[UPDATED RELEASE] - Escape Pod Locator v1.4.1 (05/06/12)

[Wildeblood]

"Renabled"? A man who hyphenates "mile-stones" invents "renabled"?

[UK_Eliter]

- you two are nasty....

So the Thargoids / nasty pirates disable the engines of a standard escape pod, leave it sitting in space and go and hide behind an asteroid until someone turns up to rescue it......sounds like fun.

It sounds like something Deep Space Pirates might do to attract prey away from the space-lanes.

Mmm - I've just had an even nastier idea along these lines....but I'll keep that one to myself for now....

You guys have a devilish side don't you. Whatever it is should be a very small percentage chance of happening say 2% to 5%. But it makes sense that rarely a pirate or thargoid sets an ambush using a pod as the bait. That might also apply to derelicts as well.

Dear all: I've got 'trap' derelicts - ones that thargoids emerge around - in my Interstellar Tweaks oxp, that I'm testing/developing at the moment. And the modifications to the Escape Pod Locator fit that OXP very well. So: thanks Capt Murphy (and another_commander)!

PS: @CommonSenseOTB - I hope I've got the quoting right!

[CommonSenseOTB]

- you two are nasty....

So the Thargoids / nasty pirates disable the engines of a standard escape pod, leave it sitting in space and go and hide behind an asteroid until someone turns up to rescue it......sounds like fun.

It sounds like something Deep Space Pirates might do to attract prey away from the space-lanes.

Mmm - I've just had an even nastier idea along these lines....but I'll keep that one to myself for now....

You guys have a devilish side don't you. Whatever it is should be a very small percentage chance of happening say 2% to 5%. But it makes sense that rarely a pirate or thargoid sets an ambush using a pod as the bait. That might also apply to derelicts as well.

Dear all: I've got 'trap' derelicts - ones that thargoids emerge around - in my Interstellar Tweaks oxp, that I'm testing/developing at the moment. And the modifications to the Escape Pod Locator fit that OXP very well. So: thanks Capt Murphy (and another_commander)!

PS: @CommonSenseOTB - I hope I've got the quoting right!

Yay for trap derelicts!

[Capt. Murphy]

"Renabled"? A man who hyphenates "mile-stones" invents "renabled"?

Due to the necessity for both human and non-human species to get their tongues/mandibles/beaks around Galactic 'Standard', the rules for spelling and grammar of Galactic 'Standard' were relaxed in 3022 and many unusual variations are now in common usage. Many pedants purists can still be heard howling in outrage.

[Fatleaf]

Thargoid Wars also adds an ambush. Jvgu n pnetb pbagnvare! It is really effective.

[cim]

Dear all: I've got 'trap' derelicts - ones that thargoids emerge around - in my Interstellar Tweaks oxp, that I'm testing/developing at the moment. And the modifications to the Escape Pod Locator fit that OXP very well. So: thanks Capt Murphy (and another_commander)!

Hmm... I also have some trapped wreckage coded up and waiting for other bits of OXP to be finished before release. Between us we can probably make commanders terrified of stationary ships.

"No engine power, no signs of crew, no response to comms, Captain. That Python looks to be completely dead."
"Hard turn to port! All power to drives! Run away!"

[UK_Eliter]

Dear all: I've got 'trap' derelicts - ones that thargoids emerge around - in my Interstellar Tweaks oxp, that I'm testing/developing at the moment. And the modifications to the Escape Pod Locator fit that OXP very well. So: thanks Capt Murphy (and another_commander)!

Hmm... I also have some trapped wreckage coded up and waiting for other bits of OXP to be finished before release. Between us we can probably make commanders terrified of stationary ships.

"No engine power, no signs of crew, no response to comms, Captain. That Python looks to be completely dead."
"Hard turn to port! All power to drives! Run away!"

Still: the traps in my code are sprung fairly rarely, and there are some - albeit even rarer - non-trap derelicts.

[SandJ]

I installed Escape Pod Locator a few days ago and have been making use of it since. It is a pirate's dream.

Before I installed it, I have always avoided piracy and had probably murdered 10 or 20 innocent traders in cold blood only when they had scooped the cargo of a pirate that I had rescued them from.

Since installing it, I have been committing piracy as much as I can possibly can, and remained clean. Predominantly by killing the escape pod Search And Rescue (SAR) ships.

