[Release] EscortDeck v1.11 and EscortPack v1.2

[QCS]

After some more testing I would say the new version works much better than before I would consider this fixed

Another small one.. .this time a suggestion:
Towbar OXP has some way to react to the towed ship's mass (I guess) by reducing maneuverability a bit when the towed ship is heavy.
I guess adding something similar to the Escort Deck when heavy (or several small...) escorts are docked would add a bit 'reality feeling'. In combat situations the ships are not docked anyway most of the time, so it does not block really.

[Norby]

react to the towed ship's mass by reducing maneuverability

Thanks, I added into my todo. Note this feature caused shaking at some players so there is a variable in towbar.js to disable it. From Oolite v1.81 maxPitch is writable so a stable solution is possible.

Similar idea to reduce thrust so need more time to reach the max. speed and harder to break. This is also possible from Oolite v1.81.

[Norby]

I just savaged two ships with my new DTT Kraken, I noticed instead of towing them they docked as escorts

The docking radius of Escort Deck is larger (800m) than the arm of Towbar (100m automatically, 200m if you prime and activate towbar equipment) so if you have space on your deck and the salvage is enough small then your deck will catch it to leave the single space on towbar to a larger salvage.
You can override this by removing your target lock from the derelict ship due to the deck need active lock for pickup but towbar can catch it without lock also.
If you forgot to remove the target lock and pick up accidentally to the deck then prime the deck, use mode key ("b") until you select the salvage, activate ("n") to release it, then turn back and approach it without target lock.

I returned to the pirate cove to sell them and I can't?

The salvages both on deck and towbar should be sold on mission screens right when you dock into any station. You can not sell these by hand in a station (not implemented due to should be removed automatically when you arrived) but in the space you can release and sell using a Tug Drone, although this method is pay well only with large targets, especially if too large to tow.

[QCS]

Hmm... very strange issue I had right now.

I am currently carrying two Wolf Mark I (beautiful ship that is) and a Granite Fer-de-Lance as escort.

I jumped into a system, headed close to the sun and entered a Kiota Relay station. Saved there. No problems. Did not exit or load game.
Exited the station and headed to the sun to scoop fuel. I encountered a lonely fugitive Fer-de-lance which immediately opened laser and missile fire. My escorts jumped from deck and within 5 seconds killed that ship. Then I found that there were only two escorts on the scanner. Checking the log:

10:46:20.574 [escortdeck_escort]: Wolf Mark I 6: The Duke's Hydrogen Raga II 5 1 4 3 3 2 5 terminated by [Ship "Witchpoint Beacon" position: (-0.0661382, -1.59823, -0.739487) scanClass: CLASS_BUOY status: STATUS_DEAD] scrape damage

I was not even close to the witchpoint. To prove that the Wolf did not get destroyed when entering the system and I just didn't realize, I loaded the savegame I created when I was in the Relay station. And yes, the Wolf is still there. It got lost between exiting the relay station and the kill of the fugitive.

[Norby]

Strange, I have no idea where can I start to fix it, at least there is no such feature which can teleport escorts from the Sun to the Witchpoint.
Please install [wiki]LogEvents[/wiki], maybe we can see more in the log next time.

[QCS]

Strange, I have no idea where can I start to fix it, at least there is no such feature which can teleport escorts from the Sun to the Witchpoint.
Please install [wiki]LogEvents[/wiki], maybe we can see more in the log next time.

Ok, installed it.
...and it happened again that TWO escorts of mine died at the Witchpoint beacon. Plus the other problem I am still having, my escorts ramming me when docking when they are on full speed. They don't seem to throttle/avoid collision actively.

I post the log from where I exited the planet's aegis.
Wolf Mark I 21796
Wolf Mark I 25083
Granite Fer-de-Lance 5874
Those are my escorts.

