Minecraft Forums

It bugs me that minecart tracks can only turn at 90 degree angles, making for very disorienting rides. I would very much like to see curved corner tracks ala Rollercoaster Tycoon (the original). The curved track pieces could be retroactively created in the same wway that stairs currently adjust their directions according to their surroundings.
To illustrate:
( will indicate minecart track laid on ground, [] will symbolize empty ground, all diagrams are birds-eye-view.)


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Would create a sharp curve. (This is what we have now, but it would be nice if it was a smooth transition rather than a 90 degree snap.)

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Would create a medium curve.

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Would create a wide curve - the largest possible

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Would create an s-bend. (Basically a smooth shift by one block where the track reaches a maximum of 40 degrees deflection from the straight path.)

Diagonal (45 degree) track would not go amiss either though it would be harder code-wise to differentiate from curved track:
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As you can see it is virtually indistinguishable from the curves except for the direction of entry and exit. The entry and exit direction on the large curve would be perpendicular while diagonal track would exit parallel to the entry.

My goal is smoother minecart rides for everyone and more aesthetically pleasing tracks all around.

As a side note I support the cheaper mine tracks movement: either less iron per track or alternate track material like stone or wood. You could make wooden tracks in the real world and I think they should be the poor man's alternative in Minecraft. </rant>



Edit: An alternate and more collision-box-accurate model of the wide turn would be this:
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Let me retract my previous 'less iron for your track' statement. I wasn't thinking straight since 6 iron produces 16 track. If anything the track should cost two more sticks:




However I abide by my wooden track proposition:



Maybe wooden track would not allow carts to travel as fast as they do on iron.

But back to the issue at hand. Curved tracks, people. We NEED these. At least I do.

I'll admit I have minimal actual experience with minecart tracks - I intend to remedy that immediately. Nevertheless from what I have seen via youtube and the little I have done myself, riding a minecart on a track with frequent turns is a gut-churning experience which needs some attention.