[DONE] [Feedback] [Documentation] Hunter-killer

[robin]

Trying this feature with the "escort" flag:
is it normal that ufos fly exactly on top, like stacked, of each other?
also if one ufo is downed, the other stay still (like stuck) over the crash site.
finally, no radar circle is drawn despite having the option enabled.
Version 3.10a 2018-05-19

I'm probably doing something wrong.

  - type: STR_ALIEN_DROP_XSMALL
    points: 4
    objective: 3
    siteType: STR_DROP_MISSION_SMALL
    spawnZone: 3
    raceWeights: *raceWeightsAlienDrop
    waves:
      - ufo: STR_UFO_PROBE
        count: 1
        trajectory: P1
        timer: 15000
        hunterKillerPercentage: 0
        escort: false
      - ufo: STR_UFO_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P1
        timer: 10
        hunterKillerPercentage: 0
        escort: false
      - ufo: STR_UFO_PROBE
        count: 1
        trajectory: P0
        timer: 10
        hunterKillerPercentage: 100
        escort: true
      - ufo: STR_UFO_PROBE
        count: 1
        trajectory: P1
        timer: 10
        hunterKillerPercentage: 100
        escort: true
      - ufo: STR_UFO_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P7
        timer: 10
        objective: true
        hunterKillerPercentage: 0
        escort: false

(Actually i wanted to add an ufo probe after the last ufo scout, as its escort, but then the terror site is not generated).
i guess this:

[...]
The escort (STR_HK_FIGHTER_1) also requires objective: true for the terror site to appear

is the solution to the last bit... unless it's a supply mission in which case it must be false

[Ethereal]

finally, no radar circle is drawn despite having the option enabled.

Radius of radars in UFOs should be indicated in the characteristics of the UFOs themselves.

Code: [Select]

  - type: STR_SMALL_SCOUT
    radarRange: 600

  - type: STR_HARVESTER
    radarRange: 700
Etc.

[Meridian]

Trying this feature with the "escort" flag:
is it normal that ufos fly exactly on top, like stacked, of each other?
also if one ufo is downed, the other stay still (like stuck) over the crash site.
finally, no radar circle is drawn despite having the option enabled.
Version 3.10a 2018-05-19

I'm probably doing something wrong.

(Actually i wanted to add an ufo probe after the last ufo scout, as its escort, but then the terror site is not generated).
i guess this:is the solution to the last bit... unless it's a supply mission in which case it must be false

1/ it is normal that UFOs fly exactly on top of each other (that's how escorting works)... you can maybe make the second UFO tiny little bit slower to show some distance, but it may accumulate a lot over longer distances and if the first one starts slowing down, it will catch up anyway

2/ if one is shot down, the other should attack you immediately, no? but yeah, it is a scenario I probably didn't think of and will need to be addressed

3/ no radar circles is weird, probably radarRange is missing as Ethereal said

4/ mission spawning I have to check too... I might be that only the last UFO can spawn a mission

[Solarius Scorch]

2/ if one is shot down, the other should attack you immediately, no? but yeah, it is a scenario I probably didn't think of and will need to be addressed

The surviving UFO should commence a rescue mission, of course.

[Ethereal]

2/ if one is shot down, the other should attack you immediately, no? but yeah, it is a scenario I probably didn't think of and will need to be addressed

Yes, it's time to think about fighting with several UFOs at the same time. and simultaneously equalize the speed at UFO escort (which would check the speed of both the escort and the escorted ship, so that a slower escort would not lag behind the one whom it should accompany (With the supply mission, everything is in order. With the rest, the speed is different.)).

[Meridian]

Yes, it's time to think about fighting with several UFOs at the same time.

That's not what I meant.
And I explained already twice why this is never going to happen, I won't repeat myself again...

and simultaneously equalize the speed at UFO escort (which would check the speed of both the escort and the escorted ship, so that a slower escort would not lag behind the one whom it should accompany (With the supply mission, everything is in order. With the rest, the speed is different.)).

Just make escorts quicker... that's how it works in real life and the only way it makes sense.
Faster craft escort slower craft... fighter jets escort freighters... freighters don't escort fighter jets.

What scenario do you have for zeppellins escorting a millenium falcon?

[Ethereal]

Just make escorts quicker... that's how it works in real life and the only way it makes sense.
Faster craft escort slower craft... fighter jets escort freighters... freighters don't escort fighter jets.

It's clear. Simply in the original, the larger the UFO, the higher its speed. And to simulate the escort of large transports by light fighters is difficult. Probably will have to change the concept.

What scenario do you have for zeppellins escorting a millenium falcon?

