Editing Wingman Commands

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travists
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Editing Wingman Commands

Post by travists »

I recently came across Wing Commander Universe, development on which appears to have stopped. I'm trying to use the cargo wingman feature (also included in other mods and the main Vega Strike game). Thing is they keep flying away preventing me from tractoring them in. So, in looking around for some help I see that there was at one point a "Prepare for Landing" command you could issue to wingmen causing them to park themselves, making it easer to bring them back in. Not being entirely ignorant of programming I thought I would just mod the mod to include this feature. I can see where to add the key (vegastrike.config in the bindings section), as well as the ai section and a pre-made ai script, which should work. What I don't see is how to enter the commands to make it all happen. Additionally as wingman commands appear to be able to be issued to a ship you are escorting a "stay put" order may prove useful elsewhere. Any help as to how to pull off this trick would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

P.S. I'm new to the forum, so if this needs to be moved, just let me know where it should be posted.
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by -REBEL3- »

We don't really understand the wingman commands much-the people who coded them are gone, and the good coders are working on other higher priority things. If you want to try working on it, we'd be happy to have you.
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by travists »

Can't make any promises, but I can take a look. What I was looking for anyway was where the commands are located i.e. hard coded in the engine, in the ai or module folder, etc. That way I/we can create new commands. I'll tear into it again...

Code: Select all

<bind key="f" modifier="ctrl" command="CommFormUp" />
That is what is in the config file I just haven't been able to find where "CommFormUp" is located. Anyone else have an idea where to look?

Thanks for the update, looks like a moderately popular subject.
:)
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by travists »

Ok, I've looked though things again, I'm not seeing a python module anywhere that controls the commands. Would it be in a dll? If not I'll have to look for the source code and wade through that. (Boy that C++ class was a long time ago :? )
Again, any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated and thanks to every one involved, it’s a great base game/engine and wonderfully customizable! (For the ambitious at least.)

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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by travists »

Further online digging has yielded a newer version of WC Universe that has the required keys. I'll play with that a bit if someone wants me to keep looking into it I'd be happy to. I just don't know where to start looking to do the edit and pecking around in the dark isn't helping much. So if you know where the command="xyz" or cockpit::xyz lives let me know and I'll try to decode the brains. but right now it looks like my issue is resolved! :mrgreen:
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by CLoneWolf »

A full text search on the whole source tree (grep -R does that in unixland) shows that

Code: Select all

vegastrike/src/config_xml.cpp:
    commandMap["CommFormUp"] = FireKeyboard::FormUp;
vegastrike/src/.svn/text-base/config_xml.cpp.svn-base:
    commandMap["CommFormUp"] = FireKeyboard::FormUp;
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by travists »

CLoneWolf wrote:A full text search on the whole source tree (grep -R does that in unixland) shows that

Code: Select all

vegastrike/src/config_xml.cpp:
    commandMap["CommFormUp"] = FireKeyboard::FormUp;
vegastrike/src/.svn/text-base/config_xml.cpp.svn-base:
    commandMap["CommFormUp"] = FireKeyboard::FormUp;

Ok, first "source tree" is that a directory/folder, or do I need to download a modder/developer pack?
Second, this is not looking like the section that controls the AI just defines the name.

I'm working with MS Windows XP and I've told it to look in the contents of files, but the OS is kinda dumb on that point, so the folder and file would be nice. I'll look in the config file again though.
Thanks
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by CLoneWolf »

travists wrote:Ok, I've looked though things again, I'm not seeing a python module anywhere that controls the commands. Would it be in a dll? If not I'll have to look for the source code and wade through that.
Forgive me, but since you mentioned that you could have to investigate the source code, I thought you had already downloaded the whole source.

What I have (and checked) is the svn version of VegaStrike (not the WC mod), currently in development.
For more info on svn, refer to this page.

As said, the only occurrences in plain text of CommFormUp along the whole source that I could find are the ones I mentioned; it might seem not to shed much light on the subject, but it's surely a start to discover how such things work.

