User:Phkb

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Revision as of 01:46, 28 September 2018 by Phkb (talk | contribs)
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About phkb

phkb stands for "play hard, kick butt", to which there is a long and funny story - but not funny enough for this forum. phkb's real name is Nick Rogers, which is what he tends to call himself, rather than an unpronounceable acronym. If you absolutely have to have a pronunciation, then he would suggest adding an "i" and "o" to make it "pihkob", PIH-kob.

Nick first played Elite on the Commodore 64 in the late 80's, rising to the level of Deadly before his C64 was "borrowed" and then never returned. He discovered Oolite at around version 1.70, and has been playing quite a bit since.

Sometime after the release of 1.80 he decided to try his hand at writing his own components and customisations for the game. He now requires a constant supply of dark side cookies to feed his habit.

Nick is currently CEO of Xenon Industries, whose operating mantra is to "make it look good". He can be spotted in various locations in G7, piloting a (now) slightly used Yasen-N, but still seems to spend a lot of time writing expansion packs.

phkb's OXPs

You can download all these OXP's via the download manager within Oolite itself. Or you can download them from here. It's up to you!
For information on what the "Gameplay Balance" color means, visit the Gameplay and Balance Indicator page.

Category

Description of OXP

Gameplay
Balance

Download
count

Min Oolite
version

Equipment AutoDock gives players without a docking computer the ability to use computer-controlled docking systems at main stations for a small fee.
green
2897 1.82
Miscellaneous Auto-prime equipment helps pilots manage connections between MFD's and primable equipment items by auto-priming the equipment whenever the MFD is changed or selected.
green
197 1.86
Mechanics Bounty System changes the way bounties are stored and processed, making the bounty system a bit deeper and richer.
orange
2617 1.82
HUDs BroadcastComms MFD provides a way of communicating with other ships during flight.
green
6129 1.80
Equipment Bulk Cargo Processor provides a way to quickly dump or destroy cargo in your hold during flight.
green
597 1.82
Miscellaneous Bulletin Board Contracts moves all the cargo, passengers and parcel contracts onto the Bulletin Board, instead of having three different F4 interface screens. Smuggling contracts from the Smugglers OXP are also moved onto the Bulletin Board.
Can optionally include Escort Contracts, Rescue Station missions, Random Hits contracts, In-System Taxi contracts, Mining Contracts and Taxi Galactica contracts.
green
1256 1.84
Miscellaneous Bulletin Board System is a utility designed to help OXP authors add custom missions to the Oolite universe.
green
3813 1.82
Miscellaneous Change View Sound (v1.0 download) plays a sound as an audible confirmation whenever the view direction is changed during flight.
green
64 1.80
HUDs Comms Log MFD displays all communications received by the player in a scrollable multi-function display, as well as an interface screen that provides access to the communications log while docked.
green
11516 1.80
Miscellaneous Compressed F7 Layout compresses all the information on the F7 screen, removing all the blank lines, as well as moving data from Distant Suns and Explorers Club into the top part of the screen.
Requires the System Data Config OXP.
green
206 1.86
HUDs Damage Report MFD lists all damaged equipment in a MFD, as well as providing an interface screen that can help locate the closest system where repairs can be carried out.
green
3775 1.82
Ambience Death Comms attempts to add a bit of flavour to battles by sometimes having ships give a final comms message when they die.
green
3959 1.80
Mechanics Display Current Course displays your current course on contract detail screens (and most other mission screens that display a long range chart), enabling the player to see if their current course is similar to the proposed course.
blue
2490 1.80
Equipment Email System gives pilots an email interface, and they will start receiving emails from GalCop and other entities, confirming actions that have taken place.
green
13666 1.80
Missions Enhanced Passenger Contracts expands on the standard passenger contract system, trying to add a bit of variety and interactivity.
green
0 1.84
Miscellaneous Equipment Remove Item Color changes the color of equipment items described as "Remove", to make them stand out from standard equipment items.
