[x3tc] - Magnetar fighter commands not working

[g04tn4d0]

Hi! I bought a Magnetar and four M5 fighters to go inside it. I told each fighter that my Magnetar was their home base and that they should dock with me. Once they were docked, I took a bounty hunting mission. I jumped to the sector where my quarry was located, targetted him, pulled up my Property dialog box, selected a fighter, did a 'broadcast to all my docked M5s', and said 'attack my target'.

Nothing happened.

I tried every 'all my docked M5s' command from Protect Me to Follow Me. No fighter launched. I finally tried 'Attack all enemies' and by god they all launched. Unfortunately, they didn't attack my target. Instead, they attacked some other pirate M5 that was far away in the other direction.

So, I then re-broadcast to 'all my M5s in this sector' to 'attack my target'. They all hit the brakes, turned around, and drove toward my original target, finally, after pulling my hair out.

Okay, so, either there are some serious issues with X3TC's AI or built-in combat scripts, or I just don't understand how to control a docked fleet.

Can someone please help me? Thanks in advance!

[1muvwndr]

Was the target hostile? If it was blue to you then it's normal since AI will not attack non-hostile targets. Make him hostile and then launch your fighters.

[g04tn4d0]

Was the target hostile? If it was blue to you then it's normal since AI will not attack non-hostile targets. Make him hostile and then launch your fighters.

I thought about that.

The target wasn't hostile. However, it also wasn't hostile after they launched, either, and they were more than happy to go kill it.

After they killed my target and docked at my Magnetar, I drove over to the hostile pirate in the same sector. I went through the same problems. They wouldn't launch and attack the red pirate. I had to tell them to 'attack all targets' first in order to get them to launch.

So, hostile or not, it didn't make any difference. The problem is that the commands must not be forcing the fighters to undock or something. Maybe they aren't supposed to be set to Home Base as my Magnetar? I'll load up the game now and try that.

[Carlo the Curious]

It might be you're only meant to use the carrier commands to control fighters docked on a carrier. Just guessing though...

[g04tn4d0]

It might be you're only meant to use the carrier commands to control fighters docked on a carrier. Just guessing though...

I don't have a carrier to test that theory, but that's a thought. These commands appear on a carrier and a magnetar, too. They don't appear on other ships that can't hold a docked ship.

I just cleared the Home Base setting on all my docked ships, selected a target, and they still ignored me. I can see on their status that they have accepted the command, but they can't undock to carry it out. It's too bad there isn't a button to press that will dump the fighters.

[Carlo the Curious]

I mean the commands from the Carrier Command Software (Launch Fighter Attack, etc). They're available on a TM as well as an actual carrier.

[g04tn4d0]

I mean the commands from the Carrier Command Software (Launch Fighter Attack, etc). They're available on a TM as well as an actual carrier.

Are they expensive?

[Carlo the Curious]

I forget, but I don't think so.

[g04tn4d0]

I forget, but I don't think so.

Alright, that package gave me 'Launch Fighters' and 'Launch Fighters and Retreat'. Neither of which actually launch any fighters on the spot. I picked a target, told my Magnetar to 'Launch Fighters', and the stupid ship immediately sets a course for the target instead of launching fighters. Unfortunately, Magnetars aren't well known for their blazing speed so I can't actually catch my target, assuming that the script is trying to move my ship within a certain range to deploy the fighters, which is pointless tactics. I have four M5s because they CAN catch targets that are faster than my Magnetar.

Really, it should simply work like this: Any and all commands other than 'dock with me' should result in the affected docked ships undocking and then carrying out the orders. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. I just want to warp into a sector, pick someone I don't like, and tell my fast M5s to get out and go kill it.

[g04tn4d0]

Can anyone else confirm this on other ships? Maybe we can raise awareness and get this addressed in the upcoming patch? Thanks!

[Mustikos]

I have a few TM's; a Boa, two Zephyrs, a Magnetar and a Helios (I think that's what it is, had I not renamed it). A few adventures ago, I was attempting an escort mission and I jumped my Boa over and when it was near me as well as reds, I commanded it to 'Launch Fighter Attack' and the 4 fighters onboard consecutively launched and attacked successfully battrering the pirates. I am not sure what the range from the reds the Boa was, but I think it was within 10km. Perhaps that the fighters launch when you're close enough. I'll try it out again and let you know what I come up with.

