Oolite Bulletins

I recently found this game and thought I'd give it a shot. I did get the instruction manual, I found the Wiki, and even found a tutorial online. However, I am still having problems and was hoping to get some help.

1) Currently, I'm running the older/stable version. This is only because I'm running Linux/Ubuntu and that's what was in the repositories. I did download the oolite-blah-blah-blah.package file, but I have no idea how to install it.

2) I cannot figure out yaw. The manual says that it's the "," and "." keys, but they aren't working for me. Actually, is there a way to edit the controls. I'm more used to pitch and yaw being together (i.e. the arrows), and having roll somewhere else. Also, is there a way to change the pilot's name?

3) I managed to lock on to a target, and fired a missile, but it only shot out a short distance in front of me and then exploded, despite having a clear path to the target. This has happened every time I've fired a missile.

4) Even at full speed, it seems to take quite a while to get to a planet. After using the witchdrive and then in system hyperspace, I still had to manually fly for about 20mins or so to dock. Is this just because the starting ship is that slow or is it something else?

Well, that's all...for now.

I can't help you with the first two problems, but I can with the second two.

punkbohemian wrote:

3) I managed to lock on to a target, and fired a missile, but it only shot out a short distance in front of me and then exploded, despite having a clear path to the target. This has happened every time I've fired a missile.

It sounds like your opponents have had ECMs. That causes non-hardened missions to self-destruct. Get ECM hardened missiles and you should have more luck using them.

4) Even at full speed, it seems to take quite a while to get to a planet. After using the witchdrive and then in system hyperspace, I still had to manually fly for about 20mins or so to dock. Is this just because the starting ship is that slow or is it something else?

Your ship is equipped with a torus drive. Hit 'J' and you will go at three times your ship's maximum velocity if there are no powered objects like ships and stations nearby. Witchpoint beacons, derelicts, and asteroids don't count.

The quickest rout to the station is not to go directly towards it, but to first head at a 90degree angle out of the trade lanes. Then after about 10 seconds, go towards the station. This way the torus drive is most effective as you will meet very little traffic. Most of the time doing it this way, the journey will only last a minute or two.

This thread https://bb.oolite.space/viewtopic.php?t=3606 should answer all the basic gameplay questions.

Hello and welcome to the board!

punkbohemian wrote:

2) I cannot figure out yaw. The manual says that it's the "," and "." keys, but they aren't working for me. Actually, is there a way to edit the controls. I'm more used to pitch and yaw being together (i.e. the arrows), and having roll somewhere else. Also, is there a way to change the pilot's name?

It sounds like you are using a real old version without yaw. If you plan to use OXPs, you'll run into trouble, as you will then need a newer version of oolite.

Version 1.72.2 is really good and should be used, as the oolite page recommends. I personally even prefer to use the current development version (aka 1.73 or trunk) for playing, as the build process is very easy under Windows and the game in my eyes really stable (after some bugs have been squished in the past months). It also has exciting new features

However, I cannot help you with Linux...did you check the Linux forum? I'm sure someone else already did ask the same questions before and got an answer

Screet

punkbohemian wrote:

1) Currently, I'm running the older/stable version. This is only because I'm running Linux/Ubuntu and that's what was in the repositories. I did download the oolite-blah-blah-blah.package file, but I have no idea how to install it.

Have a read through this thread. A few posts down it tells you how to install the current test version (1.72.2) and also how to de-install v1.65 (the one you will have from the repo's). The download link to it on Berlios (GURPO) is in the first post of that thread.

punkbohemian wrote:

2) I cannot figure out yaw. The manual says that it's the "," and "." keys, but they aren't working for me. Actually, is there a way to edit the controls. I'm more used to pitch and yaw being together (i.e. the arrows), and having roll somewhere else. Also, is there a way to change the pilot's name?

It is possible to do so yes, but you need to edit a file (keyconfig.plist) within your install, or better to create and edit a duplicate one. This wiki page should give you all the explanation you need on how to do it. As for changing names, when you dock, choose "save" rather than "quick save" from the F2 menu. You can then select the filename to save as. Your commander name is the same as that filename (Jameson by default, but changeable there).

punkbohemian wrote:

3) I managed to lock on to a target, and fired a missile, but it only shot out a short distance in front of me and then exploded, despite having a clear path to the target. This has happened every time I've fired a missile.

As Nemoricus correctly says, your target probably has ECM. ECM-hardened missiles are better against this countermeasure, but not immune from it. So you will probably still see some explode prematurely, but less often.

punkbohemian wrote:

4) Even at full speed, it seems to take quite a while to get to a planet. After using the witchdrive and then in system hyperspace, I still had to manually fly for about 20mins or so to dock. Is this just because the starting ship is that slow or is it something else?

Not too much to add to the above comments, except once you have some cash you can get witchspace fuel injectors too. You can then use these to give you a speed boost (at the cost of using up some of your witchspace fuel), by pressing and holding down "i".

PS Alien greetings and welcome

1) Thanks for the links, I would never have figured out how to install the current version without them.

2) The newer version does have yaw, thank god. I had no idea how I was going to get around without it. Also, I did a search of my computer and couldn't find that file, but I should probably go to the linux forum to pursue control editing further.

