GALSIM update

[Deathwatch]

Pretty much - I did a test with a 2 fighters, one set to a hyperspace jump (well, two) and the other on escort/defend - the result was that the fighter made its two jumps but the escort was eventually stuck on defending.

 

I'll run the test again with a ship and a fighter to see if it happens again.

[markb50k]

ok i'll take a look

[markb50k]

still checking but are you sure the fighter you set on escort was not a hyper capable fighter.  if it was then it would cancel out its Escort mission immediately and go to Defend mode.

 

Just checkin...

[markb50k]

Yup you were right Deathwatch, it was getting screwed up by a bug that was already there forever.  Cool, fixed it.

[Kobra_warlords]

I tried the Escort+Defend combo, and something kinda weird happened: the fighters did jump as usual, but as soon as they arrived they immediately jumped back (the escorted ship had not yet entered hyperspace). After the 2nd jump, the fighters had the Defend order ahead of the Escort order, and even though the Defend co-ordinates were correct (they wanted to defend the frigate) they wouldn't jump again and so were left in a different sector altogether.

 

Funky.

 

When not jumping, though, the order combo works great. Thanks, Mark!

[markb50k]

no doubt, your problem was caused by the code problem that i just fixed.  if you try that again, it should work as intended, altho those fast jumpers will jump twice.  That was always how it would have happened, not affected by the DEFEND orders.  but the DEFEND order will now never pre-empt the ESCORT order as it was in the old bugged code.

[markb50k]

NEW zip update.. download at http://galsim.nickersonm.com/galsim.zip

 

New Features.

 

Mass Rename -  now when you have multiple ships selected, and you rename them, it will append a 1 thru ...  for every ship.  (Note, this would also happen if you select ships and fleets at the same time so be careful)

 

Wacky Weapons Arcs - specs display will now show proper arcs and they wont act funny anymore.

 

Have fun!

[Kobra_warlords]

Yay! Thank you very much sir ;D

[markb50k]

New Engine Update - no download necessary

 

New Features

 

Accelerated Ship Repairs:

- If ship is onboard another ship, the parent ships crew and supplies are taken into account.

- If ship has not fired a weapon nor been fired on, repair rates are raised significantly

 

Accelerated Shield Recharge:

- If ship has not fired a weapon nor been fired on, recharge rates are raised significantly.

[markb50k]

New Engine update - no download necessary

 

New Features

 

Simplified Detection Logic:

- For ships with a detection rating of 1 (most fighters, some cargo ships), i use a simplified logic.  Instead of the complicated geometric calcs i use normally i just take a measurement of how far the ship is that is trying to be detected.  Here is the code...

 

double longest_distance = Math.max(10000, Math.max(targetSpec.length, targetSpec.width) * 20.0);
double distance = SimUtilities.calculateDistance(o.location, t.location);
if(distance <= longest_distance)
    detected = true;

 

so either 10Km or (the max length or width of the target ship * 20m), whichever is greater.  if the target ship is within that range its automatically detected.  Speeds up stuff greatly and simulates using visual range nicely.

Edited June 6, 2008 by markb50k

[markb50k]

NEW zip update.  Download at http://galsim.nickersonm.com/galsim.zip

 

New Features

 

Cleanup Up User Reports:

- user reports are now not double spaced

- user reports are only written to file if they actually contain something useful (so no files with just "No data to report - END REPORT" anymore)

 

Have fun!

[markb50k]

Next couple of things I am looking at:

 

-Assigning a weapon type to a priority target

-Allowing a preferred component to salvage

[markb50k]

Turns will not be processed for the  next couple of hours.  I am just about to leave work and I wont get to a internet accessible location until later tonight.  Too bad, really, since there is an awesome battle going on in the war zone.  I almost didnt see it until I zoomed far out and saw it tucked in the corner.

 

My hat goes off to the CC9600 Glory To Fire which was finally put to rest last turn.  It was a fierce combatant and gave as good as it got.

[General_Antillies]

Yah... I payed for that one though , I'm not sure how many people are attacking me right now but I'm pretty sure I'm significantly out numbered.

[Deathwatch]

That's why you should've looked at your diplomacy! (maybe a reminder here for incoming requests may help?)

