Detection range for Size 6 missiles

[Iceranger (OP)]

It seems this bug existed in VB6 Aurora too so I will leave it out of a bug report thread for a particular version.

We know that for targets smaller than a sensor's resolution, its max detection radius is

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(target size / sensor resolution)^2 * sensor max range
Let's check the following sensor:

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Resolution 1     Maximum Range vs 50 ton object (or larger): 8,574,929 km
Range vs Size 6 Missile (or smaller): 933,810 km
Range vs Size 8 Missile: 1,371,989 km
Range vs Size 12 Missile: 3,086,975 km
For size 8, it is

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(8/20)^2*8,574,929=1,371,988.64 close enough.

For size 12, it is

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(12/20)^2*8,574,929=3,086,974.44 again, close enough

However, as shown in the picture, for size 6 the calculation breaks down.

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(6/20)^2*8,574,929=771,743.61 which is apparently much smaller than 933,810. Instead, if we do the following:

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(6.6/20)*2*8,574,929=933,809.7681 this time, it seems to match exactly.

Let's look at another senor:

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Active Sensor Strength 60.0   Sensitivity Modifier: 320%
Sensor Size 1.0 HS  (50 tons)    HTK 1
Resolution 1     Maximum Range vs 50 ton object (or larger): 24,721,520 km
Range vs Size 6 Missile (or smaller): 2,692,174 km
Range vs Size 8 Missile: 3,955,443 km
Range vs Size 12 Missile: 8,899,747 km
Again:

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(6/20)^2*24,721,520=2,224,936.8
(6.6/20)^2*24,721,520=2,692,173.528
Again, seems the second one matches perfectly.

Since the calculations for 8 and 12 MSP missiles are correct, I suspect the bug is in the code that limits the min missile size, where 6MSP is typoed as 6.6MSP, or something like that.

[Alsadius]

I'm pretty sure this is WAI, because I've seen 16.5 tons cited as the lowest size in a lot of places. The "size 6" is just a hold-over from the VB version that didn't have fractional-sized missiles. So the text is oversimplified, but the mechanic is correct.

[Steve Walmsley]

The static value MINCONTACTSIGNATURE was set to 0.33. I've changed to 0.3.

[Steve Walmsley]

I'm pretty sure this is WAI, because I've seen 16.5 tons cited as the lowest size in a lot of places. The "size 6" is just a hold-over from the VB version that didn't have fractional-sized missiles. So the text is oversimplified, but the mechanic is correct.

Yes, I obviously made it 0.33 for a reason. I just can't remember what that reason was

Size 6 missile is what everyone usually remembers though.

[Iceranger (OP)]

I'm pretty sure this is WAI, because I've seen 16.5 tons cited as the lowest size in a lot of places. The "size 6" is just a hold-over from the VB version that didn't have fractional-sized missiles. So the text is oversimplified, but the mechanic is correct.

hmm interestingly I have never seen the reference of 16.5 tons in wiki page or elsewhere, perhaps it was from ancient time, and later people just use 6MSP as a rough approximate?