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Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: diamondgeezer on December 10, 2002, 07:03:07 pm

Title: Yet another odd error (bit different this time)
Post by: diamondgeezer on December 10, 2002, 07:03:07 pm
I'm sure you'll be suprised to learn that this question isn't about an inexplicable crash - this time, it's about subspace.

The mission in question is a red alert, and is set in subspace. When the mission begins, there is no whirly blue subspace back ground - just blackness in all directions. I can't see any other ships, but I can target them for a fraction of a second, before the target box disappears. Also, none of my wingmen are present, only the big ships. The subspace noise and music both play as usual.

The annoying bit is that this only happens in the campaign - the mission is fine when played singly, from the tech room.

Ideas?
Title: Yet another odd error (bit different this time)
Post by: Alikchi on December 10, 2002, 09:06:00 pm
You have some really f*cked up errors.

Honestly, I have no idea. I would say it's something wrong with the graphic files, but it only does that in the campaign. Strange.
Title: Yet another odd error (bit different this time)
Post by: Sesquipedalian on December 10, 2002, 09:30:19 pm
I had the same symptoms when I used a ship-vanish sexp on Alpha 1 (just to see what would happen).  Perhaps something is causing Alpha 1 not to appear as a result of the red-alerting.  It is Alpha 1, right?  Not changed to Delta 3 or something?
Title: Yet another odd error (bit different this time)
Post by: Goober5000 on December 11, 2002, 12:25:30 am
Sounds like what people report happening when a support ship departs with the player still docked to it.

Are there any ships docked at the beginning of your mission, perhaps?

And make sure you have the red-alert flags set correctly.  Not sure how this might affect it, but... :confused:
Title: Yet another odd error (bit different this time)
Post by: Petrarch of the VBB on December 11, 2002, 01:01:34 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Goober5000
Sounds like what people report happening when a support ship departs with the player still docked to it.


That's a new one on me. I'll have to try it.
Title: Yet another odd error (bit different this time)
Post by: DTP on December 11, 2002, 03:44:48 pm
what is even more screwy, made a custom mission once and tested it with one of my C4 pals.

The mission had a support ship already present when the player arrived, and when it docked, it would´nt undock

but the msg "you all set to go sir", or similar, came in as it had undocked.

so he flew happily around with a support ship docked, and not even knowing it.

BUT, and now here comes the realy funny thing. When he attacked a Capital ship and the support ship detected a possible collision.

then it took over control, and the He could´nt do **** until he was passed back control some seconds later.

So he eventually rammed it off, by aiming for some spiky section of a cap ship, and going in at full afterburner. But in many cases the support ship managed to steer him and it-self clear of the immenent collision.

ofcourse we could have exited, and removed the support ship. But we where having such a laugh.
Title: Yet another odd error (bit different this time)
Post by: CP5670 on December 11, 2002, 03:49:46 pm
I have had this happen once; it tends to occur if a red-alert fires while you are docked with a support ship, and possibly in other ways as well.

DTP: I did something like that once by changing around the support ship AI and having it permanently docked with me in a mission just to see what would happen. :D I could only shoot primaries and was almost immobile; it was like being the gunner in a two-man fighter, although the pilot was really lousy... :D (the support ship was sort of towing me around randomly)
Title: Yet another odd error (bit different this time)
Post by: Galemp on December 11, 2002, 09:16:34 pm
Say, there could be a possibility here; have an invisible support ship dock then exit at the fighterbay.
Title: Yet another odd error (bit different this time)
Post by: Goober5000 on December 11, 2002, 09:28:42 pm
Eh, I think that would be too cumbersome.  I'll have the distance-from-ship-subsystem sexp up shortly, so it won't matter anyway.
Title: Yet another odd error (bit different this time)
Post by: diamondgeezer on December 12, 2002, 04:23:00 pm
Quote
Originally posted by CP5670
I have had this happen once; it tends to occur if a red-alert fires while you are docked with a support ship, and possibly in other ways as well


Ah... the red-alert fires after Alt-J is pressed, but before the player actually exits, i.e during the warpout sequence - the idea is that I want the player to warp through a node, then go straight to the next mission without a full briefing.

Really, not even the end-mission SCP SEXP would work, since I want the player to actually warp out... well, I see two possibilities - set the player to never-warp, then (somehow) have the warp drive warm-up chime play when Alt-J is pressed, then have the mission red-alert. Or, I could just drop the subspace mission, since it's only short, and was only really included as an exprement with red-alert and subspace... basically, I'll do a bit more testing, but unless someone can either fix the error or think of another way to have the player warp out (or at least seem to warp out) whilst using red-alert, then I'll just scrub the mission and forget about it :nod:
Title: Yet another odd error (bit different this time)
Post by: aldo_14 on December 12, 2002, 04:28:41 pm
Quote
Originally posted by diamondgeezer


Ah... the red-alert fires after Alt-J is pressed, but before the player actually exits, i.e during the warpout sequence - the idea is that I want the player to warp through a node, then go straight to the next mission without a full briefing.

Really, not even the end-mission SCP SEXP would work, since I want the player to actually warp out... well, I see two possibilities - set the player to never-warp, then (somehow) have the warp drive warm-up chime play when Alt-J is pressed, then have the mission red-alert. Or, I could just drop the subspace mission, since it's only short, and was only really included as an exprement with red-alert and subspace... basically, I'll do a bit more testing, but unless someone can either fix the error or think of another way to have the player warp out (or at least seem to warp out) whilst using red-alert, then I'll just scrub the mission and forget about it :nod:


It worked for FS1, didn't it? Maybe you could check the port?
Title: Yet another odd error (bit different this time)
Post by: diamondgeezer on December 12, 2002, 04:42:19 pm
(http://dynamic4.gamespy.com/~freespace/ubb/noncgi/icons/icon3.gif)
Title: Works in both directions
Post by: Rynok on December 16, 2002, 11:25:23 pm
Quote
The mission in question is a red alert, and is set in subspace.


Had the same problem, but in the other direction. A Red Alert in normal spaces gets pitched into subspace (with the same inability to target) under certain conditions.

Which are (how's this for bizarre): The setup mission uses a random to set one of six stub events to true. The red alert then uses these in previous-event-true sexps which randomize ship arrivals. If Event 2 or Event 6 is "true" the red alert launches in normal space; on 1, 3, 4, 5 it goes in hyperspace. Huh? None of the affected ships is docked.

Is it possible that something (the variables?) is causing the background bitfield to be corrupted at runtime?
Title: Yet another odd error (bit different this time)
Post by: diamondgeezer on December 16, 2002, 11:42:48 pm
(http://members.cox.net/wmcoolmon/images/welcome.gif)

Standars-issue flamethrowers are located under the seats, exits are to the right and left (and will be well-lit in case of emergencies). The large, red five-legged thingie is called Carl. He has... issues... but just ignore him, you'll be OK.

As for your post - what? I know those words, but those passages make no sense :D
Title: Yet another odd error (bit different this time)
Post by: Rynok on December 17, 2002, 07:08:40 pm
Thanks, dg. I prefer plasma rifles to flamethrowers but I'll avoid sudden movements around Carl.

What I was trying to say was that a red alert mission I am working on developed the precise symptoms you describe, with one exception that I think is minor. Instead of being intended for subspace and running errantly in normal space, it was intended for normal space and ran errantly in hyperspace. I thought my problem was caused by some is-previous-event-true sexps but that is not it.

I suppose this is not in the least helpful, but please take it as...commiseration.