©	Extended Ship Missions The Portable Host Version 3.2.3.5g Jump to Table of Contents

INDEX

• Introduction
• Extended Mission Summary
• Using Extended Missions
• Mission Descriptions
• Build Torpedoes from Cargo
• Lay Minefield
• Lay Web Minefield
• Scoop Torpedoes from Minefield
• Gather Minerals/Build Torpedoes
• Beam Down Credits to Planet
• Transfer Torpedoes to Ship
• Transfer Fighters to Ship
• Transfer Credits to Ship
• Standard Super Spy
• Cloak
• Special Mission
• Gather-Build Fighters
• Beam Up Credits
• Beam Up Clans
• Beam Up Multiple
• Lay Mines In
• Lay Web Mines In

Introduction

PHOST Extended Missions represent a new set of ship missions that enhance the current set of standard missions. These extended missions can be accessed via the M.I.T. interface in WinPlan or VPA, or through the PHOST command processor for DOS Planets users. Note that EchoView also allows setting extended missions.

The main motivation behind PHOST's extended missions is to remove the function of friendly codes as mission orders. For example, the mkt friendly code is really a mission order (to build torpedoes). With the newfound importance of friendly codes as determinants of battle order, it has become even more important to reduce the number of roles that the poor, overworked friendly code must play. Using an extended mission for an actual ship mission also reduces the number of friendly codes that players have to memorize.

Please note that PHOST may be instructed to ignore extended missions by turning off the AllowExtendedMissions config option.

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Extended Mission Summary

The extended missions that PHOST currently supports are briefly listed below. They are discussed in greater detail in a subsequent section. This section is meant to be a "quick reference chart" for extended missions.

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Using Extended Missions

WinPlan Players

WinPlan players should place the MISSION.INI file that comes with PHOST (or an alternate file provided by the host) in the VPWORK subdirectory being used for the game. When you wish to give an extended mission order to a ship, bring up the mission menu for the ship and click on the "Extended Missions" button at the bottom of window. If you've placed the MISSION.INI file in the VPWORK subdirectory, you will then see a list of missions to choose from in a selection window. Click on the mission you wish to perform.

Depending upon the mission you've chosen, you may be told that there is an "Intercept Required" and a "Tow Number Required". These really have nothing to do with towing or intercepting but are just generalized parameters for the mission. We will just refer to them as "Parameter 1" and "Parameter 2".

If the mission you've chosen requires parameters, enter them in the "Intercept Number" (parameter 1) and "Tow Number" (parameter 2) edit fields. Click "OK" to accept the new mission.

VPA Players

Place the MISSION.INI file in the game directory. When you go to select a ship's mission, you will see the extended missions listed along with the normal missions. Enter the optional parameters if prompted.

 Note that VPA 3.50a has a slight bug in this interface. If you enter a parameter value that is 0, VPA will ignore the extended mission. To work around this bug, do not enter extended mission parameters with a value of 0. This bug is fixed in VPA 3.51 or higher.

DOS Planets Players

You will need to enter new missions using the extmission command processor command. Briefly, the syntax of the command is:

where Parm1 and Parm2 need only be specified for missions that require parameters. For example, to perform the "Transfer Credits to Ship" mission, you would send the command:

to transfer 5000 credits from ship #105 to ship #317. The ships must be in the same location, of course.

Note that extmission may be abbreviated to the single letter 'e'.

Hosts

Hosts will normally not have to do anything to support extended missions. Hosts may wish to disable extended missions, perhaps if they are upgrading the PHOST program and do not wish to unbalance a game in progress. The AllowExtendedMissions config option can be used to disable extended missions.

The only thing hosts may need to consider are other programs that also make use of this extended mission (M.I.T.) interface. If the missions used by another program overlap with those used by PHOST, then the mission numbers must be changed to eliminate the overlap. As of this writing, the only other program known to use extended missions is FHOST, an add-on program. This program uses extended missions beginning at 200 so there should be no conflict with PHOST.

PHOST may be configured to respond to a different set of mission numbers to perform its extended missions. This is configured with the ExtMissionsStartAt config option. This config option indicates the mission number of the first extended mission recognized by PHOST. Nominally this is 20, but hosts may configure this to be any number from 20 through 900.

If the host modifies the ExtMissionsStartAt config option from its nominal value of 20, then the host should ensure that:

• WinPlan players receive modified MISSION.INI files with the correct mission numbers for PHOST
• DOS Planets players are made aware of the new value so that they may issue the correct extmission command processor commands

For reference, here are the extended missions that PHOST recognizes as a function of the ExtMissionsStartAt config option:

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Mission Descriptions

This section describes each PHOST extended mission in detail. Note that some missions are available to registered players only. The 'Shareware' field of each description indicates whether or not the mission is available to shareware players.

