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Introduction
Logain Industries FDN is a fully integrated, scalable freight management, storage and distribution solution able to support the production infrastructure of any organisation.
Using Point to Point Faster than Light Transference FDN will optimise freight distribution to both production platform and trade outlets.
FDN Nodes use data provided by Advance Satellites to maintain its network.
FDNv7 script is only compatible with X3:TC 2.5
FDNv7 is not compatible with older versions, or existing game saves with FDN stations deployed
If you do not intend to use LI_Modv7 you will need to remove the following any script file starting “plugin.LI.Dock.xxxx”.
This is a precaution only if you are using other mods that contain FDN dock references
LI_MODv7 - The.cat & .dat files contain the FDN, PM models and the references for SSDN (approx 8.5MB). X3:TC 2.7.1 compatible only
Required Utilities:
FDNv7 requires Community Plugin Configuration by Cycrow.
Download Links
Hosted by StormMagi
Hosted by Apricotslice
via Google Code
PM Bug Fix: 08/01/2011
Patch - You will be able to view and manage ship equipment & software via the FDN ware lists
Link
Optional:
LI_MODv7
Technical Info:
Script uses file 9910-L044 for text strings
Script uses file 09910 for Log File
Script used page 17 ID’s 300020 to 300056 for LI_Mod
Changes to TDock .txt and HQ.xml are contained in the LI_Mod cat/dat file
Install of Mod files:
The LI_MOD.cat & .dat files can be placed in the mods folder or renamed to follow the game .cat and .dat files.
Great guide by Apritocslice link
Install of script files:
Use Plugin Manager by Cycrow link to install the script .spk file
Or:
Manually install files from the script.zip. This link contains a guide for installing script files manually.
Great guide also by Cycrow link
Turn on AL Plugin:
Great guide by LV shows how to turn on an AL Plug-in link
IMPORTANT:
This is a mod to the existing game files. Please ensure that all save games are backed-up prior to use
The mod files contain changes to the TDock and HQ files and will not be compatible with other mods that change these files
If you experience issue whilst running SETA try reducing the SETA amount
Thanks
Many thanks to all who have tested and have contributed with comments & suggestions on this post, and the people who have answered my many questions.
Many thanks to Apricotslice for hosting the files on his site.
Big thanks to StormMagi for providing ftp access and hosting for my mods
GUIDE
FAQ:
FAQ post started for v7.
Freight Distribution Network (FDN):
FDN is a fully integrated, scalable freight management, storage and distribution solution able to support the production infrastructure of any organisation. Using Point to Point Faster than Light Transference FDN will optimise freight distribution to both production platform and trade outlets.
FDN Nodes:
Nodes are the heart of the Freight Distribution Network and act as a centralised hub for the collection, management and distribution of wares to and from elements within their sphere of influence.
FDN Nodes Sphere of influence:
The Node sphere of influence is calculated by jump distances as follows:
Node to Node (INN) range is 8 jumps
Node to everything else is 5 jumps
FDN Node Storage Capacity:
There are 4 Nodes contained in the LI_Modv7, giving a range of storage capacity:
FDN Node XL – 50,000,000 units
FDN Node L – 40,000,000 units
FDN Node M – 30,000,000 units
FDN Node S – 20,000,000 units
The player will require increasing standings with a race to buy each Node.
FDN Inter Node Networking (INN):
Nodes will automatically communicate with other Nodes that fall within their sphere of influence. Inter Node Networking has a range of 8 jumps and the Node will communicate with Nodes within this range, they will also have access to all FDN enabled element visible to these Nodes. This includes other Nodes; however INN will not extend past this limit.
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In this example all Factories, Docks and Relays within 5 jumps of the three linked Nodes will be visible to and able to communicate to all three Nodes.
Any Factories, Docks and Relays outside of this range will not contribute to the network. Any Nodes outside of the Node range will not be part of the same INN.
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This example shows the INN range limitations.
FDN Nodes & Remote Access:
Nodes can control access to its wares from Docks & Relays via Remote Access. This is a user defined cap at which the Node will not allow access to the ware. (Settings are configured against the ware)
FDN Node & Wares:
The Node allows the player to finely manage the collection, access and distribution of its stored wares. The settings are configured against the wares themselves and are as follows:
Enable Remote Access: This enables Docks & Relays within range of the Node (or via INN) to request the particular ware from the FDN network.
