Factorio Forums

I know this is something I am looking forward to, but what would everyone like to see with this feature? How do you picture it working?

Personally I'm hoping to see an expansion of the Engine UI, with an extra plus sign below "Add station" that says "Add station with circuit condition", where a train stop connected to the circuit network provides the input signal. This is how I'm picturing an Engine's station list:

1) IronDropoff
2) IronMine1 (If Signal "A" == 1)
3) IronMine2 (If Signal "B" ==1)

The train would start at IronDropoff, which would be connected to the circuit network.
It check the condition on the next stop in the list.
Signal A == 1, so it takes off for IronMine1.
When it is about to depart IronMine1, it checks the next condition.
Since the stop at IronMine1 is not connected to the network, the check for stop 3 returns false, and it goes back to IronDropoff.

Has anyone else given this any thought? How would you like to see this feature implemented? Is there any particular part you are super excited for?
Would you rather see the trains implementing the logic, or the stations?

I think having the stations decide the next stop would be interesting:

each outpost sends trains to unloading

each unloading sends to a trainyard

the trainyard stop will then forward each train that stops at it to the stop according to

1) IronMineService1 (If Signal "A" == 1)
2) IronMineService2 (If Signal "A" ==2)

Then you can poll each outpost (with my previous tri-state buffer design) and if the repair packs, ammo or walls is less than X you can send a train to it to restock.

I'd like the smart station to be independent of the Engine UI. Instead, I'd like the station marker to be "Smart" like this:
- Smart Station marker would be wired-in or connected to the bot network just like a smart inserter. In addition, it would be connected to the stationed train and wagon.
- Smart Station marker would be turned "red" (train is not allowed to continue) depending on conditions provided by the user (ex. if iron ore in wagons > 0 or if empty barrels < 10)

I'd also like Smart train signals. These would be used to shuttle trains to the stations with the least amount of items stored - (ie keep the trains from going to an already overflowing same-name station)

There's been more or less an official thread about exactly that a while ago (at least Twinsen commented in it to give some heads-up on how he's most likely to implement it):

https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... 68&t=10312

At least it seems like that the Stations will return a train's content and it will probably also manage the schedule/target of the current train depending on the circuit signals. That is if the devs haven't changed their mind about it.

DerivePi wrote:I'd also like Smart train signals. These would be used to shuttle trains to the stations with the least amount of items stored - (ie keep the trains from going to an already overflowing same-name station)

I'd also like that... in combination with a motion tracking sensor that has the options to return true if either the player or enemies are near. I'd use that to finally create safe train crossings... that said if the trains manage to slow down in time. xD