Monorail Support Beams (Desperate suggestion)

[Tinytim]

The monorails REALLY need their own kind of support beams in a similar fashion to what the belts have. Having the monorails touch ground is really depressing aesthetically. I imagined that when I got the train, I'd be able to make a monorail that crosses large gaps the conveyor belts are incapable of crossing without me cheesing it with foundation pillars from way down below everywhere. But, that is how it looks to be....

One more suggestion: Train rail endpoint buffer stops that you can attach after the endpoint station. Preferably hydraulic or spring loaded ones and not a hard stop. It'll give the train station a more complete look instead of the track just abruptly ending at the station.

Also, please make it so that when you insert a train onto the tracks, it snaps into docking at the train station. I couldn't get the train to go on autopilot at all because it claimed not to have power, but I could drive it manually (was in multiplayer, not my own session). Though, it does kinda seem like the train system in this game is quite buggy, so I guess I might just have to use trucks instead for now. Maybe that's a multiplayer issue.

*edit: keeping on the topic of rails. Why do empty station parts cost so much? They cost 6 tier 2 frames. They should at most cost 2, but preferably only cost the same as the regular rail segment would, and a bit of concrete. The cost makes no sense at all. The actual train station piece only costs 4 frames.

[Taco Cat]

Cant really imagine what you aim for looks wise with monorails that have a support like belts :c You can just place the train track on the ground or a normal foundation. What is the issue with that?

[Evilsod]

Originally posted by The ChickenGod:

Cant really imagine what you aim for looks wise with monorails that have a support like belts :c You can just place the train track on the ground or a normal foundation. What is the issue with that?

It looks like ass?

Building a factory is one thing, but making it aesthetically pleasing is another. Some people might be content to build an unsupported skyfactory in the clouds, pave over the world or lay skybridges everywhere for transportation, but it looks awful.

Proper supports and/or foundations for rail, if you build them off the ground would be a really nice addition in terms of visuals.

[Tankfriend]

Originally posted by Tinytim:

The monorails REALLY need their own kind of support beams in a similar fashion to what the belts have.

I agree with this. The existing separate support beams can work as a stand-in, but it doesn't really look all that good, because they're far too massive for the puny train tracks.

[Liobuster]

yes especially since rails have a weird max height for elevation which lies inbetween the box sizes of the foundations you can lay

which makes you build weird stair like uphill parts

[tulle040657]

Originally posted by Liobuster:

yes especially since rails have a weird max height for elevation which lies inbetween the box sizes of the foundations you can lay

which makes you build weird stair like uphill parts

The 1 meter slope foundations are really close to the right amount to give a smooth slope

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2509630353

edit: fixed missing e

[Liobuster]

not at max elevation :c

[Grandaddypurple]

I definitly agree, and not just for monorails (I personally find ground monorails to be fine except that it can block off roads while exploring with a vehicle), aesthetics in general is craving for attention in Satisfactory. Some mods nailed it but how do we still not have ramp rails or the ability to rotate walls 45° on a foundation or even curved walls... and the list is long

[Tenebris]

They definitely need to add more options when it comes to cosmetic stuff. Stuff like specific supports like OP mentioned, and even smaller things like small support beams for conveyor splitters/mergers (so they don't have to float in the air if you don't have them at ground level) would be nice.

But, stuff like that is a low priority in the grand scheme of things, new content, story, and optimisations. All of these are more important for the time being. But I'm hoping that aesthetic stuff will get a major update in of itself either at launch, or shortly after in version 1.1.

[Grandaddypurple]

Originally posted by Tenebris:

They definitely need to add more options when it comes to cosmetic stuff. Stuff like specific supports like OP mentioned, and even smaller things like small support beams for conveyor splitters/mergers (so they don't have to float in the air if you don't have them at ground level) would be nice.

But, stuff like that is a low priority in the grand scheme of things, new content, story, and optimisations. All of these are more important for the time being. But I'm hoping that aesthetic stuff will get a major update in of itself either at launch, or shortly after in version 1.1.

Honestly I'm pretty sure there's a lot of stuff they could include in smaller .5 patches. And I'm not talking about a "creative update", just throwing in ramp guardrails and a couple more stuff in update 4.5, more in update 5 etc...
I agree it's not the top priority but a little here and there could be really nice

[Tinytim]

Okay, I think I've figured out what should be done:

1: extend the length of the train tracks to at least 5 times what they are now.

2: In a similar fashion to how pipeline junctions clip onto a pipeline, have a monorail support beam that clips on to the existing rail. These support beams automatically extend to the bottom and make a good looking foundation for the rail. Alternatively, they fit onto a foundation pillar, so that you can just attach pillar middle pieces below it as needed, and a pillar bottom at the end.

3: The support beam, in a similar fashion to a pipeline junction, also severs the rail into two pieces. This will let the player make far more sensible smooth train tracks and support beams that makes sense for the trains. It will allow for angled connections without having to make ramps and fight against the auto-fit over and over again.

Also, as it's monorails........ Track switches? Having the monorails just clip into each other jars my sensibilities.

[nfgman]

Don't often agree with these "wishlist" type of threads, but this one I do. It's basically aesthetic and within normal conventions of the game.

[Knarral]

I just want building trains along the ground to be both convenient and worthwhile. Every game I play my friend and I end up building skytrains because building along the ground is cancer aids. Granted, drones are really good and I try to use them as much as possible, but the train network is still sky high and I'd rather I didn't have to build the tracks 300 meters above the ground just to avoid the problem of minor elevation changes making tracks extremely annoying. The ability to place them slightly above the ground on supports would likely go a long way towards solving this issue.

[Grandaddypurple]

Originally posted by Knarral:

I just want building trains along the ground to be both convenient and worthwhile. Every game I play my friend and I end up building skytrains because building along the ground is cancer aids. Granted, drones are really good and I try to use them as much as possible, but the train network is still sky high and I'd rather I didn't have to build the tracks 300 meters above the ground just to avoid the problem of minor elevation changes making tracks extremely annoying. The ability to place them slightly above the ground on supports would likely go a long way towards solving this issue.

You don't have to go that high though, you can currently work yourself a decent looking 15-20m high pillar and connect your railways to it
It's just unconvinient and not very satisfying

[Knarral]

Originally posted by Grandaddypurple:

Originally posted by Knarral:

I just want building trains along the ground to be both convenient and worthwhile. Every game I play my friend and I end up building skytrains because building along the ground is cancer aids. Granted, drones are really good and I try to use them as much as possible, but the train network is still sky high and I'd rather I didn't have to build the tracks 300 meters above the ground just to avoid the problem of minor elevation changes making tracks extremely annoying. The ability to place them slightly above the ground on supports would likely go a long way towards solving this issue.

You don't have to go that high though, you can currently work yourself a decent looking 15-20m high pillar and connect your railways to it
It's just unconvinient and not very satisfying

Since we already made the decision to make sky trains, we also end up making it really high up so that going to the red forest isn't difficult.

[Taco Cat]

Originally posted by Knarral:

Originally posted by Grandaddypurple:

You don't have to go that high though, you can currently work yourself a decent looking 15-20m high pillar and connect your railways to it
It's just unconvinient and not very satisfying

Since we already made the decision to make sky trains, we also end up making it really high up so that going to the red forest isn't difficult.

You can build train elevators: For example in spiral form. That way you would not need sky trains and can still get easily on every hight level you want.