Oolite Bulletins

Screet wrote:

Cmdr Wyvern wrote:

I'll have to examine the shader code; I want to use shaders to generate a hot engine effect for the WIP Xarik spaceplane I'm tinkering with.

I recently had some problems with other objects (stations, ships, asteroids...) glowing according to my engines settings

Screet

I've read about that. You eventually pinned it down to some nutty things vista was doing with the game files if I remember it right.

I'm using an X52 joystick, which handles a lot more precisely than any other stick I tried piloting Oolite with. I can certainly recommend it, though it'll punch a $100 sized hole in your wallet. Mine was a xmas gift.

Cmdr Wyvern wrote:

I've read about that. You eventually pinned it down to some nutty things vista was doing with the game files if I remember it right.

I'm using an X52 joystick, which handles a lot more precisely than any other stick I tried piloting Oolite with. I can certainly recommend it, though it'll punch a $100 sized hole in your wallet. Mine was a xmas gift.

I'm using a quite old Microhard Sidewinder ForceFeedback 2 which did cost the same amount several years ago. I did set it up to use the force only to center the stick...but it's got an awful big dead spot. At least I never encountered drift. Wish I had my neighbours F16 flight control set...that's really great! But then, he's an ex-pilot who's not allowed to fly anything aside from simulators due to a former burnout.

Concerning the shaders: The Vista thing was something else that mixed into that thread. Today I got an immense big log concerning the shader problem, but I could not post it properly. If anyone wants to have a look, I can send it via email.

Screet

OT Warning:
@Screet - I just bought a CH Combatstick 568... I was borrowing a friend's Saitek Cyborg Gold 3D USB. It was okay, but had a bad habit of not centering exactly and causing drift. This new CH is SWEET!!!! Now, if we could just resolve the way Windows / Linux interpret POV hats differently....

ClymAngus wrote:

Commander McLane wrote:

Hey, that's a Kestrel from Escape Velocity!

Ah the kestrel, arguably one of the better looking ships in that game (they got better through out the series).

Yes, actually it reminded me more of the Kestrel version from Nova (there was none in EVO).

In later versions the ship slapped on the front cover of EV nova (starbridge?) Now that would be a good ship to oo.

Ok you'd need to fritz the stats; 20 metres length and 40 tons of cargo space (!). (Personally I'd make it double or triple the size) but hey, the white paint job is to die for. I might ask ambrosia if they'd mind me doing a version for Oolite... Never know they might say yes, the worst they can say is no.

Yes, that's the Starbridge from EVN. Everybody's darling in that game. I also could imagine to see the Vell-os ships in Oolite. A Javelin would be pretty cool. Not to speak of the mighty Raven, which would firmly bring us into über-territory...

Well I've sent a speculative e-mail to ambrosia software, so we'll see where that goes.

Turret power, hmm. They do have less power than a dragon turret and if someone's tailgating the 3 turret version they can dispense a truly withering barrage. It's currently set in between beam and military. Admittedly there are 3 of them per side, but then they do have quite a restricted firing arc.

Caduceus? WOW.
I took the liberty of slowing down the controls as reccomended somewhere above.
I think i might have been incredibly lucky to find not one but two in a station just a few saves back. I might have to lose the saves since then. put it down to dreaming or something.

Just a thought/sugestion.
Is there a limited number (10) of these ships? maybe they could all be individually named?
or if it's a random but slim chance of one being where you are, then throw the virtual 10 sided dice to chose the name.?
Proper pirate ship. sneak up on them until you get close, one shot to wind them up, turn & BLAM.
Top marks. wicked ship.

Given the new whizzy use of shaders to add decals it should be possibly to have the shader pick the right decal (i.e. nameplate) for any particular ship...

DaddyHoggy wrote:

Given the new whizzy use of shaders to add decals it should be possibly to have the shader pick the right decal (i.e. nameplate) for any particular ship...

Could this be used to allow players to name their ships? If some automatic mechanism would exist to place a font with the user's selected shipname on a plate and then attach it the way you said to the ship a user is flying, I guess it would increase the bond between pilot and ship!

Ohhhh....and although I couldn't sleep the night before, I couldn't sleep last night either because of this new toy called Caduceus. Kept me awake until 6am

I had to modify my fighting style because the ship can be hit so easily, but it's power is immense. Increased adrenaline but felt very well flying it. Just as I did guess: When I was about to ask for a proper ship for me, the Caduceus has been presented...and is practically the ship I've been looking for!

Screet

Screet wrote:

Could this be used to allow players to name their ships? If some automatic mechanism would exist to place a font with the user's selected shipname…

No.

Screet wrote:

Could this be used to allow players to name their ships? If some automatic mechanism would exist to place a font with the user's selected shipname on a plate and then attach it the way you said to the ship a user is flying, I guess it would increase the bond between pilot and ship!

You can do this yourself. Just make a mini OXP containing a clone of the ship you're flying, make sure it's a player-ship only, and call it whatever is appropriate to you (e.g. I fly around in something that's officially called a "Wolf Mark II SE: Radio Maru"). You can edit the textures too to add decals, names etc.

Disembodied wrote:

Screet wrote:

Could this be used to allow players to name their ships? If some automatic mechanism would exist to place a font with the user's selected shipname on a plate and then attach it the way you said to the ship a user is flying, I guess it would increase the bond between pilot and ship!

