[General Battuta]

I think it'd be more fun to keep everything in character.

The exercise framing story might not even be necessary. You could ditch it entirely and play this as an actual historical event.

[Suongadon]

Oh, I got the tube launch to work!!!  It turns out that the Jettison_Cargo_Delay SEXP tries to force an acceleration toward the bow and dorsal of the battlestar.

Huh. Didn't notice that at all. I wonder if calling that operator before force-glide & set-mobile would keep any of that movement from being seen?

Quick question, the outline mentions "In this simulated exercise..." How is everyone tackling this? Are you doing the (de)briefings/dialogue "in-character" so to say, or as if everyone knows they're in a simulation.

I was figuring 'in character' would be best for the briefs and missions. Blowing up a simulated ship full of simulated civilians because someone on a radio told you to doesn't really work for me, at least.

[ThePsuedoMonkey]

I've set up the Dropbox folder, so here's the public link.

If you've never used Dropbox before, it uploads everything from your "Dropbox" folder (you can choose where to put this folder) if you install it, or you can just use the web interface.  There are two caveats to using Dropbox, first is that anything you do to the private folder affects everyone (i.e. deleting something from a dropbox folder deletes it from the server).  Second is that we'll need to know each other's email addresses to share the private folder (which gives you guys write-access), since that's what it uses as your username when you sign up.  If that's OK with everyone, you can either PM or email it to me.

[General Battuta]

I seriously think you guys should consider dropping the war exercises frame story. It could have real immediacy as an actual event.

[Killer Whale]

^ Done.
So I'm launching from a Sobek Battlestar, what should I call it? I'm presuming we'd all want to be on the same one?
Edit: Just the Theseus maybe? The ship's been around for a while so it would make sense to be set "between the wars" sort of thing, and some of the built-in/pre-made messages use Theseus so it's easier to use.
While I'm here:

In other words, Tube Launches are harder than they look. (I set you to freaking immobile Theseus, why are you moving around me, why can't I move afterwards?! What the frak is the difference between my code and Diaspora's?! Sun bitmaps? Event names? GRAAR!)

[Hammer65]

I was thinking "in character" as well.  So let's drop the "exercise" as GB suggest.  I'd say for now just stick with Sobek and when we get to polishing maybe we can change the name and do a nameplate.  TSM, I was probably overly specific in my call for a common skybox.  What I should have said is we should use the same series but I like your idea.  If you have a skybox we can use and just use the same planet bitmap at various sizes and locations that would be cool.  It would help make the campaign unique.

On a side note, I will put my mission up for sharing each Monday but I'm not making as much progress as I had hoped.  I am experimenting a lot, and I could see making major changes as I progress to get the best mission.  Since we're likely just doing one each we should really be able to polish them up for the best play experience.

I haven't messed with tube launch yet, but are you guys saying it's as straight forward as starting docked, and then using jettison?  The diaspora campaign had a lot of fredding dedicated to it's tube launch.

Oh and welcome aboard Killer Whale.  I kind of surprised Dukayn has not signed up as he appears to be actively fredding.

[General Battuta]

I haven't messed with tube launch yet, but are you guys saying it's as straight forward as starting docked, and then using jettison?

No.

[ThePsuedoMonkey]

It looks like we're all on the same page with regards to dropping the wargame from the plot.  I've put my starfield into the dropbox, so you should be able to grab it and let me know if it needs any work.  There aren't any nebulae yet though, as those require much more effort to look good.  I also put up my working tube launch, if you want to look at how I did it.  Essentially, I'm using the every_time SEXP as a while loop to declare the position and velocity of the viper while it's in the tube, otherwise you run into what I mentioned before.  To be honest I'd prefer if we did our own battlestar for this, but I'm not opposed to using stuff from R1 either. 

[Suongadon]

In other words, Tube Launches are harder than they look. (I set you to freaking immobile Theseus, why are you moving around me, why can't I move afterwards?! What the frak is the difference between my code and Diaspora's?! Sun bitmaps? Event names? GRAAR!)

You have to set the Sobek's initial speed to 0 in the ship's editor-> initial status. And the same for any fighters, ect that are docked to the ship, otherwise they will pull the giant ship with their super powered thrusters. (or if they are raiders on a basestar, they make it spin around until it shoots off into the distance and the game crashes)

Why you can't move could be because you don't have 'set-mobile' in the event after key-pressed \

Baring any of that being useful help you could post the events in [ code] [ /code] brackets or attach/upload the mission somewhere.

I haven't messed with tube launch yet, but are you guys saying it's as straight forward as starting docked, and then using jettison?  The diaspora campaign had a lot of fredding dedicated to it's tube launch.

It can be half-assed in like ten to fifteen other operators in addition to that, (with no sounds, no proper acceleration, bizarre targeting bugs because the player ship was launched in the same event as their ai wingmen). Or it could be done right (the campaign and tutorial way: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=82523.0)

[Killer Whale]

^ Yeah I did all those things. Currently seeing if I can just copy-paste ThePseudoMonkey's code. Didn't even know that tutorial had come out yet, I don't check one bit of the forums and it comes back to bite me (well, I don't check a lot of the forums, but they don't bite me).
Edit: Lol, flew away to the other end of the universe in seconds and collided with myself. Still, it's errors which I kind of understand.
Edit2: Tried Ace's tutorial, still getting pretty much the same thing, just now I get some speed up... sideways.
Edit3: Got it!

[General Battuta]

Whoever's doing Mission 1 should be able to make killer use of query-orders. Bear in mind there's a dock command you can give to friendly transports - though it's just occurred to me that Raptors probably can't accept it.

