Oolite Bulletins

KZ9999 wrote:

I'm following the logic that until the commander has all the other stage 1-4 equipment, they are just too unequipped to survive anything but Corp-states, Democracies and maybe Confederations.

I suppose it is circumstantial and really depends on how the player is choosing to play the game. This is a basic guide for new players who, we would assume, don't know enough about the game to know where all the good milk run routes are or be inclined to just whizz back and forth between systems (at speed) trading. They are going to want to fight and participate in the broad spectrum of activities in the game. With that in mind, I think the basic guide is a solid approach.

However, for the money (1500 vs 600) I don't think you can argue that the extra energy unit has more value than the injectors. Once you're shields are gone, the extra energy merely pads out the time before your equipment is knacked and your ship is blasted into atoms. You might get a few more ECM bursts out of your ship, but in my experience it doesn't make much difference. In a pitched battle, the injectors (for their price) are going to do more to save a commander than the energy bank.

If there was anything I'd swap out of an earlier tier to be replaced with the injectors, it would be that.

KZ9999 wrote:

What I would really like to know if the text (part 1) does it's job. Remember that this is all about explaining the game to a newcomer.

I think the text is the first part is great stuff.

Minor point but where you're removing letters from a word you need to use an apostrophe, not an opening single quotation mark -- i.e. one of these ’ and not one of these ‘. The problem comes when you're taking the letters off the start of the word (e.g. 'cause, 'bout): word processors assume you're typing an open quote and put in a ‘. You can either type two of these ‘’ and delete the first one or find the keypress on your keyboard to type them directly (UK Macintosh: alt-shift-]). They're always a bugger to typeset!

I've a few additions to Diziet's corrections. One global change I'd suggest would be to convert "your" into "yer" throughout. "Your" looks kind of odd next to all the "ya"s. Also, various apostrophes are coming through as ' instead of ’. Easy to fix with a find-and-replace.


1. Footnote number should be roman, not italic

Since all equipment listed is available for the Cobra Mk III we have reprinted the article in its entirety with their permission (missing full stop)

2. under equipped --> under-equipped

ask one of the Galactic Cooperative of Worlds leading experts --> ask one of the Galactic Cooperative of Worlds’ leading experts

spokes being --> spokesbeing

3. Footnote number should be roman, not italic

(footnote 2) a slang term for a inexperienced pilot --> a slang term for an inexperienced pilot

ovipostitor --> ovipositor

the cred’s to enjoy it --> the creds to enjoy it

4. things to earn ya the cred’s --> things to earn ya the creds

5. Fuel Scoop fitted to a Adder --> Fuel Scoop fitted to an Adder

where ever ya go --> wherever ya go

what ever ya fit --> whatever ya fit

ya fit it too --> ya fit it to

6. When a Jameson get issued their Coby’s --> When a Jameson gets a Coby

7. laz’ --> laz (as per later in the paragraph)

8. use the refund to buy one another direction --> use the refund to buy one for another direction

9. With most ships carrying ECM Systems these days, including ya if got any brains --> With most ships carrying ECM Systems these days, including yer own if ya got any brains

10. a small chance is better than a ‘bsolute certainty in my book --> a small chance is better than none in my book

spending ya cred’s on the Hardened --> spending ya creds on the Hardened

11. Sometimes a commander got’s more wasps on their abdomen than they got’s missiles --> Sometimes a commander gots more wasps on their abdomen than they gots missiles

12. When fired it blast a shockwave --> When fired it blasts a shockwave

When it reaches it’s target --> When it reaches its target

14. It’s ‘cause ya shot up a innocent ship --> It’s ’cause ya shot up an innocent ship

Ya can stop that happening with installing a Scanner Targeting Enhancement --> Ya can stop that happening by installing a Scanner Targeting Enhancement

all important --> all-important

15. Buying a Multi-Targeting System allows ya to chose --> Buying a Multi-Targeting System allows ya to choose

when you are carrying --> when yer carrying (?)

handy when you want --> handy when ya want

16. due the complexity --> due to the complexity

17. you can dump some of your hyperdrive’s --> ya can dump some of yer hyperdrive’s

ya’re --> yer (?)

18. recharging rate of the ships’ energy banks --> recharging rate of the ship’s energy banks

the more ya can shoot and longer ya live --> the more ya can shoot and the longer ya live

19. the ships’ shields is its first line of defence --> the ship’s shields is its first line of defence

a Shield Booster is a important upgrade --> a Shield Booster is an important upgrade

for ya combatants out there. of the ships’ shielding systems. --> for ya combatants out there. (delete sentence fragment)

We add additional emitters and feedback compensator’s are installed and upgrade the energy recyclers --> We add additional emitters and
feedback compensators, and upgrade the energy recyclers

after you bought the Shield Booster --> after ya bought the Shield Booster

20. effected by the ECM --> affected by the ECM

a ECM Hardened Missile been launched --> an ECM Hardened Missile’s been launched

21. When there nothing left to fight with --> When there’s nothing left to fight with

a Escape Capsule --> an Escape Capsule

Sure you lose ya cargo --> Sure ya lose ya cargo

you’ll wake up the systems’ GCW station --> you’ll wake up in the system’s GCW station

what ever cred’s --> whatever creds

If ya got’s a Fuel Scoop fitted --> If ya gots a Fuel Scoop fitted

see a Escape Capsule --> see an Escape Capsule

your criminal record --> yer criminal record

your ships’ ID code --> yer ship’s ID code,

if you use your escape pod --> if ya use yer escape pod

your legal status --> yer legal status

Things To Earn Ya The Cred’s! --> Things To Earn Ya The Creds!

