An Oolite Review Help Request

[milinks]

hI, I appreciate that i've submitted this post before HERE, however with only a reply from Norby, I'm really after an ickle bit more input from the friendliest Board this side of Riedquat. The Open Pandora crew have created an amazing port of oolite 1.77.1, and hopefully this can continue to bring about ports of the current Dev build, or soon to be published v1.80. With the Pandora port, the aim is that more people will visit and join these boards hopefully encouranging new ideas and input.
Oolite has been on the wish list of ports for the Pandora for over a year, and it's now been realised through PtitSebs creation. Alongside this, with Diziet Sma's (Dizzie's) help, we've tried to put together a guide to help new users get into the oOniverse of Oolite. What I am asking (a bit of begging never goes amiss) is for the input of "those in the know" to critique the guide, and let me know how it can be improved, what needs to be added to, removed, or any ideas as to what can be included. I would really appreciate the input of the Oolite crew, as I've not been able to have any input for a number of years, so i don't want to give an opinion that isn't with the flow of the crew here, as to what's hot and whats's not.
So please, for a couple of MBs of your memory, and a few minutes of your time, i would really appreciate your help with making this document something that will draw people to the oOniverse, and make them excited about contributing to it even more. I would appreciate any coments, good, bad or bored, so please, help this little cute fluffy document, and save it from all those nasty reviews out there by making it better (okay, i'm exaggerating, but a reply would be great) .

So Please download the guide from HERE, or below, and let me know what you think ( I feel like I'm spamming everyone with rubbish )

[pagroove]

Hi,

I've read your document. First let me say that you have a fantastic job. I like how you have enriched the document with many illustrations.

There are 2 things I see that could changed.

1. You write about Your Ad here and then describe the Big Haulers. These are called Bulk Haulers and they are not part of the Your Ad.oxp. They are in the Bulk Haulers.oxp. http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Bulk_Haulers.

2. The structure of the document could be a little better. I mean that the part of the core game should be really be separated from your review of the OXP enhanced game.

But I like that you really took the time to describe Oolite in all its colors which is great.

[milinks]

There are 2 things I see that could changed.

1. You write about Your Ad here and then describe the Big Haulers. These are called Bulk Haulers and they are not part of the Your Ad.oxp. They are in the Bulk Haulers.oxp. http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Bulk_Haulers.

2. The structure of the document could be a little better. I mean that the part of the core game should be really be separated from your review of the OXP enhanced game.

Cheers Pagroove I know what you mean about the "flowability" of it, do you have any ideas as to how i could seperate it more, with regards to the "review" part and the OXP part. It basically started as a write-up and then just continued, so i really didn't "stop" anywhere. One part i am adding / expanding is a section on guides and information, basically teasers on things such as the cloaking device etc. I didnt want to make the pdf too big by adding swf's or 3D objects (which i was tempted to do, in putting a section to how to create a simple OXP), as i didnt know if this would be diversifying too much from the "story", or would it be worthwhile adding a section on creating an OXP? Any suggestions would be great, thankyou again pagroove

[another_commander]

I really enjoyed reading the document, milinks. Here are a few comments on it:

• The OXPs mentioned in the document are a matter of personal taste and for sure there will be plenty of people who would disagree with the particular selection. I also think that presenting only a few of them might be perceived as unfair to the creators of the rest of the OXPs which were not reviewed. If you want to include your choice of OXPs in the document that's fine, but IMHO it should be clearly stated that it represents the view of the writer only and they are mentioned as an example of expandability rather than a recommendation.
• Throughout the pdf there are numerous references to the soon to be released version 1.80. I would try to avoid mentioning version numbers, as a) release could be delayed - even considerably - if game breaking bugs are discovered before it's out and b) it means that you will have to edit and re-publish the document as soon as we release it. I would rather refer to it in a more general manner, like "development builds at the time of writing have this and that" or "planned features include ...".
• The review is so detailed, that it gives away spoilers. Now, I understand I am writing this in a public forum and all that, but normally we do not advertise the built-in missions. The reason is that part of their role in the gameplay is to offer a WHOA!! moment to the player who encounters them for the first time. Just try to remember your own reaction the first time the "Incoming Message" screen hit you. By talking about them in a review, your readers will expect missions to happen and the surprise will be gone. It is not accidental that in our Reference Sheet document distributed with the game we have references to "Specialist Equipment" rather than "Cloaking Device". The concept is similar.
• It will need a re-scan for a few typos and a paragraph repetition that I noticed

