Escape pod in interstellar space...

Dr. Nil · Post by **Dr. Nil** » Thu May 17, 2007 1:51 pm

What happens if you use your escape pod in interstellar space?

JensAyton · Post by **JensAyton** » Thu May 17, 2007 1:53 pm

Good question. Try it and report back. :-)

Dr. Nil · Post by **Dr. Nil** » Thu May 17, 2007 3:02 pm

I've never been the one to use the escape pod since I'm always too busy fighting to remember to use it. But I do have one installed and if the correct key is ESC, then it does nothing after a misjump.

The reason that I asked was because it looks like this shot of an NPC escape pod is from interstellar space (green stars).

Another strange thing that happened when trying this was that there were civilian ships in interstellar space. At least one Worker's Commuter sent out desperate calls for help, before I nuked everything (I don't use the Energy Bomb either, so I wasn't sure if the escape pod was activated with TAB - which it wasn't

). I'm quite sure that the WC wasn't placed there by a script, since the script in commies specifically says that those ships should not to appear in interstellar space (conditions = ( "status_string equal STATUS_EXITING_WITCHSPACE", "planet_number greaterthan -1" );). I think I was using either the 1.65 or the TP exe because I don't have any saves in the 1.68 folder (still not really playing until someone releases a version that either fixes the sticky message bug or allows me to control where and in what size on-screen messages are displayed with the hud.plist

).

Uncle Reno · Post by **Uncle Reno** » Thu May 17, 2007 4:41 pm

Dr. Nil wrote:
Another strange thing that happened when trying this was that there were civilian ships in interstellar space.

I mentioned this happening to me in this thread, Ahrumans response suggests that this shouldn't happen.

I was using 1.68 and had this problem, LB tested with 1.65 and didn't.

Commander McLane · Post by **Commander McLane** » Thu May 17, 2007 10:10 pm

I can confirm both facts: The player's escape pod is indeed not functioning in interstellar space (the escape pod key does nothing). I just tested it.

And NPC ships are indeed using their escape pods without any problem in interstellar space. I love to collect the former pilots of SuperCobras, after I have blown up their ships in interstellar space.

And before anybody asks again: SuperCobras (provided you have the OXP installed, of course) are justifiably present in interstellar space on every misjump, as I explained in my contribution to the thread mentioned by Uncle Reno.

-----

And by the way: interstellar space is indeed lying outside the planetary systems. But nevertheless this thread does not belong in Outworld, as it deals with an in-game question. So it should be moved to Discussion or perhaps to Testing and Bug Reports.

Rxke · Post by **Rxke** » Fri May 18, 2007 6:14 am

Fair enough.

Moved to testing and bug reports

Uncle Reno · Post by **Uncle Reno** » Fri May 18, 2007 6:17 am

@ Rxke. This thread has now been moved twice, it started off in Outworld!

Killer Wolf · Post by **Killer Wolf** » Fri May 18, 2007 7:02 am

lucky the thread didn't misjump during moves, it might've ended up on a different board altogether!

Rxke · Post by **Rxke** » Fri May 18, 2007 7:45 am

Uncle Reno wrote:
@ Rxke. This thread has now been moved twice, it started off in Outworld!

Aghkh!

I didn't notice, I inferred from the comment it was still in outworld.

hmmmm... jumping, jumping.... Hope the thread has enough fuel left to make it back to the station

Dr. Nil · Post by **Dr. Nil** » Fri May 18, 2007 9:27 am

I had to make more jumps to find this thread than to find the Constrictor

Commander McLane wrote:
And before anybody asks again: SuperCobras (provided you have the OXP installed, of course) are justifiably present in interstellar space on every misjump.

Technically it can be explained why the Supercobras are there on misjumps (because of the script) - but I don't think it makes any sense that they're always there in the game universe. And I still don't get what made the Worker's Commuters appear unless the game itself populates interstellar space with civilians, since the script in commies specifically says not to put any in interstellar space.

Wiggy · Post by **Wiggy** » Fri May 18, 2007 11:58 am

Presumably, if you do get to use your escape pod in interstellar space, then perhaps there ought to be some time penalty, as you've been hanging around for ages till you drift to a system or someone picks you up, "Ripley-style".

Dr. Nil · Post by **Dr. Nil** » Fri May 18, 2007 1:35 pm

Wiggy wrote:
Presumably, if you do get to use your escape pod in interstellar space, then perhaps there ought to be some time penalty, as you've been hanging around for ages till you drift to a system or someone picks you up, "Ripley-style".

Perhaps with some randomness build in. Or perhaps you only had a chance to be picked up, if other non-Thargoids with scoops were around when you ejected.

JensAyton · Post by **JensAyton** » Fri May 18, 2007 2:07 pm

You have been recovered by thargoids and slowly tortured to death.
Game Over Commander

Dr. Nil · Post by **Dr. Nil** » Fri May 18, 2007 2:20 pm

Perhaps NPCs could be stopped from ejecting in interstellar space by adding

Code: Select all

		<key>conditions</key> 
		<array> 
			<string>planet_number greaterthan -1</string> 
		</array>

to the <key>escape-capsule</key> entry in ...\Oolite\oolite.app\Contents\Resources\Config\shipdata.plist

JensAyton · Post by **JensAyton** » Fri May 18, 2007 2:46 pm

Nah. There’s special code for the escape pod launch, which is clearly the proper place to do it.