Organic Boron Hulls [TC][AP][Script]

[SwordShaman]

DrBullwinkle,

Thank you for taking the time to make this change. As soon as I read about your organic hulls, a chime went off in my head. In my opinion, it adds that little bit of polish for a race that is often underestimated. Good work sir.

I do have a question. Is there a way I can edit your script so that the delay between regenerative "ticks" is decreased? I already understand I can change the rate (or more accurately the percentage of hull) that is healed when your script "ticks", but I'd also like to change the delay between ticks. I think it would be more immersive to have smaller but more rapid healing. Something along the lines of having 10 hull repaired every couple of seconds.

Thanks again for your devotion to the game. Take care.

[DrBullwinkle]

Thanks for the report and the kind words, SwordShaman.

You could change "$c.Timer.Normal = 15" on line 21 of al.plugin.bw.organic.hulls.event.xml. However, I do not think it will produce satisfactory results; hulls will probably repair too quickly. Also, reducing the timer could cause performance issues due to the relatively "heavy" cost of checking OOS Boron ships.

I do have an update planned which will apply smoother-looking repairs while simultaneously reducing system load even further. I do not know when I will be able to post it, but it will do a better job of what you want.

[SwordShaman]

Wow...you were very quick on the response my friend. I barely had time to go downstairs, fix myself a cup o' joe and have a cig.

I'll tinker with changing the timer as you had mentioned. What is the amount equivalent to? Is it seconds of game time? Also, what is each point equivalent to for the rate change? Does 1 = 1% hull repair every tick and 4 = 4%?

[DrBullwinkle]

Yes to both. Timer is in seconds and rate of increase is in percent. That is why I say that reducing the timer may result in too-fast repairs. I will change the system in the future so that slower repairs are possible while making the repairs appear smoother (by updating every few seconds rather than in 15-second jumps).

The last time I was at the Boston Museum of Science, there was a display showing MRI scans of human brains with different conditions. One of the scans showed the acetylcholine receptors in a smoker's brain when compared to a normal brain. The smoker's brain had many more acetylcholine receptors, which is the brain's natural way of down-regulating its response to the high levels of acetylcholine stimulated by smoking. A reduced response to acetylcholine will lower your overall energy, focus, mood, and memory (when you do not smoke). That explains why it takes so long to quit smoking. Basically, you have to not smoke for long enough that those extra receptors fade away: typically 3-6 months. It also explains why gradually reducing nicotine (patches, lozenges, and/or gum) makes it easier to quit.

--- This has been a Public Service Announcement by Bullwinkle. ---

[SwordShaman]

Heh...thanks for the PSA. Knowing is half the battle, or at least that's what I've been told.

Well, I've tested some adjustments I've made. I changed "$c.Timer.Normal = 15" to "$c.Timer.Normal = 3" in al.plugin.bw.organic.hulls.event.xml. Started a new game with the rate still at 1. Drove into a freighter just to weaken my hull and sat watching to see if everything worked as expected. The delay between regenerating the hull was still roughly 15 seconds...possibly a bit longer, and the amount was equivalent to 2 or 3 percent of my M5 hull. I changed enemy and fighter repair speed to 1 as well to keep consistency through all craft. Perhaps I'm missing something.

I did note that "$c.Timer.Normal = 15" was also not on line 21 of your xml as you had mentioned as well, so perhaps I changed the wrong thing. I changed the following:

<line linenr="016" indent="">
<var>$c.Timer.Normal</var>
<text> </text>
<text>=</text>
<text> </text>
<var>15</var>
</line>


to the following:

<line linenr="016" indent="">
<var>$c.Timer.Normal</var>
<text> </text>
<text>=</text>
<text> </text>
<var>3</var>
</line>

Perhaps you can point out what I've done wrong. My objective is to have 1% of the hull repaired every 3 seconds.

Thank you for your patience.

[DrBullwinkle]

Perhaps you can point out what I've done wrong.

Yep, that is an easy one. You did not use the Script Editor.

You MUST use an editor made for the game, 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 or Exscriptor. The human-readable portion of X3's script files is just "documentation". The real code is the array of numbers at the bottom. A standard editor will not edit scripts correctly.

[SwordShaman]

Thanks for schooling me up. I downloaded X-Studio Script Editor and successfully changed al.plugin.bw.organic.hulls.event.xml's timer, so that's awesome. I was really scratching my head after changing it in notepad...derrrr...and having no result.

