Thargorn Threat.oxp

[Eric Walch]

A similar error war reported here. As you say, instead of using very long lines, a lot of (pre-)compilers accept // as linebreak and combine it with the next line on processing. Not all graphic card drivers understand it, but as // is now explicit part of the drivder code for AMD cards and only one revision had problems with it, I suspect that the problems with the //, is a driver bug.

So, you better not fix the shader code, but the drivers itself. Either get a newer or older version

[UK_Eliter]

A similar error war reported here. As you say, instead of using very long lines, a lot of (pre-)compilers accept // as linebreak and combine it with the next line on processing. Not all graphic card drivers understand it, but as // is now explicit part of the drivder code for AMD cards and only one revision had problems with it, I suspect that the problems with the //, is a driver bug.

So, you better not fix the shader code, but the drivers itself. Either get a newer or older version

Dear Eric: but, if the shader code is changed, then it will still work with graphics drivers that do not have the problem. So might it be best to change it (especially since changing it is not that much hassle for OXP makers)? And I think that more than one version of the AMD drivers have the problem. For at least these versions of the drivers seem to have the problem: 11.9; 11.10; 11.11 (Also, I think it a single '/' as a line-break.)

[Fatleaf]

Found this in the log. I assume it is Thargorn Threat that is the issue as it is its ships that are involved but it could be something else. Anyway here is the log entry,

[ship.setUp.escortShipCircularReference]: ----- WARNING: Ship <ShipEntity 0xd14e180>{"Thargoid Thorgon Cruiser" position: (-15636.7, 4243.29, 11670.7) scanClass: CLASS_THARGOID status: STATUS_IN_FLIGHT} requested escorts, when it is an escort ship itself. Avoiding possible circular reference overflow by ignoring escort setup.

Hope it helps.

Also in Maik's wiki http://maikschulz.de/wiki/OXP_List it is listed as Thargoid Threat, not, Thargorn Threat!

[Commander McLane]

Found this in the log. I assume it is Thargorn Threat that is the issue as it is its ships that are involved but it could be something else. Anyway here is the log entry,

[ship.setUp.escortShipCircularReference]: ----- WARNING: Ship <ShipEntity 0xd14e180>{"Thargoid Thorgon Cruiser" position: (-15636.7, 4243.29, 11670.7) scanClass: CLASS_THARGOID status: STATUS_IN_FLIGHT} requested escorts, when it is an escort ship itself. Avoiding possible circular reference overflow by ignoring escort setup.

You can safely ignore that. Most likely it's from the new thargoid_carrier2.0.oxp. The Thargoid Carrier is now escorted, and for the sake of simpleness it just uses any ship with role "thargoid" as escort. This means that also Thorgon Cruisers and Thargorn Battleships can get chosen as escorts. They would usually have escorts themselves, which are suppressed.

Perhaps I should include a note in the readMe about that.

[Eric Walch]

Updated oxp to version 1.5.2.

No bug fixes, but this update reduces the chance of adding thargoids in interstellar space.

This version is also aware of InterstellarTweaks.oxp by UK_Eliter which can reduce the amount of thargoids added in interstellar space even further.

I also noticed that interstellar space has become generally more dangerous, as even the fully removal of the addition script gave me thargoid encounters on every jump.

[Commander McLane]

I also noticed that interstellar space has become generally more dangerous, as even the fully removal of the addition script gave me thargoid encounters on every jump.

Wouldn't the game engine do that all by itself, even in strict mode? I don't think that I remember a misjump without meeting any Thargoids even from 8bit-Elite. You could be lucky and meet only one or two, but none?

[Switeck]

Sometimes the scanner is clear of Thargoids when you first arrive in interstellar space...but you have only moments before a barely-off-scanner Thargoid makes its appearance.

[UK_Eliter]

Sometimes the scanner is clear of Thargoids when you first arrive in interstellar space...but you have only moments before a barely-off-scanner Thargoid makes its appearance.

And that's partly because there's variation in when populators add ships, and indeed in how: it can be via an inbuilt method, or worldscripts, or non-worldscripts, or even script-esque bits of shipdata files - and it can be via various event handlers or on timers. And then, yes, there's stuff that, initially, appears off scanner range.

