[SCR] [X3:TC/AP] [v1.9.8.12] [03/23/14] Galaxy Explorer

[Probe1]

I.. mixed this script up with the other older script haha. my bad. I just realized it right now and you've already noticed my error.

[DrBullwinkle]

No problemo, hermano.

I have hopes that Galaxy Explorers will become the best of the universe-explorer scripts. Already, Galaxy Explorers has the one important feature missing from most explorer scripts -- the choice of whether to uncover new sectors or not.

Gnasirator will fix it up nicely, I'm sure. He has done an amazing amount of work in just a few days.

[gnasirator]

thanks ... too kind!



monday I'll return home. I hope I can get this script "perfect" then. Already looking forward to working your todo list, DrBullwinkle.

[nap_rz]

am I thinking this right? galaxy explorer will enable ships that equipped with it to explore the universe automatically?

but to what extent? will 1 ship explore all the sectors?
then what after all sectors revealed, the ship will stop? or wandering around aimlessly?

what about enemy sectors, like xenon sectors? will they enter it and get killed? what about if they have to cross an enemy sector to get into other sector, like the xenon 347 to get from the middle universe to the northeastern side of the universe?

is this compatible with XRM?

[DrBullwinkle]

am I thinking this right? galaxy explorer will enable ships that equipped with it to explore the universe automatically?

Yes, that is the primary purpose of the Galaxy Explorer. It is like the vanilla Explorer Command Software, but with additional improvements.

One (or more) ship(s) will explore all sectors. You can choose whether you want them to discover new sectors, or whether they should only visit sectors that you have already visited.

Galaxy Explorers also can scan asteroids and place satellites. If you choose to have them maintain a satellite network, then they will continue to do that until you tell them to stop.

The explorers will enter enemy sectors, but will immediately leave IF you tell them not to map enemy sectors.

Good question about crossing enemy sectors. I will leave that one to Gnasirator to answer.

is this compatible with XRM?

Probably. Please let us know the results of your tests!

(Please note that Galaxy Explorers is still being developed. It works now, but Gnasirator has plans to improve it.)

[Probe1]

Not only is it compatible with XRM, they compliment each other Disco Exploerers come pre equipped already with all the software you need to fire it up and have your explorer find every single sector in the main universe (No Khaak or hub sectors obviously.)

But if you want them to scan asteroids as well then you'd need to purchase mineral scanner yeah yeah yeah.. Anyway yeah tl;dr i'm running both and it runs wonderfully.

I do miss universal explorers ranking up like Mk3 traders though. It gave the game a lot more personality. These are just .. your bot ships that ease your life. Not your employees

[gnasirator]

Good question about crossing enemy sectors. I will leave that one to Gnasirator to answer.

As long as those enemy sectors are known, they won't enter them.
But if they aren't revealed yet, the explorers can't know about hostility, so they have look first

Explorers won't cross the universe to discover that one undiscovered sector btw. They will sooner or later stumble across it and THEN discover it.

This script checks only the current sector which the explorer is in for gates to unknown sectors and prefers them. If none are found, they randomly choose one (BUT skip the sector, they come from to avoid loops). So very simple, yet powerful!

[DrBullwinkle]

That's great, Gnas.

But, um... what about the question?

Can the Explorer jump over an enemy sector to get to a safe sector beyond? Or will it retreat and/or avoid that sector?

Either way, I think that no part of the universe is completely blocked by Xenon sectors. So the Explorer will, in time, cover the universe. As (long as you are not enemies with the Teladi. )

@Probe1: Thanks for the report on XRM compatibility!

I am not at all a fan of pilots. If they were properly supported by the game, maybe. But the trading pilots are incompatible with the game and, sometimes, with each other. Also, they sometimes have severe problems at lower ranks. And pilots don't really fit the rest of the game, which is based on buying software for your AI at Equipment Docks.

Still, some people must like them.

In any case, think of Galaxy Explorers as an upgrade to Explorer Command Software (which is required, iirc). Both upgrades do the same tasks -- but Galaxy Explorers does them better than the vanilla scripts.

@Gnasirator: It would be good to add "XRM Compatible" to the OP.

[gnasirator]

Can the Explorer jump over an enemy sector to get to a safe sector beyond? Or will it retreat and/or avoid that sector?

