Vanishing Commerce Centers/ Small to Medium Gun Upgrade?

[KillerB]

I found commerce centers in two different systems, and bought all the upgrades there I could afford at the moment...but when I went back to those two systems, the commerce centers had vanished...
I keep notes on all the bases and planets I find that have something useful. At first I thought I had jotted down the location in the wrong system for the fist commerce center that vanished...but then I went back to a system I had been using extensively, and I know d%^& well there was a commerce center there!

Off topic, after investing heavily in upgrades to my starting Llama, I noticed belatedly that they sell Llamas with MEDIUM guns in the first two slots (kicking self for not noticing before buying 2 tractor upgrades and SIX autotracking upgrades). Is there a small guns to medium guns upgrade available anywhere? That'd be lots preferable to plunking down another few million souping up an aftermarket Llama...btw autotracking upgrades for missile launchers SOUNDS silly but after noticing that the Aera fighter had 'em I started wondering why...then it hit me they use those unguided missiles that do phase damage
Now I use a Confed equivalent, the Hail 'special' missile. It's mohella LETHAL with the autotrack mod, out as far as 6k effective on fighters, further on small freighters (depending mainly on angular velocity, the closer the target is to the 'lead' pipper the better). Also, is there a 'special' upgrade for missile launchers? I bought a Robin, and I already put tractors and repulsors on the multi-purpose slots...

Which brings me to another off-topic question...
How the heck do you turn a 'my fleet' fighter into a cargo fighter, and how do you soup up a stock cargo fighter? The reason I bought the Robin in the first place was it packs a nice punch for a ship that only takes up 900 of my Llama's 2000 cargo volume...and can one have more than one cargo fighter?
*edit* changed the title so my 'off topic' questions are on topic now

[loki1950]

Re the vanishing Commerce Centres there may have been a system takeover sometimes the bases don't get rebuilt or it takes some period of time for the new owners to justify the rebuild.

Enjoy the Choice

[KillerB]

The other bases still belong to their original owners, the Rlaan...
I have noticed that the ULN like parking thier cussed Gleaners outside Rlaan bases and shoot everyone who comes close...and I've noticed that bases have shields...
do opposing factions blow each other's bases up?

[loki1950]

I have seen it happen not common but is does happen but with your further info it may indeed be a bug but what it's source is unclear as we only have one instance

Enjoy the Choice

[KillerB]

Well I'm not sure atm...
one of the systems in question, Ahkabahn or however the Rllan spell it, is next door to an Uln system, Nekhbet, and for a couple of runs I noticed the mining base showed yellow on the HUD screen, like a ship that had taken moderate damage. It is wierd though having 2 commerce centers in 2 different systems disappear at nearly the same time.

[athomic1]

I think a bigger bug is the one that "clones" a system's bases (and some ships) under certain circumstances, like a respawn or reload. It's a beneficial bug to the player (especially when commerce centers are involved ), but a bug, nonetheless. As much as I appreciate the additional income, I'm curious how investigation is proceeding on this one?

[KillerB]

Okay, I had it happen again...this time in New Manhatten. There were two commerce centers there, both Andolian: Commerce 0 and Commerce 47. I went off to neighboring systems doing missions after I ran out of Uln Gleaners and Yeomen to harvest, and when I came back again they were both GONE!
This time I had a definite save point to go back to, where I know darn well the commerce centers were there. It was 'Bomber', which I made right after I bought my Pacifier AT one of the commerce centers! When I loaded this save point, I found myself in space instead of docked, and both commerce centers were gone.
All of which proves that my earlier theory that they may have been 'destroyed' was wrong. Besides which, the nearest sizable threat, the Uln, were nearly extinct thanks to the 'Shlimazel Scurge' (shouldn't that be spelled Scourge?)
So much for home sweet home New Manhatten with the mass slaughter 'Cluster Missiles' for sale next door to Nethelian with the Aera ADV Torpedos...back to my nomadic ways again

[athomic1]

I'm note entirely sure about this, but I don't think base and planet locations are maintained in individual game save files. I think the state of the universe is maintained separately, in its own directory structure.

[TBeholder]

I found commerce centers in two different systems, and bought all the upgrades there I could afford at the moment...but when I went back to those two systems, the commerce centers had vanished...
I keep notes on all the bases and planets I find that have something useful. At first I thought I had jotted down the location in the wrong system for the fist commerce center that vanished...but then I went back to a system I had been using extensively, and I know d%^& well there was a commerce center there!

Yeah, systems' state isn't all properly saved. BTW, if you just need upgrades, try Clyde. They may have autotracking and lots of other tasty things for sale.

Off topic, after investing heavily in upgrades to my starting Llama, I noticed belatedly that they sell Llamas with MEDIUM guns in the first two slots (kicking self for not noticing before buying 2 tractor upgrades and SIX autotracking upgrades).
Is there a small guns to medium guns upgrade available anywhere?

No. Llama.begin is sort of broken. So either get Special (Stormfire, Crippler) or just another ship (like true fighters, e.g. Shizu for top equipment and dancing or Dostoevsky for heavy guns and missiles).

Also, is there a 'special' upgrade for missile launchers?

Nope, if it's not a rocket pod, it will not be. But as long as phasedamage isn't a requirement, there's "autotracking + Dumbfire" -- it's close-quarters meatgrinder if your ship has large magazines on slots. Dumbfire being cheapest, most damaging and "light" missile... it does max 200+0 VDU/s, just like Swarm, the only hotter rocket is Aera's PhotonSwarm (200+100). Hail is only 91+6 VDU/s.

I have noticed that the ULN like parking thier cussed Gleaners outside Rlaan bases and shoot everyone who comes close...and I've noticed that bases have shields...
do opposing factions blow each other's bases up?

Yeah, they do, here be times ye see dat kill message for some base, even at Cephid 17. Though them bases has a lot of beef to cut and since they belongs to the system's bosses it means attacker is likely to be ears-deep in defending ships long before the base is "red".
As to Uln, ye either talk them into sleep before comin' in their range or fly 'tween their guns and yer base back an' forth 'til Rlaan guys get pissed at Blockheads scrubbing their paint off and start to Ktek-beam their point into Uln skulls. Latter case will piss 'em further, but on the other hand... Heavy Tractor may be handy thing to have, if ye get the drift.