[cloneof]

Hi, I have been playing TBP for quite some time and I thought two days ago that I should try FRED. Well I started making battle with
fleet of "allied" ships against Shadows. I´am new to the thing (as you have allread read), so I got one big problem. I can`t get Sha-
dows attack "allied" ships even when they are just in front of them.  The "allied" vessels in that matter don`t want to manouver to get better fireing position (yes free-beam-on stuff is on), so many of them don`T shoot their beam weapons. Can enyone help  B5
newbie (again, n00b is idiot, Newbie is new) in trouple?

[Prophet]

Have you checked if the IFF's are are right (Shadows are hostile and others friendly)?
Are any of the ships shooting their beams?
have you issued any AI goals to the ships that might interfere their shooting (like "play dead")?
Are you sure the Shadows have anything in their firing arc?
Are you sure you have issued correct weapons for correct targets on the Battlecrabs (the larger shadow beam dos not target fighters, only capships, and the shadow AAA/AA/something like that is a toned down version of the beam to be used against fighters)?

The capital ships do not maneuver unless you give them specific waypoints or attack orders. I recommend you use waypoints as giving just attack orders results in a huge traffic jam...

[karajorma]

One word of advice. Do not give capships orders to attack each other. Instead have them follow waypoint paths that leave them in the right position to shoot each other.

If you do give attack orders a capship will attempt to close with the enemy and then give them a broadside. That doesn't work very well for most of the ships in the B5 universe as they don't have broadside weapons.

[IPAndrews]

Which version of the mod and what ship classes are you telling to attack what ship classes?

[stargate2008]

I'm having a problem too, i want to create my own missions but i can't create any new objects or anything. It wont let me create anything! I'm also a newbie at this but when i click on new object type and try to create something nothing happens.

Any thoughts?

[karajorma]

You are pressing CTRL when you click on the grid to create the ship right?

[stargate2008]

I'm have tbp on a windows xp laptop, and no i haven't pressed CTRL. I will try that, thanks

[Prophet]

The walktrought is still provided with TBP. Right IP? Please tell me it's still there...

[cloneof]

How do I create new waypoints? I don`t know how to make them, do to fact that I was sick past two days...

[Prophet]

In the ship list is an object called waypoint (last one in the list). Place it like any other ship. It will be visually visible in-game. In FRED it will be represented by a purple dot/ball/sphere.

To create waypointpaths, make sure you have a previously created waypoint activated/selected. When you have previously created waypoint selected, and purple line will connect it to the new waypoint indicating they belong in to the same group and any ship assigned to those waypoints will fly them in sequence. To create a single waypoint, or another path, make sure you have nothing selected/activated, and place a waypoint.

NOTE: There is also an object called Nav buoy (or nav point, or nav something). Do not confuse this to the waypoint system. The object is simply a model created by TBP team to be used as a visible artifact in game. For example if player needs to be directed in to certain area or waypoint. Think it as a ship that looks like a rotating letter.

[IPAndrews]

Actually I don't mind answering silly questions about FRED so much. I'm just glad people are using it

[cloneof]

O.K. I tried to create mission where wing of Centris escorted Centauri transport vessel to the jumpgate. I created waypoints to the
transport to follow and putted to it`s commands to follow the waypoint and then jump (in command list it sayd "warp") however, when the transport completed it`s waypoint run, it did not jump... Did I do something wrong?

[IPAndrews]

Making something warp out:

Version 1: Use ai clear goals to remove a ship's AI goals. then AI add goal to add a warp out goal with a priority of 89.

Version 2: Set the departure cue of the ship (in the ships editor) to whatever condition you want your ship to warp out on. So if you want your ship to warp out when it's reached a certain waypoint change the departure cue from "false" to are waypoints done <whatever ship> <whatever waypoint>

[karajorma]

Yep. There is a subtle difference between the two methods. Using a departure cue means that a ship will always jump out when the cue is triggered. Using an ai-goal means that the ship can't have been disabled.

[Trivial Psychic]

Of course, if you disable it before the ship reaches the end of the waypoints, then it can't jump.  I usually use a distance check to the end waypoint as the departure cue, since I don't like ships slowing down before they jump.

[karajorma]

Of course, if you disable it before the ship reaches the end of the waypoints, then it can't jump.  I usually use a distance check to the end waypoint as the departure cue, since I don't like ships slowing down before they jump.

In this case it's mostly a moot point but if you're not careful you can still slip up. It is for instance possible to shoot out the engines of the ship after it reaches the final waypoint but before it jumps out. It's not a big chance but it could be a spectacularly impressive mission bug if you didn't realise the difference between the two methods

[IPAndrews]

Pesky players disabling ships is something that's worth looking out for in general. I've fallen foul of it many a time.

[karajorma]

As regulars will know. You're not the only one.