I've tried to get into Factorio multiple times because I really love 2D isometric games, but the learning curve is incredibly steep. In my opinion, franchises like the original Command & Conquer were much more accessible for non-hardcore gamers like myself. Factorio feels less like a game and more like managing a complex software architecture.
I can recommend turning off biters, or at least biter expansion. That way you can at least focus on building your factory, without getting distracted by attacks.
Using a main bus where your factory is built in comb like rows on one side (so you can make the bus wider on the other side) is simple and will work pretty well for the starter base (i.e until you fire your first rocket and "win" the game).
I often split my starter factory in 4 quadrants with sufficient space for belts between them:
1. Smelters
2. Main bus based factory
3. Oil processing
4. Personal fabrication and mall (especially once logistic bots become available)
Do not recommend main bus design to new players! The most fun I've in Factorio had was getting to a rocket blind and dealing with my spaghetti factory. Even mentioning any kind of pattern to new players should be avoided.
I avoided a main bus after noticing nearly all the copper went to producing circuits and low density structure, and similarly most iron for steel and green circuits - so just site those close together linked via short buses [1]. Then ship the remaining copper, iron and steel to the Science factory using single wagon trains. (That’s just for a simple one rocket per hour factory)
[1] Cu -> Circuits -> LDS <- Steel <- Fe
shellwizard · · focus · HN ↗
CodesInChaos · · focus · HN ↗
Using a main bus where your factory is built in comb like rows on one side (so you can make the bus wider on the other side) is simple and will work pretty well for the starter base (i.e until you fire your first rocket and "win" the game).
I often split my starter factory in 4 quadrants with sufficient space for belts between them:
1. Smelters
2. Main bus based factory
3. Oil processing
4. Personal fabrication and mall (especially once logistic bots become available)
gHA5 · · focus · HN ↗
CodesInChaos · · focus · HN ↗
implements · · focus · HN ↗
[1] Cu -> Circuits -> LDS <- Steel <- Fe