[SCRIPT/TESTING] ID Scrambler Software: Need some peeps to test/advise.

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What you think?

Perfect. Couldn't be made any better than it is.
0
No votes
Excellent concept, nearly there. Requires minor tweaking.
0
No votes
Good script, but needs lots of work.
2
100%
Might work as an idea, but script needs complete overhaul.
0
No votes
Will never work as anything other than a cheat script.
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 2

voxol
Posts: 429
Joined: Sun, 30. Oct 05, 14:42
x3

[SCRIPT/TESTING] ID Scrambler Software: Need some peeps to test/advise.

Post by voxol » Wed, 2. Aug 06, 01:24

Intoducing the ID scrambler, now released as an spk for open testing and feedback.

---Download here---

Readme follows:

Code: Select all

===========================================
Name:		ID Scrambler Software
Version:	V1.00
Author:		Voxol
Updated:	01/08/2006
===========================================

Recently released technology, now available from all Pirate stations: ID Scrambler Software.

Running this software on a ship will scramble a races ability to detect your ships' IDs, resulting in no change to
your notoriety with that race whilst it is activated.

Use:  Once the software is installed, under the Piracy menu there will be a new option, "Start/Stop ID Scramble".  Once activated, the owner race of the sector where the broadcasting ship currently resides will no longer change in notoriety to you (if you attack something, it will respond as it normally would, but you lose no notoriety).

There is a catch, however.  The broadcasting ship will be detected, along with any of your ships in the vicinity.  All ships of the owner race in the broadcaster's sector will see any of your ships as an enemy and likely attack (unless the race is Pirate or Yaki, where there is no change).

To disable, activate the command again.  The notoriety effects will be removed instantly, but the ships in the broadcaster's sector arn't fooled so easily.  After deactivating, the broadcaster will have to move to another sector before freind/foe relations are reset.

============================================
Change log:

1.0
- First beta test release.

============================================
Technical:

Ware: 5783
Command page ID: 630

For testing version only: Software is installed in player ship from the onset. Price at pirate stations is temporary since it's probably far too low.


Could do with any ideas on this. X3 is very restrictive with notoriety, but I've tried to keep things as balanced as possible since I really dont want this script branded as a cheat.

HINT: Works as a real challenge with LV's Race Response Fleets.

I havn't done much testing with whole fleets of ships, so any reports on how it performs in non-solo situations would be greatly appreciated.

If it is still making life too easy, what about making it a consumable, so it costs every time you run it? Or make it constantly drain your notoriety whilst using it?

Any ideas much appreciated,
Voxol.

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ttl
Posts: 537
Joined: Sun, 6. Feb 05, 13:04
x3tc

Post by ttl » Wed, 2. Aug 06, 09:13

Very intriguing idea. I always fancied the idea to play as a pirate for a while, but the race rep hits are just too painful, since I would like to buy capships.

There just are lots of ways this could be abused, and I'm not quite sure what's the intentional use you had in mind?

You can place the scanner on a ship that is hundreds of kilometers from a sector center, so activating just makes one sector a no-go area. You can then prey on transports in pirate sectors to your hart's desire with no rep hit, right? Or you could take a destroyer to an unwanted station, and flatten the station in a matter of seconds. When the police arrive to the scene, you just say "sorry", and you're off the hook?

There is only limited control over the reps, so you probably can't exempt just the jamming ship from the rep hit. I suppose the way you do this is to get the player rep with the given race when the jamming starts, and change to compensate when needed?

Maybe this could be balanced by forcing the jamming ship to drop it's shields, and periodically creating wings of M5s at the nearest gate going after the jamming ship. Maybe also give the player a constant rep hit for using this, so you gain only if you manage to pirate enough before you are forced to turn off the jamming. Making it workable only in the player's ship is another possibility, but would take most fun of it, as remote piracy is neither very fun or profitable.

That's just my two pence on possibly using such a script. Nice and original idea I'd say :)

voxol
Posts: 429
Joined: Sun, 30. Oct 05, 14:42
x3

Post by voxol » Wed, 2. Aug 06, 11:59

ttl wrote: Maybe this could be balanced by forcing the jamming ship to drop it's shields, and periodically creating wings of M5s at the nearest gate going after the jamming ship. Maybe also give the player a constant rep hit for using this, so you gain only if you manage to pirate enough before you are forced to turn off the jamming. Making it workable only in the player's ship is another possibility, but would take most fun of it, as remote piracy is neither very fun or profitable.
All these ideas I've thought about and would implement if it turns out too easy. Using it on the player ship for solo piracy is most of what I've been testing so far, provides a real challenge with RRF.

But yes, the potential for abuse is staggering. The main reason I was so vehement in the OP that this is a test release is for exactly these issues, work needs to be done on balancing.

Hmm, leaning towards a constant rep hit as well as raiding parties to destroy the broadcaster. Maybe the instant its activated an M1 and a bunch of M6s and M3s on its wing jump in and head directly for the broadcaster...? Perhaps for a limited number of jumps the broadcaster is still considered an enemy until it can shake the trail?

That way just having a broadcaster miles away from a sector gives you as much time as it takes the M1 to get there, then if you jump at the last minute, you still come under attack until you jump a couple more times...

Any other suggestions on how to reduce the potential for abuse?

Cheers,
Voxol

User avatar
ttl
Posts: 537
Joined: Sun, 6. Feb 05, 13:04
x3tc

Post by ttl » Wed, 2. Aug 06, 16:17

You have to go into the space owned by a race in order to pirate their transports if you operate the jammer on your ship, right? Then local police will become hostile towards you as you attack the transports, but will they remain hostile when you stop the jammer?


The main abuse problem with the jammer is that it blocks any ships of your empire from harming your rep. So you can command your forces to commit apalling atrocities and nobody bats an eye. This "masked empire" (Utwigs anyone) is not really desirable, but rather to have a ship or two that can operate "undercover".

(Or in real world terms, I would like the Hizbollah version of this, not the Israeli one.
Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Maybe this could be achieved by a limited version of the jammer that destroys itself when it has "compensated" for some amount of rep. loss. This should be doable, right? Something like the equivalent of destroying 5 transports in a pirate system. The authorities can be expected to dig deeper into your fake ID once you commit enough crimes, and blow your cover at some point. You should also have a command to deactivate the jammer yourself, but this destroys the jammer as well.
The jammer should then work for all races until you lose your cover or switch it off.

I'd also like to see a rep. penalty for the player when his cover is blown/shed in the same sector with race ships/stations. If the penalty is per ship and station, then there is a massive penalty for losing your fake ID in a race sector - as should be understandable. And you need to go into a far corner of the universe the reveal your true identity without anybody noticing.

So the purpose of the jammer as I'm hoping for here would be to buy one from a pirate station and play a pirate for a while. Mostly in pirate sectors, unless you are suicidal. You also need to be careful to go to a safe place to become legit again, and to be careful not to get caught red-handed. To which end a command would be needed to tell you (about) how close on your tail the police is.

But I'm sort of getting waaay ahead of myself with the wishlist. It's your script after all, not mine. :wink:

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