Space Objects/Probes?

[Phoenix4]

saying that tho, there's potential for a spin off idea here : what about these items having a "bounty" : because these things are very rare i reckon if you chance across one you could take a pic of it and be paid for it by news companies when you dock.

That's why I suggested giving it a high value (or bounty) when you capture it. As it would be an antique at this stage it would be extremely collectable and could be cashed in the next time you dock.

Or, to go the mission route, you could be asked to locate one by a collector. Lots of possibilities really.

Px4

[another_commander]

saying that tho, there's potential for a spin off idea here : what about these items having a "bounty" : because these things are very rare i reckon if you chance across one you could take a pic of it and be paid for it by news companies when you dock. this could be done perhaps by simply positively identifying one (by getting its reading up after using the 'R' key) or by adding a new key that simply spoofs a gun camera (could the screenshot key be adapted to work as normal but also check the ships/objects directly in front of you? that way you'd actually HAVE the pics to post here too!). When you dock you get a message screen praising you and saying the newscorp/whoever has paid you <the bounty value> for the pics.
this would add the ability for people to add random objects/creatures (like the butterflies, maybe my wasps), and it may also allow for missions ~ fly in and get the Navy a pic of the new Thargoid base, etc.

I like this idea. As of r3823, we have the global JS method takeSnapShot([optionalFilename]), which allows scripts to request screenshots taken at the scripter's will. This, in conjunction with Kaks' primable equipment feature, should give you all you need to make the above a reality.

[Thargoid]

Although this could be a hard-disk eater if scripted wrongly and suddenly you're taking a snapshot every 0.25s...

[another_commander]

Although this could be a hard-disk eater if scripted wrongly and suddenly you're taking a snapshot every 0.25s...

And a performance punisher, too. It is true that some attention will be needed when using this.

[Eric Walch]

Although this could be a hard-disk eater if scripted wrongly and suddenly you're taking a snapshot every 0.25s...

And a performance punisher, too. It is true that some attention will be needed when using this.

Pictures with a 1/4 second spacing still give a very bad movie.

But a nice feature to automatic take a picture from the final shot that killed your target. And maybe a few others pictures from the explosion after it.

[Killer Wolf]

Although this could be a hard-disk eater if scripted wrongly and suddenly you're taking a snapshot every 0.25s...

And a performance punisher, too. It is true that some attention will be needed when using this.

Pictures with a 1/4 second spacing still give a very bad movie.

But a nice feature to automatic take a picture from the final shot that killed your target. And maybe a few others pictures from the explosion after it.

...and we're back to the canon bit that said your gun transmits a pic of your kill to the authorities that allows you to get a bounty or a Fugitive rating!

[another_commander]

Test oxp for the new feature here:
http://terrastorage.ath.cx/Marmagka/7a2 ... ptTest.zip

Trunk r3828 is required. You have been selected by the Galactic Navy to carry out an extremely challenging and dangerous mission: Take reconnaisance pictures of the nav buoy sitting outside the station. A photo taken can only be analyzed by GalCop experts to a sufficient degree if the buoy is at a distance less than 8000m when the shot is taken. Mission briefing:
- Buy the ship photocamera equipment. Costs 1Cr.
- Launch from station and fly straight for about 10 seconds. That should bring you well within range for a photo.
- Target nav buoy.
- Prime the photocamera (press Shift + N).
- Take shot by activating the camera (press N). The photo is saved in your snapshots folder.
- Enter station for debriefing. If you have done it right, the message "Photo taken: true" will appear.

The Navy will be proud of you.

[Eric Walch]

Test oxp for the new feature here:
http://terrastorage.ath.cx/Marmagka/7a2 ... ptTest.zip

Very nice indeed.

And I missed "collisionRadius" also sometimes. Thanks for adding it.

[Kaks]

- Enter station for debriefing. If you have done it right, the message "Photo taken: true" will appear.

The Navy's official comments are getting pithier and pithier these days!

I've got a proposal for improving on that!
In case of success, can we have: 'Congratulations, commander whatsyourname, you have taken a usable picture!' - or words to that effect?

In case of failure, could we have something like 'Not a single usable picture was found in the camera. The Navy liason has a hard time trying to conceal his disappointment.

You're sent to an advanced camera training facility for the next couple of months, in the hope that you will return successful the next time you leave the station on your own.'?

I think these minor changes would definitely improve the immersiveness of this test oxp!

[Killer Wolf]

"nice going, Ansel, don't give up your day job >:-( "

does this OXP register that the object is actually in frame? what happens if you taget the bouy, get w/in the req'd distance but then, eg, rotate 90 degrees? The JS just seems to check for a radius distance but i'm no JS expert!

[another_commander]

"nice going, Ansel, don't give up your day job >:-( "

does this OXP register that the object is actually in frame? what happens if you taget the bouy, get w/in the req'd distance but then, eg, rotate 90 degrees? The JS just seems to check for a radius distance but i'm no JS expert!

That's correct. It's a demonstration OXP showcasing primable equipment and scripted snapshots, not something you want to use for gameplay. If you want to do it like a fully playable OXP, then you need to use vector math JS functions to ensure that you are facing the target when you take the pic. I couldn't be bothered with that, really. Or you can say that the camera auto-rotates to keep the target in the frame and handwave the whole lot in a second.

[Eric Walch]

"nice going, Ansel, don't give up your day job >:-( "

does this OXP register that the object is actually in frame? what happens if you taget the bouy, get w/in the req'd distance but then, eg, rotate 90 degrees? The JS just seems to check for a radius distance but i'm no JS expert!

As A_C writes was his example just to show the new features and not to create a working oxp. That would also need a mission briefing etc. Its up to the oxp makers to implement this stuff.

When you want also an angle, you could replace the code by:

Code: Select all

this.activated = function()
{
	var s=this.ship;
	
	player.consoleMessage("Photo shot.");
	
	takeSnapShot();
	if (s.target && s.target.primaryRole == "buoy")
	{
        var inRange =  s.target.position.distanceTo(s.position) - s.target.collisionRadius < 8000;
        var centered = (s.heading.angleTo(s.target.position.subtract(s.position)) < 0.01); // angle in rad.
        if (inRange && centered)
        {
            worldScripts.photoCamera.photoConfirmed();
        }
	}
}

Now the target must also be precisely centred to qualify as a valid picture.

[Killer Wolf]

this is looking like it might be some really good stuff for missions etc. is there a tolerance that can be built in that means the object could be in the foreward view cone rather than "precisely" centred ~ how precise are we talking, will it get annoyingly fiddly to "precisely" line up a moving taget, etc?
i was wonderng if the code could be linked to/based on the Ship Ident code - instead of pressing R and getting info when the sights are over a ship, could we press Shift N to arm the camera which would then auto shoot when an object is under the crosshairs? actually, combining this would also return the object id, thereby providing a way of confirming you've photo'd the right thing.
ooh - maybe a switchable camera HUD for when you Shift N...?

[Commander McLane]

this is looking like it might be some really good stuff for missions etc. is there a tolerance that can be built in that means the object could be in the foreward view cone rather than "precisely" centred ~ how precise are we talking, will it get annoyingly fiddly to "precisely" line up a moving taget, etc?

Read the code:

Code: Select all

... < 0.01); // angle in rad.

Obviously the only thing you need to do increase the angle by increasing the number.

[Kaks]

In order to make this concept fully workable we also need to make sure that the player is looking forward, as well as having the ship pointing in the right direction...