[WIP] The Cities of Kerbin (Hex Blocks)

[Eskandare]

The Cities of Kerbin (Dev Page)

While working on a few things for Kerbin Side I realized we needed more cities like Kerbin City. So, I present you with an add-on to Kerbin Side for use with Kerbal Konstructs.

Note: Pictures Coming Soon.

Project Changes:

What will this mod do? Adds a hex block system for building new cities on Kerbin. The design will be simmilar to the hexagonal sections KSC is made out of. You can build your own city or expand the example city included in this mod when it's relesed.

MORE TO COME SOON!

Edited May 30, 2015 by Eskandare
Changes in development.

[Thriton]

Cool!Waiting for for pics

[astropapi1]

Good luck with this!

[medsouz]

Sounds awesome.

[JeffersonFlight]

Very cool, looking forward to the pictures

[UAL002]

*heavenly bodies.

Sorry, been on reddit all day.

[Yarbrough08]

Why use planet names? Like us we have in our history named things (mainly early Roman gods) after heavily bodies.

Except that we named the heavenly bodies after Roman Gods.

I agree with you that Kerbin needs cities; as well as a weather system. Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Edited November 3, 2014 by Yarbrough08

[Night Lone]

I was thinking about doing this idea sooner or later, but since you're doing it; I'll gladly offer any help I can provide (3D modeling/planning) How is it going anyhow?

[Eskandare]

I was thinking about doing this idea sooner or later, but since you're doing it; I'll gladly offer any help I can provide (3D modeling/planning) How is it going anyhow?

Good to know. Well I haven't got a fun design for Dreston or Eelootia (which will be a city in the frozen north.) Community driven buildings are always good, I could always do with more buildings. Jool City is going to be huge with a multi level highway and big parks, so tall buldings are a must.

[Justin Kerbice]

It's a good idea, but I'm afraid it will ends up like Kerbin City project itself, if you keep the same kind of management.

(If you read me nothke, it's not a criticism) Kerbin City was good but not keeping it alive makes contributors disappointed (I would be if I were one), so I think it would be better to have an open management system, not too strict, and provide base map(s), foundations, base textures, roads, bridges, even railway, light poles, traffic lights or whatever as kind of prefabs (for those who are familiar with Unity) so if you leave for any reasons, project will not just agonize or die, it could stay alive when some others "took over", keeping contributors happy and motivated.

It could be a "city construction kit", free (in all means) to use, and one big packs gathered from time to time made of all completed contributions at a time (every x months for example).

What do you think Eskandare ?

[Night Lone]

...

It could be a "city construction kit", free (in all means) to use, and one big packs gathered from time to time made of all completed contributions at a time (every x months for example).

What do you think Eskandare ?

This is a good idea. It should be a "City Construction Kit"; to allow people to make their own cities and what not. Maybe with one example city; Then have an optional "official" City download for all the cities you want; Post the layout and zoning of the cities you wish, then have yourself and the community update those cities, and you post those official cities on here as well as the kit. Anyone else who wants to make cities that doesn't follow your lead, still can; they just need to make their city, make a thread, and in the thread have "This mod requires City Konstruction Kit from Eskandare" (or w/e you've named it).

Also, if you want, you can PM me some city planning and Zoning; I wouldn't mind picking one or two zones and make some buildings, just give me what information you can, and a link to all the assets you have that I can use (including textures!!) and if I need to make some, I will

I do agree though, we need a standard asset list. If you don't have all/don't wanna make all; may I suggest this: the first user to make an asset that can be reused(and looks the part), if he/she allows, that asset becomes part of the pack. So if I made a stop sign, and you don't have one yet, it'll become part of the assets. (which I wouldn't mind)

Hope this helps ^.^

[Eskandare]

It's a good idea, but I'm afraid it will ends up like Kerbin City project itself, if you keep the same kind of management.

(If you read me nothke, it's not a criticism) Kerbin City was good but not keeping it alive makes contributors disappointed (I would be if I were one), so I think it would be better to have an open management system, not too strict, and provide base map(s), foundations, base textures, roads, bridges, even railway, light poles, traffic lights or whatever as kind of prefabs (for those who are familiar with Unity) so if you leave for any reasons, project will not just agonize or die, it could stay alive when some others "took over", keeping contributors happy and motivated.

It could be a "city construction kit", free (in all means) to use, and one big packs gathered from time to time made of all completed contributions at a time (every x months for example).

What do you think Eskandare ?

