Drone Carrier Software 2 (DCS2) v2.07a

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redagent
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Post by redagent » Thu, 26. Feb 15, 22:45

DrBullwinkle wrote:However, if you use them, then there are options on the menu to make DCS2 compatible with them. Mostly the options turn off some DCS2 features that CODEA or ADS replace.
Ok. I have only ADS.
BUt What exactly do this compatibility? Which options it turning off and what will happen if I will try to use drones in ADS-fleet without ADS active option ?
DrBullwinkle wrote: After some time, the number of bombers will reduce back to "peacetime" numbers.

Is it automatic system that scraps and reproduces drones to have optimal set of the fighters?
DrBullwinkle wrote: Most interceptors have very small laser generators. EBCG and MD use much less energy than other lasers, so they are preferred (IF the ship can mount them).
Can I choose which weapons will have the default intercepters that costs 100k?
DrBullwinkle wrote:Ammunition is manufactured automatically by the DCS2 carrier onboard droids. It is supplied to the drones via prototype long-range transporter technology.

I had manually sent one interceptor with MD to atack enemy ship but it didn't got any ammo and just was flying around the target without shooting for one minute unless it was killed. what I did wrong?

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DrBullwinkle
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Post by DrBullwinkle » Thu, 26. Feb 15, 23:32

The main thing that the CODEA and ADS options do is to turn off "Engage Enemies", which is DCS2's AI for the drones. The drones then become simply ships, which CODEA or ADS can manage. If both ADS and DCS2 try to control the drones, then you will get unpredictable results. :roll:

The CODEA and ADS options may also handle homebasing differently and/or add local variables to support CODEA or ADS, as appropriate.

In both cases, DCS2 cares only about the carrier that it is running on. It does not care about the *fleet*. So you can use Engage Enemies on a DCS2 carrier that is part of a CODEA or ADS fleet -- as long as you do not allow CODEA or ADS to also control the same drones on the DCS2 carrier.

In other words, use either "Engage Enemies" or CODEA/ADS on the carrier. Not both.

Does that make sense?


redagent wrote:Is it automatic system that scraps and reproduces drones to have optimal set of the fighters?
Yes.

redagent wrote:Can I choose which weapons will have the default intercepters that costs 100k?
No. But you should not need to in a vanilla-based 'verse. DCS2 will pick the best available weapon for each drone type.


redagent wrote:I had manually sent one interceptor with MD to atack enemy ship but it didn't got any ammo and just was flying around the target without shooting for one minute unless it was killed. what I did wrong?
That is odd. Should not happen.

An easy workaround is to stock ammunition on your carrier and configure the drones to automatically load it. An easy way to do that is to set global ammunition reload in your global settings (on the Player menu, P). Then apply the global settings to all ships.

  • (FWIW, I am, slowly, working on an update for DCS2 to better handle equipping and bombers in modified games. I will try to reproduce your error reports when I get to that part of testing. However, it may not be soon, because I have other projects on the list before that one.)

redagent
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Post by redagent » Thu, 26. Feb 15, 23:56

DrBullwinkle wrote:In other words, use either "Engage Enemies" or CODEA/ADS on the carrier. Not both.

Does that make sense?

Indeed :!:

And the last qustion - does DSC2 compatible with LSDC v.2 (Light Support Drone Carrier)?
Apologize for Grammar! English is not my first language.
Played X2 for months. Played X3 for years. Played XR for one week. Now playing X3...

redagent
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Post by redagent » Fri, 27. Feb 15, 19:55

DrBullwinkle wrote:
redagent wrote:I had manually sent one interceptor with MD to atack enemy ship but it didn't got any ammo and just was flying around the target without shooting for one minute unless it was killed. what I did wrong?
That is odd. Should not happen.
Maybe there is an issue with ADS?

DrBullwinkle wrote:The drone carrier is the perfect solution to OOS Sector Defense and Patrols.
How could it be the perfect if chooses ammo-based weapon fighters. AFAIK ammo weapon is the worst desicion for OOS. The best is energy-based weapons with maximum damage per shot. Am I wrong?
So maybe the best solution will set to default production M4-Solano-kind with PAC and M3-Bombers with EMPC? IN this configuration they could fight well both in OOS and IS.
For now DSC2 produces about 40% of EBC/MD-Drones when active in OOS.
They all go to attack enemies without ammo.
Used X3:AP with ADS265, LSDC-V2-19.08.2009, Marine_Repairs_and_Training-V214-2015-01-01
Tested with different choosen options in OOS battle with Xenons in 598.
(build always active)
1.
ADS Carrier - Active
Engage enemies - Active
Carrier retreats - Active
A. ADS Command "Clear Sector" - CArrier Comand "none"
B. ADS Autocarrier - Carrier Command "Defend Sector"
(Conflict - Fighetrs behaviour loops. They coming out and landing back after few seconds.)

