GregTech steel creation vs Railcraft

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PhoenixSmith

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Jul 29, 2019
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In Resurrection is RC Blast furnace hands down the best, or do I need the gt bronze version for something? To me it seems the gt one is harder to make (once you get nether access the RC one isn't terrible) and takes longer to create steel. I know the GT electrical one is better latter game...
 

asb3pe

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Jul 29, 2019
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I'm not playing Resurrection but one of the defining "features" of GregTech is how almost anything you did previously in another mod will become harder, take more time, and consume more materials.

So the answer to your question is - if you can make something without GT, then you do it. Period. Make it your default response, and you will almost never be wrong.

They call it GregTech, but I submit that S&M Tech might have been a better name for it. LOL If you don't get my joke, just forget it. I actually LOVE GregTech and can't play any modpack that doesn't have it installed anymore.

Just for example, I received advice on the forums the other day... it said something like "GT Steam Boiler is extremely inefficient and thus you should use the Railcraft Steam Boilers until you reach the GT Nichrome stage" (end game). That same advice literally applies to anything with the Greg.
 

rhn

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In Resurrection is RC Blast furnace hands down the best, or do I need the gt bronze version for something? To me it seems the gt one is harder to make (once you get nether access the RC one isn't terrible) and takes longer to create steel. I know the GT electrical one is better latter game...
If the GT one is anything like the 1.6 one, then bear in mind that it can share its walls with other Blast furnaces, thereby greatly lowering the cost. You can build four of them for example with them all sharing each others walls.
 

asb3pe

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rhn

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Yeah, this is how I used the bronze one in TPPI:
0pg4HVK.png

Automated them with the Routers(bridged all the Blast Furnace blocks by chaining barrels under the multiblock:p)
 
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PhoenixSmith

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Thanks for the info! So basically they are slower, but could be cheaper in large amounts? That quad core one is sick! :p
 

rhn

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Thanks for the info! So basically they are slower, but could be cheaper in large amounts? That quad core one is sick! :p
The tricky part with the GT ones is automation. You only have one single face to do input and output. The multiblock structure does not accept items, only the main Blast furnace block. This is why I chose to use Routers as they can work through chains of inventories(the routers them selves, barrels or whatever). The 2 out most routers are touching this sides Furnace blocks, and on the opposite side 2 barrels are doing the same thing.
 
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PhoenixSmith

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The tricky part with the GT ones is automation. You only have one single face to do input and output. The multiblock structure does not accept items, only the main Blast furnace block. This is why I chose to use Routers as they can work through chains of inventories(the routers them selves, barrels or whatever). The 2 out most routers are touching this sides Furnace blocks, and on the opposite side 2 barrels are doing the same thing.
Factorization is in resurrection I believe so I think I can do that as well. Thank you for the help. I am a total GT noob. ;)
 

rhn

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Factorization is in resurrection I believe so I think I can do that as well. Thank you for the help. I am a total GT noob. ;)
Well first time for me too :p
But it seemed like a good choice to me to use the GT one. Didn't need to hunt the nether early on and could skip the Coke oven step.
 

DriftinFool

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Am I going to need a coke oven?
Nope. The GT blast furnace will run on charcoal. A tree farm is your best long term fuel option for GT blast furnaces.


As for automating the blast furnace in Ressurection. I am using Blue power. I have a single item tube connected to the face. It is fed by a transposer and a retriever pulls the steel ash. Steve's Factory manager is also a good way to automate them since you only need one face.
 

Someone Else 37

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Feb 10, 2013
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FYI, last I checked, Greg makes flint and steel require actual steel, making getting into the Nether without a bronze blast furnace difficult. However, you should be able to pull it off with either a fire charge made from Thaumcraft cinderpearls found in a desert, or by placing lava and wood near your portal frame.
 

asb3pe

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FYI, last I checked, Greg makes flint and steel require actual steel, making getting into the Nether without a bronze blast furnace difficult. However, you should be able to pull it off with either a fire charge made from Thaumcraft cinderpearls found in a desert, or by placing lava and wood near your portal frame.

Resurrection didn't seem to be pure "hardmode" Gregtech when I played it briefly, so not sure that it has everything "cranked up" to the max. It may or may not require actual "steel nugget" for the flint & steel. But yeah, in the GT modpack I'm playing, it really sucked that I couldn't go to the Nether early in the game. It seemed a bit unfair, because nether quartz is so critical to mods like Applied Energistics and Ender IO (for Fused Quartz glass blocks). I finally got there, but gosh was it ever a grind.
 

PhoenixSmith

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Jul 29, 2019
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FYI, last I checked, Greg makes flint and steel require actual steel, making getting into the Nether without a bronze blast furnace difficult. However, you should be able to pull it off with either a fire charge made from Thaumcraft cinderpearls found in a desert, or by placing lava and wood near your portal frame.
Ah, it takes a nugget of steel.. I am going to try scouring villages for it, or asking a server mate. :p
 

asb3pe

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Ah, it takes a nugget of steel.. I am going to try scouring villages for it, or asking a server mate. :p

Aha, now I see my problem - I never play SMP. :)

But Someone Else 37 is correct, this topic was discussed the other day on these forums somewhere - you can light a Nether Portal without needing flint & steel. But if the Portal gets extinguished while you're in the Nether, then you might be in a bit of a pickle. First thing to do when you get there is protect it with a cobble enclosure.

I was also informed that you can even make a Nether Portal without ever mining obsidian, just by pouring lava into molds and putting water on top. Built it one block at a time like that. I wish I could think of simple, basic ideas like that one. It made me feel real stoopid. LOL
 

PierceSG

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Bring stack of wooden logs and a bucket of lava/empty bucket with you to the Nether so in case of emergency, hope the wood catches fire! XD
 

ax1m

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I would say the easiest and quickest option for early steel in Resurrection is the TE Induction Smelter. Just put one iron ingot and four pieces of charcoal in there and give it some power, it makes steel (ok it's really refined iron, but it's the same in the oreDict so GT will unify it anyway) in a matter of seconds. I'm not sure if this is technically considered a bug and will be patched in future versions, or if it is intended, but it works for now so abuse it while you can.
 

MigukNamja

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Regarding automating the GT Bronze Blast Furnace, eIO's 'input/output' mode for Item Conduits is amazing.and very simple. Just connect the item conduit network to an inventory with charcoal/coal/coke, an inventory with iron ingots, and give it an inventory to place steel and ash, and set inputs, output, and in/out as appropriate.
 
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PhoenixSmith

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I would say the easiest and quickest option for early steel in Resurrection is the TE Induction Smelter. Just put one iron ingot and four pieces of charcoal in there and give it some power, it makes steel (ok it's really refined iron, but it's the same in the oreDict so GT will unify it anyway) in a matter of seconds. I'm not sure if this is technically considered a bug and will be patched in future versions, or if it is intended, but it works for now so abuse it while you can.
This is insane! So much faster.... I kinda feel cheaty skipping GT though. :p But also some sick satisfaction at skirting it...
 

Pyure

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Aug 14, 2013
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So the answer to your question is - if you can make something without GT, then you do it. Period. Make it your default response, and you will almost never be wrong.
+1. I love my GT, but unless your pack has been minetweaked to hell and back, this always applies.