Banner repeaters

[BuildTheBuilder]

An idea. If a signal cannot be visible close enough, example because of a curve, currently drivers slow down before it. In real life, banner repeaters are used in that situation.
They usually display 2 indications, similarly to semaphore signals. If the banner repeater is at horizontal, it means the signal to which it applies is at danger. If the banner repeater is raised at 45 degrees, it means the signal is showing a proceed aspect (not necessarily Clear).
Some banner repeaters were recently fitted with a third indication, which is the same as "off" but painted green, meaning the signal is clear. On those repeaters, the white indication means it's either showing "Caution" or "Preliminary Caution".
In Simutrans, this would help a lot in cases where the visibility of a signal is obstructed due to a curve, gradient, or overbridge. To prevent it being abused as a distant signal, it can be limited to be maximum of few tiles away from the signal.

[jamespetts]

I can see possible merit in this, but making a meaningful distinction between these and distant signals (especially where in the minimum distance between repeater and signal is 125m in Pak128.Britain-Ex) is likely to be extremely difficult or even impossible.

Also, alterations to the signalling code tend to require a very large amount of work, such that, even if this were practical, it would be difficult to make this a priority for a very long time.

[Mariculous]

I do not see the advantage of this over distant signals ingame.
How exactly should these work and when would you use these?

[Vladki]

Wouldn't it be enough to code the banner signal as distant signal? Just with different graphics? I do not see any practical difference between the two. (excluding the green banner)

[Mariculous]

Wouldn't it be enough to code the banner signal as distant signal?

Please don't ship redundant stuff directly with the pakset. I'm fine with a pak128.britain-ex_realistic-signalling addon or something like that, but we really shouldn't ship the pakset with functionally identical stuff, especially in cases where it's functionally identical ingame, but thre is a slight difference in the real-world.

The signalling system already is quite difficult to understand by any new player. Redundant stuff will raise even more confusion at no gain.
Especially when the real-world function is slightly different, new players reading about these in the real-world will be confused about these.