Color the last train wagon indicator when placing signals or stations

[stergil]

TL;DR

Color the last guide box showing train length when placing signals or stations.

2020-11-05 13_39_57-Factorio 1.0.0.png (128.71 KiB) Viewed 2265 times

What ?

You can define "Train visualization length" which is helpful. However, the last marker should stand out from the rest to allow an at-a-glance visualization if the full length has been met.

Why ?

If you're trying to space signals for a full train length, the visualization length is helpful in that it allows you to count the box outlines to see if the full train would fit, but if the last car was a different color or stood out in some way then we'd know instantly that the full train would fit. I would find this to be a significant QOL improvement.

A quick glance at the one below shows no red box, so you instantly know the whole train length won't fit without having to count the boxes.

2020-11-05 13_48_45-Factorio 1.0.0.png (255.67 KiB) Viewed 2265 times

[MassiveDynamic]

+1, would you consider to add the guide boxes whenever you hold a signal? - not just when placing stations.

[SoShootMe]

I'd prefer numbers in the boxes, though it might be tricky at merges.

Not quite as obvious as highlighting the last wagon, but works if you have trains of varying lengths, without needing to faff around changing the length setting.

[tamanous]

I'd prefer numbers in the boxes, though it might be tricky at merges.

Not quite as obvious as highlighting the last wagon, but works if you have trains of varying lengths, without needing to faff around changing the length setting.

You're so right!

[valneq]

+1

How about printing the number only for the last wagon?

[boskid]

Keep in mind those boxes are drawn on every possible path even when there are junctions within: they will be drawn on multiple paths.

In general there are 2 types of ideas for this: easy ones that only depend on current position (which is known, including number from beginning of the train) and hard ones that depend on some assumptions about next boxes (like if there is enough distance for the next box in current branch to even show up).

- last box with different color - easy (only depends on current number)
- numbers in boxes - with multiple pahts could become a mess, but in general it is easy
- colored boxes - easy (only depends on current number)
- only printing number for the last wagon - hard (assumes there will be no more boxes on current branch which requires backtracking)
- there is also one internal idea for this, to render all the boxes with green if a train with configured length fits, but it also is from the "hard" category and could become mess due to multiple paths.

That being said, it is low priority and i am not going to implement it any time soon.

[Sad_Brother]

- last box with different color - easy (only depends on current number)
- numbers in boxes - with multiple pahts could become a mess, but in general it is easy

Can suggest combined:
- numbers to first branch, then only last box colored.
Reason:numbers mostly needed for straight stations, full length to see where can full train fit.

Thanks, boskid!

[stergil]

Keep in mind those boxes are drawn on every possible path even when there are junctions within: they will be drawn on multiple paths.

In general there are 2 types of ideas for this: easy ones that only depend on current position (which is known, including number from beginning of the train) and hard ones that depend on some assumptions about next boxes (like if there is enough distance for the next box in current branch to even show up).

- last box with different color - easy (only depends on current number)
- numbers in boxes - with multiple pahts could become a mess, but in general it is easy
- colored boxes - easy (only depends on current number)
- only printing number for the last wagon - hard (assumes there will be no more boxes on current branch which requires backtracking)
- there is also one internal idea for this, to render all the boxes with green if a train with configured length fits, but it also is from the "hard" category and could become mess due to multiple paths.

That being said, it is low priority and i am not going to implement it any time soon.

I appreciate the response and am glad to see you guys have been noodling through this internally already. I realize this isn't anything game-breaking that should be pushed up the priority list but perhaps you can implement one of the mentioned easy methods as low-hanging fruit? Then after more consideration and time you can revamp it to something more robust.

I don't know about others, but I would benefit immediately from a simple color/number/whatever even if it wasn't the "perfect" solution. Constantly counting those boxes I wind up seeing double and need to re-count.. but then again I'm probably playing too much

[SoShootMe]

- last box with different color - easy (only depends on current number)
- numbers in boxes - with multiple pahts could become a mess, but in general it is easy
- colored boxes - easy (only depends on current number)
- only printing number for the last wagon - hard (assumes there will be no more boxes on current branch which requires backtracking)
- there is also one internal idea for this, to render all the boxes with green if a train with configured length fits, but it also is from the "hard" category and could become mess due to multiple paths.

That being said, it is low priority and i am not going to implement it any time soon.

I appreciate the response and am glad to see you guys have been noodling through this internally already. I realize this isn't anything game-breaking that should be pushed up the priority list but perhaps you can implement one of the mentioned easy methods as low-hanging fruit? Then after more consideration and time you can revamp it to something more robust.

I don't know about others, but I would benefit immediately from a simple color/number/whatever even if it wasn't the "perfect" solution. Constantly counting those boxes I wind up seeing double and need to re-count.. but then again I'm probably playing too much

I couldn't have put this better (especially appreciating the response); the "easy" ones do seem like relatively low-hanging fruit. In fact, both of the "hard" ones listed seem less preferable options to me: "number the last wagon" seems to buy nothing over "number each wagon" - they both have the same potential problem with multiple paths, just less or more likely to happen respectively; and "green if it fits" doesn't work for variable train lengths.

[valneq]

Another thought I just had:
Color in the first wagon (locomotive), the last wagon, and (if the chain is long) one in the middle. This should only depend on current count, and should help the eye enough to make out if a train of desired length will fit. Even if there are several train lengths on the same network.