NOOB: Saying Hello, and have a few questions

[NickyD]

Hi! I'm a terribly new at this, and wanted to say hello. I just discovered Oolite about a week ago; and have been having a great time with it. And, when I say, I'm terribly new...I never heard of Oolite or Elite before I followed a link from a Mac Games website.

So I downloaded it(version 1.65 for the Mac), and got very frustrated just trying to fly around and dock at a space station. Then I found the FAQ, the tutorial and this Forum, and things have steadily progressed from there. So, on a business trip this week, I played it every night in the hotel. And, have progressed fairly well I think. At first I just was happy making Furs <--> Computers Trades between systems and upgrading my Cobra Mark III. After getting Docking Computers, Military lasers, ECM, Shields, Extra Cargo Bay, etc...I discovered OXPs. I added the LongWayRound OXP...and I don't know if that had anything to do with my being able to start delivering contracts in the MarkIII. But, I started being able to make a lot more than before I added it. I added Hoopy Casinos, but don't like to lose money gambling. I added the Remorse of Conscience, made enough to get one of those and started upgrading it.

But now, I'm at a loss. I'm flying around galaxy 1 delivering on Contracts; I'm making decent money now delivering Gemstones and Gold, and doing Fur<->Computer Trading when I'm flying between systems. And, I'm wondering what else I should be doing. I only have 25 pirate kills.

-Should I be hunting pirates? Do I need more kills before I get missions or something?

-I like the Remorse of Conscience v2; but what would I upgrade to? The Pythons and Boas seem like a step down even if they have a bigger Cargo Hold. (And, why can't I buy Shields for the RoC?)

-I said no when I was offered a Trumble, and was never asked again. Did I miss out on something fun or something I was supposed to do?

-My current OXPs include LongWay, HoopyCasino, externalviews (doesn't work with Remorse of Conscience), RoC, Fuel Tank, MilHUD and Rock_Hermit_Locator (which I haven't bought yet) What else should I think about adding?

-What happens when you change galaxies? Should I fly through one of those Blue Holes?

-And, finally, should I upgrade past 1.65 for the Mac? Why is 1.65 and not a newer version the download for Oolite?

And, thanks to everyone who has worked on building this game! I've very much enjoyed it so far.

[Ark]

Hello NickyD and welcome to the boards

I added the LongWayRound OXP...and I don't know if that had anything to do with my being able to start delivering contracts in the MarkIII.

No this is irrelevant; the above is a build-in feature.

But now, I'm at a loss. I'm flying around galaxy 1 delivering on Contracts; I'm making decent money now delivering Gemstones and Gold, and doing Fur<->Computer Trading when I'm flying between systems. And, I'm wondering what else I should be doing. I only have 25 pirate kills.

-Should I be hunting pirates? Do I need more kills before I get missions or something?.

Oh trust me you can do a lot
1. You can download new mission oxps (currently there are Taranis, black baron, asteroid storm and spyhunter missions in galaxy 1). Every mission has its requirements for starting. For more details look in the Wiki under missions. http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Oolite_Missions
But one of the most common requuirement for the initiation of a mission is your kills.
2. You can download Ups- currier oxp (It adds new – more interesting ways of making money)
3. If you feel that you are ready for action try visiting Anarchy systems (There is also a very nice flavor oxp that add new features in anarchy systems, the anarchies.oxp) or download the hotrods and renegade pirates oxps
4. And finaly you can be a pirate yourself. Destroying inocent traders and scooping their cargo is one of the best ways to increase both you money and your kills.

-I said no when I was offered a Trumble, and was never asked again. Did I miss out on something fun or something I was supposed to do??

Really!!! That is a shame.
Now where is that cat?

-What happens when you change galaxies? Should I fly through one of those Blue Holes?

If you want to go into a deferent galaxy you need a galactic hyperdrive. In deferent galaxies there are deferent planets and missions (build-in and oxps) but do not expect to see spectacular changes (things are much or less the same). The blue holes do not take you in a deferent galaxy but in a deferent planet at the same galaxy. The only benefit for entering is that you save your fuel but the exiting planet is random so you may enter a system that you do not want.