The whole source+data is a big download, you might want to browse the svn repository with a web browser and pick individual files.

As for XP misbehaving with full text search, I have the same problem at work, where I use a windows version of the unix tool mentioned before: grep; it's just a command-line version, but I bet there are grep-based programs for windows with a user-friendly interface.
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by travists »

My apologies as well, I just found it not to long ago and am just getting started on it. :oops: I only took the plunge because of a frustration with retrieving cargo wingmen, but enjoy the challenge (if only I can figure out where to look). I think my next step is to set up a test installation and see where the commands are through experimentation. Then I'll look though the svn files as you suggest and try to make sense out of the code.
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by CLoneWolf »

No need to apologize :mrgreen: Rather I'm quite sure that reaching your goal would be very welcome to all those interested in better wingmen handling.

Now that I'm on this thread again, I'm thinking of one thing to try before changing the code:
at least with dockable ships, if you target them and issue a docking request, they stop for a short while; what happens if you try that with a wingman? It might not be perfect, as said ship won't wait forever so you have to spam docking requests while you approach, but it could be the right thing to check in the code as a base for the new behaviour to be implemented for wingmen.
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by travists »

Well, did a quick test with two of the versions I'm working with. (Have Gemini gold, two renditions of WC Universe, and the Basic Vega Strike) if I copy the .exe from the wcu with out the launch/land commands into the one that does, the command no longer works. So, the source for the main executable is where I need to look. Should save more hunt and peck. now the trick is to dig into the developer files, find the exe and figure out the code. Thanks for the input .

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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by travists »

Oh, as for docking, from the jettisoned vessel I have tried to dock. It can be done, but at least in the WC all you can do is move cargo between ships and perhaps rearm. Usefull, but you can't return to the mothership from there.
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by CLoneWolf »

Well, I was actually pondering the reverse: piloting the carrier ship, and requesting docking with the jettisoned wingman fighter to make it stop (if it works) to make it easier to tractor it back in :)
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by travists »

I Haven't played Vega Strike straight up enough to buy a launch capable ship and a ship to launch, but in the WCU mod sending a dock request to the launched vessel doesn’t seem to do anything, unless maybe you get close enough to do the docking procedure. I think I'll wait a little bit longer so I can download the source of the exe and look into the commands.
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by TBeholder »

There's a command absent in the default config. Just like CommFormUp and CommBreakForm, add something like

Code: Select all

   <bind key="Q" modifier="alt" command="CommDockWithMe" />
When it's fired, PC ship says "Get in front of me and prepare to be tractored in." and sends a command to wingmen (if any).
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by travists »

Turbo Beholder wrote:There's a command absent in the default config. Just like CommFormUp and CommBreakForm...

Thought I tried that, gave it another shot. While not causing the game to crash, it does not pop up the associated text or anything. Great thought though. I'll have to grab the source and pick it appart.
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by travists »

I'm back, I think. Life does interupt and work must come first, more's the pitty. I should have the bandwidth freed up to download the source code, but not sure what file I need... Thanks
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by KillerB »

Did you ever get this sorted out and if so could you please post what you altered?
I'm making Capships player-flyable for the Killer Mod and this would be an awesome capability!
Using a Watson carrier, the only way I can make ends meet is to add banks of Heavy Tractors and scoop up merchantmen to pay for all the fighters I launch and then loose.

Also a "Return to Base" command to make them actuallly land themselves would be a terrific addition is you could work that out 8)
Maybe a "Land Nearest Base" and an AI tweak to make them aware they're nearly out of gas....I use a lot of Robins and those things get terrible gas mileage.
Thanks
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by travists »

Lucky I have this one flagged to watch. I, personally, have made no progress. My programming arena is in visual basic. Actually I taught myself qbasic then had to upgrade.
However, a new member "IamDave" has had much success check out thisthread.
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Re: Editing Wingman Commands

Post by KillerB »

Thanks for the link :)
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