[SCR/MOD] Complex Cleaner v3.20 / Modular Complexes

[Gazz]

Yes, you connect those "FACT" factories.

I can see where some of the original factories have been amalgamated, but only if they were from the same race and the same original size. But not always.

That factories of different races can't be combined is normal.
They are not the same kind of factory. Different resources...

Factories with the exact same resources will be combined, regardless of their size.

[RichG]

Ah life would be so much easier if instead of just looking at the first post I actually read and retained that information in my brain! All working fine now with my monster complexes compressed neatly into a shiny cube located just inside the gate, come buy all my pretty things! Awesome mod and cheers for all the help Gazz

RichG

[RichG]

Hmm have found a consistent pair of problems:

1. There appears to be an issue with collision detection withe the new complex I've lost two CAG's while I was linking the Facts together and when I went over to have a look where they had gone the autopilot slammed me headfirst into the side of the cube

2. Attempting to build Ashleys extended hub consistently causes a CTD at the stage when it is meant to have the cutscene flyby of the built hub

Any thoughts Gazz?

[Gazz]

1. There appears to be an issue with collision detection withe the new complex I've lost two CAG's while I was linking the Facts together and when I went over to have a look where they had gone the autopilot slammed me headfirst into the side of the cube :(

Those cubes are big. Really big.
The AP probably freaked out...
It's a very good idea to place the module complex maybe 10km above the ecliptic and put the hub below it.
That's a lot safer.

2. Attempting to build Ashleys extended hub consistently causes a CTD at the stage when it is meant to have the cutscene flyby of the built hub

That's new to me.
You do have Ashley's mod installed?

I had one case where someone installed my CC mod instead of Ashley's but still ecpected Ashley's mod to work.
But if it's not there, it's not going to work.

[RichG]

1. the complex is off to one side but the restore command that I needed to use to get back all the mines that were waaay off screen due to the clear command from the 1.08 version of the cleaner had moved my HQ to the far side of the new complex from the gate so things tend to drive through the complex to try to get to the HQ is there any way of moving single stations since I can't run restore again as the complex module also moves unless it is connected to a hub in which case it won't expand any more?

2. yep the rest of ashleys fabs works fine and a force reset of the fabs completes successfully it's only the extended hubs that sulk.

[Gazz]

since I can't run restore again as the complex module also moves unless it is connected to a hub in which case it won't expand any more?

Ohh, now I see.
I never thought of the old restore thing when coding the new stuff.
Will take 4 lines to ignore all the newfangled module things. =)

[RichG]

I'll wait in anticipation of the next version increment then

Seriously cheers for this mod it has made things considerably easer and more realistc than the spagetti world that manticore used to be, if the collision detection is going to be an issue I'll just fly manually IS and make sure other ships are on Idle until I've left.

[Gazz]

Version 3.07 released.

The modular complex and it's factory modules are immune to the old clear and restore commands.

Seriously cheers for this mod it has made things considerably easer and more realistc than the spagetti world that manticore used to be

I never thought about realism but you may have a point there.
Some kind of "modular factories" have been on the devnet and other wishlists forever but noone thought it possible for X3 because "complexes are all kinds of hardcoded".
Well... while I couldn't break as many hardcoded rules as I liked, the result is quite close to "real" modular stations.
And it definitely solves the top 2 or 3 problems with big complexes.

I doubt that collision detection would be a bigger issue than with your spaghetti complex.
Just place this one big fat object well out of the traffic lanes and you're golden.

[Gazz]

Hmmm.

Mines are the only factories left that have so far eluded my wrath.

I could include them into the modular complex as well.
(Don't tell me why it doesn't work - just assume for now that I can =)

The one thing I'm undecided on is the graphical representation.
Somehow it doesn't feel right to simply crunch a huge rock into these boxes.

The thing is, this graphical representation (assuming I even find a way that works) would be 90 % of the work.
Merely assimilating existing mines into the MC would be easy...

That would completely do away with traditional complexes and spaghetti wiring.
Any thoughts?

[Kakurate]

I've not yet gotten a chance to actually use this system, however, maybe for now you could just crunch the mine into the box while you work on a graphical representation?

[RichG]

Restore ignoring works brilliantly for my "complex and headquarters in the same sector" problem in Manticore; the HQ is now to the right side of the gate and the complex on the left - no collisions and short journeys for all concerned

cheers Gazz!

[Gazz]

Version 3.10 released.

Ore and silicon mines can now be crunched like any other factory.

Ore and silicon mines can not be crunched without a small loss. I have seen 1-4 %. This is due to the fact that mines have a variable production output resulting in "partial factories", which can not be built.

However - Complex Cleaner is smart.
The fractions are not simply dropped from every single mine you crunch but retained if several mines are crunched at the same time.

