[SCRIPT] Advanced Tractor Beam v1.15 [UPDATED 25/3/07]

[Bunny]

Advanced Tractor Beam v1.15

This software makes the process of shifting and rotating individual stations faster and more accurate. Intended for use only in the playership.

How to use it
1. Ensure the cargo bay is closed (shields are up)

2. Move to within 5km of a station you own and target it

3. Activate the software "Advanced Tractor Beam" in the general commands menu

4. The station will now begin to rotate to match the orientation of your ship. Wait a few moments for it to stop turning or use SETA to speed things up.

5. Change the orientation of the station by pointing your ship in a new direction.

6. If you need to shift the station then strafe/move your ship in the desired direction. The station will move parallel to your ship.

7. Switch off the tractor beam by dropping the ships shields (open cargo bay)...Don't forget to raise them again. The tractor beam will also
switch off if the ship moves more than 5km from the station


Tip
Use F2 & F3 external views and the numeric keypad to rotate and zoom.


Check list for activating the tractor beam
1. A station you own must be targetted - Complexes, unclaimed asteroids or rocks cannot be moved by the tractor beam
2. Ship must be within 5km of station
3. A tractor beam is in the cargobay
4. The cargo bay is closed (shields are up)
5. You are in the ship

Cycrow .spk file
Hosted by Xai Corporation - Download

Required Equipment
Tractor Beam

Version History
1.15 - Tractor beam no longer needs to be mounted in a turret
- Maximum towing speed increased (60-120 m/s depending on computer performance)
- Tractor beam will automatically switch off when a station is added to a complex
- Tractor beam command is now only visible when it can be used.
1.02 - Original Release


Known issues
- There is no fancy gold beam when the tractor beam is on (no way to do this from within a script)

uses general command 53
Text file 8952

P.S Don't try pushing a station through a jump gate. It won't jump and the locals might get annoyed .

[Space Tycoon]

Am I correct that this script won't work with a Dragon because you can't put the TB in the back turret?

[CreHater]

Fantastic script!
For me, this makes the Tractor Beam useful again. The way it's intended. Good work!

[Bunny]

If there is no tractor beam in any turret then it won't work. You could buy a shiny new Nemesis though .

[EDIT] hang on a minute, a dragon can mount a tractor in the front turret

[Kymura]

i want to buy a TB but cant find them anywhere (no stock at preachers void and no factory around either )does this script make them available somewhere? where?

[Bunny]

There is a rumour that the bonus pack recreates these factories (but I have not seen any yet so it might be only enabled in a new game)

try this thread

My script does not craete TB factories

[Cycrow]

i also made a script that added merchants selling tractor beams on the barter menu

[Bunny]

I would send this script in to be signed but I don't think Egosoft would see the irony

[Kymura]

ill give it a try

thanks for all the help guys!

[synctrance]

This is such a nice script. I think something like this should definitely be an ingame feature!

[Bunny]

OMG
You have been really busy .

[CreHater]

Could the script be adjusted so that there is a max speed when the tractor beam is active (10 or 15, preferably 15)?

When I am flying forward and pulling an asteroid behind me, it's near impossible to maintain the same speed. Which means that when I use SETA, as soon as the speed 'switches' up or down one notch, SETA switches off... Annoying.
When I am flying backwards (speed is always exactly 10), there is no problem.

[Bunny]

It is tricky to measure time in a script so dealing with SETA is a real headache.
Sorry there is not much I can do about this.

You could use the normal tractor beam for long drags and use this script for the fine tuning.

[EDIT] This script cannot tell if the ship is flying backward or forwards so the problem is most likely due to small changes in frame rate. It might be worth switching to F2 and swinging the view round to see if that helps.

[CreHater]

I'll just keep flying backwards...

[bob hope]

so strafing moves the station sideways? if so you might be moving quicker strafing than flying in reverse for however long, all i got last night when trying to move a mine last night was it rotating and moving slowly, plus it was rotating the opposite way to what i wanted it to go, i was moving in reverse but it rotated away from me ...... very strange