Weapons grouping on Springblossom Bugged? X3:TC Vanilla (Working as intended)

[ZZ555]

Hi.

I have attempted to setup different weapon groupings for the Springblossom in a TC vanilla game. All that happens is when I install a set of weapons in group ONE a shadow of that weapon appears in group TWO, THREE and FOUR.

When I then try to install a different set of weapons (or combination) in group TWO it displaces the shadows of the weapons I installed in group ONE and then actually REMOVES the weapons from group ONE at the same time.

I have gone in circles trying to create two, three and four separate weapons groupings because its damn difficult to swap out guns in the middle of a fire fight which is what I'm having to do at presently.

I realize that there has to be a way to do this unless a bug is present. I have Googled this topic and looked for a solution on the forum and in the instruction manual but to no avail.... please help. any offered will be very much appreciated.

Thanks,
ZZ

[UniTrader]

weapon groups are for activating/deactivating weapons, not for swapping them. this functionality can be added via script though

[ZZ555]

UniTrader:

I realize they are 2 different games (more or less) but in X3 Reunion I could install a group of weapons (all the same or combo) to say group one. Then another set of weapons to group two. Then I could "activate" either group by pressing the hot-key for that group.

I cannot assign different weapons to different groups for some reason in X3TC. I have followed the instructions in the manual and it is not working... I looked up the subject (and finally found it) when I realized that what I did to set up weapons groups in X3R wasn't working in X3TC. Is there something I'm not gleaning from the manual?

I hope the explanation of my problem is clearer this time because as the missions get tougher I would like to be able to switch from light weapons (group 1) to heavier guns (group 2).

Thanks for responding,
ZZ

[Bill Huntington]

I think I understand you. You have done it right. The bright weapons are active with one button. The grayed out weapons are not active. You choose which weapons are active with which buttons. You can Add to Group One and Remove from Group One.

One quirk about setting up. You can do the setup while parked in a Station but you can't change buttons in the station. You have to be in space to try each button and verify things.

It is usually best to the same weapons on a button, but you can put different weapons on one button. Then the character of one weapon might interfere with the other one.

[ancienthighway]

As you said, Reunion is different from X3.

In X3 the groupings define what weapons that are mounted are used. If you have an M3 with 8 PACs mounted, you can define 4 different combinations of those 8 PACs. I tend to have the groups of 8, 4, 2, and 1.

You could mount instead 4 HEPTs and 4 PBEs on M3s that accept both, then have one group of 4 HEPTS another of 4 PBEs and then what ever in the remaining two groups.

The only way in vanilla to switch from 8 PACS to 8 HEPTS is to manually change the weapons. However there is a script, as UniTrader mentioned, that will allow you to swap weapons, similar to Reunion.

IMO, weapon swapping while in flight is unnecessary and in combat is suicidal. You might be able to do more damage, but you can't absorb more damage.

Unlike Reunion where you have only one ship, in X3 you can have as many as you might want. If the mission is tougher, jump into a bigger tougher ship. Or add a couple similar ships to what you are flying. Use drones. Use missiles. Fly a TM with 3 or 4 M3s on board.

[ZZ555]

ancienthighway,

Thank you as well for responding.

I'm not certain how to explain my difficulty because UniTrader and yourself are missing the crux.

I do understand the function of both weapons systems in X3R & X3TC but the system is not working as it should in X3TC. on a Springblossom anyway.

What follows is the steps (and their order) I take to try and assign weapons groups: EXAMPLE- Group 1
A: left click on empty weapons slot: no weapon shadow in slot; laser install/remove menu appears.
B: left click on install laser: sub-menu of available lasers appears.
C: left click on laser I want installed and a symbol for that laser appears in the slot.
D: I do this for each slot under weapons group 1 on the Springblossom.
Group 2
E: left click the tiny weapons group 2 button: there are now shadows of the weapons I just installed in group 1 in all 8 weapon slots of group 2.
F: left click first weapon slot: same menu appears with added option of "remove from group 1"
G: left click on install laser: sub-menu again appears.
H: left click on laser type (different from group 1) I want installed and again a symbol appears for that weapon type.
I: This is done for all 8 slots in weapons group 2.