[markb50k]

DW, that code is in already, sorry if I never let anyone know.  When someone is requesting for you to be an ally, it shows up on the user report

[Deathwatch]

Ahh right

 

About those reminders in the report, would it be possible to have some sort of small report in the GUI as well? (this isn't important but maybe for the full game it may be)

[markb50k]

yeah I can look at that.  i really did a real fast and ugly code job to get the user reports so I would have to mess around a bit to get it nice and neat and into the GUI.

[markb50k]

New ZIP update.  Download from http://galsim.nickersonm.com/galsim.zip

 

New Features

 

Standoff Range:

- You can add a STANDOFF range to your priority target list.  It will apply to any priority target below the STANDOFF entry.  You can have multiple STANDOFF entries down the list, and each supercedes the others.  Once a STANDOFF is in the list every target below that will use it, so you must put a STANDOFF of -1 in to clear the STANDOFF for any targets below it (if you want to use the standard distances in the ship's specs).  Or obviously, remove every STANDOFF entry from the list and the ship will use the standards spec range.

 

Specify weapons per priority target:

- pretty self explanatory.  for every priority target, you can specify it to apply to different weapons types

 

Salvage priority:

- After adding a salvage order, you can edit its salvage priority through a link in the order list.  if no priority is given it will use randomness like normal.

 

Have Fun!

[markb50k]

Im about to leave for a baseball game.  Wont be reachable for a few hours.

[markb50k]

New ZIP update.  Download at http://galsim.nickersonm.com/galsim.zip

 

New Features

 

Unit spec display now does NOT round jump speed (some with 1.5 were showing 2)

 

Have Fun!

 

 

Next Steps

A big change is coming.  I am looking at implementing a limit on how long fighters will be able to be launched without having to be docked.  The fighters will have something new like their magazine, but it will hold fuel (so instead of loading WEAPONS components, you will need PROPULSION components)

[Kobra_warlords]

A big change is coming.  I am looking at implementing a limit on how long fighters will be able to be launched without having to be docked.  The fighters will have something new like their magazine, but it will hold fuel (so instead of loading WEAPONS components, you will need PROPULSION components)

 

Ouch, massive change. Is that canon? Either way, it would be a nice way of "toning down" some superfighters, including the TD. They'd be just as powerful as before, but harsh supply requirements would limit their use to special occasions, making other units relatively viable. It's also a great way of distinguishing between eras - If the newer units use 10x as much fuel, they won't be practical in an older setting where fuel is made less plentiful. Thus controlling the supply of fuel would be enough to control the range of units available to players (even if you want to combine it with some sort of tech level system - it's nice to be able to build 'prototypes' which are better than current tech, just not practical from a logistics point of view).

 

Before you do any of that, though, it would be nice if you could code in some way for us to arm and refuel our units without having to salvage. If that is not practical at this stage, then an interim solution could be to spawn big piles of resources floating in our home sectors.

 

Having a proper supply of warheads (which can seriously change the dogfighting scene) might be a more pressing matter than an implementation of fuel limit.

[Idle_Scholar]

Can there be a smoothing mechanism for hit rates between fighters? At the moment it's almost impossible to hit a TD, and cheap fighters are almost entirely useless. I think from my crude analysis you need to outnumber TD's 20+ to 1 with TUFTR's to have an even chance, whereas TD's only cost about 2.5 times as much.

 

Oh and yeah it would be nice to have a reliable source of bits for the fighters and ships (fuel etc), as at the moment a lot of stuff is pretty useless without missiles.

[markb50k]

I will address the scarcity of warheads (and fuel) with the next change.  It wont be all to your liking but it will make that process a little more straightforward.

 

As for smoothing out hit rates, that is a touchy thing.  After all, you are talking about TUFTRs (techno union), seriously, how effective should those be against top of the line spacecraft?  But I can take a look at the calculations and see if I can make things make a little more sense.

[Idle_Scholar]

Don't get me wrong. I don't think the TUFTR's should stand a chance. It's more that the points cost of a TD doesn't even remotely coincide with it's effectivnes as a dogfighter. Therefore waht's the point in buying any other type of fighter?