2.
ADS Carrier - Active
Engage enemies - Off
Carrier retreats - Off
A. ADS Command "Clear Sector" - Carrier Comand "none"
B. ADS Autocarrier - Carrier Command "Defend Sector"


3.
ADS Carrier - OFF (hangar cleared)
Engage enemies - Active
Carrier retreats - OFF
A. Carrier Command "Defend Sector"
B. Carrier Command "None"

All the same. Ammo-drones went to fight without ammo.

But I have to confess - these drones killed xenons in 598 quickly and effectively!!! It could be done cheaper With 3 terran M2 - they won't loose credits in each fight (if they won't lose themselves). Drones dying constantly, but reproduces with almost the same speed.
And if you need to hold some hot spot without a risk to loose capitals - it is the option. And you don't need to manage anything - just pay! (if you have carrier)

Also it is still the best solution for IS battles! (especially with ammo-based fighter with ammo.)

I must admit - after numerous tests of defferent fighter types for IS battles, my choice became M3-Venti with EBC.
Apologize for Grammar! English is not my first language.
Played X2 for months. Played X3 for years. Played XR for one week. Now playing X3...

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DrBullwinkle
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Post by DrBullwinkle » Fri, 27. Feb 15, 20:04

redagent wrote:AFAIK ammo weapon is the worst desicion for OOS. The best is energy-based weapons with maximum damage per shot.
Old news. Ammo weapons are fine OOS in AP. While it is true that highest damage weapons are best OOS, EBCG and MD are still "good" in that way. And they are far superior IS.



redagent wrote: these drones killed xenons in 598 quickly and effectively!!! ...
And if you need to hold some hot spot without a risk to loose capitals - it is the option. And you don't need to manage anything ...

Also it is still the best solution for IS battles! ...

I must admit - after numerous tests of defferent fighter types for IS battles, my choice became M3-Venti with EBC.
Yep. That is what it is all about.

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DrBullwinkle
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Post by DrBullwinkle » Fri, 27. Feb 15, 20:08

redagent wrote:does DSC2 compatible with LSDC v.2 (Light Support Drone Carrier)?
DCS2 completely replaces LSDC.

I am not sure whether they will work together on the same carrier or not. But LSDC is overpowered compared to DCS2, and it has a known problem with runaway drone deployment.

I did collaborate with Logain Abler (and Gazz) during the planning stages of DCS2.

redagent
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Post by redagent » Fri, 27. Feb 15, 22:11

DrBullwinkle wrote:DCS2 completely replaces LSDC.
Why? They operate with different objects - DCS2 operates figher class ships, but LSDC operates drones. So they can work together simulatenously.
The truth is they work similar - produces and engages enemy automaticly with small class fighters. And yes - one replaces the other from strategic point of view. They DO the same things. But usability may vary on various ship classes. For example - you can have the same efficiency on the M7 as M1 with LSDC but not the same with DSC2 due to the lack of hangar slots for fighters. And M2 even can not use DSC2, but can use LSDC.
DrBullwinkle wrote:I am not sure whether they will work together on the same carrier or not.
They work. I've just tested it. They do not intersect, so there is no clear obstacles to work simulatenously.
DrBullwinkle wrote: But LSDC is overpowered compared to DCS2,...
It is true - cheatery teleport thing even does not leaving for enemies any chances to answer (but you can swith it to common unload mode).

From the other side the LSDC-drones not coming from nowhere unlike Fighters in DSC2, they has to be bough or produced from recources. And even in vanilla game you can get the same power - produce/buy 100500 drones - load them in to TL - unload in enemy sector - and you have so called "LIGHT support" from your drone carrier...:twisted:
The next point is that the active LSDC ship will stop producing drones, when resources in his cargobay will be finished. But DSC2 will produce fighters from the air untill you have money. And as for me - from strategic point of view - DSC2 is more powerful thing. Don't care - just pay.
DrBullwinkle wrote:...and it has a known problem with runaway drone deployment.
What exactly is the problem?

And what about DSC2 "no ammo" issue? Does it possible to do something with it? Maybe I can edit preferences in script, to make it produce only ammo-free fighters?

EDIT
There is one "small" trouble - I checked "Personal/advanced/global commands" and there is only section "global missile ressuply" and none for ammo.
Apologize for Grammar! English is not my first language.
Played X2 for months. Played X3 for years. Played XR for one week. Now playing X3...

