[WIP][1.8.x] SSTULabs - Low Part Count Solutions (Orbiters, Landers, Lifters) - Dev Thread [11-18-18]

[Shadowmage]

[quote name='JoseEduardo']haven't used that Apollo since 0.25 IIRC, and I don't even remember the exact title, so I don't even know if it still works :P

totally agree on the coding part, it's something that would be neat but since it is such a minor thing I see no reason to waste time with it (hence why I didn't suggest any change, just tossed the idea :P )[/QUOTE]


I have no problem with the idea or concept (parachute + cap as part of the pods) -- I actually think it is a good idea, and would both add some extra authenticity and clean up some other minor issues. I'll probably even put it on the (ever growing) list of ideas to look into and develop on in the future.

For now though, I have way too many things to finish (and several more planned...) and cannot afford to spend time re-doing already functional parts.

Might not be as big of a deal in a month or so, and I might be able to revisit it at that point. I've been pretty generous with my scheduling, so might have some free time in some of the release windows. I'm also getting much faster at many parts of the modeling process (especially texturing), so I might also be able to eek out a little extra time there as well. No promises though.

How about this... -if- I can finish up the upper-stage stuff before 1.1 is released, I'll see about spending some time reworking pods / fixing/re-adding Apollo-derived stuff. I was going to do more engines, but... there is only one of me, and only so much time.



[quote name='blowfish']It wouldn't fix any of the issues parachutes have by themselves, but it might be simpler to write a new generic animation module that doesn't affect drag cubes. Especially for something as simple as a light animation, the module should be pretty short.[/QUOTE]

Yep, and I'll probably be writing one up anyhow for other unrelated reasons. I think the stock method of unity-created animations is... overkill.. for simple lighting, and intend on doing a fully-procedural mesh-based lighting system very similar to the one used for the engine-emissives. Would add ability to also control a light source/transform, but otherwise the basis would be the same -- using float curves and config parameters to alter the light settings. Allows for faster dev time as I don't need to muck about with the unity animation system, and also allows for post-compile editing of the lighting animation (a big plus!). Will also allow me to do cool stuff like blinky lights/repeating/reversible light animations... and probably a ton of things that I haven't even thought up yet :)

So yeah, by the time I get around to reworking existing parts, that likely won't be too much of a hurdle anymore. Might still implement a custom parachute (or derive a custom one from stock...) to allow better control of multi-cap-single-part parachute setups (if the problems I ran into are still... problems; don't even remember what they were at this point).

[davidy12]

So no Apollo CSM? :(

[VenomousRequiem]

[quote name='davidy12']So no Apollo CSM? :([/QUOTE]
Please, Shadow? :b

[Shadowmage]

LoL, do I really need to quote myself?

[quote name='Shadowmage']
[...snip...]

How about this... -if- I can finish up the upper-stage stuff before 1.1 is released, I'll see about spending some time reworking pods / fixing/re-adding Apollo-derived stuff. I was going to do more engines, but... there is only one of me, and only so much time.

[...snip...]
[/QUOTE]


Speaking of upper stage stuff, to hopefully more fully illustrate the concepts that I'm developing and working towards...


For the split-tank type of upper stage (sorry, nothing yet on the common bulkhead ones, still working through some things)

[B]Orange + Purple[/B] = height adjustment for tanks. This segment will grow/shrink to allow for customization. Undecided if this will be a procedural mesh or multiple pre-compiled model.
[B]Blue + Red[/B] = 'fixed' mesh for tank caps for that tank diameter. Will move in response to middle section of that tank growing
[B]Black[/B] = selectable mesh intertank structure. Will be able to select at least a solid and skeletal type intertank structure
[B]Green[/B] = mesh-swich-selectable mounting option. Will likely have a few varieties and sizes available. If RCS is included, they will likely be mounted here (rcs on an upper stage is not for translation, but for rotation, so direct com balance is not needed, and you actually want them as far away from com as possible). Might possibly have a 'solid' variant as per the intertank structure.
[B]Yellow[/B] = Fairings = I'm going to make them auto-size to the bottom node of the part below them / visible size of the part below them / user adjustable height, so the upper stage will provide the fairing for the engine cluster. Will also be adding the ability to set the number of fairing segments in the VAB, where it will auto-switch from 'stuck to part below' to 'jettison to the sides' (to clean up issues of the upper stage being used above a payload fairing/interstage petal adapter). Might also add an override to the engine cluster to auto-disable its own' fairing if attached to an upper stage (so the user doesn't have to do it every time).
[B]Engines[/B] = bring your own (byoe) (naked/mount-less clusters fully supported)

Both of these upper stages would be achievable through a single part in the editor (e.g. 2.5m split-tank upper stage part...), and there should be a single part for each upper stage type, per supported stack size.

