Oolite Bulletins

June 3, 2012
Autodockv0.2 is now available for download:

https://www.box.com/s/a4c1541db080dc4016b4

-now works perfectly with Extended Shipyards, Ship Storage Helper and the built-in shipyard when buying a ship with a docking computer.(version 0.1 was missing a statement )

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This is for you Bugbear!(Only took 4 hours hehe!)

Autodockv01 for 1.76 or 1.77trunk

-Just like in ArcElite and some other versions of Elite, no need to buy anything, if you are lacking a docking computer and have 50 credits the main station can take control of your ship directly to pilot you in on remote, just use the normal autopiloting keys(the handwavium being that in all ships between the pilot controls and the ship control systems is a computer interpretting what the pilot wants and giving the correct instructions to the ship control system. It is this computer that the docking computer plugs into and when authorised by the pilot, a remote linkup can also be initiated directly through the ship communications system with the main station, allowing remote piloting of your ship as well). A good solution for novice pilots until they can afford that shiny new docking computer. Also great for new pilots as, in addition, you get a 50% refund when you cancel the autopilot before you dock. Great for brand new pilots that just want a little help lining up with the station so they can make the last little bit on their own or perhaps recover from a bad docking(I think we've all had one of those). Also fully compatible with previous saves that have a docking computer and no need to sell equipment or anything like that before removing the oxp from the addons folder either.

Enjoy!

Download Link:

https://www.box.com/s/71ef9b84c18575135265

Might be an idea to announce this in Bugbear's thread on the subject..

Edit: did it myself

Autodockv0.2 is now available for download:

https://www.box.com/s/a4c1541db080dc4016b4

-now works perfectly with Extended Shipyards, Ship Storage Helper and the built-in shipyard when buying a ship with a docking computer.(version 0.1 was missing a statement )

Hi CSOTB - I know you mentioned you remember this feature from Elite-A. I remember it from ArcElite and IIRC there was a techLevel limitation to the availability of 'RentaDock' as it was known. I think the station had to have a techLevel the same or higher as that required to sell Docking Computers in the first place. Any chance of implementing that as-well?

Capt. Murphy wrote:

Hi CSOTB - I know you mentioned you remember this feature from Elite-A. I remember it from ArcElite and IIRC there was a techLevel limitation to the availability of 'RentaDock' as it was known. I think the station had to have a techLevel the same or higher as that required to sell Docking Computers in the first place. Any chance of implementing that as-well?

Well, anything's possible.

Earlier I had to look it all up again because I had forgotten some of the specifics, like the tech level and some systems charging more money out of you for the service(would be more suitable for dealing with local governments on a planetary landing as "landing fees" might be exhorbitant or even criminal as opposed to the more neutral ground of the GalCop station) and it would seem that the way it used to be was not something very friendly and useable for novice pilots and maybe actually counterproductive and antagonistic, like having your missiles jam anytime you have 6 or more hostiles attacking you, I'm not sure anyone would want that "feature" in the game either.

I'm just taking this one step at a time. In thinking about it, currently a player would have already been able to purchase a docking computer for the cost of only 30 to 60 autodockings. It makes for a good cash cow for GalCop to have the service everywhere and even for ships that don't have a port to plug-in a docking computer, they can still open a remote autopilot link with the station. Perhaps this is also an attempt by GalCop to cut down on the number of manual docking crashes by newbie piloted vessels. Also having a perpetual bill to pay for docking helps to relieve players of their excess cashflow. Quite realistic, like today when you have to decide do I buy furniture outright or do I rent-to-own? While a low-tech station might not have the techs for installing docking computers, GalCop's own maintenance technicians could have the skills to maintain the autodock remote ship docking system or perhaps a few techs fly around between all the stations and that's all they do is maintain that system as part of a new GalCop policy that makes it even easier to trade at stations. Even lousy pilots need not fear the rigors of space travel, just hit the autopilot and keep the cargo flowing.

There's other things to consider too. Docking computers can be damaged and when one is plugged into the ships computer a remote link cannot be established, just like modern electronics that sense when something is plugged into a specific port, it overrides the possibility of a remote link, probably on the assumption that if the docking computer is damaged that the remote link might not work right either and this might be a failsafe to prevent faulty remote autopiloting. So there's another strike against actually owning a docking computer, that perhaps you have a lot of trade with dangerous systems and tend to have the computer get damaged and when it does you have to manual dock anyways. Another reason to just pay as you go.

So I've got 2 choices: promote pay as you go which is good for novice pilots and requires a steady outflow of cash or promote investing in equipment which still relies on repairing damage from combat. Maybe both can co-exist and as the player's situation or goals change they can go with this in either direction as well.

The way I see it, I can do one of 4 things:

1)nothing-at this point both can run parallel with somewhat balanced pluses and minuses to both.

2)promote owning a docking computer-very occasionally in governments 0-5 there is some form of overcharge, the severity depending on the government.

3)promote autodocking with no docking computer-that's easy, just raise the damage probability to 5 or 10. Then the docking computer will most likely be the first thing damaged in a combat.

4)Both #2 and #3, still balanced but adding more variety to the ooniverse and in doing so, being more antagonistic to the player.

Any comments on this? Other ideas?

I must say that I think of the whole thing as quite superfluous.

In the very early stages my commanders wouldn't spend any money on anything apart from buying commodities. They wouldn't have 25Cr to spare for docking every time. As soon as there's some cash left after filling the hold, it's only a couple of jumps more until they can buy a docking computer anyway, and paying a fee for docking would only prolong that period, so it would be counter-productive.

Just my 0.02Cr.

Thanks everyone for implementing this idea. As I said in another thread, I hope this is of use for new commanders or any lazy, experienced commanders with a broken Docking Computer.

@CommanderMcLane, I tend to agree with you regarding the price per use. Perhaps for new commanders, they could be given a 5 free docks voucher with a new licence. Just a little something to let a new commander see how a successful dock is supposed to look before trying it out for themselves.

Experienced commanders should already have worked this out...

Maybe this could be linked to Phantor's new Safe Docking OXP. For novices, if they dock manually very well they could be awarded a voucher for one free 'Auto Dock'?
I don't know if it would work...just a thought

Bugbear wrote:

Perhaps for new commanders, they could be given a 5 free docks voucher with a new licence. Just a little something to let a new commander see how a successful dock is supposed to look before trying it out for themselves.

I like this idea!

Bugbear wrote:

Experienced commanders should already have worked this out...

I operate on the principle that "Any docking you can walk away from is a good one"

(Apparently, so does my Docking Computer, which has a new hobby.. collecting 'Offender' tags for sloppy docking at Free Trade Zones)

Love the OXP.

50 credits? Am I the only one who remembers this being quite a bit cheaper in NES Elite?

BuggyBY wrote:

50 credits? :shock: Am I the only one who remembers this being quite a bit cheaper in NES Elite?

I don't know about NES Elite, but it was fifty credits in Elite Plus.