Oolite Bulletins

Astrobe wrote: ↑Sat Feb 04, 2017 2:35 pm

I think I've found a bug:
- Normal default start. When I fire my forward weapon, I see 3 pulse laser shots.
- sold the forward pulse laser for injectors (got me 1.2Kcr; I didn't pay attention to this at the time, so I've checked the refund is correct in an other test game - btw it gives a significant boost in the early game, since you have injectors and can fill your cargo bay and make 500+ cr trades right away),
- later bought various basic equipment (ECM, headlights, broadcomm MFD),
- later bought an aft pulse laser (I don't think this is related, this is just for completeness),

Then after a few milk runs I was able to buy a forward weapon again. I go for beam laser. I notice that it costs 3000 Cr. Since I only have 2K something, I fallback to pulse lasers. Price tag= 1200 Cr (3x400Cr).
To my surprise, after the deal I end with 4K credits (the almost exact figures are 2.3K -> 4.1K).
If I disable multiple lasers, it works as expected.

Thank you for the report. Unfortunately I can not reproduce even I bought the same eqs than you.
Feel free to spend the money as you wish, or just be creative how you can sink it back to the proper level.

Norby wrote: ↑Sun Feb 05, 2017 2:40 pm

Thank you for the report. Unfortunately I can not reproduce even I bought the same eqs than you.

TBH I believe the game itself might very well be the culprit here, I reported to you first just in case. I'm on 1.84. I didn't see anything related in the changelog of 1.85 though.

Can I ask if something would be possible to consider for a future update to multiple lasers please?
As someone has already mentioned in an earlier post I struggled to get along with multiple lasers (last time I tried anyway), I loved them for combat but sadly do quite a lot of mining / ore processing and found that with multiple lasers on my Boa Class Cruiser I ended up destroying a significant amount of splinters. (sad that I still mine with 1.2 mill but I'm saving for a Dark Rainbow)
What I wanted to ask is if it would be possible to have a multiple laser firing mode?
The default mode would be as it is now (all lasers firing simultaneously).
The second mode would be an alternate firing mode whereby only 1 laser fires at a time (kinda thing of it like a distributor in a car engine)
So for example whilst in alternate firing mode on my Boa all four lasers would fire separately (1,2,3,4) before starting the sequence again. Whilst at the rear (of my ship) lasers 1,2 would alternate.
This would assist no end in mining with multiple lasers, whilst giving multiple laser combat boost but it could also assist ships that do not have enough space for separated laser heat saving as the lasers are firing less often and so do not heat up as fast. Not sure if it is possible to discriminate between individual laser temp on same side of ship?

Hope this makes sense and no idea whether it is even remotely possible.

I understand what you think, there was alternate firing mode in X-Wing also. It is not possible at oxp level and I am not a core developer, sorry.

I think the solution is over-specified, because I think what you really want is a single forward or aft mount for your mining laser. Then a "mining boa" variant is probably possible by editing some shipdata file.

Astrobe wrote: ↑Thu Nov 02, 2017 7:09 pm

I think the solution is over-specified, because I think what you really want is a single forward or aft mount for your mining laser. Then a "mining boa" variant is probably possible by editing some shipdata file.

That sounds beyond my knowledge - can you give me any advice on how I would achieve this?

How about using a side mount for mining? If aiming is too tricky there for you then Reverse Control offer normal steering in side views.

I don't know about the configuration of the Boa Cruiser, so it's up to Damocles since it's a custom job. I should be able to come up with something this weekend, I expect it's just a matter of restoring the original mount positions for the desired side. I should to take responsibility for my irresponsible claims after all...

Norby wrote: ↑Fri Nov 03, 2017 11:26 am

How about using a side mount for mining? If aiming is too tricky there for you then Reverse Control offer normal steering in side views.

That is indeed something to consider - although at present I have eco reactors in both port & starboard mounts. If I could get the hang of mining off the side of ship I could probably ditch my LMSS at the front (although laser temp could be an issue at front with 4 lasers in close proximity).
Would I be correct in assuming that reverse control affects all mounts or can it be configured so that it affects just port / starboard?

Astrobe wrote: ↑Fri Nov 03, 2017 12:09 pm

I don't know about the configuration of the Boa Cruiser, so it's up to Damocles since it's a custom job. I should be able to come up with something this weekend, I expect it's just a matter of restoring the original mount positions for the desired side. I should to take responsibility for my irresponsible claims after all...

That would be very generous of your sir, but please do not feel obliged in anyway.
Would the result mean that I would have to sell my existing ship in order to buy a newly created ship?
Please don't do anything for now - I really don't want to put you to any bother, let me try Norby's suggestion of using port / starboard with reverse lasers (I think frustration may get the better of me - but I should at least try).
Maybe what the game needs is an automated gun which locks in on asteroids and hits them when withing 200m (even if you're looking at a different view) or maybe a a drone unit which occupies a missile pylon which when fired bores into a missile mines it, returns to ship and unloads it's cargo - I know I'm lazy and taking the run out of the game - but I can always dream

I will spend some time trying Norby's solution and report back.

Thanks again to all for their help and suggestions

Would the result mean that I would have to sell my existing ship in order to buy a newly created ship?

That would be the easiest and the best option. We can adjust the price of the ship to compensate for the money loss.

LMSS on a side with an Eco reactor and a mining capable laser is a good solution imho. Reverse control normalize both side and aft views, you must comment out the aft parts in reversecontrol.js to affect sides only.

After some play testing I have found that I am able to mine using an ITC Space 1999 (god I used to love that show as a kid - hard to believe we're 18 years past what was a fantastical future date when I was a nipper) mounted off the port side of my ship. I've still kept the eco reactor on starboard side.
Of course mining isn't anywhere near as quick as using a front mounted mining laser, but it is adequate and manageable.
I actually found it to be awkward using reverse control as I couldn't get my head around the controls being reversed in my aft view, I also found that in the aft view my toe bar wobbled

Many thanks to Norby for his advice and to Astrobe for his most generous offer of help