Random Contacts

[Nanaki]

You must mean flights, and no, no flight has more than 6 fighters assigned to them. Rather than assign all ships to one flight, like I did in my original Convoy mod, I am using triggers to spawn multiple flights to escort a central ship. These escorts are escorting either a capital ship (in the case of fleets) or a transport (in the case of convoys).

The size of the group depends on what the random generator spits out. Fleets can have anywhere from one to four escort flights. Convoys have 2-3 escort flights. Each escort flight has anywhere from 3-6 ships. So you can have a fleet with 25 ships total max. Although fleets with 1 or 4 escort flights are rather rare, 2 and 3 are more common numbers, which you will usually have roughly 10-15 ships.

Fleets can be found in many places, although convoys can only be found in systems where they are not likely to be destroyed by other random contacts. Certain systems are specifically designed to have the potential for opposing fleets to fight eachother.

Currently, both fleets and convoys are very rare, with a roughly 10% chance to spawn with each spawn check.

By the way, im reading Starrover.ru, I noticed you asked about specials.script, why didnt you ask me? I can help you with anything regarding that script. Would love to register to starrover.ru, but for some reason I am not getting the confirmation email.

[Goblin Wizard]

Originally Posted by Nanaki

By the way, im reading Starrover.ru, I noticed you asked about specials.script, why didnt you ask me? I can help you with anything regarding that script.

I figured out most of things by myself but I was curious if they know any more details.

Originally Posted by Nanaki

Would love to register to starrover.ru, but for some reason I am not getting the confirmation email.

Do not change forum language to English during registration. You have to do all in russian layout. If this won't help send email to admin. He can register you manually. Just send him your desired login, pass and email. If he won't respond to mails let me know.

[Nanaki]

I figured out most of things by myself but I was curious if they know any more details.

Or I could just give you my copy of the Specials.script, I used it to prototype many ideas I had for the Randomcontacts script, as well as doing many other things, such as:

1: Spawning fleets as opposed to single flights.
2: Randomizing the power and type flights spawn at.
3: Adding additional spawn abilities without altering previous abilities
4: Randomizing the faction flights spawn as.

[Goblin Wizard]

Originally Posted by Nanaki

Or I could just give you my copy of the Specials.script, I used it to prototype many ideas I had for the Randomcontacts script, as well as doing many other things, such as:

1: Spawning fleets as opposed to single flights.
2: Randomizing the power and type flights spawn at.
3: Adding additional spawn abilities without altering previous abilities
4: Randomizing the faction flights spawn as.

Sure. Send me a pm. I'll be very happy to see some new ideas. Thanks.

[Nanaki]

Well, I just started testing under normal conditions again. I just watched a Pirate Fleet consisting of a heavily armed Mastiff (including GK Guns) along with four pirate fighter flights enter Torr and rip apart numerous NESF Squadrons stationed around the sector. Unfortunately I could not engage them myself, I only had the Hero, Ternie, and my poorly equipped Mothership. It was brutal, and unfortuantely for the NESF none of their fleets were around to stop the pirate rampage.

As far as the specials.script, here you go. I do not recommend using it in your mod, though, since it needs other files as well in order to work properly.

[skrzacik]

it this mean that mod random contacts is almost ready?

im so happy

how long it take to prepare ready mod for us simple people??

[Nanaki]

No idea. I would like to test through it some more, make sure no other serious issues crop up.

Edit:
Things are certainly better. However, two issues have cropped up.

1: Certain transport ships, Pirate Walruses to be specific, are faster than their escorts. This results in significant pathing issues and balance issues (it is very easy to kill a transport when its escorts are a mile behind it...). Best way to fix this would be to slow Pirate Walruses down.

2: Traders. Poor, poor traders. With all the firepower being thrown around between various factions, I have mostly left traders alone, which has resulted in their 2-4 fighter escorts looking woefully undergunned. This results in traders seldom ever reaching their destinations, and tradeship wrecks strewn across the sector.

[Goblin Wizard]

I'm just reading your Specials.script and have questions:

1. Originally there are 3 types of global variables local_num and init_team (local_num, local_num1, local_num2). I've tried add local_num3 and got error (in line "local_num3 = local_num3 + 1;". You have this local_num3 and init_team3 in one of your functions. Is there any trick involved to get these to work?

2. What about level of summon perks? How to avoid disappearing lower level perks when get higher of the same type?

3. Every flight has two triggers that look nearly the same. What are their roles? First deletes flight when ... all enemies will be dead? But second?

[Nanaki]

1. Originally there are 3 types of global variables local_num and init_team (local_num, local_num1, local_num2). I've tried add local_num3 and got error (in line "local_num3 = local_num3 + 1;". You have this local_num3 and init_team3 in one of your functions. Is there any trick involved to get these to work?

You have to define them at the beginning of the function, like so:
local_num3 = 0;
init_team3 = 0;

2. What about level of summon perks? How to avoid disappearing lower level perks when get higher of the same type?

Not possible. Each pilot can only have a maximum of 4 seperate summon perks (by using different levels of the four current perks). I attempted to add additional summoning perks a long time ago, but I found out the XML Schema files are hardcoded in the exe, so that is not possible either.

3. Every flight has two triggers that look nearly the same. What are their roles? First deletes flight when ... all enemies will be dead? But second?

One deletes the summoned flight, the other creates the portal glow special effects used when the summoned flight is deleted.

[skrzacik]

Originally Posted by Goblin Wizard

just try to find "activate.script" or "randomcontacts.script" file inside SW3 folder. When you will find these files just open it and search for the lines (given in my previous post).

to be honest i found 114 files wit that name activate.scrpit
have i change them all???