Author Topic: Configuring strikecraft (Read 20842 times)

jstubbles · « **on:** May 09, 2010, 18:13:16 »

I'm running into an issue when it comes to configuring strikecraft. I set everything up the way it seems to be required, but the craft show up as selectable weapon "buttons" on the hud, instead of actual strikecraft.

Is there a generic writeup anywhere about adding strikecraft to the game and what settings/config to go with? I'm pulling my hair out here..

It's probably painfully easy, too, and I'm just missing something. haha

Thanks

The Old Dragon · « **Reply #1 on:** May 09, 2010, 18:26:12 »

Adding strikecraft is just like adding capships, make an entry in the shipclass section of the tacticstypes. Do the Mesh and GUIIcon lines have valid targets?

jstubbles · « **Reply #2 on:** May 09, 2010, 18:29:20 »

Err sorry, I guess strikecraft isn't the correct word then. I'm talking about basic fighters and bombers.

Arparso · « **Reply #3 on:** May 09, 2010, 18:48:12 »

Old Dragon is right, though. You'll need to setup a SHIPCLASS for your fighters (including a DefDevices property with their engines and weapons) and also a DEVICETYPE weapon referencing this shipclass.

I've attached an example tacticstypes.ods including both components for the Freespace Hercules-class fighter for reference.

jstubbles · « **Reply #4 on:** May 09, 2010, 18:52:32 »

Thanks arparso, I'll look it over!

jstubbles · « **Reply #5 on:** May 09, 2010, 19:02:22 »

you know, I'm not sure what I did that first time through, but it didn't seem like it was any different than what's in your doc. But configuring the fields you listed work great. Thanks!

I'm an artist, trying to learn these things - I'm a bit slow

thanks again.

jstubbles · « **Reply #6 on:** May 17, 2010, 02:12:09 »

I'm having an issue with AI-controlled ships not using their fighters and bombers against me. I've checked over all the settings and they look correct to me. When I play either side, I can launch the fighters/bombers against the enemy side without a problem. But the AI (on it's own) will not use them against me, for some reason.

Any ideas as to what could cause this?

jstubbles · « **Reply #7 on:** May 22, 2010, 04:50:29 »

Any ideas guys?

Mularac · « **Reply #8 on:** May 22, 2010, 23:23:18 »

Uhm... just asking, but could you post the code of the ai you're using?

Arparso · « **Reply #9 on:** May 23, 2010, 00:26:23 »

If we're talking about default Skirmisher AI, then make sure your fighters/bombers/gunboats/whatever are in sets 20-22, because the AI script checks for these. (20 - gunboats, 21 - bombers, 22 - fighters).

jstubbles · « **Reply #10 on:** May 23, 2010, 02:01:31 »

That could be it arparso, thanks. I'll look into that tonight.

jstubbles · « **Reply #11 on:** May 23, 2010, 06:42:17 »

@Mularac - I'm just using the default skirmisher AI for testing these

@Arparso - still didn't work.

Here's the XLS excerpt for the ship class:

Code: [Select]

SHIPCLASS  31
	Name "cls_raider_cy"
	Mesh "cylonraider"
	GUIIcon "iconscylonraider"
	FinalEfx 1 0.3
	Civilization 2
	Velocity 375
	RotVelFact 7000
	RangeBehav 2 2
	Behaviour 0
	TargetType 2
	SupportOutput 50
	WeapCntFact 1
	HPmax 500
	HPregen 0.1
	DetectBase 50
	Slots 31 31 31 31;
	Slots 51;
	Slots 71;
	DefDevices 30/1000 30/1000 31/1000 31/1000 213 321;
	Available
SHIPCLASS

This is the device code used in the shiptype configuration:

Code: [Select]

DEVICETYPE  22
	Name "weap_raider_cy"
	Category 1
	Sets 22;
	NoTarget
	Carried 4
	CountDec 4
	GroupFire 4
	Scanned 140
	HPmax 999999
	Start 1 0 0 0
	Travel 3 0 #cls_raider_cy 0
	End 5 0 0 0
	Available
DEVICETYPE

and this is the weapon it uses:

Code: [Select]

