[MOD] Miscellaneous IZ Combat Tweaks

[Saquavin]

Note that distance to destination is what is relevant in choosing how to get there, not distance to target. This is because the destination point can be any point in a sphere around the target.

I think this is the cause of useless jump.
A ship should attack the target from the way he is coming from, and not jump to the opposite side of the target.
This is what happened in my example : Taranis was 7290m from target, and he jumped at the opposite. Would have not been more logical to fly toward then show side ?

Yes, I was complaining about infinite boost, or boost leading to 20km away while in combat. But whatever you have done, boost is working fine as far as I observed. I love it !

I will disable tactical jump, and let you know is the behaviour is better (in my opinion).

[Sparky Sparkycorp]

A smart crew should attack a target from it's weak side, not fly straight at it regardless if whether it's suicide.

If you don't like in-zone combat jumps that's fine, but saying it would be smart just to fly straight at a target is not a strong argument.

[w.evans]

Pretty much what Sparky said. Particularly effective when a MICT crew faces a vanilla crew since vanilla tends to have ships come at you, and ships like the Titurel and the Taranis have pointy ends forward. Rather than facing that head-on, MICT crews will look for a weak spot and poke there. Also results in less jumping and boosting since weak spots are usually behind ships, which exposes those ships' engines, which immobilizes them. Since the enemy ship isn't moving, and had all aft-pointing guns destroyed, that remains the weakest spot, and MICT ships will tend to stay more or less where they are.

Doesn't work as well against other MICT ships since they'll also try to get at your weak spot. But if you beat them to it, immobilizing a MICT ship is crippling, and is likely the most effective tactic, since a lot of MICT depends on mobility.

I will disable tactical jump, and let you know is the behaviour is better (in my opinion).

Would love to hear it!

[Saquavin]

After few fights, I have to say I prefer boost only

I understand your point, and this is a good behaviour in theory. In game, this leads to fight, jump and stop fighting, approach again, fight, not in the good side, jump again, etc...
This is what I tried to explain.

Should I say again I'm using fastership mod, so it's maybe why I prefer normal flight. I remember I found it soooo long when it was vanilla speed. Maybe this is why I have behaviour you don't have. Ships are moving too fast to get in a good position, so they always try to change position (maybe).

I will try fight without fastership mod and tell you.

[Scoob]

Quick question...

As it's combat related, are you able to fix the broken "Withdraw from Battle" command? This command generally simply does not work at all for me, though every so often it does work. When it fails one of the following happens:

i) Nothing at all - command acknowledged, but ship remains in combat
ii) Nothing except the boost effect plays. No escape.
iii) Boost effect plays and ship starts to turn painfully slowly, as if trying to find an escape vector
iv) Ship boosts a short distance and stops, still in danger.
v) Ship turns it back on all enemies, the boost effect shows but the ship does NOT move...engines die in seconds *sigh*

What should happen, in my view, is the ship should instantly engage boost along its current vector, attempting to leave the Zone. If, once under way, there's a station in the way then it can try to avoid. Any ships should simply be rammed out of the way - this is an emergency after all.

I've frequently given a withdraw command and sat there for the next 5 minutes while my ship dies.

Note: I sit on my combat ships to watch the fight quite often. I do maximum damage before retreating, but the hit and miss (mostly miss) nature of what happen when you try to leave the Zone effectively breaks this if there's any decent resistance.

Not urgent, but possibly useful for MICT ships to have a reliable command to call upon when their jump drives are taken out.

Cheers,

Scoob.

[BlackRain]

Getting tons of errors:

