Surrey Satellite Technolgy Limited (SSTL) - Seeking Kerbal Engineers (Modders)

[SSTL_Pete]

Hello,

I'm part of the outreach team at Surrey Satellite Technology limited (a UK based company that builds small satellites). One of the ideas we recently had was to create a mod for KSP, which allowed the KSP community to try and launch SSTL satellites into space and orbit Kerbin. As a design and manufacturing company we have plenty of CAD designers and engineers but not so many KSP programmers :0) If it helps we already have graphical models of our satellites.

Is there anyone who would be willing to work on a voluntary basis and help create a satellite themed KSP mod? If you are could you please send screenshots or descriptions of some of your previous mod work to p (dot) shaw@sstl (dot) co (dot) uk

I hope to hear from you soon

Kind regards

Pete

[Vanamonde]

This thread has been moved to The Lounge, since it's only peripherally about KSP. 

[0111narwhalz]

With regards to a simple parts mod, you need only tangential knowledge of modding. Most of the work is already done, as you have models. Simply split them into parts, import them into Unity, and write config files based on the real-life stats (mass, specific impulse, et cetera). I'd like to help out, but I have projects on projects.

If nobody takes the opportunity by the end of this month, I would be very interested.

Arm yourself with the knowledge from pages such as the Unity docs, PartTools, and the KSP Wiki. I don't think you'll need any plugin work for your stated intent, you already have models, and you're basing this off of real hardware you have already, so all you need is someone who can Unity.

[tater]

1 hour ago, Vanamonde said:

This thread has been moved to The Lounge, since it's only peripherally about KSP. 

I'd think it might be more appropriate in "Add-On Discussions" since it's seeking help in creating a mod, and modern might be more likely tone there than the Lounge. YMMV

 

[munlander1]

Do you want it to be stock ksp universe scale? Or real universe scale?

[tater]

This would I assume be a part mod. Replica SSTL probe cores, and perhaps science, solar, and thruster parts. 

[technicalfool]

4 hours ago, tater said:

I'd think it might be more appropriate in "Add-On Discussions" since it's seeking help in creating a mod, and modern might be more likely tone there than the Lounge. YMMV

 

You're probably right.

Kind of hoping it gets picked up, too. Given SSTL seem to do telecom satellites, it could be quite neat to have some extra dishes and probe cores for hooking into CommNet.

 

That does look kind of purrty.

[tater]

Modders, not modern. Stupid autocorrect.

It's an opportunity for one of the excellent part modders to work with people doing the real thing, too.

[SSTL_Pete]

Cheers for the initial responses.

I have been given some time to co-ordinate this project, but not enough time to actually do the work of creating the mod myself. The ideal situation would be one/team of you fine modders to volunteer, get in touch and tell us exactly what you need (types of CAD files and what format, physical parameters etc), i can then work on the SSTL side and gather the relevant information/files.

We are open to either real scale/look or kerbal scale/look. Its important to us that it engages with as many of the KSP community as possible and ultimately inspires people to seek out more information about SSTL and possibly put a job application in, in the future.

Our basic goal is to have SSTL satellite models that could be launched within the game. As additional features of the mod the following would be very desirable.

1. After launch from the Kerbal rocket, the satellite detumbles (in the same way it would normally) and point its camera towards Kerbin. The satellite then deploys any deployables.
2. When the satellite passes over a ground station the player has the opportunity to upload new instructions to the satellite
3. The satellite will take a picture of the ground as instructed
4. When the satellite goes over the ground station again the photo(s) is/are downloaded and accessible to be viewed by the player 

I hope this all sounds of interest.

If interested, please send an email to;

p (dot) shaw@sstl (dot) co (dot) uk

Cheers

Pete

[Kerbal01]

That would require a plugin, more complexity. However, camera mods exist and are functional in the current version, so it would not be hard to integrate functionality to the camera.

[Crimeo]

10 hours ago, SSTL_Pete said:

launched within the game. As additional features of the mod the following would be very desirable.