Code: Select all

19:04:29.261 [LogEvents]: Player exited from the vicinity of [Planet position: (0, 0, 411840) radius: 31680 m]
19:04:45.916 [files.notFound]: ----- WARNING: Could not find texture file "Gecko_DS.png".
19:04:45.977 [files.notFound]: ----- WARNING: Could not find texture file "Gecko_DS_nm.png".
19:04:46.038 [files.notFound]: ----- WARNING: Could not find texture file "Gecko_DS_fx.png".
19:04:48.808 [LogEvents]: Player alert condition changed from 1 to 2
19:05:18.223 [LogEvents]: Player targeted Granite Python 23718 who has 256+256 shield and 768 energy
19:05:28.789 [LogEvents]: Player targeted Granite Python 23718 who has 256+256 shield and 768 energy
19:05:40.918 [LogEvents]: Player lost lock on Granite Python 23718
19:05:42.181 [LogEvents]: Player targeted Police Asp 5963 who has 256+256 shield and 350 energy
19:05:45.987 [LogEvents]: Player lost lock on Police Asp 5963
19:05:49.577 [LogEvents]: Player targeted Police Asp 5963 who has 256+256 shield and 350 energy
19:05:54.614 [LogEvents]: Player lost lock on Police Asp 5963
19:05:58.802 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 21796
19:05:58.803 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 25083
19:05:58.825 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Granite Fer-de-Lance 5874
19:05:58.854 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 25083
19:05:58.872 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Granite Fer-de-Lance 5874
19:05:58.904 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Granite Fer-de-Lance 5874
19:05:58.904 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 21796
19:05:58.921 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 25083
19:05:58.936 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Granite Fer-de-Lance 5874
19:05:58.969 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 21796
19:05:59.002 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 25083
19:05:59.019 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Granite Fer-de-Lance 5874
19:05:59.052 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 21796
19:05:59.085 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 25083
19:05:59.102 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Granite Fer-de-Lance 5874
19:05:59.135 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 21796
19:05:59.153 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 21796
19:05:59.153 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Granite Fer-de-Lance 5874
19:05:59.185 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Granite Fer-de-Lance 5874
19:05:59.185 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 25083
19:05:59.218 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 21796
19:05:59.251 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 21796
19:08:29.011 [LogEvents]: Player targeted Police Asp 5963 who has 256+256 shield and 350 energy
19:08:29.178 [LogEvents]: Player lost lock on Police Asp 5963
19:08:29.235 [LogEvents]: Player targeted Police Asp 5963 who has 256+256 shield and 350 energy
19:08:44.320 [LogEvents]: Player lost lock on Police Asp 5963
19:09:07.938 [LogEvents]: Player targeted Rock Hermit 1504 who has 1000 energy
19:09:10.581 [LogEvents]: Player lost lock on Rock Hermit 1504
19:09:17.944 [LogEvents]: Player targeted Rock Hermit 1504 who has 1000 energy
19:09:22.766 [LogEvents]: Player got message from Rock Hermit 1504 : Come on in, Commander!
19:09:22.766 [LogEvents]: Player requested docking clearance and DOCKING_CLEARANCE_NOT_REQUIRED
19:09:30.179 [LogEvents]: Player lost lock on Rock Hermit 1504
19:09:59.882 [LogEvents]: Player targeted Granite Python 19434 who has 214+244 shield and 649 energy
19:10:00.864 [LogEvents]: Player got message from Gecko 15203 : Give me a moment to recharge shields and I'll help you out…
19:10:10.205 [LogEvents]: Player lost lock on Granite Python 19434
19:10:10.267 [LogEvents]: Player targeted Granite Python 19434 who has 196+204 shield and 472 energy
19:10:16.486 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 190+204 shield and 444 energy
19:10:16.570 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 190+202 shield and 437 energy
19:10:16.654 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 190+200 shield and 430 energy
19:10:16.753 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 190+198 shield and 423 energy
19:10:16.773 [LogEvents]: Player alert condition changed from 2 to 3
19:10:16.854 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 190+196 shield and 417 energy
19:10:16.953 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 188+194 shield and 403 energy
19:10:17.235 [LogEvents]: Player alert condition changed from 3 to 2
19:10:20.130 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 174+182 shield and 320 energy