-And, finally, should I upgrade past 1.65 for the Mac? Why is 1.65 and not a newer version the download for Oolite?

Currently the latest test version is 1.70. It has a lot of new stuff but is a test version (you know – buggy and somehow unstable) so since you are new and you want to enjoy the game I recommend you to stay with the latest stable release (1.65). Later if you want to help the dev team download the latest test version and test it. At this point I want to inform you that there are some oxps that need the latest test version (1.70)for functioning correctly (Random hits and Galactic navy)

[Captain Hesperus]

Greetings NickyD! Welcome to the boards and the addiction that is Oolite!

-Should I be hunting pirates? Do I need more kills before I get missions or something?

A good deal of the missions in Oolite are dependant on your Elite Rating, since they tend to involve a lot of combat, but there are lots of OXP missions that exist in Gal 1 that require only a low Elite Rating. Follow the link that Ark gave for more info on the OXP missions available.

-I like the Remorse of Conscience v2; but what would I upgrade to? The Pythons and Boas seem like a step down even if they have a bigger Cargo Hold. (And, why can't I buy Shields for the RoC?)

Upgrading is dependant on what style of pilot you are. If you want to concentrate on boosting your profits and making a good go at Contracts, then getting a ship with plenty of cargo space is essential, even though they tend to have the combat potential of a pacifist turtle. If you want to go into Bounty-hunting or piracy 'alternative entrepreneuring' then a combat ship with an average cargo capacity would be the better option. As Commander McLane says, 'you maximise profits when you sell something you didn't buy'. If you want a ship that does a bit of both then you can't go far wrong with the Python Class Cruiser (PCC), an OXP ship that has a good sized cargo bay and a fair to middling combat ability. Then you can start considering ships like the Imperial Courier V2, the uberish SuperCobra or the Uber-uber Tiger....

-I said no when I was offered a Trumble, and was never asked again. Did I miss out on something fun or something I was supposed to do?

Shame on you! Trumbles are as much a part of Elite/Oolite as the Cobra Mark III. Every pilot should have a cute and fluffy companion to ease the tensions of interstellar travel and stave off the effects of Space Madness. You will most likely be offered a Trumble again, as the mission is triggered by you having either a certain amount of Credits or a multiple of that value (I'm not going to say how much!). Or you could just buy one from me, only Cr30!!

-My current OXPs include LongWay, HoopyCasino, externalviews (doesn't work with Remorse of Conscience), RoC, Fuel Tank, MilHUD and Rock_Hermit_Locator (which I haven't bought yet) What else should I think about adding?

That is entirely up to you. If you want to maintain the original feel of the various versions of Elite then look up the OXPs that add ships from that genre. There are also OXPs that affect systems such as Lave, Diso, Tianve and Tionisla, adding interesting features to each. Otherwise there are the OXPs that follow the ethos of Elite and those that bring ships from other genres to the game, as well as Charlie's Benulobiweed Inc. ships which have attained legendary status due to their 'uberness' and their extreme state of 'bugginess'.

-What happens when you change galaxies? Should I fly through one of those Blue Holes?

When you use a Galactic Hyperdrive to change Galaxies all that really changs is the names and locations of the systems, although some native and OXP missions require you to be in certain Galaxies to start or complete them. The blue holes are in fact the Hyperspace 'clouds' left by other ships as the engage their hyperdrives to jump to another system in the same Galaxy. Going through one will take you to the same system as the ship that opened it, good for pursuing Offenders and Fugitives, although the arrival point may be a system with a poor government and thus a large amount of lawless activity. The upside is that you don't use any Witchspace fuel to get there.

-And, finally, should I upgrade past 1.65 for the Mac? Why is 1.65 and not a newer version the download for Oolite?

Oolite 1.65 is the last stable release for Oolite, everything past it thus far have been development versions, introducing and testing new features and replacing older features. Ahruman and his 'team' are presently working on a MNSR*.
I hope this has been helpful and remember, keep your lasers cool and your engines running!

