[freespacegundam]

I've got some massive problems with this mission.  First, I decided to break up the convoy into three waves so that it would drag out the mission.  The only trouble is, I set each ship in each wave (three ships to a wave), to each follow their own waypoint and then jump out.  Now, when they jump in, no matter where they're pointing or how far away the other ships in the wave are, they all somehow manage to flip and twist and then go for the waypoint.  I ask, why?  Is it distance or waypoint related?

The second problem I have is the scan directive.  Alpha wing is supposed to scan all of the incoming freighters and transports to find the smuggler, but the scan directive shouldn't appear until the wing arrives.  I set it to confirm once the wing has arrived and its cargo is known, but the directive automatically appears in the hud at the beginning of the mission.  

Other than that, things are progressing fairly smoothly.

edit: mission link
Mission 2

[karajorma]

1) Don't put the freighters in wings. They don't like it much and proceed to behave in exactly the way you describe. I know it's a pain to handle each ship individually but it's really the best way to handle this sort of thing.

2) Does your event look like this?

When
-and
--has-arrived-delay
--freighters
--0
--whatever the scanning SEXP is
---freighters

If so, try replacing it with this.

Event 1
When
-has-arrived-delay
-freighters
-0
Do-nothing

Event 2 Chained to event 1

when
-whatever the scanning SEXP is
--freighters

[Roanoke]

just out of interest, why not the 1st "and" event ?

[freespacegundam]

I think I may finally have everything in order with this mission.  The real trouble was all the SEXPs, and the debriefing was a little tricky.  I can't help but feel I'm missing something, so I figure it wouldn't be a bad idea to get some feedback from someone else.

Mission 2

I appreciate any and all feedback.

[willy_principal]

oh.........there you are.......
i'm downloading your mission.......
when i finish editing my mission (thanks to your feedback)..
i'm gonna give your mission a try...

[willy_principal]

I found some flaws and minor issues:
Briefing: Replace with this....(if you want)
stage1: Intelligence has discovered that the NTR is attemping to decrypt coded allied transmissions. If the rebels succeed, they would gain tactical advantage over us. Giving them the ability to anticipate our actions in Polaris and outmanouver us. We mustn't allow that to happen, the rebels already have a significant tactical advantage over us. More of it would make them impossible to track and destroy. (hmmm...improve that last sentence)
Stage2: In order to decript our coded transmissions, the rebels need highly specialized cryptography cyphers. There are some allied ex-employees that might give the rebels information about a way to decypher our codes. We have also learned that the Black Market has one of our coding machines for sell.
Wrong team Loadout:
There should be no ship replacements...what's the purpose of putting  5 Myrms in the team Loadout, if the deafault ships are mirms???
also: Mirms can't carry Harpoons, remove them from the team loadout.
The Akhetons should go in the first primary bank, not in the second...(the Mirm has three pairs of primary guns. one in the first bank, two in the second)
In-game transmissions:
-alpha2: Roger that, stayin' frosty. (remove the Stayin' frosty)
-This is the GTT Esriel arriving...replace it with this. This is the GTT Esriel, identify yourself Alpha. Then Alpha would say: We have orders to escort you to [where are they going?]...(Alpha might also say which squadron are they from and what vessel are they based) hmmm...where is the rest of the convoy?

Also, it would be a good idea to put a Nav Buoy in the point where the convoy jumps out...

-Assuming escort pattern??? you meant escort position, don't ya?

Another thing: Why are the rebels attacking a convoy where the smuggler might be located? are they idiots...or what? or they might be some rogue NTR branch that doesn't want to trade anything with the Black Market...?

THe GTT Eerie got destroyed and i received TWO return to base directives...

The planet in the background isn't aligned to the sun's light...
The convoy should move towards the sun...or towards the planet...but it doesn't...

One of the transported jumped without being scanned (the poseidon)...Command tells me to Return to Base...but my wingmen continue to chat...and convoys continued to come...

-never had node detail i take it? <---What's that supposed to mean?...

GTT Marcus shouldn't say "second convoy inbound"....alpha should say that...

Hell...i might continue testing your mission later...

[ShadowWolf_IH]

Have some sagely advice.....if you have more than 2 ships that the same things are going to happening with.....use copy and paste.  you can copy the entire SexP, and then paste it.

so you build the SexP once for ship A, and it arrives at a waypoint, and a message comes up and says "hey you idiots in command, we are at the drop off point and releasing the cargo."  then you build another Sexp telling it to move to another waypoint.