[g04tn4d0]

I have a few TM's; a Boa, two Zephyrs, a Magnetar and a Helios (I think that's what it is, had I not renamed it). A few adventures ago, I was attempting an escort mission and I jumped my Boa over and when it was near me as well as reds, I commanded it to 'Launch Fighter Attack' and the 4 fighters onboard consecutively launched and attacked successfully battrering the pirates. I am not sure what the range from the reds the Boa was, but I think it was within 10km. Perhaps that the fighters launch when you're close enough. I'll try it out again and let you know what I come up with.

Yes, I guess I should have gone into a little more detail, the 'Launch Fighter Attack' command appears to move the ship within a certain range of the target and then deploys the fighters. However, the advantage of launching fighters is negated entirely if the pseudo-carrier has to catch its target before it can actually launch the fighters. When I tell fighters to 'Attack My Target' (or any other kind of attack/protect command), I really think they should launch on the spot and THEN go after the target, which doesn't work presently.

[Mustikos]

I didn't realize u needed to be within a certain distance. I suppose it should launch fighters from farther away, though I guess it is based on actual 'carrier' technology, whereas the fighters would have limited fuel so the carrier needs to get within range and then launch an attack, however, distance in the game is unlimited regardless of the ship. It should deploy fighters, regardless, I suppose, esp. since plenty are much faster than the carrier.

I was also thinking about the game today, and space, not that it should be exactly like 'real life' but if u keep thrusters on, in space, doesn't the ship continuously accelerate until you stop with teh thrust? I was cruising in my Elephant and thinking, wait a minute, shouldn't this ship be continually gaining speed? Not to say it should be changed, I'm content with it, adds more of a challenge.

Thing is though, companies rely on feedback from customers, at least those that care about their future and not so much about money and materialism, selfish crap, but some listen to customers and make appropriate changes, if possible. Many people will blame the company like kids will blame their parents for 'bringing them into this world', it's their fault and they shoud make it better, but parents don't get a manual and companies don't know ahead of time what problems might arise or how each gamer feels about their game.

Though the game is open for modifications and I think these things can be changed by end users.

[Carlo the Curious]

I ran a brief test using broadcast 'Attack my target' vs a hostile with a Colossus and a random assortment of six or so fighters - one ship launched (an enhanced jaguar).

Something odd going on there, I think...

[g04tn4d0]

I ran a brief test using broadcast 'Attack my target' vs a hostile with a Colossus and a random assortment of six or so fighters - one ship launched (an enhanced jaguar).

Something odd going on there, I think...

Yeah, all the standard commands used to work as expected in X2, if I remember correctly. They should just be scripts, right? Or are these default ship commands hard-coded?

The only other problem I've had with carrying fighters is that sometimes they slam into my ship or each other when docking or when they're in formation and I'm cruising around a system.

Maybe we can get someone at EgoSoft to look into fixing one or both of these issues for the upcoming patch/expansion?

[Xenon_Slayer]

Are you sure that all of the ships are capable of running the command? i.e with Fight Command Software and weapons?

[Carlo the Curious]

I thought about that (since the enchaned jaguar may have been the only one with fight software in my initial test), but I ran the same command with the Jaguar and my Fenrir (with all software) in a Magnetar, and that time no ships launched.

[g04tn4d0]

Aww... I got so excited. But, it doesn't make a difference, still?

[g04tn4d0]

After extensive testing, I have been able to positively confirm that all the commands work (launch the fighters) only within a relatively close range with red targets. This, of course, is only useful in situations where the carrier is in the middle of the fight. But I firmly believe that the fighters should launch regardless of the distance between the player ship and any reds. It should also launch fighters and attack friendlies if specifically instructed to do so (attack my target).

Please consider these points, EgoSoft. Thank you!

[Rheinlander]

I haven't even managed to successfully get an M5 of any race to dock with a Magnetar. I had o resort to using the Apricot beamdock script, both for docking and for launching.

What size fighter is the largest that the TM class can dock?