Drone Carrier Software 2 (DCS2) v2.07a

[SpenzOT]

L044....hurp durp. Wow I feel like an idiot. Opened L089 because it had the fancy name and looks exactly the same as L044. I need to pay better attention to details. Thx for rectifying my stupidity.

[DrBullwinkle]

Yeah, that confuses people sometimes. The -L089 files are just documentation, but I am the only guy who uses them, AFAIK.

However... you should not have to modify the -L044 file for XRM. At least, I think so. It is intended to work with XRM out of the box.

If you discover otherwise, then please let me know.

[SpenzOT]

yeah it has to be something on my end. Modifying the file did nothing. Still having nothing but Falcon Haulers spawning. I do have DCS 2.07 and the drones themselves (the M4's) work perfectly fine. Since my bombers are essentially useless and cost a lot I should probably try and turn them off.

My XRM is out of date as is my X3:AP (mainly because it is stable...it works. X3 is a house of cards as it is and I don't want to fk with it). That probably has a major part in what is wrong.

[DrBullwinkle]

I would not expect out of date AP or XRM to cause the ship ID numbers to change; not for mature ships like the M3B's.

Falcon Haulers are not bad as M3 bombers go, so it is not terrible that you get those. But I don't know why you are not getting M3B's.

There used to be several XRM players who use DCS2.

[SpenzOT]

well the issue I am having with the falcons is that they don't seem to fire missiles at all. Are they supposed to auto-spawn heavy missiles like hammerheads and hornets and such on their own for a heavily inflated price or do you have to provide?

All they do is shoot 8 plasma projectors, which as you know in XRM are a joke, especially when fighting against large vessels, plus they hit my poor M4 drones running around and aggro sector defense forces. I don't know how many times I have lost massive amounts of rep because of just one of the falcon bombers.

In any case the M3B's would be much better simply because they don't use those plasma burst projectors.

[DrBullwinkle]

Ah. OK, that could be a problem (missiles). I don't use XRM, so I rely on reports from XRM players for that kind of thing.

I know it is a big thread, but there have been several discussions about the XRM bombers. You might find a clue by looking back a few pages. I thought the M3B's were working.

[SpenzOT]

Heh well my bombers have gone full on psycho. So I set the drones to build, but this time I didn't set ADS carrier and just let them attack. Well it started spawning M3B....Ariadne's to be exact. Those are paranid bombers, a bomber that doesn't even have an ID number in the config, and they had also spawned with no missiles at all. Even if they did I don't think they would have fired, because all the turret settings were for missile defense. None of them spawned with transporter devices as well, so they couldn't dock. Furthermore, I think that when I turn the script off, when the drones sell themselves, I LOSE money instead of getting it. I had 216 million, then when I sold the drones on 2 M7's, I suddenly had 200 million. Hrm. I went back into the t file and set everything to default....still the same.

So so strange. What was the setting to change bombers to the M4 drones again? I don't think I want to mess with it anymore lest I go broke

[DrBullwinkle]

OK, the cost thing is on the fix list for the next version. I believe that I have already fixed it.

If the M3B's do not spawn with missiles, then that would be an issue. I will put that on the list to check in the future. They should launch missiles at their target no matter what the turret settings are. Do M3B's have no front guns at all?

You could set ID's 310-312 to an M3 or M4 if you do not want bombers at all. You can also set ID 309 to zero (0) and ID 305 to something large, like a million (but less than 2 billion). That will reduce bombing manufacturing and eliminate recycling of bombers.

[SpenzOT]

Thx for the responses. I will do that. Generally M3B's have no fixed weapons at all, just turrets. The missiles are launched from turrets just like M8's.

It would be great to get bombers working. It always sucks having to fight NPC bomber wings that just magically appear and launch dozens upon dozens of tomahawks at you. The logistics are just not kind to the human player.

[Midnightknight]

For what i tried so far from this mod there are a few issues i spoted i don't know if it's only in my game or everyone but ...