All this, combined with my coding limitations and over-ambition, has made Interstellar Tweaks something of a nightmare to write. But, really, it is in final testing now!

[Cholmondely]

What is the "Thargoid Plasma Fork"?

1) Arexack Heretic in a non-Thargorn Threat post described it as a sort of missile - (there's a bit more in a couple of later posts in that thread).

2) The Thargorn Threat oxp itself seems to think it is some sort of turret (see the shipdata.plist...)

Code: Select all

	"thargoid_turret_model" = {
		"energy_recharge_rate" = 1;
		"forward_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_NONE";
		"is_template" = yes;
		"laser_color" = greenColor;
		name = "Thargoid Plasma Fork";         <------------------------------------------------------------------------
		thrust = 1;
	};
	"thargoid_turret" = {
		"like_ship" = "thargoid_turret_model";
		"max_energy" = 25;
		model = "thargoid_turret_s2.dat";
		roles = "thargoid_turret";
		"weapon_energy" = 10;
	};
	"thargoid_turret_150" = {
		"like_ship" = "thargoid_turret_model";
		"max_energy" = 150;
		model = "turret_t150.dat";
		roles = "thargoid_turret_150";
		"weapon_energy" = 20;

3) The OXP page for the Thargoid Thargorn Battleship claims that it carries four Plasma Forks and there is a "Thargoid Invader" ship carrying just the one according to the ReadMe inside the OXP itself.

4) No missiles are listed on the wiki pages, and the shipdata.plist lists the Thargons as missiles

Code: Select all

		"missile_role" = EQ_THARGON;
		missiles = 8;

5) My latest.log reporting on my marmalization of one had this description:

Code: Select all

12:48:46.140 [LogEvents] GlobalLog (OOJSGlobal.m:266): Thargoid Robot Fighter 6022 from Thargoid Invader 14881 spawned at 20 km
...
12:50:58.440 [LogEvents] GlobalLog (OOJSGlobal.m:266): Thargoid Robot Fighter 27760 from Thargoid Invader 14881 spawned at 8 km
...
12:51:28.631 [LogEvents] GlobalLog (OOJSGlobal.m:266): attacked by Thargoid Invader 14881 384+384 shield and 182 energy left
...
12:51:46.676 [LogEvents] GlobalLog (OOJSGlobal.m:266): attacked Thargoid Invader 14881 who has 588 energy
...
12:51:47.254 [LogEvents] GlobalLog (OOJSGlobal.m:266): attacked Thargoid Invader 14881 who has 515 energy
12:51:47.260 [LogEvents] GlobalLog (OOJSGlobal.m:266): attacked Thargoid Plasma Fork 14881 who has 13 energy   <------
12:51:47.341 [LogEvents] GlobalLog (OOJSGlobal.m:266): attacked Thargoid Invader 14881 who has 514 energy
12:51:47.342 [LogEvents] GlobalLog (OOJSGlobal.m:266): attacked Thargoid Plasma Fork 14881 who has 1 energy     <-----
12:51:47.433 [LogEvents] GlobalLog (OOJSGlobal.m:266): attacked Thargoid Invader 14881 who has 514 energy
12:51:47.434 [LogEvents] GlobalLog (OOJSGlobal.m:266): killed Thargoid Plasma Fork 14881 with energy damage      <-----
12:51:47.609 [LogEvents] GlobalLog (OOJSGlobal.m:266): attacked Thargoid Invader 14881 who has 503 energy
...
12:51:47.875 [LogEvents] GlobalLog (OOJSGlobal.m:266): attacked Thargoid Invader 14881 who has 456 energy

Clobbering of Thargoid Robot Fighters omitted. Note the "14881" is applied to both the Thargoid Invader and the Fork. But not the Thargon "missiles".

6) Gallery OXP showed me a super picture of a fork-like ship labelled as the "Thargoid Plasma Fork" with a cargo of 0+15t - looking mildly similar to some of the Ionics ships, but with 4 tines rather than 2:

Thargoid Plasma Fork.png (69.3 KiB) Viewed 49 times

Can anybody make any sense of any of this?



