[Investigation] Can't shoot missiles / guns firing on their own - modded games

[TacticalGhost29]

Hello T.S. !

I have a major problem and I have not found any related incidents.

When I get into a fight (usually with capital ships), one of the following things happen:

1. My guns start firing automatically (without me clicking) and I can't fire missiles. When this happens the guns are not shooting where I aim.

2. I can't fire guns or missiles, double clicking the target has no effect, spacebar has no effect.

3. Crash to desktop, no error message.

When this happens, it can switch from case 1 to case 2. Case 3 only happened once.

Fix 1: I go to crew quarters and back.
Fix 2: I dock somewhere and undock (this usually makes the fix last longer).

When I do Fix 1, Case 1 or 2 occurs again as soon as I look at a target.

When I do Fix 2, Case 1 occurs as soon as I fire guns or missiles at a target.

I just noticed that my ship will only fire at targets when they are in range. It really looks like my ship is auto engaging the enemy like it would have done in X3, except I can still control the movements. I shoots auto when in range, but can't shoot when out of range.

This was hard to explain so I hope I made myself clear.


Any information you require will be made available. As you can imagine, this makes the game unplayable.

Extra info:

-I do not have any joysticks or controllers.
-PC is brand new, no lag on high settings.
-Running from Steam on Windows 8.1
-All plugins were deactivated, same result.
-Started happening after saving and reloading multiple times to succeed a boarding opp.
-Continued hapening after loading an older save.
-Playing the plot, just build first URV forge

[Lander1979]

Are you using any mods or scripts, have you edited your save file?

Please upload a save file to a free cloud service like googlecloud or Mediafire and post the link to the file here for examination.

Also, please run a DXDIAG and post the results here.

Can you verify that your mouse is working by testing it with the control panel mouse properties. Also, test your keyboard is working in a text editor.

What "Plugins"?

[TacticalGhost29]

1. Only using steam workshop plugins. Mods / scripts were not used.

Yes, I edited my savefile at one point to remove the static fuzz layered over my cockpits event monitor. Here is the fix I used, 9th position, posted by "spaceman".

http://steamcommunity.com/app/2870/disc ... 285642233/

2. My save can be found here:

https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=1d410909 ... BFF0%21105

4. Mouse and keyboard are working properly

5. A whole bunch of plugins, but since I re-installed the game, getting an accurate list of the ones I used would be difficult. Here are some I am sure of:

-Engineer 100%
-More Crew
-Capital Ship Bridge
-Clean sidebar and main menu
-Show Skills
-Safer Trading
-Mission Computer
-ButterRanges
-Station Announcements
-ButterMissions
-Shut Up Ren
-Boarding Plus
-Awesome Jumpdrive SFX 1.01 Enhanced version
-Show Balance
-Boarding Options
-Automated Emergency Jump
-Long Range Scanner Update
-Show me your Faction, Please!
-Opaque Eventmonitor (monitor bug happened before using this)
-LibMJ - MadJoker's Library Scripts
-Enhanced Money Transfer

I actually think that might be all of them, just spent 30 min checking the workshop...

Please let me know if you need anything else.

Kind regards

3. DXDIAG

<Removed to save space. Alan Phipps>

[CBJ]

What you describe as "Steam workshop plugins" are mods and scripts, so yes, your game is heavily modified. As such, it could be any one of them causing the problem, and it would be up to you to work out which one(s) and contact the relevant author(s). If you can reproduce the problem with an unmodified game ("deactivating" them but using an existing savegame is not sufficient) then feel free to come back here and ask again.

[Lander1979]

An easier way to see what mods you are using is by going to the X-Rebirth home directory\extensions directory and seeing what mod directories are present there.

From the sounds of it, your save game has been corrupted, most probably by a mod that is incompatible with other mods, or when you edited it. Save Editing is the most common cause of the game breaking.

[Santi]

"Yes, I edited my savefile at one point to remove the static fuzz layered over my cockpits event monitor"

That was an issue from really early in the game, if you are using a very old savegame plus al the mods, I would recommend going for a fresh start.

[swatti]

Any fix for this issue, any time i enter a menu my ship flies off on autopilot shooting at everything, i cant even stop/turn off the AP!

[Alan Phipps]

@ Swatti: The OP's thread is about a heavily modified and edited 3.20 game and he has not responded here since this was brought up. If you have a similar autopilot issue in 3.50 (using a *clean* and verified vanilla install and fresh start) then I suggest that you start your own thread and give all the details necessary.

[swatti]

Sadly mine is just as heavily modded BUT this issue did not exist pre-3.50, at all.

I've removed ALL addons and the issue remains. I did edit my save at 3.0 but not since.

I have waaaaay too huge empire to start fresh, "again" and for me the issue seems manageable alltho I'm hoping for a fix.