green
246 1.86
Mechanics Escape Pod Slave Fix prevents escape pods ejected from destroyed ships from having slaves only when scooped (ie, no insurance payout or bounty reward).
green
unknown 1.80
Mechanics Escape Pod Tweaks changes the way escape pods are processed to make it more logical.
green
272 1.86
Equipment Fast Target Selector helps pilots target ships on their scanner quickly and easily, and also highlights the current target on the scanner.
blue
3400 1.80
Equipment Fuel Injection Cruise Control allows the fuel injectors to be operated in a similar fashion to the Torus drive, whereby it can be turned on and off manually (or automatically), rather than having to hold down the injectors key on the keyboard.
green
0 1.86
Mechanics Fuel Tweaks attempts to make fuel scooping a more desirable pastime by adding Quirium Fuel as a new commodity, and by providing functions and controls to change the way fuel is handled at stations.
orange
671 1.82
Ambience GalCop Galactic Registry give pilots access to galactic chart data to aid in course plotting.
green
4357 1.80
Missions GalCop Missions adds a number of replayable missions, accessible through the Bulletin Board System, to give players more things to do in and around each system.
green
746 1.84
Missions GalCop's Most Wanted expands on the Bounty System by adding a list of criminals who have a significant bounty with GalCop. The player can try to track down these bounties down by using logic and deduction about where those targets are likely to be.
orange
281 1.82
Ambience Home System adds some flavour text to a variety of messages received by the player in systems designated as their home. As well, there are some other benefits achievable the more players visit their home system.
green
0 1.86
Ships Illicit Unlock unlocks player versions of all the core ships, including the Constrictor, Gecko, Krait and Sidewinder.
green
2014 1.82
Equipment Laser Mount Switching System (LMSS) enables multiple lasers to be installed at each mount point, and easily switch between them during flight.
blue
4747 1.80
Dockables Liners Markets (v1.1 download) adds a trade market to the dockable liners in the Liners OXP.
green
0 1.80
Mechanics Manual Witchspace Alignment (v2.2 download) makes the process of entering hyperspace a bit more interactive by requiring the player to manually align their ship with a hyperspace destination beacon.
orange
240 1.86
HUDs MFD Fast Configuration helps pilots manage MFD configurations by providing up to 6 different sets that can be loaded quickly and easily.
green
1924 1.82
Mechanics Modern Start adds new starting options to the game, providing a small selection of equipment that is considered standard in many other space combat/trading games.
a_violet
1291 1.80
Miscellaneous 'No Market' Notification (v1.0 download) displays a more meaningful message instead of an unusable market screen on stations with no commodities market.
green
113 1.80
Miscellaneous Ship Comparison helps players in the market for a new ship, by providing a means by which the specifications of up to 3 different ships can be viewed at once.
green
2772 1.80
Mechanics Ship Configuration aims to make the process of adding equipment to your ship more deliberate by adding space and weight factors to all equipment in all ships.
red
1109 1.82
Mechanics Ship Repurchase aims to make escape pods a more integral part of the player's life, by forcing the player to eject and by giving the player options about the replacement ship they will receive when they are rescued.
red
107 1.86
Ambience Ship Respray gives players the opportunity to purchase a new paint job for their ship.
green
10222 1.80
Mechanics Smugglers - The Galactic Underworld broadens the appeal of illegal goods by making it far more variable, adds smuggling compartments and a Black Market interface, and generally tries to shake up the cargo business.
orange
2445 1.82
Ambience Solar Flares (v1.0 download) adds visible solar flares to systems with solar activity
green
159 1.80
Mechanics Station Dock Control simulates the arrivals and departures of a space station, and gives the player full view of most ships docked at a station.
green
4958 1.80
Miscellaneous System Data Config allows OXP configuration of the layout of the System Data (F7) screen.
green
244 1.86
HUDs Xenon HUD groups important gauges around the crosshairs, and uses custom crosshair images.
green
3880 1.82
Ambience Xenon UI adds computer console-like backgrounds to all the various displays, plus new title screen theme music.
green
4462 1.80

