Oolite Bulletins

Slowly starting to work my way through...

Wondering about this on p1 (bottom right):

This reference sheet makes several references to 'OXPs'. Oolite eXpansion Packs can add extra missions, equipment, ships or change the game mechanics. These packs are not part of the standard game and will not be covered by this sheet. For more information on them and how to install them, visit the Oolite Wiki.

Might it make more sense to change it to:

This reference sheet makes several references to 'OXPs'. The 1,000+ Oolite eXpansion Packs can add extra missions, equipment, ships or change the game mechanics. These packs are not part of the strict game and will not be covered by this sheet. For more information on them and how to install them, visit the Oolite Wiki or consult the in-game Expansions Manager.




When I tried re-jigging this I tried to divide the first page into three - keypresses for the strict game, keypresses for strict game optional equipment and keypresses for OXP optional optional equipment. But I could not fit it all into the space available and felt that spilling over to a second page defeated the point.

Cholmondely wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2023 11:52 am

the strict game

This phrase is a problem. There are two places where OXP's don't exist: the initial, basic installation, and "strict mode". "Strict game" conflates both of those concepts without necessarily giving clarity to either. However, I agree that this section does need a revamp, including the reference to the download manager.

How about this:

This reference sheet makes several references to 'OXPs'. The 1,000+ Oolite eXpansion Packs can add extra missions, equipment, ships or change the game mechanics. These packs are not part of the default installation of the game and will not be covered by this sheet. For more information on them and how to install them, visit the Oolite Wiki or consult the in-game Expansions Manager.

Cholmondely wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2023 11:52 am

When I tried re-jigging this I tried to divide the first page into three - keypresses for the strict game, keypresses for strict game optional equipment and keypresses for OXP optional optional equipment. But I could not fit it all into the space available and felt that spilling over to a second page defeated the point.

Rather than rejig the entire page, perhaps the same info could be conveyed with colouring? For instance, initial, default game keys could keep the current white background. A light shade of gray could be used on optional game equipment, and a light blue for OXP equipment. Like this:

Thoughts?

phkb wrote: ↑Wed Jul 26, 2023 6:17 am

Cholmondely wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2023 11:52 am

When I tried re-jigging this I tried to divide the first page into three - keypresses for the strict game, keypresses for strict game optional equipment and keypresses for OXP optional optional equipment. But I could not fit it all into the space available and felt that spilling over to a second page defeated the point.

Rather than rejig the entire page, perhaps the same info could be conveyed with colouring? For instance, initial, default game keys could keep the current white background. A light shade of gray could be used on optional game equipment, and a light blue for OXP equipment. Like this:

Thoughts?

Good thinking! Just the thing. (The only minor quibble is maybe to choose a more attractive colour than grey.) But my problems with dividing up the Standard/Optional/Optional optional equipments by function and ending up with the death of a thousand sub-sections have been nicely side-stepped!

With the colours you can remove this († This function is only available when the appropriate equipment is installed.) for v.1.92 and replace it with a note about your "keyboard configuration" improvements which will allow many more Fast Activation buttons:
e.g.: More Fast Activation buttons can be created via the keyboard configuration screen (accessed via the 2/F2 Game Menu which is available when docked or paused).

And ditto for the note at the bottom: (Attention non-UK keyboard users Some keys may vary from the ones listed here. If you are having issues, check both Oolite Wiki and Oolite BBS for information and advice.) which might be better as e.g.: (Attention non-UK keyboard users Some keys may vary from the ones listed here. All keys are alterable via the keyboard configuration screen accessed via the 2/F2 Game Menu which is available when docked or paused.)

As regards this note: "‡ Only GCW Stations support all of these functions. Other anchorages may only carry a limited range." - this is no longer true for the F2/2 Game Menu, nor, I think, for "moving the cursor up and down the list". Should the ‡ be removed from those entries?

And what is GCW? GalCop "What?" It appears 25 times and I don't recall ever seeing it anywhere else!

Galactic Cooperative of Worlds. It's been there since the original author"s first release of the document and I think it is fine to stay as a nod of respect of the original hard work put into it.

What's wrong with grey?

Cody wrote: ↑Wed Jul 26, 2023 2:36 pm

What's wrong with grey?

I think that a splash of another colour on the sheet might make it more attractive. That's all.

another_commander wrote: ↑Wed Jul 26, 2023 2:33 pm

Galactic Cooperative of Worlds. It's been there since the original author"s first release of the document and I think it is fine to stay as a nod of respect of the original hard work put into it.

All it needs is an explanation - and a note that it is usually just called "GalCop".

Cholmondely wrote: ↑Wed Jul 26, 2023 2:03 pm

The only minor quibble is maybe to choose a more attractive colour than grey.

I'll see what I can come up with.

phkb wrote: ↑Wed Jul 26, 2023 3:44 pm

Cholmondely wrote: ↑Wed Jul 26, 2023 2:03 pm

The only minor quibble is maybe to choose a more attractive colour than grey.

I'll see what I can come up with.

Just choose one of the colours in the Oolite logo - that should match the theme quite well.

However everyone printing that sheet in black/white will just see a shade of grey...

On the light blue highlights, the Cloaking Device is (intentionally undocumented, of course) primable equipment, and doesn't require an OXP.
MFDs were used in the tutorial (though from memory in such a way that you don't need to press those buttons)

cim wrote: ↑Thu Jul 27, 2023 3:28 pm

On the light blue highlights, the Cloaking Device is (intentionally undocumented, of course) primable equipment, and doesn't require an OXP.

True. But the chance of a player getting to the cloaking device mission before installing at least 1 OXP is probably extremely small. So, their first reason to need to know these keys will be in the context of OXP's.

hiran wrote: ↑Wed Jul 26, 2023 6:38 pm

However everyone printing that sheet in black/white will just see a shade of grey...

Given the ubiquity of small, cheap colour inkjet printers, the chances are they will have the colour print option if they want it.

I'm aiming on getting a new sample up later today.

I'm looking through the OoliteReadMe.odt and wanted to ask: does the email address [email protected] still work? If not, I might take out that reference.

Also, there's a lot of duplicated information in the ReadMe, particularly around the key controls. I'm thinking about potentially removing all the keyboard control stuff and instead referring people to the RS. Happy either way, but it does seem rather redundant.

What other information should go into the ReadMe?

Here's a new PDF sample: OoliteRS.pdf