[SCR] Economy and Supply Trader [2009-10-12 X3TC 3.2.05]

[wyvern11]

CAG and EST are actually by the same scripter, so experience gained on EST will register, if you set this trader to CAGing - much synergy - you should try it out

[jlehtone]

CAG and EST are actually by the same scripter, so experience gained on EST will register, <snip>

I would rephrase that:

Within scripts properties like experience are stored in variables. Usually, each script uses its own variables. However, CAG, EST, CLS, and couple other scripts have been written to use same variable for experience. Therefore, what CAG script sees as experienced pilot, looks like experienced pilot to EST script too. Thus one can train pilots in one duty and then set them to other duty. (One could claim that hauling wares between two company stations does not teach you to trade freely, but good gameplay beats reality.)

Any scripts could use common variables. But if one calls the valua an apple and the other an orange, the result is a conflict and a mess. They must treat it as logically same to work out. So, script authors should agree on logical purpose and name of variable in order to make it work. Such collaborations are usually arranged into libraries, with instructions for all script authors on how to use the library.

In case of CAG and EST the script authors happen to be one and same person, so the "collaboration" works quite trivially.


My summary about the nature of these "beasts" is here.

[Xmaestro]

Odd... Not all my UTs can start using EST??? Whenever I select a level 25 UT, the command is greyed out... Actually I've had trouble finding any of my UTs that could start it. I found a level 10 that could accept it. It was on standby somewhere doing its nails. It accepted it fine (although it seems to have lost all of his levels and is now back down to an apprentice???). I tried placing some level 25 UTs on standby but they still had that command greyed out... Am I to understand that this command only works for lower level traders?

My game is vanilla apart from that one script and the CBEAM script.

[Osiris_sam]

ship has to be docked to start the command

[Xmaestro]

Yep it must be docked...

Here is what I also get so far (which should be in the instructions).

So far, I placed it in three out of my 20 ships.

They ALL lost all their rankings... SHEEEEEESH!

So people should be warned about this!

Also, you must include ONE BY ONE and FOR EACH TRADER the sectors you don't want them to visit... So I have 20 traders and about 15 sectors I don't want them to visit. That's 300 times to have to search for the right sector on the map... Wow. I saw in here someone think up a way to make the ship not go in "sectors enemy to me" but couldn't find this tool in the commands.

Not an fun start for me but I see so many people enjoying this script, I'm sure it'll get more fun for me too.

Any help is welcome.

[Osiris_sam]

EST uses different ranking system. UT experience should still be there, EST doesnt overwrite it.

Could be wrong, but i think it automatically avoids sectors enemy to you.

There is a save/load configuration setting, see OP

[Xmaestro]

Thanks Sam for pointing the Save and load configuration! It wasn't clear in the instructions that this saves all the sectors one wants to avoid... This is a definite plus!

I would like to point out though that sectors themselves are not written as enemy to you anywhere, races are. You therefore need to enter by hand all sectors you wish your ESTs to avoid. At least, with the save and load configuration, you only need to do the list once...

As for UT rankings, it is gone. EST DOES overwrite it. I changes a level 25 UT into an EST and then back to a UT just to see... It was back to level 1... Thank God for salvage insurance.

Maybe the writers of this script should look into this. Not sure many people like to start at level 1 of this EST script when they were at level 25... Not sure also they would enjoy not being able to revert back to their high ranking if they ever decide to go back to the UT way of doing business. This is a pretty serious detail (as far as games are concerned! ;P)

[Osiris_sam]

I will check this out, but i really dont see how this has happend. ( i too have converted UTs to ESTs)
experience for UT is saved on a different variable than the experience for EST, while i dont know the ins and outs of Lucike's (the author) leveling system, im nearly certian the two never interact.

