More Flexible Inserters
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 12:58 am
I have a feature request: I would like inserters to have more flexible behaviour. The desired extra behaviour is in two parts:
1. Right angles
At present, inserters take what's in front of them and put it behind them. I would like to be able to specify that they place the item to their left or right instead.
2. Reversible long-arms
Long-armed inserters reach two tiles in front of them, then place the item one tile behind. This is good, but I would also like to be able to have the inserters reach one tile in front and place the item two tiles behind.
The concepts are not complicated, but they pose an interface challenge. How do you specify what an inserter is to do when you only have R for rotate? I can see two options here:
1. Inserter GUI
Inserters already have a GUI window that pops up when you right-click them. Default behaviour should remain as is, but the GUI could include clickable boxes around the inserter graphic to specify output side, and/or a pair of toggles for long-armed inserters to specify how far they reach on in/output.
2. Separate Recipes
The other possibility is having inserters that move things left/right be separate items to the normal ones.
What do people think? Would this be a good thing to have?
1. Right angles
At present, inserters take what's in front of them and put it behind them. I would like to be able to specify that they place the item to their left or right instead.
2. Reversible long-arms
Long-armed inserters reach two tiles in front of them, then place the item one tile behind. This is good, but I would also like to be able to have the inserters reach one tile in front and place the item two tiles behind.
The concepts are not complicated, but they pose an interface challenge. How do you specify what an inserter is to do when you only have R for rotate? I can see two options here:
1. Inserter GUI
Inserters already have a GUI window that pops up when you right-click them. Default behaviour should remain as is, but the GUI could include clickable boxes around the inserter graphic to specify output side, and/or a pair of toggles for long-armed inserters to specify how far they reach on in/output.
2. Separate Recipes
The other possibility is having inserters that move things left/right be separate items to the normal ones.
What do people think? Would this be a good thing to have?