(sorry for the terrible lighting, I have no idea how to set blender up to do pure non-directional/unshaded ambient lighting)
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/u9GgOWX.png?1[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/GiOTpnO.png?1[/IMG]

These are just a couple of examples. You will be able to change each part individually (as in the custom fuel tanks/caps); at least the lower mount (1), interstage structure (2), and tank length(3). I'll probably be keeping the oxi and fuel tank lengths 'linked', to maintain the illusion of proper LH2/LO2 ratios.

The bits I haven't quite fit in yet are where to potentially include solar panels (if they should even be an option), and potential ullage/retro rockets (not really needed for stock though...).

Some of those might go on another new part that I had been discussing with Jose - a semi-procedural interstage decoupler, which just became alot more viable/less messy with the some of the 1.05 changes (able to remove decouplers from staging... finally!).





Edit:

Something else I just thought of... I can add the new S-II / S-IVB mounts (or really, any/all of them) as end-cap options on the existing fuel-tanks, so that they can include fuel that way as well :)

And... if I were to add vernier capability to the existing fuel tanks... hmm... kinda sounds like a common-bulkhead upper stage to me :)
Hmm.. and more hmm... but probably not. Edited November 21, 2015 by Shadowmage

[JoseEduardo]

would the common bulkhead version allow to make something like this?

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/oVxIIBd.png[/IMG]

about choosing between procedural x pre-compiled, I would go with procedural, Upper stages are very unlikely to be big enough for the textures to look blurred and weird

[davidy12]

[quote name='VenomousRequiem']Please, Shadow? :b[/QUOTE]
Thank you for supporting a CSM Sister :D

[blowfish]

Those upper stages are almost exactly what I hoped they'd be :)

This is pretty trivial, but I'm curious how you're going to handle the fuel lines - are you planning a single generic setup or switchable options to cover different numbers of engines being mounted on the bottom?

And re: solar panels - I think they're unnecessary for a stage that's probably not going to be used for more than a few hours. If power generation is necessary, I think a fuel cell module would be fine, particularly since the cost on the assets side is basically zero :)

[Shadowmage]

[quote name='JoseEduardo']would the common bulkhead version allow to make something like this?

[URL]http://i.imgur.com/oVxIIBd.png[/URL]

about choosing between procedural x pre-compiled, I would go with procedural, Upper stages are very unlikely to be big enough for the textures to look blurred and weird[/QUOTE]

I haven't yet contemplated the common bulkhead ones much. But pretty much they'll be (very similar to) the existing custom tanks + selectable mount + rcs + fairing. So yeah, take that and slap an engine cluster on it... pretty much looks like what you have there.

[quote name='blowfish']Those upper stages are almost exactly what I hoped they'd be :)

This is pretty trivial, but I'm curious how you're going to handle the fuel lines - are you planning a single generic setup or switchable options to cover different numbers of engines being mounted on the bottom?

And re: solar panels - I think they're unnecessary for a stage that's probably not going to be used for more than a few hours. If power generation is necessary, I think a fuel cell module would be fine, particularly since the cost on the assets side is basically zero :)[/QUOTE]

Fuel lines -- each size mount would have a specific layout; so the small mount might have a single hose going to the thrust plate, while the larger mount might have 2 or 4. Won't be independently switchable; I'm going to abstract the last-mile routing through the thrust-plate.

Fuel cells -- I think I like that idea :) Greatly simplifies the power-gen part of what I was looking for. I doubt the fuel-cell use would eat any appreciable amount of fuel from such a large upper stage.

[Shadowmage]

Slight change of plans regarding today's release -

It will be a straight 1.04 recompile (with all current bugixes/updates) (will work in 1.05). The actual 1.05 update will likely come tomorrow/in the near future. I decided that as I have some breaking changes to do regarding the engine clusters/mounts, that I will roll those in with the 1.05 update.