22. help you earn --> help ya earn

23. Every ship need Quirium Fuel --> Every ship needs Quirium Fuel

or else it a centuries long trip --> or else it’s a centuries-long trip

The GalCop fixes every ship to a maximum of a seven light year jump to ‘prevent social dislocation due to chronological displacement’ or some such grub goo. --> Not sure this is the best way to explain this. It's hard-coded into the game, but this might give the impression that it's possible to increase the jump range. Maybe it would be best to say something like "The furthest a witchdrive can take you is seven light years: it’s a Law of Physics, so they say."

2 cred’s per light year --> 2 creds per light year

24. a friend of mine in the GalCop Ship Procurement Division, has proof --> a friend of mine in the GalCop Ship Procurement Division has proof

it was meant to be have 35 ton cargo bay --> it was meant to have a 35 ton cargo bay

3 of the 7 cargo compartment --> 3 of the 7 cargo compartments

welded a panel to hide gap --> welded a panel to hide the gap

just get those three compartments --> just to get those three compartments

rescue/capture --> rescue or capture (can't really have a / in reported speech)

25. ya gona be --> ya gonna be

it’s smart idea --> it’s a smart idea

ships’ organic components --> ship’s organic components

27. hauling other peoples stuff --> hauling other people’s stuff

a Advanced Navigational Array --> an Advanced Navigational Array

time efficient --> time-efficient

28. big cred’s --> big creds

you can make money --> ya can make money

you can carry --> ya can carry

29. with out it --> without it

they bringing in rules --> they’re bringing in rules

worth the cred’s --> worth the creds

It useful for docking --> It’s useful for docking

31. so you need --> so ya need

32. ready cred’s --> ready creds

33. has auto-system --> has an auto-system

that scan ya ship --> that scans ya ship

something gonna break down --> something’s gonna break down

34. what you want --> what ya want

say you need --> say ya need

35. increase your earning --> increase yer earning

be a harmless --> be a Harmless

a ECM System --> an ECM System

your fore --> ya fore

your aft --> yer aft

37. rocks in to splinters --> rocks into splinters

38. If you want to see the universe --> If ya want to see the universe

you could do a lot worse --> ya could do a lot worse

a Advanced Navigational Array --> an Advanced Navigational Array

ya are --> yer

see if the if contract --> see if the contract

those Jameson out there --> those Jamesons out there

before you can bid --> before ya can bid

39. for you --> for ya

50+ tons of goods --> 50 tons of goods and up

a Anaconda --> an Anaconda

If ya don’t have Advanced Navigational Array --> If ya don’t have an Advanced Navigational Array

cost effective --> cost-effective

41. That ‘bout it --> That’s ’bout it

mind boggling --> mindboggling

Thank you Diziet Sma and Disembodied for the corrections. I look at it and get the computer to read it out and I still miss a ton. I guess I've been more concerned about the usefulness of the text than it's grammatical structure. As for the ` instead of ’, that was just a glitch between myself and Open Office (I have the same issue with speech marks.) I guess I'll have to write a macro to fix this one.

There does seem a current of support for the injectors so I will adjust the chart to match public opinion and move it to a stage 4 unit.

Sendraks, in regards to the milk run issue that will be covered when the full document is assembled. The first section is a Your First Flight, will explain the classic Zoance-Isinor milk run which should get the beginning commander up and running. I will also be putting the sections about trade and law before the upgrades, so players will get a handle on the 'make money to pay for your guns before you try to fight' mechanic that is the core of this style of game.

Anyway I'll crunch through the corrections over next week and load the corrected draft on the weekend. When it's a clean document, the next section for review will cover the laws of the space ways. (I'm rather pleased with this one as I've figured out a logical reason to why you only get pinged for illegal goods when you leave the station. )

Wow Kz9999 Excellent work on all your guides. You have clearly put a lot of work in it and it's fun to read also. Keep on with this great project.

Given the amount of errors in my original Able Amy version of Uncle Blix's Upgrade Guide just fixing the typos isn't good enough. I'll sit down and give a good rewrite instead. I'm sure I can shave a good page off the length with a bit of fine tuning while keeping all the cool stuff.

While I work on that, why not have a look at the new revamp of my version of Disemboded's Advice For New Commanders. I've been teaching myself both Scribus and Inkscape and the new version (Charming Cathy) is the first serious attempt to do something with these tools. Have a look and tell me what you think. I'm especially interested in your reactions to the typesetting and general layout, as this will be the format used for the manual.

Some important notes on the design:

• The standard version will be at 200dpi as it's a good trade-off of file size ver's bitmap clarity.
  There will be a mega-big-file-size 600dpi version of the pdf's for those who want it.
  I've put the page layout as landscape as I figure that the majority of people will be reading it on screen not printing it.
  The margins on the left/right size is set so you can bind on those edge if you want a hard copy version. (It's ideal for comb/punch binding on those edges.)
  Currently I designed it as a left hand bind / single side page lay out. Should it be designed as for a universal version that can be printed single or double sided?

As before, any input will be appreciated.

As promised, here's the new version of Uncle Blix's Upgrade Guide (Charming Cathy).Main results of the retune.

• All the grammatical corrections done, and hopefully no new ones added.
  Added a small explanation against installing a Fuel Injector before anything else.
  Tacked on an explanation on how to read the cheat sheet.
  Totally re-jigged the cheat sheet to make even more informative and take up less space on the page (see example below)...

If I've got everything right then I will lock it down and upload the section covering Oolite stellar law .

On a side note I've had a bit more of a play with the Advice For New Commanders with this result...



As before, any suggestions or ideas just tack on a post to the thread.