19:10:20.331 [LogEvents]: Player got message from "Red Knights Squadron" Viper 31184 : That got their attention!
19:10:20.332 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 170+182 shield and 306 energy
19:10:20.368 [LogEvents]: Player alert condition changed from 2 to 3
19:10:20.371 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 168+182 shield and 299 energy
19:10:20.401 [LogEvents]: Player alert condition changed from 3 to 2
19:10:20.403 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 164+182 shield and 286 energy
19:10:20.530 [LogEvents]: Player got message from "Red Knights Squadron" Viper 23944 : That got their attention!
19:10:20.530 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 162+182 shield and 279 energy
19:10:20.569 [LogEvents]: Player alert condition changed from 2 to 3
19:10:20.570 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 160+182 shield and 272 energy
19:10:20.602 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 158+182 shield and 265 energy
19:10:20.667 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 156+182 shield and 258 energy
19:10:20.760 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 154+182 shield and 252 energy
19:10:20.860 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 152+182 shield and 245 energy
19:10:20.960 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 150+182 shield and 238 energy
19:10:21.558 [LogEvents]: Player alert condition changed from 3 to 2
19:10:23.319 [LogEvents]: Player hit by ECM, 2 remaining
19:10:23.818 [LogEvents]: Player hit by ECM, 1 remaining
19:10:24.315 [LogEvents]: Player hit by ECM, 0 remaining
19:10:24.697 [LogEvents]: ECM Hardened Missile 23002 from Granite Python 19434 spawned at 12 km
19:10:25.562 [LogEvents]: Player hit by ECM, 2 remaining
19:10:26.060 [LogEvents]: Player hit by ECM, 1 remaining
19:10:26.561 [LogEvents]: Player hit by ECM, 0 remaining
19:10:26.744 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 132+158 shield and 105 energy
19:10:26.879 [LogEvents]: Player got message from Kirin Military Transport 10905 : Give me a moment to recharge shields and I'll help you out…
19:10:26.880 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 130+158 shield and 99 energy
19:10:26.905 [LogEvents]: Player alert condition changed from 2 to 3
19:10:26.922 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 128+158 shield and 92 energy
19:10:27.008 [LogEvents]: Player attacked Granite Python 19434 who has 128+156 shield and 85 energy
19:10:29.171 [LogEvents]: Player targeted Granite Python 19434 who has 128+154 shield and 107 energy
19:10:31.225 [escortdeck_escort]: Wolf Mark I 3: Feersum Endjinn terminated by [Ship "Witchpoint Beacon" position: (1.61347, -3.25358, -16.5043) scanClass: CLASS_BUOY status: STATUS_IN_FLIGHT] scrape damage
19:10:33.049 [escortdeck_escort]: Granite Fer-de-Lance: Katana III terminated by [Ship "Witchpoint Beacon" position: (1.61347, -3.25358, -16.5043) scanClass: CLASS_BUOY status: STATUS_IN_FLIGHT] scrape damage
19:10:33.066 [LogEvents]: Player collided with customshieldsshieldflasherflareupJ3 9336
19:10:33.066 [LogEvents]: Player compass targeted Atrabiin Prime undefined in mode COMPASS_MODE_PLANET
19:10:35.691 [LogEvents]: Player taking shield damage from Wolf Mark I 25083 230+230 shield and 252 energy left
19:10:35.696 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 25083
19:10:35.710 [LogEvents]: Player collided with customshieldsshieldflasherflareupG3 13046
19:10:35.711 [LogEvents]: Player collided with customshieldsshieldflasherflareupG3 9096
19:10:35.729 [LogEvents]: Player collided with customshieldsshieldflasherflareupG3 13046
19:10:35.730 [LogEvents]: Player collided with customshieldsshieldflasherflareupG3 9096
19:10:35.741 [LogEvents]: Player collided with customshieldsshieldflasherflareupG3 9096
19:10:35.741 [LogEvents]: Player collided with customshieldsshieldflasherflareupG3 13046
19:10:35.753 [LogEvents]: Player collided with customshieldsshieldflasherflareupG3 9096
19:10:38.380 [LogEvents]: Player taking 289 scrape damage from Wolf Mark I 25083 118+118 shield and 0 energy left
19:10:38.432 [escortdeck_escort]: Wolf Mark I 6: The Duke's Hydrogen Raga II 5 1 4 3 3 2 5 killed Cobra Mark III : 0₢
19:10:38.483 [LogEvents]: Player got scrape damage from Wolf Mark I 25083 and died!
19:10:38.495 [escortdeck_escort]: Wolf Mark I 6: The Duke's Hydrogen Raga II 5 1 4 3 3 2 5 terminated by [PlayerShip "Cobra Mark III" position: (6589.15, 3366.66, 40820.8) scanClass: CLASS_PLAYER status: STATUS_DEAD] scrape damage
19:10:38.495 [LogEvents]: Player killed Wolf Mark I 25083 with scrape damage
19:10:38.499 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 25083
19:10:38.653 [LogEvents]: Wreckage 824 spawned at unknown km
19:10:45.873 [LogEvents]: Sidewinder Scout Ship 29365 spawned at unknown km