First it create a number of drones that is carrier capacity -1.
My Shrike only got 7, astreus 6, chokaro 2 and so on. Maybe have been used somewhere a "<" where there should be a "=<" ^^

The scound is more annoying. Brones created have random weapons and number of weapons. I mean somtime they have 2 frag bomb launchers (>.<) sometime 3 energy bolt. So first they use weapons nobody never use cause they are useless and then, they use ammo weapons that are just a pain OOS, cause each shot use a create. So except if they spwan infinite creates on them they won't fire anything (and cargo was empty when i checked). And then, they don't even fill the main gun with lasers and become pretty uneffective.
Won' it be better to put a default load out for each drone type? Argons drone get full of PRG, terran EMPC, split PACs and so on?

[DrBullwinkle]

it create a number of drones that is carrier capacity -1.

That is by design. DCS2 always leaves an empty docking bay for your personal yacht. Attrition is not a problem with DCS2, so it usually is a non-issue.

Argons drone get full of PRG, terran EMPC, split PACs and so on?

Drones do get a full loadout of the best weapon that each drone type can mount.

• (I suppose it is possible that some drone types might not have cargo space available for a full loadout, but I tested a lot of cases to make sure that it works as expected on most ships.)

Ammo is resupplied automatically to the drones.

[wanderer]

A question regarding Script setup.plugin.bw.emergency.jump:
You refering '$PageID = 8561'. But I cannot find a t-file for it.
Shoudn't it point to 8562 instead?

[DrBullwinkle]

8561 is correct, but you will need the file. Thanks for the report, wanderer.



Update

v2.07a (2015-01-01)
* Added missing language file t\8561-L0xx.xml for Emergency Jump. (wanderer)

[wanderer]

Thanks.
(and by the way - a good new year...)

But now I have a question installing.
Well Drone Carrier itself is working, its only regarding the comands:
453 COMMAND_SIGNAL_TARGETED_ON
454 COMMAND_SIGNAL_TARGETED_OFF
455 COMMAND_SIGNAL_TARGETED_REPORT
(out of the 8561 file)

These comands are used in your 8230-L049 Signal_Targeted for TCAP (v1.07) from you as well.
When I installSignal_Target, I get the menu option to turn it on, it also works.
If I do not use Signal_Target, I don't get the menue. Even as it is in the Drone Carrier pack.
So, do I have to use Signal_Target as well?

[DrBullwinkle]

do I have to use Signal_Target as well?

You do not need Signal_Targeted; it is just bundled with Emergency Jump.

If you have trade ships that operate in dangerous sectors (and they are not Improved Mk3's or OK Traders), then Signal_Targeted may help to protect them. DCS2 does not need it at all.

[HeartlesJosh]

This is a lovely mod but I am having a few issues. One was that my bombers appeared to be built as Teladi Falcons but I went into the settings and changed those into Argon Quasars. However, they're still launching without any missiles equipped and only a couple PRGs. At the moment, I'm thinking I'll just change them to be Notuses (Notii? Notuseses? ) like my Interceptors and go full on space superiority. Not sure how to fix it though I'm gonna scroll a few pages back to see what others might have said on the topic.

A minor bug, I started my game with the OTAS start from XRM, spawned and put myself in an Argon M1, added the carrier software and was able to produce fighters and bombers with a measly 30k in the bank. However, scrapping the fighters/bombers before any were produced seemed to refund me the money and then some, pushing me up to a cool mil or so for nothing. I think of it as a pretty mild bug because typically, by the time you can grab yourself a carrier, the expenses for these fighters are a drop in the ocean.