ESTs level is not determined by previous ST/UT experience, it doesnt take long to train up anyway. my guess is that most people just start an EST, rather than a UT, once you have a major dealer, a level 25 ut seems a little slow at making your bank full.

please bear in mind that to write anything as sophisticated as a trading script, let alone a levelling one, takes a very long time. Even an extremely simple one i wrote took a good 12 hours to write.

peace,
Sam

[Tasolth]

The Economy and Supply Trader's skills depend on his training rank, and only works for experienced pilots. Players must have "Trader" rank to hire the Economy and Supply Trader.

geeze... It took me nearly half an hour to figure this out after starting a new game.... for lucike - I suggest instead of having the option grayed out. Allow a player click on the button, but then send the player a message stating their rank is too low. would have saved me a headache.

[Tasolth]

Kartenaktualisierung
Der Händler kann während des Handels die Sektorkarte aktualisieren. Er erfasst die Station, die nicht weiter entfernt sind, wie seine Scanner-Reichweite. Ausgangspunkt ist dabei die Station, wo er gerade angedockt ist.

Maps update
The dealer may, in the course of trade, the sector map update. He captured the station, which is not further away, as its scanner range. The starting point is the station, where he is currently docked.

This is a feature not listed in the OP but it is in the posted version of the EST.
The translation is from Google, but I'm not sure I understand it.

[JuanCudz]

Maps update
The dealer may, in the course of trade, the sector map update. He captured the station, which is not further away, as its scanner range. The starting point is the station, where he is currently docked.

This is a feature not listed in the OP but it is in the posted version of the EST.
The translation is from Google, but I'm not sure I understand it.

I'll try and translate this from 'yoda'-speak(no offence to germanic languages intended)
Maps Update
The dealer may, in the course of trading in a sector, update the players map. He identifies a new station, which cannot be further away than the range of the trader's scanner range.

Sadly I can't make sense of the last sentence either. It suggests that the trader checks for a new object in scanner range whenever it docks at a object. But I thought it saw things as it was flying around trading. It might be a function of how the map updates when the player isn't looking at that particular sector.

[wyvern11]

actually it's yoda-speak in german too , in general, EST will not uncover the sector, but only what he is able to scan on his travels (as a rule this is from gate or sector center to station)

[Paranidoid]

I want to try these three trading scripts because my UTs are too suicidal for my liking but when I start the game I get a message that the new Pilot Union requires version 2.1 to be installed, though the first post says it requires version 1.3. What is this all about?

[Osiris_sam]

Did you install the needed libraries on the first post?

[Paranidoid]

Yes, I have. Meaning that I first unzipped the entire archive with the libraries in the game folder than I unzipped the scripts. It just occurred to me that I might have had to do it the other way around, right? First the scripts, then the library?

Are these scripts compatible with pre-2.1 versions of the game? Because I have to have the savegames compatible with version 2.0a so can't upgrade, yet.

[wyvern11]

Most recent Versions are compatible to 2.1 only, but there have been versions prior to 2.1, even back to 1.x. Look back thru the threads to get the versions pre 2.x. Or otherwise ask Lucike directly for pre 2.x versions (f.e. per PN).

You can find him easily in the german or english CODEA thread...

[RaulKo]

I always get a mesage saying that the economy and suply Trader languaje file is missing. I placed the files on the T folder but still missing. Someone could tell me please were to place the files or why I get this problem?

Thanks alot.

[shenouda]

Hi, first of all I appreciate the time and effort you put in your scripts.

I am finally ready to use the EST with one of my ships, but I see the EST menu but no "ware list".

Not sure if this has been asked before, but with the CAG script, I can also see the ware list. But now with EST no ware list.

Also, strange thing. I have both CAG and EST installed, but now I see only EST as an option, the CAG option is gone.

Thank you for responding to this question.

[spur390]

shenouda, do you have trade command mk3 and have it activated in EST? if you do, there will be no ware list. ware choice is handled by the trader.

Does the ship have a home base? No home base= no cag.

[Alexfighter]

I confim what previous said: when converting a UT to EST it looses the UT experience. If you'd want to use it again the normal way, it starts from scracth