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Redshift OTF

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Posts posted by Redshift OTF

  1. 23 hours ago, Xyphos said:

    @Redshift OTF Speak of the mod maker, and s/he shall appear.
    (...eventually.)

    Your idea of adding GUI support for every part, reminds me of the problem FullAutoStrut faced before I added a GUI to that, and so I got to thinking, maybe I could add a similar GUI and functionality to Buoyancy Control too.

    I'll work on it, but understand it might not happen anytime soon, I'm mostly involved with my career and only play/mod in my spare time, if any.

    Wahey! Thanks for replying. :) I was thinking of trying it myself but haven't had a great deal of luck finding information on making GUI's. I need to look at more people's source code but when you don't know a lot about mods or coding it can be difficult to separate the GUI code from the rest of a mods code.

    No pressure at all on yourself if you are thinking of trying it. I understand the pressures of real life and they have forced me to come and go from KSP a few times in the past so only attempt it if you have the energy.

  2. 10 minutes ago, DoctorDavinci said:

    To be honest, no it won't ... this has been tested extensively and I guarantee that wonkiness will prevail if Xyphos' mod is used with any mod that uses BDAc since the hp calculation rely's on the density if the unity gameobject which is integrally hooked to the buoyancy of a part

    Parts are painstakingly gone over, sometime up to 100 reloads of ksp to get that one part set up to perform properly as advertised on the tin, and once you start playing with a variable that is integral to how a part works, said part doesn't work as intended and users start getting flustered which leads to users asking about a solution which leads to users being told not to use that mod with BDAc or BDAc add on parts

    There's more than meets the eye in this situation :wink:

    Well my proposed version of the mod would only affect the craft being controlled and only when the user wants it to be affected. No permanent change to any parts in the editor so it shouldn't affect any other craft that might be using BDAc parts. Perhaps a simple solution would be to make a new small part, called for example a Buoyancy Control Unit, that you add to the craft you want to submerge and the mod only works on the craft with this unit. Kind of like how the AR202 case works for MechJeb.

  3. 10 minutes ago, DoctorDavinci said:

    The only real issue I can see happenning is if Xyphos' mod is used with any of the BDAc oriented ship parts such as anything from SM Marine, LBP or any of the other sea vessel/BDAc oriented mods out there

    For anything other than that then sure, should work great ... however many parts in the aformentioned mods are set up to work a certain way and manipulating the buoyancy of said parts will lead to things not working as intended

    I think it would be ok. The mod would be off by default and only be on when you want to change all the part values of a craft that is being controlled and not permanently change any values in the craft file. It would only be used for submarines, underwater bases, VTOLs that also want to dive underwater, that kind of thing.

  4. 30 minutes ago, DoctorDavinci said:

    So playing with the buoyancy of a part directly would lead to some shenanigans I would think, however you could take a look at the following link which may help achieve your end goal .... I've seen it used to control depth of a submarine so should at the very least give you an idea of how to proceed

    HullBreach is a good shout. It looks like they are changing the Buoyancy value for different parts which makes things sink.

    Xyphos's mod already works. It changes the buoyancy value for selected parts with a value between 2 and 0. 2 is extra floaty and 0 sinks fast with values between that giving different buoyancy levels. There are no side effects that I have seen unless you start using negative values. The requirement I would like to see is to change this value in game for all the parts of the vessel on demand using a simple GUI, (MechJeb style if you know what I mean).

  5. I was wondering how feasible it would be to create a mod that adjusts a crafts buoyancy while piloting the craft in game. I made a mod some time ago that added extra parts you can fill with ballast in the game that worked well at sinking vessels however all that extra mass made moving the vessel a bit difficult and warranted specialist engines and thrusters etc.

