Milo's consolidated list of suggested core changes

[Milo]

I've accumulated a handful of suggested core changes so far in various threads, so I thought it might be useful to make a consolidated list.

1. Allow OXPs to exclude ships from Torus variable speed calculation using existing addCollisionException OOJS method Now done! Thanks another_commander!

2. Allow OXPs to call abandonShip OOJS method successfully from shipDied events (implemented and confirmed working, pending inclusion or rejection by developers)

3. Add sanity checking or re-work how breakPatternCounter is incremented so it can't get stuck >0 if no corresponding break pattern entities exist to decrement it

4. Streamline NPC/AI docking process by allowing inbound ships to be assigned to docks (which have their own queuing procedures anyway) without waiting potentially many multiples of 10 seconds for station rotation to align first

5. Other suggestions related to clarifying docking-related OOJS methods and perhaps exposing targetDockStation as a read-only OOJS property

6. Allow the clock adjustment after escape pod launch (line 6470 in PlayerEntity.m) to be modified by OXPs. Now done. Thanks phkb!

7. Fix the strict mode warnings from core scripts

8. Fix this Q-bomb AI error

9. Change sunskimmer AI condition so it doesn't exclude almost all of the core ships

10. More options for extraction and conflicts in the expansion manager

11. Add note about copy-to-clipboard feature in expansion manager

12. Relocate the expansion manager metadata to the wiki

13. Add more hotkeys for fast activation and recognize SHIFT + hotkey combination to trigger the mode function of the associated equipment instead of activating it (implemented and confirmed working with two added keys '[' and ']', pending inclusion or rejection by developers)

14. Represent station on basic compass as a square instead of a circle (confusing for new players -- it confused me!) (implemented and confirmed working, pending inclusion or rejection by developers)

Code: Select all

diff --git a/src/Core/HeadUpDisplay.m b/src/Core/HeadUpDisplay.m
index 1757530c..df9619fe 100644
--- a/src/Core/HeadUpDisplay.m
+++ b/src/Core/HeadUpDisplay.m
@@ -1635,7 +1635,10 @@ static void prefetchData(NSDictionary *info, struct CachedInfo *data)
 				break;
 			
 			case COMPASS_MODE_BASIC:
-				[self drawCompassPlanetBlipAt:relativePosition Size:siz Alpha:alpha];
+				if ([reference isStation]) // validateCompassTarget in PlayerEntity.m changes COMPASS_BASIC_MODE target to the main station when inside the planetary aegis or in docking range of the main station
+					[self drawCompassStationBlipAt:relativePosition Size:siz Alpha:alpha];
+				else
+					[self drawCompassPlanetBlipAt:relativePosition Size:siz Alpha:alpha];
 				break;
 				
 			case COMPASS_MODE_PLANET:

15. Looking back to one of my first posts on this forum, I suggested having a larger vertical area for comms / console messages. Actually, just natively implementing some of the functionality of CommsLog MFD would be useful. We already have the ` key to refresh recent comms, perhaps add a key combination with that for scrollback (shift+tilde to page up, tilde by itself to jump back to the bottom and refresh).

16. Fix error in oolite-populator.js when adding hunters fails because the ship selected was too big to fit in the dock

17. The _checkDistance function in oolite-constrictor.js doesn't seem to be called by anything. Should it be? (False alarm.)

18. Increase variable torus speed factor

19. Make cloaked ships mass lock the player! See discussion thread. Now done. Thanks another_commander!

20. Make it harder to accidentally destroy NPC escape pods by collisions or stray lasers. Ramming them when trying to scoop is an all-too-common problem for me.

21. Suggested changes so that players who gain police aggro but take no further deliberate hostile action don't end up as fugitives

22. Display two more rows on the market screen (implemented and confirmed working, pending inclusion or rejection by developers)

[tsoj]

Maybe it could be a good idea to add these suggestions to the issues on Github: https://github.com/OoliteProject/oolite/issues
This way your points don't get lost in time if for now, nobody has time for some of these. (I don't know how the development is organized for Oolite but I thought this is something to consider).

[Milo]

Thanks for the suggestion. I think I prefer to keep them in the bulletin board for now, especially as I am still refining the proposals in some cases.

It's easier to edit one post here than manage multiple issues on GitHub, especially as I keep adding to my list.

Also, by keeping the list here, it's easier for others on the board (who might not have GitHub accounts) to comment on my suggestions, and I'd be happy to see others voice their agreement or disagreement to my ideas, or offer other ideas of their own (and I might adopt some of them into my list, too).

[Cholmondely]

Just saying,

10 (More options for extraction and conflicts in the expansion manager),
13 (more hotkeys for fast activation)
14 (Represent station on basic compass as a square)

would make a major contribution to my game. I happen to think that 14 is actually rather important.


If I can help test things, I'd like to. I'd need some rather basic instructions as to how to do this, though. All I've done so far has been to use the Expansions Manager - which means I never even get to read the 'Read-Me's!

[Milo]

13 and 14 are implemented in my personal build and you can get a copy of it from viewtopic.php?f=2&t=20685 if you'd like to try it.

[Cholmondely]

Too many different versions of everything!

Alas, I'm a Mac-man (or at least, I was 25 years ago!). I'll have to wait, methinks. Presumably it will either come out in the new version of Oolite - or else as an expansion. Or even as snippets of code (with instructions for utilisation that chaps like me can understand)!

But thank you. Thank you for thinking your way through all this, and thanks again for addressing it!

[Milo]

According to the readme on GitHub (find "Building" section near the bottom of the page):

On Mac OS X, you will need the latest version of Xcode from the App Store. Then double click on the Xcode project in the Finder, select one of the Oolite targets from the Scheme pop-up, and hit Build and Run (the play button in the toolbar).

That sounds simple enough. If it works for you, I can help you with the code changes.

[phkb]

That sounds simple enough.

I have a suspicion the Oolite source won't work with the latest version of XCode, based on this PR.

[phkb]

17. The _checkDistance function in oolite-constrictor.js doesn't seem to be called by anything. Should it be?

It's called in oolite-constricterAI.js (line 44), in the AIs folder.

[Milo]

Ah, my search methodology needs to include ship.script variations. Thanks.