Boa II Clipper Class OXP

[Smivs]

Hi All,
Just to let you know I've released a new OXP. It's a variant of the Boa II, with an extra engine making it a fair bit faster, at the expense of 25 tons of cargo space. Full details and a link to the download can be found on the Wiki page.

Edit:- It seems that there was a problem (on Macs) where the ship was just a silhouette. This has been sorted out and the 'good' version is now available from the download link.
13.45 GMT 14th March, 2010.

Edit:- I have now changed the 'shipyard.plist' to openstep for consistency.
However I inadvertantly deleted the download box whilst doing this so as of now (10.45 15th March) the link on the wiki isn't working. This should be sorted out soon, but the correct URL for the download is now
http://www.box.net/shared/znm16cmvmy
Update:- The wiki download link is now OK. Thanks JazHaz.

19/6/2010 There have now been over 200 downloads...

[pagroove]

Very nice variant

[Zbond-Zbond]

very beautiful to look at I bought one immediately

Flies great but getting the following spvtzs on my (computer) display:

1 dark black texture = (in flight) external view shows a black silhouette blocking out the stars, with 3 blue exhaust plumes
= (in shipyard) the ship is available for purchase but no "demo ship" can be seen spinning; I assume it's there, but black on black and so invisible

2 no folder to open when loading game = at start up when asked "Load Previous Commander?" (from the saved games list), although a list of all the saved Commanders does appear, with an Oolite icon next to each one, and the Commander with the BoaClipper is on that list, there is no folder or Oolite icon next to the latter Commander and that game will not load UNLESS starting up in FullScreen mode. Then the list of saved games appears as usual, but there is no spinning BoaClipper displayed (same as in shipyard, abpve); the Commander does load however. note - there is no big question mark spinning, as is the case if a Commander's OXP ship is not in the AddOns folder, there is just a black background (probably with a black BoaClipper superimposed)

This excellent stealth variant is very cool & sinister etc., but probably not what was intended.

Don't know if npc ships also invisible, haven't encountered one yet..
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
update - the normal (i.e. not full screen) mode start-up has now materialised a folder/Oolite icon next to the Commander's name & starts ok

[Smivs]

very beautiful to look at :D I bought one immediately

Flies great but getting the following spvtzs on my (computer) display:

1 dark black texture = (in flight) external view shows a black silhouette blocking out the stars, with 3 blue exhaust plumes
= (in shipyard) the ship is available for purchase but no "demo ship" can be seen spinning; I assume it's there, but black on black and so invisible

2 no folder to open when loading game = at start up when asked "Load Previous Commander?" (from the saved games list), although a list of all the saved Commanders does appear, with an Oolite icon next to each one, and the Commander with the BoaClipper is on that list, there is no folder or Oolite icon next to the latter Commander and that game will not load UNLESS starting up in FullScreen mode. Then the list of saved games appears as usual, but there is no spinning BoaClipper displayed (same as in shipyard, abpve); the Commander does load however. note - there is no big question mark spinning, as is the case if a Commander's OXP ship is not in the AddOns folder, there is just a black background (probably with a black BoaClipper superimposed)

This excellent stealth variant is very cool & sinister etc., but probably not what was intended.

Don't know if npc ships also invisible, haven't encountered one yet..
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
update - the normal (i.e. not full screen) mode start-up has now materialised a folder/Oolite icon next to the Commander's name & starts ok

Hi Zbond-Zbond, thanks for the interest and sorry for the problems you've had. I have re-uploaded the .zip now as I'm not sure I included the demoshops.plist in the first one which is why the demo ship may not have appeared.
I am using version 1.73.4 on a Linux computer so this is where all my testing was done, and it's all working fine, but there may be detail differences between versions. For example I don't get an Oolite icon on the 'Choose Commander' screen. Are you using Windows or Mac, and what version are you using?
I can't explain the lack of graphics on the external view...again it seems fine on my computer, hence the screenshots on the wiki.
This is my first attempt at an OXP, and there are probably people out there who know a lot more about this than me.
Have you tried the old trick of holding down 'Shift' when you start the game to clear the cache? That often works wonders.
I'm keen to get this totally reliable, so please let me know how you get on.
Smivs

[Eric Walch]

I just downloaded it. I have not run it, but my mac immediately told me the shipyard.plist is not correct (The mac OX 10.5+ shows a different icon for correct plists than for bad define ones that get a generic icon)
Opening it I learned that at the end is missing:

Code: Select all

</dict>
</plist>

But why not giving it open step syntax also like the other plists?

