Traffic Control OXP

Overview

A little script which gives each system main station a traffic control department, whose job it is to guide new Commanders (and a few old hands who have become too reliant on docking computers) on the best route for manual approach and docking into the station. They oversee all traffic from station aegis and planetary approach right up until the actual docking itself. Also they keep an eye on ships leaving the station and wish people a bon voyage. Just don't dally in the approach lane and get in everyone's way, or you'll feel their wrath!

Recommended for new players learning how to dock manually, and for experienced players who want a bit of extra ambience around main stations. It is fully integrated with the docking clearance protocols introduced in Oolite 1.72 (if the stations enable them). Most messages from this OXP will appear only if your ship does not have functional docking computers, but a few will appear regardless, for example: Clear the lane, Commander! If you see a message that starts with 'Traffic Control:' then it is probably from this OXP.

In terms of balance, this OXP is neutral for beginners and slightly biased against the experienced player, because it enforces (with fines and small but escalating bounties) a sensible rule against the use of cloaking devices in proximity to main stations... however, to be fair, it will not impose any penalties if you pass undetected (or at least unidentified). Of course, requesting docking clearance or activating docking computers will transmit your identity to the station...

This OXP is compatible with all other OXPs, and includes considerations for Buoy Repair, ILS and AutoDock if those OXPs are also installed.

Requirements

This OXP requires at least version 1.88 of Oolite.

The traffic controllers also assume that any Commander's ship equipped with Docking Computers can look after itself in terms of approach and docking.

Version History

09/10/2008 - Version 1.00, Initial release.
04/11/2008 - Version 1.01, scripting update for v1.72+ compatibility.
24/05/2010 - Version 1.10, fortified equipment damage checking for 1.74
13/02/2011 - Version 1.11, removal of upper limit, to allow running with 1.75
08/07/2020 - Version 2.00, updated by Milo; set minimum Oolite version to 1.88; 
*fixed errors if navigation buoy is destroyed; 
*corrected planet approach guidance (follow green circle, not square, if ship has a basic compass); 
*added additional hints for new players (until they buy docking computers); 
*set up recurring reminders to "clear the lane" when not supposed to be there; 
*integrated docking advice with docking clearance protocol for main stations that require clearance; 
*added warning messages to fugitive players entering station aegis or requesting docking clearance; 
*Cloaking Devices: added responses to being detected using cloaking devices in the station aegis (this OXP now declares it illegal to cloak within main station aegis and introduces a small bounty for the first offence, which will be increased for non-fugitive players each time they are detected still cloaked after the initial offence; however, entering the aegis cloaked and never interacting with the station will not impose a penalty as the traffic controllers are unaware of the trespass); added a 1000 credit fine (or equivalent bounty) to the arrival report when docking at main stations while cloaked (even if fast-docking is used); 
*added considerations for nova systems (traffic control will leave a recording when sun has gone nova) and for Buoy Repair, ILS and AutoDock OXPs
07/11/2021 - Version 2.01, updated by Milo; fix bug reported by dybal (docking clearance "granted" status was not correctly detected, resulting in unintended behavior, particularly noticeable when combined with ILS OXP)
07/16/2021 - Version 2.02, updated by Milo; reduced the frequency of some messages, changed one word to be more situationally neutral, and fixed a log warning involving percent symbols; updated license from CC 3.0 to CC 4.0

Download

The latest version, Traffic Control v2.02, can be downloaded from the wiki by clicking on the link.

An older version, Traffic Control v1.11, can be downloaded from Box.Net by clicking on the link.

Links

• Thargoid's OXP page.
• BB Thread (2019-20)
• Original thread (2008)

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