Will likely have the release available soon, doing pre-release testing at the moment. Will then move on to updating my dev environment to 1.05 and working on the plugin/code updates. Aiming to have the official 1.05 recompile available sometime tomorrow. Might even be later today depending on how long the engine cluster update takes.

[JoseEduardo]

this engine cluster update is the one with the freescaling of mounts or this will be included in the 1.0.4?

[Shadowmage]

[quote name='JoseEduardo']this engine cluster update is the one with the freescaling of mounts or this will be included in the 1.0.4?[/QUOTE]

The free scaling mounts and engine spacing is what I'm holding off on for tomorrow/1.05 update.

[_Augustus_]

Will you be uploading the new version soon?

I want dat J2!

[JoseEduardo]

[quote name='Shadowmage']The free scaling mounts and engine spacing is what I'm holding off on for tomorrow/1.05 update.[/QUOTE]

sweet :)

[quote name='_Augustus_']Will you be uploading the new version soon?

I want dat J2![/QUOTE]

he said he is, if I can wait for the J-2 and the new mounts I'm pretty sure you can too (says the guy who keep refreshing the subscription page every 5 mins :P )

[Shadowmage]

[SIZE=3]Updated release is available:

[URL]https://github.com/shadowmage45/SSTULabs/releases/tag/0.2.19-beta[/URL][/SIZE]

[B]Warning:[/B] Some mounts have had their models and engine layouts rotated; this may cause existing craft to also have their mounts/engines rotated. Only on first stage mounts, so really should only effect saved craft.

Adds J-2 engine, several new mounts, tons of texture updates (mounts, tanks, engines), and quite a few bugfixes. Full change log is behind the link.

Compiled on 1.04, but should work fine for 1.05 (minus a few new 1.05 features).


Edit:
Obligatory release screenshots:

[img]http://i.imgur.com/yFwNGUZ.png?1[/img]

[img]http://i.imgur.com/JQnywPO.png[/img]

[img]http://i.imgur.com/c58Uprs.png[/img] Edited November 21, 2015 by Shadowmage

[JoseEduardo]

and my 5 min reloading finally worked :D

[davidy12]

Shadow, just seeing that Saturn Replica makes me crave for a stockalike apollo. PLZ!!! Make that CSM of yours reality :D

[JoseEduardo]

[quote name='davidy12']Shadow, just seeing that Saturn Replica makes me crave for a stockalike apollo. PLZ!!! Make that CSM of yours reality :D[/QUOTE]

dude, he said that he will, like two times, just not now

if you can't wait do like I'm doing with the M-1, grab it from FASA :P

[Svm420]

[quote name='davidy12']Shadow, just seeing that Saturn Replica makes me crave for a stockalike apollo. PLZ!!! Make that CSM of yours reality :D[/QUOTE]
He gets that you want it. You have posted that you do more times than anyone would care to count. Drop it and let him do his thing. OK show some respect to the author.

[VenomousRequiem]

That S-IVB looks so small compared the the first two stages. :P

[davidy12]

[quote name='JoseEduardo']dude, he said that he will, like two times, just not now

if you can't wait do like I'm doing with the M-1, grab it from FASA :P[/QUOTE]

Didn't see it.

[JoseEduardo]

[quote name='davidy12']Didn't see it.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='Shadowmage']LoL, do I really need to quote myself?

[quote name='Shadowmage'][COLOR=#333333][I][...snip...][/I][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][I]How about this... -if- I can finish up the upper-stage stuff before 1.1 is released, I'll see about spending some time reworking pods / fixing/re-adding Apollo-derived stuff. I was going to do more engines, but... there is only one of me, and only so much time.[/I][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#333333][I][...snip...][/I][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

[/QUOTE]

got that covered for ya

[davidy12]

EDIT: Sorry, didn't mean to say this anymore. Edited November 22, 2015 by davidy12

[Svm420]

[quote name='davidy12']And I saw the CSM a couple pages back, but he didn't say he'd make it.[/QUOTE]
So what? He know you want it there is no more purpose in saying you do now other than to be a pest :rolleyes:

[davidy12]

Okay, I understand, very sorry about this

[VenomousRequiem]

Hey, Shadow, care to include a 5m version of the F1 x5 mount for those of use who still use that scale?
Update looks nice though!