Email System (Release)

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Disembodied
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Re: Email System (Beta)

Post by Disembodied »

Could the player get an email from the Elite Federation whenever they go up in combat rank? The initial messages could be very bland: "The Elite Federation lets it be known that Commander X, of the [ship type] [ship name], is now rated 'Mostly Harmless'."; "The Elite Federation is pleased to note that Commander X, of the [ship type] [ship name], is now rated 'Average'."; and so on. But as the player moves to Competent, and then to Dangerous, Deadly and (especially) Elite, the messages could contain a few more personal and meaningful notes, e.g.

Competent: "We are observing your career with interest."

Dangerous: "We note that you have achieved a key stage in your development as a combat pilot."

Deadly: "Your skills can place you beyond the reach of all but a few - but remember, you are mortal."

Elite: "Congratulations. Be ready."
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Re: Email System (Beta)

Post by phkb »

That's a great idea! Thanks for the suggestion
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Re: Email System (Release)

Post by phkb »

Version 1.2.0 just released. Links in the first post, or download via the expansion manager.
In this version
  • Fixed bug with the equipment purchase email, when the wrong price was being shown when equipment was bought in any non-main station.
  • Added emails from the Elite Federation for changes in player rank
  • Improved the new ship email content, including the method of calculating the cost of the new ship.
  • Improved default option selection on multi-page emails
  • Improved the bounty email. If there are several systems between dockings, the email will include the system name the bounties were collected in.
  • Added more maintenance items for overhaul email, including notation for damaged items
  • New ship email will now be sent whenever a new game is started (hopefully this will catch most scenarios as well as the standard ones)
  • Fixed the calculation of the fine amount
  • Fixed bug with failed passenger contracts subject line
  • Fixed issue with overhaul email and ships without hyperspace capability (email might have included witchdrive maintenance items)
  • Removed expiry date from new contract emails
  • Spelling corrections
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Re: Email System (Release)

Post by Wildeblood »

phkb wrote:
Fixed bug with the equipment purchase email, when the wrong price was being shown when equipment was bought in any non-main station.
Previous version: it was sending an email for "remove & re-sell all missiles" or whatever it's called. I thought that seemed wrong. And I thought they were a bit empty; could have included the item description.
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Re: Email System (Release)

Post by phkb »

Ah, yes, missed that one. A fix for the next version.
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Re: Email System (Release)

Post by QCS »

Cool OXP, will have to check this out a bit more.

One minor glitch I found while testing around. I start Oolite, start a new career, test, don't save just quit the game, and then test some more...
Everytime I start a new career, a "Ship purchased" Mail comes in. The new careers have the old "Ship purchased" messages from the former runs... so I am having about ten messages right now :-D
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Re: Email System (Release)

Post by phkb »

QCS, you've got me. I have no idea how you're achieving that! When I start a new career (from the Start New Commander menu), the emails are cleaned out. Starting a new career by buying a new ship, then yes, you will have ten emails. But you shouldn't getting that if you use the Start New Commander. Can I bother you for a step-by-step process here?
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Re: Email System (Release)

Post by QCS »

phkb wrote:
QCS, you've got me. I have no idea how you're achieving that! When I start a new career (from the Start New Commander menu), the emails are cleaned out. Starting a new career by buying a new ship, then yes, you will have ten emails. But you shouldn't getting that if you use the Start New Commander. Can I bother you for a step-by-step process here?
I found that it seems to be an compatibility issue with the Hardships OXP. Uninstalled that OXP and there are always only two Mails (welcome, and bought ship). If that does not help you, I can give a step by step repro list.
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Re: Email System (Release)

Post by phkb »

No, that's enough for me to go on. I'll have a look at Hardships and see what might be causing the conflict.
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Re: Email System (Beta)

Post by Ranthe »

Disembodied wrote:
Of course, you'd also get things like "Realign Ship's Cat" ...
... also known as "Cat Attitude Adjustment". Oh, they surely need it... :lol:
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Re: Email System (Release)

Post by Norby »

QCS wrote:
I found that it seems to be an compatibility issue with the Hardships OXP.
Please try again with Hardships v0.88 (released now) which contain a fix if you have at least Oolite v1.80.
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Re: Email System (Release)

Post by phkb »

Version 1.3.0 has just been released. Download via links in the first post, or via the download manager in game.
In this version:
  • Improved the purchase equipment email to handle removal of equipment better.
  • Added equipment description to the purchase equipment email.
  • Made the random names a little less random. Now, multiple purchases of equipment will have the same sales rep name while you are docked at that station.
  • Improved compatibility with Hardships. You won't get an initial "Welcome to your new ship" with Hardship's start choices, but you also won't get spammed either.
  • Included no bounty kills in the bounty email, with appropriate notices
  • Added the number of kills to the bounty email
  • Future-dated emails are now hidden until their sent date is in the past. This means you can send emails at any time, but with a future date, and player won't see them until the right time.
  • ExpiryDays, ExpiryHours, ExpiryMinutes and ExpirySeconds are now linked to the sent date, rather than to the current date. So if you future date an email and give it an expiry of 2 days, that will be 2 days after the future date, not the current date.
  • Added a tone for when future dated emails become current. Will only play when docked.
  • Code cleanup.
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Re: Email System (Release)

Post by phkb »

Version 1.4.0 has just been released. New in this version:
  • Changed the inbox UI to be similar to contract interfaces, where you highlight the desired item and press enter to open the email.
  • Added a couple of other GalCop admin-related emails, relating to transfer of ownership of ships, and pilot licensing. Starting a new pilot should now get three emails: one for the purchase of their ship, one from GalCop Ship Registry confirming the transfer of ownership, and one from GalCop Pilot Registration, confirming there GalCop Pilot's License.
  • Layout tweaks to maintenance email, adding some headings
  • Small tweaks to the text of bounty emails.
  • Small grammar corrections.
Let me know what you think of the new UI. Because of this change I had to remove the "mark/unmark" system, but I think the gains in usability and consistency with other screens are worth it.
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Re: Email System (Release)

Post by Wildeblood »

Remember this:-
I suspect $createEmail is calling... initInterfaces (?)... without checking for (player.ship.docked) first.
Now I suspect you've gone too far the other way and removed the call to $initInterfaces from $createEmail completely? I have 1 unread email, go to F3 and buy three items, go back to F4 and it still shows 1 unread email in the title. I open the email system then close it to return to the F4 screen and it now correctly shows 4 unread emails in the title.
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Re: Email System (Release)

Post by phkb »

Version 1.4.1 is released, which fixes a problem with saving mission variables, and adds one email variant.

Wildeblood, not sure what's happening there. When I do what you describe, I have three new emails waiting as soon press F4. I'll keep looking though.
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