ComfyFactorio/functions/create_entity_chain.lua

local function shuffle(tbl)
	local size = #tbl
		for i = size, 1, -1 do
			local rand = math.random(size)
			tbl[i], tbl[rand] = tbl[rand], tbl[i]
		end
	return tbl
end

local function create_entity_chain(surface, entity, count, straightness)
	if not surface then return end
	if not entity then return end
	if not count then return end

	local position = {x = entity.position.x, y = entity.position.y}
	
	local modifiers = {{x = 0, y = -1},{x = -1, y = 0},{x = 1, y = 0},{x = 0, y = 1}}
	local modifiers_d = {{x = -1, y = 1},{x = 1, y = -1},{x = 1, y = 1},{x = -1, y = -1}}
	
	modifiers = shuffle(modifiers)
	modifiers_d = shuffle(modifiers_d)
	
	for a = 1, count, 1 do
		local entity_placed = false
		
		if math.random(0, 100) > straightness then modifiers = shuffle(modifiers) end
		for b = 1, 4, 1 do
			local pos = {x = position.x + modifiers[b].x, y = position.y + modifiers[b].y}
			if surface.can_place_entity({name = entity.name, position = pos}) then
				surface.create_entity({name = entity.name, position = pos, force = entity.force})
				position = {x = pos.x, y = pos.y}
				entity_placed = true
				break
			end			
		end		
		
		if not entity_placed then
			if math.random(0, 100) > straightness then modifiers_d = shuffle(modifiers_d) end			
			for b = 1, 4, 1 do
				local pos = {x = position.x + modifiers_d[b].x, y = position.y + modifiers_d[b].y}
				if surface.can_place_entity({name = entity.name, position = pos}) then
					surface.create_entity({name = entity.name, position = pos, force = entity.force})
					position = {x = pos.x, y = pos.y}
					entity_placed = true
					break
				end			
			end
		end
		
		if not entity_placed then
			position = {x = position.x + modifiers[1].x, y = position.y + modifiers[1].y}
		end		
	end			
end

return create_entity_chain