Edit: Ok, I did some investigation in your code
To me it looks like you make the escorts land on Injectors if they are 2500m away when they get the docking order... and if I don't go in the same direction on Injectors myself, they can't react to being too close to me.

Edit2: I changed the PLAYER_FAR distance from 2500 to 10000 and now this feels much better
In Docking most of the time there is no rush involved, so I would suggest that.

[Norby]

Thank you, in v1.3 based on your suggestion I increased the distance without Injectors to 5km and the landing check timer further to 5 times/sec, plus a workaround maybe prevent the escort termination by Witchpoint Beacon, please try it.

The warning about Gecko_DS.png is a case sensitivity bug in DeepspaceShip.oxp, you can fix it in your machine by renaming gecko_DS.png in Textures.

[QCS]

Hi Norby, thanks for quick fixing

I had a short check with a few fights, no witchpoint beacon death to announce for the moment
Also, the docking collision issue looks good right now.

I will have more checks in the following days

To avoid you running idle, I have another one or two... sorted by priority

1) With three escorts, it was not able to go start the Witchspace engine. I needed to go on Injectors right before the countdown finished. Otherwise the witchspace jump was cancelled with the message that one of my escorts is too close. Now, I found myself a nice looking Granite Asp for the collection, and with four escorts, Witchspace jump does not only need Injector speed but Torus speed While Injector drive is somehow maintainable, Jump drive makes this very cumbersome. The interesting point here is, that with three escorts, the "blocking" escort was the third one, with four escorts, the "blocking" one is the fourth one. For Reference, I now have two Wolf, one Granite Fer-de-lance and one Granite Asp.

2) Often when docking an escort successfully, there is quite a shield damage to my ship. Four docking ships in quick succession bring my Cobra (already fitted with a few enhancements) dangerously low on shields. I don't know if that shield damage is expected? It is very variable though, I believe it is depending on the speed of the escort when docking, or the speed difference, but I may be totally wrong on that suspicion. This is even worse when after a battle the only ship is gone and the alert goes from red to green - automatically docking the escorts. I know I can prevent them docking by sending them out again. It is just that I may need a quick breather and there comes the first escort
In the Log there is the following:
18:22:15.941 [LogEvents]: Player taking shield damage from Wolf Mark I 31695 110+110 shield and 253 energy left
18:22:15.943 [LogEvents]: Player collided with Wolf Mark I 31695
The Log does not show how much damage it did to me. I just tried it a few times (just undock at full shields, wait 10 seconds and redock) and my aft shields are always around halved (from 256 to around 120).

3) Sometimes there are graphical glitches: Pressing P while viewing the Aft look (F2) moves the EscortDeck and the docked ships a little "forwards" and "backwards". Same from the outside views from the side. Sometimes after leaving a station, the first glance on F2 makes the docked ships jump backwards on the EscortDeck in about 5 Steps to their "final" location.

Greetings, QCS

PS: If I should stop testing, just tell me to

[Norby]

Granite Fer-de-lance and one Granite Asp.

Granite and Hard ships has doubled mass (density=2 in shipdata.plist) and on the deck these seems to be too close. Thanks for the report, until fixed you can simply launch them before jump, they will follow you and land on the deck before you arrive into the new system.

when docking an escort successfully, there is quite a shield damage to my ship.

This is fixed in Oolite v1.81 by put collisionException to the landed ships, but I will check for a workaround in 1.80 also.

Pressing P while viewing the Aft look (F2) moves the EscortDeck and the docked ships a little "forwards" and "backwards". Same from the outside views from the side.

This is a core "feature". The deck is moved in each frame after the movement of the player ship, but the mover js code is not called when paused so the displacement since the last frame is not corrected. No problem if you stop first.

after leaving a station, the first glance on F2 makes the docked ships jump backwards on the EscortDeck in about 5 Steps to their "final" location.

These "steps" are made by my script to fix another 1.80-only collision problem and determine the closest position where no collision between the player and escort.

If I should stop testing, just tell me to

Please do not stop.

[Norby]

Done in v1.4:
- Collision fixes, needed before Oolite 1.81.
- Granite ships on deck does not prevent hyperjump anymore.
- From 1.81 slower steering and acceleration in proportion with the mass on deck.

[QCS]

First check... AWESOME.

Second check... AWESOME.

Third check... well, it happened once that I was not able to start the witchspace engine (again the Granite Asp blocking), on the second try it worked. Maybe a corner case. But hey, I jumped! Other than that... AWESOME!

----

Ok, to be more precise, it is now happening that right after leaving station, I get a very slight shield damage (which is somewhat strange but not worrying because the shields are full and after 5 seconds they are full again). Docking of escorts right after a fight - no problem. Since last version update still not one single ship lost due to the Witchpoint beacon.

So... other than this very minor thing everything is green today

AWESOME

[Norby]

Ok, next time the space between the player ship and escorts will be further increased, this should solve the mentioned rare cases. Thank you for the testing!

[Norby]

(again the Granite Asp blocking), on the second try it worked.

The reason is every time a jump started all escorts shifted back a bit (you can see this in the rear or external views) and two shifts together was enough. If the problem persists then you can press the jump key 3 times (start-stop-start) for the same effect without waiting for the first countdown.

[Norby]

EscortDeck v1.5 is ready:
- MFD show max. mass and sizes of empty decks depending on player ship.
- Further increased distances on deck before Oolite 1.81.
- Fixed maximum mass check of escorts, must below 40% of owner ship's mass.
- Hard and Granite escorts counted with original mass (without double density).
- Fixed equipment restore on escorts if depends on another equipment.

[Vincentz]

Just a couple of suggestions :

I really like this, and its some of the first I buy (never know when a derelict ship is floating by in space)

Though... I think Escort Deck is too cheap (same with towbar), and I think Docking Computers should be a requirement for both.

Prices could be 2000 for escort deck and 750 for towbar, and reason for docking computers, is they need to dock to your ship