[Santi]

Sadly mine is just as heavily modded BUT this issue did not exist pre-3.50, at all

The problem with modded games, is when a new version is released like 3.50, that is when compatibility issues will occur with mods, as modders need to update their code to make it work with the new version.

[NightlinerSGS]

I've had the same issue, also a modified game. I think I may have a lead, but I could really use some help. Maybe we can work out together which mod(s) is/are causing this issue to get it resolved.

To get this going, please make sure all your extensions and your game are up to date. Then load your game, make sure the issue still happens, hit escape, go to extensions and list everything that's installed as it's listed in the menu, including Egosoft files. This would help me greatly in narrowing down which mods to check.

I'll start

Autolooter
Automated Emergency Jump
Boarding Options
Mission Computer
CombatRank_Bailout
CraftVirtualSeminars
Heavy Beam
The Teladi Outpost
Ency-Mod
Engineer 100%
Capital Ship Bridge
ShowBalance
ManagerCall
Smalltalk Hack
Carriers
M-Class docks for some ships
Enhanced Money Transfer
No Fog
NpcsGainXp
Out of my way, glitches
Player Shipyards
Safe Squad Join
Scaldis Rebalance
Sensible Miners
Show Skills
TAF!
No random Sector music
Epic External Shield
Miscellaneaous IZ Combat Tweaks
Miscellaneaous OOZ Combat Tweaks
StationEngineers

Edit: Maybe this thread should be moved to the modding forum, unless someone encounters this with a clean save.

<I agree .. and done. Thread retitled. Alan Phipps>

[D.O.S.]

My Main guns Fire when i first load a game tapping the fire button corrects this error for me (Thought it was just a stuck button!)

Here is a full list of mods in use

Taladi Outpost

Galaxy Station Range (YorrickVander)
Ency-Mod (Commodore MJ Fire)
Carrier (Fighters landing on an Arawn) (From German Forum) (Marvin Martian)
MultiAssignment (Phipsz)
NpcsGainXp (oliverjanda)
Capital Ship Bridge (Litauen)
Sidebar Extension (Phipsz)
Show skills (StormMagi)
Mission Computer (cyberfuzzie)

Edit:-Only added these 2 mods lastnight & the error was happening befor there install
Miscellaneaous IZ Combat Tweaks (w.evans)
Marine Rebalance Mod (w.evans)

these mods are in all the posted mod lists
Capital Ship Bridge (Litauen)
Mission Computer (cyberfuzzie)
Show skills (StormMagi)

[w.evans]

I have NOT encountered the issue posted in the OP, but am posting this list in the hope of helping narrow down any possible mod conflicts.

List is ordered by alphabetical folder name.

AutoLooter (Euclid)
Automated CVs (Rubini)
AutoTrader (Euclid)
Boarding Options (Camus)
Carriers (Marvin Martian)
Mission Computer (cyberfuzzie)
Combat Rank Bailout (Euclid)
Copilot Convo (YorrickVander)
CraftDronesMKx (oliverjanda)
Fake IDs (camus)
Galaxy Station Range (YorrickVander)
Hiigaran Crossroads (Exavier724)
LibMJ (modified - Mad_Joker)
Capital Ship Bridge (Litauen)
Manager Call (Euclid)
Marine Rebalance
Smalltalk Hack
More Carriers (Marvin Martian)
More Crew (Euclid)
Enhanced Money Transfer
Transcend with Highways (Observe)
Multiassignment (Phipsz)
Player Jump Addon (Euclid)
Ship Recycle (jth)
Show Skills (Storm_Magi)
Show Me Your Faction Please (Phipsz)
Sidebar Extender (Phipsz)
TAF! (Bix)
UFO (modified - Mad_Joker)
Better AutoAim
Engineer Drone Fix
Epic Capital Ship Shields
Miscellaneous IZ Combat Tweaks
Miscellaneous OOZ Combat Tweaks
Slightly More Useful Plot Station
Station Engineers
Yet Another Trader (YorrickVander)
and a couple other things which I've been playing with, but haven't published.

[bm01]

I don't think it's really mod related, or maybe only partially, there's something else going on in my opinion.
The same happened to me a few hours ago when I tried some stuff with defence officers. Suddenly I couldn't shoot and my ship fired missiles automatically. But I don't remember what I did exactly and I can't reproduce it.

[UniTrader]

my guess is that some script has been started on the Player Ship Entities (most likely player.computer or player.entity ) but no idea about a definite cause..
here some ideas:
-> did anyone use a modified Autopilot?
-> did anyone use Extensions which start Scripts on the Player Ship? (like the Skunk Turret Mod; not sure if more exist...)
-> did anyone assign the Skunk as subordinate someone else? (shouldnt be possible, but would explain a lot)
---> if yes: how did you do that?

[w.evans]

---> if yes: how did you do that?

