[WIP] GalCop Missions

[Cholmondely]

Does the Cargo Stopper help at all?

I don't think so. According to  GalCop_Missions &  Tractor_Beam "When your ship is aimed at cargo cannisters that are floating away, it will automatically use the tractor beam to bring the cargo to a stop.". I don't think escape pods are 'cargo' for that, else I'd have heard it operate as it does for cargo. I've never had it help with escape pods.

Canisters should only have one 'n'.. or is that another transatlantic issue?

How about the "shush!" from Coyote's Run?

And since Phkb wrote the thing and he's down under, perhaps it should be a transpacific issue?

[MrFlibble]

How about the "shush!" from Coyote's Run?

Don't think that'll work either. IIRC, that likes things slower, larger, and aft.

And since Phkb wrote the thing and he's down under, perhaps it should be a transpacific issue?

Noted. Non-English Differently evolved English issue.

[Cholmondely]

Create your own?

Flibble Astroo-manufacturing Inc. are proud to announce the launch of their new Tractoor™ mechanism, designed to halt runaway escape-pods in their tracts! A mere snip at 33,000₢, and taking a minimal 75TC of your cargo hold! Buy two now at the specially discounted rate of ....! T&C's apply (you must apply in person at the Astroo-manufacturing foundries just beside the Cowell & Mgrath shipyards on Lave with the attached form quintuplicated and signed in green ink ...)

[MrFlibble]

I just double-checked, and can confirm that cargo stopper doesn't activate for escape capsules. Maybe I should make my own

I did manage to match speed and scoop it this time.

Side issue: I find that on Linux, one cannot change speed (w,s) at all while fine-control (ctrl) is depressed. I've added ctrl-(w,s) as extra speed keys on my setup now. Should have done that years ago!! Edit... adding ctrl-e

Finding the escape pod by normal means is super tricky when it can go at speed near 3000k and only 'drops' static waypoints. At that speed, between one waypoint going off, and the next one being dropped, the distance delta can be vast, and aiming at the waypoint gets frustrating. Using "Range Finder" is absolutely essential, and even then it's very hit-and-miss getting it into scanner range.

I've done quite a few of the Galcop Runaway Escape Pod missions in the past, though not for maybe a month or two. I don't remember *needing* to use range finder for them, or it being anywhere near as difficult. I aimed at the waypoint, flew as fast as I could, paused when I thought I was near, waited for waypoint again, repeated, and after a couple of iterations, would have the escape pod on scanner. I do remember it moving faster than other escape pods, but not at the ragged edge of my ship speed capability.

Maybe I just got worse at it, so if it's right that it's this hard, tell me it's right, and I'll wind my neck back in
Edit: I just flew this a few more times. I got lucky with going in the right direction that I 'happened upon it' while chasing the waypoints twice out of about ten runs in all, the rest of the time I needed the range finder. Needed a good few goes to (re?-)get the hang of it. Maybe I'd just been regularly lucky with it in the past.

Lessons learned:

• Range finder is a more than just handy on this mission type.
• The waypoints are not attached to the escape pod (I'd really not noticed that until today).
• I suspect the difficulty rises with PS max speed. (?)
• On Linux at least, add ctrl-(e,w,s) as extra keys.
• Remember to add that 'ctrl-e' before enjoying the other two keys in combat
• I should spend half a day re-testing before I make an fool of myself on the bb.
• This mission type is WAY more fun than I remembered it to be.

Hopefully anyone else who finds this mission type near impossible, will happen upon this and try again.

[Wildeblood]

Whi'chud?

Back in the olden days, before waypoints were a thing, before beacon codes were read/write, there was an escape pod locator OXP, that had a beacon fly along beside the escape pod.

[phkb]

Whi'chud?

Looks like the Extra Large HUD with 10 MFD's from The "HUD Selector" OXP.

The waypoints are not attached to the escape pod (I'd really not noticed that until today).

Correct. They spawn at regular intervals on the pod location at that moment. They don't follow the pod.

I suspect the difficulty rises with PS max speed.

Probably, although in my experience, the problem I always come up against is lack of fuel. You can use your Torus to get to the pod, but at that point you really need to use injectors. Based on how much fuel you have left will dictate how long you can use your injectors to get close enough to scoop - unless you're really lucky and can manage to scoop the pod under Torus.

and can confirm that cargo stopper doesn't activate for escape capsules

While I could easily expand the cargo stopper to work with pods, it would mean changing the name (because it wouldn't be just a "cargo" stopper). Actually that's pretty minor. Maybe if I run out of things to do I'll expand the functionality.

[MrFlibble]

I could easily expand the cargo stopper to work with pods, it would mean changing the name (because it wouldn't be just a "cargo" stopper). Actually that's pretty minor. Maybe if I run out of things to do I'll expand the functionality.

Probably best not, at least without making it a separate tool. Escape pods are powered. so that might be hard to combine logically.

I get the mission. Reckon it's good as is, though some may need clues, for which my fumblings may make a good pointer as to "how not to". I think I just had a brain fart. Took me a few runs to get the method again.

[MrFlibble]

Looks like the Extra Large HUD with 10 MFD's from The "HUD Selector" OXP.

Sorry. another brain fart. It's 04:21 here.
Old school with knobs on... correct!

And thanks for the ack about the waypoints being static. I flew through a few chasing the pods

[MrFlibble]

If a system is in quarantine lockdown, player is informed about it exactly once on docking at a main station. No further reminders are given on subsequent dockings. The only way I've found to get a reminder is to save and reload, since the list of lockdowns is issued on game re-start.

Perhaps a game bug: Attempting to witchspace jump to a quarantined system is met with a message (not one that can be reviewed with "`") about the system being blocked, the countdown continues, and the jump fails. Attempting to abort the jump by hitting 'h' will not work. One has to plot course to a different system before jump abort is possible.

GalCop issue: It is possible to accept an interstellar GalCop mission to e.g. whack three Thargoids in such a system, and despite the fact one is not actually going to the target system, the jump is still blocked and the mission is doomed to fail unless happy coincidence causes quarantine to be lifted very quickly.

In the absence of an obvious way to review quarantined systems (short of quit/restart), would it make sense to prevent such missions being offered where they are (at time of offer) impossible?

[phkb]

There is a way to jump to a quarantined system.

The other items I will look at. Would a big red cross on the chart help in knowing which systems were quarantined?

[MrFlibble]

There is a way to jump to a quarantined system.

Wait!



(Loads the save... tries it.)

Oh cool!!!

The other items I will look at. Would a big red cross on the chart help in knowing which systems were quarantined?

I like that, if fixes the "human memory" issue, and given my answer above I'd say that it's a better, broader fix, than not offering the jobs to those who might choose to risk the potential timing issues.