(v0.5.16) Iceranger's Missile and Ship Optimizer

[Iceranger (OP)]

Ok my latest theory is I selected MK1 rather than MK2 of one of the ships I was trying to bridge, when I just attempted to replicate so I could give steps to reproduce the optimizer now tells me one of the three is already a suitable bridging design!

Sorry to waste your time with what I assume was just my mistake!

Actually, there is indeed a bug (actually I found 2 bugs, but only one is related to the issue you reported )

When reading ship designs from the DB, the last ship design (in your case, the bridging design you copied) is not read properly and its armor cost isn't updated in the tool properly. That's why it shows a different armor cost compared to in-game. The design read with errors will of course affect the tool calculating the refit cost, and which ships can be built from the same shipyard.

[Cristo]

Ok my latest theory is I selected MK1 rather than MK2 of one of the ships I was trying to bridge, when I just attempted to replicate so I could give steps to reproduce the optimizer now tells me one of the three is already a suitable bridging design!

Sorry to waste your time with what I assume was just my mistake!

Actually, there is indeed a bug (actually I found 2 bugs, but only one is related to the issue you reported )

When reading ship designs from the DB, the last ship design (in your case, the bridging design you copied) is not read properly and its armor cost isn't updated in the tool properly. That's why it shows a different armor cost compared to in-game. The design read with errors will of course affect the tool calculating the refit cost, and which ships can be built from the same shipyard.

Nice! Well happy to have contributed somewhat to those being found

Thanks again for the great tool!

[Iceranger (OP)]

v0.5.12 is ready, bug fixes related to the importing DB to the ship planner.

* fixed a bug that causes the armor of the last designed ship in the game DB not being read properly when importing designs
* fixed a bug that when a new DB file is selected and imported, the pop up asking for confirmation is not displayed when should
* fixed a bug that when a new DB file is selected and imported, previously loaded ships and components not being removed
* when a selected ship design is removed during the process of importing another DB, a design in the ship design list after the import will be selected

[Denniz]

I have been using your utility quite a lot lately.  I think it is great! Thank you for creating it.  Of course, that means I am going to ask for something.   

One feature that I would find useful would would to be able to specify an agility value on the missile Maximize Speed and Maximize Range options.  Both default to agility of zero. 

I have been trying to design a missile with some agility but not the amount given on the Maximize Accuracy option.  Using Reserve MSP gives me some help but being able to see the calculated chance to hit would make things easier.

Also, on a different note, I was wondering if you had considered updating the corresponding text boxes on the left when you click on a row in the Alternate Optimization Results (both missile and ship tabs).  That would have been the 'normal' practice for a parent/child type UI back when I used to work as a programmer.  It would help with the juggling of multiple windows on a single monitor setup.  Your utility's window always seems to be half off the screen to make room for the Aurora design window. 

[nuclearslurpee]

I have been using your utility quite a lot lately.  I think it is great! Thank you for creating it.  Of course, that means I am going to ask for something.   

One feature that I would find useful would would to be able to specify an agility value on the missile Maximize Speed and Maximize Range options.  Both default to agility of zero. 

I have been trying to design a missile with some agility but not the amount given on the Maximize Accuracy option.  Using Reserve MSP gives me some help but being able to see the calculated chance to hit would make things easier.

I don't use this program myself as I have my own spreadsheet (not as fully-featured but it does what I need), but it sounds like what would be helpful is a setting to design for a balance of speed and accuracy instead of maximizing one or the other. For example in my sheet I maximize the product of speed*accuracy (along with a weighting exponent that I never actually use), mainly because speed is needed to avoid PD/AMMs but still some accuracy is needed to actually hit anything.

This would accomplish the desire to have "some" agility but also give you a result that is optimized in a tangible way instead of having to choose what "some" agility means and hoping it works out well.

[Iceranger (OP)]

One feature that I would find useful would would to be able to specify an agility value on the missile Maximize Speed and Maximize Range options.  Both default to agility of zero. 

I have been trying to design a missile with some agility but not the amount given on the Maximize Accuracy option.  Using Reserve MSP gives me some help but being able to see the calculated chance to hit would make things easier.

Doable if I can find more space on the UI to squeeze in text box
Added to the TODO list for future updates.

Also, on a different note, I was wondering if you had considered updating the corresponding text boxes on the left when you click on a row in the Alternate Optimization Results (both missile and ship tabs).  That would have been the 'normal' practice for a parent/child type UI back when I used to work as a programmer.  It would help with the juggling of multiple windows on a single monitor setup.  Your utility's window always seems to be half off the screen to make room for the Aurora design window.

hmm, do you mean the same feature when you double click on an entry among those lists?

