2 systems, different behaviors

ermmm
lemme look at that…
is the key in the name of the zone? in other words, the zone nickname must have the _pop_zone in it?

it looks like they’re all pop_type = background

I noticed the sorts yesterday and changed the sorts to all the zones that have the encounters in question to 51 as that was the value in the zone that works in the one system.
I’ll implement that today and report back what happens.

Does anyone have a list of the sort values and their meaning?

All right…
I’m going to have to try adding in some of those pop zones you refer to. I figured that as long as the NPC pilot had the missile_block setting in their pilot, and the ship had a CD mounted, they would use it regardless of the zone they’re in. Or maybe Nomads are different…

Nomad CDs are still uses_ammo = false, so it’s not like they’re out of ammo.

Well, here’s what I’ve done. I’ve removed ALL nomad encounters except for these four zones.

[Zone]
nickname = Zone_St05_pop_ambient_01
pos = -22972, 0, -25117
rotate = 0, 46, 0
shape = ELLIPSOID
size = 45639, 24198, 24198
sort = 51
toughness = 19
density = 12
repop_time = 25
max_battle_size = 20
pop_type = Background
relief_time = 35
population_additive = false
faction_weight = fc_n_grp, 1
encounter = area_nomads, 15, 0.5
faction = fc_n_grp, 1

[Zone]
nickname = Zone_St05_pop_ambient_02
pos = 25270, 0, -18990
rotate = 0, -27, 0
shape = ELLIPSOID
size = 45486, 28486, 28486
sort = 51
toughness = 19
density = 12
repop_time = 25
max_battle_size = 20
pop_type = Background
relief_time = 35
population_additive = false
faction_weight = fc_n_grp, 1
encounter = area_nomads, 15, 0.5
faction = fc_n_grp, 1

[Zone]
nickname = Zone_St05_pop_ambient_03
pos = 4441, 0, 25117
rotate = 0, -15, 0
shape = ELLIPSOID
size = 53450, 30324, 30324
sort = 51
toughness = 19
density = 12
repop_time = 25
max_battle_size = 20
pop_type = Background
relief_time = 35
population_additive = false
faction_weight = fc_n_grp, 1
encounter = area_nomads, 15, 0.5
faction = fc_n_grp, 1

[zone]
nickname = zone_st05_pop_nomads
pos = 112, 2000, 547
shape = BOX
size = 53277, 4000, 57373
sort = 51
toughness = 19
density = 12
repop_time = 30
max_battle_size = 12
pop_type = Background
relief_time = 12
faction_weight = fc_n_grp, 10
encounter = area_nomads, 15, 0.85
faction = fc_n_grp, 1
encounter = capitalships_Nomads, 19, 0.15
faction = fc_n_grp, 1

Nomads spawn just fine, they just don’t use CDs.

Here’s the ship for the level 15 Nomad fighters

[NPCShipArch]
nickname = fc_n_no_fighter_d15-18
loadout = no_fighter_loadout02
level = d15
ship_archetype = no_fighter
pilot = MSN13_Nomad_Fighter_Ace
state_graph = FIGHTER
npc_class = unlawful, class_fighter, d15, d16, d17, d18

and here’s the loadout

[Loadout]
nickname = no_fighter_loadout02
archetype = no_fighter
equip = ge_nf_engine_01
equip = infinite_power
equip = ge_s_scanner_02
equip = no_thruster, HpThruster01
equip = armor_scale_11
equip = nomad_cruise_disruptor01, HpTorpedo01
equip = nomad_gun01_mark03, HpWeapon01
equip = nomad_gun01_mark03, HpWeapon02
equip = nomad_gun01_mark03, HpWeapon03
cargo = special_nomad_gun01, 1
cargo = special_nomad_gun02, 1

So, any ideas what’s going on? Why don’t the Nomads use CDs?

These files should be server side only, correct? The player doesn’t need these particular files in order for the NPCs to spawn or fire guns, so to my way of thinking, the CDs should work as well.

All right, I noticed something interesting just now.
The Nomads do fire a CD, but only once…

I logged into the system and went into cruise. The first Nomad group that I encountered CD’d me and I had to evade and go back into cruise. They never stopped my attempts to go into cruise, and once I was in cruise I was able to cruise around them until I got bored… They never fired a second shot.

Next I flew away until they were no longer on my scanner. A couple minutes later I encountered another group. Despite me flying around them for a couple minutes, they never fired a CD at me, only their guns.

I F1’d and came back in and the same behavior repeated. It seems they’re only firing one CD and done.

Here’s the info on the pilots in question:

from faction_prop.ini
[FactionProps]
affiliation = fc_n_grp
legality = unlawful
nickname_plurality = plural
msg_id_prefix = ignore
jump_preference = jumphole
npc_ship = MSN13_Nomad_Fighter_Populator
npc_ship = fc_n_no_fighter_d15-18
npc_ship = Nomad_Gunboat
npc_ship = Nomad_Battleship
mc_costume = mc_fc
firstname_female = 229608, 229608
lastname = 229608, 229608
rank_desig = 197140, 197140, 197140, 10, 15
formation_desig = 197808, 197820
formation = fighters, fighter_guild
formation = gunboats, gunboat_wall
formation = battleships, battleship_wall

from npcships.ini
[NPCShipArch]
nickname = fc_n_no_fighter_d15-18
loadout = no_fighter_loadout02
level = d15
ship_archetype = no_fighter
pilot = MSN13_Nomad_Fighter_Ace
state_graph = FIGHTER
npc_class = unlawful, class_fighter, d15, d16, d17, d18

from pilots_story.ini
[Pilot]
nickname = MSN13_Nomad_Fighter_Ace
inherit = story_light_fighter_hard

[Pilot]
nickname = story_light_fighter_hard
gun_id = gun_story_fighter_hard_style_a
missile_id = story_missile_fighter_ace
evade_dodge_id = evade_dodge_fighter_style_c
evade_break_id = evade_break_fighter_style_b
buzz_head_toward_id = buzz_head_toward_fighter_style_b
buzz_pass_by_id = buzz_pass_by_fighter_style_b
trail_id = trail_fighter_style_a
strafe_id = strafe_fighter_style_a
engine_kill_id = engine_kill_fighter_style_a
mine_id = mine_light_fighter_a
countermeasure_id = countermeasure_a
damage_reaction_id = damage_reaction_fighter_style_a
missile_reaction_id = missile_reaction_fighter_style_a
formation_id = formation_fighter_style_a
repair_id = repair_fighter_both
job_id = story_job_fighter_a

The pilots exist, they recognize as hostile, they shoot guns, they shoot at least the one CD, and after that it’s as if they don’t even have a CD anymore.

What am I missing, what should I do?

bump?
(bad robo…)