Oolite Bulletins

For your information: I just uploaded a new version of ionics.oxp on the box Ionics 1.2.3 and updated the links on the wiki.

Nothing new but

- I added compatibility code. Now it should work together with other mission offering oxp's without clashing.

- Added mission destinations on the galactic charts.

- Removed a serious bug that broke the missions if the player left the galaxy without killing the first mission ship.

- Removed several minor bugs.

- Improved the AI of some ships that should attack the player but often didn't attack.

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I noticed that the author "Galileo" hasn't visited this board since 2006 and also his wiki pages with future plans for a 1.3 version are last edited back in 2006.
EDIT: Updated version number

Thanks for the update Eric,

One quick question, I'm running the old version of Ionics at the moment, will installing this update impact my current progress ?

toconn wrote:

Thanks for the update Eric,

One quick question, I'm running the old version of Ionics at the moment, will installing this update impact my current progress ?

I made sure (fingers crossed) that it should continue with all saved variables.

For PC users, there is currently a small issue with this update, concerning a difference between Mac and PC end-of-line characters. If the Ionics missions won't work for you, see this thread.

Diziet Sma wrote:

For PC users, there is currently a small issue with this update, concerning a difference between Mac and PC end-of-line characters. If the Ionics missions won't work for you, see this thread.

I just re-uploaded Ionics. same link as before: Ionics.oxp 1.2.3

Yesterday I put a new version of Ionics.oxp on the wiki. No new features, but just a translation of legacy into JavaScript.

Main benefit from this is that version 1.3 now puts the script asleep when the mission is over. This avoids script execution after the mission has ended, when the player keeps it installed to keep the ionic ships in his/here system.

I deleted the roadmap for a version 2.0 from the wiki. Galileo put it there in 2006 and than abandoned the work. It seemed only to confuse on the wiki when it is still displayed with the oxp.
I put this roadmap now in the enclosed readme. Anyone that wants to write a continuation on the missions can look it up there.

After turning off logging in Oolite I managed to kill that Ionics Funnelweb first try with a more responsive system.
However, I didn't get a mission screen on returning though, suspect there is a conflict with Illegal Goods tweak. Not sure if there is supposed to be a mission screen though.) The Funnelweb dropped a cargo canister with arms that I scooped, and Illegal Goods Tweak triggered when I docked. I ignored it getting a 1cr bounty, but no mission screen from Ionics stating that I had completed the mission appeared. Got the 15 grand though. Could anyone enlighten me and tell me if this is expected behaviour.

Edit: Checked the missiontext.plist, and there is supposed to be a mission screen on return after killing the Funnelweb, so something went wrong. Does one of these lack mission screen deconfliction code.

IIRC you don't need to scoop anything from the Funnelweb, just to kill it. But it's a long time since I played Ionics, and I don't know the current version of the OXP.

Commander McLane wrote:

IIRC you don't need to scoop anything from the Funnelweb, just to kill it. But it's a long time since I played Ionics, and I don't know the current version of the OXP.

I gathered as much after looking in the missiontext.plist file, but it did drop cargo, and i didn't know then, so i scoped it. Anyway, I suspect I have discovered a small bug in one or the other OXP.

Gimi wrote:

I managed to kill that Ionics Funnelweb first try with a more responsive system.

It is not supposed to be that easy that you can do it in one try. When going direct for the main ship, the smaller ships should kill you. In my experience I had to kill the smaller ones first. And with a bit of luck, one npc of your team kills the funnelweb for you. I don't think it has to be the player that does the final kill.

Gimi wrote:

I gathered as much after looking in the missiontext.plist file, but it did drop cargo, and i didn't know then, so i scoped it. Anyway, I suspect I have discovered a small bug in one or the other OXP.

The funnelweb has weapons as cargo, so it is likely it drops some when killed. Ionics has no missionscreen bugs, so i looked into the illegal goods oxp. That one is the bug. It does not use the missionScreenOpportunity handler to display its screens. The missionScreenOpportunity handler only fires when no other screens are on display. Instead it shows it screen on docking, without doing any check if there is already a missionscreen on display. That oxp will corrupt any existing oxp that also wants to display a screen, so better remove any 1.2 or older version from that oxp until it gets fixed.

Eric Walch wrote:

Gimi wrote:

I managed to kill that Ionics Funnelweb first try with a more responsive system.

It is not supposed to be that easy that you can do it in one try. When going direct for the main ship, the smaller ships should kill you. In my experience I had to kill the smaller ones first. And with a bit of luck, one npc of your team kills the funnelweb for you. I don't think it has to be the player that does the final kill.

I never said it was easy, but i managed to kill on my first try after having fixed a very unresponsive Oolite. Trick I used is to get the Funnelweb to follow by injecting away, then close and snipe and so on. After a while (had to kill a few others along the way), it will follow away from the escort and then it is all about alternating front and rear laser. I did try quite a few times, but with a very unresponsive system, and have now manged to do it this way twice. First time Oolite crashed. Have to have another go now, but it is good fun. (Oh, this does not work with hard-head missiles, the Funnelweb just turns away).

Drop me a PM if you find a problem with one of my OXP's guys...... (although I suppose ignorance is bliss _

I'm new to OXPing and javascript so I guess there are bound to be things I don't realise could be an issue.

I'll get it fixed.

e2a - fixed - just need to test treatment of scooped escape pod 'slaves' and will get an updated version out. Got to to go to work now though.....

Capt. Murphy wrote:

Drop me a PM if you find a problem with one of my OXP's guys......
I'm new to OXPing and javascript so I guess there are bound to be things I don't realise could be an issue.
I'll get it fixed.

Hello.
No need to worry. The way things work with Oolite and OXP development, this is to be expected. I don't know enough about the code to identify where the problem is. That is why we have people like Eric (and others), who can look at both OXP's and enlighten us. Also, faults like this can influence others as well, so it should be public in my view. A bit busy yesterday, but my plan was to post a small heads up in the Illegal Goods Tweak thread today. Guess I won't have to now. I like the OXP, so it will go back in when it is fixed.

No worries Gimi, I was just a bit concerned that had it only been posted here I could easily have missed the problem....

Correct Gimi. The only way to get the Funnelweb was to make short passes. I am in the military mission with the Hydra and the Leviathan and I proceed the same. I HATE the Hydra