First shot at #608

config.lua

@@ -389,6 +389,12 @@ global.config = {
     -- enables the redmew settings GUI
     redmew_settings = {
         enabled = true
+    },
+    -- when biter corpses in an area are above a threshold, remove the desired amount
+    biter_corpse_util = {
+        enabled = true,
+        radius = 3, -- radius to search around dying entities
+        corpse_threshold = 10 -- number of corpses allowed on surface, inside radius
     }
 }
 

control.lua

@@ -97,6 +97,9 @@ end
 if config.player_quick_bars.enabled then
     require 'features.player_quick_bars'
 end
+if config.biter_corpse_util.enabled then
+    require 'features.biter_corpse_util'
+end
 
 -- GUIs
 -- The order determines the order they appear from left to right.

features/biter_corpse_util.lua

@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+local Event = require 'utils.event'
+
+local biter_utils_conf = global.config.biter_corpse_util
+
+local random = math.random
+
+-- currently no on_corpse_spawned event, using on_entity_died instead
+
+local function biter_died(event)
+    local entity = event.entity
+    if entity.valid then
+        local dying_force = entity.force
+        -- ignore player owned entities
+        if dying_force == 'player' then
+            return
+        end
+
+        local surface = entity.surface
+
+        -- More than the desired number of corpses?
+        if surface.count_entities_filtered {
+                position = entity.position,
+                radius = biter_utils_conf.radius,
+                type = 'corpse',
+                force = 'neutral'
+                } > biter_utils_conf.corpse_threshold then
+            -- Get the actual entities
+            local corpse_list = surface.find_entities_filtered {
+                    position = entity.position,
+                    radius = biter_utils_conf.radius,
+                    type = 'corpse',
+                    force = 'neutral'
+                }
+
+            local num_to_remove = #corpse_list - biter_utils_conf.corpse_threshold
+            local random_offset = random(#corpse_list)
+
+            -- Starting at a random number, remove enough entities to be under the threshold
+            for i = random_offset, num_to_remove + random_offset do
+                --modulus + 1 to ensure we are not past the end of the table
+                if entity == corpse_list[(i % #corpse_list) + 1] then
+                    game.print('Collision')
+                else
+                    corpse_list[(i % #corpse_list) + 1].destroy()
+                end
+
+            end
+        end
+    end
+end
+
+Event.add(defines.events.on_entity_died, biter_died)