Neo-Docklights OXP

[Thargoid]

For my one - just the main station and no, not for OXP stations. Some of those have such things already, and it wouldn't be convenient to expand the techinique used here as it triggers via the station Aegis, which only main stations have.

It's quite trivial to add the chain as sub-entities to an existing OXP station, but doing things like colour changing would be much less so.

McLane may wish to do something with his version, but he can comment there (although if the two OXPs go much further, a thread split-off would be in order to save confusion between them).

[Commander McLane]

Main stations only, too.

I think it's too much fuzz to add this to every station. With additional stations inside the aegis it would even be confusing to have multiple strings of docking lights crossing each other.

[Disembodied]

Main stations only, too.

I think it's too much fuzz to add this to every station. With additional stations inside the aegis it would even be confusing to have multiple strings of docking lights crossing each other.

I agree – I think this feature should be a useful aide to help new commanders improve their own docking abilities, to the point where they can comfortably dock in any and all stations (and carriers) regardless of rotation, dock location, etc. It's just flattening out the learning curve a bit.

[Diziet Sma]

I'd be keen on using Docklights to get an early bead on eg. entrances to seedy space bars when I approach the lump from distance rather than flying around looking for the way in (I'm not familiar enough with the view of them to pull right round to the right spot....yet....).

Finding the dock on a SSB is easy.. Identify the end with all the protruding flashy junk bolted onto it.. then go to the other end..

[Colonel Wasabi]

Ah - the other end - simplicity itself !!

Thanks for the replies.... it's all fascinating stuff and I can only re-iterate my applause for all the OXP alchemists.

Wish I'd gone beyond computer studies O-level in the 80s. Sadly knowledge of daisy chain printers & winchester drives doesn't get me very far nowadays

[SandJ]

knowledge of daisy chain printers & winchester drives doesn't get me very far nowadays

If there had been more daisy chain printers and fewer daisy wheel printers, more girls might have done Computer Studies.

[Colonel Wasabi]

QED !!!

[Smivs]

If there had been more daisy chain printers and fewer daisy wheel printers, more girls might have done Computer Studies.

...and if there'd been more blokes like you in class.....

[SandJ]

...and if there'd been more blokes like you in class.....

... it would have been dreadful.

Sadly, they started doing O Level Computer Studies the year after I left after doing my A Levels. But by then I was doing an OND in Computer Studies at the local tech. and driving the Computer Manager and the Operator mad.

[Switeck]

I hoped to have crushed the drifting off the slot by spawning the entity only on entering the aegis. I had observed it when spawning on exiting witchspace. Also, it seemed to me that it was actually the buoy that was drifting, like being kicked off its place by the lights.

Any progress with this?

The last version I saw (v0.93) still causes this:

Code: Select all

16:45:04.500 [script.javaScript.exception.unexpectedType]: ***** JavaScript exception (oolite-default-ship-script 1.77): TypeError: this.dockingLightsTimer is undefined
16:46:57.375 [script.javaScript.exception.overRecursed]: ***** JavaScript exception (oolite-default-ship-script 1.77): InternalError: too much recursion

...when using the latest trunk version, oolite-trunk-1.77.0.5028-dev.win32.exe

[Commander McLane]

I hoped to have crushed the drifting off the slot by spawning the entity only on entering the aegis. I had observed it when spawning on exiting witchspace. Also, it seemed to me that it was actually the buoy that was drifting, like being kicked off its place by the lights.

Any progress with this?

It's not the buoy drifting, but actually the station slightly moving and turning as a result of constant collisions with the docking lights entity. This becomes more pronounced with growing distance to the player.

I'm currently re-writing the whole thing to be a primeable equipment which can only be activated while very close to the station. This should avoid this issue, but still has some quirks of its own.

[Thargoid]

Can we have this thread split up please, as it's getting very confusing having one thread discussion two distinct OXPs (or proto-OXPs)?

[Commander McLane]

Can we have this thread split up please, as it's getting very confusing having one thread discussion two distinct OXPs (or proto-OXPs)?

Agreed. The next time I'm posting anything about my WIP I'm going to start a new thread.

EDIT: It's here now, and it's the release notice. Any further comments on my OXP should go over there. Thank you all.

[Thargoid]

OK, as I'm having a blitz on OXPS, I've updated the original DockLights to 1.03.

This now uses a small but non-zero poly, and seems to work well enough with a bit of additional script assistance. If you are using the older versions of this OXP, please update to this one.

Note that from 1.77 onwards the OXP will be replaced by NeoDockLights to use Cim's new visual effects entities. So this OXP is not compatible with 1.77 onwards.

Download via box or wiki as normal, links below.

[Thargoid]

And as noted above, now that 1.77 has been released the old Docklights OXP is retired, and replaced by Neo-Docklights. Functionality is exactly the same, but as this new version uses the new visual effects it does not cause any of the zero-poly model issues that dogged its predecessor.

It requires 1.77, but should be used in place of Docklights OXP. Download is via the box or wiki links below as normal.