DGIII alpha release 02.07 feedback here (CLOSED)

[reekchaa]

DanSteph wrote:

> Once done I think I'll try to do an EVA part with a new mesh, so you will be
> able to go outside to fix some things.
> Dan

WOOOOOOOOO!  My Dreams are being answered!   + +
But remember... Any time your son looks bored, It's time for a family play-break.
EVA... Sweeet GoogleyMoogley!  

[FetDaniel]

If you implement EVA, I will worship you! :P

[DanSteph]

When you are in front of the damaged part in your spacesuit,
what about two key that you must press fast to increase a litle
counter and when it's full the things is repaired ?

1/2 hour of keystroke may render things more real  ?      


Dan
"intteresting idea tonight, I should better go to bed "

[reekchaa]

Reminds me of the Olympic Games Arcade game 20 years ago... where you POUNDED on two
buttons to Run, Swim, ect. Faster than everyone else.  Great Game... left you winded... but the
thing had to be serviced daily due to smashed buttons.  
For a StarTrek game at Interplay, we tried to design realistic ways of problem-solving electrical
wirings, which basically deteriorated to beautified tic-tac-toe & rubix cube type puzzles.  Even the
Latest StarTrek game (Elite Force 2) had somewhat more practical but complex 'Puzzles'.  

They're not easy to make.. but I'd recommend playing the StarTrek:Elite Force 2 demo, just to
see how they did the electrical 'by-passing' puzzle sequences.  I believe they even used basic
Component symbols, like diodes, resistors, SCRs to repair stuff.  I don't really recommend
going this complex for the DG3, but It's a FUN game to play, and my kids loved it, and might
give a few simple ideas.  

http://www.3dgamers.com/games/steliteforce2/

[Zamzara]

The new version is better than ever! Keep up the good work. An EVA mode would be a really great idea.

[Urwumpe]

Cool! An EVA would create much more interesting missions, then even yet possible

Don't worry about the two-fast-pressed buttons problem - i have a programmable joystick, i can go fishing
for half an hour  if neccessary

What about this idea: defect parts can only be replaced during an EVA. Creating avionics box meshes or
other subsystem assemblies would be a rather simple task destroying them is also solveable, compared to
designing riddles and solving them or letting the player press two buttons until the keyboard resigns .
 Also it could lead to an nice enhancement for the future....buying spare parts from money earned by
successful mission

I don't think that a pilot can weld propellant lines - but at least exchange a small module is realistic
after a few years of pilot training

[Reno]

One idea for the EVA system, if possible. When you start your spacewalk, your D3 docking port
should be inside the airlock. Once you dock and transfer back to the ship, the docking port moves
back to the docking collar and the MMU stays parked inside the airlock.

Dont know if orbiter will allow that without going crazy. I'm just a mechanic, after all, dont know a
thing about programming

[reekchaa]

A new Service Panel might work, if 'docked' to the damaged part.  The antenna could be
down/jammed - must be re-aligned manually outside to download new software fix, the circuit
breaker on L7 needs a re-init... etc.  
Your panels always look so great, but it might be the less Fun part of the whole process

[canadave]

Dan, regarding your "pounding the keys" idea for fixing things:

My suggestion would be to simply have a pre-set number of key hits that need to be done in order
to "hammer in" whatever needs to be fixed (i.e., if a bolt is loose, then five key hits will nail it back
into place.)  You wouldn't know what that correct number would be--it would be randomly picked.  If that were to work, though, you'd need to have some sort of visual feedback (you'd have to see a little bolt being gradually hammered into place).  Then, the catch is, if you hit the hammer too much (say, 15 key hits instead of the 5 that are called for), you could do some damage to the spacecraft--and the more key hits you made above and beyond what you're supposed to, the more damage you do.


Dave



Post Edited (02-10-04 00:04)

[DanSteph]

interesting idea around but I may take 100 more years
to do some
I'll have a look closer when time come.

Anyway say hello to Joe...
Joe is very friend with hal the onboard computer,
he love also going to repair the antenna...
....the AE35 antenna


work in progress (making such model is HARD ! )


About how to repair I think more about a "zone"
detect, you have a map of the ship and must
be in the correct area, then a litle progress bar
increase until things is fixed... sorry we can do really
more with "logic" puzzle to fix but I want to keep
the dgIII "simple" to use and many don't like "puzzle" solving
they just want to play a space game.
I must also think about what is possible I don't want to
put one month of work on the mmu.

(I wonder how many people appart those that read this forum
and have a special intterest will have the use of the failure
and the eva/repair stuff)

I deleted the DGII today to make room on my web space
and by chance looked at the DGII counter file, last time I checked
one years ago it was 300 and today it was..... 5'500 8o It must be an error.

I really wonder if really more than 1000 people used the DGII ?
I'll put a hidden spy webcam in the dgIII, this mistery bug me


Dan

[MattNW]

I can solve part of your mystery. Four of those were me. The original, a corrupted file, a hard drive
crash and one download from a friend's house for her son who's now hooked on Orbiter and the
DG III.

Hal is easy to get along with. Just don't go yanking his circuit boards out.

[DanSteph]

Thanks for feedback, still 5446 to go

One things that could be possible is a 3d radar with the ship and a red dot
where the failed part is, you must be exactly located here (green dot on
the radar) and not moving for sometime (progress bar)

That would test the skill to be exactly at a given point with an mmu wich is
still space related.

Never mind I'm self thinking.

