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General Rat SOP

These are for all Rats

Communicating with Dispatch

To keep rescue channels clear, you’ll primarily be communicating with dispatch and NOT the client. Exceptions include the client debriefing.

Since Dispatch cannot see your status or anything about the client other than what is reported in channel, it’s important for you to act as dispatch’s eyes and ears.  It’s also important to keep messages clear and concise.

Identifying the client

It’s a good idea to include the client name (NOT system name) in all of your messages, particularly when multiple cases are ongoing.

Reporting jumps

Once you know a client’s (hopefully correct) system, if you are available to perform the rescue report the number of jumps to dispatch, along with any pertinent info.  “5j”, “9j + scooping”, “docking + 4j” are all concise ways of doing this.  

If you report jumps, it is implied that you are willing to perform the rescue and it’s good to assume you will be assigned (e.g. start jumping immediately) until you hear otherwise.  Don’t call jumps if you don’t want the rescue.

It’s important to wait until dispatch has communicated with the client to confirm their oxygen status, location and platform (PC or Xbox) before calling jumps.  This way the IRC channel doesn’t get clogged with communication that can potentially confuse the client who is unfamiliar with IRC or our procedures.  It’s critical to quickly get information on Code Red clients so that they can log out and rats can be organized for the rescue.

It’s also a good idea to add the client’s IRC nickname after your call, such as “5j clientname” so that dispatch knows which client you’re calling jumps for.  This is important when multiple cases are being run in the channel at the same time and multiple people are talking at the same time.

Your status updates

• If you’re stopping to scoop, interdicted, or other mishaps happen, let dispatch know.
• Also update dispatch periodically on your remaining jumps, usually this can be bundled into another update to keep traffic down  (“3j, FR+”)
• Let dispatch know when you arrive in the client’s system.

Client status updates

• Let dispatch know when you’ve accepted a wing request (WR) or friend request (FR) from the client.  “WR+” or “FR+ client” are examples of this.
• If you haven’t received a request and a reasonable amount of time has passed, notify dispatch of that as well (e.g. “FR- client”).  This can also serve as a subtle way to remind dispatch to instruct the client to send friend/wing requests if they forgot to do so.
  • Since Code Red clients are logged out, you won’t receive a Wing Request until after they log in.  This is normal and there’s no need to report WR- while you’re still en route.
• If the client says they have friended/winged you but you haven’t received the request, notify right away in case they friended or invited the wrong person.  Xbox Note: Because Xbox notifications often don’t work, and because of how Xbox friend requests work it’s important for both the client and rat to add each other as friends.
• Once a client has friended you, it’s possible to check galmap to confirm they’re in the system they reported.  Alert dispatch with the correct location as soon as possible.
  • Since Code Red clients are logged out, this can’t be done until you’re already in (hopefully the correct) system
• Let dispatch know if you can/cannot see the client’s Wing Beacon (BC) once in their target system and wing

When you drop out of Supercruise at the client’s location, there’s two options to take based on whether you see the client or not.  (Sometimes you won’t, because instancing issues):

If you see the client:

1. Target the client and begin your fuel transfer FIRST (especially on a Code Red).  Targeting the client from the Navigation panel can save precious seconds while turning your ship around.  If you’re running a high rated limpet controller you may not even have to turn around before launching your limpet as you can target the client through the navigation panel’s contact list.
2. Update dispatch on your status.  Only report successful fueling after you hear “Fuel Transfer Complete”

It’s important to do these steps in this order, because a client may have only seconds of Emergency Oxygen left.  Dispatch can wait.

If you don’t:

1. Tell dispatch ASAP.  “Inst-” or “Instance-” is fine.
2. If the wing-signal is ls away instead of km, client is likely in exclusion-zone. Important for dispatch, too.
   

Transferring Fuel

When you actually reach a client, you begin a fuel transfer by making sure you’re in the correct firing group, targeting the client, and firing your fuel transfer limpet controller.  Each limpet will consume 1t of your fuel and, after a short delay, will transfer it to the client.  Note that the client does not actually have fuel until you receive the “Fuel Transfer Complete” message, which occurs after the “Transferring Fuel” message.  It’s good practice to have the Fuel Transfer Limpets assigned to a fire group without weapons and to lower your landing gear so that you don’t accidentally boost and hit the client.  