I also haven't figured out what's causing it, but I'm getting crashes when I enter Hatikvah's Faith (a couple jumps from Legend's Home, I believe it to be part of "Pirate Alley") and hang around for a bit. Not sure what is causing it, I have XRM, ADS, DCS and MARS. It's a great place to go to rack up credits on bounties being placed by the nearby Argon sectors but 5-10 minutes in the area with my fighters buzzing around like wasps and the game locks up to never recover. It could be an Out-Of-Memory error or one of the mods I have are fumbling. I suspect it to be Out-Of-Memory as it stops at about 2.7GB of RAM usage and never passes that once it's crashed. I have 8GB available and sit at about 70% in use by the time the game crashes.

[DrBullwinkle]

Yeah, missiles and lasers need to be configurable, as the ships are. XRM changes too many things from the vanilla game.

It is easy to change in the code if you use the script editor (carrier task). The subroutines are well-marked so that it should be easy to spot the right place.

Next version will support more configuration options for all mods.

Refunds are a feature , Josh, not a bug. Drones are recycled when you turn off DCS2. You get a refund for their costs. In some cases, depending on discounts used during manufacture, the refund may be greater than the original cost. However, I doubt that you will be happy operating a carrier without a lot of credits. Carriers are for wealthy players.

Crashes to desktop are most often caused by sound card problems. See the stickies at the top of the Tech Support forum for that, and other, crash tips. Crashes are rarely script related, except when you *remove* a script that left a signal still hooked. If you suspect a script, then look for scripts that you have recently removed. Re-installing the offending script will usually stop the crash. You can Uninstall again when you start a new game.

[HeartlesJosh]

Oh I know that refunds were a feature, I just wasn't sure if going from 30k to 1m from selling.... half of one engine of the first fighter was intended. The drones don't seem perturbed by a lack of credits anyway. They just drain my credits to nothing then build for free until the carrier is full and then any profits made after the production of a full load of fighters and bombers is drained back to 0 when I refund. Using MARS' Loot Goblins to clean up loot from the sector, transferring it into a freighter docked with my carrier then sending that freighter to a trading post and looking for some merchants to sell missiles to has worked well enough to not have my credits tank like that anymore though.

I will try and fiddle with the carrier task though would it be better to look at it from in-game (assuming you mean bw.dcs2.carrier.task)? A cursory look at it from Notepad++ is a wall of information. I assume I just need to find a part resembling "give drone bombers these missiles for use" and change to the appropriate missile, the tomahawk (only usable missile for M3Bs according to the front page post of XRM).

As for crashes, er, a sound card issue? I also don't get CTDs, just the game locking up to never recover and needing a kill with task manager. Never would have expected that to be the source of the problem. I don't hear any wacky noises or sounds cutting off, besides various efforts at comm chatter being cut off by newer comm chatter starting up "I'll spread your as- You've got the flying skills of a large asteroid! Of course, once the game actually crashes, it just loops the last few seconds of sound ad infinitum till I close it with task manager. There's no warning for it. Just be flying along letting turrets and fighters fire at leisure unitl the game seizes. A cursory look in the Support FAQ yielded nothing (it just tells me to go post?) though that thread about menu stuttering could be real handy for me. This is the first time I've been able to play on a non-toaster laptop and having endured 70 hours avoiding SPPs like the plague, the past couple days have been great though scrolling through menu options (especially with arrow keys or a controller) really tanks the framerate. Doesn't do it when I can't trade, so if I look at a military outpost remotely to check the wares they sell, I scroll just fine. If I'm docked and do the same thing, hrrrrghrghghhgrh. Ah, teething problems.


EDIT:
Looking at the script in-game, I'm gonna guess this messy weapon designation bit is the fault of XRM shuffling weapons around? EBCGs are PRGs, EMPCs are EMRs, PMAMLs are FBCs (Terran capital beam weapons...). Gonna sit here and fix that so that the right weapons are used. Hopefully that'll fix my Cutlasses using EM Repeaters instead of EM Plasma Cannons. The missiles all seem correct, though. Beyond that point, I can't comprehend what I'm reading with a quick look. Too many things referring to other things. Although, scrolling a little further down, there is mention of getting the prices of a couple missile types. I assume these would be the correct missiles for an M3B in vanilla, right? There's no mention of the tomahawk which is the only missile M3Bs can use. Should I copy-paste some of this code (is that even possible?) right under this lot, replace the copy-pasted missile with the tomahawk? Then I'd just need to find the "give bombers these missiles" bit deeper in the script and add the tomahawk in there, right? Job'sa good'un?