Crunching 1 Silicon L (69) mine (10 silicon in 70 sec)
gets you a size 21 Silicon module (21 silicon in 151 sec)
2,6 % loss.

However:
Crunching 3 Silicon L (69) mine (30 silicon in 70 sec)
gets you a size 64 Silicon module (64 silicon in 151 sec)
1,1 % loss.

Note how CC built 64 modules instead of 63. There were enough fractions to form 1 more module...

Once a mine is crunched it stays a regular complex module. There are no fractions any more at that point.
So if you plan on including some mines, plan ahead and crunch them all at once.

There won't be any extra graphical representation for mines. Adding more huge objects is unlikely to work well with the X3 engine (and with my piece of mind).
Instead, the module complex grows a lot faster if you add mines instead of the same number of factories.

[marco01]

what could go wrong if I use the XTM and ashleys mod?

[tehwasabi]

I have a problem with crunching. After I crunch, for some reason the Module Complex becomes a Fighter Drone factory and whines that it doesn't have resources. What could be causing the problem?

[Gazz]

After I crunch, for some reason the Module Complex becomes a Fighter Drone factory and whines that it doesn't have resources. What could be causing the problem?

Sounds like something is wrong with the mod installation since the MC is it's own factory type but never a producing factory.

It's also created as an offline factory, never has fighter drones, does not produce anything and thus doesn't need resources.
My guess is that some other script (like Ashley's) "fixed" and activated it this "broken factory".

Could also be that you installed the wrong mod version. The vanilla CC mod has it's factories in an index range that Ashley's would normally access.

[tehwasabi]

Thanks for the tips. I've re-installed the game, making sure to install CC at the end. I used the fake patch install method, and now the Orca I'm using (which has a tractor beam equipped) doesn't have the CC command.

By the way, your mod owns.

[Alan Phipps]

Gazz, I have a similar problem to tehwasabi's original post. I have Vanilla 2.5 with no other mods or scripts apart from a simple remove rocks utility. When I install CC 3.10 using either of the Mod or false patch method, I get a first check message saying 'possible conflict and that if I did not manually change TFactories and the gz...dummy script start number then strange things would happen.'

Well if I press on anyway, everything seems to go OK (I can move hubs and complexes etc) until I crunch say a few silicon/ore mines and crystal fabs, then I get a lovely single module that says it produces lasertowers and squash mines! It is as though CC is reading different factories descriptions in TFactories to those being crunched, even though I have not changed my vanilla game files or anything in CC that I was not supposed to.

I am using definitely installing the correct 30 cat/dat files as Mod 30 or Patch 10, and the CC expected index start number for vanilla is 301, which seems to fit the start of your modules in the unpacked TFactories in CC Cat 30. I therefore cannot see why CC seems to think there is a conflict in my game set-up, although there obviously really is one. Any advice would be most appreciated. Cheers.

[Gazz]

I used the fake patch install method, and now the Orca I'm using (which has a tractor beam equipped) doesn't have the CC command. :cry:

Did you save/load 1 or 2 times?

CC does not install instantly but delayed. This was due to some odd crashes when starting a new game with it.

Well if I press on anyway, everything seems to go OK (I can move hubs and complexes etc) until I crunch say a few silicon/ore mines and crystal fabs, then I get a lovely single module that says it produces lasertowers and squash mines!

The big thing should be the module complex, not a single module.
The MC is the case. It does not produce anything. The mines and LT are meaningless (for now) dummy entries.

The factory modules are what's left of your former factories.
If they don't produce what your fabs did produce before - that's a bug.
You did not mention any Factory modules being created as well...

As for the conflict message: are you sure you used the "30" cat as the mod?
CC will auto-detect and work with either of it's mod versions but it does try to figure out if you "should" have use that particular cat. =)

[Alan Phipps]

Gazz, thanks for quick reply. Yes all is OK and working correctly with all the factory modules and the complex module - it was just my clumsy description. I was myself confused by the complex module having those inactive and unexpected squash mine and LT production lines. Are these so that something useful happens from these production lines when the module is otherwise full up with resources and idle perhaps? Do you have to link up these built-in production lines somehow later on? Go on, give us a hint!

The only thing that still worries me is that initial 'conflict' message - and yes I am definitely using the 30 Cat/Dat. I got the same message for both patch and Mod approach installs using the Cat/Dat 30 files - and whether from manual insert of scripts or by Mod Manager use of the .spk file - and nothing seems to be wrong with CC once in-game however I have installed it. What does that conflict message (check error code 303?) actually mean? Is it possible that 3.10 TFactories now has an index start for vanilla other than 301 after your recent mines inclusion? I'm just having a wild guess because I cannot see what can be wrong with this very straightforward install. Thanks again.

[tehwasabi]

Gazz, thanks for replying.

I've worked it out--was using the Ashleys version instead of the XTM only version. Your mod does wonders for my FPS..