[MOD/Script] LI Freight Distribution Network (FDN) - v7.2 21/11/2010

The place to discuss scripting and game modifications for X³: Terran Conflict and X³: Albion Prelude.

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Logain Abler
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Post by Logain Abler »

apricotslice wrote:The original HQ that was never used, is still in the TC list, so the model should be there to use.
Cool, that saves a lot of work. Best I get looking for it.

This is what I've found under Docks:
OTAS
Plutarch
Terracorp
Strong Arm
NMMC
Jonferco
Headquaters.

Which is the original, and which does TC use as the player HQ? I've not got that far in the game and I scripted in the Headquaters one for PHQ testing.

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Logain Abler
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Post by Logain Abler »

Hi apricotslice,

There are to HQ I have scripted in to have a look at:

Headquaters
"Player Name" ***UNDEFINED***

The Headquaters I've been using to test PHQ.
The second one I've not seen before.

Which is the one the player gets in game?


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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice »

Headquarters is the PHQ.

'Player Name' Headquarters is the one I'm suggesting. It was designed for the X2 add-on that was never made and instead became X3.
Logain Abler
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Post by Logain Abler »

apricotslice wrote:Headquarters is the PHQ.

'Player Name' Headquarters is the one I'm suggesting. It was designed for the X2 add-on that was never made and instead became X3.
Cheers mate, top idea :)

I actually like the look of this station 8)


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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice »

Gives you extra ship storage capasity too
Logain Abler
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Post by Logain Abler »

Hi,

Another quick progress update

Updated costs for the 4 versions of the FDN-N, available from all good Argon Shipyards:

[ external image ]

Storage:
XL – 50,000000
L – 40,000000
M – 30,000000
S – 20,000000

With advise from apricotslice I’ve settled on an in-game model for the FDN-N:

[ external image ]

It’s now down to testing & tweaking before the release of v3.


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Logain Abler
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Post by Logain Abler »

Hit a bit of an issue under testing :evil: The FDN-N was removing all products all products from a Complex even if one or more of the stations in the Complex was locked. This was due to how station within a Complex will report the total amount of wares in the Complex rather than itself. :evil:

I have a work around; hitting the issue with While Loops of Death & Arrays of Agony :twisted:

Back on-track now :D This wouldn’t be an issue under v2.1 so didn’t come to light until heavy testing.

Onwards & upwards.
Logain Abler
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FDNv3 Released

Post by Logain Abler »

Freight Distribution Network – FDN v3 Update released.

Please see first post for details.


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Marodeur
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Post by Marodeur »

HI. :)

I translated the t-file, integrated it in the spk und installed it but found no stations. I checked the SPK-File and the mod-file isnt integrated. Is that intended? If yes, then maybe you should write that in your starting post. :)
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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice »

V3 is now in my download area.

Does this mean your ready to start on multi-sector ? :P
Marodeur
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Post by Marodeur »

Multi-Sector, hmm... You wrote that TLs fly between the stations in one of the next versions?

I tried to dock a TL yesterday but it could not dock at the node. If you plan that then they should be able to dock or not? :)
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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice »

Thats odd. That model was the forerunner of the PHQ, so it surprises me the cap ships cant dock at it.

I think the plan was to beam onto a TL anyway.

But my preference is to not do all the buggering around with ships, and simply establish a chain of beaming nodes between the FDN and any complex in another sector.

If you use ships, it needs all the "move here", muck around doing this sort of commands, and will take too long to get anything moved.

I'd rather the movement between sectors was "assumed" using "imaginative narative" such as some bright spark figures out how to beam through a gate.

The coding would be much easier than getting ships to jump about too.
Marodeur
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Post by Marodeur »

Well, the commands of the PHQ are available if i saw that right. But if you have the commands and can dock big ships for what you need a PHQ or ED? Maybe its better for the balance if big ships cant dock.

Ok, maybe you cant build ships with the node but i havent tested it yet. ;)
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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice »

Hmmmm, I dont know if thats a good thing or not.
Logain Abler
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Post by Logain Abler »

apricotslice wrote:V3 is now in my download area.

Does this mean your ready to start on multi-sector ? :P
@ Apricotslice, yes looking at this now. Again, thanks for the hosting :)
Marodeur wrote:HI. :)

I translated the t-file, integrated it in the spk und installed it but found no stations. I checked the SPK-File and the mod-file isnt integrated. Is that intended? If yes, then maybe you should write that in your starting post. :)
@ Marodeur. No I haven’t been able to integrate the .act to the spk file as my PC don’t like it for some reason :cry: , or more likely I’m doing something wrong :oops: . Hopefully have that sorted for next release.
Marodeur wrote:Multi-Sector, hmm... You wrote that TLs fly between the stations in one of the next versions?