DOUBLE EDIT:
Bugger. I noticed my carrier's fighters were all deployed without a job and my carrier itself wasn't autopiloting to a new sector, autopilot appeared to have stopped sideways to the gate. Checked the sector map and found a couple hostile M/AM mines, thought it was weird, me flying a terran carrier, that terran mines would be hostile. Can't seem to target them, tell autopilot to atta-dead game. I guess I shouldn't autoattack mines. I hope my edits to the script saved...

[DrBullwinkle]

(assuming you mean bw.dcs2.carrier.task)?

Yes.

A cursory look at it from Notepad++

You MUST use an editor made for X3 scripts, such as the in-game Script Editor. A normal text/xml editor will not work. If you want an external editor then use X-Studio Script Editor (I use v1.07). The human-readable portion of X3's script files is just "documentation". The real code is the array of numbers at the bottom.

Notepad++ is fine for other files in the game -- only scripts require a special editor.

I also don't get CTDs, just the game locking up [with looping sound]

That is a "lockup"; not a "crash". Lockups are usually caused by scripts. I am not aware of any lockups in any of my scripts.

if I look at a military outpost remotely to check the wares they sell, I scroll just fine. If I'm docked and do the same thing, hrrrrghrghghhgrh.

Sorry, I have no clue what would cause lag while docked. Perhaps an AL pileup? In the Script Editor, look at the global tasks. If you see many duplicates of the same script, then it may be caused by an incorrectly-made Artificial Life Plugin. The only way to fix it when it happens is to delete the duplicates manually. Be careful not to delete global tasks that are not duplicated.

I'm gonna guess this messy weapon designation bit is the fault of XRM shuffling weapons around?

Those are just the constants that you are looking at. They are definitions. They are in alphabetical order (mostly) and are quite tidy, thank you very much.

The real work is farther down in the script; in the subroutines. For example, the subroutine for equipping drones is named so that you will spot it quickly.

It is easier to read scripts in XStudio because it color-codes the text for you. (Comments and subroutines stand out, for example).



Yes, you can add Tomahawks by copying another missile and changing the ware type.

I noticed my carrier's fighters were all deployed without a job

I believe that is a bug in the vanilla fight scripts; they simply quit if the enemy is too far away. So DCS2 detects the enemy with its extended-range sensors, launches the drones, then the drones forget what to do as soon as the vanilla fight scripts kick in. Solution is to reduce the DCS2 scanner range to ~30km, or command the ships yourself.

my carrier itself wasn't autopiloting to a new sector

Presumably you gave it a command to move to a new sector? DCS2 should not interfere with vanilla commands.

[HeartlesJosh]

A cursory look at it from Notepad++

You MUST use an editor made for X3 scripts, such as the in-game Script Editor. A normal text/xml editor will not work. If you want an external editor then use X-Studio Script Editor (I use v1.07). The human-readable portion of X3's script files is just "documentation". The real code is the array of numbers at the bottom.

Notepad++ is fine for other files in the game -- only scripts require a special editor.

I noticed that, I've been looking at it all in-game after being unable to read it in Notepad.

I also don't get CTDs, just the game locking up [with looping sound]

That is a "lockup"; not a "crash". Lockups are usually caused by scripts. I am not aware of any lockups in any of my scripts.

I didn't think it would be in your scripts, the only thing I have DCS doing is making drones. ADS is handling the carrier warfare.

if I look at a military outpost remotely to check the wares they sell, I scroll just fine. If I'm docked and do the same thing, hrrrrghrghghhgrh.

