[Realspace MODS] "STARS" - "XRSGE" - "REM" - various

[ziplock815]

Not a hero that this game needs
I play with shws (forgot to mention that the waypoint is 25-100 000 kms away from the closest highway)

[Realspace]

Btw a no-superhighway playthrough will be soon possible. It is possible right now but ships will take a long time.
I am experimenting in-sector jump with all the bells (portal use, subordinate's management, cooldown and effects etc.). But every time I inject this inside the basic move scripts massive lags appear, no matter the checks and exclusions I set. I had it working but the game lagged a lot.
So as for the jumping to other sectors, I think I will try adding it to the main commands in order to avoid conflicts.
Having this is not only an alternative to shw, it can work along and, f.i., allow to let some stations spawn out of the shw's route, to further expand the usable space.

For coeherence with player abilities, I made the ai ships use the portals for internal focused jumps, i.e. jumping to a portal and then from there jumping to a destination (what the player can already do). And gave the enhanced jump drive the bonus to jump directly without using the portal (some shield drain). With all the checks for subordinates. This seems to me the most balanced way to avoid overdoing with jumps. X3's jumpinjumping late game was awful, much better X4 in this regard.

........

Edit: ok, in-sector jump is ready and tested, works perfectly. Adding it to main orders, will work as the other, a fly to order will generate if jumping is possible, with all notifications activable.
With this file ready, a no superhighways game is possible. Also generation of stations far from superhighways is doable, finally xl ships will have a reason to exist. They can jump directly.

[Realspace]

The Expanse Reborn
TESTING PATCH ready v. 9.1.9h

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/1140

You want to test the new feature: SHIPS CAN JUMP INSIDE A SECTOR

All ships mounting a Jump Drive will use the portals if available.
All ships having the basic or standard jumpdrive will make a free jump to a portal in the same sector (also if arriving from another sector, as before). From there they can use the command center of the portal to engage in a free jump to any position (if is very far away). This is activated by both move to or dock to commands (for now). Works for both AI or player's NPC.
Ships having the Enhanced Jump Drive can perform a free jump from any place to any place inside the same sector (will need the portal for going to another sector, as before).
This feature shines particularly in a game where you use both my addon mods (optional files tab):
- NO SUPERHIGHWAYS mod
- Crazy God mod (only new game, allows stations to spawn far from superhighway's gates

This patch is for testing. While I extensively tested it while developing, with many error checks that passed, I can not foresee in a long run.
Both patch 9.1.9h (new) and 9.1.9g (old) are available. Would you return to a no-sector-jump game, apply previous patch and replace files.
This can be done in any moment, just be sure your ships have no command active before reverting the patch.

[ziplock815]

Thanks for the update. That's a nice birthday present

Realspace, could you please make short range drive work longer? It deactivates too quickly and I can't use long range drive to reach the mission waypoint (that is 100000 kms away for some reason) because it causes massive lags (at least on my PC) and thus is hard to control.

[Realspace]

Happy birthday
You can use the new feature but need the enhanced jump drive to directly jump there or, if the waypoint is in a sector with a portal (go to less than 8km), you can fly to it and then engage in a free jump. I don't remember if it is limited to the same sector (long time since I wrote that part), probably not for the player. Then go to any portal also in an adjacent sector, then set guidance to the waypoint, close the menu and the jump commands will appear. Make a free jump. This was possible also before.
If you tell me the details of the story, exact stage, i can try to rewrite it in order to not spawn waypoints so far (new game only). It probably uses the vanilla sector's core as reference, which is delimited by the gates.

[Realspace]

Let's discuss the in-sector jump when enough people have tested it.
I think that it is a bit an overkill in the universe with superhighways. It fails the very reason of them to exist. XL jumping close to destination just is too much.
While I implemented a precision factor, i.e. if they jump very far the precision decreases, so can end even 1000km far from objective, it spoils the very function of superhighways. I could also add a pilot skill factor.
Before you ask, superhighways will stay. A no shw universe will be optional. In that scenario, jumping is almost mandatory instead.
A possible way is removing shw but letting their gates in place and using them as jumping points. Or, in an active shw scenario, letting xl ships jumping to their gates instead of free. This is much more functional. First it removes route calculation's burden from some ships and the gate's reservation lag (ships have to wait for the others with precedence to use the shw). Second, it makes jumping less of a cheat. Not a case that Rebirth had that way for big ships. I can imagine devs facing the same dilemma we discuss here.

Edit: I managed to let the ships calculate the true distance to target. If target is say 80.000km far away but a superhighway is inbetween whose gates are say 400km from player (entrance) and 300 km from destination (exit) then the true distance is only 700km. This is important because currently ships choose the portal based on linear distance. So in-sector jumping can even be not convenient if real distance is not very high.

[ziplock815]

Happy birthday
You can use the new feature but need the enhanced jump drive to directly jump there or, if the waypoint is in a sector with a portal (go to less than 8km), you can fly to it and then engage in a free jump. I don't remember if it is limited to the same sector (long time since I wrote that part), probably not for the player. Then go to any portal also in an adjacent sector, then set guidance to the waypoint, close the menu and the jump commands will appear. Make a free jump. This was possible also before.
If you tell me the details of the story, exact stage, i can try to rewrite it in order to not spawn waypoints so far (new game only). It probably uses the vanilla sector's core as reference, which is delimited by the gates.