Reference:
1) Hiran's database: https://ooliteproject.github.io/oolite- ... hreat.html (for ReadMe and some of the OXP contents).
2) Complete Shipdata.plist:

Code: Select all

{
	"alien_cargo_wrex_export" = {
		"ai_type" = "dumbAI.plist";
		bounty = 1;
		"cargo_type" = "CARGO_THARGOID";
		"energy_recharge_rate" = 0;
		"forward_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_NONE";
		"likely_cargo" = 0;
		"max_cargo" = 0;
		"max_energy" = 1;
		"max_flight_pitch" = 0.5;
		"max_flight_roll" = 0.5;
		"max_flight_speed" = 50;
		missiles = 0;
		model = "thargorn_treat_cargo.dat";
		name = "Alien cargo";
		roles = "alien_cargopod Alien_Items";
		scan_class = "CLASS_CARGO";
		thrust = 0;
		"weapon_energy" = 0;
	};
	"thargoid_Thargorn_Treat" = {
		"aft_eject_position" = "0.0 0.0 -20.5";
		"aft_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		"ai_type" = "thargoidAI.plist";
		bounty = 100;
		"cargo_type" = "CARGO_NOT_CARGO";
		"energy_recharge_rate" = 4;
		"forward_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		fuel = 150;
		"has_ecm" = 1;
		"laser_color" = greenColor;
		"max_cargo" = 0;
		"max_energy" = 600;
		"max_flight_pitch" = 1;
		"max_flight_roll" = 2;
		"max_flight_speed" = 500;
		"missile_role" = EQ_THARGON;
		"missile_launch_position" = "0.0 -46.0 91.0";
		missiles = 5;
		model = "thargoid_redux.dat";
		name = "Thargoid Warship";
		roles = "thargoid thargoid-mothership freeky_thargoid";
		scan_class = "CLASS_THARGOID";
		"scanner_range" = 60000;
		script = "oolite-thargoid-warship.js";
		thrust = 50;
		shaders = {
			"thargoid_redux.png" = {
				textures = (
					"thargoid_redux.png",
					{
						name = "thargorn_treat_thargoid-glow.png";
						"mag_filter" = linear;
					}
				);
				"fragment_shader" = "thargorn_treat.fragment";
				"vertex_shader" = "thargorn_treat.vertex";
				uniforms = {
					uColorMap = {
						type = texture;
						value = 0;
					};
					uEffectsMap = {
						type = texture;
						value = 1;
					};
					uTime = "timeElapsedSinceSpawn";
					"hull_heat_level" = hullHeatLevel;
					uReciprocalFrequency = {
						value = 1;
					};
				};
			};
		};
	};
	"thargoid_Thargorn_Treat2" = {
		bounty = 220;
		"like_ship" = "thargoid_Thargorn_Treat";
		name = "Thargoid Invader";
		roles = "thargoid thargoid-mothership thargoid-invader";
		subentities = (
			{
				"subentity_key" = "thargoid_turret";
				type = "ball_turret";
				position = (0, 20, 0);
				orientation = (1.0, 1.0, 0.0, 0.0);
				"fire_rate" = 0.30;
			}
		);
	};
	"thargoid_Thargorn_Treat3" = {
		bounty = 180;
		"like_ship" = "thargoid_Thargorn_Treat";
		name = "Thargoid Invader";
		roles = "thargoid thargoid-mothership";
		subentities = (
			{
				"subentity_key" = "thargoid_turret";
				type = "ball_turret";
				position = (0, 20, 0);
				orientation = (1.0, 1.0, 0.0, 0.0);
				"fire_rate" = 0.70;
			}
		);
	};
	"thargoid_Thargorn_Treat4" = {
		"aft_eject_position" = "0.0 0.0 -20.5";
		"aft_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		"ai_type" = "thargoidAI.plist";
		bounty = 100;
		"cargo_type" = "CARGO_NOT_CARGO";
		"energy_recharge_rate" = 4;
		"forward_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		fuel = 150;
		"has_ecm" = 1;
		"laser_color" = greenColor;
		"like_ship" = "thargoid_Thargorn_Treat";
		"max_cargo" = 0;
		"max_energy" = 600;
		"max_flight_pitch" = 1;
		"max_flight_roll" = 2;
		"max_flight_speed" = 500;
		"max_missiles" = 5;
		"missile_launch_position" = "0.0 -46.0 91.0";
		"missile_role" = EQ_THARGON;
		missiles = 5;
		model = "thargoid_redux.dat";
		name = "Thargoid Warship";
		roles = "thargoid thargoid-mothership";
		scan_class = "CLASS_THARGOID";
		"scanner_range" = 60000;
		script = "oolite-thargoid-warship.js";
		thrust = 50;
	};
	"thargoid_Thargorn_Treat5" = {
		bounty = 100;
		"like_ship" = "thargoid_Thargorn_Treat";
		name = "Thargoid Warship";
		roles = "thargoid thargoid-mothership";
	};
	"thargoid_battleship_top" = {
		"ai_type" = "nullAI.plist";
		"energy_recharge_rate" = 5;
		"forward_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		"laser_color" = greenColor;
		"max_energy" = 250;
		"max_missiles" = 0;
		missiles = 0;
