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IDProjectCategoryLast Update
0022705AI War 2Bug - GameplayFeb 11, 2020 8:56 pm
ReporterBinary Blitz Assigned To 
Severityminor 
Status newResolutionopen 
Product Version1.309 Instigator Cheekiness 
Summary0022705: Unit stays tractored after tractoring array got destroyed
DescriptionA bunch of units got tractored by a tractor array. After the array got destroyed the units stay in the tractored state.

On the attached screenshot you can see multiple units arranged in a circle around the place that hosted some AI tractor arrays. The tooltip also displays that the unit is being tractored. The tractor lines missing.

Save files attached. The units in question are on the planet Little Death.
Reloading the game doesn't solve the error.
TagsNo tags attached.

Relationships

duplicate of 0022409 closedChris_McElligottPark Units not loading because they think they're tractored 
related to 0022771 resolvedChris_McElligottPark Slowdown and flagship engine-stun 

Activities

Binary Blitz

Jan 25, 2020 9:10 am

reporter  

Binary.bak (1,402,959 bytes)
Binary.save (1,418,545 bytes)
Binary.savemet (53 bytes)
Tractor.png (1,114,410 bytes)

Binary Blitz

Jan 25, 2020 9:18 am

reporter   ~0055762

I just noticed that there are cloaked tractor turrets. I honestly thought there is a bug.

Binary Blitz

Jan 27, 2020 1:00 pm

reporter   ~0055786

I marked this ticket as a duplicate of another one, because there is the exact same issue.
The units are caught in a cloaked tractor array. Since there is no feedback for the user and cloaked tractor arrays may appear next to un-cloaked, it appears like an error.

I noticed that cloaked gravity generators could have a similar, confusing effect, since ships get slower for no apparent reason.

BadgerBadger

Jan 27, 2020 1:52 pm

manager   ~0055787

Perhaps actively using a tractor beam should drain cloaking points?

Binary Blitz

Jan 27, 2020 3:36 pm

reporter   ~0055788

@BadgerBadger:
Right now you have to bring a unit with decloaking ability to the spot in question, which is actually cool. I use decloaking only on defensive planets, where I expect the AI to attack with cloaked ships and I don't want them to bypass my defense. Sometimes I just want them to decloak earlier, so they deal less damage until my turrets can shoot back. To enforce this behavior cloaked tractor arrays have to draw the blue tractor ray to the ship, so that the player knows that one is there. But than some players will think: "My ships see the tractor ray. So why don't they shoot where the ray starts?"

Slowly reducing cloaking points would boost the purpose of the tractor array and might solve this issue to a certain degree. I might be wrong here, but I think the biggest problem is actually the missing player feedback. If the player knows, there is a cloaked tractor array holding the ships, the player knows what he must do.

BadgerBadger

Jan 27, 2020 4:15 pm

manager   ~0055789

Last edited: Jan 27, 2020 4:16 pm

You already get feedback in the form of the tractor beams. What more feedback are you looking for? Something is doing things to your ships, and you can't see it. The first thought should be "Cloaked units?", which you can check by looking at the Planet sidebar.

However, we have had two bug reports of this who didn't think of this, so clearly what's going on isn't enough.

Binary Blitz

Jan 27, 2020 4:35 pm

reporter   ~0055790

@BadgerBadger

As far as I can say, in both bug reports the information, that the units are being tractored was read in the tooltips. What about that the tooltips say something like "Tractored by cloaked unit"?

Chris_McElligottPark

Feb 11, 2020 5:45 pm

administrator   ~0055970

I suppose we could do that, although it can't actually tell that very easily. It has to do with what info is available to the UI at the time.

BadgerBadger

Feb 11, 2020 6:17 pm

manager   ~0055972

I don't think this is worth investing time into.

BadgerBadger

Feb 11, 2020 7:54 pm

manager   ~0055973

That said, I do think that using your tractor beam should decloak a ship eventually, just like shooting a regular weapon.

Chris_McElligottPark

Feb 11, 2020 8:56 pm

administrator   ~0055974

I agree on that.

Issue History

Date Modified Username Field Change
Jan 25, 2020 9:10 am Binary Blitz New Issue
Jan 25, 2020 9:10 am Binary Blitz File Added: Binary.bak
Jan 25, 2020 9:10 am Binary Blitz File Added: Binary.save
Jan 25, 2020 9:10 am Binary Blitz File Added: Binary.savemet
Jan 25, 2020 9:10 am Binary Blitz File Added: Tractor.png
Jan 25, 2020 9:18 am Binary Blitz Note Added: 0055762
Jan 27, 2020 12:56 pm Binary Blitz Relationship added duplicate of 0022409
Jan 27, 2020 1:00 pm Binary Blitz Note Added: 0055786
Jan 27, 2020 1:52 pm BadgerBadger Note Added: 0055787
Jan 27, 2020 3:36 pm Binary Blitz Note Added: 0055788
Jan 27, 2020 4:15 pm BadgerBadger Note Added: 0055789
Jan 27, 2020 4:16 pm BadgerBadger Note Edited: 0055789
Jan 27, 2020 4:35 pm Binary Blitz Note Added: 0055790
Feb 11, 2020 3:34 pm Chris_McElligottPark Relationship added related to 0022771
Feb 11, 2020 5:45 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0055970
Feb 11, 2020 6:17 pm BadgerBadger Note Added: 0055972
Feb 11, 2020 7:54 pm BadgerBadger Note Added: 0055973
Feb 11, 2020 8:56 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0055974