its actualy completly doable in the command system, what I'm saying is that the command will only be cleared when it detects a message of "so and so" when the turn is completed,
really, this command would do absolutely nothing on its own, all it does is add a delay between the previous command and the next command that is as long as it takes for a message of a specific string to be sent
some pseudo-code for people who understand such things
if(messageString == completeString)
{
curentCommand.Complete();
doNextCommand();
}
Hm.
A "relieve target fleet" command would be interesting. Not sure how to implement it, since the command could be issued from anywhere, so where does the target fleet go? Nearest maintenance facility within 4 jumps?
Interesting concept.
I use Send Message when I want to remind myself about something. It just creates a message that you see in the list, so perhaps if I have some complicated thing to do I might write it as a send message command so that I don't forget.
what this will do is to allow for a bit more then just "relieve target fleet", say you want to have some ships deliver some infrastructure to a planet, and only when the infrastructure is on planet then you would unload colonists, what you would do is have the freighter fleet have a command list something like
(repeat x5)
Load Infrastructure Earth
Unload all installations Mars
Refuel from Earth
(end repeat)
Send Message "Inf Complete"
while the colony ship fleet would be
Load Colonists Earth
Move to Mars
Wait for "Inf Complete"
Unload Colonists Mars
Refuel from Earth
what would happen is that the Wait for "Inf Complete" order will only be complete when the message "Inf Complete" is sent from any location this way, the next order will only be performed when you send that message, allowing for MUCH more automation, take using the send completed orders to end of list thing for looping orders, doing this will allow for synchronizing commands between multiple fleets, adding a Wait for <length of time> command will make it even more useful, and allow you to automatically send out a guard fleet, have it return for a refit automatically, and send out another fleet to replace it with no interaction from the player what so ever
think of it more like one time conditional commands that can be used for anything rather then just to relive a fleet
hell, if you spend enough time, I think you could possibly make some sort of very simple non turing complete computer using ships, have one ship that moves between 2 points of a fixed distance, where the travel time is exactly 1 minute, theres your clock generator, from that you can have it so that every time it arrives it gives a "Clk" message to trigger timed events, doing something like that could allow you to have a ship enable its sensors for a minute, wait 5 minutes, and turn them back on for a minute, combine it with condition commands such as "Enemy fleet in system" it sends out a message "begin mass bombardment" where it would cause another ship to launch 8 drones with a 8 drones each with a sensor sensor buoy as a second stage in a circular pattern from the center of the system, when they reach a specific range, they burst out in a circular patern, drop the buoy, and then you have a sensor grid triggered by a short range sensor platform, a bit complex but it gets the idea across
