Oolite Bulletins

montana05 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 25, 2019 3:18 pm

Downloaded, will run a test on the weekend. Btw phkb, from where you got the Adder and the Sidewinder ? Gsagostinho's textures are easy enough to identify.

Perhaps not that easy! The Adder is from Gsagostinho's Adder pack. The SIdewinder comes from the ZGrOovy Variety pack.

GearsNSuch wrote: ↑Wed Sep 25, 2019 10:23 am

At the main station, the hermit configuration button seems to be inoperable.
In the hermit’s market, you are not charged for buying but are paid for selling.
The adder has a single plume rather than two.

Version 0.3 should fix all those issues. Available for download now through the same link above (but here it is again so you don't have to go back a page: Hermitage.zip)

phkb wrote: ↑Wed Sep 25, 2019 9:29 pm

Perhaps not that easy! The Adder is from Gsagostinho's Adder pack. The SIdewinder comes from the ZGrOovy Variety pack.

Oops, my bad. Seems I never recognized his Adder pack. Thank you phkb.

Update:


Navy Adder (based on Gsagostinho's Adder pack)


SIdewinder Gunboat (inspired by Renegade Sidewinder)


Navy Sidewinder-X Scout (re-texture from Classic X-ships)


Stealth Sidewinder (inspired by Super Sidewinder)

Enough PR of my own textures for now

Any new updates for Hermitage oxp?

I have a bug-fix release in my queue atm, but nothing substantial. I have been thinking about how to implement interactions with various entities, though. I think there will be about 4 different story streams, each of which will be largely independent of each other, and can progress at different rates.

1. Local government interactions. This is directly related to the government, with economy and GDP factoring in. Here's where I could use some help: How would each government type react to a RH that is getting into narcotic or weapons manufacturing? Some may want the RH destroyed, some may want a cut, but which ones?

2. GalCop interactions. This is potentially separate to the local government. Their response is largely going to be dictated by how much illegal activity is taking place, but would also be constrained by how remote the system is, with more remote systems being less of a concern. Also, GalCop might decide to let local governments deal with the issue, and not respond at all, if the system is richer (and would therefore have more resources to throw at the RH).

3. Local crime gangs. Building up a thriving RH in whatever way it happens, is likely to attract the attention of local gangs who might be losing income because of it. So there would be waves of attacks to deal with here. Safer systems may not have a gang though, so this stream may not always play out.

4. Crime syndicates. In this case, initial interaction could be via email, trying to get the player to pay for protection, and sending swarms of attackers if they don't.

I'd love to get some suggestions relating to any of the above, particularly what the stages of each interaction would look like: emails, ships broadcasting messages outside the station, full on assault, etc.

Another possible angle of development I hadn't really thought of before (but did just now!), and might be worth exploring, is some positive development opportunities. For example, in systems where there is some sort of disease, perhaps establishing a hospital or medical clinic could be profitable. Maybe a computer manufacturing plant, fed with minerals, alloys and gold. Or a machinery factory (fed with alloys, radioactives and computers), or a hazardous waste processing plant (which turns radioactives into small quantities of minerals). Again, throw me your ideas and we'll see what comes out.

ONE Suggestion you should consider :

- The basic commodities and facilities of the Rock Hermit (LVL2) should be "un-damageable".
I mean, I have tested many times "Hermitage" and, every time, it was a Failure : I couldn't repair in time the reactor (to prevent Life Support to fail) because I couldn't transfer from my ship to the Storage.

Please, please, PLEASE!!!!, make sure that when we get a Rock Hermit, this one will be fully functional.
The other levels above LVL2 may break or whatever, but please give us somthing we can really start with.

Otherwise, if it wasn't so UNplayable, it would be a great addition to Oolite.

Thanks for testing this OXP so well, and providing some feedback! That scenario is definitely a problem, so I’ll get onto it right away and issue an update.