		model = "thargoid_battleship_top.dat";
		name = "Thargoid Superstructure";
		roles = "thargoid_battleship_top";
		shaders = {
			"thargoid_redux.png" = {
				textures = (
					"thargoid_redux.png",
					{
						name = "thargorn_treat_thargoid-glow.png";
						"mag_filter" = linear;
					}
				);
				"fragment_shader" = "thargorn_treat.fragment";
				"vertex_shader" = "thargorn_treat.vertex";
				uniforms = {
					uColorMap = {
						type = texture;
						value = 0;
					};
					uEffectsMap = {
						type = texture;
						value = 1;
					};
					uTime = "timeElapsedSinceSpawn";
					"hull_heat_level" = hullHeatLevel;
					uReciprocalFrequency = {
						value = 1;
					};
				};
			};
		};
		"weapon_position_forward" = "0.0 15 0";
	};
	"thargoid_component1" = {
		"ai_type" = "nullAI.plist";
		"energy_recharge_rate" = 1;
		"forward_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_NONE";
		"like_ship" = "thargoid_battleship_top";
		"max_energy" = 100;
		"max_missiles" = 0;
		missiles = 0;
		model = "thargoid_component1.dat";
		name = "Thargoid component";
		roles = "thargoid_component1";
	};
	"thargoid_cruiser" = {
		"aft_eject_position" = "0.0 0.0 -25.5";
		"aft_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		bounty = 250;
		"energy_recharge_rate" = 5;
		"escort_role" = "thargoid-escort";
		escorts = 1;
		"forward_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		"laser_color" = greenColor;
		"like_ship" = "thargoid_Thargorn_Treat";
		"max_energy" = 1400;
		"max_flight_pitch" = 0.8;
		"max_flight_roll" = 1.8;
		"max_missiles" = 8;
		"missile_launch_position" = "0.0 -46.0 91.0";
		"missile_role" = EQ_THARGON;
		missiles = 8;
		model = "thargoid_battleship.dat";
		name = "Thargoid Thorgon Cruiser";
		"port_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		roles = "thargoid thargoid-mothership thargoid-thorgon";
		scan_class = "CLASS_THARGOID";
		script = "oolite-thargoid-warship.js";
		"starboard_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		subentities = (
			{
				"subentity_key" = "thargoid_component1";
				type = "standard";
				orientation = (0.924, 0.0, 0.383, 0.0);
			},
			{
				"subentity_key" = "thargoid_component1";
				type = "standard";
				orientation = (0.383, 0.0, 0.924, 0.0);
			},
			{
				"subentity_key" = "thargoid_component1";
				type = "standard";
				orientation = (0.924, 0.0, -0.383, 0.0);
			},
			{
				"subentity_key" = "thargoid_component1";
				type = "standard";
				orientation = (0.383, 0.0, -0.924, 0.0);
			},
			{
				"subentity_key" = "thargoid_battleship_top";
				type = "standard";
				orientation = (1, 0, 1, 0);
			},
			{
				"subentity_key" = "thargoid_battleship_top";
				type = "standard";
				orientation = (0, 0, 0, 1);
			}
		);
		thrust = 80;
	};
	"thargoid_battleship" = {
		"aft_eject_position" = "0.0 0.0 -25.5";
		"aft_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		"ai_type" = "thargoidAI.plist";
		bounty = 350;
		"energy_recharge_rate" = 5.5;
		"escort_role" = "thargoid-escort";
		escorts = 2;
		"forward_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		"has_ecm" = 1;
		"laser_color" = greenColor;
		"like_ship" = "thargoid_Thargorn_Treat";
		"max_energy" = 2000;
		"max_flight_pitch" = 0.6;
		"max_flight_roll" = 1.8;
		"max_flight_speed" = 450;
		"max_missiles" = 8;
		"missile_launch_position" = "0.0 -46.0 91.0";
		"missile_role" = EQ_THARGON;
		missiles = 8;
		model = "thargoid_battleship2.dat";
		name = "Thargoid Thargorn Battleship";
		"port_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		roles = "thargoid thargoid-mothership thargoid-thargorn";
		scan_class = "CLASS_THARGOID";
		"scanner_range" = 70000;
		script = "oolite-thargoid-warship.js";
		"starboard_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		subentities = (
			{
				"subentity_key" = "thargoid_turret_150";
				type = "ball_turret";
				position = (-67, 0, 0);
				orientation = (0.5, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0);
				"fire_rate" = 0.45;
			},
			{
				"subentity_key" = "thargoid_turret_150";
				type = "ball_turret";
				position = (0, 0, -67);
				orientation = (0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0);
