AV Stop?

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[Chrystine]

 
   Hi guys,
 
  Just to be certain I’m not missing something – is there any way to have an AV just stop at the end of its path, rather than (vanish and) restart the path in infinite loop? – or is the ‘auto loop’ the only possibility?
 
  I’ve searched all through the Editor and the Tutorial but can’t find anything ‘about’ this or that would suggest it’s possible – but maybe I’ve just missed something?
 
  Thanks very much as ever for any help…
 
 
  Best,
  Chrystine
 

[Mad_Fred]

Hi Chrystine,

To the best of my knowledge, the ships cannot stop, but will only travel on a continues loop.

But I think it would be nice if - for certain mission purposes - AI vessels could do more than just go along on their string. Maybe in future versions..

Regards,
Fred

[Chrystine]

 
   Hi Fred,

   Many thanks for the kind reply. 
  Yes, I agree – it would be nice if at least there were – a radio-button perhaps? – an option associated with the AV paths to ‘loop’ or (left-un-ticked) not loop.
 
  Indeed, maybe in some future version..!
 
  Thanks again..! 
 
  Best regards,
  Chrystine
 

[Mad_Fred]

You're very welcome! 

[TerryRussell]

Just to confirm, there is indeed no way to make AI ships either start at a specified time, nor stop in any place.

There are a few tricks you can do to slow them down substantially (a number of sharp turns in close proximity to port and starboard will slow a large vessel to a crawl), but you can't actually stop them.

Even making them hit land won't do that, as they merely sail the hills quite merrily.

[Chrystine]

 
    My thanks to you too, Terry...
 
  “..Sail the hills quite merrily.”
  Lovely, isn’t it? 
 
  Reminds me I noticed while in NY too, there seems to be a rather large ship parked somewhere in Brooklyn I believe.  Couldn’t see it – though it shows up on the map.
 
  ‘Sailing the hills’ also answers another question well-enough too – regarding concern for depth under keel of the AV’s…  Apparently, not an issue! 
 
  Thanks again Fred & Terry.
 
  Best, as always - 
  Chrystine
 

[TerryRussell]

There is one aspect that does affect them, though. In order to reduce the work on the processor, AI ships work on a simplified set of dynamic rules. As you say, one consequence is that depth is unimportant to them.

But if your player vessel comes within a few hundred yards/metres of an AI vessel, it switches to the "proper" set and suddenly depth does matter. You may notice that some AI ships rise in the water as you come close to them. That is caused by this switch-over of the dynamics rules.

[Chrystine]

 
   HI Terry!
 
  Ohhhhhh!  Yeah, see..? I did not know that! ..but – that probably also answers/explains what I saw and was wondering about in the Editor yesterday: I hadn’t noticed it before – there’s that radio-button box that says something like – ‘Always sleeping dynamics’ (?)
 
  If it works – does that mean in the Editor one can make an AV always subject to the ‘real dynamics’ rule?  (I’m assuming per your explanation above, the same thing regardless of proximity to any Player vessel?).
 
  Many thanks for that!
  I actually haven’t really noticed any such change(s) in AV behaviors/attitudes – but I’ve done very little with them as yet.
 
  Best regards & much gratitude, as ever - 
  Chrystine
 

[TerryRussell]

Hi Chrystine.

I think the button actually does the opposite. It makes the AI vessel always use the "cut-down" set of dynamics. So it isn't affected when the player vessel gets close to it.

But, it's a long time since I used that one, so I might be remembering incorrectly.

[Mad_Fred]

Hi Lady and Gents,

I think that option also makes them 'untouchable'.

They can then not collide with any other AV or static object, like buoys, but will pass right through it. I recall something like this, but not 100% sure.

Fred

[mvsmith]

Hi Chrystine,

You do have some control over where AI ships start. You can freeze them in the Editor and place them wherever you want along the path.

The AI for each environment is reset to those positions when that environment is initialized, not when the mission begins. In T2, for instance, the traffic is designed to provide meetings at certain places. This depends upon the player ship, Titanic, running at max speed and getting underway quickly at the start of each “watch”.

Regards,
Marty

[Chrystine]

 
   Hi Terry, Fred and Marty!
 
