Macros for OpenTTD

[Nem]

I've proposed this idea some time ago in TTDPatch forum, you can find it in the follow link:
http://www.tt-forums.net/viewtopic.php? ... highlight=

In that context it wasn't accepted, I hope better luck this time.

And now the suggestion:

Is it possible to have macros in OpenTTD? that could be very useful to build complex structure in one click. For example: 4-ways cross, complete stations, ...
Besides the macros can be stored in files, so players can create and exchanged them.

The next example may explain better my thought.

The player searches a suitable area for his structure and, using the mouse and some hotkey (or a new button in the construction interface), starts the macro.

OpenTTD subroutine follows the next steps:

1) If possible, buy the essential terrain for the player.
2) Check if each terrain square has the proper shape (for example all flat land) in order to start the building.
3) Starts building the structure using the construction tools.

[CobraA1]

Sounds interesting. Pre-built junctions, stations, etc. Would require a lot of work, but not impossible.

[Bjarni]

why is this even needed. I always have to think of a way to make it fit the location
I guess it could be useful if you are playing on a map without A LOT of hills

[Nem]

why is this even needed. I always have to think of a way to make it fit the location
I guess it could be useful if you are playing on a map without A LOT of hills

It will let you build a big railways network more easily.

To simplify a bit the code it should work only on flat land.

[MHTransport]

I often find that when I am building a complete four clover leaf or even a tree clover leaf, I get one signal wrong and then my trains have trouble.

It would be better if it was a smart macro. So say you had two two lane crossing tracks. You could click the auto build click four clover leaf and it would adapt it for the terrain, or complains it's too complex.

[Nem]

... it would adapt it for the terrain, or complains it's too complex ...

I think that this's too much difficult for coders; in that way a lot of recursions are needed.
I believe that flatting the terrain and build a standard cross is simplier than adapt a cross to the terrain.

[Darkvater]

I believe that we still would like to play the game. With all the suggestions here, you could just start up the game, let it running, come back 2 days later, and you have finished the game.
With all the Macro's, fast-speed, auto-this, auto-that. Where's the fun?

I always enjoy building tracks, complex junctions, fit the space available (not good manners to bulldoze everything), watch the trains. TTD is not a competition game of who can click the fastest, it's supposed to be fun.

[dominik81]

@Darkvater: Full ack!

[Nem]

With all the Macro's, fast-speed, auto-this, auto-that. Where's the fun?

It's the same differences between assemby and VisualC++, someone enjoy the first, someone else the second.
Like TTDPatch, if you don't like an option you can disable it. I' don't want to impose the way to play the game to others people.
Besides this is a suggestion forum, what are suppose to do here instead proposing game enhancements?

Personally I think that’s fun to develop a entire railways system and quite boring to spend time creating always the same type of cross. Did you use more than 2 or 3 types of cross in your games? I’m meaning big cross, not a few tracks junctions

If you think that it makes the game easy we can agree to make this option very expensive and available only after a certain year (1990??).

Bye

[BobXP]

I think it would be best to select an area on the map then save that area of each of the landscape arrays as a file. When putting down pre-fabs, copy the saved file into the landscape arrays. Then work out how much it costs.

Note - when saving, anything that isn't owned by you is changed to bare land (even grass) in the file. When loading, anything stored as bare land doesn't replace what's already there. That way, you can have things that aren't rectangles.

I would also find it useful to be able to "pattern save" an area, so say you pattern save an area of combo track (my invention, and if anyone wants to know about it see the TT section of my website), then the next time you create track you can lay down multiple blocks of the track in one stroke (=click and drag), plus it will alter the land for you!

[Bjarni]

Did you use more than 2 or 3 types of cross in your games? I’m meaning big cross, not a few tracks junctions

I never got 2 identical. I custom build all of them instead of thinking about how I did the last time
That makes the game more fun

[mikeya]

I like the idea of macros. Especially handy for making trains, because I'm always fiddling with how much wagons I need and when you build a network with 20 identical trains I always f*** some of them up .

Though I think the developers shouldn't pay too much attention to this right now. But it sounds great as an extra feature.