DEVICETYPE  30
	Name "weap_fighterwep_cy"
	Mesh "cylondevicesempty"
	Category 1
	Civilization 2
	Sets 31;
	Purpose 5;
	HitChanceCat 23
	DeviceHitChance 100
	AutoDistance 50
	CountDec 1
	GroupFire 1
	Substance 2
	Charge 1
	EnergyIn 3
	DamageHull 6
	DamageDevice 6
	Scanned 100
	HPmax 999999
	Start 2 0 375 1
	Travel 2 3500 375 1.5
	CannonMaxFireAng 20
	Available
DEVICETYPE

These work perfectly fine when I use them. But the AI just won't launch them. I'm pulling my hair out here :cursing:

DreamorCZ · « **Reply #12 on:** May 23, 2010, 11:32:25 »

I see few possible problems there

Shipclass - WeapCntFact 1 - this line can do only problems, when added to fighters, best could be delete it
DEVICETYPE 22 - missing Purpose - 2 3 ; (2- atack hull, 3- atack devices)
- HPmax 999999

jstubbles · « **Reply #13 on:** May 23, 2010, 16:51:09 »

So the fighter ship itself needs a purpose? Not just it's weapons? I'l try that.

For the high HP value, what would you suggest? You wouldn't want the fighter launcher to be disabled, right?

**edit**
Giving the fighter devicetype a purpose didn't seem to help, either =
Funny enough, doing that to the fighter makes the basestar stop firing their missiles as well. Hrm...

Keldane · « **Reply #14 on:** May 23, 2010, 20:38:12 »

I think your CountDec is too high. It tries to subtract four every time a single fighter is launched, if I'm not mistaken. I'm no expert, but if you change the CountDec on the fighter itself to 1, I think it will fix the problem of them not launching.

Edit: Alright, that doesn't seem to stop them from launching in my mod. The other thing I can see is that my fighters are in sets 20, 22, and 140, but dropping it down to a single set didn't make a difference in the AI launching (yet my memory seems to suggest that I had an issue with that in Cinema mode. Oh well.)

Edit2: It seems every idea I have doesn't pan out when I test it with my mod. I was going to suggest the possibility that the AI isn't launching the fighters because the launcher has no Civilization line, but no dice there. I even tried combining all three of the things I mentioned, and nothing.

Edit3: Is it that they won't launch period, or just that they won't send the fighters to attack? If they'll launch the fighters, but only keep them defending their own ships, then the Purpose line is probably at fault. I just ran a quick test with the Purpose line of my fighters commented out, and the AI wouldn't send them to attack like it normally does.

DreamorCZ · « **Reply #15 on:** May 23, 2010, 20:51:03 »

Das ist ungeliebte. That's just Nexus doing weird thinkgs anytime it can. For example, if a station in Assault type Mp doesn't have any weapon, it will explode right when you start a mission. Back to the topic

Keldane is possibly right, try CountDec 1. About that Hp, I have never experienced diseabled dock.

jstubbles · « **Reply #16 on:** May 23, 2010, 22:02:47 »

None of this worked. I'm going to have to scrap them and start over or something. This is ridiculous.

DreamorCZ · « **Reply #17 on:** May 23, 2010, 23:07:51 »

Here is our latest coding for F-302, perhaps you can find something useful in it.

Also you can try higher AutoDistance or there could be some problem with HitChanceCat.
Oh, and you are missing END line in DEVICETYPE 30.

Code: [Select]

SHIPCLASS 10
	]Name "Squadron_F302"
	Mesh "TauriF302"
	GUIIcon "iconsf302"
	ImpactEfx 1 0.05
	FinalEfx 1 0.3
	ChannelEfx 3 1
	Civilization 3
	Velocity 1600
	RotVelFact 15000
	RangeBehav 2 2
	Behaviour 0
	TargetType 2
	SupportOutput 10
	HPmax 12
	Slots 31 39 ;
	Slots 51  ;
	Slots 61 71 ;
	DefDevices 201 200/4 279 301 305 ;
	Available 
SHIPCLASS

Code: [Select]

DEVICETYPE 37
	Name "F302"
	Category 1
	Civilization 2
	Sets 22 ;
	NoTarget
	Purpose 1 2 3;
	Carried 4
	CountDec 1
	GroupFire 4
	Scanned 140
	HPmax 15
	Start 1 0 0 0
	Travel 3 0 #Squadron_F302 0
	End 5 0 0 0
	Available 
	InstallRP 5
DEVICETYPE

