Train track direction when extending existing track

Question

As much as I love my recently built train, the train track it's running on is... well, it's an endless string of S bends, and not really due to terrain either.

It seems that trying to build a straight track by extending an existing track is very difficult, as the the "end" of the track segment has auto-assigned direction by the build tool.

To build a straight (or straight-ish) track, one must first create a bit of straight track WITHOUT connecting it to an existing segment and only THEN connect it. This is very counter-intuitive.

Additionally, I dare say that the max length of a single placed track segment is somewhat low, given the "thickness" of the track and the above "follow the path" logic.

I'd suggest the mouse wheel could be used whilst placing a track fragment to rotate the ending, thus giving the player more control over the desired shape of the track. This could be handy both when extending an existing track as well as building a new one.

Comments

I support that question. It's painful to make straight track. I had to do bridge over low terrain and end up with S things.
Maybe add shift/Ctrl guiding to player or to fundaments.

---

"Reticulating splines" :D

---

If you get a feeling for everything you rarely have issues any longer. You always start building with the straight parts first and than connect the curves.

The issue is, when you build a track in form of a curve (and in 3 dimensions no less), how should the game know that the next segment should be straight or how curvy the next segment should be. Or how the height need to change. It just not know, and it cannot reshape the segment before because it's already layed. The only info it has is where you started the last track segment and where it ended. And it can only adjust the track you currently lay. So it's unavoidable that it is not always exactly like you want.

You can't get around to help the game a little, e.g. by laying the straight track first. Even if we had the press CTRL/SHIFT to build straight track feature, it will not help you because the track-segment will be build straight from the last track connection which is fixed and the straight segment will probably just point somewhere you don't want it.

Just build everything straight first and than connect the curvy parts and you have no problems and better looking tracks.

---

Of course the game can't know where you want to extend the track @Epiktokles, which is why I suggest the use of the mouse wheel to turn the "ending" of your track before you place it down, shaping the desired direction. It won't be perfect, but it would be a step in the right direction, IMHO.