Oolite Bulletins

You're not the only one here who first played Elite on a good old rubber-keyed 48k Spectrum and I bet we're not the only two either.

I'm not sure about "perfect" but Oolite definitely comes pretty damn close, IMHO. Game on!

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Absolutely...

Smivs wrote:

Hi greenseng,
and welcome to the friendliest board this side of Riedquat.
I don't know if it's an Urban Myth but I have heard that higher techs do a better job. I always try to use them, say TL 12 and over.

It's not an urban myth. Last night's revision to trunk highlighted (for me) the little bit of the source code that controls the increase in ship_trade_in_factor when you purchase maintenance. You get a bigger increase at a higher tech level station. Result being you get a higher resale value just after purchasing maintenance at a high tech level station as compared to a low tech level station, and a longer interval before you'll be offered maintenance again. For the same price.

ship_trade_in_factor += 5 + techLevel; // you get better value at high-tech repair bases

DaddyHoggy wrote:

If you buy a Ferrari you don't have it serviced at Kwik-Fit...

If you have a clapped out old banger you don't get it serviced at Kik-Fit either, if you've any sense. They told me my old Jag had a rust hole in the exhaust. The geezer explained how "Those old Jags are so low slung the exhaust rusts through every 2 to 3 years so you may as well get it replaced now anyway".

Thankfully, I knew Jaguar exhausts are actually hard to come by as spares because they are made from stainless steel and never rust, so I could tell him he was a liar.

CommonSenseOTB wrote:

EDIT: (After reading DH explanation of Kwik-Fit) That's a great idea, crooked mechanics that totally rip you off and do a poor job

Yep. That's Kwik-Fit.

I used one once when desperate when I got a puncture. While it was up on the ramp they explained how the tracking was so far out it was actually dangerous to drive. it took them about 90 minutes to fix - which was annoying since I had been in a rush. It cost a small fortune to fix too.

When I complained to my normal garage that they should have seen this, they laughed and said "Kwik-Fit was it? They say that to everyone." Apparently the tracking cannot be adjusted on Jaguars.

DaddyHoggy wrote:

CommonSenseOTB wrote:

The kind of company that offers you a service for £30 and then tells you there's a hundred things wrong with your car that will cause it to crash/explode the moment you drive it off their forecourt if you don't hand over hundreds of pounds immediately to have it all fixed...

That's them. The ones that told my ex-girlfriend that the new battery I had put in her car was no good, and sold her an old 2nd hand replacement for more money than the new one had cost.

Kwik-Fit have been liars and con-men for 20 years to my knowledge. They prey upon people with little or no knowledge of car maintenance and lie to them to sell them items which they often do not even install. Link.

Anyway, to get back on-topic, so what is the truth? Does one get a service as soon as its needed, even when docked on an Amish world, or fly the old bus smoking and lurching to the nearest post modernist Tomorrowland?

Capt. Murphy wrote:

Smivs wrote:

Hi greenseng,
and welcome to the friendliest board this side of Riedquat.
I don't know if it's an Urban Myth but I have heard that higher techs do a better job. I always try to use them, say TL 12 and over.

It's not an urban myth. Last night's revision to trunk highlighted (for me) the little bit of the source code that controls the increase in ship_trade_in_factor when you purchase maintenance. You get a bigger increase at a higher tech level station. Result being you get a higher resale value just after purchasing maintenance at a high tech level station as compared to a low tech level station, and a longer interval before you'll be offered maintenance again. For the same price.

ship_trade_in_factor += 5 + techLevel; // you get better value at high-tech repair bases

Knew about this higher resale value. But not about longer interval.
But... it doesn't surprize me. Last time I performed a maitenance at TL 15 and it took forever until I had to make a maintenance again.
I thought it was just imagination - but now it makes sense.
Good to know about.

'Tis a very clever game (so clever sometimes, that people miss the subtleties)

SandJ wrote:

Anyway, to get back on-topic, so what is the truth? Does one get a service as soon as its needed, even when docked on an Amish world, or fly the old bus smoking and lurching to the nearest post modernist Tomorrowland?

Simply, No.

Go to a high tech or military. Military is better if your eligable for discount.
And don't panic about getting there fast. I've often made over 10 jumps from being told a service is required before getting it done.