Thank you

I don't remember quite well, it was almost the very first mission of the split plot, right after findingthe pilotless cobra - you fly to random points in space trying to find some runaway argon slaves.

[Realspace]

The Expanse Reborn version 9.2.0 REPACK-Compressed

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/1140

(save-compatible, may miss some new stations and zone's names)
- NEW: ships can jump inside a sector (using the portal or free if having the Enhanced Jump Drive)
- reworked basic move scripts to be even slimmer and make only a final check to speed up AI
In vanilla, ships (especially escorts) that arrive close to a target make a final simpler move. This is usually a few km inside a single sector. But in XRSGE a single sector can be 500.000km! ...and the target can have changed position using a superhighway inside the same sector for many thousands kms. So this script helps them to re-start the long route, abandoning the old waypoints and (when possible and...hidden) warp them closer to destination (especially escorts). This thing speeds up AI a lot and removes vanilla move errors.
- Local jump drive is different from TEST PATCH 9.1.9h, here the real, not linear, distance is calculated (distance the ships has to fly, not including the space that is covered through superhighways) so local jumping is quite rare.

After 9.2.0 you can play with the NO Superhighways MOD and/or the Crazy God mod that will spawn stations far from superhighways. Ships will know how to jump there if the real distance is bigger than 5000km, while will fly normally if superhighways are available to go there within 5000km (real distance).

Please delete previous mod entirely, also delete the optional mods for supercruise with f4 and supercruise with autopilot, if you used any of them

I forgot to deactivate the fake "error" for checking ships not jumping because superhighways are more convenient, if you use the debug log don't worry if you see a lot of "errors" with "XRSGE-PortalETC." "XRSGE-LocalETC."

[Realspace]

The Expanse Reborn version 9.2.0c PATCH

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/1140

(save-compatible, may miss some new stations and zone's names)
- fixed dock to command not finishing the fly to after jump
- removed glitchy fog from Oberon sector
- fixed various cities lacking storage or L/XL dock
- re-added modules from mining stations for the AI
- reworked SUPERCRUISE: 1.player can start supercruise without autopilot (can avoid the vanilla interrupt for asteroid collision); 2. SECTORCRUISE will re-activate (software menu) after any push and travel mode will not end
- improved IN-SECTOR JUMP: when not visible, all ships with any jump drive will use the Superhighwa's exit as jumping point; also engine examines not only the real distance but also if a superhighway exists, how far from ship is the entrance, how far from destination is the exit and will choose to jump or to flying through superhighways.
- fixed beacons not eliminated after route calculations
- fixed beacons (possibly) duplicated at superhighways
- various small fixes

Version 9.2.0d (Patch)
(save-compatible, may miss some new stations and zone's names)
- reduce density of some gas regions for fps gain
- small fixes to move scripts

Version 9.2.0e (Patch)
(save-compatible, may miss some new stations and zone's names)
- small fixes to regions
- partially rewritten all encounters for events: jump, supercruise, found ship

________________________________________________________

If you had the bug of jump beacons not deleting (pre 9.2.0b), use the minimod to delete them, it is in the updates files. Install the mod, run once, load a game, let it do its job. Save, delete the mod and reload.

[ziplock815]

Thanks for the update, will now try to finally fly these 100 000 kms to the mission waypoint
Can confirm - short range supercruise works without issue. Haven't tested long-range yet, I'm afraid my PC will boil Anyway, short range is more than enough for my needs. Still didn't figure out how to immediately stop the engine so I often miss my target (does it work by pressing f4?)

Btw did you check xenon ships spawning from the thin air in Rhy's Defiance and Matrix 17? I see two fresh new K's in these sectors, right after the patch.

P.S. Love planetoid - size asteroids in Tharka's Ravine
Got Betty's "entering atmosphere" alert

Edit: could you please remove/make optional the blinding flash effect when activating supercruise?

[Realspace]

Supercruise can be stopped by F4 and also by stopping throttle and Travel Mode.
I removed the Xenon spawn from thin air, made them only built at stations, this many updates ago. it may require a new game but should not make them spawn again.
Yes can remove the flickering lights..

____________________________
PATCH 9.2.0G
I've redone parts of the Supercruise:
- removed flickering lights
- activation is NOT automatic. Required pressing F4 or setting guidance
- emergency deactivation either by pressing F4 again or deactivating throttle/travel

____________________________
FULL PACK9.2.1
I've redone the in-sector jump:
I've reduced the jumping inside a sector. If ships jump to a portal, they can also use the portal as jumping start to quickly reach a destination inside the same sector. This is what the player can already do when he is closer than 8km to a portal through the computer interface. AI will do it automatically, so also a player ship piloted by the AI will behave as the player: after a long jump will use the portal to make a local jump from there. No more jumps from anywhere, only portals can provide the in-sector jump. Ships that are quite close to portals (within 2000km) will reach it if their real distance (real space the ships has to fly) to destination is bigger.
To speed up things I have added some few tricks that the player will not see so no immersion-breaking. Some ships will jump when not visible in some circumstances that are not related to battles. This helps speeding up the game due to the massive sectors without the player noticing...I hope.

