[SCR] MARS Fire Control (v5.25 - 16.02.13)

[DaveyP]

Gazz - just fishing here, but Is there any way MARS could alter weapons ranges?

mine have all changed and I'm trying to see what could have done it.

Cheers.

[Gazz]

No.

You are using a laser mod.

[DaveyP]

News to me, mate.

scratching my head, cos I can't, for the life of me, remember installing anything like that.

Oh well, time to find a old copy of TLASERS.

[JustAJ]

so I've installed MARS, got ingame a message etc.
When I open the turret command interface, there are greyed out MARS-options, so it's working I guess
But where can I get it?

[someone else]

try to buy MARS at eq. docks and read the manual... most of the answers are there.

[JustAJ]

I've read the whole manual!!
It seems f***ing handy that MARS
but I think I didn't read where to get it

[corrado33]

So first off, I didn't find this information EXACTLY, so I just wanted to clear it up.

Secondly, MARS sounds really cool (I haven't tried it yet.).

Thirdly, and the actual question...

So let's say I'm in my M2, and I have 20 PPCs and some 20 FAAs in my cargo bay. From what I understand, my turrets will only have one gun in them if I'm not around anything to fire at.

So let's say an M2 appears on my right hand side. So MARS will put the PPCs in my right turret (or whatever other turret can fire at the M2.) Cause currently since it's the only ship around it has the top priority. So now, let's say some fighters also appear on my right side. Let's say SOMEHOW the fighters have the same priority as the M2. What will happen? Will MARS mount SOME PPCs and SOME FAAs? (Let's say that MARS thought it impossible to hit the fighters with PPCs.)

Now, once the fighters are destroyed.... Will MARS then mount ALL PPCs again?

How does MARS choose which Anti-Fighter weapon to use if you have both FAAs and CFAs? By how far away the fighters are?

And if I'm completely confused about how MARS works... then... I guess I should just install and try it right? I like to KNOW what scripts do before I install them. I mean Mods... or whatever MARS is...

Thanks in advance. And I did read the MARS FAQ and MARS thread, but it wasn't much help about the details.

EDIT: Sorry for the new topic...
{Forum Rule 12. Merge. jlehtone}

[DaJimba]

First of all, I'd like to thank you for the cool mods and scripts

Second, I'd like to grumble a bit and file an RFE, if I may

I have downloaded and installed MARS version 4.61 from 2009-06-04 (so if my problem was already fixed in the past couple of weeks, sorry for bringing it up). I have also tried Graxter's Mobile Ship Repairs mod (as in here: http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=221081 ).

Now, I've got myself a Pirate Caravel as the cheapest ship which can equip Repair Lasers that I could buy early in the game. As my other ships with turrets, I have also equipped it with real weapons and MARS.

When I sent this ship to try and repair me (which seems to work like "attack me with repair lasers"), MARS promptly installed IRE's and PAC's and began shooting down my shields (unsuccesfully though - they are fat ). When I manually replaced the weapons in Caravel's turrets with repair lasers, MARS installed real weapons back.

So for the duration of repairs I have to disable MARS on the repairs ship altogether.

Thus my request for enhancement is that MARS takes active Mobile Ship Repairs commands into account, and lets the turrets equip repair lasers when attacking friendly ships (or whatever is the target of Repair Ships command). Perhaps it's even possible to repair with one turret, and fight some enemies back with another?

Perhaps MARS can also send some repair drones to the help with Mobile Ship Repairs jobs as well? I wonder if the 2/3 of damage limit should be lifted for such a usecase?

Big thanks in any case,
//Jim

[DaJimba]

I have a few fighters like Xenon L which are okay, but without turrets.

When I activate MARS, it can only use goblins to collect cargo (and maybe do repairs and missile defense).

I wonder if MARS can switch main (cockpit) weapons on such non-player's ships, and/or use goblins to distract these ships' targets? Even if it can't do that now, do you also think it should?

[Gazz]

I have also tried Graxter's Mobile Ship Repairs mod

Now, I've got myself a Pirate Caravel as the cheapest ship which can equip Repair Lasers that I could buy early in the game. As my other ships with turrets, I have also equipped it with real weapons and MARS.

When I sent this ship to try and repair me (which seems to work like "attack me with repair lasers"), MARS promptly installed IRE's and PAC's and began shooting down my shields

That's a new one. I didn't know your own ships could be "enemy".
I've never heard of MARS intentionally shooting at your ships.

Either way, repair laser, tractor beam, and mining laser are not valid turret lasers for MARS. It will never use them.

So for the duration of repairs I have to disable MARS on the repairs ship altogether.

Basically - yes. MARS has been built for killing stuff and you want the ship to unkill things.

Thus my request for enhancement is that MARS takes active Mobile Ship Repairs commands into account, and lets the turrets equip repair lasers when attacking friendly ships (or whatever is the target of Repair Ships command). Perhaps it's even possible to repair with one turret, and fight some enemies back with another?

Of course you can disable MARS for some turrets.
Provided the ship to repair is not an enemy (and it would be pretty silly if it were), MARS will just fire at the real enemies, using the turrets you let it control.

Or Graxter can simply take over all turrets if he cares. Drop an interrupt script on all turrets of the ship and they will do what he wants.
When these scripts terminate, the "original" turret scripts will resume their job as if nothing had happened.

That's how my "Turret on/off" Hotkey works. Simple and effective.