On the discount, I think the max is 50% even though the blurb screen on mine says 75%.

Discount at naval bases goes up to 75%... but prices start at double normal rates. A 75% discount on twice the price works out as only half normal price. Still a nice perk if you can afford to buy enough war bonds.

On the subject of Kwik Fit, I once took a car in for a couple of new tyres. Whilst there I was told the brake discs were shot, the brake pipes dangerously corroded and the exhaust was full of holes.

Took it elsewhere and I got told they were all fine...

Commander Trigg wrote:

On the subject of Kwik Fit, I once took a car in for a couple of new tyres. Whilst there I was told the brake discs were shot, the brake pipes dangerously corroded and the exhaust was full of holes.

Took it elsewhere and I got told they were all fine...

Standard Modus Operandi of KwikFit - of course the really trick is to do it on stuff that is fine, that way they can charge for the work, but not do it - win/win for KwikFit.

Thargoid wrote:

I must admit I've had the exact opposite - tyres that the Peugeot dealer said were in need of change, but Kwikfit said they had more mileage left on them for a few months (and when I got home and checked they did).

I guess it depends somewhat on the individual location and staff, as with any such business.

Absolutely, main dealer will rip you off too if given half a chance - for example - myself and a friend both owned Nissan 200SXs we both had the cars serviced at a Nissan main dealer. My friend had a service and noticed a knocking noise when driving at speed, took it back to the main dealer - they told him the drive shaft was on its way out and it would need changing - he was horrified (at the quote) and took it to another garage (we'd both also used in the past when we didn't own 200SXs) - he diagnosed the problem in 30s - the Nissan Dealer hadn't put one of the rear wheels on properly when they'd changed a worn tyre... So the question is, if Nissan Dealer had discovered this, would they still have charged for the new drive shaft...

For me, I had a blown gasket on the turbo, I knew it was a gasket because, with a dentists mirror, I could see it vibrating when a friend hoofed the throttle - took it to the Nissan Dealer, they told me, it wasn't the gasket, it was a known problem and it was a split pipe. I then got a horrifying bill, mostly for replacement pipes (four of them) and replacement bolts and helicoiling the engine block for the new turbo mounting.

I paid but next time the problem happened, I took it to the garage I use now, and got a bill for a £12 gasket and 1.5hrs labour. When I mentioned the "designed to shear off bolts" on the turbo and recounted the story of what happened at the main dealer, they were horrified - said that was nonsense - and that all my pipes were old and original and yes, the bolts had previously been sheared off, but that only happens if you don't fit the turbo back properly and overtighten the bolts to compensate for not spending the time to seat it properly...

Eldon wrote:

Discount at naval bases goes up to 75%... but prices start at double normal rates. A 75% discount on twice the price works out as only half normal price. Still a nice perk if you can afford to buy enough war bonds.

Ah, That explains it.
Was wondering if a military base has a Tech level asigned or it has the same level as the system it's in?
Does it make a difference to the level of service at a military base?

Though it's still worth having the discount for consumables (missiles and the such) and new equipment.
I've noticed that some equipment doesn't just get damaged, but totally destroyed, like targeting reticule.

Alex wrote:

I've noticed that some equipment doesn't just get damaged, but totally destroyed, like targeting reticule.

I suspect you're encountering the problem that has been discussed in a recent thread.

Alex wrote:

Was wondering if a military base has a Tech level asigned or it has the same level as the system it's in?
Does it make a difference to the level of service at a military base?

The tech level is much higher than the system it's in. I think it's always TL15.

JD wrote:

Alex wrote:

I've noticed that some equipment doesn't just get damaged, but totally destroyed, like targeting reticule.

I suspect you're encountering the problem that has been discussed in a recent thread.

I never seen it as a problem. Just thought it was unusual. But do like the fact that when in a wee tussle with 5 or so 'bad' guys toting military lasers, you can sustain some damage to gear that is just not fixable, i.e. Buy a new one.
If you survive the tussle!

If that's a mistake, well as far my flying goes, It's a nice one.
Though I wouldn't want it for all equipment. Just the high end stuff, not the basics.

Maybe this should be in the suggestion box.