Bring back 1.x rail signal wagon visualisation when hovering over a signal

[pcg]

In 1.x, I often found myself building signals "backwards", by taking signals in my hand, hovering over an existing signal, then finding the place X wagons back and putting a signal there, rinse, repeat.

This unfortunately has been removed in factorio 2.0, and I can't see a setting to bring it back either.

I found a workaround to be to remove a signal (right-clicking on it), then immediately building the signal again. This gives me a temporary wagon visualisation.

It would be great if we could have the extremely useful wagon visualisation from 1.x back. The new system doesn't seem to follow any intuitive rules - I have no clue when hovering causes a visualisation or not.

[boskid]

I do not understand, it is working just fine. Can you describe more accurately your use case that is not working?

05-24-2025, 11-51-32.png (98.32 KiB) Viewed 637 times

[robot256]

The problem OP describes is one I have commonly too. Say you build an intersection, place the signals at the entrance to the intersection, and want to place additional signals on the entering tracks spaced precisely for waiting trains. What you actually need is the wagon visualizations shown *after* the signal in your hand, showing where a train stopped at the signal you already placed would be.

[pcg]

I think I pretty accurately described my use case - can you ask a more specific question?

The problem is very simple - hovering over a signal while holding a signal in your hand often does not trigger visualisation - removing (right-click) and building the signal will fix this, but when moving around, the problem happens for the new signal as well.

I would expect hovering over a signal to *always* show the visualisation, not just for newly built signals. Juist as in 1.1, really, where it worked fine all the time.

[pcg]

I've attached a picture, maybe that helps. I am currently holding signals in my hand, and am hovering over the signal on the right hand side.

As you can see, no wagon visualisation. When I hover on the signal at the top, I do get a waggon visualisation.

Likewise, when I right-click to remove the signal, and place it again, I do get a visualisation. I have no clue how to trigger it, but I practiucally never get a waggon visualisation anymore unless I just placed the signal.

[pcg]

Another addendum, it depends on where I pick the signal from - if I use the pipette tool and pick the signal on the top, I no visualisation. IF I pick the right one, I get one.

It might depend on the rotation of the signal or something like that?

[pcg]

Yup, that's it. When I rotate (with r) the signal until it agrees with the signal already on the map, it works, otherwise not. Feels like a bug to me.

[robot256]

There are other topics where the signal auto-rotate behavior is mentioned. It won't auto-rotate in a position where it can't be built (either because there's an identical signal there already, or it's over water). This is the intended behavior and changing it might be complicated, but it's also an annoying uaer experience in more ways than one.

[pcg]

Thanks for your remarks, that explains things!

Although, my issue is not about building it, but hovering over an existing signal to see where to build the next one.

As I see it, the current behaviour (apparently intended) actively discourages building signals on curved rail.

So, yeah, I would want the 1.x visualisation back, it was much more useful. I don't see what advantage it would be to visualise places to build signals while not visualising wagon positions.

And yes, I also share your problem with building backwards from train stops.