sstrang/3d-synced-factorio-lab

{"i":42,"repo":"sstrang/3d-synced-factorio-lab","stars":5,"lang":"unknown","ok":true,"char_count":1812,"text":"This project is a physical, 3D-printed model of a research laboratory from the game Factorio. The model contains real LED lights that sync to what happens in your game. When you start research in Factorio, the lights on the model flicker and cycle through the colors of the science packs your game is consuming. When the research finishes, the light flashes white once. If you cancel the research, the light turns off. It mirrors the behavior of a popular game mod called Disco Science, but brings that effect into the real world with physical hardware.\n\nThe system works through a chain of several connected pieces. First, a custom Factorio mod called Events Logger writes each in-game event to a file on your computer as it happens. A separate program called the MQTT Bridge watches that file and sends each event to an MQTT broker, which is a kind of message relay. From there, a smart home platform called Home Assistant receives the messages and triggers an automation that controls the LED strip inside the 3D-printed model. The LEDs themselves are driven by WLED, an open-source firmware running on a small ESP32 microcontroller.\n\nThe Events Logger mod records far more than just research events. It logs player joins, chat messages, deaths, rocket launches, and other game activity. Once these events flow into Home Assistant, you can use them for any smart home automation you want. The README suggests examples like flashing your house lights red when a player dies or announcing rocket launches through smart speakers. The synced lab is just one possible use of the broader pipeline.\n\nSetting up the project requires several components working together. You need Factorio version 2.0 or 2.1 with the Events Logger mod installed, a 3D-printed lab model with an addressable LED strip, an ESP32 running WLED, an MQTT broker such as Mosquitto, and Home Assistant configured to receive the events. You also need a machine to run the MQTT Bridge program, which could be the same computer running Factorio or a small device like a Raspberry Pi. The README credits the original 3D model creator, the Events Logger mod authors, and the Disco Science mod author whose work inspired the lighting behavior.","error":null}