You can do this yourself. Just make a mini OXP containing a clone of the ship you're flying, make sure it's a player-ship only, and call it whatever is appropriate to you (e.g. I fly around in something that's officially called a "Wolf Mark II SE: Radio Maru"). You can edit the textures too to add decals, names etc.

I fly a Python: Dubious Profit.

Captain Hesperus

ClymAngus wrote:

Turret power, hmm. They do have less power than a dragon turret and if someone's tailgating the 3 turret version they can dispense a truly withering barrage. It's currently set in between beam and military. Admittedly there are 3 of them per side, but then they do have quite a restricted firing arc.

The Dragon's turrets have a weapon_energy of 20, while the Caddy's turret's have a weapon_energy of 18. But the number of turrets each ship can bring to bear on a target must be considered.

The Dragon's turrets are spread out over it's hull in such a way that the ship can only fire one turret at a time at a target, whereas the Caddy can concentrate the fire of three turrets on a target.

18 times 3 = a combined weapon_energy of 54. Screet is correct, the Caddy's turret firepower is rather overwhelming.

If the turrets have a weapon_energy of 7, then 7 times 3 = combined power of 21.

Cmdr Wyvern wrote:

18 times 3 = a combined weapon_energy of 54. Screet is correct, the Caddy's turret firepower is rather overwhelming.

If the turrets have a weapon_energy of 7, then 7 times 3 = combined power of 21.

Fair comment I would consider a reduction maybe not a drop to 7, I'll take 15 and a drop by 1 point in accuracy. A broadside is devastating but then we have to consider the 1 third drop in size from the original Dragon design of turret. You did put BIG turrets on that monkey, and you did set the scale.

Man, your all going to have me whittle this down to a worm i swear. Damn you and your game balance sir!!

File updated.

Do you ever have moments, where your spending so much time trying to improve this game that you have forgotten the love you had for playing it? I'm going to spend a couple of hours refinding the love.

I blame You and your mathematical just so's, they make me tired all over . By the way if at any point you want me to lend an irrationally artistic hand to your dragon texture or ship design then well, just ask.

Cmdr Wyvern wrote:

the Caddy's turret firepower is rather overwhelming.

If the turrets have a weapon_energy of 7, then 7 times 3 = combined power of 21.

Leviathan? What Leviathan?
Thargoid battleship? Where is it?
I only see metal fragments!

The turrets can take some time with fighters. I guess it is because they do get obstructed by the ships entities with small, fast flying craft. But capital ships which have been quite some trouble flying the GriffBoa are exploding almost right away.

I've thought what would happen if the turrets were spaced a little differently on the ship, giving them a bigger area of space to shoot at, but reducing the amount of them, probably to four. This way it would be easier to shoot fighters, but capital ships would be more difficult.

I'm not sure about that idea, though. As it is, the Caduceus is quite some sort of extremely heavy fighter: strongest against big ships, but less effective against small fighters.

I'm still sooo happy with it. The über-Problem of the Merlin is gone, the turrets enable some new fighting tactics and the ship just handles sooooo well! I really love it!

...and get shot down (or rammed to death) from time to time. Adrenaline is back!

Screet

ClymAngus wrote:

Cmdr Wyvern wrote:

18 times 3 = a combined weapon_energy of 54. Screet is correct, the Caddy's turret firepower is rather overwhelming.

If the turrets have a weapon_energy of 7, then 7 times 3 = combined power of 21.

Fair comment I would consider a reduction maybe not a drop to 7, I'll take 15 and a drop by 1 point in accuracy. A broadside is devastating but then we have to consider the 1 third drop in size from the original Dragon design of turret. You did put BIG turrets on that monkey, and you did set the scale.

Fair 'nuff. when I made the Dragon's turrets, I used the Behemoth ballturret for size reference, just as I use the Cobby for size reference for ships. BTW, it doesn't matter that much what size the turret model is, the plasma 'shell' they fire comes out the same size regardless.

Man, your all going to have me whittle this down to a worm i swear. Damn you and your game balance sir!!

Naaw. I think I'm done nitpicking....for now.

Do you ever have moments, where your spending so much time trying to improve this game that you have forgotten the love you had for playing it? I'm going to spend a couple of hours refinding the love.

I blame You and your mathematical just so's, they make me tired all over . By the way if at any point you want me to lend an irrationally artistic hand to your dragon texture or ship design then well, just ask.

I do the math so you don't have to!

I have to break off plist hacking from time to time to test-fly the craft I'm hacking on, and teach some naughty pirates not to mess with the Lizard.

I know, my modelling and texturing skills suck. Griff, Crow and Simon prove that lots. At least I'm good at plist hacking.

Speaking of plist hacking, the Xarik is coming along.
Tell me if this armament is overkill: Four turrets (top, bottom, left and right, power level 15) all four laser mounts, missile load of 10 (there's more than missiles and other explosives that mount on missile pylons).

Speed of 360, 6 energy banks, recharge of 5. Base cargo hold a bit less than the Cobby, but enough to do some milk runs on - as if I do milk runs anymore.

Just to keep things equal in the Ooniverse, the police are getting Xariks too.