Code: Select all

[=ERROR=] Error in AI script fight.attack.object.station on entity 0x821c31: Error evaluating <event_object_attacked> event object: Value 'null' is not of type component
* Expression: this.station
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script fight.attack.object.station on entity 0x563d8: Evaluated value 'null' is not of type component
* Expression: this.station
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script fight.attack.object.station on entity 0x563d8: Property lookup failed: this.station.trueowner
* this.station == null
* Expression: this.station.trueowner != faction.player or @this.$config_attackenemies
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script fight.attack.object.station on entity 0x563d8: Evaluated value 'null' is not of type component
* Expression: this.station
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script fight.attack.object.station on entity 0x563d8: Property lookup failed: this.station.maxcombatrange
* this.station == null
* Expression: this.station.maxcombatrange.all * (0.5f + (this.skill.combat + this.skill.leadership)f / 20f) + this.station.size / 2f
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script fight.attack.object.station on entity 0x563d8: Property lookup failed: this.station.size
* this.station == null
* Expression: this.station.maxcombatrange.all * (0.5f + (this.skill.combat + this.skill.leadership)f / 20f) + this.station.size / 2f
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script fight.attack.object.station on entity 0x563d8: Error evaluating <event_gravidar_has_scanned> event object: Value 'null' is not of type component
* Expression: this.station
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script fight.attack.object.station on entity 0x563d8: Error evaluating <event_object_attacked> event object: Value 'null' is not of type component
* Expression: this.station
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script engineer.ai on entity 0x21ae7: Property lookup failed: $Defensible.hullpercentage
* $Defensible == null
* Expression: $Defensible.hullpercentage ge $hulldamagelimit
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script engineer.ai on entity 0x21ae7: Evaluated value 'null' is not of type component
* Expression: $Defensible
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script engineer.ai on entity 0x21ae7: Evaluated value 'null' is not of type component
* Expression: $Defensible
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script engineer.ai on entity 0x21ae7: Property lookup failed: $Defensible.attention
* $Defensible == null
* Expression: $Defensible.attention lt attention.visible
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Script error: Unreliable comparison of non-numeric script values! null < attention.visible
* Expression: $Defensible.attention lt attention.visible
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script engineer.ai on entity 0x21ae7: Property lookup failed: $Defensible.summary
* $Defensible == null
* Expression: $Defensible.summary.numadsigns.wreck
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script engineer.ai on entity 0x21ae7: Property lookup failed: $Defensible.summary
* $Defensible == null
* Expression: $Defensible.summary.numefficiencyupgrades.wreck
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script engineer.ai on entity 0x21ae7: Property lookup failed: $Defensible.summary
* $Defensible == null
* Expression: $Defensible.summary.numshields.wreck
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script engineer.ai on entity 0x21ae7: Property lookup failed: $Defensible.summary
* $Defensible == null
* Expression: $Defensible.summary.numsurfacedestructible.wreck
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script engineer.ai on entity 0x21ae7: Property lookup failed: $Defensible.summary
* $Defensible == null
* Expression: $Defensible.summary.numturrets.wreck
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script engineer.ai on entity 0x21ae7: Property lookup failed: $Defensible.maxhull
* $Defensible == null
* Expression: not $Defensible.isclass.{class.station} and $Defensible.maxhull ge 1
[General] ======================================
[General] ======================================
[=ERROR=] Error in AI script engineer.ai on entity 0x21ae7: Property lookup failed: this.defensible.hullpercentage
* this.defensible == null
* Expression: not $CurrentElement.exists and this.defensible.hullpercentage ge $hulldamagelimit
[General] ======================================

[w.evans]

You have at least one DO running the station DO script (fight.attack.object.station) that is either not on a station, or doesn't have a station.

Same with the engineer errors. There's an engineer that isn't on something that he/she can repair, but he/she's running the engineer script.

[w.evans]

25.August 2015 - Miscellaneous IZ Combat Tweaks updated to v0.38

Fixed LR ships not using LR movement on new game start.

[w.evans]

26.August 2015 - MICT_supp2 updated to v0.30

Fighters escorting capital ships were not flying in formation. - FIXED

[w.evans]

26.August 2015 - MICT_supp2 updated to v0.31

Fighters escorting capital ships OOZ were not flying in formation. - FIXED

[Sparky Sparkycorp]

You're on fire!

[w.evans]

26.August 2015 - initial upload of MICT_supp6

I've been looking at Family Ryak's sole capital ship - the Gangrene Chaser. It has weak shields, weak weaponry, and isn't particularly fast. Been trying to think of a function for it, and concluded that the vanilla Gangrene Chaser's sole function is nostalgia: a familiar link with X3. I get the lore of it -- it's an old ship and isn't really useful for anything. However, to have that result in a ship that's completely useless is a waste, I think, so I've set about to repurposing the Raptor.

With a few tweaks, I think that it's particularly well-suited to be a fast, light cruiser; and that seems to fit the impression I have of how the Split fight from memories of playing with them in X3.

speed increased - it is now the fastest capital ship in the game, but not excessively so. Only slightly faster than the Balor.
ragefire turrets - reload rate tripled, bullet speed increased, range slightly decreased

Vanilla, the Ragefire turrets that this ship packs are identical to the particle repeaters that are mounted on some fighters. Since they're mounted on turret banks linked to a power plant that is, presumably, at least more powerful than a fighter's power plant, I thought it reasonable to increase their volume of fire, and slightly increase the speed of their projectiles. Damage per projectile is unchanged.

Together, these changes give the Gangrene Chaser unparalleled close range bite. Those rapid-fire turrets also give it very good point defense against fighters and drones. It can take down a Taranis one-on-one if it could survive to get close enough. It cannot survive an encounter with an Arawn one-on-one. The damage that it does both IZ and OOZ is now second only to the Xenon I, but it can do that only at very close range. They should be interesting to play in groups of three or four.

