Oolite Bulletins

Just an idea for those of us who need a Sat-Nav IRL to get from A to B - how about a mod that lets me set a target system and plots a route for me from where I am to where I wanna go?

Trying to navigate some of the galaxies is a bit tricky - I've often found myself in the position where I can't get <there> from <here> and back-tracking 6 or 7 systems to correct a wrong turn costs fuel and time that a poor trader/courier can ill afford....

Anyone able to clue me in how to get from Isinor to Inines in Galaxy 1?

Buy the Advanced Navigational Array at first opportunity. Then, when you are on the Galactic Chart screen, you can select any planet and press '^' (Shift+6 on my keyboard) to show the least number of jumps route or Ctrl + ^ to show the shortest time route to destination. These routes are not the same thing and this is by game design. Activating the ANA also shows you the Interplanetary Connectivity Grid for the chart you are in.

If there is no route to destination - this can be the case in certain galaxies - no route is shown, only the connectivity grid.

BTW, these are your routes to Inines. Yellow is shortest number of jumps, cyan is shortest travel time (click images for full size).

Course laid in Commander. Many Thanks. If you happen to be in the vicinity of Inines when I Witch in, there's a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster or two in it for you...

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Or, if alcohol isn't your thing - I happen to know where I can get a good deal on some nice edible poets...
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Can you set avoidances for Toll booths and the like?

I'm sometimes amazed at the (game)time difference between the two routes - shortest v quickest.

I must be mistunderstanding the physics of Witchspace drives.

Any ideas why a 7LY jump takes more time than two 3.5LY jumps?

Newt_Othis wrote:

I'm sometimes amazed at the (game)time difference between the two routes - shortest v quickest.

I must be mistunderstanding the physics of Witchspace drives.

Any ideas why a 7LY jump takes more time than two 3.5LY jumps?

Well firstly you can't actually do a 7 or a 3.5 ly jump since Oolite (like Elite) increments space between systems in 0.4LY steps.

However, to actually answer your question - Hyperspacing uses a Square Law to calculate time.

Although I can't remember the actual times let's take a 1LY jump (which you can't do - see above) and say it takes 1 unit of time to make the jump.

Then a 2 LY jump will take 4 units of time to make a jump (2^2)

So, for the 7 v 2x3.5 issue we get:

7 LY = 49 (7^2) units,

3.5 LY + 3.5 LY = 12.25 units + 12.25 units = 24.5 units (or precisely half the time!)

Newt_Othis wrote:

Any ideas why a 7LY jump takes more time than two 3.5LY jumps?

It is because of the way travel time is calculated in the game. Travel time required in hours is the square of distance in LY. So (7^2 = 49hrs) > ((3.5^2 + 3.5 ^2) = 24.5hrs). Why? I'm sure our handwavium experts have already a mathematical proof somewhere, but in game terms it is done to give an extra element of strategy and planning for the big buck contract and passenger runs. Having to make that extra jump means that you play the game for longer and you can choose whether you can afford to waste contract hours by following the short route or expose yourself to the dangers of a prolonged trip that will get you there in time for a successful contract delivery.

DaddyHoggy wrote:

Although I can't remember the actual times let's take a 1LY jump (which you can't do - see above) and say it takes 1 unit of time to make the jump.

I can help here: The unit of time you're looking for is the hour. One LY = one hour. Convenient, isn't it?

Thanks DH and AC. It makes perfect sense.

Good job we've got the Advanced Navigation system, eh? Travelling through witchspace ain't like dustin' crops, boy!

Commander McLane wrote:

DaddyHoggy wrote:

Although I can't remember the actual times let's take a 1LY jump (which you can't do - see above) and say it takes 1 unit of time to make the jump.

I can help here: The unit of time you're looking for is the hour. One LY = one hour. Convenient, isn't it?

I suspected as much, but didn't want to commit to it and therefore look more foolish than normal!

I would like to be able to save the route wich the ANA calculated. Say I calculated a route fram A to B for instance over a length of 25 jumps it would be very nice to save that particular route so that I would be able to click to the next planet when docked. I find it time consuming to always have to recalculate the same route WE are working with computers so it would not be so difficult to save some things wich are already there? this is something I would appreciate very much!

I just take a screenshot of the 'map', then refer to it when I need to.

Smivs wrote:

I just take a screenshot of the 'map', then refer to it when I need to.

Yeah, that works... the ANA won’t save a route, as such, but it can keep the long range destination system marked.

Or even you could refer to the [wiki]Oolite_planet_list[/wiki]! It has all the planets and their relevant info including the vector lines. What more could you ask for?

Fatleaf wrote:

Or even you could refer to the [wiki]Oolite_planet_list[/wiki]! It has all the planets and their relevant info including the vector lines. What more could you ask for?

Or even "Oolite Sat Nav"...

"At the next Star take the third exit and travel straight for 3.6 light years..."