Elite/Oolite veterans challenge

[galpet]

I'm an Elite and Oolite veteran. I have mastered the complexities of Elite (on the Commodore 64) and Oolite and many of it's OXP's. Life is a bit boring flying aimlessly around the Ooniverse killing pirates and collecting cash. There must be more to life than this.

So, I have been working on a way to compare my skill levels against other Oolite traders, by issuing a challenge. In essence the challenge is a 50 light year, non stop run, between Rianin and Ceered in Galaxy 5. The shortest time wins the challenge.

To spice it up a bit, you have to land with a full load of cargo (750 ton), 100 kills, and, with every galcop, pirate and trader at every system hell bent on getting the 1,000,000 credit bounty on your head. All in less than 300 hours.

Each trader undertaking the challenge would use the same ship, an Anaconda Constrictor (the name says it all) and equipment. I am well on my way to finalising these details, and will make them available when finished.

Would any one be interested in taking up the "Oolite Runner" challenge?

[Smivs]

Hi galpet, and welcome to the friendliest board this side of Riedquat.
Nice idea, and I'll look forward to seeing the finished article.
Best of luck with it.
Smivs

[Mauiby de Fug]

Sounds cool! One thing I was wondering: what about the different oxps that people have installed? Some will have ones which add more and tougher pirates, other will add stations which give you additional places to refuel, and others will have ones such as fuel tanks which save the need to head to the main station altogether...

Incidentally, yay for Galaxy 5! While I'll always have an affinity for the home systems in Galaxy 1, G5 is still the nicest looking of them all.

[Cody]

yay for Galaxy 5! While I'll always have an affinity for the home systems in Galaxy 1, G5 is still the nicest looking of them all.

G5 is the coolest place to be!

[galpet]

Sounds cool! One thing I was wondering: what about the different oxps that people have installed? Some will have ones which add more and tougher pirates, other will add stations which give you additional places to refuel, and others will have ones such as fuel tanks which save the need to head to the main station altogether...

Incidentally, yay for Galaxy 5! While I'll always have an affinity for the home systems in Galaxy 1, G5 is still the nicest looking of them all.

This is just some fun. I don't want to screw with players current games. Initially I would suggest renaming the current AddOns directory to something like AddOnsORIG and then creating another AddOns directory and installing the "approved" OXP's for the challenge.

I would supply a "RunnerG5.oolite-save" saved game to add to the oolite-saves directory. The challenger would then load this game to play.

If you want to have a few test runs, the challenge will use the following OXP's

* custsounds.oxp
Just because it's cool

* DeepSpacePirates 1.3.oxp
You will be sunskimming outside the space lanes. Slim pickings out there. DeepSpacePirates adds something to shoot at and get the 100 kill you need and some cargo.

* farsun.oxp
Even with DeepSpacePirates the pickings are still thin. Moving the sun further from the planet seems works better with the DeepSpacePirates OXP. The default setting of 3 in farsun is a bit of over kill. I have change the distance to
this.multiple=1.3;
This setting works well with the DeepSpacePirates OXP

* Target Autolock Plus 1.12.oxp
Helps targeting. You need all the help you can get when 10 DeepSpacePirates attack.

* Target Reticle 1.2.1.oxp
Helps targeting. You need all the help you can get when 10 DeepSpacePirates attack.

RunnerG5.oxp
Will be the challengers Anaconda Constrictor ship. (not available yet)


When the player is finished with the challenge he simply renames the AddOns directory to AddOnsRunnerG5 and renames the AddOnsORIG back to AddOns. This should cause minimal disruption for the players.

If there is enough interest in the challenge, I would like to build an OXP that checks the installed OXP's against an "approved" list, and sets all the saved games settings correctly.

[Mauiby de Fug]

Sounds good! I'll personally probably use a HUD and the BGS oxps in my set, as I don't think they should make a difference to the challenge. And probably the re-texture oxps I have, as they shouldn't change anything except the appearance of ships. Also a tweaked copy of System Redux to change the planetary appearance, without adding any planets or moons. They should be fine and still within the spirit of the challenge, yes?!

I'm fine with not using any other station/ship/equipment oxps, although it will be a little weird! I'm so used to dropping in at Con-stores and Seedy Space Bars in a system that my style of play will have to take some changes! But of course, that's the whole point of the challenge! Same with combat! I've spoiled myself with a Caddy that it'll be good for me to get back to using a slower, non-turreted ship, presumably without a cloaking device or Navel energy unit installed. Get back to basics, so to speak!

I'm looking forward to it!

