Oolite Bulletins

I'd also like to say that PostgreSQL is a better database than MySQL. Not only does MySQL allow you to do all sorts of nasty things that a real database won't let you (like use invalid dates) it ends up being incredibly slow if you try to do complex things with it. If you want a toy database then by...

I like the idea of a laser cooler you can turn on. We went through similar discussions here quite a while back because the cooling rate was rather slow - eventually the rate was doubled. I still find the rate frustratingly slow, but it is now consistent with Elite. IMHO laser coolers should work as ...

Now, if you think about it a bit, none of these equipment ideas are really that silly. You're sat in your ship. Your view of the Ooniverse is through your ship computers display screen - you don't look out a window, you're looking through a camera. Technology levels are obviously higher than they ar...

Yay! I was saying quite a long time ago it should be a bit more profitable. :-) As for the comments concerning the availability of cargo missions, it would be cool if the list filtered itself to your total cargo space. So un-expanded Cobra Mk III pilots would only see missions with cargoes up to 20t...

Ah Trumbles. The most annoying mission-ette on C64 Elite. When a friend and I encountered them on his C64 we couldn't work out how to get rid of the blighters, only reading a month or so later in magazines what the solution was. They multiplied until they got really annoying, at which point we were ...

Just catching up, or trying to... My fave version of classic Elite was the Arc one, which featured yaw boosters. I think they were actually a purchasable upgrade, rather than a mission reward. I'd love to see them included in Oolite, for completeness sake if nothing else. To be honest though I rarel...

I must admit that I'm in two minds about this new energy bomb idea. Being an old space dog I am very fond of the old energy bomb. I like it, the way it works, and would like to see it stay in the game. This new energy bomb sounds like a completely different weapon to me. As such it is fine, but it's...

This idea for a revised energy bomb is most interesting. I'd always assumed though that the reason you were safe from the energy bomb explosion was because you were at the epicentre of the device - a bit like being in the eye of a tornado. Thus any ship can have an energy bomb fitted and be safe fro...

I'm pretty certain that Oolite right now follows the original BBC Elite kills vs. rating system, i.e. each ship is one kill, and you need 6400 kills to make Elite. The C64 version of Elite had fractional kills, as have a few other versions of the game. A bit more info on this can be seen on Ian Bell...

Thank you all for your kind words. Whilst it was tempting to name my child after a beer (or three) we had already chosen his name several months ago. I don't think Ji-eun would have been too impressed with the idea of calling our child Spitfire anyway. Thomas and Ji-eun finally came home yesterday e...

Giles, Nigel, and Jonny, It was great to meet you guys on Saturday - I had a great time. Sorry it's taken a little while to write... I've been busy the past couple of days. :-) Whilst Ji-eun managed to not have the baby on Saturday during out meet-up she didn't last out all that much longer - that n...

Hopefully I'll be there.... I'm planning on coming, but since the baby hasn't been born yet I can't say for certain.

Personally I use privoxy to deal with unwanted ads. It's a local proxy server that will (optionally) remove ads and popups, de-animate gifs, kill cookies (or make them transient rather than permanent) and a few other goodies too for good measure. It's open source, and cross platform. I've used it on...

The location seems fine to me, and 20th November would be great too except for one thing... My wife is due to give birth a few days before then. Now that doesn't mean that I definitely can't come, but it could potentially be very difficult for me. I was thinking some time sooner, like during next we...

Just a quickie... I thought it might be nice for a few of us London-based Ooliters to meet up for a drink or two, or three, or four. (you get the idea) Ideally Giles will come along and we can buy him beer as a sign of our appreciation for his most excellent game. Of course this may not be easy to a...