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DrBullwinkle
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Post by DrBullwinkle » Sat, 28. Feb 15, 07:40

redagent wrote: I checked "Personal/advanced/global commands" and there is only section "global missile ressuply" and none for ammo.
Unfortunate. You can copy ammo resupply from another ship, but that is awkward to do on many ships.

If you use the Wing support (in the language file), then it is easy to copy resupply settings to an entire wing. However, there will only be two wings for all of your DCS2 carriers, so this system works best if you have only a single DCS2 carrier.

You can edit the weapons in subroutine DroneEquip: of the carrier task.

redagent
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Post by redagent » Sat, 28. Feb 15, 12:01

DrBullwinkle, please, answer me.
What the problem is? what did you meant?
redagent wrote:
DrBullwinkle wrote:...and it has a known problem with runaway drone deployment.
What exactly is the problem?
Apologize for Grammar! English is not my first language.
Played X2 for months. Played X3 for years. Played XR for one week. Now playing X3...

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Post by DrBullwinkle » Sat, 28. Feb 15, 20:31

Apricotslice reported it in the LSCD thread. I confirmed it somewhere toward the end of the thread, if I recall correctly.

It is what I said. Sometimes LSDC deploys drones without stopping (until all drones are deployed). A thousand drones in the sector will crush frame rate.

But, please, use it if you want to. Make up your own mind. This is the DCS2 thread... not the LSDC thread. :)

redagent
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Post by redagent » Sat, 28. Feb 15, 21:55

DrBullwinkle wrote:Apricotslice reported it in the LSCD thread. I confirmed it somewhere toward the end of the thread, if I recall correctly.

It is what I said. Sometimes LSDC deploys drones without stopping (until all drones are deployed). A thousand drones in the sector will crush frame rate.
Thanks for reply!
Testing this script, I was able to catch this glitch too.
DrBullwinkle wrote: But, please, use it if you want to. Make up your own mind. This is the DCS2 thread... not the LSDC thread. :)
Sorry if I had wrote here something wrong. Just trying to make it clear for my self and to the others potential users.

So, if I please may have some more of your attention:

Just found another courious thing - the model of M3-Bomber produced by default - so called "Unknown object" (Xenon M3) - does not has laser recharge so it can fire few bursts and then become useles. In OOS it is the most powerfull fighter in the DSC2 fleet, but IS it is just some kind of shield for other fighters who can shoot at enemy - it has 800 MJ shields.
Was it intended?

And again to ammo - I put MD ammo and EBC ammo in to carrier, but fighers still go into battle with empty ammo crates. Though manual adjusted autoresupply works properly. But ammo-based die too fast, cause smallest in the fleet. So I have to set it on knew fighters... Maybe I am doing something wrong and to use default production I have to set weapon depot? or maybe ammo supply with magic transporter you mentioned before works only with fighters engaged by DSC2, but not with ADS?

As yet I was trying to install your EmergencyJump_v4a_2015-01-01
and found in the DSC2 package the same files. But DSC v2.07 has older date - 2013-12-15. Also files "plugin.signal.targeted.emergency.jump" has different sizes.
So should I rewrite older files or it is absolutely the same script?

(Could you please provide the information about this in the first post of this topic to spare some time of the forthcoming users?)
Apologize for Grammar! English is not my first language.
Played X2 for months. Played X3 for years. Played XR for one week. Now playing X3...

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DrBullwinkle
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Post by DrBullwinkle » Sat, 28. Feb 15, 21:59

M3 Bombers are bombers. Not fighters. As their name suggests. (I cannot change their balance with a script.)

DCS2 includes part of Emergency Jump. Just use the more recent file(s).

PDouma39
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Post by PDouma39 » Fri, 20. Mar 15, 15:53

I have to report a problem with using this mod, I updated my latest AP game and installed this mod, when I enabled a Kariudo as a DSC2 carrier the cost where deducted from my account as described, but when I disabled the Kariudo as a DSC2 carrier my complete account was bled dry?!
As I red in the describtion of this mod, the cost will be deducted when enabled and vice-versa when disabled, but this way it costs, in my opinion way too much. I had more then 128 million credits in my account, did I read something or did something wrong?

Also when enabled it looked like additional costs were drawn from my account while using the DSC2 carrier.
Awareness in life is rewarded by many

ASSTEROIDS
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Post by ASSTEROIDS » Sat, 14. May 16, 04:40

I like this, a carrier with it adds a unique facet to the game.

