Oolite Bulletins

When displaying the shield strength you could set a js variable oldshield=current value and have a bit of script where if current value not equal oldshield value then the display and resetting of oldshield gets run again. That should keep it updated as it recharges or is drained. Haven't tested it though.

Shields could glow different colours depending how broken they are... so wouldn't be exact, but would be an indication! (Like EE Doc Smith or the Mote novels)

zevans wrote:

Shields could glow different colours depending how broken they are... so wouldn't be exact, but would be an indication! (Like EE Doc Smith or the Mote novels)

I already suggested this and also because I was inspired by Lensman et al, but apparently it's impossible to implement in the current form...

As mentioned already by other folks here an indicator for your opponent's shield strength does exist in the game, and has existed basically forever. Actually two indicators:

1. When your opponent's shield strength drops sufficiently your lasers start to hit his ship's hull, doing all kinds of damage to his systems. One of the most vulnerable systems are the engines (being placed very close to the hull). Therefore you see a flickering in his "exhaust". Actually this isn't exhaust fumes, put quirium plasma passing the engine at high speed. The additional energy input from your laser fire starts to make the plasma unstable, and this leads to something which is visible to the human (feline, insectoid, whatever...) eye as a flickering.
2. If you are adding still more energy via your lasers, the engines will start to take physical damage. The flickering continues until the "exhaust" almost breaks down. Instead plasma starts to escape randomly in all directions. This is visible as multi-coloured plasma bolts originating from your opponents ship and engulfing it with a cloud of plasma. If you have reached this stage you know that only very few more hits will cause as violent and terminal engine failure. Or in other words: KABOOOOOOM!!!!!

So the shield-strength indicator is there, and has been always there. I don't see why you would need another one on top of that.

DaddyHoggy wrote:

zevans wrote:

Shields could glow different colours depending how broken they are... so wouldn't be exact, but would be an indication! (Like EE Doc Smith or the Mote novels)

I already suggested this and also because I was inspired by Lensman et al, but apparently it's impossible to implement in the current form...

A little while back I experimented with using flashers as a shield glow when hit. Two major drawbacks:

1. It didn't work reliably. Sometimes the flashed, sometimes they didn't. This is because they have to be triggered by the ship's AI. But the AI runs only eight times per second. A firing rate with a military laser is much higher than that. Therefore the AI simply cannot detect every single hit and react with a glow.
2. Impossibly hard to implement. The definitions of all existing ships have to be changed to add the flasher. And it wouldn't work with ships who are using flashers at other times, because then the "shield flasher" would be activated as well. And all AIs would have to be changed as well.

So this idea stopped dead in the track very soon. Sorry!

Commander McLane wrote:

DaddyHoggy wrote:

zevans wrote:

Shields could glow different colours depending how broken they are... so wouldn't be exact, but would be an indication! (Like EE Doc Smith or the Mote novels)

I already suggested this and also because I was inspired by Lensman et al, but apparently it's impossible to implement in the current form...

A little while back I experimented with using flashers as a shield glow when hit. Two major drawbacks:

1. It didn't work reliably. Sometimes the flashed, sometimes they didn't. This is because they have to be triggered by the ship's AI. But the AI runs only eight times per second. A firing rate with a military laser is much higher than that. Therefore the AI simply cannot detect every single hit and react with a glow.
2. Impossibly hard to implement. The definitions of all existing ships have to be changed to add the flasher. And it wouldn't work with ships who are using flashers at other times, because then the "shield flasher" would be activated as well. And all AIs would have to be changed as well.

So this idea stopped dead in the track very soon. Sorry!

I remember which is why I said it was impossible to implemement - I remember you giving it a very good try!