Xbox Note: Lowering landing gear is a careful undertaking on the Xbox where the boost button (B) is also used to lower the landing gear (B+down on the D-pad).  It’s a good idea to hold the B button down until after the D-pad is pressed to prevent unwanted boosting.  It’s also a good idea to make sure that you’re not pointed directly at the client.

Debriefing the Client

Debriefing the client is an important step to prevent them from becoming a repeat client in the future.  While we’re in the business of saving people who run out of fuel, preventing them from running out in the first place is ideal.

The goal of a successful debrief can be summarized by “Ensure the client doesn’t need us again in the next 3 minutes and ensure the client doesn’t need us again in 3 days.”  In short:

• Make sure the client can get to a scoopable star or a station, escorting them if needed.  It does no good to rescue a client only to have them run out of fuel 4 jumps later because they’re in a sea of brown dwarf stars.
• Teach the client how to avoid running out of fuel in the future by teaching them about fuel scoops, the solid/dashed line when plotting a route, economical vs. fastest route plotting and galaxy map filtering if needed:
  • KGBFOAM link: http://bit.ly/1GKXCWv
  • How to Not Run Out OF Fuel (indepth guide): http://bit.ly/1ns3Jqp
• Make sure the client tells all their friends about how awesome we are — so they can find us when they run out of fuel, too.
• Give a nice little personal touch.

Code Red Rescues

Code Red (CR) rescues are those when a client is on emergency oxygen, or a few other special cases at the discretion of the dispatcher.

In the case of a CR, we have the client logout to the main menu after telling us their location.  This prevents the client from running down their oxygen timer.  On CR cases multiple rats are always assigned if available.  The client then stays in the main menu until all rats assigned to his case have arrived in the system he was reported to be in. Once the rats are in the system the client will login, and invite the rats to a wing.  It’s generally a good idea for one of the rats to drop to normal space to verify distance to the beacon.  If the client is close the other rat(s) attempt the rescue.  If the client is far away, notify dispatch immediately and they will have the client logout again if enough time is available.  If instancing issues arise during a CR then Dispatch will advise the rats and client which maneuver to try next.  

It’s important to keep in mind that on CR cases every login/logout by the client reduces the remaining O2 timer by about 30 seconds.  Each time a client logs out while on life support, they have a 15 second timer (similar to trying to log out while your ship is in danger/combat), and the timer loses about 10-15 seconds each time the client logs in.  Managing the remaining O2 timer versus the time needed to travel to the client and initiate the rescue is key to a successful CR case.

Anatomy of a Typical Rescue

This is what you might see on IRC during a ‘typical’ rescue.  “Bot” is our IRC bot, currently <Mechasqueak[BOT]>. Names/Roles are marked in RED and additional information on what exactly is going on is marked in BLUE

<BOT>     RATSIGNAL - CMDR Client - System: M7 sector cb-w c2-16 - Platform: PC - O2: OK - Language: English (en-US) (Case #0)
(“Ratsignal” is a codeword that triggers an alarm in most of our IRC programs.  Not all clients use it though.)

<Dispatch>    Hello there client, please confirm you are not on emergency oxygen?

<Client>    No, just out of fuel and can’t jump.
(It’s important that we know if the client is on life support, because it is a Code Red rescue if they are and we would need them to log out ASAP to save air.  Since clients are frequently new players, it’s important that we tell them how to check as well.)

<Dispatch>    !prep Client   
(Bot command that gives instructions on how to prepare to be rescued.)

<BOT>     Client: Please drop from super cruise, come to a complete stop and disable all modules EXCEPT life support

<Client>    ok done

<Rat1>    1j    (1 jump away and available to rescue.)

<Rat2>    3j    (3 jumps away and available to rescue.)

<Rat3>    15j    (15 jumps away and available to rescue.)

<Dispatch>    go Rat1 Rat2!
(Usually if you call jumps, you start going before the dispatcher tells you; not all dispatchers will tell you to go.  It’s standard to assign two rats in case of various mishaps that can occur.)