You got to be careful with XRM though, I had a fresh new carrier loaded with 58 default "drones" sent against 4 M3 fighters. I left it there safe in my knowledge that the fighters wouldn't stand a chance, and jumped to a battle somewhere else. For something like an hour I got spammed with "under attack" messages because the drones were getting decimated by those 4 fighters, I persisted in not intervening until I realized this stupid battle had drained my account of almost 50 millions, and the drones were not winning...

I've seen it work beautifully, even against capital ships, but I guess there are exceptions...

HeartlesJosh
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Post by HeartlesJosh » Mon, 27. Jun 16, 01:49

Hey there, me again, come to be a bother. Again.

Restarted the game with a computer that can actually run the bloody game at more than >20fps, loaded up the mods I had before and this was one of them. Worked my way up to flying an M7 and now I've come across a bit of an issue. And its to do with the Anti-Theft part of DCS2. I'm using ADS to control my M7's ships which is all well and good, up until the point I give an order through ADS to load up the ships with loot scavenged by MARS' drones and go sell that stuff to nearby stations. I have a pair of M6s attached to my M7 and they work just fine but the drones blow up on arrival at a station thanks to Anti-Theft. I didn't notice at first as I was initially trying to figure out why the M6s would redock automagically without selling their stuff. I think turning off ADS' autocarrier stuff fixes that. But it took a few more unloadings before I noticed I had a ship full of freshly minted drones. I get what Anti-Theft is there for but I have an M7 and the money to afford running DCS2 on it. I got it for the reason of minimizing the logistics of fitting fighters, I don't fancy trying to sell them. Get enough money through blowing stuff up and trade. Looking at the config file, there's nothing to turn it off and looking at the drone.task script, I -think- line 1700 to about 2800 is the Anti-Theft stuff? Is it safe to delete that block of code? My current workaround is just to keep dispatching the M6s over and over and they don't carry all that much.

Viviox
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Post by Viviox » Thu, 4. Aug 16, 07:26

Hi,

Do you know if the latest version of DCS2 works with AP 3.1? I've been having a hard time getting it to work. The Carrier will build drones but the drones doesn't do anything. The carrier just spits out the drone one at the time as its being built. But the drones just sit there and doesn't move or attack.

I am using DCS2 with XRM. I had ADS installed before, but ADS doesn't work with AP 3.1.

Also, all my funds become "zero" if you disengage. Instead of giving you back the money it took to build the drones, it takes all my money!!!.

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DrBullwinkle
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Post by DrBullwinkle » Tue, 4. Oct 16, 14:16

HeartlesJosh wrote: I'm using ADS to control my M7's ships which is all well and good, up until the point I give an order through ADS to load up the ships with loot scavenged by MARS' drones and go sell that stuff to nearby stations. ... the drones blow up on arrival at a station thanks to Anti-Theft.

I think turning off ADS' autocarrier stuff fixes that.
Oh, dear. Yes, that is unintended. We may have to change the way that anti-theft works in an ADS environment. A straightforward way to do that would be to change costs to 100% and turn off anti-theft when used with ADS. Then make auto-replacement of drones a menu option.

Thanks for the report, Josh.


ASSTEROIDS wrote:I like this, a carrier with it adds a unique facet to the game.

You got to be careful with XRM though, ... I persisted in not intervening until I realized this stupid battle had drained my account of almost 50 millions, and the drones were not winning...

I've seen it work beautifully, even against capital ships, but I guess there are exceptions...
Thanks for the report, Assteroids. Fifty million is a small amount for carrier operations, but DCS2 normally wins against capital ships in the vanilla game. Good to know that you may need different tactics in XRM.


PDouma39 wrote:I have to report a problem: ... when I disabled the Kariudo as a DSC2 carrier my complete account was bled dry?
This has been reported, but thanks for making sure, PDouma39.


Viviox wrote:Do you know if the latest version of DCS2 works with AP 3.1?
Yes, DCS2 works with AP 3.1, as does ADS.

Viviox wrote:The Carrier will build drones but the drones doesn't do anything. The carrier just spits out the drone one at the time as its being built. But the drones just sit there and doesn't move or attack.
You either have to allow DCS2 to "Engage Enemies" OR command the drones yourself, as you would with any other carrier.

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Havok1o1
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Post by Havok1o1 » Thu, 6. Oct 16, 19:44

Not sure if it is just me, but the download link seems broken.

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DrBullwinkle
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Post by DrBullwinkle » Thu, 6. Oct 16, 21:53

Fixed.

Thanks for the report.

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Havok1o1
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Post by Havok1o1 » Fri, 7. Oct 16, 02:29

No, thank you :)

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