Galactic Co-operative of Worlds Bulletin: The Orb

[Charlie]

Galactic Co-operative of Worlds

Police Update on Orb Sightings.

It has come to our attention over the last few
weeks that ships of an unusual design have
been reported throughout the eight galaxies.

'GalCop' would like to assure all Captains that
there is as yet no cause for alarm regardless
of rumors circulated by the discredited Dr H.Z.
( formerly a senior rocket scientist for Lance &
Ferman )
The 'Orb' ships as they have become known
have been monitored by 'GalCop' for some time
and you can rest assured we are exercising
all means at our disposal in our on-going in
depth study of this new phenomenon.

In the interests of open cooperation with the
public here follows infomation pertinent to
busy Captains that has so far been deduced by
exhaustive investigation.

1) They are quite small.
2) Their ships are quite speedy.
3) They do not carry ID transponders.
4) Their communications so far do not seem to be
amenable to our universal translators.
5) We are therefore finding it difficult to charge
them under the 'Failure to carry an ID transponder'
act.
6) They have been quite antisocial towards officers
who have gone about their lawful duty with regard
to point 5).

We therefore recommend to Captains that until such
time as we can initiate a useful verbal intercause
with these beings, a healthy respectful distance be
maintained.

The Galactic Co-operative of Worlds Police would
be grateful for any useful information regarding
'Orb' sightings and purposes.
Please contact one of our officers via this comms
link.

[Dr H.Z.]

They are fools you know...

Just because I believe in aliens, Lance & Ferman fired me!

Hell, their Chairman is a Black Furry Feline! How much proof do you need?

Well I'm not finished. I've been hired by a company on Usceed as their head of weapons development, they seem like level-headed people...

Psst.
Want to know something useful about the Orb? You'll never get it from those idiot police!
I've been following them for months - taken pictures!!
It's an invasion I tell you - it will be Black Holes next! Mark my words!

[Dr H.Z.]

O M G

I'd jumped into Ersoonve having just picked up a company ship from my new employers, and there they were!

Months of investigation were needed to dig up my original shots of the Orb, but there they had been!!

Police about, dead ships everywhere!!! Look at the pictures!!!!

I don't mind saying I ran for the nearest station but just as I was approaching Ersoonve, there it was, an Orb base ship!!!!! Sitting there, bold as brass!!!!!!

It was between me and the station so I had to fly past on the way to safety. ( I hope, because I havn't dared leave yet )

Funny, I didn't see a shot fired the whole time, and none of their little ships either...

Invasion?
Conspiracy??

I don't know any more...

As soon as I take up my new post at Benulobiweed.inc I'll insist they get on with their weapons contract asap.

Take a look at some of the images from my log if you don't belive me...


Ah Tiddles, you calm my tortured thoughts...

[Charlie]

Oops - some bugs with the Orb
( This universe is new to them )

Oolite will behave a bit oddly with the current .oxp installed...
( Well more oddly than intended )

I'll post again when I've done an update.

No wonder Dr H.Z. is loosing it!

[Charlie]

Quick update:



A little something the Orb have been up to...

I'll hopfully get round to posting a working beta over the weekend.

[Charlie]

Galactic Co-operative of Worlds

Police Update on Orb Sightings.

Today we had a further report of Orb sightings
from a very shaken trader.
The following information is taken from exerts
of his interview with the local Ramaza authoroties.


'I had just jumped into Ramaza space when my
ship spotted an 'asteroid' rapidly overtaking me!'

'Bugger me!'

-Try to stay calm sir -

'Not an asteroid, whatever the scanner said.
Never seen anything like it! Tiny sod, passed
quite close to me.'



'Next thing I know a bloody great Thargoid
carrier turns up, and along with one of their
battle-ships and a Terroriser starts blasting
away at the witchspace bouy - which went
bang pretty quickly.'
'Pretty damn sure something went BANG in
my pants too, if you know what I mean!'

-Now, now Sir, we don't tollerate faecal
oriented language here on Ramaza-



'Then, poof! From nowhere this bloody great
pulsating thing, thing appears in front of me...'

-We don't tollerate that kind of filthy talk either-

'Um-yes, my scanner went berzerk too! Worst
asteroid storm I've ever seen, but no asteroids!
Lots of little fireworks.'



'Then BANG! Another great throbbing... Ow!
You hit me!'

-You were warned about your language.
Officer Beeble, please note the gentleman just
tripped over, sustaining a nasty bruse to the
cranial area-



'The Thargoids start shooting, and the whole
cloud of them goes stright in! Reminds me of
piranah.'



'Here's a photo of them closing in. Funny, they
never once took any notice of me. I let them
shoot it out, didn't get involved.'



'This is the last shot before I passed out. One
of those throb... ships is chasing the Thargoids.
Just caught the start of the next explosion
silloueted over Ramaza before it caught up
with me.'


Some serious offences we think you will agree.
We fully support the Ramaza police in their
zero-tolerance stance with regard to the use of
foul and salacious language infront of our
officers.

[TGHC]

Awesome is inadequate!

