Space Engineers

Space Engineers

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APCK Control Module (APck Core 1.0)
   
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Type: Blueprint
File Size
Posted
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4.512 MB
Feb 29, 2024 @ 1:30pm
Apr 28, 2024 @ 4:56am
6 Change Notes ( view )
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APCK Control Module (APck Core 1.0)

Description
Reference carrier control module for the AutoPillock script.

This is the same blueprint as previous one, I decided to do a separate upload rather than make previous one incompatible with everything. See videos on that page to get better idea on basic usage. They are still relevant, the only difference is that embedded raycaster was removed (static point, raycast-pt, etc) as TGP script is now the preferred way of working with target designation. Previous blueprint

Summary
Basic APck set-up with TreeMenuCommand for convenience. Got 5 docks and built-in navigation grapth, 5 drones included.

How to use:

Quickstart
Watch videos for the basic operations understanding.

Spawn the module in space, get into control seat.

Get the latest code from APck Core in case it is outdated (this BP is shipped with APck 1.0.181)

Make sure drones are linked, sometimes if the game takes time to load, you may need to run global recycle command (it forces all PBs in antenna radius to "soft recompile") - it is included in onboard TMC menu.

Run wingman task to make drones depart and wait in formation.

To attack, there are several simple ways.

Cruise-fw (Rush B mode)

cruise-fw is a task type that makes a drone infinetely go forward, maintaining altitude (they can do full orbit). Just set formation interval higher and make them do forward sweep. If they find enemy, they would attack.

Important: cruise task picks forward drone direction at the moment of task creation, deploy formation before adding cruise task or drones would go in different directions as they are oriented at docks.

Formation guide

You can adjust the formation depth offset and guide them like a SACLOS beam-ride. They would go to your crosshair. Guide them close to the enemy so they sense it with their turret ai (600/800m).

If you set FreeFire response, they wont switch to attack task automatically and would just shoot maintaining formation. In Attack response mode (default) they would engage in close combat behavior.

To force them retreat, use break-off menu option. Check the actual command in TMC to understand how it works - break-off is just an alias.

Intel scripts

You can use TGP targeting pod script for advanced raycast ("LIDAR") tracking and many other targeting features.

This blueprint has TGP and one tracker turret onboard. Use toolbar 1-4 to use tracker remote.
Press E to raycast-lock a target (or add more points).
Press Q to drop current target.
Press W to cycle local offsets (points on target).
Press A/D to cycle targets.
Refer to TGP docs for more info.

APck and TGP work globally and share targeting data, as long as agents are in Attack or FreeFire mode, they would attack known targets in their awareness range (note that drones there are set to 3000m awareness by default).

Main controls

Toolbar 1-1 to toggle TMC control capture (arg "cc")
Toolbar 1-2 - main cam
Toolbar 1-4 - TGP tracker remote
Toolbar ?-(1-7) - TMC quick action keys
Toolbar ?-(8) - main cam
Toolbar ?-(9) - TMC go back (arg "esc")

Customization
Building an actual carrier based on this.

Landing area

Video guide

If you want to add docks, build them and tag them "dock-host".

To modify navigation mesh, use following commands while flying subordinate ship. You can check if it is linked by looking at its' PB printout, or by looking at the carrier winman count on the output screen.
command:clear-navs
command:d-path-add:node
command:d-path-add:entry

Take a drone, make sure its' linked, then fly using remote control at the exact spot where you want the node to be, then run either d-path-add:node or d-path-add:entry. If all goes well, carrier PB printout should output Navgraph:(number of nodes). You need at least one entry and one normal node, otherwise bad things happen.

Added nodes get linked to existing node.

Entry nodes act as transitions between world and "interior". When docking, an agent would search for the nearest entry node, and ask carrier for path. The path would be build to the NON-entry node closest to a dock.
Undocking works the oppsite way: the nearest non-entry node is chosen, and the path is built to an entry node that is closest to a destination.
When building node, think about the way the path would unwind. Look at every dock and imagine how drone would go for the nearest node. Carefully add nodes at corners.
This ship has only two normal nodes and two entries, and that's enough.


I placed red cubes (roughly) at entry nodes, blue ones at normal nodes. Note how I specifically placed the "first" (closest to control seat) node a bit closer to the "crossroad" so the far pair of docks is a bit closer to it than to the crossroad node. This way I ensured that docking drones would go to the between-docks node and not straight to connector after crossroad

If you want to revert to basic docking mode, which is faster and simpler if you are using open deck, then just run command:clear-navs and recompile the carrier PB (a-core).
In the basic mode all drones would rush to docks at once, so it should be planned accordingly.
In nav graph mode path is locked and they proceed one by one.

Engines and other devices

It now runs fully functional APck core script, but the blueprint still has no thrusters "captured". If you want to have APck be in full control of your carrier, clear-defs after adding them (refer to the building guide).

To build the actual ship, just add thrusters and everything, but remember not to replace initial core blocks like forward-gyro, autopillock-remcon, control seat and the main camera.
TMC set-up is free to be changed, but leave the PB in place. Main camera should be forward-clear because it is used for rangefinder and raycast-pt commands.
This APck won't mess with thrusters so you need to rely on Keen dampening and all (for some reason the ship undercompensates in the gravity because of drone weight. How do you guys even play this game?)

Important note

If you have issues or questions related to script operation rather than this specific blueprint, please proceed to the main AutoPillock script page, make sure you read documentation, FAQ, Known Issues, and ask there.

Please use the script from the main page, or at least check the latest version number there. I won't always update every blueprint when new AutoPillock version comes out so it is not guaranteed to be up to date.
2 Comments
cheerkin  [author] Jun 14, 2024 @ 8:26am 
Group them with everything else (PB, cockpit, etc)
fAce May 19, 2024 @ 10:20pm 
i dont have the dlc so the screens didnt spawn in, how do i link the new lcd screens to the script?