Dan

[darkvoid]

DanSteph wrote:

> (I wonder how many people appart those that read this forum
> and have a special intterest will have the use of the failure
> and the eva/repair stuff)

I love orbiter, the DGII and now of course the DGIII and I use all its features. But I (and 2 other
friends of mine (that don't write in the forum)) see no fun in "repairing" the antenna in the eva... I
would prefer a model of a mother ship to carry the DGIII to other far planets like Jupiter Neptune
or a hybernation simulation for the passengers (how would 5 people survive a 1 year mission to
jupiter in the tiny DGIII?) or something different... But maybe when I'll try the eva  I will find it
enjoyable.

Well it's just my opinion...

[EndeavourCmdr]

I personally would LOVE to be able to repair a broken system with an EVA. Its about time the
airlock goes to some real useage, and these passengers / pilot, gets to leave the vessel in space
=) There is only so much that Orbiter allows us to do in orbit, and something like repairing broken
systems would give my crew and myself something to do while up there, other then just dock with
the ISS heheheh.

[soda]

I have not used the forum before, because of my poor english, but i just want to say, the idea of fixing
things with EVA is going to push the DG into a whole new dimension. I can't wait to blow myself through
the airlock and float past the passenger window and see how they go from joy to fear.
Serious, this is fantastic.

[Zamzara]

First things first, don't make the same mistake as with the shuttle EVA where once your guy goes
out the airlock, he stays there for the rest of the mission! I don't think the DG nose cone is a
healthy place to be during re-entry!

[ChristopherT]

 Darkvoid.  There are ships like Vespucci and others available that can serve
as motherships for exploration.  Dan addressed this by giving the DG3 the
ability to go into a "sleep" mode and unload the crew for long trips.  EVA is
the next logical step because it's what most astronauts do while working on
the ISS, or MIR  or some other orbital construction project.   You can't send robots
out to do a job, and remote arms like the shuttle's aren't always the answer
either.  I like to go EVA just to be able to appreciate the scale of something. Some
ships in Orbiter add-ons aren't correctly scaled, but those that are make it worth while.
 
 Tooling around the DG3 and the ISS in EVA drove me to research the current ISS and
the Project Alpha ISS to the point where I recognize most of the modules on sight.

 The Nasa MMU is fast becoming MY second favorite means of travel besides the DG3.  

    Christopher

[Simonpro]

Yep,
Having the ability to repair your ship on-orbit would be outstanding, and comes a close second on
my "wish list" - right behind systems that fail :p

Keep up the good work, Dansteph

Cheers,
Simon

[darkvoid]

ChristopherT wrote:

> Darkvoid. "..."

Hi ChristopherT, I was just giving my feedback I was not expecting a reply to my opinion, but as I
said it was just my opinion, I will not use any "repair" function with logic puzzles of the eva... But
sure I can see myself having fun in eva flying around if it’s not to hard for Dan to accomplish... But
what I don't understand how a person who uses DGIII could suggest that the Vespucci is a
suitable mother ship! That ship is 2 years old and has no panel or functions.

[DanSteph]

Joe is taking form, some problem with modeling
(deleted the hand It just take me one hour to make)
but he is floating in orbiter near the DGIII and ISS (no dll yet
I'll do it next)

(no picture Joe's feet still suck)

You will be able to EVA (you will see one passenger less
in the cabin) make a tour and dock back (passenger will be back)
if there is only the pilot he will do it himself.

Of course there will be a limited amount of O2 for the spacesuit
(1 hour?) a panel (bmp already done basically the helmet as seen from inside)
and an hud with repair mode, radar mode etc etc. , a breath sound
(I think to take it from 2010) and perhaps one or two radio sound
coming from the ship taken that someone can record the voice for me.
(my english accent suck too much) Something like "good job it's repaired"
"go back to ship" etc etc

For RCS I think to replace the thruster flame with only a litle smoke
simulating ejection of inert gaz.


Dan

[reekchaa]

That sounds Great, Dan... excitement levels rising.  
I think just keeping the mmu at a given point ('zone') should be plenty challenging.  Good choice.

Should we all start Emailing you our variety of radio responses "good job it's repaired", "go back to
ship", and should we include a few possible others?  "I see your O2 is low","go back to
ship","Thruster levels low"... etc?

What about if you DON't do the repair and want back in, "I'm sorry Dave... I'm afraid I can't do
that." (HAL )

[EndeavourCmdr]

I would suggest "System repairs are complete", as the message to use when you are done with
the repairs on EVA. Thats more proper of English then the others. Not criticisizing, just helping =)

[DanSteph]

we must first decide what we need exactly...
(who is ready to give his voice ?)

I would like that it sound like "real" radio communication
beetween dg and mmu mhhh lets think what situation require
sound , up to anyone here to make sentence proposal.
(mine are just to give an idea)



1- when the mmu clear the airlock he say so to the DG
 and the dg aknowledge.

"mmu to ship, airlock cleared"
"Glider copy that"

2- when the mmu is really close to the dock he say so to the DG

"mmu to ship I'm coming back to airlock"
"Roger mmu, welcome back"

3- when the mmu is near the failed stuff:

"mmu I'm ready to repair blabla"
"go for that mmu"

4- when the failed stuff is repaired:

"Damn stuff repaired"
"etc etc"


Perf concern make me think that 4 sound is enough
(there should be some sound effect also)

any suggestion welcome (well not two hours of communication
4-5 sound max.

Dan

[Wilko]

Oh Dan.. have a look-ee here Dan

http://www.moonport.org/orbiterforum/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?
board=screenshots;action=display;num=1076430884

*Thinks of what the DGIII could be like with THAT*

[DanSteph]

Martin don't want to implement clickable cockpit for yet...
so it will be only an alternate view to panel.

I'm more egerly waiting the NASSP 5.0 panel in 2d IT LOOK COOL !

Dan