I've also refined the Command suite that opens when you talk to a subordinate, either when you are piloting a ship or you are on bord of any of your ships (not piloting it).
You can command a ship to supercruise, to jump (to you) and follow, to jump to you and join the fleet (only if you are piloting), to make an emergency jump (even if you are not piloting).

[Realspace]

Despite my many many efforts and refinements of ai scripts, the superhighways cause noticeable lags in the game.
When you remove them the difference is night and day.
I must admit defeat on that front.
Without superhighways I have zero lag even in the huge sectors.
The good news is that a game without superhighways is doable and even great with the latest solutions. First the supercruise, that I can improve by making it auto-reactivate when used for sector cruise. So the player is ok. For AI a mix of solutions, letting them jump when out of sight and making them supercruise when in sight.
Also, a new version of Hyperdrive could help, maybe yes very high travel speeds but limiting the top speed when close to player or other objects.
I can also create sector-portals for the main zones that allow sector jumps.
I am open to suggestions.

___________________________________________

I've started improving the gameplay for a NO-SUPERHIGHWAY game

PATCH 9.2.1b brings:

- Sectorcruise auto restarts
- long range scanner reveals all gates in the sector,
- long range scanner reveals foe ships (within 5600km),
- long range scanner reveals stations (within 24000km),
- long range scanner reveals close sectors (max 1 from the current sector the player is in)
- long range scanner as before reveals abandoned ships/stations (within 5600km and 800km respectively)
- long range scanner for resources is less (1200km, it was 3200km), improving performance and because it makes sense, resources are more difficult to scan.

I'll add other functions for the player and invisible tricks for AI ships.

As it is now, a no-superhighway game is quite fine. Player can cross the distances using the Sectorcruise in reasonable time (comparable to shw).
Sectorcruise auto-restarts after each session (about 9000km) and can be stopped at any moment by the player or will stop automatically when the ship is close to the target.
Long range scanner do more things (see list), while I also reduced its range to 1200km for the resources only

Remember that SUPERHIGHWAYS can be removed or re-added at any moment by enabling/disabling the mini-mod.

If starting a new game, it can be nice to use also one of the CrazyGod mods to let stations spawn also far from the designated zones (those with the blue hexagon).
By design, designated zones are the main zones in the sector. I could add the blue hexagon to secondary zones too once the player finds them, but I think this way is better: main zones are signaled on the map since start (with cool names), while other stations far from these zones are secondary deep space stations.
I will look for making this difference have a functional meaning, i.e. for instance reducing the plot cost for deep space zones and increasing patrols for main zones and other benefits.
Also, making god spawn only low-tech stations in deep space zones.

I am open to ideas about this differentiation main zones vs. deep space zones.

[ziplock815]

I don't see any lag playing with highways (except maybe some foggy sectors), game runs very smooth

[Realspace]

That's good news! How much ram do you have? Maybe that's the limit in my rig, despite the 5700x3d which is a plus for X4, I have only 32gb of ram. I see a lot of difference when removing shw, not in max fps but in stuttering.

__________________________________
The Expanse

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/1140

Version 9.2.1c (Patch)
(save-compatible, may miss some new stations and zone's names)
- SUPERCRUISE EXTENDED:
- Both supercruise/Sectorcruise can be activated manually (as before) but now the autopilot will activate the supercruise automatically and will do multiple pushes up to destination (closer than 560km to target).
AI pilots will use the supercruise too. AI pilot of a ship the player is on will automatically activate the suprcruise for ultiple push upt to destination (less than 560km from any station).
- improved chat commands: player can command any pilot (ship is in, another one, if piloting or not) to use both Supercruise and SECTORCRUISE (if the same ship, pilot automatically uses the regular supercruise)
- removed SECTORCRUISE auto-restarts, it causes lags after some pushes (both with manual activation or autopilot). Regular supercruise instead auto-restarts both manually or by autopilot.
- added usage of supercruise by NPC ships the player has in visible range.

__________________________________

Version 9.2.2 (FULL PACK)
(save-compatible, may miss some new stations and zone's names)
- reorganized some sector's gates to improve pathfinding (all games) and closer distances (no-superhighway game):
Morning Star V, Antigone Memorial VI, Company Regard IV, Thuruk's Demise, Last Bastion
- added gate's and superhighway's recognition (other than stations) as no-supercruise area for the ai pilots (100km), both player's and NPC.
- added target's recognition for usage of supercruise by AI (thanks ChemODun for helping): 560km from target/destination

I've added a mini-mod that creates the blue hexagon in the new zones, for an existing game (not needed for a new game). Run once and delete.

I am testing a no-superhighway game and adding back superhighways one by one. I am not 100% convinced that the superhighways cause the lag per se, after the code changes I've done, maybe the quantity does or some faulty one somewhere..
A third option will be available, i.e. a reduced-highways mod