Then it moves to the other waypoint and warps out. (for example)  

ok, just create events and name them the same as the ones for ship A, but make sure they are named for ships B, C, and D.


so you have the following:

freighter A reaches waypoint
freighter B reaches waypoint
freighter C reaches waypoint
freighter D reaches waypoint
freighter A undocks
freighter B undocks
freighter C undocks
freighter D undocks
freighter A waypoint
freighter B waypoint
freighter C waypoint
freighter D waypoint

ok, so we made 3 SexP's, right?  one for each action that Ship A performs.  Then we just copy the SexP from "Freighter A reaches waypoint" and paste it in for B,C, and D.  Then we simply replace data to change freighter A to freighter B in the SexP, then we replace data to change the waypoint, and then we replace the message sent.  it's much easier and faster than building a sexp for each one.

then do it again for undocking, and then for ai waypoints, and all four freighters will come in, move to waypoints, send a message, drop cargo, and move off again.  then have them warp when they get done with the new waypoints.  

in this example it doesn't save a ton of time....but it will save time, and in fredding, time is very important.  Try copying and pasting when dealing with more than one ship with identical orders.  

You can also use this for warp in cues.  and you just change one thing.  I am forever using copy and paste.  It just saves so much work in the long run.  anything redundant can be copied and pasted and modified, remember it, and use it.  

anyway...copy and paste isn't a real trick...but a huge time saver when building missions...i generally have 3 copies of fred open at a time and am building the missions three at a time, so anything that saves me from having to build each every damned SexP by hand is a godsend.

you guys are doing just fine.

Good luck.  and the Mod Leaders are watching....be afraid.

[freespacegundam]

Originally posted by willy_principal
I found some flaws and minor issues:
Briefing: Replace with this....(if you want)
stage1: Intelligence has discovered that the NTR is attemping to decrypt coded allied transmissions. If the rebels succeed, they would gain tactical advantage over us. Giving them the ability to anticipate our actions in Polaris and outmanouver us. We mustn't allow that to happen, the rebels already have a significant tactical advantage over us. More of it would make them impossible to track and destroy. (hmmm...improve that last sentence)
Stage2: In order to decript our coded transmissions, the rebels need highly specialized cryptography cyphers. There are some allied ex-employees that might give the rebels information about a way to decypher our codes. We have also learned that the Black Market has one of our coding machines for sell.

Can you be a little more specific about what is actually wrong with the breifing?  I said most of what you want me to replace just in different words.

Wrong team Loadout:
There should be no ship replacements...what's the purpose of putting  5 Myrms in the team Loadout, if the deafault ships are mirms???
also: Mirms can't carry Harpoons, remove them from the team loadout.
The Akhetons should go in the first primary bank, not in the second...(the Mirm has three pairs of primary guns. one in the first bank, two in the second)

For some reason I can't explain, I just had this nagging feeling my wingmen wouldn't use their secondary weapons and would end up dying because they couldn't kill any ships.  Chalk that up to being impatient.

In-game transmissions:
-alpha2: Roger that, stayin' frosty. (remove the Stayin' frosty)

I have to ask, is there something wrong with that comment?

-This is the GTT Esriel arriving...replace it with this. This is the GTT Esriel, identify yourself Alpha. Then Alpha would say: We have orders to escort you to [where are they going?]...(Alpha might also say which squadron are they from and what vessel are they based) hmmm...where is the rest of the convoy?

Well, the NTR has been raiding convoys lately, and it would make sense that the transports are at their most vulnerable.  I consider just jumping into the system pretty vulnerable.  I do however see the point to specifiy where they're going.  The vessel I can put in but I don't think Alpha actually belongs to a squadron, or at least none was specified.

Also, it would be a good idea to put a Nav Buoy in the point where the convoy jumps out...

I really should have done this, good thing someone noticed.

-Assuming escort pattern??? you meant escort position, don't ya?

Pattern is a term left over from my WC days.  It means the same thing, I just thought it sounded more official.

Another thing: Why are the rebels attacking a convoy where the smuggler might be located? are they idiots...or what? or they might be some rogue NTR branch that doesn't want to trade anything with the Black Market...?

The NTR has to keep up their raiding activities, otherwise the alliance can just search every ship without fear of being attacked.

THe GTT Eerie got destroyed and i received TWO return to base directives...

I don't know how this happened, but I'm checking my SEXPs thoroughly.

The planet in the background isn't aligned to the sun's light...
The convoy should move towards the sun...or towards the planet...but it doesn't...

I'm still working on backgrounds, I haven't perfected my placement yet.

One of the transported jumped without being scanned (the poseidon)...Command tells me to Return to Base...but my wingmen continue to chat...and convoys continued to come...