A new version (0.4) is now available (links to latest in first post), which should (I hope) fix the issue with damage not being able to be repaired with cargo in your hold. There are a bunch of other fixes in there as well.

No progress on the story elements though. Surprisingly, in my Covid-19 isolation world, I actually have less time to spend on this hobby, as my daily commute (where I have previously done all my Oolite work) is now only a minute or two.

Ahem! *cough*

Your modification worked fine, thanks! But… hum-hummm…

1- Owner's version
Okay, I was able to transfert my cargo into the storage and I repaired both the Reactor and the Life Support. Everything was "whoopie". Until I realisedd I didn't have enough Radioactives to make the Reactor work for some more days. So, I decided to go to Aleusqu station to buy all I could buy and upgrade my Ship (you never know, a better ship is good, right?). I went back to my Hermit and tranfered the radioactives…. BUT!!!
When I tried to use the Upgrade Facility (F3 menu), it wouldn't work because the reactor was down : no enerrgy. O.o When I tried to [ENTER KEY] in the Rock Hermit Management, Nothing happened, I couldn't access it? "ARGH"

2- Trader's version
With my new ship and its cargo bays filled with Radioactives, Minerals, Alloys, Machinery and Computers, I explored the Inera, Rexebe and Ceexse Clusters and checked every hermit I could find (even Pirate Coves!). Not a single one was to be buying. Am I cursed or what?

now, 2 questions :
a) can we produce Radioactives or (if not) where to find them?
b) how do you use the 'Broadcast Comms' for pirating hermits?

and, finally, a suggestion : Abandoned Rock Hermits to 'revive' them?

Thanks again for testing. You have no idea how helpful this is!

1. I've found and squashed some bugs, so a new release will be out shortly.

2. Finding a RH to buy is deliberately hard at the moment. You have a better chance of finding one for sale in a system with a low number of close systems nearby. There are two scenarios that could occur: (a) the RH is actively being sold, in which case you should get a message in your arrival report when you dock with the RH, or (b) it's not actively being sold, but the current owner is willing to negotiate a price. In this instance you'll get an entry on the F4 interfaces screen that will lead you through the negotiation.

3. To use BroadcastComms to pirate a RH, you need to be (naturally enough) in space. Target the RH, then bring up the BroadcastComms MFD in an MFD slot so you can see the available selections. One of them should be "Demand surrender". Prime the BroadcastComms equipment, press "b" to select the correct message, then "n" to transmit. The owner isn't likely to just give his station up, so you might need to persuade them. With lasers. I'll leave it for you to work out what happens next!

4. Radioactives are one of the possible results of refining asteroid splinters, as are alloys, precious metals and gems, and minerals.

5. Abandonded RH's: That's an interesting idea. A good question to ask, though, is "Why was it abandoned in the first place?" Was it because it became nonviable as a RH? Because of disease? Government interdiction? Some other factor?
From a technical point of view, it's slightly trickier. Abandoned RH's have a massive plate over the docking port, making it impossible to dock at one. I'd need to work out how to (a) remove the plate, and then (b) override the scripts/config to allow it to be converted into a working station again. I might add this to the ideas pile for the moment.

phkb wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 3:31 am

"Why was it abandoned in the first place?"

Nah. No need to over explain these matters. Leave it to the imagination of the player.

Ghosts!

Cody wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 11:47 am

Ghosts!

Good idea, preferable with a random Flying Duchman/Cobra appearing once in a while

montana05 wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 2:57 pm

... preferable with a random Flying Duchman/Cobra appearing once in a while

Like it!

Haunted hermits - I could have a field day with that idea!

Cody wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 3:30 pm

Like it!
Haunted hermits - I could have a field day with that idea!

I like it as well, never looked into it but I guess with effect data it would be easy to spawn a ghost ship as visual only. Left by disease offers another option, easy to take over but it will be kind of expensive to clean once you realized the bacteria/virus is still there and killing your staff.