empty cargo container or no "bang" when ramming it

[richard.a.p.smith]

Hi all. I just got this again and finally remembered to post something. Once in a while I fly up to a cargo container and try to scoop it. It looks like it's in the right place to scoop on the screen, I fly over it, it disappears from the scope and there's no "bang" but there's also no message saying that it's whatever-it-might-be, including the cargo teaser empty crate business. No message at all but, unless there's a sound bug, I haven't rammed it either. Is this expected or known behaviour? It's not a big problem because there's always another victim but then again it's not really how it should be, it seems. Any ideas? Cheers. Richard.

[Commander McLane]

Just to rule one possible culprit out: You're saying that there is no sound and no message, but the cannister is gone?

I ask because we used to have a "ghost cannister" bug, where you wouldn't be able to scoop, ram, or shoot the cannister. It would be visible forever, but not interact in any way. This bug was squashed a couple of versions ago. I just want to make sure that it isn't raising its ugly head again.

[richard.a.p.smith]

Hi again. No, the thing vanishes. Funnily enough, the first container I tried to scoop after posting the message did this. So to be clear, there's no sound, no message and the can disappears.

Version 1.74.2 on Windows. As for installed oxps, I *think* I didn't get the behaviour until after starting to add them; cargo-related oxps are asteroid storm 4.0 (?), cargo wrecks 1.6.3, ore processor 1.57 (?), ups 1.7.2.

Ta.

[Svengali]

Probably the cargo-pod shipdata entry has has_scoop_message = false; declared.

[JD]

Just a thought, but do you have a Griff Debris oxp installed? I get this same behaviour, but I think it's because some cargo containers are damaged - they do look different to the normal containers that actually contain cargo.

Cheers
John

[Eric Walch]

Hi again. No, the thing vanishes. Funnily enough, the first container I tried to scoop after posting the message did this. So to be clear, there's no sound, no message and the can disappears.

Version 1.74.2 on Windows. As for installed oxps, I *think* I didn't get the behaviour until after starting to add them; cargo-related oxps are asteroid storm 4.0 (?), cargo wrecks 1.6.3, ore processor 1.57 (?), ups 1.7.2.

Ta.

One possibility would be a wrong pod definition were no cargo was defined. In that case the pod smashes just in pieces against your hull. In all other cases there should be at least a scoop sound. But I have all 3 above oxp installed and never noticed a problem in those.
Maybe you can identify the pod if it happens again? Or your hold is just full. It happened me also that I wondered why the pods smashed into my hull instead of being scooped.

[richard.a.p.smith]

Hi, thanks for responding. I am afraid I don't understand your reply, Svengali - but I suppose it was aimed elsewhere! JD, no I don't have that installed. Eric Walch, no there's no smashing against the hull, other pods smash with a bang, the main reason for posting was that there are these events where I don't hear something; the scoop sound I'll try to listen for but I don't always get it as I try to line it up so it goes straight in; no, it's not a full hold; I do also get occasions when something looks like it should smash but goes in and vice versa, it looks okay but doesn't smash; I'll see if I can identify what it looks like, spend a bit of time getting a target lock, maybe, but it IS infrequent. Ta.

[Svengali]

Hi, thanks for responding. I am afraid I don't understand your reply, Svengali - but I suppose it was aimed elsewhere!

My fault, Richard. The shipdata key is specifically to suppress the displayed message for a scooped pod, but it shouldn't stop the sound. My hope was that one of the other boardmembers would have a clue by seeing the has_scoop_message key.

Anyway, I think Eric is right and the pod has a wrong declaration somewhere. It would be pretty cool if you could describe the pod (or post a screenshot).

[richard.a.p.smith]

I just had this again. The ID system locked onto a "cargo container" (100% sure of this apart from any capital letters) and I am pretty sure that I heard the scoop system activating (80%) but no message appeared (100%) and I don't think there is any extra cargo from that pod (70% - I wasn't counting the goodies from the, er, pirates). Couldn't get a screen shot but then again I'd need to do that for all cargo canisters which would be, what 10-40 each jump with no guarantee of getting this issue. Cheers.

