Scanner Jammer enquiry

[Cody]

I had no idea that this kit was so controversial - before my time, obviously!

[Switeck]

Let me clarify, I use the Miltary Scanner Jammer exclusively and only for testing purposes...likewise I've used the Cloaking device the same way as I never got it on my legit ships. Both items are pretty much game breakers as player items, but are excellent testing tools...where the closest equivalent I can think of are scripts that might cause unwanted interactions and various other changes (like removing player from pirate-victim-roles.plist) that I don't care to try when I have easier/quicker tools to use.

Cheat, evil, bug, whatever...remove them both and my testing will slow significantly.

They might be useful as NPC items, so I wouldn't mind seeing either as a small part of a campaign...on a final boss or mini-boss.

[Rese249er]

Perhaps someone could make an OXP with a small ship, unarmed, with both of these features for OXP testing? I tried throwing together a jump-capable escape pod for this purpose, but never got it to work.

[Smivs]

I use the Miltary Scanner Jammer exclusively and only for testing purposes...likewise I've used the Cloaking device the same way as I never got it on my legit ships. Both items are pretty much game breakers as player items...

This is interesting, particularly in light of my original question, which was essentially can an NPC 'see' another NPC fitted with a jammer.
My in-game experience suggests that they can - in other words the jammer is not preventing other NPCs 'seeing' the ship. And yet Switeck is stating that an NPC cannot 'see' a player ship fitted with one just the same as a player cannot 'see' an NPC fitted with one.
It was this inconsistancy that I found odd. Knowing now that this equipment is un-supported explains the bug, but the inconsitancy remains present nonetheless.
It has also become clear that this matter raises a few temperatures! My own personal view is....well, I don't really have one. It's not an equipment I* would choose to use, particularly for player ships (what a cheat that would be!), and only on extremely rare occassions for NPCs where it adds some special quality for a 'special' ship. This kit is a bit of an abomination, and I could not condone its use generally.
(*Disclaimer:- The NPC Wonderworm has a low chance of having this equipment fitted - as an exercise in excess it sort of justifies it).

[Wildeblood]

For those who came in late, what exactly is it that the Military Scanner Jammer does?

[Smivs]

For those who came in late, what exactly is it that the Military Scanner Jammer does?

It prevents NPC ships showing on the scanner from the player's perspective - no lollipop (flag). It also seems to make player ships invisible to NPCs, but oddly my observations suggest that one NPC can still 'see' another NPC who has one, hence my original enquiry.

[Wildeblood]

So, how does it differ from the cloaking device? It doesn't have an on/off switch, it just works always? How else?

[Smivs]

Yes, it's permanently on (as far as I know), but the ship also looks normal to the naked eye - no flickering.

[Switeck]

This is interesting, particularly in light of my original question, which was essentially can an NPC 'see' another NPC fitted with a jammer.
My in-game experience suggests that they can - in other words the jammer is not preventing other NPCs 'seeing' the ship. And yet Switeck is stating that an NPC cannot 'see' a player ship fitted with one just the same as a player cannot 'see' an NPC fitted with one.
It was this inconsistency that I found odd.

You're going to be disappointed on re-reading what I wrote then.
Skip back to my post:
https://bb.oolite.space/viewtopic.ph ... =0#p184067
Missile locks are blocked, so missiles aren't fired at you...but npc ships will laser you to death just fine. You don't even have to fire first to get their attention and they'll react to your presence about as quickly as if you didn't have the jammer.

...Unless you're also cloaked, in which case they ignore you for the most part.
There is some weirdness if they have a "TARGET_CLOAKED" or "ATTACKED_BY_CLOAKED" in appropriate parts of their AI.plist file, however even then you may need to shoot them with a laser to trigger those.

In the vast majority of my tests, I'm looking but not shooting...so the npc ships just ignore me like I'm not there.

[Smivs]

Ha, not disappointed at all. I never even considered this as a piece of player equipment until now. But what you say really just compounds the inconsistencies, doesn't it?
Perhaps it is time to sort this mess out one way or another, but that depends on one/some of the dev team taking an interest in doing this, and I suppose also decisions would be needed as to exactly what to do with it. Probably removal is the simplest option.

[CaptSolo]

So, how does it differ from the cloaking device? It doesn't have an on/off switch, it just works always? How else?

The jammer doesn't always work. I don't condone it's use on player ships but have had experience with NPC's equipped with it. With ENERGY_LOW, the jammer goes offline.