[SCR] MARS Fire Control (v5.25 - 16.02.13)

Aramova · Post by **Aramova** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 02:18

Greetings!

Wonderful script, the turrets have done an amazing job on my Corvette (I fly an Agamendar).

Problem I've run into, is I'm unable to get the Goblins to launch...

I've got 50 fighters (MarkIIs) in my bay, I've attempted to manually launch via the "MARS Attack my target" bind but it just says "No fighter drones available."

Any thoughts?

Lancefighter · Post by **Lancefighter** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 02:35

MARS was designed back when only regular fighter drones were the only choice; my thought is that it only checks for the regular ones... fighter drones when used with MARS are rather amazing, you dont need mk2's to make them effective. My suggestion; sell mk2's, buy mk1's.

Legionnaire · Post by **Legionnaire** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 06:15

Gazz i think ive found a 'player caused issue' with this script. just been doing a patrol mission in Home of Light and was collecting the cargo from that, a pirate energy transporter came in system so i attacked that thinking cap, it was blown up by other forces in sector, dropping a load of spacefuel. I had thought i read somewhere that the Goblins wouldnt collect spacefuel, but one of them bee-lined for it, brought it almost all the way back then left it. I decided to destroy it so as not to risk having it brought on board, so shot at it with 2x phased repeater gun. the 'bullets' got there just as another goblin 'collected' the fuel, and my game locked up.

I tabbed out to leave you this post and when i tabbed back in about 5 mins later the game was running again although very sluggishly.

Legionnaire

Gazz · Post by **Gazz** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 07:31

lv9pv wrote:Ah I see. I did not know that the goblin missile defense worked by having the goblins crash into the missiles and there by getting destroyed in the process. I thought they did their missile defense by shooting down the missiles.

Of course they shoot down the missiles.
It's just a pretty dangerous job, shooting things that can have a 1km detonation radius.

Predator02 · Post by **Predator02** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 08:56

Anyway to get this in SPK format?

Gazz · Post by **Gazz** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 12:00

Sure. With the SPK Packager you can create one.

I sometimes use SPK but only for simple scripts where I don't expect to do many updates.

Aramova · Post by **Aramova** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 14:09

Predator02 wrote:Anyway to get this in SPK format?

I've gone ahead and made one for you, I know it's not fun manually installing scripts, I make one for every script I download and install so I can easily uninstall all the old files

Here it is for version 3.33

http://rapidshare.com/files/158011903/mars.spk.html

Methel · Post by **Methel** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 14:13

I'm just starting to use the script now on my Dragon, its just one turret with pretty limited weapon choices, but still working wonders. I especially love the goblins!
These little buggers keep the enemy busy for ages!
Now I love drones, not sure why.. but they appeal to me on some level (I loved the game overlord too btw

)

I loaded up my Dragon with 50 drones so I had for a few fights. Then after a few patrol missions and station defenses I check my drone level, expecting to have to replace most if not all of them... I've lost 5. Total.

I do have a few questions though.

Missile defence:
Does the drones launch automatically to defend against missiles?
What if I'm already at the goblin cap?

Drones:
Does it support mark II drones? (where do I get these anyways?)
If it does, or will, perhaps you should make a name change since they are such an improvement. Hobgoblins perhaps?
That would make it easy to differentiate the two.

Lastly I want to suggest a feature, though this might be a bit out of the intended field for M.A.R.S.
Marine transport: Make the goblins (or perhaps only MKII) ferry the marines to the boarding target.
Not sure if this is possible to code, but would be a nice feature if it was possible.

milp · Post by **milp** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 14:17

Hmm i have 2 problems:

- If i use the MARS turret options, it always messes up the turret configuration.
I have 2 springblossoms with each 12 Experimental EMP cannons and 2 Prototype starburst shockwave cannons on board.

Mars always empties some slots of the turrets even tho weapons are available and doesnt fill them anymore.

- I use the normal fighter drones as goblins, but TBH they are a bit weak, id like to use those terran Keris drones or the MK2 fighter drones, but i cant find them anywhere to buy, any hints?

Aramova · Post by **Aramova** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 14:59

milp wrote:Hmm i have 2 problems:

- If i use the MARS turret options, it always messes up the turret configuration.
I have 2 springblossoms with each 12 Experimental EMP cannons and 2 Prototype starburst shockwave cannons on board.

Mars always empties some slots of the turrets even tho weapons are available and doesnt fill them anymore.