Code: Select all

{
    "boaclipper-player" =     {
        chance = 0.325;
        "optional_equipment" =         (
            "EQ_ECM",
            "EQ_PASSENGER_BERTH",
            "EQ_ESCAPE_POD",
            "EQ_ENERGY_BOMB",
            "EQ_ENERGY_UNIT",
            "EQ_NAVAL_ENERGY_UNIT",
            "EQ_DOCK_COMP",
            "EQ_WEAPON_PULSE_LASER",
            "EQ_WEAPON_BEAM_LASER",
            "EQ_WEAPON_MINING_LASER",
            "EQ_WEAPON_MILITARY_LASER",
            "EQ_FUEL_INJECTION",
            "EQ_SCANNER_SHOW_MISSILE_TARGET",
            "EQ_MULTI_TARGET",
            "EQ_GAL_DRIVE",
            "EQ_ADVANCED_COMPASS",
            "EQ_SHIELD_BOOSTER",
            "EQ_NAVAL_SHIELD_BOOSTER",
            "EQ_NAVAL_ENERGY_UNIT"
        );
        price = 525000;
        "standard_equipment" =         {
            extras =             (
                "EQ_FUEL_SCOOPS",
                "EQ_HEAT_SHIELD"
            );
            "forward_weapon_type" = "EQ_WEAPON_BEAM_LASER";
            missiles = 5;
        };
        techlevel = 7;
        "weapon_facings" = 15;
    };
}

[Smivs]

Thanks Commadore Walsh,
Yes I'd missed that one. I've just corrected this and re-uploaded the .zip (again!). Sorry to be a pain, but if you could download it again and check it's OK for me I would be really grateful.
Regards,
Smivs.

Edit:- When I first viewed your message the bit about openstep did not show. As you've probably guessed by now I'm pretty new at all this, so two things. Could I use the openstep code you've compiled, please, and does this just replace the XML in the shipyard.plist?
Many thanks for all the help.

[Eric Walch]

Thanks Commadore Walsh,
Yes I'd missed that one. I've just corrected this and re-uploaded the .zip (again!). Sorry to be a pain, but if you could download it again and check it's OK for me I would be really grateful.
Regards,
Smivs.

With the shipyard file corrected as above, it seems to work okay for me. No black textures with me.

To your second question: You can replace the complete content of your plist with the above open step code. On the mac we have a plist editor that easy converts the plists both ways by just selecting a "save as..."

(actually with some pitfalls as the plist editor that ships with OSX 10.5 generates open step plists that can not be read with OSX 10.4. so I always use the old plist editor that came with OS Tiger for stuff I upload. That is readable by any OS as far as I know, including windows and linux)

[Smivs]

Thanks again, Commodore,
What are the benefits/advantages of openstep over XML?

[Commander McLane]

Openstep is shorter, and some people find it better readable.

For me it comes down to personal taste. Personally I prefer XML for the descriptive stuff (like shipdata or shipyard), but Openstep if it comes to scripting (like AIs).

[Zbond-Zbond]

..following all that ok

In the Config folder (in the re-downloaded oxp) there are 2 shipyard.plist's as follows:

shipyard.plist
shipyard.plist~

The 1st one now ends

Code: Select all

	</dict>
</plist>

but the 2nd one just ends

Code: Select all

	</dict>

(although I'd bought my Clipper running the earlier oxp with little difficulty)

I've removed shipyard.plist~ from the Config folder to no ill effect, but the colour of the BoaClipper seems to be related to this:

Code: Select all

materials = 
		{ 
			"boa2_redux.png" = { diffuse_map = "boaclipper.png"; };  
		};

Altering this to either:

Code: Select all

materials = "boaclipper.png";

or:

Code: Select all

materials = "boa2_redux.png";

..results in the native Boa2 livery (but with the 3 exhaust plumes)

Haven't tried any other permutations yet and RealLife™ is making its usual unrealistic demands so I emerge from my pit, and will resume later

[Smivs]

..following all that ok :)

In the Config folder (in the re-downloaded oxp) there are 2 shipyard.plist's as follows:

shipyard.plist
shipyard.plist~

The 1st one now ends

Code: Select all

	</dict>
</plist>

but the 2nd one just ends

Code: Select all

	</dict>

(although I'd bought my Clipper running the earlier oxp with little difficulty)

I've removed shipyard.plist~ from the Config folder to no ill effect, but the colour of the BoaClipper seems to be related to this:

Code: Select all

materials = 
		{ 
			"boa2_redux.png" = { diffuse_map = "boaclipper.png"; };  
		};

Altering this to either:

Code: Select all

materials = "boaclipper.png";

or:

Code: Select all

materials = "boa2_redux.png";

..results in the native Boa2 livery

Haven't tried any other permutations yet and RealLife™ is making its usual unrealistic demands so I emerge from this pit and will resume later :|

Hi again Zbond-Zbond,
Really sorry this isn't working for you, but don't get dis-heartened.
Firstly, the two plists. My mistake...I re-uploaded the file several times yesterday to try to sort this out. The 'shipyard.plist~' was actually a copy of the original that should never have been there. The one that ends
</dict>
</plist>
is the correct one. The 'shipyard.plist~' (with the '~' ) is rubbish and can be deleted.
I have actually taken-up Eric Walsh's suggestion and have now made the shipyard.plist in openstep rather than XML for consistancy as the shipdata.plist is openstep. This version is now on the download site (but see edit of my first post).
Your graphics problem is baffling, but if you are using the current correct version of the OXP it should work. The

Code: Select all

materials = 
		{ 
			"boa2_redux.png" = { diffuse_map = "boaclipper.png"; };  
		};

is the texture part of the script. I'm not an expert at this, and drew on several other OXP's to help me script this and as I understand it, it is telling the computer to use the original boa graphics (the model and texture) and then overlay the new texture on top of this. The 'boaclipper.png' is the texture for this OXP and should be in the 'Textures' folder.
This certainly works fine for me, and I gather several dozen downloads have been made now, with no one else reporting problems.
It might help me or more likely someone else to help you with this if you could let us know what version of Oolite, and what operating system you are using, as this might be a particular issue with your individual set-up.

[Zbond-Zbond]

RL™ as nauseating as ever - but I did get a cheque from the speed camera department

By now my BoaClipper is looking reaal coool in its proper colours IT'S SO XLNT I COULD PIMP TREES who said that? .........where was I, oh yes, the difficulty seems to be that the .png file needs to be reduced to 25% in all dimensions; when I did that everything worked fine

BUT I had already stripped down the (various) files in the Oolite folder and substituted a lot of stuff so will now have to remember what I did and undo it and see if it works then.

It will.

And after I'd put the BoaClipper (bits of) into the main Oolite game folder I needed to remove the texture file from the BoaClipper OXP folder (otherwise there'd've been several of them kicking around) -- anyway, it's working perfectly now and I'm seeing how much of the fairly complicated procedure can be reversed & it still works but that mightn"t be today..

Fantastic ship: I love it

[Smivs]

:arrow: RL™ as nauseating as ever - but I did get a cheque from the speed camera department :lol:

By now my BoaClipper is looking reaal coool in its proper colours IT'S SO XLNT I COULD PIMP TREES who said that? .........where was I, oh yes, the difficulty seems to be that the .png file needs to be reduced to 25% in all dimensions; when I did that everything worked fine :D

BUT I had already stripped down the (various) files in the Oolite folder and substituted a lot of stuff so will now have to remember what I did and undo it and see if it works then.

It will.

And after I'd put the BoaClipper (bits of) into the main Oolite game folder I needed to remove the texture file from the BoaClipper OXP folder (otherwise there'd've been several of them kicking around) -- anyway, it's working perfectly now and I'm seeing how much of the fairly complicated procedure can be reversed & it still works but that mightn"t be today..

Fantastic ship: I love it :mrgreen:

Great news, I'm glad it's working for you at last. .png thing's a bit odd. Anyway, enjoy!

[Diziet Sma]

the difficulty seems to be that the .png file needs to be reduced to 25% in all dimensions; when I did that everything worked fine

This sounds like something I've read about before on this board.. if I recall, certain (older) graphics cards are limited in the maximum size of texture file they can utilise.. Oolite can compensate, but it's possible to run out of memory if too many large textures are in use..

I'll see if I can locate the relevant thread.
Edit: These seem to cover it..
https://bb.oolite.space/viewtopic.php?t=7186
https://bb.oolite.space/viewtopic.php?t=7338

[Thargoid]

Your graphics problem is baffling, but if you are using the current correct version of the OXP it should work. The

Code: Select all

materials = 
		{ 
			"boa2_redux.png" = { diffuse_map = "boaclipper.png"; };  
		};

is the texture part of the script. I'm not an expert at this, and drew on several other OXP's to help me script this and as I understand it, it is telling the computer to use the original boa graphics (the model and texture) and then overlay the new texture on top of this. The 'boaclipper.png' is the texture for this OXP and should be in the 'Textures' folder.

This wiki page might make things a little clearer. It details the use of materials in the game coding, including the different shader maps etc.