Sorry, I have no clue what would cause lag while docked. Perhaps an AL pileup? In the Script Editor, look at the global tasks. If you see many duplicates of the same script, then it may be caused by an incorrectly-made Artificial Life Plugin. The only way to fix it when it happens is to delete the duplicates manually. Be careful not to delete global tasks that are not duplicated.

The stutter fix thread seemed to have fixed it. Isolating X3 to an unused core has eliminated the stuttering from scrolling through menus.

I'm gonna guess this messy weapon designation bit is the fault of XRM shuffling weapons around?

Those are just the constants that you are looking at. They are definitions. They are in alphabetical order (mostly) and are quite tidy, thank you very much.

I was referring to how few of the weapons actually line up with the initials which, unless intentional, would mean the wrong weapons are used, right? If a drone was built and the weapon under $EMPC was used, the drone would be fitted with EMRs instead because that is what $EMPC said the weapon was. I fiddled with all that so the initials after the $ match the initials of the weapon. $massdriver points Mass Drivers instead of Plasma Burst Generators. $psp points to Point Singularity Projectors (PSP) instead of Phased Array Laser Cannons (PALC)

The real work is farther down in the script; in the subroutines. For example, the subroutine for equipping drones is named so that you will spot it quickly.

It is easier to read scripts in XStudio because it color-codes the text for you. (Comments and subroutines stand out, for example).

I found the part that equips drones around about line 1100 but I didn't see anything about who gets what missiles aside from a few lines about missile fire probability. If it's in the middle area, I'm still not sure what goes on there other than "it does stuff and that stuff makes drones work".

I noticed my carrier's fighters were all deployed without a job

I believe that is a bug in the vanilla fight scripts; they simply quit if the enemy is too far away. So DCS2 detects the enemy with its extended-range sensors, launches the drones, then the drones forget what to do as soon as the vanilla fight scripts kick in. Solution is to reduce the DCS2 scanner range to ~30km, or command the ships yourself.

my carrier itself wasn't autopiloting to a new sector

Presumably you gave it a command to move to a new sector? DCS2 should not interfere with vanilla commands.

I was just rambling at this point. My ship was acting up, ADS seemed to have noticed a threat and deployed the fighters but had not given them a job or assigned them wings. It was just a sector full of "[ADS] Cutlass" and "[ADS] Quasar". Ship was just parked right next to the gate despite the order to fly through. I then crashed upon trying to autoattack mines so eh.... As said earlier, DCS is just building drones and isn't set to engage enemies, so I can't imagine it's messing with anything. My assumption is that ADS found the mines to be a threat, deployed fighters but then give orders for the fighters to attack the mines. As for my ship, I've no idea what it was doing. Let it run in SETA for a while and all it did was turn 90 degrees and stop. Maybe it was trying to avoid the mines like it does with stations and was stuck between the boundaries of the gate and mines. I've been playing and getting into the game for the past 30 hours, having dived off the deep end with XRM on the recommendation of a friend because being a peacekeeper was not particularly rewarding when a couple fighters matched the standing bounty of a capital. Let alone if Terran, in which case it's not rewarding at all. I then added Bounce, ADS and DCS because my early experience with carriers was most of my total worth in fighters smashing into the side of my little M7C in their attempts to dock.



On another DCS related note, I read on the front page that one can "improve production and costs by buying or building wares". I keep an array of weapons in my carrier's cargobay because MARs switches between them on the fly, will my drones run off with unused weapons? I'll have to keep an eye on my EMPCs to see if drones are nicking them and leaving me with only the starburst for the lighter turrets. My own carrier is the Weapons Depot so they ARE allowed to take things from the ship but my intention was so that they load up on missiles they find aboard from MARS' goblins looting them.

TL:DR
I need some help finding the part in the script that tells Interceptors to load light missiles and Bombers to viciously abuse ships with Tomahawks. And also to change the Bomber turret command to Attack Target as that is what allows all missile ships to fire their missiles in XRM. And if ADS changes turret commands on the M3Bs then I'll probably need to do it there as well.