I did not quite understand, or rather did not understand at all, about the connection of zeppelins with falcons, but oh well.

Yes, one remark, with "huntBehavior: 1". If HK attacks a patrolling ship with an escort, then after the attacker HK is destroyed, and the patrolling and his escort, without orders and notifications, begin to return to the base.

[Meridian]

@robin: I can't find any issues with stuck HKs... maybe it's because of missing radarRange? Can you try again after you give them radarRange and if you still have issues, give me a save or a video or something for me to see how you did it...?

[The Reaver of Darkness]

It's clear. Simply in the original, the larger the UFO, the higher its speed. And to simulate the escort of large transports by light fighters is difficult. Probably will have to change the concept.

In real life, it makes sense for the larger UFOs to be faster. They will be dealing with intense fluid dynamics at those speeds, and larger craft will have less resistance relative to their mass. But a smaller craft could potentially keep up with it if it were to fly in its wake.

So to simulate this realism, you could design a small craft which is only to be used as an escort, which is able to fly as fast as what it escorts.

[Ethereal]

@robin: I can't find any issues with stuck HKs... maybe it's because of missing radarRange? Can you try again after you give them radarRange and if you still have issues, give me a save or a video or something for me to see how you did it...?

And I understood what's wrong. At HK escort the goal is to accompany a certain UFO and attack the X-COM aircraft in the range of the radar. If the escorted ship has crashed or landed, the escort hangs over it. When the principal completed the mission and flew away, only then the escort mission ends. HK also flies but after a while. In missions (RESEARCH, HARVEST, ABDUCTION), the escort ship, after the disappearance of the main ship, begins to carry out the same mission (something is looking for, landing), and only then flies away.

I do not think that there is anything to correct. So even more interesting. Especially if it is not visible circles enemy radar and do not know that the landed ship - HK, and you guide defenseless transport on him.  It would be nice if the HK was to take off for the attack.

[Meridian]

(Actually i wanted to add an ufo probe after the last ufo scout, as its escort, but then the terror site is not generated).

This is a bug in vanilla... that a terror site is not generated.

When determining the ufos's "wave", it takes the last wave number, not the one that should be saved with the ufo.
E.g. when you spawn 5 UFOs in 5 waves all at the same time... each UFO will have wave 5... instead of having waves 1,2,3,4,5.

I will talk to Warboy if he wants to fix it... if not I will probably fix it in OXCE+.

[robin]

@robin: I can't find any issues with stuck HKs... maybe it's because of missing radarRange? Can you try again after you give them radarRange and if you still have issues, give me a save or a video or something for me to see how you did it...?

I think that could be the cause. Will test as soon as I can.

[Meridian]

(Actually i wanted to add an ufo probe after the last ufo scout, as its escort, but then the terror site is not generated).

This is a bug in vanilla... that a terror site is not generated.

When determining the ufos's "wave", it takes the last wave number, not the one that should be saved with the ufo.
E.g. when you spawn 5 UFOs in 5 waves all at the same time... each UFO will have wave 5... instead of having waves 1,2,3,4,5.

I will talk to Warboy if he wants to fix it... if not I will probably fix it in OXCE+.

This will be fixed in the next OXCE+ version.

Just to explain again, UFOs with "objective: true" (e.g. terror mission ship or base supply ship) needed to be the last ones in the mission definition.

Now, you can put more waves after this "last" UFO if you want (for example some HK escorts) and it will still work.

PS: you can even have multiple UFOs with "objective: true" now in the same mission and spawn 7 terror sites at once

[Meridian]

Two small updates:

1. Since OXCE 5.1 2018-10-14, the hunt missions will not start from the alien base, until you explicitly say so. On the good side, if you say so, they will not only take off from the base, but also land back in the base.

Code: [Select]

alienMissions:
  - type: STR_MY_HUNT_MISSION
    operationType: 6    # hunt mission

This is a breaking change, please update your mods!
For more info, see here: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,6557.msg104669.html#msg104669


2. Reaver wanted the retargeting of hunter-killers to have more delay.

A new global parameter hunterKillerFastRetarget has been added:

Code: [Select]

hunterKillerFastRetarget: false     # default is true

"false" means that HKs retarget only once every 10 minutes

"true" means that HKs retarget every 5 seconds when you are in slow mode (buttons "5Sec" and "1Min"), in other modes only once every 10 minutes

[Meridian]

Two more updates:

1. HKs don't attack craft returning from a mission anymore.

Because the player cannot redirect the craft and avoid HKs and/or enemy base.

2. HKs can instantly destroy defenseless craft when player presses the red self-destruct button.

Defenseless means:
- slower than the UFO
- has no more ammo left
- there are no more active (still flying) projectiles