Patrols cause mysterious crashes

Fri Oct 20, 2006 6:25 am by Manhattan_Guy

Okay, so I don't get what happened to me here. I created a number of Corsair patrols in a new system and also ave a Corsair base with a placeholder guy in it. So far so good. Most of the patrols work fine, just like this one.

<pre>[Zone
nickname = Zone_Cs01_path_corsairs2_1
pos = 16153, 0, 14980
rotate = -90, -69, 0
shape = CYLINDER
size = 750, 5386
sort = 99
toughness = 4
density = 5
repop_time = 30
max_battle_size = 4
pop_type = field_patrol
relief_time = 20
path_label = corsairs2, 1
usage = patrol
mission_eligible = false
faction_weight = fc_c_grp, 10
density_restriction = 1, patroller
density_restriction = 1, police_patroller
density_restriction = 1, pirate_patroller
density_restriction = 4, lawfuls
density_restriction = 4, unlawfuls
encounter = patrolp_pirate_patrol, 4, 1.000000
faction = fc_c_grp, 1.000000 </pre>

But then there are some patrols that don't work, instead crashing the game when they should be spawning. Their code is almost the same:

<pre>[Zone
nickname = Zone_Cs01_path_corsairs1_1
pos = 631, 0, 16654
rotate = 90, 86, 180
shape = CYLINDER
size = 750, 20685
sort = 99
toughness = 4
density = 5
repop_time = 30
max_battle_size = 4
pop_type = field_patrol
relief_time = 20
path_label = corsairs1, 1
usage = patrol
mission_eligible = false
faction_weight = fc_c_grp, 10
#density_restriction = 1, patroller
#density_restriction = 1, police_patroller
#density_restriction = 1, pirate_patroller
#density_restriction = 4, lawfuls
#density_restriction = 4, unlawfuls
encounter = patrolp_pirate_patrol, 4, 1.000000
faction = fc_c_grp, 1.000000 </pre>

Compare with the first and notice how I excluded the densitiy restrictions, since I remembered them as being a common cause for crashes of this kind. All patrols somehow crossing with them also have their density restrictions commented out.

While the patrols of the first, working type are doing is to just fly around a nebula. The second, non-working patrol however is going towards and then along a string of navigation buoys. Also along the buoys run a patrol of transports (the pirate's target) and a navy guard patrol. As I said, all of those have their density restrictions out, so that can't be the cause.

I'd be glad for any ideas. I just don't notice anything that could possibly be the cause. And it has to be this patrol, I've got it nailed it down!

Fri Oct 20, 2006 11:42 am by Chips

I didn't know the hash was a recognised commenting out method in FL's ini files.. it was semi colons afaik, but maybe i learn something new!

I removed my patrols, they all tested just fine - no problems at all, flew all of the paths, watched the battles etc.

Then suddenly, they always crashed... i gave up at that point, and removed them (kinda)

Fri Oct 20, 2006 1:10 pm by Manhattan_Guy

Well, using the hash on the entire section led to the patrols not showing up on the map in Freelancer and not in FLE either. So I guess using it on single lines does the job as well.

Well, I'm talking about a central supply line here, that's supposed to be under attack from pirates all the time. Would be kinda bad if I had to delete the pirate attackers.

Fri Oct 20, 2006 5:24 pm by Mace_166

You could try changing:
pop_type = field_patrol
to be:
pop_type = attack_patrol
I've used attack_patrol for all of my patrols and as long as you have a corsair at the base of origin, it'll work ok.

Sat Oct 21, 2006 2:23 am by Manhattan_Guy

Well, it used attack_patrol in the first place, and also patrlp_assault as encounter. Yet when I saw those where the only ones not working, you might be able to think of why I changed to them to as they are now.

I'll do a detailled analysis today. I'll see if I can find internal errors (typos etc.) or if the mbases.ini pert for the station is somehow messed up. I'll also look what's different for these non-working patrols.

Just a thought: Can it be that it crashes if you have two patrols running parallel to each other and quite close? (A more detailled description would be that I have one long straight patrol and another one joining it at one point, following it for a while and leaving it again.) That's the most obvious difference tat seperates the crashing patrols from the working ones, which are just flying a round a nebula or going to jump holes.

Sat Oct 21, 2006 3:17 am by Chips

The way I use to make 100% crash free, semi real but actually fake patrols is to make them a different encounter type instead. Instead of patrol_path_assualt or other such, i just use a normal encounters zone - like attack or whatever they are.

Never, regardless of where they are placed, does it crash. It also, however, won't say "we're on patrol from the" type things, but it does show as a patrol path on the nav map (which was what I was really after).

Tis a solution, a dirty solution, but it's been the solution i've used for 2 years now.

Sat Oct 21, 2006 6:10 am by FriendlyFire

I've had many bugs with patrolpaths, but most of them were not related with the patrolpath itself. They were coming from the base of origin and the exit point. I'd suggest you just double check these parts (Is the pirate faction at the base of origin/in the system of origin, etc...). It's been a long time I worked with patrols so I don't exactly remember all the implications they have, but I know they REALLY are tricky. I've built some that never actually failed (Lucky maybe?), but I couldn't tell why these won't while other people's ones will.

Sun Oct 22, 2006 3:45 am by Manhattan_Guy

I'm not quite sure what parts of a base are actually needed in mbases.ini. But I tink the following entry should at least make te patrols work.

<pre>[MBase
nickname = Cs01_05_Base
local_faction = fc_c_grp
diff = 1
msg_id_prefix = gcs_refer_base_Cs01_05_Base

[MVendor
num_offers = 2, 4

[BaseFaction
faction = fc_c_grp
weight = 100
npc = cs0105_haqiqa_001_m

[GF_NPC
nickname = cs0105_corsairs_001_m
body = pi_orillion_body
head = li_rockford_head
lefthand = benchmark_male_hand_left
righthand = benchmark_male_hand_right
individual_name = 459870
affiliation = fc_c_grp
voice = rvp101
room = bar
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 590479
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 2, 590480
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 2, 590481
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 3, 590482
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 590483
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 590484
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 2, 590485
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 590486

[MRoom
nickname = bar
character_density = 4

[MRoom
nickname = Deck
character_density = 3 </pre>

Does it? Or is there something missing? I'm sorry, it has been a while since I last worked wit dummy entries in mbases.ini.

Edited by - Manhattan_Guy on 10/22/2006 4:45:30 AM

Sun Oct 22, 2006 4:49 am by Bejaymac

Don't know if this will help or not MG, it's Buck Danny's encounter & zone tutorial.

**shuffles of with a new headache**

Sun Oct 22, 2006 6:47 am by Manhattan_Guy

Thanks for the document. It will hopefully help me resolve some problems in the future. It also showed me a few things I was unaware of.

But the problem I experienced was far simpler. The Corsair station in the system INI still had the "base" and "dock_with" entries pointed at another station. So I could have written all kinds of stuff into mbases.ini and it wouldn't have made a difference. I solved it now and have started balancing out the patrols.

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