That would be very interesting if someone managed to do that. Would also help narrowing down cause.

[bm01]

I've just found what I did this afternooon.

Code: Select all

<start_script name="'fight.defend.capital'" object="player.primaryship.controlentity"/>

Can't shoot, missiles fire automatically, gun fires if I turn the camera toward the target, and can't deactivate autopilot once activated it seems.

I guess adding a check in that script and returning might fix the issue.

I also noticed that upon uninstallation Automated Emergency Jump might start 'player.default' on 'player.primaryship.controlentity' (wasn't intentional of course). But it does absolutely nothing apparently, and it's been like that since a few months already.

[HunZolka]

Hi, I'm having a bit of a problem with my weapons.
During fighting (not sure if automatically, or because of pressing some keys) the AI takes over the handling of the Skunk's weapons. I can no longer fire manually, the ship just picks a target and fires on it when I turn the ship toward that target.

As for which target to shoot, the ship ignores my target of choice.

The ship also fires missiles automatically.

When this takeover happens, I can't fire the weapons until I leave the zone, it seems.

I haven't been able to figure out for sure what triggers it, and what turns it off.

Anyone knows what this is, or how to disable it? It completely ruins the fighting aspect of the game.

<This thread merged from Tech Sp. Alan Phipps>

[HunZolka]

I just ran into the very same issue, with a similarly modded game. Reading this
<start_script name="'fight.defend.capital'" object="player.primaryship.controlentity"/>

post, I just remembered that the problem first appeared when I got into a fight with my Taranis aiding me.

Where is this script call?

BTW my mod list, all from Steam Workshop:

Automated Emergency Jump
Boarding Plus
Buy Trade Subscription
Capital Ship Bridge
ISE Balanced Edition
Long Range Scanner Update
Mission Computer
More Crew
Out of My Way, Glitches!
Show Balance
Show Me Your Faction, Please
Show Skills
Station Announcements
Yet Another Trader v1.2

Edit:
Ah I checked the files and get it now, it was indeed a logical issue in the Automated Emergency Jump's code.

It wasn't obvious to me what exactly the comment before mine meant...

[bm01]

Edit:
Ah I checked the files and get it now, it was indeed a logical issue in the Automated Emergency Jump's code.

It wasn't obvious to me what exactly the comment before mine meant...

The code I copied doesn't come from AEJ, it's just some test I did a few days ago.

AEJ does indeed start a script on "player.primaryship.controlentity" after an uninstallation or some updates, but a different one ("player.default"). This is because I assumed the player ship to not have a controlentity. However, it doesn't seem to cause any trouble (I will certainly fix that for the next version though).

Here's the only part of the code where I deal with "fight.defend.capital":

Code: Select all

<find_ship name="$ships" multiple="true" recursive="true" space="player.galaxy"/>
<do_all exact="$ships.count" counter="$i">
  <do_if value="$ships.{$i}.controlentity != null">
    <do_if value="$ships.{$i}.isjobship">
      <!-- job ship, destroy it and let it respawn naturally -->
      <!-- couldn't find any way to resume their scripts properly -->
      <destroy_object object="$ships.{$i}"/>
      <continue/>
    </do_if>
    <do_elseif value="$ships.{$i}.owner == faction.player">
      <do_if value="$ships.{$i}.commander != null and $ships.{$i}.commander != player.primaryship">
        <!-- player owned ship with a non-player commander, start a script chosen by AssignToCommander -->
        <signal_cue_instantly cue="RestartSubordinateScript" param="$ships.{$i}.controlentity"/>
        <signal_objects object="$ships.{$i}.controlentity" param="'AEJ_RestartSubordinateScript'"/>
      </do_if>
      <do_else>
        <!-- player owned ship without commander or with player commander -->
        <start_script object="$ships.{$i}.controlentity" name="'player.default'"/>
      </do_else>
    </do_elseif>
    <do_else>
      <!-- some stuff might be done here -->
      <continue/>
    </do_else>
  </do_if>
  <!-- currently only done for player owned ships since other ships are simply removed from the universe -->
  <do_if value="$ships.{$i}.defencenpc != null">
    <do_if value="$ships.{$i}.isjobship or ($ships.{$i}.owner == faction.player)">
      <start_script object="$ships.{$i}.defencenpc" name="'fight.defend.capital'"/>
      <!-- let's remove those values here for now, as 'AEJ.jump' might not (not a bug) -->
      <remove_value name="$ships.{$i}.defencenpc.$AEJ_dps"/>
      <remove_value name="$ships.{$i}.defencenpc.$AEJ_health"/>
      <remove_value name="$ships.{$i}.defencenpc.$AEJ_timestamp"/>
    </do_if>
  </do_if>
</do_all>

If for some reason a defence officer is added to the player ship by another mod (I don't even know if that's possible), an uninstallation or update of AEJ might cause that issue though.