Oolite Bulletins

Posted: **Fri Oct 09, 2009 3:51 am**

Can the plist be like

<key>Cruiser</key>
<dict>
<key>ai_type</key>
<string>route1traderAI.plist</string>
<key>bounty</key>
<integer>150</integer>
<key>cargo_type</key>
<string>CARGO_NOT_CARGO</string>
<key>energy_recharge_rate</key>
<real>4</real>
<key>exhaust</key>
<array>
<string>0 0 -30 10 8 15</string>
</array>
<key>forward_weapon_type</key>
<string>WEAPON_BEAM_LASER</string>
<key>has_ecm</key>
<true/>
<key>has_escape_pod</key>
<true/>
<key>likely_cargo</key>
<integer>8</integer>
<key>max_cargo</key>
<integer>20</integer>
<key>max_energy</key>
<real>406</real>
<key>max_flight_pitch</key>
<real>1.85</real>
<key>max_flight_roll</key>
<real>1.85</real>
<key>max_flight_speed</key>
<real>250</real>
<key>missiles</key>
<integer>5</integer>
<key>model</key>
<string>cruiser.dat</string>
<key>name</key>
<string>Ultra Cruiser (Trader Type)</string>
<key>roles</key>
<string>trader</string>
<key>thrust</key>
<real>50</real>
<key>weapon_energy</key>
<real>50</real>
</dict>

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>cruiser-player</key>
	<dict>
		<key>chance</key>
		<real>0.8</real>
		<key>optional_equipment</key>
		<array>
			<string>EQ_ECM</string>
			<string>EQ_PASSENGER_BERTH</string>
			<string>EQ_ESCAPE_POD</string>
			<string>EQ_ENERGY_BOMB</string>
			<string>EQ_ENERGY_UNIT</string>
			<string>EQ_NAVAL_ENERGY_UNIT</string>
			<string>EQ_DOCK_COMP</string>
			<string>EQ_WEAPON_PULSE_LASER</string>
			<string>EQ_WEAPON_BEAM_LASER</string>
			<string>EQ_WEAPON_MINING_LASER</string>
			<string>EQ_WEAPON_MILITARY_LASER</string>
			<string>EQ_FUEL_INJECTION</string>
			<string>EQ_SCANNER_SHOW_MISSILE_TARGET</string>
			<string>EQ_MULTI_TARGET</string>
			<string>EQ_GAL_DRIVE</string>
			<string>EQ_ADVANCED_COMPASS</string>
			<string>EQ_SHIELD_BOOSTER</string>			
			<string>EQ_NAVAL_SHIELD_BOOSTER</string>
		</array>
		<key>price</key>
		<integer>7000</integer>
		<key>standard_equipment</key>
		<dict>
			<key>extras</key>
			<array>
                <string>EQ_FUEL_SCOOPS</string>
			</array>
			<key>forward_weapon_type</key>
			<string>EQ_WEAPON_BEAM_LASER</string>
			<key>missiles</key>
			<integer>3</integer>
		</dict>
		<key>techlevel</key>
		<integer>9</integer>
		<key>weapon_facings</key>
		<integer>15</integer>
	</dict>
</dict>
</plist>

I'm trying to create a good ship but just can't get them in game!

Posted: **Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:51 am**

Those are entirely different ships ("cruiser" and "cruiser-player"). Presuming there's nothing wrong with it in detail, "cruiser" should appear randomly in the trader role. However the player version will never appear, as essentially it doesn't have a shipdata.plist entry going with it.

What you need to do is make a second ship entry in the shipdata.plist for "cruiser-player", with much the same stats as the NPC one ("cruiser") but with the role "player" and perhaps some of the added bits for player ships (external views and such) and removing the NPC-specific stuff like the AI key. Have a look at the shipdata.plist and shipyard.plist in the oolite.app/resources/config folder to see how it's done for the trunk NPC/player ships as a guide example.

Oh, and probably "cruiser" is something of a generic name for a ship, you might well be better with a name that's a little more specific or singular. You might also benefit from looking into the js console and debug.oxp (look in the wiki or search here for details), that way you can spawn ships and do all sorts of other interesting stuff directly in-game.

Posted: **Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:51 am**

On top of Thargoid's explanation:

Isn't 7000 a little on the cheap side?

And why a bounty on a trader? If spawned by the System populator, the value will be ignored anyway.

And, for emphasis: "Cruiser" is not a good name for the entity (we are not talking about the <key>name</key> entry, but about the opening <key>Cruiser</key>. Shipdata entries (and textures, etc., etc.) must have unique names. If they don't, another OXP's "Courier" will simply overwrite and therefore obliterate your "Courier". And you don't want that.

Therefore you need a unique name for your entity. A name which guaranteed nobody else will ever again choose for his or her ship. And "Courier" is simply not that kind of name.

A very simple way of making names unique is to preceed them with your own name, or the name of the OXP you are working on. A "Commander-Learner-Courier" is much less likely to be produced by another ship designer than a "Courier". Even a "impressingnewshipsoxp-Courier" will probably not appear twice. Your entity names are your choice, but make sure that nobody else will make the same choice.

And I repeat: the very same goes for the model, texture, and shader file-names. Ideally they are the same as the entity name, thereby making clear what belongs together.

Oolite Bulletins

Shipdata and Shipyard .plist for self made ships

Shipdata and Shipyard .plist for self made ships