*When I check weapons group 1 all the laser types I had installed there have been displaced by a shadow symbol/likeness of the weapons I had just installed in weapons group 2.


**I am going in circles besides it's cumbersome to swap out guns in the middle of a fight........HELP PLEASE!!




ZZ

P.S. Sorry for the long wind

[pjknibbs]

I think you're misunderstanding how weapon groups work. They don't allow you to *change* what weapon is installed in a particular slot, they just allow you to fire a specific sub-selection of the weapons you already have installed--so, for example, if you have PACs in slots 1, 2, 3, and 4, and HEPTS in 5, 6, 7, and 8, you can set up a weapon group that will only fire the PACs for use against smaller, faster craft where the HEPTs are a liability. So, when you click the weapon and the group menu appears, you just need to click to add the weapon slot into the groups you want it to be in.

(And note this also applied in X3R, so not sure why you're thinking it was different in that game).

[ZZ555]

pjknibbs:

Thanks for the response.

I do understand how the slots work... in X3R in my Eclipse I put 8 HEPTS in group one, a combination of 4 HEPTS and 4 Ion Disruptors in group 2, 2 HEPTS, 2 Ion Disruptors and 4 PAC's in group 3 and 8 PAC's in group 4. Of course I could push the hot-key (1,2,3, or 4) when I wanted to change weapons groups depending on the ship I was fighting and what I was attempting to make it do.

I can't figure out how to do the same in X3 TC on my Springblossom.

I want 8 experimental electro-magnetic cannons in group 1 for fighters and the like...

And I want 8 experimental warhead launchers in group 2 for Corvettes and such.

The SB is a powerful, fast ship and does great in battle but as the tasks become harder (read: more Corvettes and fighters) I am dying quicker and more often because I can't switch out my weapons from light (for fighters) to heavier (when Corvettes show up) quick enough with my mouse.

I can't seem to make the weapon system work correctly. Is my understanding correct or incorrect according to what I wrote that I wanted in the above statements?

All I need is to be able to press the "1" key for group 1 (8 exper. electro.-magn. cannons) and the "2" key (for 8 warhead launchers).

If I'm being obtuse, my apologies to all. I guess I'm not capable of seeing this one thing.


Thanks,
ZZ

[Alan Phipps]

"I want 8 experimental electro-magnetic cannons in group 1 for fighters and the like...
And I want 8 experimental warhead launchers in group 2 for Corvettes and such."

You cannot do that in vanilla X3TC as people have already said above!

What you can do is to have 4 EEMPC and 4 EM/AML fitted. Then you can set up the groups to have say all 8 weapons firing if group 1 is selected, just the 4 EEMPC firing if group 2 is selected and just the 4 EM/AML firing if group 3 is selected. That is how this game works its weapon groupings; it is just a selection process from among the already-fitted weapons and *not* a weapon-swapping process.

You may be thinking of 3rd party scripts such as MARS which do use weapon-swapping to optimise attack weapons.

[ancienthighway]

The only way in vanilla to switch from 8 EEMPC to 8 PM/AML is to manually change the weapons.

Edited my earlier comment to specifically address the weapons desired.

I understand exactly what you want, and my statement addresses that. The script I mentioned Weapon Select Extension will allow you to do what you want.

The difference in damage between the EEMPC and PM/AML is negligible. The PM/AML has better range but equal to the covette class weapons opposing M6s and M7s would mount and definitely out classed by M7/capital class weapons. Don't forget the PM/AML requires M/AM ammunition which takes up cargo space along with the additions weapons. Swapping between the two weapons really seems meaningless to me.

Honestly, I don't know why you would want either the EEMPC or PM/AML on the Springblossom over the PSSC. The PSSC shot is 4 times faster than the other two, which means it arrives on target faster. More hits. Faster kills.

[ZZ555]

Thanks to all for responding, it is very much appreciated. I do believe I understand.

ZZ