1. After launch from the Kerbal rocket, the satellite detumbles (in the same way it would normally) and point its camera towards Kerbin. The satellite then deploys any deployables.
2. When the satellite passes over a ground station the player has the opportunity to upload new instructions to the satellite
3. The satellite will take a picture of the ground as instructed
4. When the satellite goes over the ground station again the photo(s) is/are downloaded and accessible to be viewed by the player 

1) This is all handled by the default game (attitude and action group firing like deploying stuff)

2) This would clash with the stock game and one of the most popular existing mods, which have rules about vessel connectivity that are general across the game already (and there's only one radio frequency, effectively). In other words, if your satellite is in low orbit, and as a player you already have relay satellites in line of sight anywhere, you'll already have signal, not just when it's over a PARTICULAR ground station. And it would be rather weird to have it not work like that.

Perhaps you could have a mod that introduces a concept of civilian contractors in general, who have their own private radio frequencies, to justify why it isn't normally connected. That would actually be much cooler than the original satellite mod, and something I think would get more interest. There was a group making a mod that was to have separate network channels, but I forget the name of the thread, anyone?

3) Easy to do but fairly boring in-game, would take the form of one of millions of fairly generic "science" experiments for science points, most likely, or fulfilling a contract. Also, this implies the existence of high-res versions of what the ground looks like being available somewhere as a file, if you expect players to actually be able to view a zoomed in photo, which generally is not the case for planets in KSP.

4) Same issues as 2.

("5") The original just "adding parts" part of the mod: Also easy to do if you have models already, but somewhat boring. Just one more among hundreds of models to visually spice things up, otherwise it would not be much different than current experience, so you'd get relatively low interest levels compared to something more gameplay-oriented, like the private networks mod above.

The exception is if you have VERY talented modelers and texturers to make things that are utterly beautiful and still in the art style of the game, if so parts alone will generate interest.

 

Also, do any people at your company play KSP regularly? Has a lot to do with how much you would be able to really practically speed up mod making, outside of parts by providing models.

Edited May 3, 2017 by Crimeo

[wasml]

4 hours ago, Crimeo said:

There was a group making a mod that was to have separate network channels, but I forget the name of the thread

This one?

 

 

 

[Crimeo]

Yup!

[akron]

Just checking to see if anyone stepped forward to begin working on this. Let me know if I can help, this looks like a very cool project and I'd love to participate.

[Capt. Hunt]

On 5/3/2017 at 2:43 AM, SSTL_Pete said:

3. The satellite will take a picture of the ground as instructed

While we probably can't do this, the "camera" part could be designed to work with Scansat, which is a ground mapping mod.

Edited May 9, 2017 by Capt. Hunt

[akron]

26 minutes ago, Capt. Hunt said:

While we probably can't do this, the "camera" part could be designed to work with Scansat, which is a ground mapping mod.

Some of the automated functions sound right up there with kOS, although it relies on commands being written by players. Could kOS command sets be provided instead? (Don't know enough about kOS)

[Mecripp]

@SSTL_Pete 

@akron

akron parts are top of the line you should check them out.

As for the camera real depends on what they are looking to do yes scanscat or docking camera.

[StahnAileron]

RemoteTech and SCANsat integration would mimic the features requested. Not as explicit as stated, but close enough given KSP's capabilities and the current availability of plug-in mods. RT (mainly, its computer) would replicate the instruction transmission. SCANsat, as noted, would replicate the ground surveying. Something like CactEye could handle snapshot imagery.

Anyway, I think even getting the assets into KSP might be a job. You'd need to import the original files (I'm guessing CAD rather than actual 3D models, though I'm sure converters exist) and probably add colliders at a minimum. I can only imagine adding animations and other module-specific requirements. Then there's texturing (I'm guessing some of this already exists judging from the render @technicalfool referenced.) After that is stat balancing and tech tree integration.

Still, that satellite looks very nice. I would like to make something like that, unlike the logs I have to make now (partly due to limited part selection, partly due to RT not supporting dish augmentation like they do omnidirectional antennae.)

[kerbinorbiter]

23 hours ago, akron said:

Some of the automated functions sound right up there with kOS, although it relies on commands being written by players. Could kOS command sets be provided instead? (Don't know enough about kOS)

KOS doesnt allow that it only has compatablity with RT, Tragectories, AG extended, Dmagic (could be possable solotion, i am willing to create the KOS script) IR and KAC (Kerbal Alarm Clock)

[SSTL_Pete]

@akron

Has kindly offered his services for creating the parts. If anyone want to volunteer to attempt to put a Mod together to help with the game play ideas we had, we would love to hear from you. Please email "p (dot) shaw (at) SSTL (dot) co (dot) uk

Cheers

Pete