I'm assuming you must use the script editor to change the rate as well, but when I try to select "8555-L089 -- Organic Boron Hulls" or "8555-L044" within X-Studio it states that language file editing has been disabled for that release. Any workarounds for that issue that you know of?

Once again, I'd like to thank you deeply for helping me troubleshoot this. You're a great asset to this community.

[DrBullwinkle]

You're welcome.

You can use a normal text editor for language files (t folder). Only MSCI scripts require a special script editor. (MSCI is the language used by the Script Editor).

[SwordShaman]

Thanks a million! With your help I've gotten your mod to work exactly as I wanted. Now to beat my head against a wall over and over again on dead-is-dead mode. For some reason I absolutely love it, though I don't last much past a few hours normally.

My game is nearly free of irritating mechanics that always chafed when I had originally gotten into the game a while back due to mods like yours. The only thing left is so minor, and yet I cringe every time I experience it. The damned repair laser you get in your astronaut suit. We've all used it, some more than others. Would you know of any mods that give you infinite energy for that laser so it doesn't spurt and repeatedly notify you that you are running low on energy? I know that it doesn't affect the rate of repair...it's just something that bothers me. If it just blasted its healing rays into my ship ad infinitum without sputtering and making me envision myself giving it a spacely golden shower of sorts...

Maybe I'm getting off the subject.

[DrBullwinkle]

The sputtering of the Repair Laser is intentional. It looks, and sounds, like the sputtering from a real-life welding job.

But, stay tuned, because I am working on a script for DiD'ers. It should arrive any day now.

Speaking of DiD's, some experienced players report playing DiD rules but not DiD mode. The distinction is that they reload in case of "stupid" (or bug-related) deaths, such as auto-pillock errors.

[SwordShaman]

Well, I could live with the sputtering as intended if bitching betty wouldn't declare that I was running out of energy all the time. Like I said though, a very minor thing.

You've really got my attention when you mentioned your script for DiD. You damned tease you. Could you give us a hint as to what it's going to consist of?

Also, I'm aware of playing via self-imposed rules for DiD. For some reason I much prefer it being forced upon me via the in-game mechanic. I completely understand why people forgo it though, as there are quite a few cases that I have experienced as well. I've certainly discovered to use auto-pillock sparingly if at all.

[DrBullwinkle]

Half of it works now. I could release the first half, but then you would have to download the update in a few days to get the second half.

[SwordShaman]

What does each part do exactly? I'd gladly help you test it out.

Also, are there any adjustments I could make for your organic hulls to repair a base amount of "hull units" rather than the percentage that it now utilizes?

[DrBullwinkle]

I'd gladly help you test [the new script for DiD players].

Excellent. Now's your chance: Emergency Space Suit Survival Kit (with Ejector Seat )

Also, are there any adjustments I could make for your organic hulls to repair a base amount of "hull units" rather than the percentage that it now utilizes?

No, because that is the way that Marines work; not Organic Hulls. If you want repairs done by hull units, then see Marine Repairs 2.

I will add the kind of smoother repairs that you desire, SwordShaman. But it is a little more involved, due to the lack of floating point division in the MSCI. It will take some time because I have several other things "in the queue" in front of it.

[SwordShaman]

Unfortunately I'm going to have to pass on the Ejector Seat. It sounds like a great kit but I'm running XRM and am probably unwilling to give it up for the feature. Thank you for making it...very cool idea. I love the addition of the space fuel.

Thanks again for all your help. I'll eagerly await your future organic hull modification.

[DrBullwinkle]

Perhaps I was unclear about compatibility: The script parts should be compatible with everything -- including XRM.

Only the mod part is incompatible. You could do a favor to XRM players by modifying the mod to work in XRM. All you need is X3 Editor.

If you install the package with the Plugin Manager, it will not install the mod. So the PM is a quick way to get a compatible installation.

(And you should really post this discussion in the Ejector Seat thread).

I love the addition of the space fuel.

That and the Meatsteak Cahoona were just for fun. What survival kit would be complete without a snack that doubles as antiseptic and painkiller, all in one?

[Reido]

Thanks Doc,

It's the little details like this that help make the game come alive.


Reido

[DrBullwinkle]

And thank you for the report, Reido!

[garrry34]

I thought I'd give it a go the way I had it in my head, I copy and pasted the player section in the plugin line for line and made the alterations I wanted, and it all seems to work as I hoped, so if I ever acquire boron ship they shall work as intended and my personal flagship has the repairing ability now as well with no worry of it being spawned, plugin works beautifully, I take my hat off to you...

[DrBullwinkle]

OK, I'm glad you got your custom Angelwing working, Garry.