[Iceranger (OP)]

I have been using your utility quite a lot lately.  I think it is great! Thank you for creating it.  Of course, that means I am going to ask for something.   

One feature that I would find useful would would to be able to specify an agility value on the missile Maximize Speed and Maximize Range options.  Both default to agility of zero. 

I have been trying to design a missile with some agility but not the amount given on the Maximize Accuracy option.  Using Reserve MSP gives me some help but being able to see the calculated chance to hit would make things easier.

I don't use this program myself as I have my own spreadsheet (not as fully-featured but it does what I need), but it sounds like what would be helpful is a setting to design for a balance of speed and accuracy instead of maximizing one or the other. For example in my sheet I maximize the product of speed*accuracy (along with a weighting exponent that I never actually use), mainly because speed is needed to avoid PD/AMMs but still some accuracy is needed to actually hit anything.

This would accomplish the desire to have "some" agility but also give you a result that is optimized in a tangible way instead of having to choose what "some" agility means and hoping it works out well.

Yeah spreadsheets are better at customizing objective functions. The current ones I have are limited to:

Maximize accuracy (speed * MR) subject to given missile size, warhead (and other components) and desired range. Best used for AMMs (and early tech ASMs when the agility tech sucks).
Maximize speed, given missile size, warhead size, desired range, and expected accuracy (speed * MR). I think this one does what you have described reasonably well. Good for ASMs
Maximize range, given missile size and minimum speed. This is mainly for cruising missiles and scout drones.
Maximize expected damage, i.e., damage * hit chance * (1 - chance being intercepted), given missile size, target speed, and target PD tracking speed. Mainly for ASM. This also does something you described.

And in every mode, it gives top X results (choosable) so you are able to choose from a relatively large list and can compare the tradeoffs yourself.

[Denniz]

Also, on a different note, I was wondering if you had considered updating the corresponding text boxes on the left when you click on a row in the Alternate Optimization Results (both missile and ship tabs).   That would have been the 'normal' practice for a parent/child type UI back when I used to work as a programmer.   It would help with the juggling of multiple windows on a single monitor setup.   Your utility's window always seems to be half off the screen to make room for the Aurora design window. 

hmm, do you mean the same feature when you double click on an entry among those lists? :P

HA! :-[ Yeah, I was expecting it on a single-click.  Double-click will do, though.   

[Denniz]

One feature that I would find useful would would to be able to specify an agility value on the missile Maximize Speed and Maximize Range options.   Both default to agility of zero.   

I have been trying to design a missile with some agility but not the amount given on the Maximize Accuracy option.   Using Reserve MSP gives me some help but being able to see the calculated chance to hit would make things easier. 

Doable if I can find more space on the UI to squeeze in text box :D
Added to the TODO list for future updates.

Great, thanks! Does your language allow conditional viability? Using the same space for multiple controls that are never needed together can help with space.

[Iceranger (OP)]

Also, on a different note, I was wondering if you had considered updating the corresponding text boxes on the left when you click on a row in the Alternate Optimization Results (both missile and ship tabs).   That would have been the 'normal' practice for a parent/child type UI back when I used to work as a programmer.   It would help with the juggling of multiple windows on a single monitor setup.   Your utility's window always seems to be half off the screen to make room for the Aurora design window. 

hmm, do you mean the same feature when you double click on an entry among those lists?

HA! Yeah, I was expecting it on a single-click.  Double-click will do, though.   

There's also right click that you can try on those lists

[Iceranger (OP)]

v0.5.13 is ready, as a quick update for the components changes in 1.13

* Update the component parameters that are changed in Aurora 1.13

[Warer]

Thanks!~

[Iceranger (OP)]

This is a quick update to included the changed components and mechanics in Aurora 2.0

v0.5.14

* Add the new components in Aurora 2.0
* Update the component parameters that are changed in Aurora 2.0
   * I should automate reading these from the DB file
* Update the crew number calculation for very short deployments to match the new mechanic in Aurora 2.0


Known issues:
Low tech engines and reactors have their legacy names
Crew quarter calculation may not exactly match the in-game values

[Iceranger (OP)]

More updates for 2.0

https://github.com/Iceranger03/Releases/raw/master/A4xCalc/A4xCalc_v0.5.15.zip

v0.5.15

* Update the engine and reactor names for low tech
   * That's why I said I should automate reading these things
* Update the crew quarter size calculation to better match in-game numbers

[Snoman314]

For me the displayed endurance in the ship optimizer is way way off.  I think maybe it's giving the number of hours of endurance, not days?