Freelancer Explorer: Nomads

As an example have a look at the encounters in EW05, EW06 and St03. Your problem could be down to npc difficulty level, the nomads only have a couple of levels

Every time I’ve had this problem it was one of two things; the pilots weren’t configured properly, or the formation wasn’t configured properly.

Forgive me if my explanations are beneath your level of understanding, you may already know this but I don’t know what you know, so I may be covering things you’ve already tried.

Make sure the pilots are matching in both npcships.ini and faction_prop.ini. Look at the level indicators as well. If you’re specifying level d19 you need to make sure you have a ship that’s configured for level d19.

So, here’s the nomads in faction_prop.ini

[FactionProps]
affiliation = fc_n_grp
legality = unlawful
nickname_plurality = plural
msg_id_prefix = ignore
jump_preference = jumpgate
npc_ship = MSN13_Nomad_Fighter_Populator
npc_ship = fc_n_no_fighter_d19
mc_costume = mc_fc
firstname_male = 229608, 229608
firstname_female = 229608, 229608
lastname = 229608, 229608
rank_desig = 197140, 197140, 197140, 10, 15
formation_desig = 197808, 197820
formation = fighters, fighter_guild <- type of ships to use and which formation to make them appear in

Note that ships MSN13_Nomad_Fighter_Populator and fc_n_no_fighter_d19 are spec’d and that formation fighters, fighter_guild is spec’d.

From npcships.ini the ships are here:
[NPCShipArch]
nickname = MSN13_Nomad_Fighter_Populator
loadout = MSN13_Nomad_Fighter_Pop
level = d10
ship_archetype = no_fighter
pilot = MSN13_Nomad_Fighter
state_graph = FIGHTER
npc_class = unlawful, FIGHTER, d1, d2, d3, d4, d5, d6, d7, d8, d9, d10, d11, d12

and

[NPCShipArch]
nickname = fc_n_no_fighter_d19
loadout = no_fighter_loadout02
level = d19
ship_archetype = no_fighter
pilot = MSN13_Nomad_Fighter
state_graph = FIGHTER <- ship is defined as fighter
npc_class = unlawful, FIGHTER, d19

Note that there’s no level between d12 through d18. I’m not sure if that means that if you spec a level 17 ship to show up you’ll get no stronger than a level 12 (MSN13_Nomad_Fighter_Populator) or that none will show up at all…

In formations.ini you have the following formation:

[Formation]
nickname = fighter_guild
pos = 0, 0, 0
pos = -45, 0, 14
pos = 45, 0, 14
pos = -90, 0, 26
pos = 90, 0, 26
pos = -135, 0, 40
pos = 135, 0, 40
pl_pos = 0, -50, 105

This will define how the ships are positioned when they appear.

in area_nomads.ini you have:
[EncounterFormation]
ship_by_class = 1, 1, fighters <- again, use ships that are fighters
pilot_job = assault_leader_job
make_class = wanderer
ship_by_class = 3, 3, fighters
pilot_job = assault_job
make_class = wanderer
formation_by_class = fighters
behavior = wander
arrival = cruise
allow_simultaneous_creation = yes
zone_creation_distance = 0
times_to_create = infinite

[Creation]
permutation = 0, 3

and at the top of the system.ini file you should have your encounter declared as:

[EncounterParameters]
nickname = area_nomads
filename = missions\encounters\area_nomads.ini

and/or

[EncounterParameters]
nickname = area_nomads_m13
filename = missions\encounters\area_nomads_m13.ini

In your encounter zone you should have the matching encounter specified:

encounter = area_nomads, 19, 0.25
faction = fc_n_grp, 1

So, if you specify a level 19 encounter you should see the fc_n_no_fighter_d19 ships showing up.

Oh, and one more thing…

In the zone in question, try making the properties for that zone identical to the zone in which the Nomads DO show up. Perhaps it’s the zone itself that’s the problem.

For example, you know that Nomads show up in Vanilla Freelancer in Omicron Gamma near the unknown jumphole.

That zone is spec’d as:

[zone]
nickname = Zone_Hi02_Malvada_graveyard
pos = 24406, 0, -43335
shape = SPHERE
size = 6000
interference = 0.5
damage = 100
visit = 128
sort = 99.5 <- important to your issue
toughness = 19 <- important to your issue
density = 3 <- important to your issue
repop_time = 25 <- important to your issue
max_battle_size = 4 <- important to your issue
pop_type = Background <- important to your issue
relief_time = 35 <- important to your issue
encounter = area_nomads, 19, 0.25 <- important to your issue
faction = fc_n_grp, 1 <- important to your issue

Great, always glad to help. What was the problem in your case?

Sorry for hijacking thread, but has anyone clue where is Escort # defined for patrols?
16159 in Resources has this Entry.

P.S. Sry for my noob questions

robocop wrote:
….
Note that there’s no level between d12 through d18. I’m not sure if that means that if you spec a level 17 ship to show up you’ll get no stronger than a level 12 (MSN13_Nomad_Fighter_Populator) or that none will show up at all…

That’s what I always thought……
… but a few weeks ago I added new npc ships and made a group
flying one ship between d1 and - say - d12 and a 2nd between d7 and d19.
Now having an encounter zone with toughness 19, only the 2nd ship type did show.

Glad it was something so simple. You’ll not make that mistake again.