Perhaps MARS can also send some repair drones to the help with Mobile Ship Repairs jobs as well?

Of course it can. Drones can be launched via hotkey, the MARS menu, automatically... plenty of ways.

I wonder if the 2/3 of damage limit should be lifted for such a usecase?

Why? I have already explained the reason for that.

Graxter's script most likely enforces some kind of repair cost so that the benefit of "repairs anywhere" is somehow balanced vs cheaper repairs in a shipyard.
Since MARS does not, it can not be allowed to do complete repairs.
That would be a plain cheat.

I wonder if MARS can switch main (cockpit) weapons on such non-player's ships, and/or use goblins to distract these ships' targets? Even if it can't do that now, do you also think it should? :)

MARS has been designed for bigger ships with multiple turrets.
With fighters you're talking about MARS Light. It does not switch lasers at all and intentionally so.

CODEA does.

[JustAJ]

well, I have a problem now too.
None of my hotkeys doesn't work any more. The only things that work is ASDW, TAB (for the Boost Extension) and the 'x' and 'z' key for speed management.
I have TC version 2.0, and the latest version of MARS.

Can someone help me with it?

EDIT: ow, also installed the mods that come with MARS. And it was actually working yesterday when I tried it for a few minutes.

Second Edit: I already found the problem. It was my Xfire interfering in some way with my shortcuts when I talk to someone

[Gazz]

Version 4.65 released

• New option in the Config Menu: Display free cargo space
• Manuals updated for 4.65.
  Changes / new sections highlighted in red for translators. (english manual)
  Also several small additions to the TFile 7046.

[thunderai]

Really nice addition to the MARS script. Thanks for the hard work!

[BlkKnight]

Hi Gaz,

Following the discussion here:
http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=251243

Is there any chance we can get an on/off switch for MD2?

Thanks

/edit

delete setup.plugin.gz.missile.def.mk2.xml

[Yupsolo]

Just a simple question. Is this useful to buy a M7M now (with MARS for every ship)? They are quite expensive (and the missile barrage also), but if no missile can reach the enemy...

[someone else]

check the last two posts of this thread: I describe my boarding tactic with MARS
http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php? ... c&start=30

in general missiles get trough, killing enemies with missiles can be done, but using more missiles and in a more smart way (launching lots of flails, and then when drones target the flails launch hammers)

[Rodion Karimov]

It seems that MARS is not working with Khaak Destroyer, Pirate Karraka, Pirate Brigantine and Yaky Shark, sorry if some ship names not like in english version of the game, I have russian version. When I enable MARS for NPC in AL and come to these ships they are not atacking me, when I disable MARS for NPC they start normally atack me, with little and medium ships like Nova, Centaurus and Condor it seems that MARS working fine.

Edit - Also MARS is not working with Xenon J and Xenon K, with Q it seems that it is working fine.

Edit - They start to atack me only if take of their shields and over 1/5 of health.

Edit - With Q there is the same problem it is shooting only with its main weapons and it sometimes shoots me with turrets when I take off its shields and part of health, sometimes not at all.

It seems that the problem is in changing weapons for big ships, so is there ability to disable weapon changing for them and enable MARS Lite for them?

Edit 29.06.09 - There is no russian translation and options file in archive, so I simply renamed 044 files to 007 and changed language in them from 44 to 7. So in the game now there is English translation for MARS, but when it activates, I save game, quit, load, enable MARS for NPC in AL menu, then save, quit and load, turrets of all ships do not working, even on my Heavy Nemesis with PBE in left and right turrets and PA in rear turrets - MARS is constantly in Standby mode, even if over 10 xenons around me and come closer than 1 km.

[uberex]

Great script and much fun!

Q1: Is there a way to turn off Goblins for AI?
I understand they suppose to save lives of their masters, but currently I'm forced to destroy their masters just to get rid of those pesky Goblins.

Q2: Is it normal for AI to be able to keep spawning new Goblins endlessly?
Their masters seem to never run out of Goblins until those masters are destroyed (that's the reason why I have to kill them, even though I had no intention to do that in a first place).

Q3: Which script should I look into to limit Goblins' range?
As an alternative to disabling them altogether.

P.S.: I'm playing a pirate start, so all major races except Teladi and *cough*Goners*cough* hate my guts. Hunting in M4 in pirate corridor is much fun if it weren't for the Goblins being sent my way from every corner of the sector. Which makes ship claiming such a pain in places not too far away.

P.P.S.: On a second thought, salvaging bailed ships is quite infuriating, really Not a second goes by when I wouldn't have at least 1 goblin on me and at least another 2 on the ships I'm trying to evac after claiming them.

[Lancefighter]

a few tips on goblin control - if you target the goblin, it will run home to mommy.. Useful, if all you want it to do is go away. Only works on one goblin though :\

if youve got ires, they are easy to take down - let them come at you, and when they are attacking, click on them and start shooting. The target avoidance wont kick in for a second, and your ires should kill it. works well with pbes..

in cmod, ion-d is an excellent way to clear drones..

anyway, your questions:
q1 - Not that ive found
q2 - They dont spawn new ones, most ships have anywhere from a half dozen, to 15 drones on board when they spawn. Its really noticeable when you start scanning ships - they ALL seem to have drones.
q3 - got no clue

[someone else]

@uberex and Gazz: if the "goblin decoy missions" is disabled on AI ships that would be the solution.