  Thanks very much gentlemen! 
  All valuable, useful things to know…
 
  Terry,
 
  Your understanding / memory of that function must surely be correct and of course, makes perfect sense.
  Thinking of my question in retrospect, it really doesn’t make much sense at all to be the other way (as I was thinking).  Why have the full dynamics which taxes the CPU when the AV isn’t / aren’t even in viewable range?  That would seem rather pointless – unless ones intent was to do something unsavory – like run an AV onto a sandbar or etc – even if not in viewable range.
 
  Just the logic seems well-suggest there’s nothing amiss with your memory here. 
 
  Thanks Fred..! 
 
  I’ve never touched that box or so experimented with it, so wonder too about just how ‘universal’ among all the SS 08 vessels those particular ‘alternate dynamics’ and ‘behaviors’ are.
  I know once while out deep-sea fishing in the Atlantic on the North Star, I had to go get dinner ready and just left myself floating out there.  I came back well over an hour later just in time to get quite a perplexing view.
  Took me about 8 blinks and as many seconds to realize what I was seeing.
  The North Star had been drifting S.E. all the while and was presently in a shipping lane – and I was standing on her bow looking at the inside of the Ocean Star.
   It passed right over us (due to relative sizes, I’d say we passed through her!).
 
   No damage done of course, so I just shook my head & thought – ‘well, that’s weird!’ 
  What are the chances of coming back just at that very moment!?
 
   I know too, I’ve seen Barges ‘passing through’ buoys while I’ve been ‘playing’ in their wakes on the Jet ski…  (Crazy dangerous – but fun!)
 
 &nd thanks Marty… 
 
  Thanks to the very helpful Tutorial, I was aware of most of that, except for the ‘Load on Initialization’ bit.  I just assumed all ‘started’ once the Mission loads, but that accounts for why I’ve seen certain ships appear much sooner than I expected.
 
  All great stuff to know – thanks again guys!
 
  Best regards,
  Chrystine
 

[mvsmith]

The “Never sleep dynamics” box, when checked for an AI ship, causes that ship to have full dynamics regardless of its distance from the current player ship. It also affects the ship’s feeble attempt at obeying COLREGS.
It only affects the interaction with other AI ships, and static objects. To be effective, for example, when one AI ship overtakes another on the same lane, both ships must have the NSD box checked.
NSD was intended to be used in certain circumstances where a player could observe the weird sight of one AI ship passing through another. It needs to be turned on individually for each AI ship. General use of NSD will have an adverse affect on performance, and can increase the probability of a QV crash from newton.dll.

[Chrystine]

 
   Hi Marty,
 
  Hmmmm!
  That’s very interesting indeed.  I’m most grateful for your kind & clear explanation.
 
  Many thanks!
  .. with best regards –

  Chrystine
 

[Nathan|C]

    My thanks to you too, Terry...
 
  “..Sail the hills quite merrily.”
  Lovely, isn’t it? 
 
  Reminds me I noticed while in NY too, there seems to be a rather large ship parked somewhere in Brooklyn I believe.  Couldn’t see it – though it shows up on the map.
 
  ‘Sailing the hills’ also answers another question well-enough too – regarding concern for depth under keel of the AV’s…  Apparently, not an issue! 
 
  Thanks again Fred & Terry.
 
  Best, as always - 
  Chrystine
 

That would be the MV Coromuel, a car ferry now used in Mexico:

Do not know why she is in NY though - maybe on charter to Burger King as a dry-docked restaraunt?

[Chrystine]

 
  Hi Nathan,
 
  Well that’s sure interesting, too…
  I looked but couldn’t see it.  Seems pretty far inland.
 
  Lazy Americans. Couldn’t even walk down to the docks, huh?
   
  Best regards,
  Chrystine
 

[birdofdawning]

Hi Chrystine,

You can make an AV stop behind a moored Player Ship (deactivated so that it doesn't show up as a player in the mission is best). It seems the rule is 'large ship stops smaller one'. I also got an Inland Tanker to stop beside Agile Solution!

I have also got Fairmount Sherpa (as an AV) to go astern from its mooring between Agile Solution (Activated Player Ship) and the Historic Yacht (Static), turn 180 degrees as if on thruster, and then go off downriver. This is in one of my Padstow 'home made' missions. This needs to be at the start of the mission.

Colin

[The Ferry Man]

That would be the MV Coromuel, a car ferry now used in Mexico:

Do not know why she is in NY though - maybe on charter to Burger King as a dry-docked restaraunt?

The Coromuel was sadly scrapped in September Last year

The Ferry Man