More types of Belts

[eriongtk]

Hello everyone,
I was wondering why belts have so few functions.
Only lying on ground, having to use underground belts to make junctions...etc.

Here is a few pics i put together instead of explaining it.
elevated belts:




Also, there could be a belt that is split into 2:
* 1 side going forwards, the other backwards
* 1 side going forwards, the other side making a turn left or right

Am I the only one who is missing "underground" type belts? (pipes also)
Meaning, that we could run beéts amd pipes freely as we would normally above ground, but this one is only for underground. Currently, it is only a straight line, and is very limited (I do not see any reason why we can only run those lines for a certain distance - yes, material cost is one thing, but then again... it is because of the material cost, i know, but still...)


Finally, I think there could be a special type of belt that could organise/move items from one side of the belt to the other -- kind of like in traintracks


What do you think?

[ssilk]

The problem, as I understand it, is how to draw this. In 3D no problem, but in fact Factorio is a 2D-game and has already some problems to to show the third dimension.

[JoshLittle]

How do you want to see what is transported in the second belt and how do you want to tell the inserters on wich belt they have to lay thing and from which belts they have to grab things?

[eriongtk]

How do you want to see what is transported in the second belt and how do you want to tell the inserters on wich belt they have to lay thing and from which belts they have to grab things?

1. Additional info (small icons like on smart inserter. Or... memory
2.
A) Long arm inserter - Only one srtting. Either lower belt or upp
er
B) Smart inserter - detects and removes item automatically specified in filter
filter could have 2 rows to soecify where to put item

[JoshLittle]

1. Additional info (small icons like on smart inserter. Or... memory

On the smart inserter is a fixed symbol. Because one type of item. On a belt can be 2x2 = 4 items on one tile = the displaysize of the smart inserter. If you double the belt then there are 8 spots. Which all can be different.
If you place little icons on the side of the belt so indicate the hidden part, then this display would overlap with the display of a neighbour belt.
Even if the items for the hidden belt would be displayed smaler, wouldn't it just look a bit like two belts side by side?
How do the splitters have to behave if these belts would have technicaly 4 lines instead of just 2?

[eriongtk]

1. Additional info (small icons like on smart inserter. Or... memory

On the smart inserter is a fixed symbol. Because one type of item. On a belt can be 2x2 = 4 items on one tile = the displaysize of the smart inserter. If you double the belt then there are 8 spots. Which all can be different.
If you place little icons on the side of the belt so indicate the hidden part, then this display would overlap with the display of a neighbour belt.

That is true, but also. the top layer could just "fade out" when we hover over it with the mouse (and hold down shift or ctrl, or [insert button name] as a modifier) so we could see whats ghoing on on the lower level.

Even if the items for the hidden belt would be displayed smaler, wouldn't it just look a bit like two belts side by side?

I don't think so. depth could be very well presented with shadows, and other isual indicators that is, in fact a 2 level belt.

How do the splitters have to behave if these belts would have technicaly 4 lines instead of just 2?

I can see two ways:
a) could not work---> no elevated splitters, due to the mechanical shaking would cause structural instability on the metal frame
b) same way as it is working now, but only on an elevated frame (z+1)