Some extended missions take parameters. In most cases, the values that these parameters can take is obvious. The value of 0 is usually given special treatment however. Rather than using a zero value, PHOST will take a 0-valued parameter to mean "the default number". For example, when a parameter represents the maximum number of torps to use in a mission, the value of 0 means to use all available torps, not 0 torps.

This mission is intended to replace the mkt friendly code. It performs the same function as the mkt friendly code: torpedoes are built from available cargo and credits.

This mission is intended to replace the mdh, mdq, mdN, and miN friendly codes. It allows a minefield to be laid with the exact number of torps desired and it also allows the field to be laid in another player's name. Setting parameter 1 to 0 means that all torps will be converted to mines. Setting parameter 2 to 0 means that the mine will belong to the same race as the ship's owner, as usual.

This mission is intended to replace the mdh, mdq, mdN, and miN friendly codes when laying web mines. This extended mission is only available to the Crystalline race, it will be ignored for all other races.

This mission is intended to replace the msc friendly code. This extended mission also implies a regular Mine Sweep mission, but if the ship is inside a same-race minefield, then the mines will be converted back to torps, up to the maximum specified by parameter 1. If parameter 1 is 0 then all possible mine units are converted back into torps.

Parameter 2 indicates a specific minefield to scoop from. If this parameter is 0 then the default behavior applies, which is to scoop from all mines covering the ship's position. Otherwise, parameter 2 indicates a single minefield to scoop from. If this minefield doesn't exist, does not cover the ship, or is not owned by the ship's owner, no mines will be scooped from any minefield.

This mission has no counterpart among friendly codes, but it is intended to be the equivalent of an lfm-type friendly code for torpedoes. When a ship is in orbit of a friendly planet, this mission will cause the ship to beam up minerals and credits from the planet and use them to build torpedoes. The number of torpedoes to build is limited by the resources on the planet and the amount of free cargo room on the ship. The maximum number of torpedoes to build can also be limited by the value of parameter 1 (unless this parameter is 0, which signifies no limit).

A "friendly planet" as used above means a planet that is of the same race as the ship's owner, or an allied planet owned by an ally who has granted the ship's owner the Planet Level of alliance, an unowned planet or a planet with matching friendly code (the last two only in PHost 3.4b and later).

This mission is intended to replace the bdm friendly code. When a ship is in orbit of a planet, this mission will cause the ship to beam down the specified number of credits (given by parameter 1). If parameter 1 is 0, then all credits from the ship will be beamed down to the planet.

This mission is intended to replace the btt friendly code. Parameter 1 indicates the ship number which is to receive the torpedoes. The two ships must be in the same location in space and must both have the same type of torpedo tubes. In PHost 3.4a and before, the two ships cannot belong to the same player. Parameter 2 indicates the number of torpedoes to transfer, or 0 to indicate a transfer of all torpedoes (limited by cargo space on the receiving ship).

This mission is intended to replace the btf friendly code. Parameter 1 indicates the ship number which is to receive the fighters. The two ships must be in the same location in space and must both have fighter bays. In PHost 3.4a and before, the two ships cannot belong to the same player. Parameter 2 indicates the number of fighters to transfer, or 0 to indicate a transfer of all fighters (limited by cargo space on the receiving ship).

This mission is intended to replace the btm friendly code. Parameter 1 indicates the ship number which is to receive the credits. The two ships must be in the same location in space. In PHost 3.4a and before, the two ships cannot belong to the same player. Parameter 2 indicates the number of credits to transfer, or 0 to indicate a transfer of all credits (limited by how many credits are already on the receiving ship).

This mission is only recognized for Birdmen races. For all other races, this mission is ignored.

This mission performs a regular Super Spy mission without performing a Deluxe Super Spy mission. That is, the ship performing this mission tries to spy on the planet of orbit but it does not attempt to change the friendly code. Thus, the ship stands no chance of being decloaked by a tachyon beam from the planet.

Note that a standard Super Spy mission can also be effected by setting the ship's friendly code to begin with the letter 'x' or 'X'.

This mission is identical to the Cloak mission. It is provided simply so that ships not recognized by client programs (DOS Planets, for example) as having cloaking devices can still cloak, assuming that PHOST recognizes them as being able to cloak. This may occur when the HULLFUNC.TXT interface is used to give cloaking capability to traditionally non-cloaking ships.

This mission is identical to the ship's usual special mission (mission 9) and is, therefore, race dependent. In fact, it is suggested that players edit their MISSION.INI file to replace the name of this mission with whichever special mission they are capable of performing. For example, for the Federation player, this extended mission is the same as the Super Refit mission. For the Lizard player, this extended mission is the same as the Hiss mission, and so on.

