Laser Probs: Heard this before I'm sure

[Paladin]

First off am brand new Newbie. Also am a total Tech novice so please be gentle. My problem: Laser's not appearing!

I know you guy's need some context so here goes;

System:
OS: Vista (I know, I know)
Processor: T7100 @ 1.8 GHz
Ram: 4gb
Video Card: GeForce 8600m GT (256 mb)

OOLITE Version:
1.71.2

OXP's:
Realistic Ship Yards
Commies

What I did:
Had a maxxed out Cobra Mk III and went and bought a Grass Snake (bigger payload and faster). Everything going sweet until I hit the trigger. As reported previously by others I have the problem that I can't see any of the laser flashes and only every now and then any indication of laser hit.

What I'd like to know:
Can this be fixed without too much technical delving. I can follow basic instructions but you guys are pro's and way above my operating level

I have looked at some similar threads and there does seem to be a bug report. What I can't see is if it's been fixed (That could be me most likely).

Many, many thanks in advance.

If you're ever in my section of the galaxy I'll shout you one

[Disembodied]

Hi Paladin, and welcome to the boards! Given that the laser disappeared when you changed ship, I'm assuming it's got something to do with the set viewpoint for the Grass Snake: essentially you're looking directly down the laser beam. Now, there is a way to fix this -- but unfortunately at the moment I can't find it and in any case I get sweaty and panicky when confronted by too many numbers. The best I can do here is point you to this thread, which may or may not give a clue as to how to solve the problem!

[Eric Walch]

First off am brand new Newbie. Also am a total Tech novice so please be gentle. My problem: Laser's not appearing!

It's a laser bug you are encountering. It should fire from 5 meters below the ship, but since 1.71 it is firing from the centre of the ship and it is ignoring any defined positions.

For most ships that have a viewpoint above the centre defined this is not such a visible problem, but when no viewpoint is defined, the same point as the laser is used, resulting in your problem.

Easiest way is to add a viewpoint to your ship. It is probably in RS. Open the oxp. open the config folder and look for the file "shipdata.plist". (Duplicate that file as backup). Now, open the file with a texteditor, look for a ship that has viewpoints defined in one of the two ways shown below:

Code: Select all

	view_position_aft = "0.0 8.8 5.5";
		view_position_forward = "0.0 4.4 22.5";
		view_position_port = "-22.5 5.25 11.875";
		view_position_starboard = "22.5 5.25 11.875";

		<key>view_position_aft</key>
		<string>0.0 5.0 5.0</string>
		<key>view_position_forward</key>
		<string>0.0 5.0 5.0</string>
		<key>view_position_port</key>
		<string>-5.0 5.0 6.5</string>
		<key>view_position_starboard</key>
		<string>5.0 5.0 6.5</string>

Copy those 4/8 lines and paste it between the lines of your ship. Make sure the <key> lines keep alternating.

The first number is the left/right position, the second the top/botom and the last the nose/tail position. All in meters. Make sure the second is positive, so you look on top of the laser fire. (Unless you want a viewpoint from below and you want to see laser fire from above)

[Paladin]

WOW! You guys rock!

Nearly there. I can almost taste the booty from my searing laser fire. Thank you very kindly Eric for the insructions. I was amazed at how easy this was to do.

I can now see my laser flashes. I have a follow up question if I may? I play with the values as mentioned but my problem is that I can't seem to get the the flash busts to hit the centre of the cross hairs. If I extend the second value the centre of the flashes seems to drop lower in proportion to the rate of increase of the value. As a result I'm palying with the laser flashes hitting the middle of the cross hairs but the lasers look as if there orginating in mid-space which is a little unsettling

These are my current values

<key>view_position_forward</key>
<string>0.0 8.4 5.5</string>

Any further advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers guys

[Eric Walch]

As a result I'm palying with the laser flashes hitting the middle of the cross hairs but the lasers look as if there orginating in mid-space which is a little unsettling

<key>view_position_forward</key>
<string>0.0 8.4 5.5</string>

Difficult to say without the model. It is easiest to just change the last two values by trial and error and see how laser moves. (that would be my approach). Just leave the first value at zero as you want to sit in the middle. (Unless you fly a two sitter and your seat is on the left)
Probably you have to increase the third value, simulating you are sitting more to the front and the laser will start more behind you.