    Recently I found this mod by @Xyphos which is excellent as it allows parts buoyancy values to be changed in the craft editor through tweakables however it is a little inconvenient to have to set this value for every part and it cannot be altered when the craft is being played in game. My idea would be a simple GUI interface in game that allows the user to input a value that changes the buoyancy value of every part on the craft by that value with some presets so the user can add values for Float on surface, Neutral buoyancy, Sink, Default values (i.e. off) etc. Trim, (balancing nose up or down), shouldn't be necessary if every part has the same buoyancy value but if it was needed there could be another editable value that adds a small amount of extra buoyancy to parts in front of the centre of mass and removes some from parts behind the centre of mass on top of the other set values, (or reverse this for opposite trim). Don't need anything fancy for any values, just user set values, (which would be decimal numbers between 0 and 2 from testing the mod above).

    I've seen quite a bit of demand for something that would make it easier to submerge vessels without having to add a ton of ore tanks to the design. I don't think I have the skills to make a mod with a GUI and a bit of programming though. Would this interest anyone? :)

  6. Hello. It's been a long time since I played KSP but I saw some cool Stayputnik bearings for electric props, (well done to whoever invented them!), made my own jet powered versions, and they were strong enough to revisit some walker designs I never got working before.

    Therefore, I can now introduce my dream walker design. A Spider Walker!

    Download link in the video description. 309 parts. 100% stock. Top speed downhill 35 m/s! Works in versions 1.3.1 and 1.4.4. Let me know what you think. :)

    Direct links to craft file if you want them:

    https://kerbalx.com/RedshiftOTF/Spider-Walker

    http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=08990454721899665236

    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1437397297

  7. 18 minutes ago, kcs123 said:

    I'm not realy sure if I understand question properly, but I will try to answer. Part:controlfrom()  should give you same result as if you right clicked on dock port or another probe on vessel. You still control same vesel, but navbal is oriented in different way  - changing left/right up/down reference points. Craft still respond on control input sending values to control surfaces and/or engine gimbals. Take this info with a grain of salt, as I can't actualy check in game this right now and it is being a while since I have messed with those.

    Now, I only assume that, when you have staged, you have released torpedo and it is no longer part of your main ship, but you still want to control torpedo and somehow guide it to target. For that kind of purposes, you might need that your torpedo contains some battery, control probe and another kOS CPU.

    kOS CPU on torpedo should have software capable to listen mesages send to it and respond to those messages. Check out communication chapter of kOS documentation. So, you need to programm some AGs on main craft/CPU to send some messages, like go UP/DOWN or just send bearing/velocity where torpedo should lock their steering to. I think it should be possible to read heading from some camera somehow and send that info to torpedo/rocket to lock on.

    Or you can track bearing/distance from main craft and targeted craft, do some calculation and simply send heading/pitch info where torpedo should lock on.
     

    That should work, in theory, but I didn't have chance to try something like this in game, it is on my "to do in KSP" list, but real life issues put me away from playing KSP for a while, right now.

    Thank you very much for the help! However, I have managed to work it out. :)

    The torpedoes have a cpu part on them but not the main ship. The torpedoes have a probe core on them as well as everything needed to power them. You select a target in the ship and this is stored as a variable, myTarget, so that when the torpedo is decoupled it steers towards the target using the - lock steering to myTarget:position - option. I printed the output of ship:controlpart and found that the torpedoes control part was actually the radial decoupler when the torpedo is decoupled so it was no wonder it didn't steer much.

    My trouble was understanding how to implement the part:controlfrom() function in code but I worked it out. Part is replaced by a variable, in this case cp, and it is important to get the name right or the code doesn't run. I managed to get the part name by using - for cp in ship:partsnamed("probeCoreOcto2") - and then adding - {cp:controlfrom().} - after it.

    Anyway, I might do a video on it a post the whole code as it is quite fun watching air dropped torpedoes chase a moving sub. :cool:

  8. 19 hours ago, MalevolentNinja said:

    Off the top of my head I would add a kOS part on each torpedo with a boot script defined. The boot script would need to check if the torpedo was still attached to the sub and if so, quit.