Procedure:
- kill a pirate(s);
- the pirate ejects;
- within a few seconds, the SAR turns up;
- blow up the SAR;
- up to 3 escape pods appear from the SAR;
- the next SAR turns up;
- blow up that SAR;
- up to 3 escape pods appear from that SAR;
- rinse and repeat until all the SARs are dead;
- scoop up all the escape pods that are cluttering up the nearby environment;
- dock at the Space Station and receive the financial rewards for 'rescuing' all these people, whilst still being 'Clean'.

This is not right. The SAR employee union would not tolerate such vulnerability. Nobody would do the job.

I think shooting on a SAR should have the same consequence as shooting on a GalCop: instant Fugitive status.

Also, when a SAR is fired upon, it tries to retaliate. Given it is an ambulance fitted with a racing car engine, surely it should just radio "Help! Set upon by pirates!" to summon the GalCops and flee the area?


Extra: I 'tweaked' the Commies.oxp shipdata.plist to set [size=150]has_escape_pod[/size] to 100 for the workcom Workers' Commuter. Now that is fun...

[Capt. Murphy]

Thanks SandJ. I suppose I ought to have implemented this fleeting idea right from the start then.

I toyed with the idea of not making them pirate-victims and also giving the player warnings and instant legal penalty if player tries to shoot them.

Will be in the next release with was due for release later today anyway (a few code tweaks for efficiency).

Edit to add - version 1.4 is available for download - see first post for updated readme and download link.

Version 1.4 18/12/11 – Changed array iteration method to standard for loop method from array.forEach method following code profiling indicating that array.forEach is a slower and more processor heavy method. Added code to apply legal penalty to ships that attack a Search and Rescue ship. Added code to remove any Cobra Clippers that are spawned with the script/AI from the Cobra Clipper OXP.

Also not in the readme but 'renabled' is now 're-enabled' to keep the purists happy...

[SandJ]

Thank you, Capt. Murhpy.

With hindsight, my previous post was a little more harsh than was warranted.

Thank you for the .OXP - it is a great idea - and for the quick amendments.

[SandJ]

I upgraded to v1.76.1 this morning. In my Latest.log I am getting repeated instances of "JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined":

Code: Select all

16:30:05.028 [log.header]: Opening log for Oolite version 1.76.1 (x86-64 test release) under Linux at 2012-06-04 16:30:05 +0000.
4 processors detected.
Build options: spoken messages, mass/fuel pricing, JavaScript console support, OXP verifier, localization tools, debug GraphViz support, JavaScript profiling.

Note that the contents of the log file can be adjusted by editing logcontrol.plist.

