[SCR] Ring of Fire - Stealth Lasertowers (v2.31 - 29.11.09)

[Katorone]

I've noticed some weird behaviour, but didn't want to report it untill I had an idea where to look.

It seems to me that RoF changes the race of the LT when it cloaks (so they dissapear from your property list). XTC has fiddled with the races giving them their own enemies and friends.
My guess is that after an LT cloaks, XTC sends an update to all races about friends & foes, and the LT's settings get changed. Thus, the LT recognizes their own enemies instead of yours.

That's probably why I've seen it working on Xenon, but pirates spawned by STO get ignored.

[Ash Axiom]

I want to use this script very badly, but I'm clearly too stupid to figure it out without a GUI. Can somebody help me out?

I don't understand what an argument is or how to use this. I've installed it properly (I think), but I don't know what to do in-game to make it work.

Could somebody show an example of how they would do a simple ring to guard a gate? Let's say 30 LTs.

[Retiredman]

Not stupid just unfamiliar.
I havn't got all the little tweak and twists that this script has, so I use the basic. Here is how I do it and understand it.


For non gate setup.
Got a TS with enough space..OK
30 lasertowers - add 2 times in microchips for stealth LT's

Choose "Ring of Fire" under the special commands for the ship.
Choose a sector.
Choose a point.
1. -- number of LT's to be deployed - in this case- 30.

2. -- radius distance from your chosen point. I use a number. There is a default already set(I don't use that) I add a minus infront of my number to
set my radius // -XXXX or in this case -1500 for 30 LT's. This will create a LT circle of 3000 meters in diameter. There is a max number but I let you experiment with it later. Using the minus sign forces the RoF to that size.

3. Is the axis you want to align it. (3D cordinates) Z or X or Y(your setting it from map view coordinates)
Z axis - looks like the LT are aligning from top to bottom on map. The open section is to the X axis (left to right on map)
X axis = looks like LTs are aligned from left to right on map. Opening is facing bottom to top.
Y axis _ most visible when looking at it when deployed(map view - viewing top down) Looks like a nice round circle on the map

Understanding 3D coordinates relating to map view.
Use left hand.
make fist.
point fist towards your monitor. (palm side facing right)
Extend thumb up. (Thumbs up-- the A-OK sign)
Extend index finger to point towards screen. (the old gun thing.. shooting the monitor)
Extend middle finger 90 degrees so it's point to your right. (Will not expound on this)

These are the 3 axis your can relate to the map coordinates.

Thumb relates to Z axis. Up/down
index finger related to Y Axis. forwards/ backwards
middle finger relates to X axis. left/right

(When you flip the map from the keybord so you can set a height from the ellipical)
Thumb switches with the index finger.
Thumb is Y
Index finger become Z
X stays the same.

If you choose a gate. then the RoF is snapped around the gate automaticly. In that case your just have to give the number and the radius.
The axis has to be given but can be any of the Z - X - Y letter. It is disreguarded. Select one so the script can run.

The deploying ship will travel to the sector and setup the RoF. Or if it's already in system it will travel to the deployment point.

[Ash Axiom]

Got it working now, thanks for the help. I'm actually stupider than originally thought, but it all worked out in the end!

[Grid]

is there a possabilaty of making this compatable with XTC mod

[MarioBr0]

that would be awesome, tho i think its gonna be to much work

[garrry34]

gazz I'm having a problem here with ROF, its not taking heed of my global FOF settings, they attack xenon and pirates ok but they won't attack main races who I'm enemys with even though they are set to foe, is there something I could do to fix this?

[garrry34]

Gazz the problem seems to be when they cloak, when uncloaked the FOF is fine but when they cloak they turn friendly to all but the paranid, found this out by targeting one while it cloaked...

[Gazz]

They are supposed to set their race relations based on your global settings.
Since you cannot select them while cloaked, this is the only way.

There is only one instruction to do that so I wouldn't know what to do differently.

[garrry34]

gazz will there be an update to ROF to include use of the orbital laser as well, just tried editing it myself and had boron ts appear, I was like wtf,lol

[Gazz]

I'm not sure that would really be balanced.

In fact, ROF already is overkill in AP because in order to fix the LT apathy in TC, the script adds fire instructions while OOS.

In AP, however, the fire instructions in vanilla do work OOS so the script supercharges all LT by adding additional shots.

Also, LT got a considerable boost in AP.
About 5 regular LT can at least damage an M2!
5 terran LT would have the M2 for lunch.


I worked out the actual balancing on those 2 LT types (minus the laser =) so I can't really blame anyone else.
They were balanced to not require huge numbers to be effective because that's a no-fun material battle.
Huge numbers caused all the problems that made the ROF script necessary...
The RoF script was always just a crutch for a broken implementation.


In AP and In Sector (if you're smart =), you should engage LT with fast and nimble ships, probably M5/M4 with missiles for extra firepower, maybe beefed up with a 2nd wave of M3.
They are superb defensive platforms against heavier ships but (intentionally!) have serious issues with catching scouts.
The terran LT even more so, because for it's lethargic maneuvering it packs some massive firepower - especially against the hull values of capital ships.

It actually adds more options to your fortress building.
LT which are good against heavy ships, covered by a loose minefield, which is going to severely damage the fighters that pose the greatest danger to them - while the LT's shields are near invulnerable to the comparativel small mine damage.
If the fighters only get damaged, that will slow them down and allow the LT to line up...

[expnobody]

40 LT guarding a gate and that sector is safe from that gate...almost forever..

[masskaos]

[jiunejai]

Hi Gazz, I find a little error within RoF.
It seems upside-down between East and West, then TL will be deployed behind the gate.

Hope a quick fix.

[Gazz]

In a few sectors, the gates don't follow the "old" positioning that was used when this universe was created.
The script is too stupid to deal with that. It was my first released script ever and several items were incredibly uhh... ham-fisted. =P


You can probably deploy the ring manually. I don't know off hand how large the snap-to distance is.

For OOS use, placing the LT at the gate is a bad idea, anyway.


@masskaos

It's been ages but I'm pretty sure that the LT don't matter at all. They check if passing ships are hostile when seen from your playership.