Enable Buy Ware: Buys required resource for Production
Enable Sell Ware: Sell wares to NPC stations
Ware Cap: The maximum amount the Node will allow to be stored locally
Remote Cap: At what level the Node will stop remote access to a ware
Sell Level: At what level the Node will not sell a ware
Buy at: The maximum price the Node will by the ware at
Sell at: The minimum price the Node will sell the ware at
FDN Nodes & Buy Wares:
Nodes can only buy wares to fulfil shortfalls in resources required for production and the purchase is limited to cycle requirements of the factory. With INN the Node will also be able to purchase wares from NPC sources within range of any Node it can communicate with. The player can let the maximum buy price separately from the station settings. (Settings are configured against the ware)
FDN Node & Sell Wares:
Nodes can sell wares as defined by the player. With INN the Node will also be able to sell wares to NPC destinations within range of any Node it can communicate with. The player can limit the amount of wares sold by placing a cap; no wares will be sold at of below the cap. The player can set the minimum sell price separately from the station settings. (Settings are configured against the ware)
Factories:
Resource distribution to production factories is the core feature of FDN, all other features and functionality are secondary to maintaining production supply.
Factory FDN interaction:
Factories will automatically select the closest FDN Node as its primary choice, however the player can also select which Node should be the factories primary Node. If the Node is no longer available (destroyed or turned off) the Factory will try and re-establish a link to the next closest Node. If the first choice Node cannot supply requested wares the Factory will query other Nodes within range and via INN.
Factory & Complex Supply levels:
FDN will try to maintain a resource level of 2 * amount required per cycle, If FDN is required to buy the resource this level drops to 1 * amount required per cycle.
For Complexes FDN will maintain 2 * the highest required amount per cycle, again if FDN is required to buy the resource this level drops to 1 * highest amount required per cycle.
FDN is capable of supplying factories from multiple Nodes over a considerable range (via INN), however such de-centralised distribution will increase CPU requirements. FDN will work exceptional well only if resources are available and is not a silver bullet to an un-balanced supply and demand.
Factory Settings:
Factories will work with default settings once FDN has been enabled on them, however there are additional settings viewed by selecting the appropriate menu options:
Show Full factory details will show the factories Production and FDN supply settings
If Complex – Show Full Complex details will show the full details of each factory which is part of the Complex
Show Advance Link options will show the Primary linked Node and allows the palyer to set their own from the available Node.
Factories and Local Ware Management:
The player can manage the wares held at a Factory and dictate at what volumes products & intermediate products will be released to FDN. Minimum levels can also be set against resources.
FDN Trade Posts:
FDN Trade Posts give the player a trading presence without exposing the FDN Nodes (and therefore the FDN Network) to NPC traders, minimising the risk to production critical resources.
FDN Trade Posts Sphere of influence:
Trade Posts sphere of influence is calculated in jump distances as follows:
Trade Post to Node range is 5 jumps
Trade Post Sell wares range is 3 jumps from its local sector
FDN Trade Post & FDN interaction:
Trade Posts will automatically select the closest FDN Node as its primary choice. If the Node is no longer available (destroyed or turned off) the Trade Post will try and re-establish a link to the next closest Node. If the first choice Node cannot supply requested wares the Trade Post will query other Nodes within range and via INN.
FDN Trade Post Storage Capacity:
The Trade Post has a fixed storage capacity of 5,000,000 units.
FDN Trade Post & Wares:
The Trade Post allows the player to finely manage the wares requested from the Trade Posts:
Enable pass Surplus to Node: Any surplus wares (above the ware cap level) will be passed back to a Node
Enable Sell Ware: Sell wares to NPC stations
Ware Cap: The maximum amount the Trade Post will try and maintain
Sell Level: At what level the Node will not sell a ware
Sell at: The minimum price the Node will sell the ware at
Trade Post & Sell Wares:
Trade Post can sell wares as defined by the player. Unlike Nodes the Trade Post can only sell wares to NPC destinations within 3 jumps of its local Sector. The Trade Post does not have access to INN for selling wares.
FDN Relays:
FDN Relays allow the player to re-supply ships with Energy, Missiles and Ammo based on the ships supply settings.
FDN Relays & FDN interaction:
Relays will automatically select the closest FDN Node as its primary choice. If the Node is no longer available (destroyed or turned off) the Relay will try and re-establish a link to the next closest Node. If the first choice Node cannot supply requested wares the Relay will query other Nodes within range and via INN.
FDN Relays Sphere of influence:
Relays sphere of influence is calculated in jump distances as follows:
Relays to Node range is 5 jumps
Relays will only supply ships in its local sector
FDN Relay & Ship compatibility:
The Relay will only scan ships if they have Supply Command Software installed. The Relays will also scan ships docked at Carrier class ships.
