Oolite Bulletins

While there were several people that liked the idea I put forth with increasing the size of the aegis, I just realized a significant problem with it, despite the fluff that would go with such an idea: docking computers allow the player to auto doc using the capital c button once the player is within the aegis. An aegis that extends halfway (or however much it would be extended for a corporate system) to the hyperspace beacon would make the game way too easy.

Sigh, oh well. I tried, lol.

I think the torus is fine, however I found my self engaged in that dangerous occupation known as thinking. Really, the easiest fix would seem to be making it possible for a non-hostile npc and you to agree to synchronize, after a certain time needed for you both to be sure the other is trustworthy, so you could both keep on going. Plus, convoying would then be easier.

Just a crazy (unrelated) idea, what if the torus went at the speed of injectors? That way you couldn't over take fleeing ships, space would feel bigger, and npcs would have similiar capabilities. Witchspace fuel injectors would just be a way of avoiding masslock and providing extra thrust in combat, by powering the torus in a way that wouldn't cause the ship's main reactor to quirium cascade, burning fuel in exchange. Maybe npcs could use torus then to, which might cause more mass-locking, but they could be made smarter about avoiding masslocks.

Say you both have lot of fuel and are clean, why couldn't the npc propose that you convoy to together and injected down the lane for as long as you both have fuel? Or if he has injectors and you don't, he injects in front of or away from you. If neither of you have injectors, why not have him suggest, "Hey you head for one side of the lane and I will take the other?" and have him move away from you until both ships are free?

This last bit might help new players as well, as they could work with an npc if they just did a short jump and have injectors, but don't have the other bits of kit necessary to survive out on their own fully, i.e. having a beam laser, ste, scoops, cargo hold, etc. If they don't, then at least the friendly npcs would help them out rather than actively working against players trying to race past them.

Commander Wilmot wrote:

a non-hostile npc and you to agree to synchronize, ... convoying would then be easier

This is a possible way if we want the Torus be a real equipment and not a player-only time compressor only. At least escorts should be able to synchronize to its owner and do not masslock it. Maybe some kind of autopilot is imaginable if an npc is agreed with the player to go to similar direction until the speed difference make enough distance in between to resolve the masslock problem. Or some radio chat to ask each other to leave the scanner in a minute, else...
Good ideas for an OXP.

Commander Wilmot wrote:

what if the torus went at the speed of injectors? That way you couldn't over take fleeing ships, space would feel bigger

I think it is a good idea and I made it in the [wiki]TimeSlip[/wiki] OXP. If you use a deployment version of Oolite where time acceleration is disabled or set the TAF-related multipliers to 1 in timeslip.js then you will get a 7x Torus only, which is equal with the speed of Injectors. Something which make the game a bit harder.

I remember when I started to play. I did get the memo about going off-lane and I think it was a good piece of advice.

The problem when you are beginner is that all you have is a pulse laser and a couple of missiles. Your laser overheats quickly and do low damage, and your missiles are likely to be ECMed. However, *you* don't have ECM and are quickly taken down by *their* missiles. You could get rid of the incoming missiles, if only your laser was not on overheat already.

Until you get enough credits to buy at least ECM, you live in fear. Off-laning is faster, safer, and you enjoy the view of the planet growing fast on your screen. The main game then is to find that station, because you don't have an enhanced scanner either. I remember having orbiting a few planets because I couldn't find the station, because I was trying to flee some pirate (and their missiles).

Torus is a time accelerator, and I agree with some of you that it is a mediocre solution - in the etymological sense of "average", because it is quite commonly used. It has a number of drawbacks: it breaks the flow of the game/is unnatural, it might lead to stupid deaths if you hit the "normal speed" button too late when something unexpected happens, it sometimes makes games lag. I experienced all that with games featuring "FF buttons" like Pioneer or MS Flight simulator, which really have no better options to solve the time problem, but it still somewhat spoils the game.

I also agree that players should use some patience, but most of us have limited time for games. So a reasonable density of action should be maintained. I believe that games must protect themselves from impatient players for their own good, but it shouldn't make things deliberately slow for no reason (as sometimes seen in some not-so-free-to-play games).

Torus is used to shorten the distances, in a way. In an other thread, I read that some want to make things bigger, which causes problems because it mechanically reduces the "density" in the system, especially the traffic and Galcop protection. Which is not what we want, because even less things happen.

So the logical conclusion to me is: shorten the lanes. At least the WP - station lane.

Also, I would like to resubmit a proposal I made, in order to satisfy the impatient players: have a an equipment that permits to refuel from fuel canisters (which would be a marketplace good)(the operation would require full stop). This way, those who do want to travel faster and/or gain some safety (you can refuel yourself upon arrival at witchpoint) can do so for some cost (credits and cargo space). I personally like those kind of choices, because it adds something to the gameplay.

Furthermore, if one can reverse the operation (transfer fuel from main tank to canisters), going to the long lanes (I indeed don't believe it would be good to have closer suns) in order to skim fuel and sell it could be worth it.

(edited) sorry, double post (can't delete?).

Astrobe wrote:

Also, I would like to resubmit a proposal I made, in order to satisfy the impatient players: have a an equipment that permits to refuel from fuel canisters (which would be a marketplace good)(the operation would require full stop). This way, those who do want to travel faster and/or gain some safety (you can refuel yourself upon arrival at witchpoint) can do so for some cost (credits and cargo space). I personally like those kind of choices, because it adds something to the gameplay.

Furthermore, if one can reverse the operation (transfer fuel from main tank to canisters), going to the long lanes (I indeed don't believe it would be good to have closer suns) in order to skim fuel and sell it could be worth it.

The Duplex Fuel Tank OXP does most of what you propose..

Hmm.. I see the DFT doesn't have an entry in the WIP section of the OXP list yet.. <adds to my to-do list>

Diziet Sma wrote:

The Duplex Fuel Tank OXP does most of what you propose..

Hmm.. I see the DFT doesn't have an entry in the WIP section of the OXP list yet.. <adds to my to-do list>

Thanks. I think I can resell my Torus drive now.