If you're willing to go an extra mile I can walk you through how to use query-orders to convert 'protect my target' into 'dock with my target'.

[Suongadon]

Whoever's doing Mission 1 should be able to make killer use of query-orders. Bear in mind there's a dock command you can give to friendly transports - though it's just occurred to me that Raptors probably can't accept it.

If you're willing to go an extra mile I can walk you through how to use query-orders to convert 'protect my target' into 'dock with my target'.

First time I read this: 

3 cigarettes later: So you're saying there is an easier way and I can delete all of the awful key-pressed, flag-jitsu cluster****ery that probably doesn't work right anyway.

At least I won't have to use the sea shells.

[General Battuta]

God yes, spare yourself from key-pressed. Here, let me post an example SEXP:

Code: [Select]

$Formula: ( when-argument
   ( any-of
      "Falcata 4"
      "Falcata 2"
      "Falcata 3"
      "Falcata"
      "<all fighters>"
   )
   ( query-orders
      "<argument>"
      "Protect my target"
      1
      "Serenity"
   )
   ( clear-goals
      "<argument>"
      "Falcata 2"
      "Falcata 3"
      "Falcata 4"
      "Falcata"
   )
   ( when-argument
      ( every-of
         "Falcata 2"
         "Falcata 3"
         "Falcata 4"
      )
      ( true )
      ( add-goal
         "<argument>"
         ( ai-chase "Borealis" 87 )
      )
   )
   ( when-argument
      ( every-of
         "Falcata 2"
         "Falcata 3"
         "Falcata 4"
      )
      ( true )
      ( add-goal
         "<argument>"
         ( ai-chase "Aquila" 89 )
      )
   )
   ( when-argument
      ( every-of
         "Falcata 2"
         "Falcata 3"
         "Falcata 4"
      )
      ( true )
      ( add-goal
         "<argument>"
         ( ai-chase "Cancer" 75 )
      )
   )
)
+Name: interpret guard orders on ser
+Repeat Count: 1
+Trigger Count: 99999999
+Interval: 0
This SEXP will 'catch' any order to protect the Serenity given to Falcata wing, or a member of Falcata wing, and translate it into an order to attack hostile wings.

Does that make sense?

Query-orders is under training.

[Suongadon]

God yes, spare yourself from key-pressed. Here, let me post an example SEXP:


This SEXP will 'catch' any order to protect the Serenity given to Falcata wing, or a member of Falcata wing, and translate it into an order to attack hostile wings.

Does that make sense?

Query-orders is under training.

Makes sense, yeah. Thank you.

Now if I could just figure out why that wing name you used is tickling the old brain meat.

[ThePsuedoMonkey]

GB, does that mean there is no way to change the HUD text of an order (e.g. change "Destroy my Target" to "Move to my Target" for cargo ships)?  Or maybe add "form on my wing" to the possible orders accepted for cargo ships?  Otherwise, I'm not really sure of a good way is to let the player herd ships from the convoy. 

[Killer Whale]

...herd ships from the convoy..

Picturing Alpha 1 burning around trying to get wings of transports into the sobek's flight pod with keep-safe-distance orders. "Why do they all follow that one shuttle which goes the wrong way?! RAGE!!!"

[General Battuta]

GB, does that mean there is no way to change the HUD text of an order (e.g. change "Destroy my Target" to "Move to my Target" for cargo ships)?  Or maybe add "form on my wing" to the possible orders accepted for cargo ships?  Otherwise, I'm not really sure of a good way is to let the player herd ships from the convoy. 

My first approach would be to have ships try to meander off on their own, then set up an event that checks whether the player is within a certain distance, is facing the wandering ship in a generous cone, and has maybe fired a few warning shots while facing in that cone.  Then have the ship be like 'oh damn okay' and go back.

[Killer Whale]

I've put my starfield into the dropbox, so you should be able to grab it and let me know if it needs any work.  There aren't any nebulae yet though, as those require much more effort to look good.

Hmmm... I have no idea how you did what you did and have experience=0 on starboxes, so this is infinitely better than what I could do (#stars->max, wooot!), but to me the stars look a bit... blobby. I like the range of star sizes, but some are either too big, or their "halo" is. Those big supermassive giants don't seem to have enough, attenuation?; despite getting more transparent the further you are from the star itself, there is a definite boundary between the edge of the star's halo and the space around it. Perhaps being in an old region of the universe/galaxy is what you're going for, but there seems to be a bit too much red around, in part because they're so much bigger than the dwarfs.
Got to love the colours though and how you're using stars which are more than just points is awsum.

To anyone now: I am in need of a starbox with a very close terrestrial planet, Sagittaron to be precise. I have no idea what it should look like (I haven't actually watched any BSG and don't know if it's shown) but a fan-made image on a google search gave it clouds and more land than water. Any advice on how to go about getting one?

[Hammer65]

For now i'm just using the built in resource skyboxes from R1.  SkyBox_Desert_03a.pof for now which is a little further back.  For now i'm just trying to get the major elements in and I'm not worrying to much about the background.  I can switch it in the polishing phase.

[ThePsuedoMonkey]

I just tossed up one of the bitmap planets (blue_02) in the background editor for now.  I don't know if there even is a canonical version of Sagittaron, though it would be nice to have it if there is.  I'm guessing that a lot of that is built-in to FRED, so you might have to put the planet image into a custom skybox anyway.  I could do that if I didn't have to do much editing to the texture, assuming we can get permission from the author, but  I'm happy enough with just using the bitmaps at the moment.

Thanks for the feedback on the starfield, I'm sure you've noticed that it's quite a WIP! I'll update it soon, but if you guys use SpaceScape then I'll just post the *.xml file it was generated from, since it makes updates easier on me.