Joystick Gremlin Macro Question

[Tividar]

I wrote a macro to automate buying PowerPlay cargo goods because that's the stupidest ui interface I've seen in a game published since 1999...:

For Pranav Antal, picking up Utopia Dissidents and having already picked up the free allocation and siting at the initial menu...

[Down Arrow] - Interface Panel Down (menu down to the rush next order option)
[Space] - Interface Panel Select (select the rush next order option)
[Right Arrow] (hold for 2 seconds) - Interface Panel Right (pick up the available cargo)
[Space] - Interface Panel Select (confirm the pick up)
[Space] - Interface Panel Select (move past the confirmation screen and return to the initial menu)

Various tools confirm the key sequence is working and there are pauses within the macro such that a full cycle takes about six seconds.

When I run this macro in game, on each repeat, the [Down Arrow] is skipped on every other repetition. The in-game result looks like this:
First Iteration (works correctly):
[Down Arrow] - Interface Panel Down (menu down to the rush next order option)
[Space] - Interface Panel Select (select the rush next order option)
[Right Arrow] (hold for 2 seconds) - Interface Panel Right (pick up the available cargo)
[Space] - Interface Panel Select (confirm the pick up)
[Space] - Interface Panel Select (move past the confirmation screen and return to the initial menu)

Second Iteration (fails):
[Space] - Interface Panel Select (select detail on the planet's current PowerPlay state)
[Right Arrow] (hold for 2 seconds) - Interface Panel Right (no effect as there's no valid choice for Interface Panel Right)
[Space] - Interface Panel Select (return to initial menu)

Third Iteration:
Continues with First Iteration:

The odd thing is it works perfectly if I advance the macro one step to:

[Space] - Interface Panel Select (move past the confirmation screen and return to the initial menu)
[Down Arrow] - Interface Panel Down (menu down to the rush next order option)
[Space] - Interface Panel Select (select the rush next order option)
[Right Arrow] (hold for 2 seconds) - Interface Panel Right (pick up the available cargo)
[Space] - Interface Panel Select (confirm the pick up)

Does anyone have any idea why this would be true? I get similar results with Macros designed for other power play powers: a keystroke is dropped but the whole thing works fine if I advance the macro one step.

 

[Rebel Yell]

I went for the easy way: destroy enemy ships.

 

[SlickPBW]

So this endeavor is saving you time?

j/k

 

[Tividar]

So this endeavor is saving you time?

j/k

I know, Right?
Seriously though, I typically run Power Play ranking up to 6,000-12,000 then let it decay until can get the PP equipment. Even if it take an hour to setup the macro I'm still saving time over the four weeks. Plus, I'd rather spend the time writing a macro then mindlessly clicking through menus.

 

[SlickPBW]

You only need to get to Rank 3 to be able to get the PP module (after 3 weeks of pledge). That's only 750 merits needed. anything more than that won't help toward getting the modules; but will help your ranking if you are into Powerplay.

 

[Tividar]

You only need to get to Rank 3 to be able to get the PP module (after 3 weeks of pledge). That's only 750 merits needed. anything more than that won't help toward getting the modules; but will help your ranking if you are into Powerplay.

Life gets busy some times. I try to run the rank high enough so that the 50% decay leaves me with 750 on the fourth week even if I have to take a month off.