[Smivs]

Still sounds interesting, but I think the fact you have to effectively remove all current OXPs (as a job-lot) will be a pain in the Iron-Ass too far for some players.
Also, are you intending to bundle the 'approved' OXPs in yours (with the authors approval and assuming licencing allows this) or will the player have to find and install them for themselves.
Many players like myself aready have the target reticule set to 'sensitive', and the target autolock is not something an experienced commander is likely to need or use.
Also it seems strange to add farsun and DSP just to give the player more targets. Why not just add pirates between witchpoint and sun in this OXP? Nasty ones like those in TG2 Armageddon would be fun.
As for BGS, yes it's cool, and also annoying to some people! And as has been pointed out by Mauiby, other eye-candy (planets/shipsets etc) are essential for immersion to many players, and if nothing else leaving them in is going to make removing 'un-approved' OXPs a major job.
I do like the idea, but I think it needs a bit more thought at this stage.
See it through and you'll have a nice product in the end.

[Commander McLane]

The 1,000,000 bounty is a little over the top, though.

As far as game play and NPC-behaviour towards the player are concerned, there is no difference whatsoever to a bounty of 255.

What your OXP needs to include, though, is a mechanism for disabling the cleaning of your reputation over time. That's quite easily done with a few lines of script, and will keep you at maximum fugitive status over the whole journey.


Oh, and welcome to the boards, galpet!

[galpet]

Sounds good! I'll personally probably use a HUD and the BGS oxps in my set, as I don't think they should make a difference to the challenge. And probably the re-texture oxps I have, as they shouldn't change anything except the appearance of ships. Also a tweaked copy of System Redux to change the planetary appearance, without adding any planets or moons. They should be fine and still within the spirit of the challenge, yes?!

Retextured ships and planets are fine. I use the DeepspaceShip.oxp myself.

I'm fine with not using any other station/ship/equipment oxps, although it will be a little weird! I'm so used to dropping in at Con-stores and Seedy Space Bars in a system that my style of play will have to take some changes! But of course, that's the whole point of the challenge! Same with combat! I've spoiled myself with a Caddy that it'll be good for me to get back to using a slower, non-turreted ship, presumably without a cloaking device or Navel energy unit installed. Get back to basics, so to speak!

I'm looking forward to it!

The challenge is a tough ask. I have done the Rianin to Ceered run about 30 times. Initially I had a 1:2 success rate. You get the obvious things like 10 Deep Space Pirates blowing the crap out of you. I can handle that, but you also get the ultra frustrating situation when you loose your fuel scoop at Zaisra and don't have enough fuel to make the final jump to Ceered. For this reason you need all the help technology has to offer.

The basic scenario of the challenge is that it follows standard games play and missions. So you have picked up some stuff on the way (no spoilers).

During the nova mission, when you picked up all those passengers, and transported them away from their doomed planet. The Planetary Engineer found all the salvage space junk you had collected on the Constrictor Mission.

As a thank you for transporting him and the other refugees. He redesigns, and rebuilds your broken down Anaconda by using the drives, navigation system and shield technology from the Constrictor.

When you dock at Rianin your ships data is downloaded into the stations computer. The Space Navy decides that such a ship is far too advanced, and not appropriate for civilian use. The Space Navy send a Galaxy wide dispatch to confiscate your ship, "at all cost". While watching the Commodity Market Prices you see that all your cargo had been unloaded and your credit balance is reduced to 0.0 credits. Your Legal Status have been change to Fugitive. Your Rating has been down graded from Elite to Mostly Harmless.

While the Galcops are banging on your air lock trying to serve you the confiscation order, you get an incoming message from your brother saying that the Space Navy has placed a 1,000,000.00 credit bounty on your ship. He can save your sorry arse if you can make the 50 light year trip to Ceered within 300 hours ie 12 days 12 hours.

You will have to make the trip without stopping at another station or the Galcops will destroy your ship when you dock at any station other than Ceered.

The Anaconda Constrictor is a fighting ship with a combat centric HUD. It also has
E.C.M System
Fuel Scoops
Naval Energy Unit
Docking Computer
Witchdrive Fuel Injectors
Scanner Targeting Enhancement
Multi-Targeting System
Advanced Space Compass
Advanced Navigational Array
Target System Memory Expansion
Shield Boosters
Military Shield Enhancement
External Heat Shield
Wormhole Scanner
Forward Military Lasr
Starboard Mining Laser
Maximum speed 0.600 LM
Cargo capacity 750 TC

Why do you think the Space Navy has put a million credit bounty on your ship!

And with regard to the cloaking device, keep your eyes open.

[galpet]

Let's call this a proof of concept at this point in time. I have been working on the idea of an Oolite challenge for about 6 months. I have put together the components I think give the maximum chance of success. But I would like some feedback on the concept and some guidance on the development of an OXP.

Still sounds interesting, but I think the fact you have to effectively remove all current OXPs (as a job-lot) will be a pain in the Iron-Ass too far for some players.