Captain Hesperus
*MNSR = Mythical Next Stable Release

[Killer Instinct]

Reaching 256 kills should trigger the constrictor mission. One thing to remember with a trumble is. Buy it and Fry it! Oolite is a great way to kill dead time or pirates - infact anything with a dodgy criminal record to add to your kill count, which improves your rating. Wonderful game, many kudos points to the writers past and current.

[FSOneblin]

Oh yes, the Python Class Cruiser is pretty awesome, I'm flying one right now. But it just depense what kind of piolite you are. You should copy your file before buying a new ship, so if you don't like it, you still have your old ship.

As for oxps, a fun one is your add here. It adds 4 stations, and turns the whitch and nav buoys into signs with player made adds in them.

here is where you can download test versions: http://developer.berlios.de/project/sho ... up_id=3577

Don't panic
Fsoneblin

[NickyD]

Thank you for the replies everyone! I've taken your advice, and have upgraded to the PCC...however, I still haven't been able to buy shields for it. Are they just available in certain systems?

I am not sure the cargo runs are worth it now that I am delivering Platinum and Gemstones. But I do need to go out and get more kills. Just looking for those shields while completing contracts, before I start flying the Anarchy systems looking for a fight.

So, I've added the PCC, Supercobra, UPS Courier and a couple of other OXPs. And, I'll sit on version 1.65 until I'm comfortable with how everything is supposed to work. Thanks again!

[Hoopy]

you get shields as standard. military shields are awarded as a result of a mission. Once you've been awarded them then you'll be able to buy them at any suitably high tech system (assuming your ship can have them fitted).

Keep going with the furs/lquor and computer/luxuries/machinery trading rns (with platinum/gold/gemstones as their prices fluctuate) to get more money.

To build up the kills try a few flights to steadily more dangerous government types. Don't worry if their status says clean, they've probably done something wrong in their life so don't feel bad killing them!

[Disembodied]

You can't fit shield boosters to a Python Class Cruiser. Not all upgrades -- particularly in the shields and cargo extensions department -- are available on all ships. But the PCC has 7 energy banks so it can take a bit of a pounding.

[NickyD]

Strangely I recall seeing Military Shields for Sale (upgrade from the First Shield upgrade) for about 45k at one station (with a tech level of 14?) but never came across them again.

Is there a limit on how many upgrades you can put on a ship? I bought a PCC and bought all the available upgrades on the spot. However, i have not been able to buy an Advanced Scanner (not sure of the exact name); the thing that draws the box around targets and gives you the distance to them. I've checked like 8 stations with a tech level of 9 or higher... I was also looking for shields, but I guess that I can't get those, though I did see a PCC for sale with Military Shields on it...

Thanks again everyone for helping me out!

[Disembodied]

I think you can buy a Military Shield Enhancement for your PCC. Check TL 13 or higher planets (if you've got enough money). You should also be able to buy a Scanner Targeting Enhancement at TL 12 and above... it's a must-have for successful hunting!

[Captain Hesperus]

military shields are awarded as a result of a mission.

I think you are confusing them with a Naval Energy Unit....

Captain Hesperus

[Commander McLane]

Hi, NickyD! Although I'm entering a little late into this arena I'd like to say welcome to you to the boards and of course to this great game! (Unimaginable that there are still folks out there who actually never have heard of Elite! Shudder !)

As the other guys have already answered most of your questions, let me jump straight to the one concerning me (as I happen to be the author of externalviews.oxp):

-My current OXPs include LongWay, HoopyCasino, externalviews (doesn't work with Remorse of Conscience),

You have noticed correctly. Externalviews.oxp does not work with any OXP-ship, it contains only improved viewpoints for the built-in ships.

But if you are willing and able to do a little bit of programming yourself, you can easily add external viewpoints to any other ship. In this case, to your newly acquired PCC. Here's what you have to do:

Open the OXP your ship is part of. On a Mac that works with CTRL-click on the OXP and choosing "View Package" from the pop-up menu. Now the OXP is opened like an ordinary folder. You see a window with some folders in it. These are the content of the OXP.