[Eric Walch]

I just had this again. The ID system locked onto a "cargo container" (100% sure of this apart from any capital letters) and I am pretty sure that I heard the scoop system activating (80%) but no message appeared (100%) and I don't think there is any extra cargo from that pod (70% - I wasn't counting the goodies from the, er, pirates). Couldn't get a screen shot but then again I'd need to do that for all cargo canisters which would be, what 10-40 each jump with no guarantee of getting this issue. Cheers.

It could be that this was a duplicate message suppression. When a message was identical as the last message and received within 6 seconds of the last, it is not displayed.

One thing you could do is to dump the last pod again by pressing "d" and than scoop it again. This will work with most pods, but not for some of the scripted pods. With the current cargo wreck or ups pods you should be able to dump the last one again. When scooping again you should get the message again. (or the missing message again)

[richard.a.p.smith]

Hello. I thought about that and had a look but two things happened which made me think that it wasn't a duplicate message thing. First was remembering occasions when I picked up more than one crate at a time and it definitely picks up the same message twice, "you scoop 1t food, you scoop 1t food, you scoop 1t narcotics", whatever the message is. Then I got a pick-up just now and it was the first after a jump. In this case I also noticed that it did not add cargo. So, no bang, the scoop seems to register something, but no message and no cargo. It's not like all this is hurting the bank balance, mind you, it just doesn't seem right. Cheers.

[richard.a.p.smith]

More info, I had this just now but didn't get a name from the id scanner. It looked a fairly new design and I did just install newer oxps earlier this evening (nearly all of those listed as 10/1/2011 in the oxp list table on the wiki including cargo wrecks and others). The container looked vaguely chequered in appearance from memory, dark grey and light grey squares and cylindrical.

On another occasion I scooped a "cargo cannister" [sic] and nothing came up. I remembered that because of the spelling - it might pinpoint the specific oxp that is producing that particular string of characters; if everyone else uses "canister" maybe it'll exclude those oxps.

Cheers

[Eric Walch]

More info, I had this just now but didn't get a name from the id scanner. It looked a fairly new design and I did just install newer oxps earlier this evening (nearly all of those listed as 10/1/2011 in the oxp list table on the wiki including cargo wrecks and others). The container looked vaguely chequered in appearance from memory, dark grey and light grey squares and cylindrical.

This bug I can confirm. According to your precise description it is the trumble pod from cargo_wreck. It awards fur (most of the time). It has a like_ship reference to a pod that has explicit no scoop messages. I must explicit set the scoop_messages for this pod again. You must have had the fur added to your inventory though. I probably never noticed as I try fanatically to avoid scooping them. (I don't like that 'fur')

The other name is also from cargo_wreck. Probably the same problem.

[richard.a.p.smith]

Okay, thanks, I'll have a look for added fur. One thing I've noticed is that I have never had any trumbles anywhere in the game after clicking "no" the first and only time that message appeared. Thanks again.

[Eric Walch]

Okay, thanks, I'll have a look for added fur. One thing I've noticed is that I have never had any trumbles anywhere in the game after clicking "no" the first and only time that message appeared. Thanks again.

There is a bug in the trumble mission in Oolite since the first JS translation of it. I have no idea why we all missed it, but it was discovered shortly after the 1.74.2 release. Be prepared for a trumble offer when you start playing with 1.75 (Unless you have made it to galaxy 4. From there on it is intended that the trumble offers stop)

These 'fur' pods from cargo_wreck are actually the trumble pods, as you probably guessed. When you look at one from close distance. you'll see a picture of one. But those pods never will release trumbles before you accepted the one from Oolites internal mission. So for now, you can scoop them safely.