Allow "alt" control key to work in the background scenes in the main menu

Ideas that are too old (too many things have changed since) and ones which won't be implemented for certain reasons or if there are obviously better suggestions.

Moderator: ickputzdirwech

mrvn
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 5969
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2016 9:10 am
Contact:

Allow "alt" control key to work in the background scenes in the main menu

Post by mrvn »

TL;DR
When game scenes play in the background of the main menu allow the "alt" control key to work like in game.
What ?
In game pressing "alt" will show the contents of chests, trains. The programming of combinators and other more detailed views. Pressing "alt" in the main menu should toggle this the same way for the scenes playing in the background. There may be more features altering how the game draws (e.g. was show tile grid active in the last game played?)
Why ?
It just feels odd that the game play in the main menu looks different from when you actually play with all the settings set to your liking. So if people leave the "alt" view on when exiting the game then the next time they start why not show the "alt" view for the cut scenes? Same for other options like show tile grid, belt gaps, train segments, ... All those settings should be easy to recover from the last played game and then be used in the background scenes.

And why not allow the "alt" key to function as players expect even in main menu. Asking for the "F4" debug window might be to much but the keyboard shortcuts could just work.
User avatar
ssilk
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 12889
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:35 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow "alt" control key to work in the background scenes in the main menu

Post by ssilk »

Interesting idea. What should then happen, if you turned the background animation off?
Cool suggestion: Eatable MOUSE-pointers.
Have you used the Advanced Search today?
Need help, question? FAQ - Wiki - Forum help
I still like small signatures...
User avatar
Stringweasel
Filter Inserter
Filter Inserter
Posts: 421
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2017 8:22 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow "alt" control key to work in the background scenes in the main menu

Post by Stringweasel »

+1

Would be amazing for the Hall of Fame.
Alt-F4 Author | Factorio Modder
My Mods: Hall of Fame | Better Victory Screen | Fluidic Power | Biter Power | Space Spidertron | Spidertron Dock | Weasel's Demolition Derby
Official Contributor to Space Exploration
posila
Factorio Staff
Factorio Staff
Posts: 5409
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2015 1:35 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow "alt" control key to work in the background scenes in the main menu

Post by posila »

They don't even draw health bars, so no. It's supposed to look clean and we don't want sprites to be covered by overlays. Like, the trailers are not rendered with alt-mode active either. Intentionally.
ssilk wrote: Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:10 am What should then happen, if you turned the background animation off?
What do you mean?
User avatar
ssilk
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 12889
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:35 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow "alt" control key to work in the background scenes in the main menu

Post by ssilk »

posila wrote: Wed Sep 28, 2022 7:18 am
ssilk wrote: Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:10 am What should then happen, if you turned the background animation off?
What do you mean?
You can turn the whole animation stuff off. When I remember correctly there is a small button in the right corner. Then it displays just a 3d-rendered background image.
Cool suggestion: Eatable MOUSE-pointers.
Have you used the Advanced Search today?
Need help, question? FAQ - Wiki - Forum help
I still like small signatures...
posila
Factorio Staff
Factorio Staff
Posts: 5409
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2015 1:35 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow "alt" control key to work in the background scenes in the main menu

Post by posila »

ssilk wrote: Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:20 amYou can turn the whole animation stuff off. When I remember correctly there is a small button in the right corner. Then it displays just a 3d-rendered background image.
Background animation can be turned off (I think in the graphics settings.) What I am confused about is what are the possibilities other than the obvious one - when the background simulations are turned off, then there is no alt-mode to draw, regardless of keyboard shortcut you try to press...
User avatar
Stringweasel
Filter Inserter
Filter Inserter
Posts: 421
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2017 8:22 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow "alt" control key to work in the background scenes in the main menu

Post by Stringweasel »

posila wrote: Wed Sep 28, 2022 7:18 am They don't even draw health bars, so no. It's supposed to look clean and we don't want sprites to be covered by overlays. Like, the trailers are not rendered with alt-mode active either. Intentionally.
That makes sense. I also prefer the simulations to run without alt-mode.

I think this request is about making the alt-button function though, so that it can be toggled. It's already possible to have alt-mode showing by hardcoding it in the simulation (it's a startup setting in Hall of Fame). It would be nice if it could be togglable in the main menu too.
Alt-F4 Author | Factorio Modder
My Mods: Hall of Fame | Better Victory Screen | Fluidic Power | Biter Power | Space Spidertron | Spidertron Dock | Weasel's Demolition Derby
Official Contributor to Space Exploration
FuryoftheStars
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 2768
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2017 2:01 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow "alt" control key to work in the background scenes in the main menu

Post by FuryoftheStars »

Yeah, there are times I’d like to just toggle it on for a bit so I can see the interactions, recipes, etc, but wouldn’t want it on all the time.
My Mods: Classic Factorio Basic Oil Processing | Sulfur Production from Oils | Wood to Oil Processing | Infinite Resources - Normal Yield | Tree Saplings (Redux) | Alien Biomes Tweaked | Restrictions on Artificial Tiles | New Gear Girl & HR Graphics
mrvn
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 5969
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2016 9:10 am
Contact:

Re: Allow "alt" control key to work in the background scenes in the main menu

Post by mrvn »

FuryoftheStars wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 3:40 pm Yeah, there are times I’d like to just toggle it on for a bit so I can see the interactions, recipes, etc, but wouldn’t want it on all the time.
And nobody is forcing you.
FuryoftheStars
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 2768
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2017 2:01 pm
Contact:

Re: Allow "alt" control key to work in the background scenes in the main menu

Post by FuryoftheStars »

mrvn wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 4:19 pm
FuryoftheStars wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 3:40 pm Yeah, there are times I’d like to just toggle it on for a bit so I can see the interactions, recipes, etc, but wouldn’t want it on all the time.
And nobody is forcing you.
I didn't say anyone was. And that's not what my post was about, either.
My Mods: Classic Factorio Basic Oil Processing | Sulfur Production from Oils | Wood to Oil Processing | Infinite Resources - Normal Yield | Tree Saplings (Redux) | Alien Biomes Tweaked | Restrictions on Artificial Tiles | New Gear Girl & HR Graphics
Post Reply

Return to “Outdated/Not implemented”