GalDrivePod - a portable Galactic Hyperdrive unit.

[Commander McLane]

There is a certain possibility that the simpler geometric forms are already taken, mostly because only the most simple forms used to be possible.

You could check out all missiles and mines from Missiles and Bombs.oxp and Armoury.oxp. If you don't find a missile with your desired icon, chances are that you're safe.

[Smivs]

I thought I'd try a 'G'. What do you think?

[Zireael]

Not bad.

[Commander McLane]

Cool! And absolutely impossible before 1.75 (or 1.74?). Therefore guaranteed not to be already taken.

You are discovering the joys of learning-by-experimenting, Smivs?

[Smivs]

Cool! And absolutely impossible before 1.75 (or 1.74?). Therefore guaranteed not to be already taken.

You are discovering the joys of learning-by-experimenting, Smivs?

Thanks.
Best way to learn sometimes. Fun and frustration in equal measure.

[Thargoid]

I think at least one of mine has used the simple triangle (both ways up), so the "G" is probably your best option.

[Smivs]

v1.2 is now available.
The main changes over the previous version is that the modified planetinfo.plist has been removed and a simple script ensures that a player cannot jump to one of the 'unreachable' systems unless they have a GalDrivePod fitted. This should ensure no-one gets 'stuck'.
The pylon icon has been revised to a small 'G' as mentioned somewhere above, and a save file has also been included to give you the opportunity of trying the 'Pan-Galactic Round Trip' record attempt - how fast can you get from Lave (G1) back to Lave by going through all eight galaxies?
Feel free to post your times here.

Download

[TGHC]

Great idea using G.

Perhaps some cleverclogs out there could do an H for a hardhead, an M for a mine, an F for a fuelpod etc. etc

[Pluisje]

If I'm not mistaken, this should produce an F. Replace the "integer"s under the <key>EQ_FUELTANK_MINE</key> <array> with:

Code: Select all

        <integer>-2</integer>
         <integer>2</integer>
         <integer>2</integer>
         <integer>2</integer>
         <integer>2</integer>
         <integer>1</integer>
         <integer>-1</integer>
         <integer>1</integer>
         <integer>-1</integer>
         <integer>0</integer>
         <integer>1</integer>
         <integer>0</integer>
         <integer>1</integer>
         <integer>-1</integer>
         <integer>-1</integer>
         <integer>-1</integer>
         <integer>-1</integer>
         <integer>-2</integer>
         <integer>-2</integer>
         <integer>-2</integer>
      </array>

Maybe I'll do an H too, but it's just a coordinate X-Y system. In new style it's more readable.

Code: Select all

		-2,2,
		2,2,
		2,1,
		-1,1,
		-1,0,
		1,0,
		1,-1,
		-1,-1,
		-1,-2,
		-2,-2

This is an H:

Code: Select all

-2,3,
-1,3,
-1,1,
1,1,
1,3,
1,3,
2,3,
2,-2,
1,-2,
1,0,
-1,0,
-1,-2,
-2,-2

(I think, time for bed (#%$# summertime))

[Smivs]

I haven't tried, but it's quite likely any letter or number can now be done.
I've already done an 'X' for my current OXP project.

[Eldon]

It's worth noting that the coordinates don't have to be integers.
I've changed my descriptions.plist for the fuel tank to:

Code: Select all

{
	// icons for the hud
	"EQ_FUELTANK_MINE" =
	(
		 0.0, 3.0,
		 0.2, 2.9,
		 1.0, 2.0,
		 1.7, 1.0,
		 2.0, 0.0,
		 2.0,-1.0,
		 1.8,-1.8,
		 1.4,-2.4,
		 0.8,-2.8,
		 0.0,-3.0,
		-0.8,-2.8,
		-1.4,-2.4,
		-1.8,-1.8,
		-2.0,-1.0,
		-2.0, 0.0,
		-1.7, 1.0,
		-1.0, 2.0,
		-0.2, 2.9,
		 0.0, 3.0,
		 0.3, 1.3,
		 0.9, 1.0,
		 0.9, 0.4,
		 0.3,-0.1,
		 0.3,-0.3,
		 0.9,-0.8,
		 0.9,-1.4,
		 0.3,-1.7,
		-0.7,-1.7,
		-0.7,-1.3,
		 0.3,-1.2,
		 0.3,-0.9,
		-0.5,-0.4,
		-0.5, 0.0,
		 0.3, 0.5,
		 0.3, 0.8,
		-0.7, 1.0,
		-0.7, 1.3,
		 0.3, 1.3
	)
}

It makes a nice drop shape with a 3 inside. I've also worked up a spanner for repair bots and pretty wave emiting homing beacon icons if people are intrested

[Bugbear]

I thought I'd try a 'G'. What do you think?

I remember a Top Gear episode where they were reviewing an American car, and commented on the short sightedness of the decision to label all the in-car controls with English text rather than with a symbol...as though everyone in the world speaks English.

I would try to lean towards symbols rather than letters. Makes it easier for those who don't speak English as a first language (hmm...perhaps a poll would be in order...)

For a Galactic Hyperdrive Pod, I'd suggest a symbol that looks like an asterix or a mini galaxy icon...

[Smivs]

I thought I'd try a 'G'. What do you think?

I remember a Top Gear episode where they were reviewing an American car, and commented on the short sightedness of the decision to label all the in-car controls with English text rather than with a symbol...as though everyone in the world speaks English.

I would try to lean towards symbols rather than letters. Makes it easier for those who don't speak English as a first language (hmm...perhaps a poll would be in order...)

For a Galactic Hyperdrive Pod, I'd suggest a symbol that looks like an asterix or a mini galaxy icon...

Hi Bugbear,
While I accept your general point, I don't think it is really valid in cases like this. All the game text is in English (unless you use one of the localisations), and the 'G' is just a symbol when you think about it. The equipment is called the GalDrivePod whatever language you speak, and that starts with 'G'.
The trouble with symbols and pictograms is they they are open to misinterpretation. To examine your suggestions, an Asterisk (looking like a star) could easily be mistaken for a normal Hyperdrive (star-drive), and indeed was used by car manufacturers for Air Conditioning until they realised people were getting confused - interesting to note they now use 'A/C'! I don't know what a Galaxy icon might look like, but I could see, if based on a standard spiral galaxy, it could end up looking like an eye and therefore could be confused with external views, or scanners or something.
For now, the 'G' stays.
Smivs.

[Commander McLane]

an Asterisk (looking like a star) could easily be mistaken for a normal Hyperdrive (star-drive)

Not really, because that one isn't pylon mounted.

[Smivs]

an Asterisk (looking like a star) could easily be mistaken for a normal Hyperdrive (star-drive)

Not really, because that one isn't pylon mounted.

Neither are the external views or scanner I used as examples
The general point I was making is that symbols and pictograms are open to easy mis-interpretation, whereas alphabetic letters are not.