phkb has authored a couple of font OXP's, which you can find on the Oolite Fonts page.

Experimental OXP's

These OXP's were made to explore some ideas or to foster some discussion. They aren't available via the download manager.

Category

Description of OXP

Gameplay
Balance

Download
count

Min Oolite
version

Miscellaneous CompressedJSON.zip is a utility designed for OXP developers. Many OXP's use JSON to package up data into the save game file, and then extract it again when loading the game. JSON is a rather bulky format, though, and it doesn't take long for your data to start making your save game file quite large. Compressed JSON simply reduces the amount of space the JSON data takes up, thereby reducing your save game file. See the readme file inside the ZIP for details on how to use it.
Discussion can be found here: BB Link.
green
1.82
Mechanics SpaceLanceAdheranceBonus.oxz was intended as a way of dealing with the "go off-lane to avoid pirates" recommendation, which is normally given to new pilots who are struggling with combat in the early part of the game. This OXP encourages players to stay on the witchpoint-to-planet spacelane by giving a small monetary bonus to players who stay on or close to it as much as possible.
Discussion can be found here: BB Link.
blue
1.80

Maintainer

phkb is the maintainer of the following OXP's
For information on what the "Gameplay Balance" color means, visit the Gameplay and Balance Indicator page.

Category

Description of OXP

Gameplay
Balance

Download
count

Min Oolite
version

Ships Ace's Cruzer
green
2245 1.82
Ships Ace's Hornet
green
2243 1.82
Ships Ace's Night Adder
green
2010 1.82
Equipment Deep Horizon Advanced Navigation Computer (v1.0.4 download) adds a primeable piece of equipment that improves interstellar navigation in the form of fuel savings.
green
578 1.80
Equipment Deep Horizon Emergency Witchspace Initiator (v1.0.0 download) adds a primeable piece of equipment that improves the countdown time required to initiate a hyperspace (or witchspace) jump, but at a cost.
green
271 1.77
Systems Dictators adds a range of ships and stations to each dictatorship and offers new trading opportunities to players.
orange
962 1.82
Ambience Docking Fees (v1.6.2 download) adds a small docking fee and docking messages to all GalCop stations based on system tech level. Many OXP stations are also given unique fees or docking messages.
green
0 1.80
Equipment Flight Log adds a simple log of the last 100 systems visited in the current galaxy (latest 10 viewable in-game), which can be dumped out to latest.log. Your kills and profit/loss made whilst in-system are also logged.
green
9483 1.80
Dockables Free Trade Zones adds a Free Trade Zone to some Multi-Government systems.
green
2722 1.80
Ships Generation Ships adds encounters with the mythical Generation Ships from time to time in interstellar space.
green
2922 1.80
Mechanics Hyperspace Hangar allows storage of ships in the Hyperspace Hangar service.
green
787 1.82
Mechanics Illegal Goods Tweak introduces interaction with Galcop customs when docking at a main station with contraband in the hold.
orange
3662 1.80
Dockables Imperial AstroFactory adds Astro-Factories to some Dictator systems. Can be installed independently of Dictators OXP.
green
1412 1.82
Activities Interstellar Help adds some interactivity between the player and other NPC ships caught in interstellar space.
green
0 1.80
Missions Long Way Round is a simple mission for beginner commanders in Galaxy 1, starting at Biarge.
green
0 1.80
HUDs Navigation MFD displays navigational information in an MFD. Information includes data from hyperdrive system and space compass.
green
361 1.82
Ambience Satellites adds some small satellites to every main planet.
green
1773 1.80
Missions Scourge of the Black Baron is a small mission pack, a sequel to the Long Way Round mission.
green
0 1.80
Missions Spy Hunter adds the Spy Hunter mission to galaxy 1.
green
1708 1.82
Mechanics Skilled NPC's enables higher-quality flight AI for routine NPCs. Can be configured with OXPConfig or Library for even more challenge.
orange
369 1.80
Missions Taxi Galactica adds Taxi Stations in corporate systems that offer exotic passenger contracts.
green
155 1.80
Dockables Tionisla Chronicle Array adds the Tionisla Chronicle array to the Tionisla system. An array is also added to one system in each galactic sector.
green
292 1.80
Ambience Tionisla Orbital Graveyard adds the Tionisla Orbital Graveyard (from the novel 'The Dark Wheel') to the Tionisla system.
green
432 1.80
Missions Tionisla Reporter adds a simple mission for a starting commander, which starts in the Tionisla system, in G1.
green
1458 1.82
Equipment Trophy Collector helps you keep track of your kills. When in-flight, view your 10 last kills (Bounty Log) in an MFD. When docked, view your all-time kills (Trophy Collection) along with a kill log (Trophy Log) of 38 events in the interfaces screen.
green
3738 1.80
Missions UPS Courier adds several random missions that run simultaneously. The first set of missions offered will be various transport missions. After you have run enough of these, a series of combat jobs will be offered.
green
841 1.82
Equipment Waypoint Here allows you to set up to 8 waypoints to mark your current location so you can find your way back there later. Does not use any missile pylons.
green
402 1.80
Mechanics Wormhole Restoration allows for your original wormhole to be re-opened and provide an escape route out of interstellar space.
green
0 1.80
Dockables Z-GrOovY Small System Stations (v1.5 download) adds the Octahedron Outpost and the Tetrahedron Depot to selected systems.
green
1103 1.80
Retextures Z-GrOovY Variety Pack (v2.0 download) adds some paint variations for the Cobra Mark I, Cobra Mark III, Sidewinder and the YellOo Cab.
green
0 1.80

Alternate Download Location

An alternative download location for most of these OXP's can be found on Box.com

HTML Galaxy Maps

phkb has also put together a downloadable version of the New Galaxy Guide, which provides a way for players to have offline access to most of the information contained on the Wiki pages.

See this BB Link for details.
The zip package can be downloaded from here: OoliteGalaxyMaps.zip

You will need a browser that supports HTML5.

phkb

Oolite Teaser Trailer

Finally, phkb has released a short "teaser trailer" for Oolite, based on version 1.86. You can find it on YouTube here: Oolite 1.86 teaser trailer