Weaknesses remain: the Gangrene Chaser's hull and shielding is still comprised of tissue paper, reinforced with a few pieces of folded cardboard. It has absolutely no long- or medium-range capability.

[Scoob]

Downloaded. Still loving the modular options with both MICT and MOCT.

I assume that that Gangrene Chasers long-range offensive ability effectively comes from the aggressive nature of any fighter support wings. They should, in theory, tie up any capital ship for the short time it takes for the Chaser to get in weapons range.

Scoob.

[w.evans]

Downloaded. Still loving the modular options with both MICT and MOCT.

I assume that that Gangrene Chasers long-range offensive ability effectively comes from the aggressive nature of any fighter support wings. They should, in theory, tie up any capital ship for the short time it takes for the Chaser to get in weapons range.

Scoob.

The ship could certainly use something like fighters or, at the very least, drones, to distract a target while it's closing. Problem is, it's also very easy to distract a Gangrene Chaser with similar tactics since it has so few turrets.

[Sparky Sparkycorp]

It has weak shields...the Gangrene Chaser's hull and shielding is still comprised of tissue paper, reinforced with a few pieces of folded cardboard.

Last time I looked, it had the same shielding as a Taranis (second only to Arawn) and double the hull of a Taranis (only less than Mekrons and Arawn). Not too shabby (edit: wasn't considering trade or Xenon ships).

In X3 games, the Raptor was a fast M1 Carrier. With a needed speed boost and the carrier mod in Rebirth, having sub-standard weapons as an XL carrier may not be too bad. Plus when I have seen them fight IZ, they seem to have had more DPS than I would imagine from fighters but perhaps I got that wrong. I know they are incorrectly considered by some Devs to be the same as PLASMA/MA despite their vastly different bullet speeds.

How about adding a second ship with same model and more gun and calling it a Python (X3 M2 battleship)?

[UniTrader]

How about adding a second ship with same model and more gun and calling it a Python (X3 M2 battleship)?

more something like "Bone Scout", since it hase been established that the X3 Names are just Names given to thes Ships by the other Races, because they didnt know ther actual Class Name

[w.evans]

It has weak shields...the Gangrene Chaser's hull and shielding is still comprised of tissue paper, reinforced with a few pieces of folded cardboard.

Last time I looked, it had the same shielding as a Taranis (second only to Arawn) and double the hull of a Taranis (only less than Mekrons and Arawn). Not too shabby (edit: wasn't considering trade or Xenon ships).

In X3 games, the Raptor was a fast M1 Carrier. With a needed speed boost and the carrier mod in Rebirth, having sub-standard weapons as an XL carrier may not be too bad. Plus when I have seen them fight IZ, they seem to have had more DPS than I would imagine from fighters but perhaps I got that wrong. I know they are incorrectly considered by some Devs to be the same as PLASMA/MA despite their vastly different bullet speeds.

How about adding a second ship with same model and more gun and calling it a Python (X3 M2 battleship)?

Hm, that's right. Well, not quite, but it does have more shielding than I thought. Same shielding as the Taranis (1,800,000) but slower recharge (6,000 vs 7,500), and a lot more hull than I thought. Was working from in-game testing. Gets trounced by pretty much anything. Possibly just the fact that it has to get in close to reach out and touch anything.

To turn it into a carrier will need some of Marvin Martian's magic, though. Something must have happened between the time of the gates falling and now because it doesn't even have drone bays.

Sorry, but not adding a new ship into the game. To do it properly would take too much work for too little gain, I think. Besides, was more concerned with giving purpose to this ship without making it overpowered. For now, will just pretend that Family Ryak's fortunes have fallen in the time between now and the fall of the gates such that they had to salvage their Raptors and their Pythons, retained use of the Raptor hulls, and out comes the Gangrene Chaser which is essentially a completely different ship.

Yeah, the Plasma/MA designation is a misnomer, I think. Weapons are identical to the Plasma Repeater Mk2 that's mounted on some fighters and, unless I'm mistaken, the Intrepid Mk2. Possible confusion since it is a plasma weapon rather than HIT/MA, so technically a Plasma-based mass accelerator, but so are the plasma repeaters that the Skunk can mount.

[Sparky Sparkycorp]

Very confusing indeed!

Just to note though, Marvin already kindly worked his magic for the Chaser some time ago. The supplement that adds fighter docking to the Suls also adds it to the Chaser.

[w.evans]

Oh cool! Forgot about that.

@Uni, isn't the Bone Scout a fighter of some sort? Haven't seen one yet. I think I just read about it in Roguey's site.

[Scoob]

Oh cool! Forgot about that.

@Uni, isn't the Bone Scout a fighter of some sort? Haven't seen one yet. I think I just read about it in Roguey's site.

I thought the Bone Scout was a fighter too...just checking Roguey's Site....yep, it's a Fighter

Scoob.