You are "The Man"

[Charlie]

Awesome is inadequate!

You are "The Man"

Very kind...

Curent posted Orb.oxp doesn't work properly - much weirdness!

Above screenies for my curent version - going to incorporate some ideas curtosy of LB & then release it.

Even then think of it as a work in progress - working, but more to come ( my crappy scripting isn't helping )

So far the main problem is this .oxp can cause some temp 'performance issues'
-esp if the Orb go realy crackers!

[Rxke]

heehee, I can already guess what kind of performance-issues my ole G3 will meet

But it truly looks intriguing

[Charlie]

-Orb Update-

This one has been stuck up there for some time, I've had real trouble pushing it out. Serves me right for trying something new I suppose.

In-your-endo aside, I'm glad to say the turtle is now crowning!

The initial ( functioning ) release is close to daylight.

The only remaining hold up is my fault:

All well this am - finally got the AI working ok... just a few last tweaks... bugger! The Orb are brain-dead ( again! )
No back-up.
Can't remember what I changed.
Can't see what's wrong with the AI. ( I assume a comma in the wri=ong place )
Most likely going to have to re-do it to find out WHY...

Oh Poo!

More time sitting on my stool reading the ( how to AI ) papers.

Enough.

[TGHC]

What a bummer, hopefully it will all come back to you.

[Charlie]

The Orb are Here!!!

Run oops Fly ...or maybe: Thrust for your Lives!

Want to know more about the Orb?
Friend?
Foe?
Other??

See the link under my Sig: and give Dr H.Z.'s pussy a stroke.
( A bit of petting is good for the constitution )

[TGHC]

Orgasmic! You've just made an old man very happy!

[Charlie]

Galactic Co-operative of Worlds

Police Update on Orb Sightings.

We would like to thank Comander Raxxe for its
helpful information.

'Um Captain?'
'Yes?'
'Commander Raxxe is a her.'
'Really - how can you tell?'
-whisper, whisper-
''Good God man! Well I suppose it takes all sorts.'

Back to the update:

'In her own words:'

'I had jumped into ..OW!..'
-That's classified information-


'W-when I spotted a Falcon-H. You don't see too
many of these & it was in a hell of ..OW!..'
-No bad language please-
'a-a hurry, so I thought I'd follow to see what was
going on.'


'Well just as I got in range of ..OW!.. that was my
nipple!'
-Remember, classified information... miss??-
'Of the station we caught up with an almighty
running battle between an Orb Base ship and a
Thargoid carrier. The Falcon-H went right in to have
a go @ the Thargoids, and a police Viper came out
of the station and went for the Orb Ship.
Neither lasted very long so I held back to watch.'
-It's an offence not to help the designated
authoroties... mam??-


'Do you want to hear the rest?'
-Please continue-
'Well, the Orb ship didn't like that much and
started knocking seven bells out of the station
while its escorts continued to engage the Carrier.'
-We don't tollerate bad language-
'Seven bells? ..OW!..'
-Yes, that kind of language-
'But...'
-You must consider the missionary position-
'The what??'
-Some faiths have strong views-
'Oh.'
-Do continue-



'We-well next a Navy Condor appears & the station
scambles a Police Condor. The Navy & the Orb go at
it like hammer-and... like they really mean it, but
with all those little Orb ships about that goes bang
as well.'


By now that Orb Ship has taken quite a beating and
the Police Condor soon finishes it off.'


'Well, bugger me!'
-Not sure where I would begin with such a request-
'Um, no, um, I mean I was then suprised to see an
almighty...'
-Don't forget the missionary position... m'dear??-
'...explosion. When the debris had cleared the
Police Condor was nowhere to be seen!. Just two
new Orb Base ships & their escorts! Thankfully they
seemed more interested in the Thargoids at that
stage so I buggered-off into the station.'
-People know how to do that there with your kind?-

'Can I go now?'
-Well, some serous crimes have been perpetrated-
'I'd agree with that...'
-Ah-ha! A confession!-
'What?'
-Foul language, harassing a Falcon-H, not lending
aid to said Falcon-H, not lending aid to a space
station, alluding in public to your filthy habbits,
not having the decency to be referred to as an 'it'
when that's what you so obviously are...-
-The list of charges goes on and on-
'B-but!'
-AND referring to to your 'unpleasant alien posterior
while under arrest!-
'Arrest?'
-Yes! You have the right to remain silent, but
anything may be taken down and used in evidence..-
'Fresh!'

The GalCop Police remain disappointed by how few
commanders have come forward with evidence of
Orb activity.
Commander Raxxe suggested it may be due to our
interview technique.
Further charges have been brought against 'her' for
making slanderous accusations about GalCop officers.

PS
Another update to Orb.oxp is @ the link below:
( some funny behavior has hopefully been squashed )

[Charlie]

Oops, sorry.
I didn't take the test-code out of the shipdata.plist

May cause trouble for some.

I'm uploading a fixed version as I type...

If you've already grabbed it just search for: testships in the shipdata.plist & remove it.