Expansion Manager Pack

An area for discussing new ideas and additions to Oolite.

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commander_STyx2909
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Expansion Manager Pack

Post by commander_STyx2909 »

For a new user, it is a bit disturbing to navigate through all the OXPs. It is great there so many mods, don't get me wrong, but I think a bit of changes would be welcome.

I don't think it should be too long to modify. Main idea is to create "Tabs" or "categories" one would access through F1-8 keys. Each one with subcategories, mostly as they are, now. Each "TAB" would have it's own remove and install option, to avoid unnecessary navigation and accidental suppression (yep, I did). It would also allow more screen place to display details about OXP ('i' feature).

F1, refresh OXP lists, new OXPs added, removed, etc.

F2, Cosmestics = OXP only modifying the look of the game without changing mechanics; Textures, Ambience, HUD, BackGrounds, etc.

F3, Features = new mechanics to the game that are "free", like MFDs, Navigation aids, Market analysis etc.

F4, Objects = equipments and ships mostly

F5, Packs = those intended to add a lot to the game. Elite Trader, you mean? etc.

F6, Stellar = anything that is not a ship or an equipment like planets, moons player can interact with but not acquire
Anything else, but you get the point.

F7, unclassified?

Also, instead of deleting OXPs when removing them, couldn't we move them into another folder? very useful for the guys digging into them... :wink:
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Re: Expansion Manager Pack

Post by another_commander »

You can already display OXPs by category by using the filter option, in the same way you can display them by author, date or keyword.

You can also extract an OXP to the AddOns folder if you want to tinker with it, using the "x" key while listing them.

The UI code is so convoluted and complicated that I wouldn't even dream of changing the current Manager's layout at this time.
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Re: Expansion Manager Pack

Post by Cholmondely »

another_commander wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 2:51 pm
You can already display OXPs by category by using the filter option, in the same way you can display them by author, date or keyword.

You can also extract an OXP to the AddOns folder if you want to tinker with it, using the "x" key while listing them.

The UI code is so convoluted and complicated that I wouldn't even dream of changing the current Manager's layout at this time.
Sorry - what does one actually do with the x-key? And does it work across all 3 platforms?
Comments wanted:
Missing OXPs? What do you think is missing?
Lore: The economics of ship building How many built for Aronar?
Lore: The Space Traders Flight Training Manual: Cowell & MgRath Do you agree with Redspear?
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Re: Expansion Manager Pack

Post by commander_STyx2909 »

another_commander wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 2:51 pm
You can already display OXPs by category by using the filter option, in the same way you can display them by author, date or keyword.

You can also extract an OXP to the AddOns folder if you want to tinker with it, using the "x" key while listing them.

The UI code is so convoluted and complicated that I wouldn't even dream of changing the current Manager's layout at this time.
:( ouch.

I know about "F" and forgot about 'x'...
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Ubuntu 20.06. :mrgreen:
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Re: Expansion Manager Pack

Post by commander_STyx2909 »

Cholmondely wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 3:01 pm
another_commander wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 2:51 pm
You can already display OXPs by category by using the filter option, in the same way you can display them by author, date or keyword.

You can also extract an OXP to the AddOns folder if you want to tinker with it, using the "x" key while listing them.

The UI code is so convoluted and complicated that I wouldn't even dream of changing the current Manager's layout at this time.
Sorry - what does one actually do with the x-key? And does it work across all 3 platforms?
It expands selected OXP. where it is located. It should work on every platform, yes.
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Re: Expansion Manager Pack

Post by Commander Mick »

It is said that the EMP, is within the game already, and then how do you access it?

If not , then how do you get it?
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Re: Expansion Manager Pack

Post by Commander Mick »

Found it :)
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Re: Expansion Manager Pack

Post by phkb »

Commander Mick wrote: Sat Aug 07, 2021 10:57 am
Found it
I knew we’d left it somewhere.
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Re: Expansion Manager Pack

Post by Commander Mick »

What do the different colours of OXPs mean?

I know.....

White Means already installed.

Yellow means ready to install.

Orange means ready to install and download other XPS if they are needed.

Brown, means this OXP has a conflict with other OXPs already installed.