     

    Thanks for this. It mostly works however I have hit a snag. As soon as the torpedo has decoupled I can't get it to set a target as apparently you can only set a target for the active vessel. I think the only way around this is to run the script from the submarine and change all my commands to affect the detached vessel by name if that makes sense.

  9. Hello, I am a KOS noob, but I love it! I need some help though.

    Scenario is: I have a submarine with detachable torpedoes. I have written a script for the torpedoes to home in to a selected target and explode near it at a set range. How do I get the script to run automatically on the torpedoes when I stage them from the submarine? I don't mind having a script running on the submarine if needed, I just don't want the same script as I don't want the submarine to start homing in on the target too. The torpedo will remain in physics range of the submarine.

    Thanks. :)

  10. 21 hours ago, Jeb-head-mug kerman said:

    Here is a great tutorial by esvdefcon! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nsYZIpeKppQ

    Thanks! I will take a look.

    2 hours ago, TMasterson5 said:

    @Redshift OTF shoot me a pm if you want help with modeling and such, Ive worked on a ton of modes around here and am happy to help you out and teach you too! Tried this mod out and I can now happilly say that making Mk3 submarines isnt a miserable experience anymore. Good work man!

    Wow, thank you for the offer! I'm not getting into anything too intense at the moment due to health reasons but if I get back on the mend I might have a go and if I need any help I will shoot you some questions. :) The main thing is I am glad the mod makes submarine building a bit easier for you and others.

  11. Make submarines great again!

    Works for KSP version 1.2.2 - Download at bottom of post

    JMKM0X1.jpg

    FIgqg6k.jpg

    Y2vTNZj.jpg

    Hello, this is my first mod, if you can call it that. Since I have heard a number of requests from people who want some kind of ballast or buoyancy mod I thought I would come up with something along with a few parts that you can use to make your own Nuclear Submarine!

    All the modded parts are copies of Squads parts with new properties as well as a copy of one part from the excellent KAX mod, (for the electric propeller). All stock parts will remain in the game with no changes.

    Ballast Tank

    This is a copy of the Mk0 fuselage. It contains a tweakable that adds a ballast resource that weighs 1 ton per unit and can hold 100 tons. The tweakable is changeable by increments of 10 tons. A few of these should be able to sink the most buoyant of submarines.

    dmrXxed.jpg

    The tank also contains ISU functions so you can add or remove ballast when piloting your craft. No resources are used, ballast is simply created or destroyed. You can add or remove 10 tons per second, 1 ton per second or 0.1 tons per second.

    Oi5D0H6.jpg

    Adding or removing ballast can be set to hotkeys. If you want to toggle adding ballast 1 ton/s for example you will need to select the "Toggle Converter" option directly below the option to add ballast 1 ton/s in the hot key list, (I couldn't change the default name, sorry.)

    SQMpjTf.jpg

    Ballast Tank (small)

    This is a copy of the Oscar B fuel tank. It works in the same way as the standard ballast tank but only holds 10 tons of ballast. This is so you can set the tweakable ballast in increments of 1 ton.

    XDbAM9d.jpg

    This tank also includes ISU functions to add and remove ballast and you can add or remove 1 ton/s or 0.1 ton/s. It can be hotkeyed the same way as the standard ballast tank.

    d7a6r2F.jpg

    Nuclear Reactor

    Need a bit more power in your sub? Chuck in a PWR Nuclear Reactor! This is a copy of the mini ISU and acts like a powerful RTG, generating 40 electrical units/s at all times.

    h3Xe6tB.jpg

    Thrusters

    Submarines can get heavy with ballast added so I have included water based thrusters to allow craft to be turned while stationary or to dock with an underwater base. They are copies of the vernier engine and use an added resource called Water to create 90 kN of thrust and consume about 2 units of electricity per second. They continually generate water so they do not need to be refilled and never run out, (you are in the sea after all).

    OwcmHwO.jpg

    Marine Electric Propeller

    You will need to install the KAX mod for this part. All I have done is change the config file to add a new part based on the Turbo Prop that acts as an electric powered propeller. It generates 2000 kN of thrust, (submarines can get heavy), and consumes about 19.2 units of electricity per second, (about 24 RTG worth). Put it in thrust reversal mode if you want to mount it behind a craft.