- I use the normal fighter drones as goblins, but TBH they are a bit weak, id like to use those terran Keris drones or the MK2 fighter drones, but i cant find them anywhere to buy, any hints?

The Keris is at Earth if I remember...

I've noticed that MARS leaves exactly 1 gun on all the turrets when it's idle. When it kicks in, it switches to a full load of whatever gun it feels like using, fires, then switches instantly to the next gun it thinks is best out of your cargo.

If you want to keep a setup on your turrets, don't use it

One thing I've noticed odd, is on my Ray M2, the front turrets do in fact fit an entire rack of guns, but only shoots 1 of them. Odd, bug?

Anyway, just some thoughts..

MaitrePlaton · Post by **MaitrePlaton** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 18:15

Hi !

I have the same problem.

With the MARS soft activated on my M2, only the first slot of each rail is full. The other ones stay empty, even when I select a weapon.

I tried firing, and only one slot shoot, the other ones being empty.

I don't understand because I don't have this problem with my M7 where I can fill all the weapon's slots, and all of them fire at ennemies, unlike for my M2.

Gazz · Post by **Gazz** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 18:54

Methel wrote:I'm just starting to use the script now on my Dragon, its just one turret with pretty limited weapon choices, but still working wonders. I especially love the goblins!
These little buggers keep the enemy busy for ages!
Now I love drones, not sure why.. but they appeal to me on some level (I loved the game overlord too btw :P)

They are the wingmen you never had. Unlike "real" wingmen they don't ask for repairs, jump fuel, shields, cookies, milk, lasers, missiles, a hug, and godknowswhat else.
And they help you instead of being a liability, needing your protection.

I check my drone level, expecting to have to replace most if not all of them... I've lost 5. Total.

Did I mention they are smarter than the lobotomised lemmigs ES trained as fighter pilots?

Missile defence:
Does the drones launch automatically to defend against missiles?
What if I'm already at the goblin cap?

Yes.
You can hit the cap with manual launches but MARS is more conservative.
Right now at least 2 drones are kept in reserve for missile defense. Well, unless you choose to manually deploy all goblins otherwise. Your ship, your decision.

Does it support mark II drones? (where do I get these anyways?)
If it does, or will, perhaps you should make a name change since they are such an improvement. Hobgoblins perhaps?

What would be the advantage?
Which MARS task would Mk2 fulfill better than Mk1?

Lastly I want to suggest a feature, though this might be a bit out of the intended field for M.A.R.S.
Marine transport: Make the goblins (or perhaps only MKII) ferry the marines to the boarding target.
Not sure if this is possible to code, but would be a nice feature if it was possible.

Ah, the I-word again. Impossible is such an overused term.

Goblins can already tow a ship X to position Y if said destination is saved in a local variable on ship X.

I just never had a marine of my own so I know nothing of them.
Besides, MARS does not know about boarding, keeping shields down, and taking prisoners. It's only ever been trained to kill.
For boarding, it has an ignore hotkey, though....

Methel · Post by **Methel** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 19:08

Advantage of MKII drones is that they are stronger and more durable.
Since I have limited turret coverage I use the goblins to hunt down m5's.

Gazz · Post by **Gazz** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 19:27

But Mk2 can't possibly catch an M5.
Even some M3 are faster...

Grimm Spector · Post by **Grimm Spector** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 20:25

This is awesome, I must try it out...

But I must say by the sounds of it this is an item that should be added to the economy, we must have fabs for this!!

Grimm Spector · Post by **Grimm Spector** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 20:42

lv9pv wrote:Gazz:

Considering the effectiveness of the goblin system (Now with added missile defense) Would it be natural to boost the cost of fighter drones or perhaps add a cost of usage to it ?

Idea could be that the player buy normal fighter drones at normal market price. But the MARS ship upgrade, have to modify the drones to goblin drones. And this have a credit cost to it. As to represent some way of resources needed for this upgrade.

I think Goblins should cost an Energy cell each time they launch...

MaitrePlaton · Post by **MaitrePlaton** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 20:43

Hi !

I have the same problem.

With the MARS soft activated on my M2, only the first slot of each rail is full. The other ones stay empty, even when I select a weapon.

I tried firing, and only one slot shoot, the other ones being empty.

I don't understand because I don't have this problem with my M7 where I can fill all the weapon's slots, and all of them fire at ennemies, unlike for my M2.

