No where else in the forums seems to be the right place for this with the exception of the "GameOps Forum" for registered TWGS Ops (I am one, but there is no traffic there and would like general discussion)


Why is there no warning that a planet is going to suddenly get degraded while you are playing? Received the following for the second time in a particular game while actively using the particular planet/sector:

The Federation We destroyed the Quasar Cannon on 3 in sector XXXX.
DO NOT deploy offensive planets on the Major Space Lanes!

You'd think that a game meant for 24-hour playing would be able to be played for "twenty-four-hours" without getting weeks worth of hard work squashed because you happened to put a planet somewhere "while you were currently playing and not logged off" and the extern program runs.


Nate

That is one annoying thing with v3. I would think that in v4 extern would be eliminated and the feds would just bust you much faster [:D]

Heh...suggest you both check archived material in both School Fourum and Manual Forum. Any planet that is left in a MSL (Main Space Lane) at extern gets reduced to L2 and that has been in effect as long as I have been playing this game. If you tried blocking SD with L4+ planets then maybe you learned a lesson several of us learned early on in our "newb" games. Sorry to hear you tried.... Been there...bought the T-shirt...had it ripped from my back and found the front door was screwed after having nothing left to defend it!

I have read somewhere that Extern is a leftover from the V2 days and will be gone in v4 when/if it is realeased. So you planet bust will look a little more like this (probably):

<warping into sector 442>
Sector: 442
Ports: Shinare (BBB)
Warps: 234 - 345 - 678
Command:
FedComm (Admiral Nelson): We have detected an offencive planet in MSL#1 You have 2 minutes to depart this sector or this planet will be DESTORIED.
FedComm (Admiral Nelson): You have one minute to remove your offencive planet from MSL#1 or it will be DESTORIED.
Admiral Nelson warps into the sector.
Admiral Nelson is powering up weapons!
Admiral Nelson releases an Atomic Detonator!
Admiral Nelson has destoried planet Floo-Floo!
Report from Planet Foo-Foo: Admiral Nelson is attacking!
Report from Planet Foo-Foo: Admiral Nelson has Destoried Planet Foo-Foo

Admiral Nelson has destoried your offencive planet in MSL#1. For forcing the hand of justice, your Alignment drops by 58 points!

<NavHaz Detected in Sector!!>

*eagerly awaits the next update to TW!!*

Have been looking at my original post to find where I said I was blockading stardock. Nope...can't find it. Maybe you can point it out Father.

Yes, this "bug" has been around as long as I've been playing as well. Extern really should have been put to rest with the introduction of simultaneous multi-player. I understand it's use in the v1 and even v2 days (not including MBBS), but with v3 and IP connections...should have been done away with, especially since it's time to run is configurable meaning that it doesn't necessarily coincide with the local midnight "other cleanup".

What I "was" doing was alien hunting at a Class 0 port using a Level 6 planet. When I say it happened before, it was the exact same thing, alien hunting at a CLass 0. Extern is set to run at 7pm PST, which happens to coincide with my 10pmEST normal playtime.

Basically what my real bitch about the whole thing is there not being a warning that it's going to happen. A 5 minute alert that the planet is in danger or something is not out of line as far as I'm concerned. If you are online, you will see it. If you aren't, then you deserve to get it squashed.

Nate

Heh! Parking a planet in ANY sector of a MSL (Main Space Lane) is going to get that puppy reduced to L2 and it should not matter whether it is at any of the Special ports or any of the routes between them. If you don't get them out in time why should there be a warning given? I assume you have been playing for some time and had that happen to you just as I had to learn the hard way many moons and games back. There is a REAL reason for that and it just happens to be to prevent anyone from using L4+ planets to lock anyone from access to SD! If you lost a planet or 2 trying to do SD lockout...heh...your bad!

its not a bug.

yup, sometimes we have to learn the hard way (grin).

Maybe not a "bug" on the "official bug list", but it sure as heck fits the description of a "feature" under Microsoft rules.

Anyways....just as curious about what a discussion on it would reveal, and I got my answer: no real discussion, pretty much like the rest of the forums.

Oh well, I tried.

Nate

quote:Originally posted by NLucier

Maybe not a "bug" on the "official bug list", but it sure as heck fits the description of a "feature" under Microsoft rules.

Anyways....just as curious about what a discussion on it would reveal, and I got my answer: no real discussion, pretty much like the rest of the forums.

Oh well, I tried.

Nate


There is nothing unintentional about this. It was put there intentionally. I understand you want a message to warn you you shouldn't do it, but I doubt it's likely to happen. We're still waiting on some major bug fixes.

Ok....maybe I wasn't being clear enough as to the kind of warning. Not a warning when you put the planet there, but a warning before it's actually squashed, say, 5 minutes before extern runs. If you are online (and most likely actively using the planet), then you get the warning and move it. If you are not online, then poof...a Level 2 space rock that takes up room there.

