Rookie Pilot with a few random questions

Cargo · Post by **Cargo** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 2:39 am

Hello everybody, rookie pilot Automatic Jack here.

I've been playing for, hmm, I'm not sure how many hours, time flies when your inertially* drifting through planet rings and asteroid fields. I'm about 7 missions into the mercenary quest and I think my grasp of the basics is at least tightening if not yet firm. All my quest questions i.e. "where do I go, what do I do?" and "how do I beat the mother %$#@! race?" have been previously asked and answered in threads and tutorials, and maybe these questions have been too but I'm just not searching for the right things. Anyway, on to the point of this topic.

- Is there a way to target stations like ships, so their distance and such shows on my cockpit readout? I can never tell how close I am until the docking guide shows...

- Is there a way to move the message box to the left a bit? I'm playing it at 1920x1080 so I have lots of space on the sides.

- What are the differences between MP and SP besides all you people flying around? If I do quests, alter my ship, etc. in one will they transfer to the other?

and lastly

- If i keep going will I ever reach the green stuff in the distance?

Thanks for reading this ramble and you may be seeing me in a quadrant near you!

*word may be made up

Post by **Vice** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 2:49 am

Hello and welcome. On to your questions:

- Is there a way to target stations like ships, so their distance and such shows on my cockpit readout? I can never tell how close I am until the docking guide shows...

From an earlier reply:

There are two targeting systems you manage simultaneously, ship targeting and object/navigation targeting. You don't have to give up tracking one for the other and each system provides you with the information needed for each type of object (including range and bearing for objects like stations and planets).

Here are some points discussed in the past on the forum to consider regarding using a ship targeting system for generic 'objects':

- Targeting objects with the ship system forces you to give up tracking the ship for a stationary object. You can't trade with such objects using the trade console, they don't move, they don't change their orientation, you can't harm them, and they don't shoot you. The only real information you need for them is their location and distance, which is already provided for you by the navigation tracking system. And if you want more specific location information you can right click on their icon to lock on to them with a navigation waypoint.

- None of the added information provided by ship tracking would be of much use. If you can track both simultaneously, you can keep track of a ship that may be a threat or cause interference while also tracking an object you want to dock with, such as a station or carrier.

It is pretty common in other games where you must sacrifice ship tracking in order to track such a non-ship object. This game simply lets you keep track of both kinds of objects simultaneously with two separate targeting systems.

- Is there a way to move the message box to the left a bit? I'm playing it at 1920x1080 so I have lots of space on the sides.

No, it's pretty much as the far left limit of where it can be placed due to the text rendering system (which actually displays text on a 3D surface scaled for use in 4:3, 16:9, and other ratios).

- What are the differences between MP and SP besides all you people flying around? If I do quests, alter my ship, etc. in one will they transfer to the other?

They are very similar and yes, what you earn in one generally carries over into the other. Differences include the fleet system, which is for AI ships in SP and for human players in MP (uses a similar 'clan' ID and linking system). Also, player built stations stay with the server you play on in MP while in SP, they follow your profile. Human players carry with them a common reputation structure in MP while in SP, your reputations can be unique for the profile you are using at the time offline.

- If i keep going will I ever reach the green stuff in the distance?

Sort of. You can eventually pass through the 'edge' of a defined region nebula background of space that has a hazy cloud area to fly through. Smaller nebulae are in-sector and can be reached and flown through much more quickly and easily.

Cargo · Post by **Cargo** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 3:38 am

From post: 109344, Topic: tid=7707, author=Vice wrote: ... And if you want more specific location information you can right click on their icon to lock on to them with a navigation waypoint.

This is the thing I was missing, I was only using right click to zoom the nav map and left click to set waypoints, waypoints that were thousands of kms? miles? AUs? away from the station. Directly targeting the station and getting the distance indicator is exactly what I was looking for.

Thank you, you're a god amongst mortals.

And speaking of gods amongst mortals, I've never been able to personally tell a game developer that he kicks ass and his game is a masterfully done work of art.
So:
You kick ass and your game is a masterfully done work of art.
Thank you.

Post by **Marvin** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 5:44 am

From post: 109345, Topic: tid=7707, author=Automatic Jack wrote:This is the thing I was missing, I was only using right click to zoom the nav map and left click to set waypoints, waypoints that were thousands of kms? miles? AUs? away from the station. Directly targeting the station and getting the distance indicator is exactly what I was looking for.

Keep in mind that space is three-dimensional. But clicking on the nav map only sets the coordinates for whichever two-dimensional map being displayed. If you're viewing the Top map, you set the SX-SZ coordinates. If you're viewing the Rear map, you set the SX-SY coordinates.