I tried to dock a TL yesterday but it could not dock at the node. If you plan that then they should be able to dock or not? :)
@ Marodeur. If I use TL & TS for inter-FDN-N transfer they will not need to dock but will have whatever wares required beamed to them as soon as they hit sector.

If I do use them it will be, jump to sector, beam ware; jump next, so it will be a quick process.
Marodeur wrote:Well, the commands of the PHQ are available if i saw that right. But if you have the commands and can dock big ships for what you need a PHQ or ED? Maybe its better for the balance if big ships cant dock.

Ok, maybe you can’t build ships with the node but i haven’t tested it yet. ;)
@ Marodeur. The old PHQ model I’m using does not have the same ability, as the PHQ model finally used in game so it’s can’t build ships.


All,

I’m looking at the following for v3.1

Ware’s handled report: A report that shows the volume and destination of ware handled by the FDN-N node, both inbound & outbound.

Inter Sector FDN-N operations. How wares are distributed between FDN-N’s:

Options as I see it:

Inter Sector teleportation.
Auto TL/TS or freight drones
Other?


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Marodeur
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Post by Marodeur »

Maybe simple freight drones would be funny. Then you have to secure the flightpath with some patrols. ;)

And if you plan TLs to only jump between the sectors dont forget to let them fly away from the gate. I dont want to crash into it if i jump in the sector myself. :D
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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice »

I wouldnt want to put a FDN in every sector, that would be too expensive. And for simplicities sake, there should only be one of them.

If your going to use ships, then nothing in other sectors should be needed.

If you use my chain of nodes idea for auto beaming, then use a relatively cheap (2 mil) station as a beaming node. This adds cost to the process, and conceivably could chain right accross the universe for some people, meaning they then have the equiv of a sat in each sector along the chains, and need to defend them. Ultimately for some people, the cost of nodes would be a lot more than the cost of a TL.

I dont mind a ship if you want to do it that way and its very quick. My Masterdon carries 500k so should be a good mover for this :)

I just dont like ships jumping around too much. They are much more vulnerable than stations are.

Other issue for ships is that when there are a lot of complexes, and some people have them dotted around all over the place, a single ship may not be able to cope with the load, so you then need to code with co-ordinating multiple ships, possibly with different load capasities.

The ship way may be more realistic, but the coding has got to be much more difficult.
Logain Abler
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Post by Logain Abler »

Yes :( Inter sector operations are going to take some thought and whatever option I go with is going to take some work.

The easiest option would be for FDN-N's to transfer between themselves no, maybe with a energy cost for inter-sector transfers, lets say 2 * the jump cost between the sectors involved. I could maybe script in some random transfer failures ;)

Would this make the cost of the FDN-N's more appropriate?

I'm warming to this idea, what are peoples thoughts on this? I would love the idea of inter sector transports running around doing their thing automatically but it's a lot of work and I suspect beyond my current scripting level to achieve.

Ultimately I want whatever solution implemented to be in keeping with the X3 universe.

What FDN has turned into is far beyond what I set out to achieve and I've learnt so much. A lot in part from this forum and valued input from the interested parties.


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mostlikely
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Post by mostlikely »

Before thinking about the transport method.. how will the inter sector transfer logic work?

Basically you have 2 FDN-N's in 2 separate sectors, both with different collection and amounts of wares.
How will you decide to transfer one ware to the other?

Also as you get 3 or more FDN-N's how will a FDN-N prioritize sending wares to one FDN-N over another FDN-N?

Maybe a FDN-SuperNode which could act for FDN-N's like the FDN-N acts for factories.
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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice »

I would love the idea of inter sector transports running around doing their thing automatically but it's a lot of work and I suspect beyond my current scripting level to achieve.
Thats what I suspected. Your way above my level though !

I dont like the idea of cost per beam, nor of random failures. Some complexes are very finely balanced, and missing a beam could mean they stop dead. Once stopped, getting them started again could be problematical.

Now if the node chain had one destroyed, then thats a valid reason for it stopping. Likewise the ship being destroyed if you used ships.

I've never liked games with "random events" in it. I always turn that feature off.

Trying to stick to much to "keeping it X3" only limits the options. I prefer to think about using the X3's inventions to the next level. Hence not having any problems with sector wide beaming, or between sector beaming. But then, I have a hair trigger suspension of disbelief, so if the explanation holds water, I'll accept it. And I'm very good at making viable explanations for the stuff I do in my scripts and mods. :)

Someone did a script for R if I remember rightly that just beamed accross the universe. But it wasnt set up for docks and PHQ. Nor did I use it. Didnt have a problem with the concept, it just didnt fit what I needed.

I do prefer the idea of a chain of small nodes accross the universe joining the FDN with complexes and stations.

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