That is strange, command should scold you, but won't order you to return to base if its one from the first two transport waves.  Command only gets mad if you haven't found the smuggler by the time the third wave departs.

-never had node detail i take it? <---What's that supposed to mean?...

Alpha 3 is just asking if Alpha 4 has ever had to escort ships in from a jump node, I just said it in kind of a strange way.

GTT Marcus shouldn't say "second convoy inbound"....alpha should say that...

I shall remedy this post haste.

ShadowWolf_IH, I shall take the wisdom for working with those tedious events

[willy_principal]

stage1: Intelligence has discovered that the NTR is attemping to decrypt coded allied transmissions. (Clearly shows the NTR intentions) If the rebels succeed, they would gain tactical advantage over us (Clearly shows what would happen if the rebel do it). Giving them the ability to anticipate our actions in Polaris and outmanouver us. We mustn't allow that to happen, the rebels already have a significant tactical advantage over us (Note that Tactical and Strategic aren't the same thing; for example, the Akheton is a tactical weapon, the Meson Warhead is a Strategic bomb. Tactic referrs to something smaller, less important...strategy referrs to something bigger, more important). More of it would make them impossible to track and destroy. (hmmm...improve that last sentence)
Stage2: In order to decript our coded transmissions, the rebels need highly specialized cryptography cyphers (Clearly says what the rebels need). There are some allied ex-employees that might give the rebels information about a way to decypher our codes. We have also learned that the Black Market has one of our coding machines for sell (Clearly says where the rebels could get what they need).

It's just the same thing you wrote, but more clear...step by step---

If the NTR is attacking the convoy to distract the fighters from scanning the convoy...they should attack the fighters, not the convoy... Because if they attack the convoy the NTR could kill the Smuggler..............or if they clearly avoid attacking an specific transport/freighter the GTVA might notice that and discover that the Smuggler is in that transport...

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In-game transmissions:
-alpha2: Roger that, stayin' frosty. (remove the Stayin' frosty)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have to ask, is there something wrong with that comment?
Willy: I just...don't like it...

[karajorma]

Remember that other FREDders may have a slightly different style from you Willy. I find it best to only correct grammar and leave stylistic things up to the FREDder.

That doesn't mean you can't give him advice about what you feel works and what doesn't of course

Of course I haven't played the mission myself so I can't really give any objective advice

[freespacegundam]

Sorry I haven't been on to reply lately, the 108th War dogs needed a hand, and those pesky Sith just refuse to leave me alone.  Once that business is concluded, I'll fix some aspects of this mission.  Just thought I'd give a heads up.

One thing, as to the fightes attacking the convoy, command has no idea if those are pirates or NTR.  Until the smuggler's ship is disabled, the enemy could be either.  I may modify the wing names to suit that.

[freespacegundam]

I've uploaded the latest version of the mission for testing.  I'm hoping the majority of the bugs and errors have been dealt with, but having others test your work to make sure is a big help.  Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

I realize this is a double post, but the topic hasn't moved since I last posted, so I thought I should try to draw some attention to it.

[willy_principal]

Put the a download link...in the post sayin' that you updated the mission and in the first post of the thread....

[freespacegundam]

Its the same link, I just replaced the file, I apologize for not mentioning that.

[willy_principal]

yeah....but where is the link...it's somewhere in the middle of this thread........but i'm too lazy too search for it............do what i said..............put the link in the first post and in the updating post...

[karajorma]

Just the last post is usually good enough for me since I generally disregard the links in the first post in case they are old but Willy does make a good point

[freespacegundam]

I edited the first post to include the link, enjoy.

[karajorma]

I didn't get into this one much I'm afraid. I kept losing the first triton and being told that the mission was scrapped. I'll give you my thoughts on what I did see though.

1) Nice to see you using the escort list and having an AWOL briefing. Evidently the Academy is having an effect

2) Unfortunately the AWOL briefing plays if you're told to jump out cause the triton gets killed. You get the correct debrief too though. On looking at it in FRED I can see that your event is rather strange. You do not need so many and operators. What you could have done is make one and SEXP. Then right click on it and choose add operator. I suspect that the error I recieved may be due to the weird way you've set up the event but I'm too confused by the current way you've got it set up to puzzle though it.

3) As I mentioned I kept losing the tritons. Try having the ulysses jump in 3000m away from the convoy. That will give the player a little more time to deal with them before they get in range of it.

[Black Wolf]

Alternately, fiddle with special hitpoints. I've found it to be a brilliant way of controlling difficulty for escort missions.

[karajorma]

Retail campaign

Otherwise I would have definately reccomended doing that