Request: AutoBridge

[littlemikey]

Hi there, i have a small suggestion for a new feature: AutoBridge. Let me just explain it.

Take a look at the attached screenshot. For very long bridges like this, you need cross the gap with the bridge tool, scroll down the list to choose the one you want, click, and repeat. This can quickly become very repetative and very time consuming. I would really like to see a feature where the only step you need to do is drag the bridge tool.

The way this would work may be choosing a default bridge somehow, then every time you drag the bridge tool it just builds that default bridge.

Any ideas/comments/suggestions anyone?

[Alberth]

Hello,

Unless you plan on implementing this feature, a more apropiate place for this post may be in the OTTD suggestions forum.

With respect to implementation, maybe we should remember the bridge-type last bought, and have an additional button for 'auto-buy' that stays on once depressed (unless pressed again before dragging or when a new bridge-type is added to the list).
However, we have currently no way to display the 'currently selected bridge-type', do we?

Albert

[Zuu]

It have been suggested before to enchance the build bridge UI.

---
My touch on the idea:

In the normal bridge selection GUI, add some way to select prefered bridge and a hint that you build the prefered bridge by holding ctrl, while building.

Then hold Ctrl when you build a bridge and it will pick the prefered bridge. A prefered bridge can be anything like [a specific bridge], or [the fastest bridge] or [the cheapest bridge]


--
But yes, this should be moved to OpenTTD Suggestions.

[littlemikey]

I'm sorry for wrong location of this post, I realised it should be in suggestions after I made it >_<

[blitzkrieg]

In the normal bridge selection GUI, add some way to select prefered bridge and a hint that you build the prefered bridge by holding ctrl, while building.

Then hold Ctrl when you build a bridge and it will pick the prefered bridge. A prefered bridge can be anything like [a specific bridge], or [the fastest bridge] or [the cheapest bridge]


--
But yes, this should be moved to OpenTTD Suggestions.

I don't know if any one amongst you is/are using the ChrissIn version of OTTD.
In the ChrisIn version a patch has been integrated by which when you select the bridge length (eg from tile X to tile Y) all the available types of bridges are shown i:e; the scrolling has been removed thus enabling you to see all the possible types of Bridges (the window though becomes very large at later stages!!)& you just have to choose the one you want.

@ Zuu : It would be nice if u could choose & keep a selected bridge as default. Nice idea!!

@ Moderaters: Kindly Move this post to Suggestion Section.

[Tom0004]

oh well bet me to it, but heres the link to the thread http://www.tt-forums.net/viewtopic.php?t=31765

[littlemikey]

In the normal bridge selection GUI, add some way to select prefered bridge and a hint that you build the prefered bridge by holding ctrl, while building.

Then hold Ctrl when you build a bridge and it will pick the prefered bridge. A prefered bridge can be anything like [a specific bridge], or [the fastest bridge] or [the cheapest bridge]


--
But yes, this should be moved to OpenTTD Suggestions.

I don't know if any one amongst you is/are using the ChrissIn version of OTTD.
In the ChrisIn version a patch has been integrated by which when you select the bridge length (eg from tile X to tile Y) all the available types of bridges are shown i:e; the scrolling has been removed thus enabling you to see all the possible types of Bridges (the window though becomes very large at later stages!!)& you just have to choose the one you want.

@ Zuu : It would be nice if u could choose & keep a selected bridge as default. Nice idea!!

@ Moderaters: Kindly Move this post to Suggestion Section.

Unfortunataly, I dont use chrisIN, or the Copy and Paste patch, because niether of them are on the COOP servers, which is the server that i want this for the most.

[Alberth]

@0004tom: The thread you refer to is about the bridge-build window which is a part of the problem. Very useful though.

@Zuu: Not sure that we should have CTL special behavior. I'd much prefer to have options in plain sight, eg in the window by toggles or whatever.

[Zuu]

@Zuu: Not sure that we should have CTL special behavior. I'd much prefer to have options in plain sight, eg in the window by toggles or whatever.

I do agree that using CTRL have the problem of hiding features. Now I believe that the bridge GUI could have this default bridge-selection with a hint to the user to use CTRL to build the default bridge. If smart GUI design fails we will at worst have a text at the bottom of the window that says "use CTRL to build default bridge" or shorter "CTRL = default bridge" or "CTRL builds default bridge".

If user sees that there is a way to select a default bridge, he/she would be interested to also know how to build the default one. To make it more clear instead of default we could use the term "CTRL-bridge" to give a hint to users that they have to use CTRL to activate the default-system.

[Bilbo]

Unfortunataly, I dont use chrisIN, or the Copy and Paste patch, because niether of them are on the COOP servers, which is the server that i want this for the most.

You can get source code of whatever version currently runs on COOP servers, add copy & paste patch to it (servers and clients with or without patch are compatible), perhaps adding some more GUI enhancement patches that will not break compatibility (there is somewhere a patch that removes the scriollbars from bridge selection dialog, making it tall enough to show all bridges for example) - then you just compile it and play with it :)

[AntBUK]

Drag and drop bridges? maybe more effort then its worth but its an idea

edit: typo

[littlemikey]

Unfortunataly, I dont use chrisIN, or the Copy and Paste patch, because niether of them are on the COOP servers, which is the server that i want this for the most.

You can get source code of whatever version currently runs on COOP servers, add copy & paste patch to it (servers and clients with or without patch are compatible), perhaps adding some more GUI enhancement patches that will not break compatibility (there is somewhere a patch that removes the scriollbars from bridge selection dialog, making it tall enough to show all bridges for example) - then you just compile it and play with it

Copy and Paste patch is not allowed on COOP servers, i'd be breaking the rules if I used it there.

[Bilbo]

Copy and Paste patch is not allowed on COOP servers, i'd be breaking the rules if I used it there.

Last time I played it wasn't disallowed ... and when I look at http://openttdcoop.ppcis.org/wiki/index.php/Ruleset I don't see there any rule forbidding it (well, due to the nature of gameplay there you won't use C&P very often ... but sometimes it can help a bit).
Basically, I see no need for forbidding it - if you build intelligent tracks, it doesn't matter HOW you build it ... whether by C&P or not.

[AntBUK]

I don't think its a case of it not being allowed as much as it'll take the fun out of the game.

That, and I know I wouldn't be happy if an entire BBH/SLH or station layout with terraforming appeared out of nowhere with zero thought/constructive effort, so I think its safe to say others wouldn't be happy either.

[Bilbo]

I don't think its a case of it not being allowed as much as it'll take the fun out of the game.

That, and I know I wouldn't be happy if an entire BBH/SLH or station layout with terraforming appeared out of nowhere with zero thought/constructive effort, so I think its safe to say others wouldn't be happy either.

Most of the hubs I saw on coop are a bit one-of-a-kind, so C&P won't help there.
I used it some time ago there for things like building street grid around the city so it can expand (it is a bit faster with the c&p than without) and copying minor elements (like the service station where you can't show much invention anyway). Copying larger chunks or entire hubs/stations won't do much good there (and that would go against the "do not terraform excessively" rule) .... I have done the hubs and station manually, so I was able to do place all the eye-candy there :)

Also, C&P can be good if you accidentally build something one or two squares in bad direction, then you can copy & repaste it 2 squares away :)

I think the tool have valid uses, if not being used carelessly ...