Oolite Bulletins

Current version v1.4.3 see release post


Clippers OXP by Smivs

(original post)
This OXP replaces the Boa Clipper OXP. It includes two 'Clipper' variants, the Boa and Python, with the Boa Clipper being essentially the same as the one in the original OXP.
Both ships have a new feature - supplementary external fuel tanks which are primeable equipment. These hold 4LY of fuel, and can be activated when the main tank volume falls below 3LY. Users of the original Boa Clipper OXP should find the move to this OXP seemless and will be able to upgrade to the external tanks.

==Python Clipper==
The Python Clipper has two Drive units with a reduction in cargo capacity of 25TC over the original Python, leaving a hold of 75TC capacity. The original Python was also noted for its lack of modern equipment options and poor armaments and these issues have been addressed in the Clipper. The Python Clipper has one less energy bank than the original Python (six rather than seven) and no cargo expansion option, but the space freed-up has allowed much more powerful rechargers to be fitted and also allows for four missile pylons, double that of the Python. Military Shield Boosters can also be fitted to the Clipper. Performance, handling and top speed are all noticeably better than a standard Python.

==Boa Clipper==
The Boa Clipper has three Stardrives and a cargo capacity of 150TC. Top speed and handling is improved over the Boa 2 but all other specifications are the same. With a full range of equipment options available and eight energy banks with efficient rechargers already included, there was not a lot of room for improvement over the standard Boa 2.

==Special features==
In keeping with their role as long distance express transports, both Clipper models are equiped as standard with Fuel Scoops and Heat Shielding, and with the introduction of the Python variant external secondary fuel tanks were introduced across the range. These hold 4LY of fuel and this can be moved into the main tanks when their level falls below 3LY. These External Fuel Tanks are primeable equipment. To prime the tanks, press 'shift-n' and to transfer the fuel to your main tanks, press 'n'.
These ships also feature an adaptation of the standard HUD, which is a bit easier on the eye and re-positions the console and comms messages.

==Existing Boa Clipper users==
I have tried to make the transition to the new OXP seemless and the upgrade to External Fuel Tanks as easy as possible. If you already have the Boa Clipper OXP installed, simply remove it and replace it with Clippers OXP.
Owners of Series One Boa Clippers are offered a cost-price retro-fit of the External Fuel Tanks. If your player ship is a Boa Clipper go to the F3 screen (outfitters) once this new OXP is installed and you will see 'External Fuel Tanks - Full' listed at a cost of 500Cr. Click on this and your Clipper will be upgraded with External Fuel Tanks. Once used these can be refilled for 40Cr.

==Compatibility==
This OXP is compatible with ExtraFuelTanks OXP. Both OXPs can be installed together. If you fly a Boa or Python Clipper with External Fuel Tanks you will not see ExtraFuelTanks offered, but if you have other Commanders flying various ships and use ExtraFuelTanks these will continue to work normally.

More information can be found on the Wiki page, or Smivsonline.

==Credits==
Many thanks to Griff for allowing me to 'borrow' the engine model from his 'Boa', and to Okti for advice and help scripting the external fuel tanks.

==License==
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.

==Download/Installation==
Downloads are from Smivsonline and are available here.
Unzip the download and place the .oxp folder in your Oolite AddOns folder.

Original versions (now replaced but left here for reference.

Very cool!

If the external tanks are shot does it do some damage, like that from a low yield missile?

CommonSenseOTB wrote:

Very cool!

If you the external tanks are shot does it do some damage, like that from a low yield missile?

They can be damaged, yes, but they are designed to be fail-safe, so no further damage is done to the ship.
It wouldn't look good if your ship blew up every time it took a hit to the tanks, would it?

(What a good idea....bugger, why didn't I think of that! Maybe something for the next version.)

Wow that looks really really nice. Worth a download!
Sadly in my Oolive my credit balance is nowhere near to buy one of the more expensive ships. Currently saving up for a better ship than a Cobbie Mk3 but the repair bills hurt.

Another great OXP has been released. Wonderful job, Smivs.

I've just uploaded v1.1 of this OXP.
There is an ammendment to the shipdata.plist to ensure that the Boa Clipper won't lose its sub-entities
I have also further updated the custom HUD to the combat HUD now fitted to the WonderWorm. The Clipper HUD has a central clock.

v1.2 is now available. Just a HUD upgrade, but worth having, I think. An adaptation of the Combat HUD specially for these ships, with the ship name incorporated into the HUD (in case you forget what you're flying )

Smivs wrote:

...the ship name incorporated into the HUD (in case you forget what you're flying )

LOL, I should add that feature to the HUD Koneko Industries ships are going to ship with after I release Koneko Industries OXP. Quite amusing, in a passive way (and stylish, too).

