[SCRIPT] x0ne Turret Control System (TCS) 1.02 [UPDATED 31/12/2010]

[x0ne]

There is absolutely nothing that any of the PPC guns have that's better than the bEMP. Not range, not speed, not rate of fire, not damage, NOTHING.

Nothing apart from their energy consumption, availability, price and turret compatibility... plus the GPPCs have a bigger house, drive a better car and their wife is hot!

[x0ne]

x0ne TCS version 1.02 is ready for download! This mini-update fixes all of the annoying issues so far and lays the groundwork for the big 2.0 update. Please make sure you read the 'Important Info' section below before installing.


Changes (that you'll notice):

EMP used instead of Custom Wares - the "x0ne TCS Interface" has been replaced with the imaginatively named "x0ne TCS Interface MK2".

Ware distribution and stock levels improved - no more frustrating universe-wide searches.

Price of ware lowered to reflect greater availability - x0ne Systems Inc. have struck new supply and distribution deals, so the TCS is no longer as rare as it once was. New price: 9.1 Million Cr.

Missing script files checking introduced - if you're missing a file, the plugin will let you know so that you don't damage your game.

Infinite loop caused by OOS faulty turrets fixed.

Plugin Manager used for un-installation instead of having a separate un-installer package.


Important Info:

Because of the changes to this version, the following things will happen when you upgrade (i.e. if you install 1.02 over the top of 1.01).

1. Every unit of the x0ne TCS Interface aboard your ships will be replaced with the x0ne TCS Interface MK2. This may annoy some of you because of the price difference, so if you don't want to lose any credits, un-install 1.01 first using its un-installer - it will refund you for every x0ne TCS Interface you own (FYI this is the last time the uninstall process for this plugin gives you a refund!).

2. Every running TCS command will have to be restarted manually. Sorry about that, but the ware change messes up the automatic command restarts this plugin does on a new version. In-sector TCS commands will stop immediately. OOS TCS commands will stop as soon as the ship is in-sector. All you need to do is start the commands again, it's nothing major.

One final thing, once 1.02 is installed, disable Custom Wares in the Plugin Manager if you have no further need of them.

[Kilrathi Avenger]

x0ne TCS version 1.02 is ready for download! This mini-update fixes all of the annoying issues so far and lays the groundwork for the big 2.0 update.

Just got the update then read this. Is it worth installing 1.02 or should I wait for the biggy.

[asyikarea51]

Installed the new version over the old one and got some lame infinite loop error with an XTM job script.

Restart game, once again I shall... actually I already did it twice but for some reason the trigger for Gamma Flight to fly to the Renown once they enter CSW doesn't fire

I'll get over the hurdle no problem.

[x0ne]

x0ne TCS version 1.02 is ready for download! This mini-update fixes all of the annoying issues so far and lays the groundwork for the big 2.0 update.

Just got the update then read this. Is it worth installing 1.02 or should I wait for the biggy.

I'd recommend going to 1.02 now, it's stable, resiliant to bad 3rd-party scripting habits (e.g. starting scripts on taskid's without checking if they're free first) and will clear up any mess from previous versions.

In fact, 2.0 will clear up the old mess too, but with 1.02 you're eliminating the chance of anything bad happening with 1.01 until it's time for 2.0.

1.02 is also incompatible with version 1.86 of the Plugin Manager, so if you upgrade now you'll have plenty of time to iron out any PM upgrade issues (that is if you've not already upgraded the PM!).

[x0ne]

Installed the new version over the old one and got some lame infinite loop error with an XTM job script.

Restart game, once again I shall... actually I already did it twice but for some reason the trigger for Gamma Flight to fly to the Renown once they enter CSW doesn't fire

I'll get over the hurdle no problem.

Er, I'm confused - is there anything you want me to help you with?

[Arrak]

Sorry if I missed some part that works as intended, but I've got a problem: (if I missed something in the readme, just tell me so... I read it some time ago)
I installed the TCS on a Reaver. At first, I tested it in some pirate sectors. Everything was fine here, bFlaks (in the front turret) were used whenever possible (which is the best choice, M6 and below are spacedust in no time). However, when I tried taking on some Xenon capital ships, it did not switch to bPPC's, but instead continued using bFlaks (and HEPTs at close range, though I think these were in another turret). It seemed to simply ignore the PPCs altogether. It worked with the "no swap" command, but it would be nice to change to PPCs automatically.

[x0ne]

Sorry if I missed some part that works as intended, but I've got a problem: (if I missed something in the readme, just tell me so... I read it some time ago)
I installed the TCS on a Reaver. At first, I tested it in some pirate sectors. Everything was fine here, bFlaks (in the front turret) were used whenever possible (which is the best choice, M6 and below are spacedust in no time). However, when I tried taking on some Xenon capital ships, it did not switch to bPPC's, but instead continued using bFlaks (and HEPTs at close range, though I think these were in another turret). It seemed to simply ignore the PPCs altogether. It worked with the "no swap" command, but it would be nice to change to PPCs automatically.