This is a good idea. It should be a "City Construction Kit"; to allow people to make their own cities and what not. Maybe with one example city; Then have an optional "official" City download for all the cities you want; Post the layout and zoning of the cities you wish, then have yourself and the community update those cities, and you post those official cities on here as well as the kit. Anyone else who wants to make cities that doesn't follow your lead, still can; they just need to make their city, make a thread, and in the thread have "This mod requires City Konstruction Kit from Eskandare" (or w/e you've named it).

Also, if you want, you can PM me some city planning and Zoning; I wouldn't mind picking one or two zones and make some buildings, just give me what information you can, and a link to all the assets you have that I can use (including textures!!) and if I need to make some, I will

I do agree though, we need a standard asset list. If you don't have all/don't wanna make all; may I suggest this: the first user to make an asset that can be reused(and looks the part), if he/she allows, that asset becomes part of the pack. So if I made a stop sign, and you don't have one yet, it'll become part of the assets. (which I wouldn't mind)

Hope this helps ^.^

No, I'm not allowing it to go way of Kerbin City. Coincidentally, I'm in the middle of building a temporary bridge for KC, also repurposed for use with Cities of Kerbin. The main cities I'm building are going to be built and completed by me and most of the assets will be propriatory, however I like the idea of a construction kit. Perhaps the construction kit can be a community project. I could make some basic base pads with various road configurations and others in the comunity can make building packs that everyone can build thier own cities. The community can share Kerbal Construct Config files and state the packs used for the city.

I have the basic layout and test model for Jool International Aerospaceport, tell me what you think? Just know this isn't the final version.

[Justin Kerbice]

I got another idea: bild the city with a lot of spots and some signs "build your dreams here, contact ..."

By putting a lot's of free spots, no one has to ask you for one specific one, you may just need to set up a shared document in a form or another when people can pick one for use, but no reservation allowed (many people will reserve one spot, start something, left, and... spot not avail, too bad). In fact, people have to come with something done, so no blah blah => "one spot one thing".

Regarding your foundation: beware of height and where you want to put it it there are hills or holes.

Also, a good way to texture it is a small square, seamless, tile, and using UV tilling in unity (10-15), it gives a result very similar to stock foundations used in KSC (I don't think there is a way to make a better looking tex, I mean tilling will always be visible from some distance, a necessary evil of some kind).

For tex, I have start making base texture for such usage, Kerbin grass, concrete, asphalt, mountains, ... I got also a sample of Duna, Minmus and Mun grounds.

[medsouz]

If you need anything added to Kerbal Konstructs to assist with this project let me know.

[comham]

Yay, more KK content! I might contribute something if I can make anything worth a damn.

If you're doing the Kerbin City approach to community additions and having a set of shared textures, consider making each city themed around a building material. A red-brick city, a sandstone city, a brutalist concrete city, etc.

[Eskandare]

I got another idea: bild the city with a lot of spots and some signs "build your dreams here, contact ..."

I like this idea I think I'll just do that. I would suspect thr rules would have to be, 1. No Reservations, first come first served; 2. The building must be completed prior to requesting a lot.; 3. Have an alternative lot in mind should the first choice be unavailable.

I'll post them up once the "base pad" is available.

Regarding your foundation: beware of height and where you want to put it it there are hills or holes.

Also, a good way to texture it is a small square, seamless, tile, and using UV tilling in unity (10-15), it gives a result very similar to stock foundations used in KSC (I don't think there is a way to make a better looking tex, I mean tilling will always be visible from some distance, a necessary evil of some kind).

YES, that is something I've been aware of. I have the Kerbin Side texture set so I'll be using that mostly. Also I have a good plugin that makes small square textures seamless. Although they still can be seen as tiled from a great distance.

For tex, I have start making base texture for such usage, Kerbin grass, concrete, asphalt, mountains, ... I got also a sample of Duna, Minmus and Mun grounds.

Nice, I'd love to see them.

If you need anything added to Kerbal Konstructs to assist with this project let me know.

Thank you, I'll let you know if I come up with something. Thank you for all your work on Kerbal Konstructs.

Yay, more KK content! I might contribute something if I can make anything worth a damn.

If you're doing the Kerbin City approach to community additions and having a set of shared textures, consider making each city themed around a building material. A red-brick city, a sandstone city, a brutalist concrete city, etc.

I've got the Kerbin Side texture set from AlphaAsh and I'll be adding a few of my own to the set.

[colmo]

You could always elect mayors to 'run' certain areas for a term. They can stand for reelection based on how well they did last term, or step down early and call a by-election. Once in charge, they can appoint planners, modellers etc. to fulfil their vision, adding to or replacing existing districts. If everything is stored in communal areas, changes of leadership shouldn't be a problem.

