Factorio Forums

TL;DR

Buildable modular electronic sign that can display text and circuit network signals.

What ?

Once you build the Electronic Display unit it could look like this: But if you combine many units you can build a bigger display like this: You could also display circuit network signals in there. The text property could look something like: "PINK {pnk}", where {pnk} would output the pink signal, {A} the A signal, {iron} the iron signal, etc... Maybe it's too much code like, but I guess we could have the usual item picker to insert signal into the text.

Why ?

Because it seems signs and displays on the ground (not just on the map) seems to be a common request and this would also help debug and display circuit network signals easily. This also allows to create a sign the size users want.

It looks fun, but...
1.If you build several side by side, should it be one entity?
2.You want text string to control it. It means no way to change the sign except numbers.
3.What if it was built in not rectangular form?

Sad_Brother wrote: Sat Dec 08, 2018 7:45 pm It looks fun, but...
1.If you build several side by side, should it be one entity?
2.You want text string to control it. It means no way to change the sign except numbers.
3.What if it was built in not rectangular form?

1. That is a good question, to control the whole thing you would need that it would become one entity. I realize that nothing in Factorio does this at the moment, meaning growing an existing entity. I'm thinking about walls, that do connect to each other, but they are still treated as individual entities.
2. Not sure how would be able to change the text, without making things to complicated.
3. I don't see that as a problem

1.The mod mentioned seems to send some message from one entity to the left neighbourhood.
3.Mark some cells on the map and think what to do if those marks would be your display parts. I think you have less chances to implement it than to drop it.