I've got interlocked Mines - HELP!

[Choljah]

As the title says,

I've looked at other threads regarding the issue, but I couldn't see a definetive answer to the result I'd like to achieve.

X3TC patched to 2.5 from orig. DVD, Pure Vanilla (and want to keep it that way!). I planted two silicon mines on a couple of roids that I thought were far enough apart, and still were after laying the first one, but when I placed the second mine down, they were overlapped to a degree of about 30-40% on the roids, the actual station parts are clear of each other, and the shields started depleting on both mines

I tried tractoring one away from the other, result - KA-BOOM-ski
I planted a kestrel close to the join to try and monitor on a 2nd view if there was any seperation between the mines, but the rate of shield degradation followed by explosion was too quick to see any movement. I haven't tried the old 'Bumping' trick from X2 with a TL as I'm not sure that works anymore in TC, but let me know otherwise and I'll give it a bash (pun intended!).

Basically, I'm asking if anyone has gotten out of this problem with any success and how? Failing that, I guess I'll just self-destruct the lower yield mine and stay OOS until the debris clears, but that will be a last resort as silicon roids are a scarcity in this particular part of the universe

Thanx for any help

[Xander Cade]

This should teach you to save before dropping stations in the future.

[jlehtone]

... I thought were far enough apart, and still were after laying the first one, ...

The only way to save both is to reload a previous save, build one Mine, tow it to safe distance, and then build the second Mine.

The debris shows only the tower part of a Mine and none of the rock, so if the tower is not colliding, then the debris shouldn't either. Sad loss of natural resources though.

[killyg]

is it possible to tow roids while OOS? Say...attack target -> move to position etc?

[Xenon_Slayer]

is it possible to tow roids while OOS? Say...attack target -> move to position etc?

Nope. I think only the player ship can tow objects.

I can't remember if stations in a complex damage each other in 2.5. It may be worth a try adding them to a complex and see if that helps.

[Lancefighter]

nope - the tractor beam is a purely in sector 'weapon'.

Your solution is either script, or leave that system never to return again.

[Goodfeller]

No need to separate them. Just join them together with a construction kit. That's all you need to do.

[cezarip]

No need to separate them. Just join them together with a construction kit. That's all you need to do.

They will still explode if the player spends enough time In Sector. Even in a complex the game tracks the shield of the individual stations and when it depleted it goes BOOM.
Am I wrong?

[Alan Phipps]

Sorry Goodfeller, cezarip is correct. The station collision damage will still happen even in a complex with you IS.

[Choljah]

This should teach you to save before dropping stations in the future.

Funny thing is I DID save after laying the mines, strangely though, the shields didn't start depleting until after my '3 save slot', or maybe I didn't notice it till after then. Tractor Beam IS purely a player ship weapon, cannot be used OOS and can't even be fired remotely from another ship even tho conventional weapons can, tried that as well. Oh well, guess I lose the lower yield rock. As Jlehtone said, it is a sad loss of resource.

[JoeVN09]

My own factory problem is that I have complexed an Ore Mine to a 1MJ Shield facility, and the angle of the connector tubes to the complex hub is such that ships on autopilot can't find a route to safely dock to it.

Now I must be OOS when freighters want to dock...

[Alan Phipps]

@ JoeVN09: Just drop another 2 factories of any useful sort close to the complex, even if you later switch them off. Then join those 2 factories with a CCK into a new small complex with a separate hub where you want the final overall complex hub to be. Now use another CCK to join the two complexes together choosing the new one first and then the old one (save first - I might have this the wrong way round) and the old hub will disappear leaving just the new one.

[Xander Cade]

This should teach you to save before dropping stations in the future.

Funny thing is I DID save after laying the mines, strangely though, the shields didn't start depleting until after my '3 save slot', or maybe I didn't notice it till after then. Tractor Beam IS purely a player ship weapon, cannot be used OOS and can't even be fired remotely from another ship even tho conventional weapons can, tried that as well. Oh well, guess I lose the lower yield rock. As Jlehtone said, it is a sad loss of resource.

I meant with Salvage Insurance. I lost count long ago of how many times I've been so caught up in building complexes that I lose track of time and forgot to save with results similar to yours. Now I save after every trip to the Shipyard for easy jobs and after every Station is dropped for the bigger ones. I know I'm not the only one that keeps 5-6 save slots per game over and above the autosave, and it's a real lifesaver (literally, when you spend six hours doing something and botch it up that's six hours of your life you'll never get back).

[JoeVN09]

@ JoeVN09: Just drop another 2 factories of any useful sort close to the complex, even if you later switch them off. Then join those 2 factories with a CCK into a new small complex with a separate hub where you want the final overall complex hub to be. Now use another CCK to join the two complexes together choosing the new one first and then the old one (save first - I might have this the wrong way round) and the old hub will disappear leaving just the new one.

Yeah I know I can fix it, but I'm kinda poor right now

[Derkylos]

Sorry Goodfeller, cezarip is correct. The station collision damage will still happen even in a complex with you IS.

Funny, 'coz I've had lots of misplaced factories that ended up inside each other, and they never started taking damage until I tried to pull them apart...in fact, I have a complex in Reunion that has interlocked factories, and it's fine (except for the scary, constant collision noise).

[mrbadger]

Funny, 'coz I've had lots of misplaced factories that ended up inside each other, and they never started taking damage until I tried to pull them apart...in fact, I have a complex in Reunion that has interlocked factories, and it's fine (except for the scary, constant collision noise).

If the sheild regeneration is higher than the amount of damage being done, the station might survive. I've never risked it, if they interlock I reload.

You do have to be in sector for a while for interlocked stations to asplode mind.

[Lancefighter]

Keep in mind that even if the COMPLEX isnt taking damage, the STATIONS can still take damage.. The complex health is only the hub/tubes, whereas each station has its own shield and hull still.

by connecting them to a complex, you dont see them hitting each other or their shields dropping.. But in the end, the stations /will/ explode.... if you stay in sector long enough. Hence my suggestion - Get out of that sector and never come back.