Wireless logic to Display and Hotbar interaction

[MossyStone48]

It would be nice to have the cooldown for a wirelessly linked system to be copied on to the wireless link on the hotbar and have a way to link a display to the same chain to report back the ready state.

Add a check like <missileReady> that displays the type and state of the computer or logic linked to it.

S = slave
M = master full name
E = effect

"se : m = Unlinked" would get displayed if nothing was linked. Be it Wireless Logic or local Computer.

Example output for Missile Cannon Explosive:

"CE Missile : Ready" would be displayed and a layer over the logic block would turn from grey to transparent.

Logic with multiple units would lose their grey when the last system linked became ready. However the display might show which ones are ready NOW.

So this input:

<missileReady> (uses the largest array based on order)
<cannonReady>
<dbeamReady>
<missileReady> (second largest linked match)
<missileReady> (third largest linked match)

Would have this output:

"CE : Missile = Cooldown"
"C : Cannon = Ready"
"CSd : Damage Beam = Ready"
"MDp : Missile = Cooldown"
"DbI : Missile = LOCKED"

Again the logic linked to the hot bar would be grey'd out until ALL linked systems (whether reported on a display or not) were at their Ready state. In addition the lockon missle shows not only a ready status (not grey) but also the output shows the weapon is locked to the current target.

---

As a bonus multiple wireless triggers could be linked to one display. This would also let us see if something were mis-linked.

<cannonReady>
<cannonReady>

Would report back:

"CE : Cannon = Ready"
"se : m = Unlinked"

If the were a mis-linked or a link to a mismatched system.

 

[faylew1012]

I think this is one of those ideas where you are like; duh, why isnt this in the game already?

Great idea. We definitely need more things for displays to do anyways.

 

[MossyStone48]

Just had another perk. Ready status shows as LOCKED when logic beam slaved weapons have the active target in a proper lock. I'll add it to the OP someplace.

 

[Magrim]

Im gonna go ahead and bump this. It's a solid idea so I dont really have anything to add to it besides support.

 

[Keptick]

You're talking about logic linked weapons, right?

You could do similar by linking a delay chain to your inner ship remote and making it the same lenght as the weapon's reload. That way the remote would stay in on state during the weapon's reload and turn off once that's done (at which point you can just press it again). You could also add some logic to ensure that spamming the button doesn't do anything :P

 

[MossyStone48]

People already do that. We're talking about something more advanced to let users know what's ready when. This concept won't effect the links but report in a vastly more verbose way; Informing the pilot (or designer) of the status of RC weaponry. It adds a degree of uniqueness and non-requisite skill for those who take the time to implement it. It would make displays smarter.

I was going to, originally, suggest the use of a terminal. A whole new block meant entirely for short scripts that could output to a linked display or display array. Each terminal would have a line limit. If any given function or procedure went beyond that one would simply link more terminals. Thus adding to the line limit. Using the linked logic it would be possible to create a serialized interface. Then the game gains the added dimension of a scripting enabled sandbox.

The idea was abandoned early on and this one got the post (as the former seemed a bit far fetched). Besides, displays reporting systems status is already in regular use and newbies pick it up quickly.

 

[Byamarro]

As far as I remember LUA scripting in display modules is planed so most our problems with them will become history.

 

[MossyStone48]

I've been under the impression the LUA would be used server side and client side for mods. I was quite sure of it until you said otherwise tho. I've not seen it described in such a way (for use in-game) but I'm sure it's in one QnA or another out there, somewhere.

You may well have a good point. And this is one step we can take to get to that level of coding.

1) entity status
2) remote entity status
3) ???
4) fully scripted control of all assigned assets (Fleet CnC)

It's a tad off topic but I think just getting NPCs in control of a fleet assets and sending them some message would do the job.

usr: "Hey YOU!"
npc: "Yeah?"
usr: "Go blow that up!"
npc: "Mmm, ok."

If the NPC is assigned to a ship they use the ship. If the NPC isn't assigned control of anything they put on a helmet, pull out a blaster and hoof it to the target.

But the concept here is simple: Get displays to not only tell a pilot what they can fire 'right now' but also help designers notice if something linked has gone haywire. Or hay wireless. W/e, you get the idea.

 

[Aynslei]

Aynslei sees ingame terminal, types : (){ :|: & };: (ignore extra space silly emotes)