Military rank and medals

Ark · Post by **Ark** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 3:43 pm

If memory serves in FFE there was an award medal and permits system. If you got a military medal you could actually see it in the commander’s profile.

I was wondering if this option could be implemented in Oolite. For example if you get a medal during thargoid wars to be able to see it in the commander’s detail screen (F5). Maybe with the creation of a new oxp command (give_medal or something like that). Since most of the results about missions is in the save file I could imagine that the only obstacle would be the free space in the commander’s detail screen (F5). Maybe with the separation of commander’s info and ship’s equipment info into two deferent screens we can solve that problem. From my point of view this will be a mandatory in the future due to the overdose of new equipment (standard and oxps).

Another idea is to be a military rank (like the elite rank – just below elite rank in F5 screen) based on how many thargoid kills you have and maybe how many military missions you have accomplice. For example if you destroy the constrictor you will get 256 military points instead of 256 kills. With the first 100 military points you will get the rank of Golcop private when you reach 500 points you get the title of Galcop lieutenant and so on.

I know that the dev team and most of oolite community does not want to make a FFE clone out of oolite and I strongly agree with that, but I feel that those 2 concepts (medals and military rank to the commander’s detail screen) will have a very positive impact to the gameplay. Also they will open new doors and possibilities for oxps like military fiasco and thargoid wars. Moreover I think that the implementation of those concepts in Oolite would not be so difficult (forgive my ignorance if I am wrong about this one).

I really want to know your opinion about this concept and how difficult will be the implementation of this in Oolite.

Commander McLane · Post by **Commander McLane** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 10:07 am

Hi, Ark! First of all welcome to the boards and of course to this great game!

The suggestion to have honours and titles made visible on a screen was made and discussed elsewhere in the not too distant past, I just can't find the thread now.

Has my vote, I like it. And I also suggested the F5-screen.

And IMO this includes anything you get awarded from the military (like in military.oxp). I am not for a separate killcount of thargoids or anything like that.

Post by **Disembodied** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 1:01 pm

There's some medal- and killcount-related discussion in the Too Much Money thread.

JensAyton · Post by **JensAyton** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 1:28 pm

*digs out standard-ish feature request response*

I have no intention of providing functionality like this before the next stable release, basically because I want to eventually get to a next stable release. I am not committed to continuing work on Oolite beyond the next stable release.

This should not be taken to mean that it’s a bad idea.

Ark · Post by **Ark** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:26 pm

Commander McLane wrote:
I am not for a separate killcount of thargoids or anything like that.

Thank you for your response Commander McLane
The second concept has nothing to do with a separate kill count for thargoids (this was just an example of how you will get your military points– and maybe a bad one since I have no idea how easy is for oolite to distinguish a normal kill from a thargoid one. I took this idea from the method of Thargoid wars because that’s the way you get the medals. But in Thargoid wars.opx the thargoids are scripted from the oxp itself). The second concept is about the existence of a military rank (parallel and independent to the elite rank). Maybe the second example with the constrictor is more explicit. It makes more sense to me that if you destroy the constrictor you will get promoted by the military than be awarded with 256 kills.

Ark · Post by **Ark** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 5:01 pm

Ahruman wrote:
*digs out standard-ish feature request response*

I have no intention of providing functionality like this before the next stable release, basically because I want to eventually get to a next stable release. I am not committed to continuing work on Oolite beyond the next stable release.

This should not be taken to mean that it’s a bad idea.

I totally agree with you Aruman. The release of the next stable version is and must be the first priority (it has been 1,5 years since the release of 1,65). I do not expect this to be implemented in the next stable release. I have just made a suggestion for the future. Carry on the good work commander.

JensAyton · Post by **JensAyton** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 5:16 pm

*presses space bar*

LittleBear · Post by **LittleBear** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 6:22 pm

As each mission displays its own text line on the F5 (twice) screen, you can (sort of) do this but its text only. Eg In Assassins, the f5 screen displays your current mission, but in between missions displays your ranking. So you can have "The Assassins Guild ranks you as a cut-throat." and underneath this a string from Random Hits OXP saying "Your fellow bounty hunters regard you as a harmless Outsider". Because each OXP gets it's own line, different OXPs can display a different rank. Not as nice a having medals on screen though, but a partial solution to Commander Mutley's desire for medals.

Commander McLane · Post by **Commander McLane** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:42 am

Ark wrote:
It makes more sense to me that if you destroy the constrictor you will get promoted by the military than be awarded with 256 kills.