I've only being flying the Boa Clipper for a few months (game time, that is ) but already I love it: fast, responsive, and operationally very flexible with its 150t hold. Thanks, Smivs, for telling me I should consider it as a replacement for my old Python. (I paid full price for all the equipment, please note! No cheap substitutes on this ship).

I do have a couple of questions, if that's okay. First, I've replaced the words BOA CLIPPER on the hud with the ship's name, NOOMI, but can't get it exactly centred in the box. Is there an easy way of doing this, or should I just fiddle around with the values of x, y & y_origin until it looks right?

Second question: every hud I've tried gives me the same problem -- I can't easily see the tails on the blips in the short-range scanner, especially when the target is dead ahead or dead astern. I'm hoping you'll tell me that every line on the scanner is drawn individually (as opposed to a subroutine that draws the whole thing) and can be deleted/changed at will. As a minimum, I'd like to experiment with deleting the green line that runs from top to bottom, as that's the little blighter that's giving me the most grief. Once I've done that (assuming I can), I'd like to experiment further to create a 'minimal' scanner with very few grid lines.

I have opened up clipperHud1.plist, obviously, in order to add the ship's name, but please remember I'm new to all this and green as a Thargoid so I don't really know what I'm looking at. I assume this is JavaScript, but I'm not 100% sure -- that's how bad things are.

Please note, at some point I still intend to have a go at a personalised paint job, using your tutorial -- the idea of a carbonfibre-black Boa really appeals! As for the killer logo in red, I thought a dragon would be highly appropriate for a ship called Noomi.

Albee wrote:

Second question: every hud I've tried gives me the same problem -- I can't easily see the tails on the blips in the short-range scanner, especially when the target is dead ahead or dead astern.

I thought that was how to tell they are dead ahead or astern: there is no tail to say they are above or below the plane of flight.

(I am assuming you know that "tail" projects vertically up or down onto the plane of your ship.)

Hi Albee, I'm glad you like her
To sort your 'name' out just change the 'x' co-ordinate to -25. and It should be nicely centred.

As for the scanner, I have to confess I have no idea how it is drawn. All I did with it for the Clipper HUDs was make it green! Maybe a different colour might help you. The scanner code is up the top of the plist (which is written in OpenStep, by the way, not js). The colour is the 'rgb_color' bit. The three numbers are the values of Red, Green and Blue. There is a nice chart of rgb colours here so try a few colours and see what happens.

SandJ wrote:

I thought that was how to tell they are dead ahead or astern: there is no tail to say they are above or below the plane of flight.

(I am assuming you know that "tail" projects vertically up or down onto the plane of your ship.)

I do, SandJ -- back in the days of Elite I always thought it was a clever way of showing position above/below the datum plane.

Saying "dead ahead or dead astern" was extremely careless of me, as that's not what I meant at all. What I should have said was on the fore/aft vertical plane of the vessel, but off the horizontal plane -- except that's probably just as confusing. How about, Go straight ahead (or back), then up or down a bit? Ugh! Can someone help me out, here? The right words just won't come.

Hopefully you know what I mean, anyway. And since the tails are very fine, I have difficulty seeing them when they coincide with the scanner's central vertical line. I'm playing on a MacBook Pro 13, I should point out -- people with bigger screens (not to mention younger eyes) may fare better in this regard. The easiest way to solve the problem, I thought, was omit the offending line, hence my question.

Smivs wrote:

To sort your 'name' out just change the 'x' co-ordinate to -25 and It should be nicely centred.

As for the scanner... try a few colours and see what happens.

Thanks for the tips. I'll give it a try.

Albee wrote:

Hopefully you know what I mean, anyway. And since the tails are very fine, I have difficulty seeing them when they coincide with the scanner's central vertical line. I'm playing on a MacBook Pro 13, I should point out -- people with bigger screens (not to mention younger eyes) may fare better in this regard. The easiest way to solve the problem, I thought, was omit the offending line, hence my question.

Trouble seeing the scanner? Why not give my NumericHUDv3 a try? Biggest scanner around and grey makes it very easy to see all the colored lollipops. Tried, tested and developed on an Acer Aspire one netbook with a 10" screen. Should be excellent on your MacBook Pro 13.

CommonSenseOTB wrote:

Trouble seeing the scanner? Why not give my NumericHUDv3 a try?

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Full reply directed to NumericHUDv3.oxp thread in this forum.

In attempting to troubleshoot my Viper Interceptor (don't ask) I read my logfile and found the following lines:-

21:48:13.804 [shipData.load.begin]: Loading ship data.
21:48:13.833 [plist.parse.failed]: Failed to parse /Users/Albee/Library/Application Support/Oolite/AddOns/ClippersV1.2.oxp/Config/equipment.plist as a property list.
Unexpected character ( at line 1

Despite this, the Boa Clipper is available to me, and is in fact my current ship. Noomi II flies and handles perfectly. (Wish I could say the same for the Interceptor).