Having plenty of satellite deployment scripts in the community available, it seems creating yet another one wouldn't make sense.. unless you just feel the itch to write one on your own. This script adds a new special command to deploy satellites from a single centered one up to 245 (I know.. who does that) per sector, which will illuminate even the largest sectors into any direction sufficiently.

Consider this script a tool for the mid to late game where you have stored satellites in abundance, have finished the exploration phase and want to shed some serious light into sectors of special interest while cleaning up old satellite patterns at the same time.

Features

• New command 'Deploy Satellites' in Special Command section
• Deploy/replace satellites in various patterns
• Auto mode for complete ilumination of visible sector area
• Auto mode compatible with mods that change scanner range
• Recollect obsolete satellites from previous explorations
• Resupply at homebase

Requirements

• Explorer Command Software
• Transporter Device (Optional for faster deployment & recollection)

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The script uses Advanced Satellites only as its main purpose is to cover large sector areas. It is smart enough to recognize existing satellites that can be considered part of the selected pattern (skipping according waypoints at deployment), as well as to recollect those which are not. The satellite scanner range is determined at runtime, thus the script is compatible with global.txt mods. In case the ship doesn't carry enough satellites to execute the order it will return to homebase and resupply.

Menu options

• Grid shape
  In auto mode the script will calculate the visible sector area (what you see in the sector map after zooming out once) and determine the best grid size to iluminate the X-Z plane completely. You can override manually to Single or from 2x2 to 7x7.


• Layer count
  In auto mode the script will find the most distant stations/gates in Y direction and determine the number of layers required to catch them into scanner range. You can also override manually from 1 to 5.


• Recollect obsolete
  Recollecting obsolete satellites can be useful if you have some random ones in the sector from earlier explorations and now want to replace them with something more tidy looking, or just want to replace a given pattern with a new one.


• Return home
  Select 'Yes' if you want the ship to return home after completing all tasks, otherwise it will dock at the nearest friendly station. This option will be visible only if there is a homebase set.

Additionally you get information on grid shape and layer count that will be deployed in the given sector in case you choose to proceed in either auto-mode. You'll get log entries at start and end of deployment as well a vocal notifications from Betty when given tasks have been finished. The ship then returns home or docks at the nearest friendly station.

Ingame examples

Example for 4x4x4 pattern (4x4 grid + 4 layers)

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Order of events
1. Determine size of the visible X-Z area in the sector map (used for: Grid shape = Auto)
2. Determine most distant stations/gates from center in Y directions (used for: Layer count = Auto)
3. Determine satellite scanner range (compatibility with gobal.txt mods)
4. Adjust grid step size to scanner range
5. Indentify existing satellites that already fit into the selected pattern (sats will be skipped at deployment)
6. Build pattern = grid + layer(s)
7. Find existing satellites not part of the selected pattern (used for: Recollect obsolete)
8. Determine good path for deployment/recollection
9. Deploy
10. Collect
11. Dock


Technical Notes
Using SPECIAL_COMMAND_60 and 8811.L044.xml

If you want to check out immidiate results without waiting for the ship to travel waypoints, open plugin.sc.sat.main and look for 'Comment this for immediate results'.

TODO: Enemy avoidance