16:30:05.225 [display.mode.list.native]: X11 native resolution detected: 1280 x 1024
16:30:05.469 [joystick.init]: Number of joysticks detected: 0
16:30:05.779 [dataCache.rebuild.explicitFlush]: Cache explicitly flushed with shift key. Rebuilding from scratch.
16:30:05.779 [rendering.opengl.version]: OpenGL renderer version: 4.2.0 ("4.2.0 NVIDIA 295.53"). Vendor: "NVIDIA Corporation". Renderer: "GeForce GTX 550 Ti/PCIe/SSE2".
16:30:05.779 [rendering.opengl.extensions]: OpenGL extensions (265):
GL_ARB_draw_instanced, <snip>, GL_NV_complex_primitives
16:30:05.918 [rendering.opengl.shader.support]: Shaders are supported.
16:30:05.918 [speech.synthesis]: Spoken messages are off.
16:30:06.179 [dataCache.rebuild.explicitFlush]: Cache explicitly flushed with shift key. Rebuilding from scratch.
16:30:06.182 [searchPaths.dumpAll]: Unrestricted mode - resource paths:
    ~/GNUstep/Applications/Oolite/oolite.app/Resources
    AddOns
    ~/.Oolite/AddOns
    AddOns/cobra35.oxp
    AddOns/Submersible_Nebulae_v1.0_2011-12-23.oxp
    AddOns/phoenix.oxp
    AddOns/SmallBlimpyV2.3.oxp
    AddOns/GalaxyInfo.oxp
    AddOns/Cabal_Common_Library1.5.1.oxp
    AddOns/BeerCooler1.0.1.oxp
    AddOns/TOGY_Monuments pack.oxp
    AddOns/EnhancedMisjump_1.1.oxp
    AddOns/Basic-debug.oxp
    AddOns/halsis.oxp
    AddOns/buoyRepair1.3.2.oxp
    AddOns/Explorers'_Club_1.3.1_2012-01-21.oxp
    AddOns/Rock_Hermit_Locator1.3.3.oxp
    AddOns/terrapin.oxp
    AddOns/outrider.oxp
    AddOns/InterstellarRescue.oxp
    AddOns/BigBlimpyV2.2.oxp
    AddOns/behemoth 2.6.oxp
    AddOns/Hawksound.oxp
    AddOns/hOopyCasino1.2.1.oxp
    AddOns/TOGY_Shipwreck pack.oxp
    AddOns/randomshipnames1.1.oxp
    AddOns/TOGY_Main 1.1.oxp
    AddOns/ClippersV1.2.oxp
    AddOns/Accipiter.oxp
    AddOns/Delightful-Docking.oxp
    AddOns/display_reputation 1.1.oxp
    AddOns/shady_sungs_V1.3.oxp
    AddOns/Z-ships_v1.0.oxp
    AddOns/AA-SiR.oxp
    AddOns/Taxi Galactica v0.5.oxp
    AddOns/Transports 2.52.oxp
    AddOns/aphidv2.oxp
    AddOns/Tionisla Reporter 1.0.1.oxp
    AddOns/Llama.oxp
    AddOns/kirin.oxp
    AddOns/TalkativeCompass_1.0.3.oxp
    AddOns/accessoriesV2.1.oxp
    AddOns/UPS-courier v1.7.8.oxp
    AddOns/Escape_Capsule_Locator_1.4_2011-12-18.oxp
    AddOns/Cargo_wrecks_teaser 1.7.oxp
    AddOns/icarus v1.0 2007-07-13.oxp
    AddOns/Ore_processor 1.59.oxp
    AddOns/Bump.oxp
    AddOns/longshot.oxp
    AddOns/auto_eject.oxp
    AddOns/adcks_bulk_haulers_v1.4.oxp
    AddOns/AAA_On-Trial.oxp
    AddOns/AAA_On-Trial.oxp/Oldships_V3.2.oxp
    AddOns/AAA_On-Trial.oxp/seosu_v1.0-(galaxy-4-only).oxp
    AddOns/AAA_On-Trial.oxp/griff_boa_prototype_normalmapped.oxp
    AddOns/AAA_On-Trial.oxp/Neolite_Core_Resources_B_1.1.oxp
    AddOns/AAA_On-Trial.oxp/Neolite_Core_Addition_1.1.oxp
    AddOns/AAA_On-Trial.oxp/murgh_Xships 1.0.1.oxp
    AddOns/AAA_On-Trial.oxp/PAG_oldships_v2.5.oxp
    AddOns/AAA_On-Trial.oxp/Griff_Shipset_Addition_v1.01.oxp
    AddOns/AAA_On-Trial.oxp/Neolite_Core_Resources_A_1.1.oxp
    AddOns/AAA_On-Trial.oxp/Griff_Shipset_Resources_v1.2.23.oxp
    AddOns/AAA_On-Trial.oxp/marett_vol1.oxp
    AddOns/longway 1.1.oxp
    AddOns/Copperhead v0.75.oxp
    AddOns/dwcobra3.oxp
    AddOns/liners_v1.3.oxp
    AddOns/MinerPod v0.1.oxp
    AddOns/Target Reticle 1.2.1.oxp
    AddOns/Debug.oxp
    AddOns/att1.oxp
    AddOns/FuelCollectorV0.07.oxp
    AddOns/Taranis 1.2.oxp
    AddOns/AsteroidStorm 4.02.oxp
    AddOns/Combat-HUDv2.0.oxp
    AddOns/Galactic_Navy 5.4.3.oxp
    AddOns/griffin2.oxp
    AddOns/TCA_v1.03.oxp
    AddOns/BigShips 1.02.oxp
    AddOns/BountyScannerv2.0.oxp
    AddOns/Venom.oxp
    AddOns/BlimpyV2.2.oxp
    AddOns/RandomDockingMusic1.01.oxp
    AddOns/Welcome Mat 1.12.oxp
16:30:06.531 [shipData.load.begin]: Loading ship data.
16:30:09.439 [script.javascript.init]: JavaScript reset successful.
16:30:09.725 [script.load.world.listAll]: Loaded 56 world scripts:
    AsteroidStorm 4.02
    auto-eject 1.0
    behemoth 2.6
    bigShips_populator 1.0.2
    Bounty Scanner 2.0 2.00
    buoyRepair 1.3.2
    Cabal_Common_Briefing 1.5.1
    Cabal_Common_Comms 1.5.1
    Cabal_Common_Functions 1.5.1
    Cabal_Common_Keyboard 1.5.1
    Cabal_Common_MissionHandling 1.5.1
    Cabal_Common_Music 1.5.1
    Cabal_Common_OXPStrength 1.5.1
    Cabal_Common_SpecialMarkets 1.5.1
    Cargo_Wreck_Teaser 1.7
    clipper_tanks_script.js 1.2
    display-reputation-contract 1.1
    display-reputation-passenger 1.1
    ecl_SAR_worldscript.js 1.4
    Enhanced Misjumps 1.1
    escapePodLocator.js 1.4
    explorer_club.js 1.3.1
    explorer_club_snapshot.js 1.3
    Fuel Collector 0.07
    galaxy_info 1.0.0
    GalNavy 5.4.3
    hofd 5.3.0
    hoopy_casino 1.2.1
    Interstellar_Rescue 0.1
    liners_populator 1.3
    long_way_round
    MinerPodShipEventHandler 0.1
    mission_taxi_station_setup 0.5
    oolite-cloaking-device 1.76.1
    oolite-constrictor-hunt 1.76.1
    oolite-nova 1.76.1
    oolite-thargoid-plans 1.76.1
    oolite-trumbles 1.76.1
    oreProcessor 1.59
    Random Docking Music 1.01
    randomshipnames 1.1
    reticle_target_sensitive 1.2.1
    rockHermit_Locator 1.3.3
    Spawn-renegadevenomtest 1.0.1
    Talkative Space Compass 1.0.3
    taranis_one
    Test
    Tionisla Chronicle Array OXP 1.03
    Tionisla Reporter 1.0.1
    transportSchedule 2.52
    ups_container 1.7.7
    ups_docs 1.7.7
    ups_parcel 1.7.7
    ups_slaves 1.7.7
    ups_sun 1.7.7
    Welcome Information Script 1.12
16:30:14.275 [escapePodLocator.js]: Range in normal space modifier: default. Range in interstellar space modifier: default.
16:30:14.677 [loading.complete]: ========== Loading complete. ==========
16:30:15.852 [debugTCP.connected]: Connected to debug console "DebugConsole".
16:30:20.108 [script.javascript.init]: JavaScript reset successful.
<snip>
16:58:47.468 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:34.718 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:35.017 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:35.318 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:35.601 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:35.899 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:36.199 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:36.498 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:36.517 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:36.818 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:36.833 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:36.849 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:37.149 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:37.452 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:37.777 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:38.071 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined
17:30:38.384 [script.javaScript.exception.notDefined]: ***** JavaScript exception (ecl_escape_pod_beacon 1.4): ReferenceError: pod is not defined

