Author Topic: Engineer Drone - Better Control Handling  (Read 2279 times)

Offline Shadoz

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Engineer Drone - Better Control Handling
« on: March 05, 2011, 12:13:55 pm »
Hi there

I have a little problem ...
My Engineer Drones do so much automatic support i dont want to have ... if i build a predesigned Spire Destroyer / Cruiser / etc. the drones fly after constructing to follow them to build the Shilds/Weapons ... in battle defend situations they warp (mk3) to damaged buldings/units to heal them ...
The problem is in most situations in battles they die all ...

So now my question ... is there an option to handle it in other way ???
I want my engineer drones to HOLD POSITION where i placed them to be ...
there are some "group" orders like "free roaming" / "attack stance" etc .... it there an stance to get them HOLD POSITION ??? or any other options / possibilitys to get engineers to be only at the position i placed without auto move? So that they only hold position and heal only in there range ???

That would be very nice of better support for my own ...
My englisch is not the best all around ... so i dont under stand all of the "Galaxy Wide CTRLS" Options ... there you can change some options like "group move" to set default etc. ... mybe there is an option i like to have for my engineers ...


Please Help Me Guys


Thx for helping / Answering

Offline Invelios

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Re: Engineer Drone - Better Control Handling
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2011, 01:18:17 pm »
The behavior you are describing should be the default, in fact on of the Galaxy Control options changes it to what you are describing. If you want it to work the way you are describing, make sure "auto-FRD engineers" is off. That option makes all engineers on your planet stay in FRD mode, which causes them to move and assist anywhere in a galaxy if they can. If it is off, they only assist in their range, you have to move them yourself.

Offline Lancefighter

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Re: Engineer Drone - Better Control Handling
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2011, 01:46:02 pm »
Giving them a specific order (ie: help this building) will cause them to never leave that building.

Alternatively, mk1/2 engineers will not move to assist, as they have gratuitously large repair ranges, unless in FRD mode

If you absolutely want them to not do anything, you can always power them down by clicking on the play button in the bottom left while they are selected
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Offline Sunshine!

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Re: Engineer Drone - Better Control Handling
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2011, 04:52:41 pm »
Wrong.  Because of the change a couple versions back that allowed them to target moving ships, they will now attempt to assist a moving ship and will follow that ship for the duration of the assistance.  This can lead to engineers being scattered all over the place even if not in FRD mode if, for example, you've got a bunch of damaged resistance fighters patrolling through your planets.  I probably should've bug-reported it a while back, but it slipped my mind.

Offline Lancefighter

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Re: Engineer Drone - Better Control Handling
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2011, 10:15:45 pm »
Meh.

The reason given.. er.. the reason we were given as to why mk1-2 engineers dont teleport is because they blink all over the place following things.

Yet, they still do that..


Whatever. Buy mk3 engineers, stick them in frd. Profit. They are pretty durable on your own planets, and not exactly expensive or hard to replace, especially with the control options
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Offline Echo35

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Re: Engineer Drone - Better Control Handling
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2011, 11:01:39 pm »
People actually issue orders to Engineers?

Offline Red Spot

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Re: Engineer Drone - Better Control Handling
« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2011, 05:38:45 am »
All the time.

Offline Shrugging Khan

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Re: Engineer Drone - Better Control Handling
« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2011, 12:01:59 pm »
FRD, always FRD.
The beatings shall continue
until morale improves!

Offline Weapon Master

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Re: Engineer Drone - Better Control Handling
« Reply #8 on: March 07, 2011, 02:31:34 am »
Only time I give orders are when I tell them to build another buddie (yay Team Buddies reference) before they go off to assist with building turret balls.

Offline Shrugging Khan

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Re: Engineer Drone - Better Control Handling
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2011, 08:05:21 am »
Oh god, team buddies xO

The orders I usually give:

1. "Build that other engineer" - often
2. "Accelerate the sh!t out of that dock" - very often
3. "Get the f?ck away from there before you die and I have to pay for a replacement, you dumb f!ck!" - all the time. ALL THE TIME.
The beatings shall continue
until morale improves!

Offline Sunshine!

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Re: Engineer Drone - Better Control Handling
« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2011, 02:42:14 pm »
FRD, always FRD.
3. "Get the ____ away from there before you die and I have to pay for a replacement, you dumb ____" - all the time. ALL THE TIME.

This is why I no longer use FRD.  An additional benefit to clustering your turrets around your command station (with FF) is that, in most cases (except for cases where your engineers are stupid and decide to go chasing a moving ship to repair it, even without FRD on) your engineers will never have to leave the safety and comfort of your forcefield to do their job, and therefore you will (usually) not have to rebuild them.