The Honourable Guild of Test Pilots

[Shipbuilder]

Paradox - Specifying your own escape capsule is easily done. It basically consists of creating a new escape pod model and adding a couple of lines in the shipdata.plist. Give me a shout if you have any problems.

I think that my Serpent Class Cruiser has one set up if you need an example.

Hopefully I will be able to download it tomorrow so will give you some further feedback.

[Griff]

Wow, great work with the Wraith

It looks absolutely fantastic in flight when the sunlight sweeps over its hull as it turns, really lovely modelling & texture work! It's a bit of a mean shot with that rear laser turret too

[Paradox]

No.. I think it was the Freighttrain OXP.. bit too computationally heavy for my computer. Will know for sure on the next run.

I looked at that, but knowing how wimpy this laptop is, I know better than to even try it.};]

Be careful of licensing terms..

I found the siren for my Q-Bomb Detector at http://soundbible.com/ It may be worth seeing what you can find there..

Ya, I always look for the freely usable stuff... Will definitely check that site out, thanks!

Paradox - Specifying your own escape capsule is easily done. It basically consists of creating a new escape pod model and adding a couple of lines in the shipdata.plist. Give me a shout if you have any problems.

I think that my Serpent Class Cruiser has one set up if you need an example.

Hopefully I will be able to download it tomorrow so will give you some further feedback.

GREAT news!, If it's all done in the shipdata.plist, then I can handle that! Thanks Shipbuilder!

Wow, great work with the Wraith...

It looks absolutely fantastic in flight when the sunlight sweeps over its hull as it turns, really lovely modelling & texture work! It's a bit of a mean shot with that rear laser turret too

Umm.. wow, thanks Griff! Coming from you, that's a big compliment! Sorta like Slash from Guns-n-Roses telling me I play a pretty mean ukulele! It did turn out to be an evil looking ship. BTW, I want to say that your ship replacements were the very first thing I downloaded along with BGS, and as far as I am concerned, they are what made the game playable for me! Thank you for all your time and hard work!

I know they need normal/spec maps etc, but my computer won't handle all that. Heck, I can't even play unless I turn Reduced Details on. (pretty sure it has something to do with mipmapping...)

Oh, and it's not really an aft turret in the Oolite sense of the word, just the aft laser. }:]

[Paradox]

Wow.. okay pilots! Since getting feedback about frangibility, and it's associated migraine/seizure inducing problems. I decided to just go ahead and make 2 versions of H.M. A single trailer "starter", and then the double trailer "upgrade". It sounded sooo easy, but turned into an all day ordeal that I didn't finish till after midnight last night. A major code re-write! So, please download this new version and give it a thorough shaking out as I was really getting tired near the end. };] Oh, and it now has a custom escape pod as well! };]
Get it here! And thank you everyone!

[Griff]

ha that's a really brilliant escape pod

[Thermonuklear]

Incredible! Downloaded and installed! I'll have time to properly test this later today...

[Paradox]

ha that's a really brilliant escape pod

Thanks Griff! I started thinking about the back story of a "space semi" and my texturing job looks like something cobbled together from junkyard parts, and one thing led to another... };] I was going to add two "re-purposed" fire extinguishers on the sides as "engines", but since it's hardly ever going to be seen anyway.. I decided against it. };]

Incredible! Downloaded and installed! I'll have time to properly test this later today...

Roger that, and thank you Commander! Eager to hear your input!

[Shipbuilder]

Hi Paradox just getting back to you with some feedback on the Wraith as promised.

I downloaded it earlier this evening and have taken it out for a number of test flights and can see the attention to detail and work that has gone in to this OXP already.

The weapons are well located on the modelled gun turrets, the texturing looks great and the ship has a good feel.

With regard to the ship’s manoeuvrability personally it does feel to roll a little quickly (Though this may be the feel that you are looking for).

I found scooping cargo pods easy though you may want to add a scoop view (I tend to add them to my OXPs but that’s simply personal preference).

One observation I did make, and this is something that tends to be a little bit of an issue for anyone producing a ship OXP with exhaust, is that the source of the exhausts tend to move away from the engines at high speed (I tend to specify exhausts such that they originate a little inside the model in order to reduce this effect however this is only my method you are of course free to take your own view on this).

All in all I think that this is a well put together OXP based around an interesting ship design and am sure it will be subject to many downloads once fully released.

Great work.

EDIT - I have just noticed that you have specified a non standard role in the shipdata.plist i.e.

Code: Select all

	roles = "pirate hunter wraith";

Please note that you will need to add a script in to the Config folder to spawn a version opf this ship with your role of wraith. I think that I am also correct in saying that you will also need to create a AI folder to include a specific AI text file for this role.

[Paradox]

Hi Paradox just getting back to you with some feedback on the Wraith as promised.

I downloaded it earlier this evening and have taken it out for a number of test flights and can see the attention to detail and work that has gone in to this OXP already.

The weapons are well located on the modelled gun turrets, the texturing looks great and the ship has a good feel.

With regard to the ship’s manoeuvrability personally it does feel to roll a little quickly (Though this may be the feel that you are looking for).

