Join us at the Oolite Anniversary Party -- London, 7th July 2024, 1pm
More details in this thread.

Stealing ships & more powerful tractor beam

An area for discussing new ideas and additions to Oolite.

Moderators: winston, another_commander

Post Reply
NaOH
Mostly Harmless
Mostly Harmless
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:43 pm

Stealing ships & more powerful tractor beam

Post by NaOH »

I have noticed that it is possible to make the pilot of a vessel launch his escape pod, but leave a ship intact.

This opens up the opportunity for stealing a ship.

Could it be possible to create a much more powerful tractor beam, which would be available as an upgrade for larger ships.

That tractor beam could be used to tow an abandoned ship to the nearest space station, and either have it re-fitted, or simply sold.

For a space pirate, that would be a great opportunity.

The ability to tow various beacons away from their usual orbit is also an interesting possibility.

"Wonder what would happen if I put this witch-space beacon in the sun?" :wink:
User avatar
LittleBear
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 2868
Joined: Tue Apr 04, 2006 7:02 pm
Location: On a survey mission for GalCop. Ship: Cobra Corvette: Hidden Dragon Rated: Deadly.

Post by LittleBear »

Think the idea of a special missile that sticks into the ship with a tow-line is being considered.
OXPS : The Assassins Guild, Asteroid Storm, The Bank of the Black Monks, Random Hits, The Galactic Almanac, Renegade Pirates can be downloaded from the Elite Wiki here.
NaOH
Mostly Harmless
Mostly Harmless
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:43 pm

Another angle

Post by NaOH »

The missile idea sounds good.

However, I would think that creating a missile which installs a 'slave circuit' aboard the other ship is more feasible.

A tow line would be limited, and unless the ship being hijacked is stationary, it could cause untold havoc.

Just my thoughts.
User avatar
Arexack_Heretic
Dangerous Subversive Element
Dangerous Subversive Element
Posts: 1876
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:32 pm
Location: [%H] = Earth surface, Lattitude 52°10'58.19"N, longtitude 4°30'0.25"E.
Contact:

Post by Arexack_Heretic »

Unmanned ships will coast for a short while, then come to a stop.

I want less powerfull tractorbeam and I also don't like idea of prize-ships If I cannot put them in my hangar-bay.
Riding the Rocket!
User avatar
CWolf
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 317
Joined: Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:33 pm
Location: Currently floating round Eninre

Post by CWolf »

Why would unmanned ships stop?

Either the computer would follow last instruction and keep going or the ship would drift...

OR are we now working with the Torus Jump Drive theory, where the ships are inertialess due to the way the drive works?
The act of talking b*ll*cks whilst waving one's arms about wildly is referred to as testiculation.

Image
User avatar
Arexack_Heretic
Dangerous Subversive Element
Dangerous Subversive Element
Posts: 1876
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:32 pm
Location: [%H] = Earth surface, Lattitude 52°10'58.19"N, longtitude 4°30'0.25"E.
Contact:

Post by Arexack_Heretic »

They just do.
I'll leave the technobabble to someone else. ;)
Riding the Rocket!
User avatar
Wiggy
Deadly
Deadly
Posts: 222
Joined: Fri Jan 21, 2005 1:12 pm
Location: London, Engerland

Post by Wiggy »

The cockpit controls includes what train drivers in the 20th century used to call a "dead man's handle".
You have to rest your elbow on it, otherwise the brakes come on automatically.

I thank you.
You came in that? You're braver than I thought!
User avatar
Arexack_Heretic
Dangerous Subversive Element
Dangerous Subversive Element
Posts: 1876
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:32 pm
Location: [%H] = Earth surface, Lattitude 52°10'58.19"N, longtitude 4°30'0.25"E.
Contact:

Post by Arexack_Heretic »

Or rather: the drive has such a switch.

(as the entire bridge-section is often ejected as the lifepod. )
:D
Riding the Rocket!
User avatar
Judebert
Dangerous
Dangerous
Posts: 88
Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2006 4:56 pm
Location: Orlando, FL
Contact:

Post by Judebert »

Hmmm... in terms of my technobabble in that other thread, the drive deformation has its own elasticity. Without power to maintain the deformation, it gradually returns to its static state, where no displacement occurs.
Post Reply