This mission has two purposes. The first is to reduce some confusion for players who are playing in a nonstandard-race game (i.e., PlayerRace config option is used to redefine racial assignments). Rather than seeing the built-in mission names for their race (which may be incorrect since the player may be playing another race), the player can simply modify the name of this extended mission to be consistent with the player's true special mission.

The second purpose of this extended mission is to allow all qualified ships to perform the special mission, not just those ships which are recognized by the client program as being able to perform the special mission. For example, the DOS Planets client program will not allow player #11 ships to perform the special mission (nominally Build Fighters) for ships without fighter bays. But if player #11 is playing race #10, he actually wants to perform the RGA mission which does not need fighter bays. The Special Mission extended mission allows the player to perform his special mission even when the client program will not allow it.

This mission is a replacement for the lfm friendly code, and has the same effect. This mission is ignored unless the player is the Rebels, Robots, or Colonies. If a ship is over a friendly planet (i.e., a planet that is unowned, owned by the same player as the ship, or owned by an ally who has granted the player the Planet Level of alliance), then the ship will gather sufficient minerals from the planet and use them to build fighters. If the first parameter is non-zero, then it specifies a limit as to how many minerals to gather from the planet. The parameter itself specifies a maximum number of fighters to build (and that is converted to an equivalent amount of minerals).

If the ship is in orbit of a friendly planet (i.e., a planet that is unowned, owned by the same player as the ship, a planet whose friendly code matches that of the ship, or is owned by an ally who has granted the player the Planet Level of alliance), then the ship will beam up credits from the planet onto the ship. The first parameter, if non-zero, specifies the maximum number of credits to beam up.

If the ship is in orbit of a friendly planet (i.e., a planet that is unowned, owned by the same player as the ship, a planet whose friendly code matches that of the ship, or is owned by an ally who has granted the player the Planet Level of alliance), then the ship will beam up clans from the planet onto the ship. The first parameter, if non-zero, specifies the maximum number of clans to beam up.

Note that, as a safety feature, at least 1 clan will be left remaining on a planet after beaming up clans with this mission. That is, this mission will not remove the last clan from a planet.

If the ship is in orbit of a friendly planet (i.e., a planet that is unowned, owned by the same player as the ship, a planet whose friendly code matches that of the ship, or is owned by an ally who has granted the player the Planet Level of alliance), then the ship will beam up multiple resources from the planet. The amount to beam up of each one of those resources is specified separately, in the beamup command processor command. Please follow the preceding link for the syntax and usage of that command. Issuing this extended mission without an accompanying beamup command has no effect.

 Note that the beaming up of clans is further restricted by the AllowBeamUpClans config option. With this option disabled, clans cannot be beamed up.

Note that, as a safety feature, at least 1 clan will be left remaining on a planet after beaming up clans with this mission. That is, this mission will not remove the last clan from a planet.

Finally, the beaming up of minerals, clans, and supplies goes in the order: tritanium, duranium, molybdenum, clans, supplies. If a ship becomes full before beaming up all specified resources, no more resources are beamed up (this does not interfere with beaming up fuel and megacredits, however).

This mission is a mine laying mission that allows you to specify the number of torps to lay and a specific minefield ID number to add to. The number of torps to lay (parameter 1) may be 0 to indicate that all torps are to be converted to mines.

Parameter 2 indicates a specific minefield ID to add to. This extended mission can only be used to add torps to an existing minefield (unless parameter 2 is 0, in which case this extended mission is no different from the regular minelaying mission). Your ship must be within the designated minefield and it must be a minefield that you own (except if you are using the miN friendly code). If either of the above are not true, this mission does nothing.  No new minefield is created if the designated minefield ID is invalid. Note that minefield explosions may cause your designated minefield to have disappeared by the time your ship is ready to lay mines.

Note that this extended mission also considers the miN friendly code, if it used. If this code is used, the minefield ID parameter must specify a minefield that is owned by the player indicated in the friendly code.

This mission is a web mine laying mission that allows you to specify the number of torps to lay and a specific minefield ID number to add to. The number of torps to lay (parameter 1) may be 0 to indicate that all torps are to be converted to mines.

Parameter 2 indicates a specific web minefield ID to add to. This extended mission can only be used to add torps to an existing web minefield (unless parameter 2 is 0, in which case this extended mission is no different from the regular web minelaying mission). Your ship must be within the designated minefield and it must be a web minefield that you own (except if you are using the miN friendly code). If either of the above are not true, this mission does nothing.  No new minefield is created if the designated minefield ID is invalid. Note that minefield explosions may cause your designated minefield to have disappeared by the time your ship is ready to lay mines.

Of course, this mission is only available to Crystal races. For all other races, this mission does nothing.

Note that this extended mission also considers the miN friendly code, if it used. If this code is used, the minefield ID parameter must specify a minefield that is owned by the player indicated in the friendly code.

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This document is maintained by The Portable Host Project (support@phost.de).