Sorry, overread that.
The rule here is simple:
Explorers won't fly into enemy sectors (sectors, the ship is hostile to -> can be edited under ship commands!), except the enemy sector is the only way possible (only 1 gate in current sec leading to a hostile sec).
(If set to not explore enemy sectors, of course)!

So if there is any branch in the universe which is blocked by e.g. a xenon sector, it will remain undiscovered unless the explorers are set to discover hostile sectors.
So: easy rule. if you want enemy sectors explored, tell your explorers to do so!

edit:

@Gnasirator: It would be good to add "XRM Compatible" to the OP.

Done.

[DrBullwinkle]

Explorers won't fly into enemy sectors

So: easy rule. if you want enemy sectors explored, tell your explorers to do so!

Sounds good to me. You would not want to remove *all* of the danger and uncertainty from the task! Just keep the danger manageable, which you have done.

@everyone: Scouts do a pretty good job of avoiding enemies on their own. Placing satellites and scanning asteroids are more dangerous than just exploring, of course. But scouts are cheap, and you wanted a few for satellite maintenance anyway, didn't you?

If you want a more sturdy scout, use a Spitfyre.

Force Recon, yeah, that's the ticket!

[Erenar]

Eve player Bullwinkle?

Gonna take a look at this script although i might need to run it alongside ASN1.33 as I already have a navsat network down. I just need the systems fully explored and roids scanned... next playthrough i can try just using this. Running XRM:TC and AP so will report back if any issues but seems unlikely that there would be.

[DrBullwinkle]

Eve player Bullwinkle?

Never played Eve.

Why do you ask?

[Erenar]

Your comment on force recon Eve cruiser class.

[DrBullwinkle]

Sorry, I don't know the reference.

Force Recon is one of the US Marine's special forces units. Basically, spies with guns. Big guns (for a light unit). Lots of guns (for spies). Very bad-ass. 4x100 (or more). No tuxedos.

Force Recon has been around much longer than Eve.

[gnasirator]

sry to interrupt: new version

@DrBullwinkle:
I tried to implement the command as a menu from where the traders can be started, but I failed.
At least I changed the command id to a special command slot. Should be better to find there.

And as a little bonus, I added changeable default configurations for your explorers.
I guess that should eliminate any wish for custom default options ...

Ah and auto naming now is only active WHILE explorers are working. They rename back after they stopped.
So no more confusion about when they are running and when not.

Have fun

[DrBullwinkle]

I tried to implement the command as a menu from where the traders can be started, but I failed.

Interesting. What did not work? Issuing the "Explore Galaxy" command? Or putting the config menu on the Special tab?

At least I changed the command id to a special command slot. Should be better to find there.

Yes, I like that better. Although it would be even better on the Navigation menu where the Vanilla Explorer commands are...

Also, for ease of use, it may be better to use consistent naming. It is a small detail, but after installing "Galaxy Explorers", the eye tends to look for menus labeled "Galaxy Explorer". "Explore Galaxy" is not the same (although not hard to figure out, of course!)

And as a little bonus, I added changeable default configurations for your explorers.

Nice! Yes, that's all that needs to be done for that feature.

Ah and auto naming now is only active WHILE explorers are working. They rename back after they stopped.
So no more confusion about when they are running and when not.

Bonus!

Nice improvements. We'll have to keep working at that menu thing. It is not at all intuitive as an Additional Command. If you think that it will be a long-term challenge, how about sending the user a msg that the configuration menu is in an "Additional Commands" slot? That could be done either when the Explore Galaxy command is issued, or when the setup script is run the first time.

[gnasirator]

Interesting. What did not work?

Putting the menu in the config tab was no problem. But betty always said "Command accepted" when I opened the menu. And when I chose the menu option to start the explorer, it just hang and won't do anything. It worked when accessing the menu from advanced ship commands, though. But still betty didn't say command accepted then. So I left it as it is...

Also, for ease of use, it may be better to use consistent naming.

You are totally right.
But I am not very talented in usability design.

