[S] [02.03.08] [X3 3.3.04] Economy and Supply Trader (Trade MK3 II)

Malren · Post by **Malren** » Sat, 28. Jul 07, 02:18

I've just recently installed this script, but I seem to have a bit of a problem.

I have all the required software installed on a ship (no trade command Mk III), as well as the trader rank, but the only option I have is to "Start Economics and Supply Trader" under the trade menu, the "add/remove ware" and configuration options don't show up, even after I tell it to start the trader.

The only mods/scripts I have are:

XTM 0.7.2
Salvage Network 2.6 (this script I installed some time after I noticed the above problem)
Bail System Extension 1.9
and, of course Economy and Supply Trader 3.2

Any ideas on what I can do to get the other options to show up, or am I just missing something blindingly simple?

spoidz · Post by **spoidz** » Sat, 28. Jul 07, 03:08

You mention "under the trade menu", are the other two commands not listed under the "additional Ship commands" window? They will be the very last two lines (depending if this was the last script that added additional commands.).

Malren · Post by **Malren** » Sat, 28. Jul 07, 04:09

Ahh, okay, it was indeed that simple, I was looking in the wrong place

Eightbit · Post by **Eightbit** » Tue, 7. Aug 07, 23:13

I'm having an issue with my manually configured EST's going on standby with a larger ware list.

With only 1 or 2 wares they trade fine but with my list of about 10-15 they just like to hang out in the station when there are good trades sitting right in front of them. Any ideas? I have the required software and they are Freight pilots.

Puruco · Post by **Puruco** » Fri, 10. Aug 07, 03:24

Hi Lucike: My ES is stock in an station saying in their orders "set HQ position" in red. I don't have the HQ yet?

Aesir · Post by **Aesir** » Fri, 24. Aug 07, 20:29

This is a script I want to see in the next BP, signed.

The things I don't like about ST and UT are that I think they are unbalanced (too powerful) and they still require some micro-management. I know people will disagree to some degree on either or both of these criticisms, but this is my opinion.

Something like EST, where I can (on my own) decide to limit trading to certain wares makes the X Universe seem more 'real'. I could choose to run a trader for each individual ware, or ware category - and someone else could do what they want and make it more like UT with unrestricted wares lists.

EST would then cost (me, at least) more to operate - but minimize or eliminate the micro-management annoyances demonstrated in ST/UT. I would have my game play balance, a sense of a more 'real' universe, and a more organized trading fleet. I would like this script vetted and signed quickly please.

NullSh · Post by **NullSh** » Sat, 25. Aug 07, 02:32

Hello, I have run into 2 problems ... err.. issues with EST scripts. Its noting major but should be mentioned that it is how the script operates.

First the configuration option for Profit is misleading.

Input - {2} {4} {X}
The pilot looks for trade runs, which make at least X% of profit.

The % of profit normally would be calculated on the Purchase cost, Not so with this script, it is calculated on Sold value.

ex. I wanted a trader for only Energy Cells and ONLY to buy at 12-13 credits and sell at 18-19 credits. I calculated 18-13 = 6c profit divided by 13, and I came up with 46.2% minimum profit. So I configured the Freight pilot EST ship for 1 ware - e-cells, and at least 45% profit and the Ship stayed permanently in station on standby mode. After a bit of looking at scripts, I found that the way it is used, the % profit is calculated of sold price. So in my case, 18-13 = 6 then 6 / 18 = 27.7% profit. Once I reset that EST ship for minimum 27% profit it started the trading right of.

By default if % Profit is not set, the minimum profit value is 10%, and 5% for Auto Configured Trade Command Software III ships. This works for all food and tech wares, but certain missiles, lasers and shields will never be traded at 10% minimum profit because they are bought at EQ Dock for only average price.

Firestorm Torpedo 7%, Hamerhead Missile 6%
Beta HEPT 8%, Alpha Flak 9%, Beta Flak 7%, Beta PPC9%, Gamma PPC 6%
1GJ Shields 8%, 10GJ Shields 6%

--------------------

Second issue is the broadcast configuration the 12 and 22 configuration commands

The inputs starting with {2} can be broadcasted. If the {2} is replaced with {12}, all traders with the same homesector as the invoking ship do receive the new configuration. If the {2} is replaced with {22}, only ships with same homesector and same shiptype do receive the new configuration.

It should be mentioned that those configurations are sent ONLY to the freighters that have NO Trade Command Software III. Even though if you do it individually the EST traders auto configured with Trade Command Software MK3, do obey the Jump radius, and Satellite Only trading.

Jeraal · Post by **Jeraal** » Sat, 1. Sep 07, 23:22

Kinda new to using scripts that require some inputs from me to work, so this may sound like a stupid question. How do I use the configuration option? Every time I select it, Betty says "No aim". How do I input the various commands? Thanks in advance.

jlehtone · Post by **jlehtone** » Sun, 2. Sep 07, 17:04

Jeraal wrote:How do I use the configuration option?

The trader ship's Command console has two "Additional Commands" slots. Selecting either of them (preferably one that reads "None") offers a list of available additional commands. There should be "Economics Trader: Configuration". Selecting that will ask for a three numbers. So you enter first number and hit 'Enter', and do the same for second and third. Then it will carry out the action (assuming you entered sane numbers).

For "Add/Remove Ware" one does not enter a value. One has to choose a ware instead (from a station that is selected from a sector). One beep and the ware has been added. Two beeps and an already added ware is removed.

Jeraal · Post by **Jeraal** » Sun, 2. Sep 07, 17:17

There should be "Economics Trader: Configuration". Selecting that will ask for a three numbers. So you enter first number and hit 'Enter', and do the same for second and third. Then it will carry out the action (assuming you entered sane numbers).

