Oolite Bulletins

Hi folks, first post! Love rediscovering the game, although I only remember being rubbish at it on my BBC B!
Really enjoying Oolite's level of customisation and vibrant community that's build up over the years it's been running, huge effort from all and an amazing world that's been built.

I have couple of script/OXP questions to start with...has anyone already built anything like the following I could adapt, and if not are they actually possible via scripts?

1) Can you update the colours on the star map to reflect government?
2) Can you update keymappings dynamically when you change view?

E.g. switch to right view, the right-arrow key intuitively rolls *the screen* right so you don't have to learn different keys for each view.

I've already searched the board for around an hour on the subject - but either don't know the right terms, or it ain't covered yet. Look forward to joining the fun!

Arch Stanton wrote:

Hi folks, first post! Love rediscovering the game, although I only remember being rubbish at it on my BBC B!
Really enjoying Oolite's level of customisation and vibrant community that's build up over the years it's been running, huge effort from all and an amazing world that's been built.

Hi Arch Stanton, welcome to the boards! Friendliest place this side of Riedquat, by any objective measurement. I'm not the one to provide any sort of technical answer to your queries, but I can add a couple of things (to Q1, anyway):

Arch Stanton wrote:

1) Can you update the colours on the star map to reflect government?

I don't know – but have you tried pressing "i" on the [wiki]Short Range Chart[/wiki]? All sorts of good information about planetary economies, governments and tech levels. And there are some stonking PDF Galactic Charts to download, too: get the links here.

Hi Arch Stanton, and welcome to the friendliest board this side of riedquat.
I don't think either of your requests are doable as things stand, unfortunately. The Charts are fairly basic as you've seen, and to do what you ask (which is a good idea, by the way) they would need to acces the data for all the planets shown before drawing the chart, and as far as I know there is no mechanism available that could do this.
Key-mapping is possible - indeed I have re-mapped my keyboard controls as I use an old (second) keyboard as a 'control panel' in conjunction with a joystick. Again, sadly I know of no way this can be done dynamically as you require.
However, I don't know everything, and somebody could come along later and tell you it can be done.

Thanks for the replies guys, hadn't spotted the "i" button - really helps for route planning! I've even updated my keymapping and didn't notice it <facepalm>

Shame about the dynamic keymapping, it's not *important* as you can eventually learn the swap round, just figured it could make life easier for people.

Next question: is the constore a separate OXP from Your Ad Here?
All my station beacons have changed to billboards, but I see no constores near witch beacon or station?

Arch Stanton wrote:

Next question: is the constore a separate OXP from Your Ad Here?
All my station beacons have changed to billboards, but I see no constores near witch beacon or station?

The Constores are part of Your Ad Here, but they don't appear in every system: the planet has to have a high enough population. If the population is 4 billion or more, then there should be a Constore out near the witchpoint.

Definitely something up then - I've been thru dozens of stations since adding YAH and not seen a constore at the witchpoint
Currently tooling around between Tianve (pop ~6bln http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Sector1/Tianve) and Tianrebi and just don't seem to see them.

They are pretty much always directly behind you when you exit witchspace, normally just beyond Scanner Range. Flick to rear view to see if one is there.

It may be worth double checking you've followed the install intructions for YAH correctly - you do need at least one of the sets in addition to YOUR_AD_HERE.oxp to have constores appear. The constore variants are defined in sets A-G. The steps necessary to have the OXP in its most up to date state are a bit 'out there' as well.

Re your question re the charts, Svengali with the BGS oxp is working on some nifty stuff to make the charts more visually interesting and useful.

I don't think the dynamic key mapping can be done, but in time you get used to it, and sometimes it serves as a useful reminder that you are not on front view.

Capt. Murphy wrote:

They are pretty much always directly behind you when you exit witchspace, normally just beyond Scanner Range. Flick to rear view to see if one is there.

Ah! Thanks Murphy, I assumed they'd be obvious, they're probably there but as they're not on the scanner I'm just carrying on in to the system...will check again when I regain access to the ooniverse and not grubbing for real cash IRL!

Arch Stanton wrote:

Ah! Thanks Murphy, I assumed they'd be obvious, they're probably there but as they're not on the scanner I'm just carrying on in to the system...will check again when I regain access to the ooniverse and not grubbing for real cash IRL!

If you've got an [wiki]Advanced Space Compass[/wiki] fitted, then the Constore will show up on that as a "C" ...