making a map

[Betelgeuse]

Was just thinking it might be useful to put a map on a dockscreen (sort of like a scrollable minimap). Once buttons come in it will help alot with scrolling and zooming.

You could use this to plot out directions. A mission could show you the route the freighter takes and probable ambush points. With buttons you could even select different routes.

You could even use this for giving out commands to subordinates. (help plan out a defense for a station about to be attacked by Xenophobes)

Some questions.
How would nebula or arena walls work in this kind of thing?
Would it be "fair" to show routes of various ships that are going to unknown or hidden stations?

[ThePrivateer]

That's a great idea!

I love looking at game maps for some reason, and I reckon this would be awesome!

The way I would do it, is to incorporate the docksreen you make into the Nav beacons (or maybe a new 'Commonwealth Map' station).
It would be awesome to see ships moving around on the map.

As for "hidden" stations/ships, charge the player a fee to reveal the map in two stages, just like System Map ROM and Military Map ROM.

eg, 350 creds for just Cwealth/friendly stations
500 creds for friendly and enemy (not hidden)
1000 creds for all stations.

You can just use the coding built in to the above mentioned ROMS.


I reckon that would be an aweseom mod though, especially what you mentioned about freighters -- you could mod Korolov to show you the routes your chosen freighter will take etc.
Same with Commonwealth Fleet missions where you have to protect an inbound freighter or destroy an inbound slaver ship.

*Waits in anticipation*

[Prophet]

I have also thought about making a map in the canvas screens but there are a number of hurdles.

Drawing lines
displaying ship images with proper facings
most ship pathing is point to point (Straight line) only the freighters make waypoints besides a few scripted mission ships.

As for Nebulas and walls, it would require additional logic when plotting a course for ships, potentially breaking the mod. I'm thinking of a case where you order a ship to move beyond the last planet's orbit in Heretic before the quarantine is dropped (spaceEnvironment event script) it would never arrive.

A more basic static map using icons might work better, but nearly as cool.

[alterecco]

For those who think it might be fun, here is a link for a javascript vector drawing library. It uses a technique for drawing that could be used in dockscreens as well. If one took a good look at the API and implementation it would be possible to recreate in tscript.

http://www.c-point.com/javascript_vector_draw.htm


Please note that the original author of this library is Walter Zorn, but his site is down atm for some, probably sad, reason.