Grimm Spector · Post by **Grimm Spector** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 20:49

Gazz wrote:
Methel wrote:I'm just starting to use the script now on my Dragon, its just one turret with pretty limited weapon choices, but still working wonders. I especially love the goblins!
These little buggers keep the enemy busy for ages!
Now I love drones, not sure why.. but they appeal to me on some level (I loved the game overlord too btw )

They are the wingmen you never had. Unlike "real" wingmen they don't ask for repairs, jump fuel, shields, cookies, milk, lasers, missiles, a hug, and godknowswhat else.
And they help you instead of being a liability, needing your protection.

I check my drone level, expecting to have to replace most if not all of them... I've lost 5. Total.
Did I mention they are smarter than the lobotomised lemmigs ES trained as fighter pilots?

Missile defence:
Does the drones launch automatically to defend against missiles?
What if I'm already at the goblin cap?
Yes.
You can hit the cap with manual launches but MARS is more conservative.
Right now at least 2 drones are kept in reserve for missile defense. Well, unless you choose to manually deploy all goblins otherwise. Your ship, your decision.

Does it support mark II drones? (where do I get these anyways?)
If it does, or will, perhaps you should make a name change since they are such an improvement. Hobgoblins perhaps?
What would be the advantage?
Which MARS task would Mk2 fulfill better than Mk1?

Lastly I want to suggest a feature, though this might be a bit out of the intended field for M.A.R.S.
Marine transport: Make the goblins (or perhaps only MKII) ferry the marines to the boarding target.
Not sure if this is possible to code, but would be a nice feature if it was possible.
Ah, the I-word again. Impossible is such an overused term.

Goblins can already tow a ship X to position Y if said destination is saved in a local variable on ship X.

I just never had a marine of my own so I know nothing of them.
Besides, MARS does not know about boarding, keeping shields down, and taking prisoners. It's only ever been trained to kill.
For boarding, it has an ignore hotkey, though....

sorrrrrry for the mutliple post, but I gotta say something on this...Gazz PLEASE code us something for real pilots of fighter craft, make them better combatants like your drones, even if it means having to buy a more advanced fight system, like Mk3 kinda like our Trade software to get pilots....pleassse.......

milp · Post by **milp** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 22:57

Grimm Spector wrote:
lv9pv wrote:Gazz:

Considering the effectiveness of the goblin system (Now with added missile defense) Would it be natural to boost the cost of fighter drones or perhaps add a cost of usage to it ?

Idea could be that the player buy normal fighter drones at normal market price. But the MARS ship upgrade, have to modify the drones to goblin drones. And this have a credit cost to it. As to represent some way of resources needed for this upgrade.
I think Goblins should cost an Energy cell each time they launch...

Make that optional please, i dont want my goblins to cost something additionally

Also please make Kreis and Mk2 drones compatible with extra hotkeys and limits.

Gazz · Post by **Gazz** » Mon, 27. Oct 08, 23:52

Grimm Spector wrote:I think Goblins should cost an Energy cell each time they launch...

I don't think so. =P
From a hardware point of view they are fighter drones.
Launching fighter drones has never had a cost.
Loading them with another software doesn't cost more energy, either.

I'm planning an energy cost with the (future) launch catapult, though.

Grimm Spector wrote:sorrrrrry for the mutliple post, but I gotta say something on this...Gazz PLEASE code us something for real pilots of fighter craft, make them better combatants like your drones, even if it means having to buy a more advanced fight system, like Mk3 kinda like our Trade software to get pilots....pleassse.......

A Fight Command Software Mk3 already exists - for Reunion.

PS: quoting the whole long post doesn't really make things easier to read

milp wrote:Also please make Kreis and Mk2 drones compatible with extra hotkeys and limits.

I still haven't heard an argument for that.
Sure, both are far better combat drones but that's not what MARS does with them.

Anyway, I could add a second hotkey for "heavy drones", regardless of actual usefulness. =)

Version 3.45 released.

(Hopefully =) better tactical use of mass drivers
Goblins defend themselves against missiles.
I launched 3 Mosquitos (the arch nemesis of the fighter drone!) against a goblin in 1 second intervals.
That's way beyond certain death for a regular fighter drone.

Launched them head on, too, so they had a closing speed of over 900 m/s.
The Goblin dropped the container it was hauling, shot down all 3 missiles, picked up the container again and continued it's mission.
I repeated that and it survived another 3 mosquitos.
Tough cookie...

A full swarm of wasps finally got it. =P
TEST of a different Goblin fight script.
Might be good, bad, or ugly...

egosoft.com

egosoft.com

[SCR] MARS Fire Control (v5.25 - 16.02.13)