Oolite Bulletins

Hi,

since some oxp disabled my MASC, I've to use keys again while flying. Since I need to react very quickly and ECM isn't that powerful against missiles, I prefer to switch the cloak on and off.

However, I can only add ECM to my joystick in order to keep both hands there - and that's often not enough!

Therefore, the possibility to add a joystick button for cloak toggle would really improve things!

Screet

Screet wrote:

since some oxp disabled my MASC

Since you have noted this three times now: Is there an oxp that disables the MASC outside of its missions? I would consider that to be a compatibility bug, then. If it's switched of with a reason for a mission, OK. If it switches the MASC of without an ingame mission reason or outside missions at all I would consider that a bug and would try to iron this out with the oxp's author.

Is the above correct, and which oxp are you writing about?

Lestradae wrote:

Since you have noted this three times now: Is there an oxp that disables the MASC outside of its missions? I would consider that to be a compatibility bug, then. If it's switched of with a reason for a mission, OK. If it switches the MASC of without an ingame mission reason or outside missions at all I would consider that a bug and would try to iron this out with the oxp's author.

Yes, it's switched off outside the missions. They didn't even start yet. That's why I wrote about that in the other thread asking to consider this a bug and change it to a behaviour like assassins: only remove equipment that is considered too powerful when a mission is running. I could completely disable the masc disabling, but then it would just be for me and I would have to manually put it back when the missions begin...or decipher that oxp and update it myself, but I'm no oxp writer yet. Furthermore, it does remove it without any explanation while assassins provides a good reason (and the mark transponder) to explain that behaviour.

I did hope for it's author to comment on that, but haven't seen it yet...maybe I missed it? I am REALLY tired currently, insomnia can be tough.

Anyway, a joystick button for the cloak would be great in other situations, too, thus this request is not only because of that oxp - it just increased the desire heavily to put the cloak toggle instead of ECM to my stick.

Screet

I think the MASC might just be a bug like the thargoid laser - something that really isn't supposed to show up for sale, but needs to have a sale entry somewhere to have the game work, and shows up sometimes but doesn't work...?

No, the MASC is a genuine working equipment item that RS and also its successor OSE make available for sale, that's how Screet got it.

Commander McLane has created a bug with the cataclysm oxp which leads to the MASC, the NEU and the CD equipment being removed as soon as you launch from station if they were not awarded by a mission. I sincerely hope McLane is in the process of removing this bug, I can only assume that he wanted to switch those items off during his mission runs and forgot to implement a check for that.

The MASC (termed "Military Scanner Jammer" in OSE) jams the scanner of a ship, NPC and player alike. The other ship no longer appears on the scanner, and you can't get a missile lock at it. You can get it in one of four TL 16 systems in OSE.

The "Anti-MASC" (termed "Military Scanner Jammer Override") overrides this jammer process so that, again NPCs and players alike, a ship with a MASC re-appears on the scanner for players and both NPCs and players can get a missile lock on a ship with a MASC. You can get it in one of the four TL 17+ systems in OSE.

All clear?

L

Lestradae wrote:

All clear?

Just a little addition

A NPC ship equipped with the MASC cannot be seen on scanners until the scanning person has the MASC countermeasures.

A player ship equipped with the MASC can be seen by NPC, but they cannot lock on missiles, just as a player could not lock on a MASC equipped NPC ship.

Therefore, the MASC is virtually making a ship missile proof. I thought this would be too strong at first, but the cloaking device also makes a ship missile proof. Therefore, it's not more heavy than a CD.

Furthermore, the CD also turns all hostiles to neutral again, thus heavily affecting the fighting experience. Often an NPC does not turn red again, even when shot at. This results in the MASC deliviering more interesting battles than the instant on/off of the CD does. That's why I changed my mind about the MASC being too powerful.

I did even fly assassins without MASC (assassins disables the cloak) and did evade the missiles as usual on injectors. I'd perfectly understand if code like that from cataclysm would be used when an assassins mission is active and restoring MASC functionality as soon as it's done. That's also what I believe cataclysm should do instead of disabling that equipment in general (not only when cataclysm missions are running).

Screet

I have RS installed but I havn't seen a "MASC" anywhere, what kind of stations sell them? And what does "OSE" stand for?

captain122 wrote:

I have RS installed but I havn't seen a "MASC" anywhere, what kind of stations sell them? And what does "OSE" stand for?

I think it was meant as an easter egg. With RS you will see some ships you usually do not see. Guess and give it a try PM me, if you want to know immediately.

OSE is Oolite Shipyards Extension, the successor to RS and currently in work, tests running.

Screet

Back on Topic -
Any chance we can get the cloak toggle added to the joystick config?