3) ECM? I should have guessed.

4) All that really helped. On that note, is their an easier way to find the docking station that doesn't involve orbiting the planet a few times? For some reason, it doesn't show up on my radar (totally zoomed out) until after I'm in visual range.

Thanks again for all the help. I've been jonesing some privateer action since it stopped running on newer computers.

Get an Advanced Space Compass, available at all good TL 7 or above worlds. Then the navigation buoy shows up as a triangle with an 'N' to the side of the compass.

4) All that really helped. On that note, is their an easier way to find the docking station that doesn't involve orbiting the planet a few times? For some reason, it doesn't show up on my radar (totally zoomed out) until after I'm in visual range.

You'll notice as you approach the planet when you get quite close the Green solid circle in the compass will jump slightly from the planet's position - this is now the position of the station (actually the Nav buoy out front).

Also if you buy an Advanced Space Compass you can cycle through the targets and when you get an "N" - you're targeting the Nav buoy of the Station (use the '\' key)

punkbohemian wrote:

1) Thanks for the links, I would never have figured out how to install the current version without them.

You're welcome

punkbohemian wrote:

2) The newer version does have yaw, thank god. I had no idea how I was going to get around without it. Also, I did a search of my computer and couldn't find that file, but I should probably go to the linux forum to pursue control editing further.

It's in the install home directory (which I can't recall off-hand, and my Linux box is about 2000km from me at the moment) but under that it's in ./oolite.app/Resources/Config.

punkbohemian wrote:

4) All that really helped. On that note, is their an easier way to find the docking station that doesn't involve orbiting the planet a few times? For some reason, it doesn't show up on my radar (totally zoomed out) until after I'm in visual range.

Yup. If you look carefully it's normally actually visible from a distance. But the best way is to use your compass. When you get near the planet the compass will switch from pointing at the planet to point at the system main station. Just follow it in. And when you get credits and upgrade to an advanced space compass, one of the modes (N) locks onto the nav-beacon, the one 10km in front of the station dock (the one you smack into if you launch and don't adjust course).

The radar (scanner) is only short range. It shows a sphere of 25km radius around your ship. So for something as large as a station you will always actually be able to see the station long before it is on the radar.

You'll notice as you approach the planet when you get quite close the Green solid circle in the compass will jump slightly from the planet's position

haha...no, i didn't notice.

Also if you buy an Advanced Space Compass you can cycle through the targets

Thanks for mentioning that. I've been trying to cycle through targets and it hasn't been working. I thought I had remapped my keyboard wrong. With that in mind, I had recently bought the docking computer (and remapped the keys). Is there a procedure I have to go through to auoto-dock? I tried just pressing the key(s) while locked on to the station, and nothing happened.

The radar (scanner) is only short range. It shows a sphere of 25km radius around your ship.

I see, good to know.

punkbohemian wrote:

With that in mind, I had recently bought the docking computer (and remapped the keys). Is there a procedure I have to go through to auoto-dock? I tried just pressing the key(s) while locked on to the station, and nothing happened.

The docking computer will only activate when you're within the station aegis – i.e. there's a big letter "S" beside your scanner. The docking computer can also be used to dock with other dockable entities, but the fast autodoc – where you jump from being in space to being in dock, with the clock advanced a bit – is only available with main system stations.

punkbohemian wrote:

Is there a procedure I have to go through to auoto-dock? I tried just pressing the key(s) while locked on to the station, and nothing happened.

With the standard config, shift-d docks instantly without the need to lock on to the station. It works with system stations only, and only if the "S" is visible.

Locking onto the target is only necessary if you want to dock with something else than the system station, like carrier ships, monasteries, stores, factories and such. However, I only use it for moving ships to prevent them from ramming me while I try to dock, for normal stations the computer is much too slow for my liking, thus I do it manually. After a few attempts it's pretty easy - at least if you use a joystick with jaw control.

Screet

if you use a joystick with jaw control.

Yeah, I'm debating the purchase of one.

It works with system stations only...

It didn't work for me at any station where I tried it. What other kinds of stations are there?

Also, I read on the forums that the fuel scoop is supposed to work automatically. However, I flew near a sun (close enough that my cabin temp started to rise), but I didn't get any fuel. Is there a trick to it?

You have to fly very close to the sun to scoop fuel. Your altitude gauge has to start going down. Just aim at the center of the sun until you start scooping. If you don't have Witchfuel Injectors, have a hyperspace destination locked in so that you can escape before you fry.

The regular controls for docking are:

'C'- starts auto-docking with main station when in the station's aegis.

'Shift-D'- auto-docks instantly with the main station while in the aegis.

'Shift-C'- starts auto-docking with the targeted station.

I hope this helps.

punkbohemian wrote:

What other kinds of stations are there?

Anything dockable ... these can be certain types of ships, e.g. dredgers and behemoths, or just other entities with docks on them, like Convenience Stores, AstroFactories, rock hermits, seedy space bars, etc. etc. By "main station" we mean the principal trading port in the system, in orbit around the planet, marked by the nav-buoy.