PPC are classed as anti-capital weapons by the plugin and it will use them, in fact, the biggest weapon available to a turret is used on cap-ships and nothing smaller (ever), so if it can mount PPCs it will select them.

I think what was probably happening is that the front turret had PPCs mounted, but couldn't track its target fast enough to actually fire them, or, it was busy with a different target perhaps? If you've just turned to face an important target, use the "Re-Scan Targets" hotkey to make sure any turret that can hit it starts firing on it.

You may also have had "Capture Mode" switched on, and many people assume this slows down their weapons to increase the number of ships they cap. This is not the case (and these people shouldn't be basing their assumptions on other turret plugins! ). It actually just stops your turrets from attacking your tracking aim, leaving you to take down a target gradually with your main guns (or in the case of XTM and the HCF, by force with a boat-load of marines! ).

[Arrak]

I did some more testing in a Xenon sector. There was a single K (so no other targets which could interfere) and I tried rescanning targets (no special options like "capture mode" acticated), but my Reaver consistently ignored bPPC. It used aPPC even though I had't got enough to mount it in every slot of the front turret (it simply mounted 3 or 4 (when I had picked up another one) aPPC instead of the 6 bPPC available...). So everything was fine, except for the fact that bPPC still got ignored... I'll try removing the aPPC, removing and reinstalling the bPPC. Any other ideas? Seems a bit strange to me...

[Arrak]

Ok, I did some more testing with a few Xenon cap ships (if more pilots would test their equipment like me, the Xenon wouldn't be a threat anymore ), and I found out that the issue seems to be related to the amount of bPPC I carry. As soon as I possess more than 6 bPPC (the front turret with its 6 weapon slots is the only turret that mounts any PPCs at all), they are used, but as soon as the amount is down to 6 or less bPPC, it switches to aPPC immediately (tried this on the fly when fighting a K); when I did not have any aPPC, it switched to Kyons...

So there is an easy way to avoid this problem (simply stock 7 bPPC), but it's still strange... could anyone else check if the same happens to him? I used a Reaver.

[x0ne]

Ok, I did some more testing with a few Xenon cap ships (if more pilots would test their equipment like me, the Xenon wouldn't be a threat anymore ), and I found out that the issue seems to be related to the amount of bPPC I carry. As soon as I possess more than 6 bPPC (the front turret with its 6 weapon slots is the only turret that mounts any PPCs at all), they are used, but as soon as the amount is down to 6 or less bPPC, it switches to aPPC immediately (tried this on the fly when fighting a K); when I did not have any aPPC, it switched to Kyons...

So there is an easy way to avoid this problem (simply stock 7 bPPC), but it's still strange... could anyone else check if the same happens to him? I used a Reaver.

That's weird and shouldn't happen, thanks for the info though I'll see what I can find out.

I suspect it's something weird going on with the "get true amount of ware in cargo bay" command - the weapon switching script uses this to work out if there's any of a particular type free in the cargo bay. It's almost as if this doesn't work until there are more than the turret needs...

[x0ne]

Hmm, can't recreate this. I really think something's wrong with your game, it's like the 6 x BPPCs you've got aboard aren't properly recognised as BPPCs, but the seventh you added is...

What I'd do is eject them all, then script/cheat in 6 x new ones to see if that changes anything. Also, if you know the SE or use a cheat script to add wares, are there two BPPCs listed in the ware lists?

This is a weird one for sure. Where did you get the BPPCs you're having trouble with... if you capped the Reaver I reckon those pesky pirates sabotaged them...

[Arrak]

I've got 3 Reavers, all of them are captured via HCF. Now the interesting thing is, this issue occurs with two of these Reavers, but not with the third. Any scripted Reavers (via the cheat scripts) do not have this issue.

I don't think it's related to the bPPC on board - I tried ejecting them, scripting new ones in, even buying fresh ones at a factory, but it did not change a thing. As long as there are at most 6 bPPC in the cargo hold, the TCS does not touch them. As soon as I script a seventh in, the front turret gets a full loadout of 6 bPPC.

Concerning your questions:
- there is only one bPPC listed in the ware list (and as I described above, it seems to be related to the ships, not the weapons)
- the initial bPPC were on the captured ship, but I tried it with scripted ones and with bought ones as well

At first, I thought it might be a problem with the capped Reavers (I noticed they are named "Reaver" whereas a scripted one is named "Pirate Reaver"), but as the third one works...

