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Topic: [Idea] Complex buildings (Read 6015 times) previous topic - next topic

[Idea] Complex buildings

Currently, simutrans already supports complex buildings (one that occupy more then one field), it however supports only plain buildings, without anything inside (no roads or rail for example).

On the other hand, people tends to create huge stations that span across multiple parallel tracks. Right now, they are usually made using few different buildings that visually sums to one huge. This works acceptably (to some extend) if you aren't using rotate feature. But, when you do - such building build from small titles becomes misaligned. Pak64's "big station hall" is such example - it looks nice only in one direction, in other one (180 degree rotate) it's flipped.

Solution seem easy (probably pretty hard to code though), and also solves some other issues:
It should be possible to create buildings that span across multiple fields, and have tracks defined ("build-in") in them. For example, mentioned Pak64's hall could be 2x1 building - this would solve rotation issue. This could be easily extended to be able to define what kind of object occupies selected field, then it would be possible to create bigger depots (just select middle or similar field as depot, and rest as tracks / nothing).

This also solves huge/unique bridges issue - if one would like to have big suspension bridge, he could define 9x2 building with two tracks within (one title above ground) and make it build-able over any kind of terrain (even water). Then, he could connect endings to normal elevated ways.

So, to sum up, each title could have definable set - way, +station, +depot and so on. This would not require any complex changes to routing as new elements would simply merge into old system.

Re: [Idea] Complex buildings

Reply #1 –
The pak64 station hall has/had this bug. Station buildings can be build over more than one tile, you simply build one station on multiple tiles and the system sorts the images out for you.

In pak.german there are a couple of such stations, in other paksets too for sure.
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and maggikraut.

Re: [Idea] Complex buildings

Reply #2 –
hmm, still, as far as I know, this doesn't work for bridges, and there is also no restriction that you should build all complex building's elements. This could be somehow useful I suppose. I also wonder if system also sorts station extensions along with common stations into bigger buildings right now?

Re: [Idea] Complex buildings

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Dwachs – on
Station buildings can be build over more than one tile, you simply build one station on multiple tiles and the system sorts the images out for you.
That's certainly true, but currently you can differentiate only very few cases - the maximum possibilities are:
1) ends & middles & single tile
2) odd and even platforms

If you want to build anything that spans multiple tracks, you're out of luck. It could be possible to filter also across platforms...

Extension buildings on the other hand can be multitile easily, but can't be in area with tracks.

My projects... Tools for messing with Simutrans graphics. Graphic archive - templates and some other stuff for painters. Development logs for most recent information on what is going on. And of course pak128!

Re: [Idea] Complex buildings

Reply #4 –
Station buildings which span larger areas are not difficult to program, imho. The automatic building will fail often, since it depends on building order.

Buildings with predifined track are not easy; but you can achieve a similar effect by buildings with holes and build your station inside.

Re: [Idea] Complex buildings

Reply #5 –
Then, tracks would look like common track rather then part of building..

I don't think predefined tracks would be hard to code. Current stations already prevent tracks from going in incorrect direction and it is possible to build track over stations too. This could work similar, with only restriction over track deletion (don't delete part of track that is predefined)