Oolite Bulletins

Thargoid wrote:

Hmm, ok. How the <beep> did that happen?

Anyway fixed version 2.05 uploaded. Thanks for the heads-up. Your edit is correct (and tested).

Thargoid, forgive me for asking without having actually looked, but...

is this fix something that I should manually do the DCN script that comes with the Caddy (and also goes in The Dark Rainbow) ?

Thx & Cheers

Thargoid wrote:

• energy drain : not keen, but would perhaps consider it but it doesn't work logically for me. They are self-contained repair nanobots - why would they be taking energy from the ship?
• needing cargo : No. They repair and recreate, based on what's already there (or else there would be a logical extension to ask if they can repair a docking computer from a ton of alloys, why can't they create one from scratch from one?)
• needs servicing / special charges : a limited number of attempts before a "recharge" is the most likely candidate to get into the next version.

[/color]

The energy drain could be because transmutation of matter from one element to another is such a mad energy consumer that it destroys stars. (Alchemy comes at a high price.) It could also be because rearranging individual atoms locations also has significant energy requirements when dealing with 10^30 atoms...much like heating up something to make atoms vibrate takes significant energy. Being precise in the movements comes with a higher net energy burden than diffuse heating.

Needing cargo to feed the system matter makes some sense if the equipment being repaired has significant mass (like >0.1 tons). Part of the damaged equipment is likely to be missing rather than simply destroyed. The schematics for that equipment has to be known in advance or even light damage cannot be repaired just by replicating nearby parts.

Needing servicing/special charges implies the system itself slowly breaks down and fails. This weakly implies "bad things" can happen if it's not maintained. The last thing I'd want is for the repair nanomachines to go haywire on my ship and decide it needed MY mass to rebuild something that isn't even damaged! Grey goo indeed!

Will these charges also apply to the DCN (neocaduceus) or is that not the intention ?

Thargoid wrote:

OK, I just uploaded v2.06. The Repair System now comes as standard with 10 charges, one of which is used whenever an attempt is made (except if the system has to try and repair itself). Refills become available once the charge level drops below 5, and if it reaches zero then the system will shut down until recharged.

It also now uses 2t of cargo space, which will be claimed from Oolite v1.77 onward (in 1.76 it just needs to be available to purchase the system).

I've just noticed that the Remaining repair system charges message appears on the Manifest screen (F5) even if you haven't got the repair system equipment installed. I assume this is a bug?

Thargoid wrote:

Umm, yes Just consider it a hint to get the system installed

Anyway, v2.07 uploaded with the fix, plus a couple of other script streamlines.

That was quick!

Unfortunately, Thargoid, the fix was ineffective. I'm still getting the message of remaining charges.

Trying to save up enough credits to buy a repair system after buying my Python Class Cruiser, but I need about 3 more trips to have the 12k required.

Not only is the fix not working, I found something else wrong (or an unintended feature ).

I changed ships at one point (happens, you know?) from the starting Cobbie to a Python. I had a repair system bought for the Cobbie and had to use up two charges during the early stages. I then sold the Cobbie, bought the Python and the screen indeed showed I had 8 charges left for the Python.

But when I bought a new RS I started off with 8 available charges, instead of the intended 10. Having just used one up, I now have 7 charges left. (BTW, removing and re-installing the OXP does NOT clear the remaining charges count!)

At what time will you be allowed the full 10 charges again? And if this is a feature, shouldn't the price of the repair system then be reduced depending on how many charges you still have left/would still have had if you hadn't sold the ship)?

I downloaded version 2.07 on Monday (16/07) if that is any help, through the OXP-list.

Other than this bug/feature a GREAT OXP.

Running trunk 1.77.0.5108, i386, linux.

I installed 2.07 and decided it was a pain (the nanobots waste charges trying to repair the planetary landing system . . .) and moved back to 2.05. Now that save file has lost about 60% of the EQ including all four lasers and the docking computers. I've copied it and tried editing the save file, but nothing. Is there some mission_variable I should be looking for? Well, now I feel silly.

Ah, turns out the missing equipment was a borked shipyard.plist(?!) . . . , so no fault of yours. Sorry.

As to the planetary landing capability, for some reason that bit gets shot quite frequently (for me, anyway) and even under the older, non-charge version the repair bots will work furiously on it for quite a while before giving up.

Thargoid wrote:

As to the earlier reports from DredgerMan - I'll try and grab some time next week and look into them. It may be that not everything is getting reset that should be on ship sale.

Thanks, Oh Great Bug.

When you are looking at it can you also keep an eye out for the following: I have only 5 charges left and now the system will not repair anything anymore. I have had three items break on me (well, they got blasted by Thargies and pirates), a planetary information system, an escort targetting system and the third one I can't remember. If the two specified are also not to be repaired by the system then I assume the same would apply for the third one.

Is there a definitive list somewhere what specifies what items are not going to be repaired? It would be helpful if that became part of the OXP documentation.