[Abandoned] Salvage Drone V1.4, (Recover crate with freight drone)

[xavierd]

05-08-10: Abandoned due to lack of interest. Use MARS instead.

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Simple script. binds 1 hotkey which when pressed with a crate/astronaut targetted, checks that the ship and freight drone can carry it, and if so sends a freight drone to scoop it up + bring it back.

http://www.xai-corp.net/en/node/3515

Requirements:
at least 1 Freight drone
1 free hotkey
Cargo Lifesupport System on playership for astronaut retrieval

Installation:
Drop both scripts into your scripts folder, activate script editor and save/reload. Then set the hotkey for Salvage Drone in control settings.

Current limitations (intended):
Will not launch drone at a crate that the player ship cannot carry
Only collects single crate per launched drone

To do:
Move hardcoded strings to t-file.
Switch placeholder log entries with bettyspeak.
Support multiple launches.
Check for fastest available drone able to carry target

Feedback very much appreciated

Changelog:
v1.4:
-Corrected install instructions
-Fixed target type check allowing launches against non-crate/non-astronaut targets

v1.3:
-Added bettyspeak to most commands
-Implement astronaut collection

v1.2: another rewrite, mainly to clean up and comment code
-implement rough drone recovery code, pleast test on different ship sizes

v1.1:
-implement object existence checks
-should now end properly once job done
-drone will now seek nearest dockable in-sector station if playership is no longer flying in drone sector

v1:
-initial release

[Gorium]

Not playing for the moment, but very interested in this script. Will surely employ once you get some feedback on it, and I get to the game again (soon I hope...).

[kelmen]

isn't that already a script called MARS doing this?

[xavierd]

isn't that already a script called MARS doing this?

No idea. Thought MARS was a turret script? This is just something i put together while learning to script.

[Treelor]

MARS Goblins are reprogrammed fighter-drones capable of a multitude of tasks - including loot collection. However, they have the same limitation as your script. They cannot collect more than one crate per drone. If you make the freight drone go around and pick up all the crates at once until its cargo is full and *then* return to the mothership, you'd have my download and I'd even run this parallel to MARS.

[xavierd]

If you make the freight drone go around and pick up all the crates at once until its cargo is full and *then* return to the mothership

maybe in a future version, but unlikely at present

[Alee Enn]

Is the download link broken ?
All I get when I click on the link is "ERROR - This file has been removed from the server, because the file has not been accessed in a long time."

Alien

[xavierd]

yeah sorry folks, the link is dead and i don't have my copy anymore.

i'll work on a new copy

[Killjaeden]

However, they have the same limitation as your script. They cannot collect more than one crate per drone

Because it's faster/more efficient to start multiple drones that all collect a ware instead of a single slowly collecting them.

[xavierd]

Version 1.3 up, see OP for details

[xavierd]

over 1500 views now, has anybody tested this yet?

[The-Last-Communist]

im going to test this later , gr8 idea!

[xavierd]

New version up, see OP for details.