how *does* the dreaded TLM work then ?

[Apollon]

ok, this is my one and only, but utterly frustrating problem i have with BC3K. i have asked this on another thread recently, but i received no useful answer (apart from the suggestion that i have to do it the "right way" *doh*). probably the question was a bit out of place, as the thread was on another topic, so here it goes again:

the TLM (tactical launch menu) is located to the right of the main view. you can issue orders to your escort ships from there. there are a variety of orders you can issue, some of which work (launch, RTB etc) and some just simply *DON┬┤T* work. EVER.

among them are the vital "deploy" and "collect" orders.

i want to do some mining, so i launch my 4 shuttles. i click on their icon in the TLM and select "deploy->drone" --- no response.

i tell the shuttle to hold first, and then to deploy the drone --- again no result.

i go to tactical->launch->shuttle#->deploy drone --- nothing.

only when i switch to the shuttle and do it myself if will deploy the dreaded drone.

same as above for ATVs.

same as above for collecting of drones. fortunately you can order an ATV to RTB, so you don┬┤t have to rely on the shuttle for that.

am i the only one who experiences this ? does it work for you ? am i missing something ? is my crew just too stupid to perform those tasks on themselves and do i have for them to gain AI ?

what is going on ?

like my son, when he puts a lego in his mouth and refuses to open it or spit it out. only way to make him give up the lego is to lure him with candy. perhaps the shuttle needs some persuasion as well *arms the IOD*

[ 07-28-2001: Message edited by: Apollon ]

[Apollon]

p.s.: i know how to perform this task using waypoints, as i was suggested. but i don┬┤t want to, for 2 reasons:

1. the option to do it through the TLM *does* exist, so why not use it ? unless it actually doesn┬┤t function (then why is it there ?). according to the manual, it *should* work. either the manual is mistaken, or it lacks some vital bit of information.

2. deploying 4 ATVs through the TLM would require 13 clicks. doing the same through TACOPS would require four times as many, and would comsume way more time than through the TLM, time which you may not have in dire situations.

[Supreme Cmdr]

I already told you that those deploy/collect orders in that menu, do NOT work. In fact, they were only put there for debug purposes, I must've not disabled it.

They don't work *there* because you you have to be *in* Tacops to carry out such ops.

[Apollon]

ah, alright then. i just interpreted your response as "you don┬┤t need to know how it works, just do the other trick"... sorry.

please leave this thread here, so that other newbies won┬┤t waste their time trying to figure it out ;-)

i don┬┤t mind if it doesn┬┤t work. i just got mad because it seemed that everyone knew how to do it, except for me; and that no one cared to explain it to me...

so, sorry if i wasted your time *again*