Traffic Control - Development Log #498

Michi is working on the details of the gateway flight model.

Michi (molp)

I am currently working on the finer details of the gateway flight model. In devlog #497 I showed the first gateway flight. That flight was only possible because it assumed everything was perfect: the link established, the upkeep paid etc. The devil is in the detail though, as they say.

Up until now, a flight is static after one hits the 'start' button. The mission plan is executed exactly as stated in the SFC command. With gateways flights are not that static anymore, since gateways themselves are dynamic. We don't expect established gateways to change much, but we have to cover the edge cases anyways. So here is what I now have to check:

• The player needs to have enough cash to pay for the gateway passage once the ship arrives there
• The gateway needs to be in operational status
• The gateway needs to have enough fuel for the jump
• The gateway needs to have an established link to the destination gateway
• The gateway still needs to point at the same gateway as when the flight was planned

To be able to check for all these cases, I implemented a new ship status, that effectively halts the flight as soon as the ship arrives at a gateway's LOCK flight segment. Then some communication between the ship and the gateway happens and if everything is in order, the flight continues.

If one of the preconditions is not met, the ship aborts the flight at the gateway and a notification is sent to the player.

Last week players asked for another (longer jump) example, so here it is, Umbra to Etherwind

The duration of the gateway jump is still subject to change.

As always, we'd love to hear what you think: join us on Discord or the forums!

Happy trading!