Oolite Bulletins

I wish I could take some s3xi screenshots, but for some reason my graphics settings went down to "Minimum detail" and won't go back up. Sadness.

Waiting to dock behind a dithering Python with only 00:01:50 left on the clock!



I made it - just!

ZaneWuzHere wrote:

for some reason my graphics settings went down to "Minimum detail" and won't go back up. Sadness.

If you delete Oolite's .GNUstepDefaults file, the next time you start the game, Oolite will re-create the file, which should fix things.. note that you'll have to re-select the rest of your preferences, though.

Cody wrote:

Waiting to dock behind a dithering Python with only 00:01:50 left on the clock! I made it - just!

I could've sworn you had Mercurial Amethyst etched on your HUD's dashboard at one time.

CaptSolo wrote:

I could've sworn you had Mercurial Amethyst etched on your HUD's dashboard at one time.

Aye, I did... but I switched Cobras (to the chrome variant), so a new name was in order.
The late-model Griff Cobra Mk III Lachesis now cruises the spacelanes of the Ooniverse!



Note to self: must etch the new name!

If you've got an etch, scratch it!

Smivs wrote:

If you've got an etch, scratch it!

<grins> Space him!

I wonder how you could get so low with the time left ?
When taking a contract with a time limit I now compare the estimated time with the granted one. If it's more than 1.5 times as much and you normally use the "fastest" route and dock manually ("fast" dock = 20 min) it allows for a non-direct route with some side jumps and wasting some time such as searching for rock hermits, salvaging to dredgers or whatever. Short contracts with less than 1.3 times as much should be rejected even if it's on the route anyway. More than 2.0 times will likely grant a good "deliver early" bonus (for parcel contracts).

How early do you have to deliver a parcel to receive a "deliver early" bonus?

Some parcel contracts pay no bonus at all, no matter how early the delivery - some pay handsomely!

Anonymissimus wrote:

I wonder how you could get so low with the time left ?

Quite easily.. take on anything up to a dozen or more contracts, resulting in various detours along the way, then toss in some furballs with assassins, some over-cautious Python pilots ahead of you in the docking queue, and so on, and it's not hard to find yourself racing the clock now and then.

If you don't find yourself up against a deadline occasionally, you're not trying hard enough..

Diziet Sma wrote:

If you don't find yourself up against a deadline occasionally, you're not trying hard enough..

<grins> Aye, ain't that the truth! Mind you, the example above is my first where it's come down to seconds!

Can be avoided by planning carefully enough I think. Just don't take all contracts as long as their destination is just somewhere along the route and also consider their deadline instead. The parcel contracts with a tight deadline cannot pay much bonus anyway. You may not want to visit a certain system once that you are there, so if the contract pays only 1000cr or so it's not worth it.
Buying or repairing any equipment is also dangerous. Especially if your military shield enhancement gets damaged it has to wait until all contracts are fulfilled, big problem for the rest of the run, and you also need a tech 14 world!
In the case of precious metal contracts, violating any single contract means losing the reputation and therefore being unable to regain reputation with my current ship. Unless I have other contracts still running. Lets you be very careful.
EDIT
Actually, for *repairing* a tech 14 equipment, only tech 13 is needed. Still rare.

<chortles> Gotta love an expert!

Guess on which mission I am currently! That's one reason why I wanted to fly a combination of freighter and fighter...