Open the folder "Config" and find a file named "shipdata.plist". This is where everything about ships is defined, so its external views as well.

Open "shipdata.plist" with a text editor of your choice. It is a text file containing several ship entries, each of them beginning with the name of the ship. The player-version of the PCC should be named something like

Code: Select all

	<key>pcc-player</key>

followed by a

Code: Select all

	<dict>
	.
	.
	.
	</dict>

structure, which again contains <key>s and values to these keys.

Go to the closing

Code: Select all

	</dict>

of the PCC-player entry (not of the whole file!) abd insert the following lines, as they are, right in front of it:

Code: Select all

		<key>custom_views</key>
		<array>
			<dict>
				<key>view_description</key>
				<string>Rear View</string>
				<key>view_orientation</key>
				<string>1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0</string>
				<key>view_position</key>
				<string>0.0 30.0 -200.0</string>
				<key>weapon_facing</key>
				<string>FORWARD</string>
			</dict>
			<dict>
				<key>view_description</key>
				<string>Rear Right View</string>
				<key>view_orientation</key>
				<string>0.9239 0.0 0.3827 0.0</string>
				<key>view_position</key>
				<string>141.42 30.0 -141.42</string>
				<key>weapon_facing</key>
				<string>FORWARD</string>
			</dict>
			<dict>
				<key>view_description</key>
				<string>Right View</string>
				<key>view_orientation</key>
				<string>0.7071 0.0 0.7071 0.0</string>
				<key>view_position</key>
				<string>200.0 30.0 0.0</string>
				<key>weapon_facing</key>
				<string>FORWARD</string>
			</dict>
			<dict>
				<key>view_description</key>
				<string>Front Right View</string>
				<key>view_orientation</key>
				<string>0.3827 0.0 0.9239 0.0</string>
				<key>view_position</key>
				<string>141.42 30.0 141.42</string>
				<key>weapon_facing</key>
				<string>FORWARD</string>
			</dict>
			<dict>
				<key>view_description</key>
				<string>Front View</string>
				<key>view_orientation</key>
				<string>0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0</string>
				<key>view_position</key>
				<string>0.0 30.0 200.0</string>
				<key>weapon_facing</key>
				<string>FORWARD</string>
			</dict>
			<dict>
				<key>view_description</key>
				<string>Front Left View</string>
				<key>view_orientation</key>
				<string>0.3827 0.0 -0.9239 0.0</string>
				<key>view_position</key>
				<string>-141.42 30.0 141.42</string>
				<key>weapon_facing</key>
				<string>FORWARD</string>
			</dict>
			<dict>
				<key>view_description</key>
				<string>Left View</string>
				<key>view_orientation</key>
				<string>0.7071 0.0 -0.7071 0.0</string>
				<key>view_position</key>
				<string>-200.0 30.0 0.0</string>
				<key>weapon_facing</key>
				<string>FORWARD</string>
			</dict>
			<dict>
				<key>view_description</key>
				<string>Rear Left View</string>
				<key>view_orientation</key>
				<string>0.9239 0.0 -0.3827 0.0</string>
				<key>view_position</key>
				<string>-141.42 30.0 -141.42</string>
				<key>weapon_facing</key>
				<string>FORWARD</string>
			</dict>
			<dict>
				<key>view_description</key>
				<string>Top View</string>
				<key>view_orientation</key>
				<string>-0.7071 0.7071 0.0 0.0</string>
				<key>view_position</key>
				<string>0.0 230.0 -18.0</string>
				<key>weapon_facing</key>
				<string>FORWARD</string>
			</dict>
			<dict>
				<key>view_description</key>
				<string>Bottom View</string>
				<key>view_orientation</key>
				<string>0.0 0.0 0.7071 0.7071</string>
				<key>view_position</key>
				<string>0.0 -230.0 -18.0</string>
				<key>weapon_facing</key>
				<string>FORWARD</string>
			</dict>
		</array>

Save the shipdata.plist and restart your game. Now your PCC has external views (accessible as usual via V).