Original Carrier Command

[BFCrusader]

In an effort to compensate for the lack of multi-unit control I set up an advanced attack on an enemy carrier or defence island by having 2 or more Mantas approach the target in a single line formation on slowest speed with about 5 second intervals. Then when I deem the time to move in has arrived, I take control of the first Manta and make its run and when it has exhausted its ammo, I set it on autopilot on a preset position near my carrier on maximum speed.

Then I move on to the next Manta and do the same thing until either the mission is accomplished or the Mantas all run out of ammo.

[gadgetmind]

Hmmm, OK, so the enemy carrier does cheat. It tries really hard to work within its fuel reserves, and always tries to make it to a red island if it can. However, if it's all gone wrong, it limps to the nearest island even if it's out of fuel.

If its engines are also damaged this can be quite a limp as it goes at half the speed that engine state would dictate. The code for the player's carrier is pretty much the same but rather than half speed for no fuel it's zero speed.

What's puzzling, is that my memory was that the enemy carrier's normal top speed was about the same as for the player's carrier, and the x86 code seems to agree. Maybe I need to check the 68k code as it was very different in this area?

[BFCrusader]

Hmmm, OK, so the enemy carrier does cheat. It tries really hard to work within its fuel reserves, and always tries to make it to a red island if it can. However, if it's all gone wrong, it limps to the nearest island even if it's out of fuel.

If its engines are also damaged this can be quite a limp as it goes at half the speed that engine state would dictate. The code for the player's carrier is pretty much the same but rather than half speed for no fuel it's zero speed.

What's puzzling, is that my memory was that the enemy carrier's normal top speed was about the same as for the player's carrier, and the x86 code seems to agree. Maybe I need to check the 68k code as it was very different in this area?

I think it was, however any pursuit would be near-impossible because you normally encounter the enemy carrier on an island and if you pursue it, it would outrun you easily since your engines work at about 70-80% within the range of an island whereas the enemy carrier doesn't have this drawback.

Although... I distinctly remember the enemy carrier outrunning even a Manta at top speed quite easily, but your carrier only barley accomplishes this feat. I dunno then what to think.

[gadgetmind]

your engines work at about 70-80% within the range of an island whereas the enemy carrier doesn't have this drawback.

Yup, I found the water depth code for the player and you're probably right that the enemy doesn't have this. Wow, does memory fade, or what!

Although... I distinctly remember the enemy carrier outrunning even a Manta at top speed quite easily, but your carrier only barley accomplishes this feat. I dunno then what to think.

I'm working through the PC code and haven't been deep into the 68000 code as it really wasn't anything like as advanced regards strategy and tactics.

[BFCrusader]

Was it meant to have the same limitations as our carrier in terms of speed?

[gadgetmind]

Was it meant to have the same limitations as our carrier in terms of speed?

We were trying to play as fair as we could, but the enemy carrier strategy/tactics and face-to-face battles were the last thing we did in the 68k versions, and it didn't get as much polish and testing as we wanted. The PC and Mac versions (the latter with code back-ported from x86 to 68k) did benefit from this, and lots more fixes, tweaks, and additions.

I'll try and find time to dig down into the 68k code and see what I see.

BTW, if you want to see what the enemy carrier is up to, if you turn on cheat mode, you can see the enemy carrier on the map and (from memory) zoom to it by holding mouse-right as you click on the centre-on-carrier button.

[BFCrusader]

Cool, what was the cheat for the Atari?

[gadgetmind]

Cool, what was the cheat for the Atari?

The cheat modes were quite different between the x86 and 68k versions. The 68k used keypad keys but the x86 has an additional options screen in addition to some different cheat keys.

From what I can tell, the 68k versions didn't have the "zoom to enemy" feature, but TBH you're best looking at it on the PC anyway as the tactics were just so much better.

[BFCrusader]

This would be a wonderful cheat for the remake... er... if you are into cheats. :P

[gadgetmind]

This would be a wonderful cheat for the remake... er... if you are into cheats. :P

It would be trivial to add this to the 68k versions, but I'd also have to rebuild the assembler from source (yup, we wrote that too!) and get into ST/Amiga emulators.