				"fire_rate" = 0.55;
			},
			{
				"subentity_key" = "thargoid_turret_150";
				type = "ball_turret";
				position = (0, 0, 67);
				orientation = (1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0);
				"fire_rate" = 0.40;
			},
			{
				"subentity_key" = "thargoid_turret_150";
				type = "ball_turret";
				position = (67, 0, 0);
				orientation = (1.0, 0.0, -0.5, 0.0);
				"fire_rate" = 0.60;
			},
			{
				"subentity_key" = "thargoid_turret";
				type = "ball_turret";
				position = (0, 15, 0);
				orientation = (1.0, 0.7, 0.0, 0.0);
				"fire_rate" = 0.50;
			}
		);
		thrust = 45;
	};
	"thargoid_terroriser" = {
		"aft_eject_position" = "0.0 0.0 -15.5";
		"aft_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_NONE";
		"ai_type" = "thargoidAI.plist";
		bounty = 80;
		"energy_recharge_rate" = 2;
		"has_ecm" = 0.5;
		"like_ship" = "thargoid_Thargorn_Treat";
		"max_energy" = 300;
		"max_flight_pitch" = 1.5;
		"max_flight_roll" = 2.5;
		"max_flight_speed" = 550;
		"max_missiles" = 0;
		missiles = 0;
		model = "thargoid_terroriser_frigate.dat";
		name = "Terroriser Frigate";
		roles = "thargoid(2) terroriser thargoid-escort";
		scan_class = "CLASS_THARGOID";
		"scanner_range" = 30000;
		script = "oolite-thargoid-warship.js";
		thrust = 75;
	};
	"thargoid_transport" = {
		"aft_eject_position" = "0.0 0.0 -20.5";
		"aft_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		"ai_type" = "thargoidAI.plist";
		bounty = 90;
		"cargo_carried" = "alien items";
		"cargo_type" = "CARGO_NOT_CARGO";
		"energy_recharge_rate" = 4;
		"forward_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_THARGOID_LASER";
		fuel = 50;
		"has_ecm" = 1;
		"laser_color" = greenColor;
		"like_ship" = "thargoid_Thargorn_Treat";
		"max_cargo" = 150;
		"max_energy" = 600;
		"max_flight_pitch" = 0.9;
		"max_flight_roll" = 1.8;
		"max_flight_speed" = 450;
		"missile_launch_position" = "0.0 -46.0 91.0";
		"missile_role" = EQ_THARGON;
		missiles = 2;
		model = "thargoid_redux.dat";
		name = "Thargoid Transport";
		roles = "thargoid thargoid-mothership";
		script = "oolite-thargoid-warship.js";
		scan_class = "CLASS_THARGOID";
		"scanner_range" = 60000;
		thrust = 50;
	};
	"thargoid_turret_model" = {
		"energy_recharge_rate" = 1;
		"forward_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_NONE";
		"is_template" = yes;
		"laser_color" = greenColor;
		name = "Thargoid Plasma Fork";
		thrust = 1;
	};
	"thargoid_turret" = {
		"like_ship" = "thargoid_turret_model";
		"max_energy" = 25;
		model = "thargoid_turret_s2.dat";
		roles = "thargoid_turret";
		"weapon_energy" = 10;
	};
	"thargoid_turret_150" = {
		"like_ship" = "thargoid_turret_model";
		"max_energy" = 150;
		model = "turret_t150.dat";
		roles = "thargoid_turret_150";
		"weapon_energy" = 20;
	};
	"tharglet_Thargorn_Treat" = {
		"ai_type" = "thargletAI.plist";
		bounty = 50;
		"cargo_type" = "CARGO_THARGOID";
		"energy_recharge_rate" = 3;
		"forward_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_PULSE_LASER";
		"laser_color" = greenColor;
		"likely_cargo" = 0;
		"max_cargo" = 0;
		"max_energy" = 150;
		"max_flight_pitch" = 1;
		"max_flight_roll" = 2;
		"max_flight_speed" = 450;
		missiles = 0;
		model = "thargon_redux.dat";
		name = "Thargoid Robot Fighter";
		roles = "tharglet thargon EQ_THARGON";
		scan_class = "CLASS_THARGOID";
		"scanner_range" = 50000;
		thrust = 40;
		unpiloted = YES;
		"weapon_position_aft" = "0.0 0.0 -16.5";
		"weapon_position_forward" = "0.0 -4.5 18.0";
		"weapon_position_port" = "-19.0 -4.5 4.5";
		"weapon_position_starboard" = "19.0 -4.5 4.5";
		shaders = {
			"thargon_redux.png" = {
				textures = (
					"thargon_redux.png",
					{
						name = "thargorn_treat_thargon-glow.png";
						"mag_filter" = linear;
					}
				);
				"fragment_shader" = "thargorn_treat.fragment";
				"vertex_shader" = "thargorn_treat.vertex";
				uniforms = {
					uColorMap = {
						type = texture;
						value = 0;
					};
					uEffectsMap = {
						type = texture;
						value = 1;
					};
					uTime = "timeElapsedSinceSpawn";
					"hull_heat_level" = hullHeatLevel;
					uReciprocalFrequency = {
						value = 1;
					};
				};
			};
		};
	};
}

