Using a Lua command on a Factorio save ends Steam achievements on that save, for good. Lua commands are /c, /command, /sc and /silent-command. The game warns you once. Repeat the command and it runs, and the save can never earn achievements again.
What happens, step by step
- An admin types a Lua command, for example
/c game.player.print(1234*5678). - The game refuses it once with this text: “Using Lua console commands will disable achievements. Please repeat the command to proceed.”
- The admin types the same command again. It now runs.
- From then on that save gives no Steam achievements to anyone. Turning commands off later does not bring them back.
/sc and /silent-command do the same without printing the command in the console. They end achievements in the same way.
This is the game’s own rule, not the panel’s. It is per save. Other saves on the same server are not touched.
The panel does this too
The Players page has a card for live game details. With them on, the panel reads the running game with its own short scripts: where players are, what is built, how research goes. It can also give items and move players. The first script ends achievements on that world.
That is why the panel asks first. Press Turn on live game details. A box titled “Turn on live game details for (world)?” tells you that achievements go off and that this cannot be undone for that world. Nothing runs until you confirm.
- The server must be running. The card says “Start the server to turn them on.”
- A role that allows it can turn them on.
- Each world is asked for once. A different save starts with them off.
- Once they are on, the card stays on the Map page only. Turn off there only stops the panel asking. The box says so: achievements stay off on this world.
- A world that runs mods other than Wube’s own gives no Steam achievements anyway. The box for such a world is shorter.
Stop a Lua command by mistake
The setting Who may use console commands is in the Config Editor, under Playing. Its own help says: “Lua commands typed in the game. The first one ends Steam achievements on the world.”
- Admins only is the default. Only admins can use commands.
- Everyone lets any player run Lua. Use it only on a server where nobody cares about achievements or cheating.
- Nobody turns Lua commands off for players.
- Who may use console commands
Choose the value in the setting (1). A change on a running server applies at once. See who may use commands.
If you want achievements
Keep one save that never gets a Lua command, and do not turn on live game details for it. The Factorio wiki also says that peaceful mode and the no-enemies setting disable some achievements, so leave those off as well. Make a second save for testing. On the World page, Save a copy now copies the running world under another name. Run that copy from the next start, and try Lua there.
More about the game: Factorio servers. The other commands are in the admin commands.
If it does not work
- The first
/cprinted a warning and nothing else. That is the warning. Repeat it only if you accept losing achievements on that save. - A player says Lua commands do nothing. They are not an admin, or the setting is Nobody. Admin commands such as
/kickdo not depend on that setting. - Achievements are gone and you want them back. The game does not allow it on that save. Start a new world on the World page.
- You cannot turn on live game details. The server must be running. Start it first.
Sources: wiki.factorio.com: Console, wiki.factorio.com: Map generator