ComfyFactorio/utils/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 _ = 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