What Do Software Engineering and Factorio Have in Common?

Factorio is fun while engineering is not, is because Factorio is predictable with a fixed set of rules. Programming is not.

Factorio will be stressful if let's say assembler has only 99.9% uptime, and need to be restarted when down. The same with every single components, like belts, inserters, etc. Heck for train, in openttd having them breakdown is already a frustating issue.

Having a clear, unchanging spec itself is already a huge plus too. In work, specs change often.

Moreover in Factorio you don't get involved with government regulations or other technical limitations. Everything makes Factorio fun.