0","source-e3462fbcf270ed6c"],"sources":[{"id":"source-96be186d8ada50a0","title":"Factorio: Content","url":"https://www.factorio.com/game/content","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-e3462fbcf270ed6c","title":"SpaceChem","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/92800/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Optimization improves a working system's measurable result by comparing speed, cost, space and resilience."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Mechanic variants\n\n<a id=\"t116-variants\"></a>\n\n- Time measures completed-task latency. <a id=\"t116-v1\"></a>\n- Cost counts components used by the solution. <a id=\"t116-v2\"></a>\n- Area limits the footprint of a design. <a id=\"t116-v3\"></a>\n- Reliability tests operation under changed inputs. <a id=\"t116-v4\"></a>"},{"id":"example","title":"Design example","body":"A compact line produces fewer parts per minute but leaves room for another product.\n\nPrototype check: Test independent metrics and expose tradeoffs rather than declaring one solution universally best."},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Automation moves repeated work into a system; the player builds connections and identifies the limiting stage. Each overview separates player actions, state changes and alternative rules. Examples are hypothetical design scenarios, not claims about a named game. A prototype check states an observable question for the next iteration. Existing detailed references remain separately linked from the direction map."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"automation-programming","id":"t116","title":"Automation and programming","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/automation-programming/#t116","categoryIds":["mechanics"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Optimizing a working system","description":"Optimization improves a working system's measurable result by comparing speed, cost, space and resilience.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/adventure-spacechem-02.webp","width":1024,"height":768,"game":"SpaceChem","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/92800/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/92800/ss_61801bb4ff4f4d6f23eb8a531fa53908abfcc3cb.1920x1080.jpg?t=1667072182","credit":"Zachtronics","rights":"Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"Reactors and pipes transform and deliver materials","alt":"Reactors and pipes transform and deliver materials","markers":[{"x":53,"y":57,"label":"Connections link production stages"},{"x":83,"y":65,"label":"Outputs receive the required products"}]},"tips":["Let players compare working solutions with the same metric."],"examples":[{"title":"SpaceChem","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/92800/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original bilingual editorial overviews authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-20 and reviewed on 2026-10-21. Scenarios are hypothetical design examples; prototype checks describe work to perform, not completed playtests. Primary sources support the stated techniques and implementation context, not every proposed variant.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/automation-programming"}}