Thank you soo much Shipbuilder! With all the project that I have going at once, I haven't even had time to fly this bad boy for more than 15-20 minutes so far, so this really helps! Now, roll to fast... or is the pitch too slow making it feel that way? You see, another problem is that I have to play by keyboard, and I am getting old };] and have to set all my ships down to about .8 and 1.0 in order for me to be able to line up for a shot or to even dock! Oh, and I have to yaw rather than roll .};] This is why it's so important for me to have you guys! Anyways, it is meant to be a fast, maneuverable ship, but I do want the pitch and roll ballenced, Currently it set at

Code: Select all

	max_flight_pitch = 1.5;
	max_flight_roll = 2.5;

I will set it to 1.5 and 2.0, can you try that and see how it feels?

I found scooping cargo pods easy though you may want to add a scoop view (I tend to add them to my OXPs but that’s simply personal preference).

Been considering that on another of my ships, and I think I know how to pull that off. Will work on getting that added! The only problem with them I can think of, is having to cycle through all the other views until you get to it... Wish we could add that to a number instead of the v key.

One observation I did make, and this is something that tends to be a little bit of an issue for anyone producing a ship OXP with exhaust, is that the source of the exhausts tend to move away from the engines at high speed (I tend to specify exhausts such that they originate a little inside the model in order to reduce this effect however this is only my method you are of course free to take your own view on this).

That issue has actually been fixed in the trunk version. I know that not everyone will, or can, run the trunk version, but I don't want to have to go through and "fix" all my ships again once the trunk is released as a full version. Not sure how to address that issue just yet, will think on it. };]

EDIT - I have just noticed that you have specified a non standard role in the shipdata.plist i.e.
Code:
   roles = "pirate hunter wraith";

Please note that you will need to add a script in to the Config folder to spawn a version opf this ship with your role of wraith. I think that I am also correct in saying that you will also need to create a AI folder to include a specific AI text file for this role.

I actually added that specifically to allow testers and I to ":spawn wraith" with the debug version, rather than to spawn pirate after pirate in hopes that a wraith would appear }:], however, I seem to have forgotten to mention that fact. I think it will probably be a strictly pirate and rare player ship in the final release. Thoughts?

Anyways, thank you again Shipbuilder, this really helps!

[Diziet Sma]

Now, roll to fast... or is the pitch too slow making it feel that way? You see, another problem is that I have to play by keyboard, and I am getting old };] and have to set all my ships down to about .8 and 1.0 in order for me to be able to line up for a shot or to even dock! Oh, and I have to yaw rather than roll .};]

Check out the Keyboard Cobra OXP. It's similar to the joystick 'precision mode', except for keyboard players.. adding your own ship(s)s to the list of ships it supports should be fairly straightforward..

I found scooping cargo pods easy though you may want to add a scoop view (I tend to add them to my OXPs but that’s simply personal preference).

Been considering that on another of my ships, and I think I know how to pull that off. Will work on getting that added! The only problem with them I can think of, is having to cycle through all the other views until you get to it... Wish we could add that to a number instead of the v key.

When you cycle to a particular view, 'v' stays set to that view until you change it.. so if you scoop using 'scoop view', then F1 back to your normal view, the next time you press 'v', you will instantly be in 'scoop view' mode.

[Paradox]

Check out the Keyboard Cobra OXP. It's similar to the joystick 'precision mode', except for keyboard players.. adding your own ship(s)s to the list of ships it supports should be fairly straightforward..

I did try that as a matter of fact, but when I started making all my own ships, it was just easier to put in my custom settings at the time. Now that I am sharing my stuff, I may have to revisit it.

When you cycle to a particular view, 'v' stays set to that view until you change it.. so if you scoop using 'scoop view', then F1 back to your normal view, the next time you press 'v', you will instantly be in 'scoop view' mode.

Unless your prone to tap that v key one too many times, as I occasionally do, and then have to chase it all the way around again... while 3 pirates are targeting you, and there's an escape capsule trying to get away, and a couple of SAR boats trying to get to it before you do... };]

[Thermonuklear]

Heavy Metal feels... HEAVY! She needs a skillful lover on the wheel... I tried my skill in an asteroid field, and there was lots of "Press Space Commander"
Made a little video, too. Heavy Metal autodocking!

[Paradox]

Heavy Metal feels... HEAVY! She needs a skillful lover on the wheel... I tried my skill in an asteroid field, and there was lots of "Press Space Commander"
Made a little video, too. Heavy Metal autodocking!

I haven't had any troubles around asteroids, though the only times I tried, were to get a couple bounty contracts at the seedy space bars, and they are usually in asteroid fields. But no, she wasn't built to be a miner. }:] I did have problems docking at first because I was used to doing the whole "line it up, put your foot all the way to the floor and red line it towards the dock, then at the last second, hit the brakes and enter the dock"...NOT! She takes as long to stop as she does to get moving, and I think I drive right through the back wall of the dock on more than one occasion! The video looks like the autodock was trying to dock her sideways? Gosh, she looks good with all her glowie parts glowing! Thank you!};]

[Paradox]

Oh, and please try version .5 as there is now a single trailer option as well, and
I upped the handling a bit (seeing as how it's half as long }:]).

[cim]

I actually added that specifically to allow testers and I to ":spawn wraith" with the debug version, rather than to spawn pirate after pirate in hopes that a wraith would appear }:], however, I seem to have forgotten to mention that fact. I think it will probably be a strictly pirate and rare player ship in the final release. Thoughts?

Quick tip: in 1.77 or later you can add a specific ship to the universe by doing ":spawn [$dataKey]" (e.g. :spawn [cobramk1]) or similarly with system.addShips, etc.