I understand the reason for squashing the planet, just not the way it happens. Let's say that the sysop of the game doesn't tell you when extern runs. Is there a way to find out what the setting is? Could probably put a fig in a space lane and wait to see what time it gets destroyed (assuming it was destroyed by Feds), but that is something that you shouldn't have to do. It should be on the "V" screen in game, and also on the "S" and "*" screens at the menu.

Nate

quote:Originally posted by NLucier

Ok....maybe I wasn't being clear enough as to the kind of warning. Not a warning when you put the planet there, but a warning before it's actually squashed, say, 5 minutes before extern runs. If you are online (and most likely actively using the planet), then you get the warning and move it. If you are not online, then poof...a Level 2 space rock that takes up room there.

I understand the reason for squashing the planet, just not the way it happens. Let's say that the sysop of the game doesn't tell you when extern runs. Is there a way to find out what the setting is? Could probably put a fig in a space lane and wait to see what time it gets destroyed (assuming it was destroyed by Feds), but that is something that you shouldn't have to do. It should be on the "V" screen in game, and also on the "S" and "*" screens at the menu.

Nate

I agree, I think it should list it somewhere. However, it's unlikely that it will be. That said, by the time you have a lvl 4 planet, you should know when extern runs, it's not like it's a different time every day. When you first join a server check the previous day's logs (with timestamping) to see when extern runs. It's at that time that it runs every night in all games (it may vary by a few seconds). I have never played on a server where the extern time changed frequently at all.

Just check the logs for when extern runs.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Daily Journal S.D. 09/20/14 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

ÛÛÛÛÛÛ The Ferrengi moved at 00:59:47 AM, on 09/20/14 ÛÛÛÛÛÛ
-- 09/20/14 -- 00:59:54 AM --
Port-O-Plenty construction advanced.
-- 09/20/14 -- 01:00:01 AM --
traveler was towed out of FedSpace
for violating the limited armaments regulations
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= End Daily Journal =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

On this board it runs at 01:00AM Local time.

Then check the time (CT) to see the difference from your time zone.

Unless the sysop changes the extern time. (Unlikely) You will know when to expect extern.

I believe the game should tell you whenever you place something in a Major Space Lane that could get wiped out extern. The MSL's are not something that is very obvious in the game.

quote:Originally posted by NLucier

No where else in the forums seems to be the right place for this with the exception of the "GameOps Forum" for registered TWGS Ops (I am one, but there is no traffic there and would like general discussion)


Why is there no warning that a planet is going to suddenly get degraded while you are playing? Received the following for the second time in a particular game while actively using the particular planet/sector:

The Federation We destroyed the Quasar Cannon on 3 in sector XXXX.
DO NOT deploy offensive planets on the Major Space Lanes!

You'd think that a game meant for 24-hour playing would be able to be played for "twenty-four-hours" without getting weeks worth of hard work squashed because you happened to put a planet somewhere "while you were currently playing and not logged off" and the extern program runs.


Nate



quote:Originally posted by craig

I believe the game should tell you whenever you place something in a Major Space Lane that could get wiped out extern. The MSL's are not something that is very obvious in the game.



For both of you. Since the game is still really a door game, but with a telnet connectivity addited to it. It is still Trade Wars 2002 v3.xx.xx with a telnet server(TWGS). The game has been adapted to work with the TWGS for connectivity only. TWGS has been made to run the Trade Wars 2002 v3.xx.xx game program(TW2002) and utilities(Big Bang, Tedit and Extern). The game (TW2002) is a completely seperate program from the utilities (Big Bang, Tedit and Extern). Since they are completely seperate programs. They are run independantly of each other. As such there is no way for the game (TW2002) to know when Extern is going to run. Hence there is no way for the game to warn you that you are about to lose your [b]sorry[b] assets that happens to be in a MSL. Atleast not without a complete rewrite of the game code. And JP has already stated that there is going to no more writing of code for v3.xx.xx of Trade Wars 2002 w/TWGS. Except to remove current major, major bugs.

Even if there is a way for the game to know when extern is going to run. And that there is a way for JP to add in code so that the game can warn you.

I think it would be stupid for JP to do so. If you are stupid enough to place some valuable piece of asset in a major space lane. And leave it there for any length of time, to include when extern is run. Then you deserve to lose that asset, or to have it downgraded. Because if the game didn't take it away from you, or downgraded it. I, or others, will take it away from you, or destroy it.

And do not tell me that you can not easily find out when extern is run. It shows up in the daily logs, in various of ways. If the game has a time limit, you time is reset at extern. There are various other ways to find out when extern is run.

Also do not tell me that you don't know where the MSL are. As you can easily find out what sectors are the MSL. And that also includes FED Space, SD, and both Class 0 ports.

What it comes down to, is that you want things easy for you to play. If you can't handle playing the game as is, then don't play it.

If v4 becomes reality, maybe it will be easier for you to play and win.