If you like, feel free to suggest some changes in the english language file:

Code: Select all

<page id="2008" title="scipt objects commands" descr="0">
	<t id="558">EXPLORE_GALAXY</t>  <- This is the internal command name when accessing it via scripts
	<t id="1260">EXPLORE_GALAXY_CONFIG</t> <- This is the internal command name when accessing it via scripts
 </page>
 <page id="2010" title="commands" descr="Long version of commandos. These are the commandos assigned to ships using the commandconsole. Page 2010 and 2011 belong together and hold short and long versions of the same commands"> 
	<t id="558">Explore Galaxy</t>  <- This is the command name as it shows up in the menu and in property overview.
	<t id="1260">Configure Galaxy Explorer...</t>
 </page>
 <page id="2011" title="commands" descr="Short version of commandos. These are the commandos assigned to ships using the commandconsole. Page 2010 and 2011 belong together and hold short and long versions of the same commands"> 
	<t id="558">Exp.Gal.</t>
	<t id="1260">Gal.Ex.Cfg</t>
 </page>
 <page id="2022" title="command info" descr=" ">
	<t id="558">This command makes the ship explore the whole x-universe.</t>
	<t id="1260">Settings menu for Galaxy Explorer.</t>
 </page>
 <page id="7600" title="Command Overview" descr=" ">

	<!--Explorer text bits mostly from menu -->
	<t id="1000">Scout</t> <- ship name
	<!-- <t id="2000">Start Galaxy Explorer...</t> --> <- wanted to use this in the menu start version
    
	<t id="3100">Galaxy Explorer Settings</t>
	<t id="3150">Drop sat type</t>
	<t id="3220">Drop navSats</t>
	<t id="3230">Drop adv. navSats</t>
	<t id="3235">Drop sats at gates</t>
	<t id="3240">Autobuy satellites</t>
	<t id="3300">Scan asteroids</t>
	<t id="3310">Error: Need mineral scanner to scan asteroids.</t>
	<t id="3400">Scan sectors</t>
	<t id="3520">Range of inner sector scan</t>
	<t id="3600">Automatically rename Explorers</t>
	<t id="3700">Explore hostile sectors</t>
	<t id="3800">Explore unknown sectors</t>
	<t id="4000">Save Setup as Defaults</t>
	<t id="5000">Load Setup from Defaults</t>
	<t id="8000">Yes</t>
	<t id="8500">Adv.</t>
	<t id="9000">No</t>
	<t id="9500">Std.</t>
	<t id="9600">None</t>

  </page>

I'll gladly change them.
Problem is, that I don't want to change the "Explore Galaxy" command. Because in assets view the current command is supposed to be "Explore Galaxy" and not "Galaxy Explorer".


edit: new bugfixed version
forgot to change the associated script command and there was a bug preventing the explorer from loading the correct value for "explore unknown sectors".

[DrBullwinkle]

when I chose the menu option to start the explorer, it just hang and won't do anything. It worked when accessing the menu from advanced ship commands, though. But still betty didn't say command accepted then. So I left it as it is...

OK. Other people do it, so it is just a matter of figuring out how. We can both work on that as a background task (unless some lurker has a tip).

Problem is, that I don't want to change the "Explore Galaxy" command. Because in assets view the current command is supposed to be "Explore Galaxy" and not "Galaxy Explorer".

What is "assets view"? And why do you want it to say "Explore Galaxy" there?

BTW, you keep saying "Advanced Commands" but it is "Additional Commands". At least in English.

I will be happy to update your t file for you.

[gnasirator]

Oh great, additional commands then. Will change that
I can only guess how the english texts are - I only play in german language.

Assets view ..... You know, press 'R' and see all stuff that belongs to you and their current tasks.

There, I want the galaxy explorers to show 'Explore Galaxy' as their current task. And not 'Galaxy Explorer' ... At least while the explorers aren't busy otherwise.
and it seems, the text shown there and the text in the command menu option are the same.

[DrBullwinkle]

OK, I understand now. I thought that you might have been referring to the "Property" view, but I could not figure out what that had to do with the name, Galaxy Explorers. Thanks for the explanation.

Personally, I would rather see Galaxy Explorer there, too... but it is your choice. It will work just fine either way, and people will understand it.

Your English is excellent, btw. I have met people from Germany who speak with perfect accents (British, Australian, or American -- it seems to vary!). The only tipoff that English is not their first language is that they mis-pronounce some common words. That leads me to believe that Betty is German. Her accent is perfect, but she does not know how to pronounce "rapier" or "CEO". Even "Ceo" could be a joke, but no native English-speaker would get "rapier" wrong like that. It's cute, because her pronunciation is, otherwise, flawless.