That's all I have for the moment. Thank you for going into the trouble of writing all this up and I will echo what others said that it is really a very entertaining and interesting read.

[Diziet Sma]

Alongside this, with Diziet Sma's (Dizzie's) help, we've tried to put together a guide to help new users get into the oOniverse of Oolite.

You give me far too much credit, mate.. I only made a few posts on the Pandora forums, and answered some questions.. you did all the hard work, putting that epic document together..

[milinks]

[*] The review is so detailed, that it gives away spoilers. Now, I understand I am writing this in a public forum and all that, but normally we do not advertise the built-in missions. The reason is that part of their role in the gameplay is to offer a WHOA!! moment to the player who encounters them for the first time. Just try to remember your own reaction the first time the "Incoming Message" screen hit you. By talking about them in a review, your readers will expect missions to happen and the surprise will be gone. It is not accidental that in our Reference Sheet document distributed with the game we have references to "Specialist Equipment" rather than "Cloaking Device". The concept is similar.

@another_commander - ThanQ for putting me on the right tracks i see exactly what you mean with regards to the spoilers etc. I think my problem was, that not having a laptop/pc for aaages until very recently (i swopped it in for an ipad i could use in hospital etc for ease) so i hadn't had the opportunity to play oolite for about 3 years until the Pandora port. So after a lot of forum reading, and playing on the pandora, i could only really give my opinion of what i read or came across, which is very limited in the scope of all you guys have done, hence the OXPs mentioned. I totally agree that too much info strips away so much, and also a lot of hard work put in to keep things a suprise. So, i think maybe the review could do with a few more OXPs explained that are varied, and bin the guides etc. What i wanted to do was explain to the reader that there was so much more to oolite than just visiting the OXP wiki, and by visiting the boards you can find so much more on offer as well. I think i'll search for more OXPs to mention etc, and leave away from any spoilers etc. Now...... which OXPs and enhancements would be good to mention ?

[Neelix]

I'd actually steer clear of recommending BGS. I tried it briefly but while I appreciated the effects, it slowed things to a crawl and I needed to activate a swap file to even start the game with it installed. (I have a rebirth edition unit which has double the memory of the CC units, and otherwise haven't needed more than my usual zram swap)

I have had no issues with these OXPs on the Pandora though:

• Graphics:
  smivs' shipset & Accessories
  Better Screens
  Combat HUD

(I extend many thanks to smivs! )

I also found these informational OXPs handy:

• Market Observer
  Display Reputation
  Bounty Status
  Flight Log
  Commanders Log
  Randomshipnames <-- I only fairly recently found this one but I highly recommend it.

I also run a bunch of equipment OXPs but I'd recommend people get to know the core game better before experimenting with those. (most are useless to a Jameson until they've kitted out their ship and made a few credits anyway)

- Neelix

[Cody]

Randomshipnames ... I highly recommend it.

As do I - it's an excellent OXP.

[Norby]

I agree with Neelix and there are suitables for new commanders in my "starter kit".

[Zireael]

I agree that randomshipnames OXP should be mentioned.

Also, I would take out the golden E:D Elite logo, we don't want copyright issues.

[UK_Eliter]

milinks

If you like I will proof-read this for you (I am good at proof-reading) once you've revised it in the light of the suggestions. You could PM me.

Best of luck.