FDN & Advance Satellites:
FDN uses Advance Satellites to maintain its network coverage; all sectors including sectors hosting Nodes require an Advance Satellite. The loss of an Advance Satellite will cause any existing linked elements to lose connectivity with the network.
Vanilla Docks:
Vanilla Docks can be integrated to FDN as per the Trade Posts with, the following limitations:
Cannot sell wares
Limited by there storage
All other aspects are identical to the Trade Post.
FDN modified HQ:
FDN has been designed and built to use a modified HQ as its Node; this was done purely to provide adequate storage units to support centralised collection & distribution.
However the new build allows players at add any Dock as an FDN Node giving then the option to use other Dock mods or even vanilla Docks as Nodes.
Previous version required LI_Mod files to work; the new version will work as a script only version, but limited by available storage.
Modified HQ & Blueprint issues:
The game will only recognise the last HQ type dock deployed when saving Blueprints to the player HQ. This is an issue for any Mod using modified HQ docks to provide usable storage to the player. To overcome this limitation FDN v7 and the accompanying LI Mod v7 employ the same solution as Enhanced Equipment Docks by Saetan.
The Mod file now contains two references for each LI station, one designated as an Equipment Dock and one as a HQ. The Equipment Dock is a dummy ref which is installed at Shipyards for purchase and deployment by the player.
When the player opens the FDN Main Menu or Configuration Menu all player docks are checked and if there is a dummy dock deployed it will be replaced by the appropriate HQ version.
Know issues:
After you built a LI Station you will be able to buy blueprints. But only the player headquarter can save blueprints, so if you don't have one, this blueprints will be lost.
Acknowledgments:
As already stated the Blueprint fix is used by Saetan’s Enhanced Equipment Docks and thanks go to him for pointing me at the solution. Thanks must also go to Lucike who came up with and developed the solution.
Buying LI_Modv7 Stations:
There is a potential issue adding custom stations to existing race Shipyards, by which tradable items become unavailable to the player and the Shipyard show no items for sale.
To overcome this issue if LI_Modv7 is installed two new Shipyards are created for each Major race and all LI Stations are added for purchase as normal by the player. This removes any requirement to modify and existing race Shipyards
LI Stations can be bought as normal via these outlets
Enabling Docks as FDN Enabled:
The player can now define Dock types as FDN enabled elements as follows:
FDN Node
FDN Trade Post
FDN Relay
Once a Dock type as been added FDN will rcognise it and all the related FDN features & functionality will be available to that Dock type. A Dock type can only be classed as one FDN enabled element at a time.
Example:
A Production Complex type Dock could be eanbled as an FDN Node which would allow it to be directly linked to supplying factories.
A Military Outpost type Dock could be anabled as an FDN Relay which would allow it to act as a re-supply base for player fleets.
Limitations of Vanilla Docks:
The only real limitation in using vanilla Dock types is storage. Equipment Doack & Trade Posts can only hold a limited amount of any ware, this would limit a Node which could be supply high tier production factories which require more of a given ware. This could be overcome by using multipule Docks, however this would require increased CPU usage.
Configuration Menu:
The configuration menu allows you to enable FDN features on vanilla or other custom docks.
You can turn on/off dynamic update menus for the Main Menu and Node Menu.
Debug logging can also be turned on/off for the main supply processes.
FDN can also be fully reset from this menu, this will terminate all FDN tasks and clear all local & global variables.
3rd Party Scripts:
FDNv7 now includes two scripts to allow 3rd party scripts to request wares from and pass wares to FDN.
plugin.LI.FDN.Supply.Other – Allows other scripts to request wares from FDN and accepts 5 arguments:
Required values:
Ware
Amount
Optional values:
Default node – Accepts a pre-defined FDN Node or null
ignore.remote – Accepts True (1) or null, if set to true the script will ignore any remote access limits at FDN Nodes
buy.ware - Accepts True (1) or null, if set to true the script will attempt to buy any wares via FDN which it can’t supply
plugin.LI.FDN.Supply.Node.Other – Allows other scripts to pass wares to FDN and accepts 3 arguments:
Required values:
Ware
Amount
Optional value:
Default node - Accepts a pre-defined FDN Node or null
The scripts aim to give other scripter’s safe access to FDN without the need to write their own code and can be called from both Stations & Ships.
FAQ:
FAQ post started for v7.
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