Make Rail Rotators configurable in the same way as Rail Speed Controllers

[YamiHikari]

What I mean is that Rail Rotators can only rotate 45, 90, 135, 180, 225, 270, 315, and 360 degrees at the current time. This is based solely off of the total number of active Activator Modules connected to the Rail Rotator. What I'm suggesting is the ability to make these rotations much more precise by adapting the Rail Speed Controller's features, which will make rail rotation determined by the ratio of active to inactive Activator Modules linked to the Rail Rotator.

For example, if you have 1 active and 1 inactive Activator Module linked to a rail rotator, it will rotate docked entities 180 degrees. If you have 1 active and 3 inactive Activator Modules, it will rotate 90 degrees. If you have no Activator Modules linked to the Rail Rotator, docked entities will rotate continuously. And if you have Activator Modules linked, but none of them are active, there will be no rotation.

Another addition to this is that instead of rotating docked entities only when they dock, Rail Rotators will update the amount of rotation every time a linked Activator Module is activated or deactivated. This will allow for a lot more interesting builds that use rotating and moving pieces.

 

[jstenholt]

This is a great suggestion. The only problem is how it would completely ruin previously constructed rail creations.

 

[YamiHikari]

This is a great suggestion. The only problem is how it would completely ruin previously constructed rail creations.

That is really only a minor issue. Games go through this kind of thing all the time. Think of the new reactor chambers and the power system and the new shields.

 

[Spartan-228]

This build T-65 X-Wing would have been a lot easier with this idea.

 

[Daraku]

Currently only "ring-world" can be done only as a hexagon, without going to a lag inducing tricks. If it possible to set rail rotator to a custom angle, "circle" with more sides would be possible, and even "artificial" planets, without planet update.

 

[nightwalker_007]

This already works... I have a station I build with a rotating ring with a button for "fun house" mode... gravity would switch flinging you to the window, and then the ring would spin insanely fast for a short time. You have to use area triggers to get gravity to work right in these type of structures.

 

[YamiHikari]

This already works... I have a station I build with a rotating ring with a button for "fun house" mode... gravity would switch flinging you to the window, and then the ring would spin insanely fast for a short time. You have to use area triggers to get gravity to work right in these type of structures.

Yes, you can already customize the rotation angle and make things spin indefinitely, but you can only customize the rotation in 15* degree increments. This is because the rotation rails determine the angle only based off of the number of active activators linked to them. This suggestion changes that to the ratio of active to inactive activators.

*Correction: 45

 

[Lord Daro]

Yes, you can already customize the rotation angle and make things spin indefinitely, but you can only customize the rotation in 15 degree increments. This is because the rotation rails determine the angle only based off of the number of active activators linked to them. This suggestion changes that to the ratio of active to inactive activators.

I thought they had 45° increments. Did I miss a change in their behavior?

 

[YamiHikari]

I thought they had 45° increments. Did I miss a change in their behavior?

Oops, that's what I meant. Sorry about misstating that. It is 45 degrees.

 

[DoomCarrot]

Absolutely agree with this, it would open up whole new realms of possibility.

And breaking old rails is a small offense compared to how the entire fleet submission contest is going to get thrown right in the trash after power 2.0 lol