Oolite Bulletins

Hi,

I thought you might like these maps I found on the net today. Written in BBC Basic for RISC OS, using Ian Bell's published data-generation algorithms, all 8 galaxies are there and show routemaps. The lines represent maximum 7.0 light year ranges. There is no link to the actual program used, as its supposed to be a fully useable program with System Info, Market Prices and a local view with all planet names, but maybe the guy will make it available if we email him. We could run it on Horizon at least (or if its non-standard BBC Basic, maybe ArcEm for MacOS X link here).

Here's Galaxy 1 aka Santaari:


The site is here.

In Oolite, on the galactic chart, press ! and a similar route-map and text file will be dumped to your Oolite folder.

Thanks for that! I noticed on the map page, there are a few planets linked together which I suppose are the optimal routes for making the most cash but having this in the game is nice. What do the numbers mean?

The yellow routes mark all the available journeys of 7.0 LY or less.

The numbers refer to the System number of the planet in the accompanying text file (StarChartData-Galaxy-000.txt).

So 106 refers to this entry:

System 106, Esredice (85,16) TL: 7 Human Colonials Feudal
"The world Esredice is a boring planet."

Revealing System Number 106, to be Esredice at galactic coordinates 85x16, tech level seven, populated by very bored Human colonials.

[quote="aegidian"]The yellow routes mark all the available journeys of 7.0 LY or less.

speaking of jump distance - is there anyway to edit the distance ships are capable of travelling? ie more than 7 light years?

kiekelly wrote:

is there anyway to edit the distance ships are capable of travelling? ie more than 7 light years?

Not at the moment. I may change that later but there are game-play elements involved: 7 LY makes the galaxy an interesting place to navigate, routes have to be chosen and the time taken considered. With a shorter jump length not all places may be available to visit, with a longer jump length route planning becomes just click-n-go.

For the moment you'll just have to assume that 7 LY is a limit imposed by the technology of witch-drive engines.

I support a 7 ly limit.

You could finesse it with a secondary fuel tank/fuel generator(I think you've mentioned something like that in a recent thread) and some device that allows jumping to an arbitrary deep space destination.

I see now with the galaxy route map why its important to the gameplay.....

Will the be an oppurtunity to add more information about a planet in the future maybe a landscape shot (like EV Nova) or picture of inhabitants (Amiga/St Elite). I think this would add too the atmosphere of the game, rather than the "planet is famous for its Parking Meters" - still I suppose there's a lot of planets

kie

yes there is something about the old law of 7LY limit that feels fundamental to this game. why always demand more of science?

if it would be so that the very largest (slowest) ships could somehow double that, it should be at great cost and loss in available space, as two active WitchReactors must be kept a certain distance apart..

kiekelly wrote:

I see now with the galaxy route map why its important to the gameplay.....

Will the be an oppurtunity to add more information about a planet in the future maybe a landscape shot (like EV Nova) or picture of inhabitants (Amiga/St Elite). I think this would add too the atmosphere of the game, rather than the "planet is famous for its Parking Meters" - still I suppose there's a lot of planets

kie

All the planet detail were randomly generated, as are the comments about the planets, and their names etc. Maybe the same idea could utilize a set number of graphic elements to generate a suitable illustration. The inhabitants featured in earlier versions.

. Maybe the same idea could utilize a set number of graphic elements to generate a suitable illustration

That sounds like a very good Idea - In Frontier I think all the core systems (the 100 odd main ones you travel around ) are specifically designed and after that a few odd system are picked out, then the rest are just randomly generated. This is the only area for me where Frontier beats its Elite....

it would be nice to have a more involving oolite universe

Yes I think that 7LY's is good and the game play would alter significantly as far as route planning is concerned. If you want more distance, do a fuel scoop!

Either that or allow a purchasable 'overdrive' that extends your range to, say, 9LY - enough to let you take some faster routes but not enough that you can hare across the galaxy in a single bound. This, and the associated fuel tankage, should come at a ruinous cost in cargo space.

Lazygun wrote:

I support a 7 ly limit.

You could finesse it with a secondary fuel tank/fuel generator(I think you've mentioned something like that in a recent thread) and some device that allows jumping to an arbitrary deep space destination.

I don't know if it's possible, but you could always try using the fuel scoop to top it up.

TGHC

I noticed (dunno if anyone's mentioned this aleady???) but in galaxy 3 theres two planets (numbers 206 &133) that are out on a limb so to say, beyond distance of my Cobra drive??? how do yo geet to these planets (i haven't tried yet, just noticed on Star Chart??

p