As many a minecrafter has learned, the mechanics governing track alignment prefer East-West alignment. Circumventing this often requires placement of extraneous blocks and makes editing some existing systems very frustrating. I propose removing this reorientation rule, at least for specialized rail types (powered rail, detector rail, etc.) and simply lock a track blocks orientation when it is placed beside an existing connected track block, preferring to align to the first track block on any side (scanning clockwise) that is already itself connected to another track block. The exception being neighboring locked track blocks that are not already facing into the most recently placed piece. (I call this the "3 Piece Rule").
For example, if I place a specialized rail block, then two track blocks after it (say also specialized track types) the orientation of the two end track pieces is locked. I can now place rail parallel with either end track piece without them reorienting. Each track piece being placed can reorient until two more track pieces are detected beside it, then it locks it's orientation to face it's first detected connected neighbor. A track pieces orientation may unlock (rescan and reorient) only if a connected track piece is deleted or destroyed (as governed in the track deletion/block destruction routines).
I am currently working on a project where the current track orientation mechanics are requiring me to dismantle much of a very substantial structure in order to add blocks solely for the purpose of getting the track to cooperate. While I built this structure without the East-West track rule in mind, and could have built it in a different alignment from the beginning, sometimes this is a luxury, due to space limitations and existing infrastructure that some minecrafters just don't have, and thus their building possibilities are limited or at least complicated by these existing mechanics.
If anyone sees a problem with my alternative track placement mechanics, please let me know. One thing I do know is that there is room for improvement in the way they are now. That's not meant as negative criticism.
As many a minecrafter has learned, the mechanics governing track alignment prefer East-West alignment. Circumventing this often requires placement of extraneous blocks and makes editing some existing systems very frustrating. I propose removing this reorientation rule, at least for specialized rail types (powered rail, detector rail, etc.) and simply lock a track blocks orientation when it is placed beside an existing connected track block, preferring to align to the first track block on any side (scanning clockwise) that is already itself connected to another track block. The exception being neighboring locked track blocks that are not already facing into the most recently placed piece. (I call this the "3 Piece Rule").
For example, if I place a specialized rail block, then two track blocks after it (say also specialized track types) the orientation of the two end track pieces is locked. I can now place rail parallel with either end track piece without them reorienting. Each track piece being placed can reorient until two more track pieces are detected beside it, then it locks it's orientation to face it's first detected connected neighbor. A track pieces orientation may unlock (rescan and reorient) only if a connected track piece is deleted or destroyed (as governed in the track deletion/block destruction routines).
I am currently working on a project where the current track orientation mechanics are requiring me to dismantle much of a very substantial structure in order to add blocks solely for the purpose of getting the track to cooperate. While I built this structure without the East-West track rule in mind, and could have built it in a different alignment from the beginning, sometimes this is a luxury, due to space limitations and existing infrastructure that some minecrafters just don't have, and thus their building possibilities are limited or at least complicated by these existing mechanics.
If anyone sees a problem with my alternative track placement mechanics, please let me know. One thing I do know is that there is room for improvement in the way they are now. That's not meant as negative criticism.
Please support this suggestion. Thank you.
- Skit
Support my suggestions. Make the game better!