Just an out-there idea...democracy is the worst form of government, apart from all the others we've tried from time to time...

[Eskandare]

You could always elect mayors to 'run' certain areas for a term. They can stand for reelection based on how well they did last term, or step down early and call a by-election. Once in charge, they can appoint planners, modellers etc. to fulfil their vision, adding to or replacing existing districts. If everything is stored in communal areas, changes of leadership shouldn't be a problem.

Just an out-there idea...democracy is the worst form of government, apart from all the others we've tried from time to time...

A republic is the best of the worst form of government.

A benevolent king is the best form of government. I think I'll choose to be a benevolent dictator. Lol

[colmo]

A benevolent king is the best form of government. I think I'll choose to be a benevolent dictator. Lol

Every dictator claims to be benevolent...just don't get run over by a bus, or worse, married if you aren't already. Having a 2nd major city mod stall is more than I could take...

[Justin Kerbice]

Every dictator claims to be benevolent...just don't get run over by a bus, or worse, married if you aren't already. Having a 2nd major city mod stall is more than I could take...

Best maybe to put all this regime in a box, send them to outer space, and create something new, a kerdictamocracytopia. Everyone here works well all together without too much friction.

I think people take a foundation which match the target landscape (shape and material), add roads/railway/anything to connect his/her "spot" (a small unit for one building, kind of old Sim City block), put his/her buildings and "furnitures" (ads, signs, lights, ...) then upload the stuff to somewhere.

Here, someone take the things, check it's ok, try in his/her KSP test install, if ok => added to the mod for release.

But, also, he/she can just offer the pack as a stand alone, independent, addon for the base city, so people can add this new stuff or not (it became unofficial/optional).

So, we may have offer for some specific buildings and items that match some specific visions of a city on Kerbin (hospital, city hall, military base, defense system, heavy industry, nuclear/coal/kerbals on bikes power plant, fuel storage, ...)

[Eskandare]

I should hopefully have the basic city base and roads completed by this weekend as well as the spaceport. Woking on animating signal lights for 2 way and 4 way intersections, and street lighting.

Also planning some really, really cool stuff that hopefully will get implemented.

Edited November 7, 2014 by Eskandare

[Mekan1k]

No, I'm not allowing it to go way of Kerbin City. Coincidentally, I'm in the middle of building a temporary bridge for KC, also repurposed for use with Cities of Kerbin. The main cities I'm building are going to be built and completed by me and most of the assets will be propriatory, however I like the idea of a construction kit. Perhaps the construction kit can be a community project. I could make some basic base pads with various road configurations and others in the comunity can make building packs that everyone can build thier own cities. The community can share Kerbal Construct Config files and state the packs used for the city.

I have the basic layout and test model for Jool International Aerospaceport, tell me what you think? Just know this isn't the final version.

http://i.imgur.com/xXODTEI.png

You may want to make the ramp a little less..... Steep.

Or, you know, make the radius of larger.

[Eskandare]

You may want to make the ramp a little less..... Steep.

Or, you know, make the radius of larger.

Well, it hasn't been tested, and I will change it if I feel it isn't satisfactory.

Very sick this weekend so progress has been slowed. New pictures showing me sort out my highway models, and textures were added. A few of AlphaAsh's Kerbin Side buildings being used. Hmmm... I need an air terminal. You can now see the sheer size of the aerospace port.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Eskandare

[AlphaAsh]

Coupla things.

Sorry I haven't sorted out some 'source' for some KerbinSide assets for you. It is on the to-do list.

Get yourself a nice Unity script for merging meshes with the same material in Unity. It's very very useful if you want to avoid having to UV map everything (which you will, trust me). It's also the best way to optimise a very large Unity scene, but back-up before doing anything, and keep in mind that if you merge meshes of multiple models it's going to be hell to change or maintain. You've just made new hybrid models.

[Eskandare]

Coupla things.

Sorry I haven't sorted out some 'source' for some KerbinSide assets for you. It is on the to-do list.

Get yourself a nice Unity script for merging meshes with the same material in Unity. It's very very useful if you want to avoid having to UV map everything (which you will, trust me). It's also the best way to optimise a very large Unity scene, but back-up before doing anything, and keep in mind that if you merge meshes of multiple models it's going to be hell to change or maintain. You've just made new hybrid models.

Ahh yes. I remember you mentioned that a while back. What is the script called?