<Dispatch>    stand down Rat3
(Dispatch indicating Rat3 should not go, likely because Rat1 and Rat2 are much closer.)

<Rat1>    rgr

<Rat2>    omw

<Dispatch>    !assign Client Rat1 Rat2

<BOT>    Client: Please add the following rat(s) to your friends list: Rat1, Rat2

<Dispatch>    !pcfr Client

<BOT>    Client: To send a friend request, go to the menu (Hit ESC), click friends and private groups, and click ADD FRIEND.
(The client ALWAYS initiates the friend request.  Never send a friend request to a PC client.  On Xbox, it’s standard to need to send friend requests in both directions.)

<Rat1>    in sys

<Client>    done

<Rat2>    fr+ 1j
(Confirming receipt and acceptance of the friend request and updating on location.  If they hadn’t yet received a request, they would write FR- (Friend Request negative) instead.)

<Rat1>    fr+

<Dispatch>    <Client> now please send them a wing invite.

<Dispatch>    !pcwing Client

<BOT>    Client: To send a wing request, go to the comms panel (Default key 2), hit ESC to get out of the chat box, and move to the second panel (Default key E). Then select the CMDR you want to invite to your wing and select Invite to wing.

<Rat2>    in sys

<Client>    ok sent

<Rat1>    wr+    (Confirming that they’re in the wing.  Like friend requests, WR- would indicate no wing request yet.)

<Rat2>    wr+

<Dispatch>    Client now please drop your wing beacon.

<Dispatch>    !pcbeacon Client

<BOT>    Client: To drop a wing beacon, go to the right-side panel (Default key 4), navigate to the functions screen (Default key Q), select BEACON and set it to WING

<Client>    beacon set
(We need a wing beacon so we can find the client in the system.)

<Dispatch>    Thanks Client

<Rat1>    bc+    (Confirming they can see the beacon and en route.)

<Rat2>    wb+    (Same as above; WB (Wing Beacon) is occasionally used instead of BC)

<Dispatch>    Ok Client can you tell me how far away from the star you are. You can do this by selecting it at the top of the Navigation tab on the left panel.

<Client>    8,456ls
(You currently can’t see exact distance to a wing beacon unless you drop out of supercruise.  The client doesn’t have much else to do, so it’s sometimes useful to ask them.  Especially if they tried to supercruise to the next system over and are 200,000ls+ away.)

<Dispatch>    Thanks, if you see that blue timer pop up let me know right away.

<Rat1>    instance-

<Dispatch>    rgr Rat1 try a manual drop.
(It’s very common to have issues getting into the same instance as a client.  It’s the main reason we send multiple rats as SOP.)

<Rat2>    visual on Client

<Rat2>    refueling
(After dropping from supercruise, Rat2 could actually see the client, and confirmed that they’re sending fuel.  It’s best to confirm when the fuel transfer is completed, rather than it when it starts — mishaps can and do occur in the time between the limpet is launched and when it reports Fuel Transfer Complete.)

<Dispatch>    Great work guys, db&pw when ready.

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Dispatch SOP

These are for dispatchers

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Transferring Fuel

When you actually reach a client, you begin a fuel transfer by making sure you’re in the correct firing group, targeting the client, and firing your fuel transfer limpet controller.  Each limpet will consume 1t of your fuel and, after a short delay, will transfer it to the client.  Note that the client does not actually have fuel until you receive the “Fuel Transfer Complete” message, which occurs after the “Transferring Fuel” message.  It’s good practice to have the Fuel Transfer Limpets assigned to a fire group without weapons and to lower your landing gear so that you don’t accidentally boost and hit the client.  

Xbox Note: Lowering landing gear is a careful undertaking on the Xbox where the boost button (B) is also used to lower the landing gear (B+down on the D-pad).  It’s a good idea to hold the B button down until after the D-pad is pressed to prevent unwanted boosting.  It’s also a good idea to make sure that you’re not pointed directly at the client.

Debriefing the Client

Debriefing the client is an important step to prevent them from becoming a repeat client in the future.  While we’re in the business of saving people who run out of fuel, preventing them from running out in the first place is ideal.

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