Feature request: Extended rail & cart type system.

[syntaxi]

The idea

(Note, that this request would make locomotives obsolete and so hence I have not mentioned them anywhere in my proposal) Whilst currently the system works as intended. It provides a cart you can move and a locomotive you can use to pull it. However, this is a very basic functionality which eliminates large amounts of gameplay options. I propose a system to allow for a much more extended choice and array of carts and rails.
This system would change the carts and rails to work on a modular system. When a rail or cart is crafted it would be the same as it is now. A basic item with basic functionality. The key part is being able to then attach components to this item. For rails these components could be things that enable it to switch directions on signal, speed up the cart, slow down the cart, jump the cart. They would be creatable through a prefab and a new java class containing the logic for the functionality. The component would then be able to be added to a track via a tool (ie, screwdriver) which would open a screen to edit the components of that rail. If said tool is used on empty space it would open a screen that would allow for stacks of multiple rails to be altered at once, making it easier for large use cases. Components could also be removed via the same screen. The same method would be used for carts, reusing the same tool and method of altering, albeit without the option to edit multiple stacks of carts. Interacting with a rail or cart without the screwdriver would open a screen where the setting of each component could be edited or interacted with. Each component would also be able to come with a visual change that would be applied atop the existing texture allowing for easy identification of the components in a quick manner.

Potential Additions

To avoid visual issues and to assist in gameplay balancing there would be a set number of slots that are mapped to a physical point on the item, with only one item in each of these slots. There could also be a limit on the number of components that could be added.

[pollend]

I was working on something similar in reworking-tracks branch. Have been too busy to really even work on the feature.

[pollend]

I have a version in the master that comes with some of these features you are requesting.