Mechanics, looting wrecks and ship tunings 

This script adds the possibility to look ship wrecks for spare parts. The wrecks are symbolized by nav buoys which are sometimes spawned upon the destruction of a ship. Skilled mechanics can use these loot parts to tune ships beyond their design parameters, refit shiptypes (e.g. refit a vanguard model into a hauler one), build consumables like a shortlived speed boost or even turn a station or M1/TL/TM into a mobile repair base. 
Wrecks disappear after a while to keep the universe from being cluttered, but it is fun to enter a vector and see a field of wreckage containing a "Khaak carrier wreckage" at the center. 

These mechanics can be hired when docked at any base via a ship command and gain experience when working with loot parts. Note: mechanics with high aptitude are not available at every type of station. 

Three new commands are added by the script, a ship trade command, a ship special command and a station command. While the station command is used to give orders to a mechanic assigned to a station, the ship command is both used for mechanics stationed on ships and to manage the hiring, assignment and firing of mechanics. The latter options are only available on the playership. The ship special command will be implemented in a later version. 

The menus: 

Ship menu: (Trade command, requires Trading System Extension) 

Options available on playership 
- Try to hire mechanic (only works on stations) 
- Sell loot parts at station (only works on stations) 
- View hired mechanics 
- Fire mechanic 
- Assign mechanic to M1/TL/TM 
- Assign mechanic to station 
- Recall mechanic from ship or station 

Options available on M1/TL/TM with assigned mechanic: 
- View mechanic assigned to this ship 
- Repair docked ship(s) 

Station menu: (requires a mechanic to be assigned) 

- View mechanic assigned to this station 
- View loot parts and consumables stored at the station 
- Repair docked ship(s) 
- Upgrade ship 
- Refit ship 
- Produce consumables 
- Transfer loot parts between ship and station 
- Transfer consumables between ship and station 

To assign a mechanic to a station or a ship, a mechanics shop must be installed first. The cost of 500k is taken from the player (in case of a ship mechanic) or the station account (for a station mechanic). Note that the shop is not a ware that can be found anywhere, the player is prompted to install one via menu commands when assigning a mechanic. 

The repair works slightly differently on a station and on a ship. A station mechanic only requires money and time to repair ships (20k per repair tick), the repairs on a ship cost resources and time, no money (teladianium, computer components, energy cells and quantum tubes, to be exact). 
Repairs do not increase the skill of the mechanic, and require a minimum skill of 50. 

Upgrades available are: 
- Supertuned engines: Adds engine tunings above maximum, total amount depends on mechanic's skill 
- Supertuned thrusters: Adds rudder tunings above maximum, total amount depends on mechanic's skill 
- Shield recharge: Recharges shields by a small amount every tick. Recharge amount depends on mechanic's skill 
- Weapon energy recharge: as above, recharges weapon energy 
- auto hull repair: see above, repairs hull 

The script also adds five hotkeys: 

- Loot wreckage: Extracts a loot part from a wreckage. Needs to be within 50m of player to work. Extracted loot part is influenced by the shiptype and race as well as random chance 
- Check collected loot: Lists pieces of loot collected and in ship storage 
- Activate afterburner: Requires consumable onboard, has chance of destroying engine tunings, lasts 30s 
- Recharge shield: Requires consumable onboard, has chance to burn out shield generator 
- Recharge weapon energy: Requires consumable onboard, has chance to burn out weapon 

The final command not mentioned so far is only available after a mechanic with extremely high skill gets a flash of inspiration (not implemented yet). 

Still to do: 
- Add mission for ultimate mechanic 
- Add one or two more upgrade options available with ultimate mechanic 

DeadlyDa was nice enough to set up a forum for the script, you'll find it here: 

Shiploot beta forum (registration required, as DeadlyDa has had problems with wannabe hackers) 

Uninstalling the script: 

DO NOT SIMPLY DELETE THE SCRIPT FILES!!! 
First switch the AL plugin to OFF in the AL plugin menu, wait a few seconds and save the game. Only then is it safe to delete the script files. 

Technical Data: 

Language File 
7401 

Command Slots: 
COMMAND_TYPE_TRADE_49 (449) 
COMMAND_TYPE_CUSTOM_48 (548) 
COMMAND_TYPE_STATION_47 (1147) 

Version history: 

10. Oct. 2009: v1.0 
23. Oct. 2009: v1.01: Only change is German t-file, english users do not need to re-download 
18. Nov. 2009: v1.02: removed debug messages, implemented complex support, changed distance requirement for looting, more detailed feedback when looting, changed two command slots 
22. Nov. 2009: v1.03: display bug when recalling a mechanic removed, production of consumables now correctly uses loot parts, bug in display of experience fixed 
03. Dec. 2009: v1.04: consumables transfer from station to ship was slightly off, upgrading of ship returned wrong ship name in message, show collected loot hotkey now also shows consumables, polish translation 

Thanks to: 
- Pelador for his patience when explaining the basics of scripting to me and for listening when I bounced around crazy ideas 
- LV for his tutorial on how to program an AL plugin and menus 
- Deadly for the space on his forum and his great mod 
- Idea, Lifeforce and Thrandisher for the betatesting 
- Yacek for his polish translation 
- All the other scripters and modders around here who bring the X3 universe to life