The option is there, but when I select it, the computer says "no aim" and I never am asked for any input.

Add/remove ware works fine.

jlehtone · Post by **jlehtone** » Sun, 2. Sep 07, 17:59

Then it sounds like there could be a conflict with some other script, for no EST command uses 'get target', AFAIK.

Jeraal · Post by **Jeraal** » Mon, 3. Sep 07, 00:28

Just updated my Xplugin manager and it says there may be a conflict with Ship Jamming Device, will disable and check functionality of EST.

Edit: That was it.

secretgimp · Post by **secretgimp** » Thu, 6. Sep 07, 15:09

I have been using EST extensively with the XTM mod, and it seems to be working out nicely. Currently using it with MTS Vulcan from Terracorp, so I was hoping they could survive reasonably well.

Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be the case. I notice that those EST that die, they die without getting out any distress call. It just notes in my pilot log that the ship was destroyed in this or that place.

Currently I use the Vulcan fully kitted out with max shields and weapons. I was wondering if they have been actually trying to fight any enemies they encounter? I would much prefer that their weapons only be used for purely self-defense while they power up the jump drive.

All turrets have been set to protect ship, all of them have jump drives and fight 1 & 2, no video goggles, and they also have all the other softwares that enable EST. Also all of them are top rank freight pilots.

I know XTM is a much more harsh environment, and I accept the fact that I will take losses occasionally and will have to replace them. But the thing that bothers me is that they don't radio me about who attacked them and where they're escaping to. This seems to indicate that they did not even TRY to get away.

Am I setting them up wrong somehow? Am I missing something? I very much appreciate some help on this, thanks!

jlehtone · Post by **jlehtone** » Thu, 6. Sep 07, 15:26

Armed vanilla M6 class ships probably follow the "fight" route. EST sets a signal_attacked handler depending on class etc. But one should still hear the "One of your ships is under attack ...", shouldn't one?

So obvious possibility is that the ship dies before emitting the signal_attacked. No time to react, in any way. What are the chances of Vulcan to go down that path?

secretgimp · Post by **secretgimp** » Thu, 6. Sep 07, 15:44

Ok... Given the Vulcan's weaponry and shielding, I tend to think of it as a cousin of the M6, but then again its class is stated as MTS. Maybe it is trying to fight back, that's possible.

I did hear the "One of your ships is under attack" thing, and my immediate reaction is always to look at the logs. That's where I see that they did not send a distress call, the log immediately states that it was destroyed in this or that place.

I think it would be improbable that a MTS would die faster than it can send a distress call. These guys are heavily shielded, for the Vulcan, it's 8x 25MJ shields.

The main reason I am asking is because the documentation is vague about what the fight 1 and fight 2 software does. It just says that the software will change the ship's behaviour on contact with hostiles. That's why I am asking if the setup I have might cause the ships to not consider themselves in trouble, therefore they do not try to jump. They just try to fight back.

secretgimp · Post by **secretgimp** » Thu, 6. Sep 07, 15:58

Ok, hope this helps point us in the right direction. I just lost another MTS EST, and there was no audio warning about "One of your ships is being attacked". My previous post stated that there was, that is wrong. Also, I just experienced one case where one of my MTS ESTs sent me a message about him needing my help because he was hiding in a station and his attackers are still nearby. That's strange because he didn't report that he was under atttack either. First time I heard about it, he was already docked in the station.

secretgimp · Post by **secretgimp** » Thu, 6. Sep 07, 17:17

Ok, now I have something firm to report, hope this helps to pinpoint the problem. I just witnessed pirates attacking my MTS EST while OOS. The EST did not acknowledge being attacked at all. It blitely continued toward the station he was heading for. Under the cmd section, he had "sell ware Soja Husks", and under the action section, he had "land in station blah blah blah". He had fighter drones aboard, and did not deploy them. He also has energy cells and jump drive, and no video goggles. I was OOS, so I do not know if he fired his weapons or not, but it looks like he did not, because the attacker was a pirate harrier. He has 8x BPACs, so the harrier should have melted.

I guess this shows that they are not fighting back nor are they running away. There seems to be something wrong with their response. Also, I just re-read the instructions that came with EST, and it states that "Freighter pilot 1st class - .... He also monitors the trade radio traffic and does not enter any sectors with enemy ships or pirates..."

Is there a problem with EST working with XTM or any of the XTM new classes of ships? Hope I can get a reply soon, I am grounding my fleet of Vulcans immediately. This is too big an investment to allow a software bug to destroy.

jlehtone · Post by **jlehtone** » Thu, 6. Sep 07, 20:28

EST apparently knows classes 'Little Ship', M6, and M7. For the other classes, it uses:

set ship command/signal SIGNAL_ATTACKED to global default behaviour

Those are in plugin.economic.main, around line 90. I have no idea what Vulcan is.

If FP1 has both jumpdrive and Fight Mk1, he will go into sector that has ships classed as "Foe".

MasterVore · Post by **MasterVore** » Sat, 8. Sep 07, 08:07

I think you guys have to make sure who ever attacks your ships are set to enemy or foe not neutral or friend so the est knows who is who and can take approbate actions

RMSe17 · Post by **RMSe17** » Sun, 9. Sep 07, 04:04

Would it be possible for you to create an XTM version of this plugin, that would have all the ships defined?

After playing vanilla with some mods vs XTM with a couple extra mods, I am sticking with XTM, and hoping for more mods to be remade for it, and have full compatibility.

Thanks,
RMSe17

egosoft.com

egosoft.com

[S] [02.03.08] [X3 3.3.04] Economy and Supply Trader (Trade MK3 II)