I could send you the savegame and mark the Reavers in question if you think it would be helpful. I've got no idea what else I could check

[x0ne]

I've got 3 Reavers, all of them are captured via HCF. Now the interesting thing is, this issue occurs with two of these Reavers, but not with the third. Any scripted Reavers (via the cheat scripts) do not have this issue.

I don't think it's related to the bPPC on board - I tried ejecting them, scripting new ones in, even buying fresh ones at a factory, but it did not change a thing. As long as there are at most 6 bPPC in the cargo hold, the TCS does not touch them. As soon as I script a seventh in, the front turret gets a full loadout of 6 bPPC.

Concerning your questions:
- there is only one bPPC listed in the ware list (and as I described above, it seems to be related to the ships, not the weapons)
- the initial bPPC were on the captured ship, but I tried it with scripted ones and with bought ones as well

At first, I thought it might be a problem with the capped Reavers (I noticed they are named "Reaver" whereas a scripted one is named "Pirate Reaver"), but as the third one works...

I could send you the savegame and mark the Reavers in question if you think it would be helpful. I've got no idea what else I could check

Don't have time for a proper reply but I discovered last night that it's the wares on capped ships - for some reason they are not recognised properly by the script editor when you ask it to return the number of weapons in the cargo bay that are not mounted. From your reply though it seems the ship itself is part of the problem as well.

I'll be looking into this tonight, but suspect it's a bug with XTM, or perhaps as a result of us not having a clean install after the 0.7.2 update (this coupled with the new bonus pack and v2.0 of the Plugin Manager could have caused problems - that's a lot of files being messed around with).

[B-O'F]

Hi xOne,

I haven't looked at your scripts, so I do not know which commands you are using - but I ran into a problem with incorrect shield and laser returns from some commands when writing my Remote Docked Freight Exchange.

This is a quote from the comments section of my script 'bof.xfer.ship.tradewares':-

"The command 'get tradeable ware array from ship' does not include the installed shields and lasers unless there is a spare of the same type in the cargo bay.
To get round this we have to check with the arrays of shields and lasers.
If the ware is in these arrays, but not the tradeable array, it is added."

So it could be a result of the commands that you are using - some of the Script Editor commands do not return the correct result. You will probably have to add some extra checks for the installed lasers.

I had problems tracking this down, as the number of installed lasers and shields was critical and ship dependant.

Any help?
Boron - Ol Fh'art

[Arrak]

Ok, some new insight (though you already figured out at least part of it yourself). I checked more properly and found out that the issue does occur with all the capped Reavers and that it's not restriced to bPPC. As you said, there is some problem with the wares on capped ships: as long as the amount of any weapon is at most the amount present when the ship was capped, it will not be used. As soon as it exceeds that amount, the weapon will be used (not just the weapons exceeding that number but all of them).
While I did not have the exact numbers of what weapons were on which ship when I capped it, I gradually removed weapons in combat and this seemed to come up consistently. Removing the weapons and adding new ones has no effect at all, the amount of weapons on board when the ship was captured seems to be remembered.

Sorry if I confused you with the bPPC at first - I should have checked another weapon type earlier, but I just did not think of it as everything else seemed to work fine. (Until recently, I did not realize it might have something to do with the amount of weapons present when capped as the number 6 seemed to be connected with the max. turret loadout)


edit: I did a fresh install for XTM 0.7.2 and started a new game, and I'm using the Script Installer (2.x) as well as the Bonus Pack (and quite a few more scripts, but it probably wouldn't be of much help to list them).

I suppose this is all I can say/do, as I'm not a scripter myself.

[MrCylon]

I also have the same problem that my captured K (miraculously got with Bail Extension - what a shock that was) sticking to BFLACS instead of using GPPCs. I have installed the BFLACS myself but the GPPCs (all 40 of them) came with the capped ship. Having read your reply about a possible problem with wares on a capped ship I'll try changing the GPPCs for some I've got lying around (and maybe try it with BPPCs and APPCs) and see whether that helps. If it doesn't it may be time to sell the K and get a proper cap ship.

[Kilrathi Avenger]

the GPPCs (all 40 of them) came with the capped ship.

40 millions worth of GPPC's captured. SWEET

[Arrak]

Well, try not only changing to other gPPCs (that didn't make a difference for me), but also adding another gPPC (so you have one more than just the amount in the cargo hold/turrets when you captured it). If it's the same problem I encountered, you'll just need one additional weapon of each type and they will all be recognised and used as intended.

[x0ne]

Just a thought, seeing as the problem is most likely caused by wares that are 'ghost installed' (i.e. they were added using the "install ware" command, but the SE thinks they're still installed) have you tried mounting all the weapons and then removing them via the freight menu?

Dunno, might be a quick fix?