    0UvlKN4.jpg

    This mod comes with an example craft - a Nuclear Sub. You can put wheels on it to take it to water or use the Vessel Mover mod to pick it up and drop it in the sea. It contains no Liquid Fuel, Oxidiser or Monopropellant. The ballast makes the whole thing sink even when empty of resources!

    SguE7kJ.jpg

    Warning: Ballast tanks are heavy and can break off some attachment points if fully filled. To avoid this attach them radially to your craft or attach them to radially attached Modular Girder Segments.

    The best way to use the ballast tanks is to place one at the front of your craft and one at the back and a group in the middle. You can use the front and back tanks to level the craft and hotkey all the centre tanks to make the craft neutrally buoyant. Make a note of the ballast you have used and set up these amounts as tweakables in the Spaceplane Hanger so your craft is permanently neutrally buoyant. Ballast tanks work best when near the bottom of your craft to ensure the craft stays the correct way up.

    How to install

    Download the mod, unzip, and place the NukeSubBallast folder in your KSP GameData folder.

    Download the latest version of Module Manager and place in your KSP GameData folder. Most mods use MM now so you may already have it.

    Download the KAX mod. Place the KAX and Firespitter folders in your GameData folder.

    I do not own, maintain or have anything to do with the creation of the KAX mod.

    Have fun and feedback is welcome.

  12. 3 minutes ago, SpannerMonkey(smce) said:

    No worries everybody has to start somewhere.  All you need to do once you are happy is package and distribute the cfg's , no need to supply anything else, just note that it on;y works with MM installed, there can't be many who don't have it now.  That mod also provides a good example of how to package it in an accessible form

    Ah I get it now. You just create a separate file for the changes and it works through MM. That makes sense. :) Thanks for your help and I will see what I can come up with.

  13. 10 minutes ago, SpannerMonkey(smce) said:

    Check out that mod I mentioned as that is  perfect example of how it works, the parts can be resized etc in cfg even recolored and Does create a new prefab to the spec in your cfg.

     

    OK I see, all the changes can be made in MM. If I want to distribute it do people just download the MM file I made then? What if they already have an MM file installed? I want to make it as easy as possible for people to use rather than get people to modify files. Sorry if my questions are a bit noobish. :P

  14. 7 minutes ago, SpannerMonkey(smce) said:

    In that case I think if you are set on those parts then you are stuck, as far as I'm aware you can't distribute Squad assets, which is why the MM and pure cfg method works so well

    Ah that's a shame. How do I go about using the MM / pure cfg method? Will it make new parts based on another part, (so the original and modded parts are both in the game), or does it just over-write the original parts properties? Thanks for your help btw!

  15. 5 minutes ago, SpannerMonkey(smce) said:

    Hi you can do all of what you want purely with MM patches, all you need to do is supply cfg's and MM will create new parts based on those,

    For a good recent example of stock part abuse see challenges discussion  Drag Race idea and @Azimech 's drag race mod which uses purely stock parts

    Oh well, I've already made the parts and cfg files, I was just wondering about permission that's all. Also, thanks for your advice about getting thrusters to work by adding a mass resource, (I read it in another thread). Although somehow I managed to get the KAX TurboProp to work purely on electricity without needing to add a resource with mass.

  16. So, I've made a small submarine mod that gives ballast functions, electric propulsion, a nuclear reactor etc but as I don't have much modelling talent I have re-used some Squad parts for various functions. What are the rules behind this? No parts will be replaced, only added, (for example I am using the Mk0 fuel tank model for a ballast tank).

    Also, I will be using the TurboProp part from the KAX mod to create an electric propeller. I am not going to bundle this part in my mod, I will simply state that KAX will need to be downloaded and offer a replacement config file that will give the part new properties. Is this also allowed? I don't want to step on anyone's toes so I thought I would check here first. :)

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