I do however take your point that people may not want to change their current games setups. To this end I have put together the RunnerG5-0.2.oxp that simply contains a saved game and the oxp for the Anaconda Constrictor. This will give people a chance to test run the ship and try out the challenge, using their current Oolite games settings.

Also, are you intending to bundle the 'approved' OXPs in yours (with the authors approval and assuming licencing allows this) or will the player have to find and install them for themselves.
Many players like myself aready have the target reticule set to 'sensitive', and the target autolock is not something an experienced commander is likely to need or use.

The idea of the challenge is skill's testing. The challenge will test your navigation skills, salvage skills, combat skills, mining skills, tactical skills, and your resolve, patience and resolve. Comparing skills alone requires a level playing field. If everyone has the same ship and the same equipment you eliminate the chance of outside influence ie OXP's. I have tried to remove as many chances of random events as possible, by reducing the number of OXP's.

Also it seems strange to add farsun and DSP just to give the player more targets. Why not just add pirates between witchpoint and sun in this OXP? Nasty ones like those in TG2 Armageddon would be fun.

My scripting skills are not up to scratch (yet). Why reinvent the wheel? I used a proven OXP, that gave me what I need, more pirates and asteroids to fill my cargo bay and additional notches to my belt. Why farsun? Trial and error. I noticed some sun skimming runs had more pirates than others. These were where the sun was further away. With the sun 3 time further out (the default setting) I spent a long time waiting for the sun to fill the screen. Changing the distance to 1.3 gave a good balance.

As for BGS, yes it's cool, and also annoying to some people! And as has been pointed out by Mauiby, other eye-candy (planets/shipsets etc) are essential for immersion to many players, and if nothing else leaving them in is going to make removing 'un-approved' OXPs a major job.

If this is a problem, then maybe we "approve" retexturing OXP's? But nothing dockable.

I do like the idea, but I think it needs a bit more thought at this stage.
See it through and you'll have a nice product in the end.

Thanks.

It would be appreciated if you, or anyone, could do a test run for me, and let me know how you go.

My best time to date for the Rianin to Ceered run is 8:11:07:13, with 750t cargo in the hold and 100 kills on the rating board.

[Smivs]

Hi galpet,
I will try this one day, but I'm up to my neck in my own current OXP project at the moment.
If it's any help, this script will place five pirates half way between the sun and the witchpoint beacon in every system.

Code: Select all

// Standard attributes 
this.name           = "Sun-route_Pirates5.js"; 
this.author         = "Smivs"; 
this.copyright      = "This script is hereby placed in the public domain."; 
this.version        = "1.0"; 
this.description    = "Script to make five pirate ships appear between witchpoint and sun in every system visited." 


this.shipWillExitWitchspace = function() 
{
    {  
        system.addShipsToRoute("pirate", 5, 0.5, "ws")
    }
}

call it "Sun-route_Pirates5.js" and place it in a folder called "Scripts" in your OXP, then add a "world-scripts.plist" to the Config folder containing this.

Code: Select all

/*
   RunnerG5
*/
(
   Sun-route_Pirates5_script.js
)

This will give you a reliable source of victims every system you visit.
Best of luck.

[galpet]

Smivs good suggestion.

I have been playing with JavaScript and tried out your code suggestion. It should do what I want, so thanks.

I am trying to build an OXP for the challenge, already run into some problems with how to handle the mission screens see https://bb.oolite.space/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=9911. Once this is sorted out I will do a few test runs.

[Commander Wilmot]

Smivs wrote:
As for BGS, yes it's cool, and also annoying to some people! And as has been pointed out by Mauiby, other eye-candy (planets/shipsets etc) are essential for immersion to many players, and if nothing else leaving them in is going to make removing 'un-approved' OXPs a major job.


If this is a problem, then maybe we "approve" retexturing OXP's? But nothing dockable.

All you need to do is rename the folder, then add a new folder called Addons, and copy the needed oxps into it from your main folder or download them from the wiki.

I won't be competing though because I am not a Elite veteran nor will I have the time, so my opinion doesn't really matter.

[Mauiby de Fug]

I have to say, I look at the maximum speed of the ship you describe and am a bit wary... I fly a Caddy at 0.450LM and that is pushing the limits of believability for me. So flying something at 0.6 LM seems rather fast...

[Pluisje]

I have to say, I look at the maximum speed of the ship you describe and am a bit wary... I fly a Caddy at 0.450LM and that is pushing the limits of believability for me. So flying something at 0.6 LM seems rather fast...

But if it's an Anaconda variant I assume it will have a (very) low roll and pitch. Which means that it will have a turning circle of about a solar system, when travelling at full speed .