Engine trails OXP [proof of concept] now for NPCs too

[Zireael]

Link to the working version:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mgsvj90b5fyb8 ... ls_0.4.zip

***
Reserved for posterity


Here's what I managed to get tweaking cim's code:



I flew in circles around the Coriolis seen in the background.

The amount of time passing between each of those trails seems random, so for now:
step 1) I need to figure out how to make it consistent
step 2) is applying it to every powered ship within the distance of 11000 (let's say, I seem to recall the scanner distance is 22500 and I want a smaller one) -> actually, I tried to do it and kept getting errors that ship is undefined or something

[Zireael]

Ok, applied a timer which should spawn a pair of trails behind the player every 5 seconds. This time, the trail around the Lave Coriolis looks much better, as seen from Black Widow's cockpit:



Here's a linky to the first beta version.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/aqfxeqyachrk8 ... ils0.1.zip

To do:
1) cleanup timer removing the oldest pair
2) apply it successfully to all powered ships in range

[Commander McLane]

This time, the trail around the Lave Coriolis looks much better

Which trail? I only see some randomly distributed blue dots.

[Zireael]

This time, the trail around the Lave Coriolis looks much better

Which trail? I only see some randomly distributed blue dots.

They are supposed to be the trail. Some of them ended up behind the station

As I said, a beta.

[Diziet Sma]

You really need to turn off the HUD for screenshots..

(Pause.. press 'o'.. unpause.. take screenshot.. pause.. press 'o'.. unpause..)

[Zireael]

Another version is out!

This time, the trails *do* spawn every 5 secs and there is an added timer to remove some trails every 60 secs (but I don't think it's working).

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ufjs7cxca08r4 ... ls_0.2.zip

However, this is still player-only. I wish I could get it to work with other ships. Help?

Anyway, amazing piccy taken at Isinor from Black Widow's aft camera:



(look closely at the station-buoy route )

[Diziet Sma]

It's coming along, by the looks.

I think the 5-second interval needs decreasing, though..

[Zireael]

It's now out of WIP (huge thanks to Norby for pointing me in the correct direction in the "I s&^&ck at coding" thread).

Link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6bokodxkvfb4y ... ls_0.3.zip

Proof that it works:

[dertien]

Hey Zirael, looking good so far, are you working towards something like this ?

http://media.moddb.com/images/mods/1/6/5393/27843.jpg

would be awesome, but dunno if that is possible in oolite though.

Good luck !

[Zireael]

Yup, I'm aiming towards something similar, but less solid - just a pair of markers every few seconds.

Currently working on not losing NPC trails after a hyperspace jump and on different colors (so that you don't end up having three ships in range with crisscrossing blue trails - after all, this is meant as a tracking help and not only random visuals)

[Zireael]

Another version.

The trails range has been reduced to 11 km. Several colors are now included and the player got back his standard exhaust plumes.
I'm not sure the color picking code works 100%.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mgsvj90b5fyb8 ... ls_0.4.zip

EDIT: Color changing code doesn't work, but the trails are brilliant. This is a lull in a firefight with three pirates involved.

[Zireael]

Anyone uses it?

[Redspear]

Not yet but that last screenshot makes me think I should give it a try

Thanks for making it

[Redspear]

Not yet but that last screenshot makes me think I should

Have you thought of making it an 'injectors only' effect?
It might be more consistently entertaining if if were a rarer occurrance...
I don't know - please bear in mind that I haven't tried it yet

In any case, thanks for making it

[Zireael]

I tried to make it change colors, so that pirate 1 might have blue trails, pirate 2 yellow, pirate 3 violet... but it didn't work.

If it worked, making it limited to injectors only or changing colors for injecting would be easy.