Grey, means this OXP is outdated.

Blue means you can no longer use this OXP after removing it the first time.

I would like to know what Red means and any other colour not yet seen.
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Re: Expansion Manager Pack

Post by Cholmondely »

Commander Mick wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 12:15 pm
What do the different colours of OXPs mean?

I know.....

White Means already installed.

Yellow means ready to install.

Orange means ready to install and download other XPS if they are needed.

Brown, means this OXP has a conflict with other OXPs already installed.

Grey, means this OXP is outdated.

Blue means you can no longer use this OXP after removing it the first time.

I would like to know what Red means and any other colour not yet seen.
Try here: http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Expansions_Manager
Comments wanted:
Missing OXPs? What do you think is missing?
Lore: The economics of ship building How many built for Aronar?
Lore: The Space Traders Flight Training Manual: Cowell & MgRath Do you agree with Redspear?
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Re: Expansion Manager Pack

Post by Commander Mick »

thanx
Right on Commander!!
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Re: Expansion Manager Pack

Post by hiran »

Cholmondely wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 12:45 pm
Commander Mick wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 12:15 pm
I would like to know what Red means and any other colour not yet seen.
Try here: http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Expansions_Manager
Would it not be a lot more intuitive to show this information directly on the screen?
If a legend cannot fit, put a marker somewhere when it is selected. Just something...
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Re: Expansion Manager Pack

Post by another_commander »

hiran wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 9:41 pm
Would it not be a lot more intuitive to show this information directly on the screen?
If a legend cannot fit, put a marker somewhere when it is selected. Just something...
Yup, that's what happens now. The status line does just that.
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Re: Expansion Manager Pack

Post by hiran »

another_commander wrote: Mon Aug 09, 2021 5:59 am
hiran wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 9:41 pm
Would it not be a lot more intuitive to show this information directly on the screen?
If a legend cannot fit, put a marker somewhere when it is selected. Just something...
Yup, that's what happens now. The status line does just that.
Wonderful. :-)
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Re: Expansion Manager Pack

Post by Cholmondely »

1) Would there be point in adding the colours guide to the screen for the Expansions Manager? I'd never noticed that the explanation was colour-co-ordinated - and I'm sure that I'm not the only one. Possibly due to the red-overlay blocking out the underlying colour? I notice that XenonUI frames the screen when I access the EM, so there must be some space.


Or maybe put the explanation in the same colour that the oxp is in. That is probably a swankier solution.

2) Possibly mention the extractive use of the "x" key?

3) Also maybe a list of the OXZ categories with a couple of words of explanation might be helpful. The only explanation I've so far found is in the OXP Categories section in the OXPList:

Code: Select all

Activities 	Allow Commanders to carry out a new activity or task eg. racing, gas giant skimming, taking out loans
Ambience 	Change or add to the scenery, visuals or sound effects eg. planet skins, add new planets/moons to systems, move suns further away, dim nebulae, add monuments
Dockables 	Add new objects that the player can dock with eg. carriers, space bars, casinos, fuel stations. Also, see Oolite Stations
Equipment 	Buy upgrades for your ship excluding weapons
HUDs 	 	Modifications of your dials, gauges and other read-outs on your Heads-Up Display
Mechanics 	Change the game play in a specific way eg. alter market mechanics, add more pirates
Missions 	New missions for Commanders to undertake. For more information, see Oolite Missions
Retextures 	Retexture existing objects, either by replacing or adding variations, but without adding objects that did not exist before
Ships 	 	New ships, except dockable ships. Also, see Oolite Ships
Systems 	Alter multiple star systems in a number of ways eg. combinations of changing main station and local police ships, adding new stations, ships, activities, missions
Weapons 	Addons for your ship for blowing up the baddies
Misc 	 	OXPs that don't fit into the other categories eg. debug consoles, internationalisations, config mechanisms, demo OXPs
Reference: XenonUI added to EM
Image
Comments wanted:
Missing OXPs? What do you think is missing?
Lore: The economics of ship building How many built for Aronar?
Lore: The Space Traders Flight Training Manual: Cowell & MgRath Do you agree with Redspear?
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