[RELEASE] Escort Formations 1.1

[cim]

This OXP adds some interest to the spacelanes with some new escort formations. No longer will everyone be flying along in a chevron pattern - some ships may even have a formation that's tactically useful.

Download Escort Formations 1.1

Changes in 1.1: eight new escort formations, and big traders and the trader roles from transports.oxp also are eligible for escort formations.

This adds 19 new escort formations to Oolite, some "offensive" ones used by pirates, and some "defensive" ones used by traders to make it harder for pirates to sneak up on them. Of course, the best defence is a good offence, and pirates have plenty of reason to not want people sneaking up on them, so it's not quite that simple...

Other than making it a little harder to tell the difference between "group of pirates" and "trader with escorts" just by looking at the shape on the scanner, there's no real effect on difficulty - just a bit of added variety.

More information at [wiki]Escort Formations[/wiki].

[Cody]

Also interesting... thanks, cim.

[Smivs]

Yes, I like the sound of this, thanks.

[Cody]

My unpaid escort missions are enhanced considerably by this OXP. I hyperspaced out with this Boa plus four, then dropped into the perfect position just ahead of the primary, and cruised in with them. I grabbed this pic just as the Sidewinder went to con-red and peeled-off to repel a Python. Cool formations, cim!

[Switeck]

Something far more difficult to change relative to escorts script-wise would be having more shiptypes as escorts. It seems strange that fast ships like Asps and Cobra 3s are never escorts of the core freighter ships. Even if added as escorts, I heard they don't act the role perfectly due to them having a different scanclass and/or other things...

[marcusrg]

Thanks for the OXP. I'm also downloading New Cargoes and Rescue Stations.

[Commander McLane]

Something far more difficult to change relative to escorts script-wise would be having more shiptypes as escorts. It seems strange that fast ships like Asps and Cobra 3s are never escorts of the core freighter ships. Even if added as escorts, I heard they don't act the role perfectly due to them having a different scanclass and/or other things...

Nothing prevents you from adding "escort" to their role set, or even creating dedicated escort clones of them.

The only possible problem I can imagine is that very fast ships escorting a very slow ship could fly wobbly, but that wouldn't hinder their performance.

[Shipbuilder]

This sounds very interesting.

Good work cim I'll download it and give it a go.

[cim]

Something far more difficult to change relative to escorts script-wise would be having more shiptypes as escorts. It seems strange that fast ships like Asps and Cobra 3s are never escorts of the core freighter ships. Even if added as escorts, I heard they don't act the role perfectly due to them having a different scanclass and/or other things...

Sticking the "escort" role on them in shipdata(-overrides) should be sufficient. The populator should set them up with the right AI and escort group information.

I use very close like_ships of both the Asp and the Cobra III as occasional escorts in Rescue Stations, and never had any problems there.

(Of course, given the relative prices of a Python and an Asp, it might be a little odd to see an Asp on escort duty...)

[Eric Walch]

(Of course, given the relative prices of a Python and an Asp, it might be a little odd to see an Asp on escort duty...)

Not if the python is filled up with 100 ton of gold to balance the reserves of the 'bank of Lave'. On the other hand, adding asps as escort tells pirates that there might be an interesting cargo.

[cim]

(Of course, given the relative prices of a Python and an Asp, it might be a little odd to see an Asp on escort duty...)

Not if the python is filled up with 100 ton of gold to balance the reserves of the 'bank of Lave'. On the other hand, adding asps as escort tells pirates that there might be an interesting cargo.

I'd want more than two Asps for that sort of cargo!

Though the advantage of using Asps as escorts there is that since they don't have any cargo capacity themselves, they're less tempted to go rogue...

[Eric Walch]

I'd want more than two Asps for that sort of cargo! .

UPS has an python in it with 6 asp escorts. I always hate them as they mostly will kill me when I don't flee in time.

[Switeck]

The only possible problem I can imagine is that very fast ships escorting a very slow ship could fly wobbly, but that wouldn't hinder their performance.

Asps are only a little faster than Sidewinders and about equally as maneuverable, so that shouldn't be a problem...except maybe for the very slow Anacondas which are normally escorted by slow Cobra 1's.

I use very close like_ships of both the Asp and the Cobra III as occasional escorts in Rescue Stations, and never had any problems there.

(Of course, given the relative prices of a Python and an Asp, it might be a little odd to see an Asp on escort duty...)

So the only way to do it is to make like_ships versions of them? And no good/easy way to prevent pairing up Asp/s with a Python?

I deem Asp and Cobra 3 escorts to be high-end, high-priority escorts of Boa 2's and Anacondas going to particularly dangerous systems. (anarchy's!)

[Commander McLane]

I deem Asp and Cobra 3 escorts to be high-end, high-priority escorts of Boa 2's and Anacondas going to particularly dangerous systems. (anarchy's!)

Give them a special role (for instance "high_end_escort"), and give the Anacondas and Boas

Code: Select all

"escort_role" = "high_end_escorts";

Seems good and easy enough.

[Commander McLane]

BTW: I like this OXP.

Although it seemed to me that most of the convoys I met had the classic V-shape, and only few came in another formation. But my sample isn't very big (I flew only in one system with the OXP installed), so this could be bad random.