Ergo, if your target is above or below you along the SY axis, you'll need to switch to the Rear map to set the SY coordinate. Else, if you right-click on what you think is the target, you'll be zooming in on a sector of space that is either below or above the target. Which is often just empty space.

Cargo · Post by **Cargo** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 6:03 am

Yeah, I've been pretty good about switching between views because I was getting tired of jumping into planets and things.

2 more questions :
What's he 'S' in sx, sy, sz?
The NavMap is static in that the top view will always be the same and not change due to my orientation, yes?

SeeJay · Post by **SeeJay** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 6:07 am

Hi and welcome Jack.

The "S" Stands for Sector (Sector Coordinates) and the other sets are position coords in that sector.

Yes, the navmap is static and doesn't follow you. You can pan in all 4 directions
when zoomed in all the way by using the small arrows on the edges of the map.

Hope to see you online.

soulsacrifice · Post by **soulsacrifice** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 8:12 am

Just wanted to also let you know that if the text is getting in your way (as it often does to me) you can have a reduced text mode enabled by right clicking the x at the top. I use this mode most of the time because I don't like the text cluttering up the view, you can scroll up through the text if you miss any.

Welcome!

Jack Dandy · Post by **Jack Dandy** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 8:28 am

From post: 109344, Topic: tid=7707, author=Vice wrote:

Sort of. You can eventually pass through the 'edge' of a defined region nebula background of space that has a hazy cloud area to fly through. Smaller nebulae are in-sector and can be reached and flown through much more quickly and easily.

Oh holy heck, is that for real? I always sthought they were just eye candy. I gotta check that out.

Also, welcome AutoJack!

[Edited on 6-28-2011 by Jack Dandy]

Cargo · Post by **Cargo** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 2:19 am

From post: 109356, Topic: tid=7707, author=soulsacrifice wrote:... you can have a reduced text mode enabled by right clicking the x at the top...

This is awesome, thank you.
And Thanks for the welcome guys!

I remembered the question I wanted to ask, Is the Navmap icon for planetary stations it's own image file? Meaning can I change it's color in photoshop without messing anything else up? Same question for the Navmap Waypoint marker?

Oh also, I just noticed that I made this thread in the wrong category, just sayin...

[Edited on 6-29-2011 by Automatic Jack]

Post by **Marvin** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 3:06 am

You can DL the customizing kit from the main download page ... check the HUD section for examples.

Cargo · Post by **Cargo** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 9:38 am

Thanks Marvin, I got the kit and used it to play around with a few different mods, I think even one of yours.
I love it:
http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/5476/emhud1.jpg

I think I'm getting the hang things of it now. I made the trip across the long dark to the Sol system. It took me a few tries and a few ship configurations but that made it all the more awesome when the Nav Map changed to the Pluto System, granted I was still >20 sectors away. I flew the long way around Jupiter for the scenery, died trying to land on the Arabian Peninsula, built a Trade Station off Venus and took the fiery purple dot to Pearl.

I do have a question about improving systems though. I've built up my rep in Olympus and got the switch to "Good" and I've built Energy Stations, Ore Processors and Constructors all over the place but I can't seem to get the trade stations to reliably sell good equipment. One time , One station had FT's and Excals but now that station has Rockeye's and Starfires, Exodus if I'm lucky.
Do I have it wrong or am I missing something?

Also when I got the global switch to Good all my individual faction Reps reset, Navy, Energy and miners went from 100% to 71 or so.
Is there something better than good I need to build up to again?

Oh Also, also, as soon as I work some things out with my ISP I'm going to be hitting the multiplayer verse.
How do I let people know that I come in peace and please don't shoot nukes and things at me?
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/5176/a ... ndmine.jpg

MMaggio · Post by **MMaggio** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 9:59 am

First off, MP is not a hostile place. No one will "pounce" on you or attack w/o provocation. Our MP is a small community with everyone committed to helping you enjoy the game.
Sometimes players challenge each other and there are many PVP battles.
Pressing the tilde key will show player list and stats.
To chat, press ENTER, then type, then ENTER to send.
Good luck & good hunting

Post by **Marvin** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 3:40 pm

What MMaggio says (he runs the server) is usually true. But, to spice things up in MP, an old "enemy" is expected to return ... and, now and then, other less friendly pilots show up. But, almost always, you'll be warned by other pilots whenever an unfriendly starts to log on. If need be, you can even get help (either somebody to cover your six or advice on how to avoid being killed).

As far as global reputation goes, "Good" is the best you can get. Your faction reputation resets every time your global reputation changes ... and can lessen if you leave the system for any length of time. Even with a Good reputation, doing contracts for the wrong factions can result in a change in global reputation in the wrong direction. So, always keep an eye on your faction rep.

And, keep in mind, you can only change global reputation in SP.