Code: [Select]

DEVICETYPE 200
	Name "roc"
	Category 1
	Civilization 1
	Sets 1 30 31 ;
	Purpose 1 2 3 4;
	HitChanceCat 8 //6
	DeviceHitChance 95
	AutoDistance 3500
	CountDec 1
	Substance 3
	Charge 0.2
	EnergyIn 2
	PenetrateShield 0
	DamageShield 1320
	DamageHull 410
	DamageDevice 60
	Scanned 100
	HPmax 100000
	Start 2 90000 329 0.1
	Travel 2 1500 197 0.07 
	End 1 0 94 0.35 //End 1 0 316 0.35
	CannonMaxFireAng 40
	Available 
DEVICETYPE

Code: [Select]

DEVICETYPE 201
	Name "weap_f302Flak"
	Category 1
	Civilization 2
	Sets 7 39 ;
	Purpose 5 ;
	HitChanceCat 2
	AutoDistance 1000
	Substance 1
	Charge 2
	EnergyIn 2
	DamageHull 0.2
	Scanned 100
	HPmax 100000
	Start 2 5000 143 0.05
	Travel 2 2000 355 0.4
	End 1 0 316 0.01
	CannonMaxFireAng 20
	Available 
DEVICETYPE

[/size]

The Old Dragon · « **Reply #18 on:** May 24, 2010, 08:33:21 »

Just a quick question (or two)...

Which race are you playing in your testing? And who's the enemy?

jstubbles · « **Reply #19 on:** May 25, 2010, 03:44:50 »

This is my races.ini

Code: [Select]

// ---------------------------------------------
// ---------------------------------------------
// PLAYER
CIVILIZATION 0
	Name "civ_Player"
CIVILIZATION

////// Player

RACE 0
	Name "race_Player"
	Civilization 1
	GUIColor 0.57 0.64 0.72 1
RACE

RACETACTICS 0
	TransportClasses 59 ;
RACETACTICS

RACEAI 0
RACEAI

// ---------------------------------------------
// ---------------------------------------------
// HUMAN
CIVILIZATION 1
	Name "civ_Human"
CIVILIZATION 

RACE 1
	Name "race_Human"
	Civilization 1
	GUIColor 0.4 0.4 0.7 1
RACE

RACETACTICS 1
	TransportClasses 59 ;
RACETACTICS

RACEAI 1
RACEAI

// ---------------------------------------------
// ---------------------------------------------
// CYLON
CIVILIZATION 2
	Name "civ_Cylon"
CIVILIZATION 

RACE 2
	Name "race_Cylon"
	Civilization 2
	GUIColor 1 0.4 0.4 1
RACE

RACETACTICS 2
	TransportClasses 59 ;
RACETACTICS

RACEAI 2
RACEAI

// ---------------------------------------------
// ---------------------------------------------
// RACE RELATIONS

RELATIONS
	// Rel #race_Player #race_Human #UREL_FRIEND
	// Rel #race_Player #race_Cylon #UREL_ENEMY
	// Rel #race_Human #race_Cylon #UREL_ENEMY
END

The Old Dragon · « **Reply #20 on:** May 25, 2010, 14:33:33 »

The main reason for my questions is that I was looking through the AI scripting of the latest BSG release and saw that the AI will only work with cylons. So in scenarios such as the 'Colonial Wargames' and such, the enemy will only respond when attacked.

jstubbles · « **Reply #21 on:** May 26, 2010, 02:57:21 »

Yeah, when it comes to the AI stuff I'm absolutely clueless.
We decided to redo the mod from the ground up, to fix a lot of issues we were having with performance. It seems to have worked so far, but there are just these nagging little issues we're having that's preventing us from moving forward.

The Old Dragon · « **Reply #22 on:** May 27, 2010, 02:00:11 »

Sorry if this is straying off the topic a little, but are you still experiencing problems when lots of fighters are zipping around?

If so, I'm wondering if it's the capships themselves causing the problem, not the fighters. I was looking at some of your models from the 4.1 release (at first I was thinking there may be too many polys on the fighters. Didn't take long to see my error there.) and the battlestars are in excess of the 20k limit. Just thinking that a lot of fighter activity around such heavy models may be proving too much for the pc (or engine) to handle comfortably.