Oolite Bulletins

Absolutely you could but you'd also be starting to change the nature of the game by doing so. For those who want that: great.
I still think there's quite a bit of potential without doing so however and (speaking personally) would rather not take such a route.

Redspear wrote: ↑Thu Dec 23, 2021 9:08 pm

..purists perhaps shouldn't forget that contracts and buying other ships were added without complaint AFAIK

Absolutely. The V1.3.3 patch from Oct 04 (and eventually V 1.35 from Nov 04) implemented both those radical new elements, and the choir of praise was loud and entirely unanimous (–too bad I can't seem to find any records on the BB). Particularly the opportunity to fly another ship for the first time was something *quite a few* had dreamed about, and the addition of the available berth with passenger and cargo contracts was an additional late surprise. There weren't any puritan voices around back then who thought to object about divergences from the mothergame, just a crowd in a state of repeat glee over what Giles kept turning out.

Forgive me. Got nostalgic again.

Old Murgh wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 6:13 am

–too bad I can't seem to find any records on the BB

A bunch of early posts were lost at some point (an auto-cull was operating, I think) and more were lost during recovery from the forum hack (again, I think). Damn, my memory's becoming unreliable! I'm getting too old for this. Nurse, nurse!

Cody wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 6:24 am

Damn, my memory's becoming unreliable! I'm getting too old for this. Nurse, nurse!

A grim reminder we're all hurling towards the point of time out of mind.

A shame, this great deletion, and a hack too? At least Giles' developer's log is still intact. They were a cool daily browse when he was active, often a fun little read.

Old Murgh wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 6:45 am

... and a hack too?

New Year's Eve 2010, I think it was.

Found a thread: What's up with being Hacked? (Dec 31, 2010)

Hopefully not derailing too far...

Cholmondely wrote: ↑Thu Dec 23, 2021 8:51 pm

Umm... If I said that you are trying to recreate an idealised (lore-based?) version of Classic Elite, would I be doing you an injustice?

Here's perhaps my most radical deviation from classic/lore-based elite: a new scanner.

From the rescaling thread (scroll down a little for the image), a scanner that is 30km (rather than the standard 25) but only masslocks at 20km. For HUDs with a larger scanner area there's potential to adjust that further.

For example, set it to 15km masslock with 45km detection (along with necessary core adjustments) and it really is a different experience. *

You might also notice the orange (rather than yellow) blip on the scanner - it displays hyperdrive capable vessels as yellow and non hyperdrive capable as orange. Typically the latter are the smaller vessels. I'd previously tried a size based distinction but found this to be less clear and/or useful.

Core changes rather than oxp sadly but good fun and easily implemented (as explained in that thread).

* On second thoughts... Don't do that, there are significant consequences to docking traffic when you shrink the (masslocking part of the) scanner by too much. The outer part however should be fine to expand significantly. I should probably try 20/40 some time but each time I change it I need to create a new scanner overlay so that it's conventionally readable.

Redspear wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 11:02 am

You might also notice the orange (rather than yellow) blip on the scanner - it displays hyperdrive capable vessels as yellow and non hyperdrive capable as orange. Typically the latter are the smaller vessels. I'd previously tried a size based distinction but found this to be less clear and/or useful.

Is there any way to change the SHAPE of the lollipop? Make it a triangle instead of a square?

arquebus wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 3:00 pm

Is there any way to change the SHAPE of the lollipop? Make it a triangle instead of a square?

With a core change (as opposed to oxp), yes; although I don't know how to do it yet.

Note however that the head of the lollipop is very small (unless either the scanner is significantly shrunk or the scanned entity is huge).
Therefore making the head of the lollipop triangular risks also making it less noticeable.

Redspear wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 5:04 pm

arquebus wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 3:00 pm

Is there any way to change the SHAPE of the lollipop? Make it a triangle instead of a square?

With a core change (as opposed to oxp), yes; although I don't know how to do it yet.

Note however that the head of the lollipop is very small (unless either the scanner is significantly shrunk or the scanned entity is huge).
Therefore making the head of the lollipop triangular risks also making it less noticeable.

It doesn't seem that small to me. Alternatively it could be hollow. Basically anything that could add information other than color, to give you more options to distinguish objects.

I've made one final video in the Oolite unmodded series - it's a short 10 minute video going over my control setup. It should be live shortly.

Season 2 starts tomorrow! I've got episodes banked for the 26th and the 27th already.

arquebus wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 11:28 pm

It doesn't seem that small to me.

Maybe I need a bigger monitor

arquebus wrote: ↑Sat Dec 25, 2021 12:03 am

I've made one final video in the Oolite unmodded series - it's a short 10 minute video going over my control setup. It should be live shortly.

Very useful, thank you.

Just having a bit of a ponder.

Issues with TM4 HOTAS throttle (for AppleMac Users... also true for Linux?)
Issues with CH Prothrottle (for AppleMac Users... also true for Linux?)
Issues with X56 throttle (for an Arqubusian Windows user... hmmm...)

In each of these cases the throttle is programmable in such a way that the buttons do different things depending on the setup.

TM4 HOTAS is fixable if you do the secret button-press/trouserleg rolling routine (unless you are a bearded trouser-legless Murgh - and the routine differs between Windows and AppleMac) - and the programmability is minor - merely the loss or gain of the ability to use the throttle, the rudder behind the throttle and the twist on the joystick.

CH ProThrottle gives a choice of 3 setups for the Throttle. Have yet to discover the secret trouser-leg rolling-up routine for the AppleMac.

And, Arquebus, I understand that the X56 throttle also has a choice of 3 setups with natty changes in LED lighting for each. Have you tried rolling up your trouser legs?

Cholmondely wrote: ↑Sat Dec 25, 2021 9:12 pm

And, Arquebus, I understand that the X56 throttle also has a choice of 3 setups with natty changes in LED lighting for each. Have you tried rolling up your trouser legs?

Not yet, but I may try. The Logitech software is incredibly clunky, but maybe I can at least get it to transmit key presses.