[phkb]

According to the shipdata file, the "Thargoid Plasma Fork" is a turret (two different turrets, actually). They shouldn't be spawned individually as they have no roles associated with their entries that would cause them to be spawned in any other way than as subentities.

There are two different models in use:
"thargoid_turret_s2.dat" for the "thargoid_turret"
and "turret_t150.dat" for the "thargoid_turret_150".

"thargoid_turret" is a subentity on 3 ships: 2 different "Thargoid Invaders" (ship keys of "thargoid_Thargorn_Treat2" and "thargoid_Thargorn_Treat3") and the "Thargoid Thargorn Battleship" (ship key "thargoid_battleship").

"thargoid_turret_150" is only a subentity on the "Thargoid Thargorn Battleship", although there are 4 of them on that ship.

No missiles are listed on the wiki pages, and the shipdata.plist lists the Thargons as missiles

For a Thargoid vessel to spawn robot fighters, this is the correct setup. The robot fighters are defined as missiles.

Clobbering of Thargoid Robot Fighters omitted. Note the "14881" is applied to both the Thargoid Invader and the Fork. But not the Thargon "missiles".

That's because the Fork and the Invader are the same ship, with the Fork just being a subentity of the ship.

6) Gallery OXP showed me a super picture of a fork-like ship labelled as the "Thargoid Plasma Fork" with a cargo of 0+15t - looking mildly similar to some of the Ionics ships, but with 4 tines rather than 2:

A subentity is a "ship" from the game's internal point of view, so it is possible to get a view of what each looks like. However, on my system, both turrets looks identical, even though the model is technically different. Hang on while I check something....

...ok, yes the models have different internal values, but there's not much to distinguish between them.

So, in summary, regardless of what might have been mentioned on forum threads, the Thargoid Plasma Fork is a turret, not a missile.

[Cholmondely]

...

So, in summary, regardless of what might have been mentioned on forum threads, the Thargoid Plasma Fork is a turret, not a missile.

Thanks. I've updated the wiki. If you ever work out how to manage lightning with shaders, this might be another candidate for it!