Oolite Bulletins

Pleb wrote:

Gimi wrote:

Ok, so it should be based on a risk assessment. For now, if it's possible and because it would be a cool effect, I'm going to ask for parallel jumps.

Not sure how to go about this one. The group can split into 2 or 3 and jump separately, but then getting them to join back together on the other side might be tricky...

Two ways to do it (and a few other approaches too, I expect):
1) Don't split the group up. Have the main ship group be (e.g.) 3 Asps each with 2 Sidewinder escorts. When it's time to jump, have the group leader set a destination parameter on all three Asps. This gets picked up by a condition, and each Asp jumps independently to the destination, their escorts following through their wormhole. On the other side, they should still be in the same group.
2) Rejoin the group on the other side: give the Asps roles e.g. "himsn-patrol-lead-element" (1) and "himsn-patrol-trail-element" (the rest). If a "trail" Asp is not in a group containing a "lead" Asp then it looks for a nearby "lead" Asp. If it finds one, it joins its group, otherwise it switches its own role to "lead" (on the assumption that the "lead" has just been destroyed) and makes itself group leader. They should regroup fairly quickly in the exit system. If the "trail" sees that the "lead" is in witchspace, it commences its own jump sequence.

Wonderful consultancy work cim (I think). Thank you very much. (I wish I could understand what he is talking about)

cim wrote:

1) Don't split the group up. Have the main ship group be (e.g.) 3 Asps each with 2 Sidewinder escorts. When it's time to jump, have the group leader set a destination parameter on all three Asps. This gets picked up by a condition, and each Asp jumps independently to the destination, their escorts following through their wormhole. On the other side, they should still be in the same group.

I think this will be the best approach overall. I will give this a go tonight!

Gimi wrote:

Wonderful consultancy work cim (I think). Thank you very much. (I wish I could understand what he is talking about)

That's where I come in, the complicated bits that no one understands (except cim who basically says how it is and then I go and try and make it a reality).

You might want to beef-up the Navy Anaconda a little. I had one blowing sparks just now, using only my fore laser - if I'd used my aft laser too, I'd have fragged it before its four escorts got around to fragging me. All working smoothly - though it does require plenty of patience following an Anaconda-led patrol.

Just so people don't think I've died, keep watching this space as the next (and last) alpha test release will be posted up in the next couple of days. Don't want to reveal too much but you can expect to finally get a hands on look at some of the HIMSN textures Keeper has been making...

Okay new alpha test release up and ready people. This version includes not only re-textured versions of the Asp, Anaconda and Sidewinder (big thanks to Keeper for these!) but also incorporated the Kiota Stations from the WildShips OXP by Thargoid (although still using the original textures at present). The modules for the HIMSN stations have been changed around a bit so that these stations will stand out from the WildShips' Kiota stations, but this OXZ is not dependent on having WildShips OXP installed. Full credit for the Kiota goes to Thargoid and Keeper.

I've also tidied up some of the AI coding and also have enabled the Navy Stations to refuse docking clearance to the player if they have not completed the Constrictor Hunt and Thargoid Plans missions. Framework for the Komodo Carrier is in place, but it is not quite ready yet so don't expect to see it in game just yet! Full credit for the carrier goes to Storm and Smivs.

Download HIMSN Alpha Test Release 0.6

<grins> Sweet! Enjoy your night out, Pleb.

I am here now waiting to go into the TV studio!

An alternative link for the test release is below:

http://wiki.alioth.net/images/4/47/Himsn_alpha_test.oxz

Great, I wish I had more free time!

Another update, this time I've added in the textures for the Boa Mk 2 by Keeper. I have moved the HIMSN Headquarters into interstellar space in between the Tetiri and Orlaed systems in Galaxy 5, and I have also added in coding to ensure that Thargoids and traders are not spawned in interstellar space if there is a HIMSN base present.

Also fixed in this release is the Boa Mk 2 now sometimes spawns instead of the Constrictor, and the pilots for Navy ships are now properly defined so this should now be working properly.

Download HIMSN Alpha Test Release 0.701

Alternate link for HIMSN Alpha Test Release 0.701

EDIT: I had to remove the OXZ from both my site and the Wiki and then re-upload as there was an issue with Boa Mk 2, but this is now resolved. Links are the same as before. Sorry!

EDIT 2: Uploaded again as Cody pointed out issue with HIMSN bases in interstellar space spawning patrols that were logging errors. Now HIMSN bases in interstellar space do not random spawn patrols, and all ships spawned near HIMSN bases (wherever they may be located) are spawned further away from station to avoid being destroyed by accident. Have also slowed station rotation speed and also fixed bug with station comms welcoming and warning hostile players at the same time. Hopefully all is okay now!

Pleb wrote:

EDIT: I had to remove the OXZ from both my site and the Wiki and then re-upload as there was an issue with Boa Mk 2, but this is now resolved. Links are the same as before. Sorry! :oops:

I misspelled one of the texture names in the ZIP that I sent you... oops.

I'm half tempted to post that set of screenshots of the new Black Ops Constrictor textures (not in the current build), but maybe it should be a surprise to the players...

Pleb wrote:

Download HIMSN Alpha Test Release 0.701

A quick tip here, though it doesn't matter so much for alpha releases: the addon manager in Oolite does version comparison. 0.701 > 0.8, so when 0.8 is released it wouldn't be highlighted as an upgrade - 0.7.0.1 < 0.7.1 < 0.8

Keeper wrote:

... but maybe it should be a surprise to the players...

<nods emphatically>

Woohoo! Tonight I ran across the Navy Base System at Xeer. Cunning location you picked for it, too!

Naturally, I had to go check it out and test the defenses, with my trunk-test-pilot (clean, and only 3 kills).

Which leads to my question.

Going by this:

Pleb wrote:

I have already managed to use Diziet Sma's example and get the cruiser and it's fleet to attack the player if it doesn't leave its vicinity within 15 seconds of being warned the second time

I was expecting a warning, followed by a second warning to leave within 15 seconds. However, the only warning I got was the "leave within 15 seconds or you're dead" message. While I was confusedly wondering where the second warning was, they opened fire on me.. I managed to bug out with a quick witchjump.

So ummm... what happened to my first warning? Shouldn't I have gotten one, or did this somehow get left out of the 0.701 alpha?


So now I'm being pursued across the chart by Navy Special Ops... I've dodged a few witchpoint ambushes, but when I got to the Diedar Station Aegis, I got jumped by several Navy Special Ops Asps, who fried my carcass in very quick and efficient style..

Pleb wrote:

Navy Stations will warn the player to leave the vicinity (like the cruisers do anyway) if the player has not yet completed the 'Constrictor Hunt' and 'Thargoid Plans' stock missions. Failure to do so will result in the player being marked as hostile by all HIMSN forces for 60 days.

So I guess I've now got almost two months of this kind of treatment to look forward to!

(I'm very tempted to edit this out of my game-save.. I can see this is not going to be a fun experience in a stock Cobby with normal shields and a pair of beam lasers.. )

Navy don't muck about if you offend them, Diz. I have an iron-assed commander set aside for testing this (not that I've done any testing in quite a while).