(BTW, the AddOns/AAA_On-Trial.oxp/ path is where I have been going through the OXPs to see which ones are coming up with errors.)

[SandJ]

Another Latest.log entry (although I expect this OXP may not be the culprit):

Code: Select all

18:22:02.515 [shipEntity.noEscapePod]: Ship <ShipEntity 0x7ff5213a6270>{"Boa" position: (-45798.1, -24928.8, 188323) scanClass: CLASS_NEUTRAL status: STATUS_IN_FLIGHT} has no correct escape_pod_model defined. Now using default capsule.

[Capt. Murphy]

Thanks for the report SandJ - should be fixed in version 1.4.1. Something interesting is going on somewhere though for the bug to show up so frequently, given it never came up in my testing before.

Version 1.4.1 05/06/12 - Fixed minor bug in routine to replace accidentally destroyed beacons.

I think I might know the source of the other error as-well (it's not this OXP).

Edit - It's a bug in Neolite - fixed in v1.1.1 of both the addition and replacement packs.

[SandJ]

Something interesting is going on somewhere though for the bug to show up so frequently, given it never came up in my testing before.

That's me spawning scores of ships at a time to test something else, resulting in huge furballs.

Thanks for the report SandJ - should be fixed in version 1.4.1.

I cannot reproduce the problem in 1.4.1 despite spawning hundreds of escape capsules and thargoids and rescue ships and all manner of crud all in the same place in space.

Thank you for the quick fix, and well done for doing so with so little information to go on.

I think I might know the source of the other error as-well (it's not this OXP). It's a bug in Neolite - fixed in v1.1.1 of both the addition and replacement packs.

Main man! I'll get on to that next, thank you.

[Solonar]

While using trunk 5588 and CCL r124 on a Windows 7 system I am observing a strange issue with the escape pod locator. The beacons spawn correctly and I am able to see them on the ACS along with their announcement but the beacons are not being properly removed. Even after scooping pods I am not getting the escape pod signal lost message and the beacons are still being persistently detected by the ASC even after the escape pod no longer exists.