Note that if you hunt the Constrictor (or deliver the Thargoid Plans) you are not working for GalCop's Galactic Navy, but for the Imperial Navy. There has very recently been some discussion about these different forces, read roughly from here. So actually these are sort of under-cover missions. And if the Galactic Navy finds out that you have worked for a hostile Empire, they would surely not award you a medal or a rank, but would assassinate you as soon as possible.

So for the time being the only missions you can do for the Galactic Navy are the missions from Military.oxp. And this OXP has already sort of an award system with the Navy Star, although it's not visible on the F5-screen.

Note, however, that matt634 has more missions directly for the Galactic Navy up his sleeve. So maybe you can propose to him to incorporate a ranking system. And there have already been some discussions about how that could look like (proposals starting here), and independently (well, perhaps more interdependently, as far as the time of discussion is concerned) of another ranking system for bounty hunting missions (starting here).

Commander McLane · Post by **Commander McLane** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 7:17 am

LittleBear wrote:
As each mission displays its own text line on the F5 (twice) screen, you can (sort of) do this but its text only. Eg In Assassins, the f5 screen displays your current mission, but in between missions displays your ranking. So you can have "The Assassins Guild ranks you as a cut-throat." and underneath this a string from Random Hits OXP saying "Your fellow bounty hunters regard you as a harmless Outsider". Because each OXP gets it's own line, different OXPs can display a different rank. Not as nice a having medals on screen though, but a partial solution to Commander Mutley's desire for medals.

So are you suggesting that OXPs featuring a ranking- or award system should omit the final clearMissionDescription, and instead should put up a permanent line indicating the rank that has been achieved? Interesting idea. Although I would prefer it not to be displayed under "Missions" anymore.

LittleBear · Post by **LittleBear** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 7:54 am

Generally, with a finished mission I'd say it should be cleared. But never ending ones like Matt's Military Missions would be a good one to add this feature to ("You hold the rank of General and have been decorated 7 times.") As Random Hits won't finish (as it generates over 1.5 X 10 to the power 2034 different missions), it also always displays in its slot either your next task in an active mission or when a mission is concluded your current rank and title.

Hoopy · Post by **Hoopy** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 7:54 am

@Commander McLane
I think that sums it up perfectly.

And since the missions screen would soon run out of space it makes sense for it to go onto another screen.

I wonder if things like UPS, the in-built courier missions (and other things where you have to build up 'experience' before getting more interesting missions) should also display something there.

matt634 · Post by **matt634** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 4:52 pm

I've toyed with the idea of placing a permanent rank on the mission screen, but thought the screen would soon run out room if it became too popular, so I decided to leave it for Random Hits and not contribute to what could become a trend. After even deeper consideration I've decided not to award "ranks" at all. (WARNING - this could spark a Reserve Navy Argument thread) After reading the wiki the Reserve Navy doesn't appear to be a tightly regimented organization with varying ranks. Instead, it seems more of a minute man force composed of all licensed pilots (us) that can be called to duty in times of need. So, I've decided that the default Reserve Navy rank will be Commander (sorry Hesperus), but pilots will have a veteran status according to how many battles they participating in.

Ark · Post by **Ark** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:18 pm

matt634 wrote:
I've toyed with the idea of placing a permanent rank on the mission screen, but thought the screen would soon run out room if it became too popular,

That’s exactly the reason why I suggested in my initial post:
1.the creation of a new session called “medals and honors” in the F5 screen
2.the split of the 2 F5 screens into 3 (too little space left)
3.the creation of a new oxp command for award medals titles and honors after a successful mission

Moreover it will look better if you have all your medal awards and even special titles (Assassin guild’s apprentice for example) all under a specific new and with a lot of free space session of the F5 screen

Ark · Post by **Ark** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:32 pm

Commander McLane wrote:
Ark wrote:
It makes more sense to me that if you destroy the constrictor you will get promoted by the military than be awarded with 256 kills.
Note that if you hunt the Constrictor (or deliver the Thargoid Plans) you are not working for GalCop's Galactic Navy, but for the Imperial Navy.

That’s not necessary an obstacle. In FFE you could work for both of the 2 superpowers of the game (Federation and Empire) and have a different military rank for each one of them. But because the main player in Galcop space is the Galactic Navy I suggested only one military rank the Galactic Navy one.