SpaceDock Development

[Fendrin]

Development Thread for the SpaceDock mod

SpaceDock is a mod providing parts meant to be used with the ShipYard plugin.

Revision Control

Release Thread

[steedcrugeon]

just in time for me to post a taster of the WIP for the new 'All-In-One' MicroDock™

[Fendrin]

I like to discuss the balancing issues I have regarding the SpaceDocks, although this is also true for possible other parts using ShipYard or depending on different build mechanisms.
The biggest problem I have is to balance against Extraplanetary Launchpad hardware.

Let's have a look at what ground based infrastructure is worth in the stock game.

The player needs to upgrade the VAB twice for unlimited part support:
225,000+ 845,000 = 1,070,000 ==> unlimited part support

Same for the Launchpad at the KSC:
75,000+ 282,000  = 357,000==> unlimited mass and dimensions

Makes a total sum of 1,427,000for the VAB/Launchpad and the same amount again for SPH/Runway.

So unlimited vessel building capability on Kerbin is not cheaper than 2,854,000.
This is of course not entirely true, the physical conditions at the KSC will still limit a vessel in size and mass.

The amount of money the player spends using EL to build in orbit:
USI's UKS Orbital Shipyard costs 84,000and weights 10.28t.
This part comes with 4 seats and "Productivity Factor: 2", good enough to build vessels in a reasonable time. There is no part, weight or dimension limit featured by EL (afaik).

So how expensive/heavy/whatever must SpaceDocks be to be balanced with EL in mind?

In order to build entire new vessels from resources only, a ShipYard needs OSEWorkshop hardware, enough KIS-Container space and some crafting tools.

The only point of launching a larger ShipYard/SpaceDock is its ability to process larger vessels than the smaller version. Even the largest SpaceDock will not be able to process vessels (in one piece, without docking) which don't fit inside.

Thus the MegaDock's total cost (including OSEW + KIS + Tool parts) still need to be less than the 84,000 the unlimited build capability offering USI part costs. The OSEW's "3D Printing Lab" costs 75,000. Leaving 9,000for containers + dock + tools.

I have already asked in the EL thread about size limits but got no answer. An early post on the thread mentions that EL is supposed to balance the lack of limits with the costs of the resources. 

I had only a quick look and compared the building costs between OSEW and EL only roughly, still I think they are not that far away from each other, leaving me completely helpless.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Fendrin

[steedcrugeon]

A s already discussed i think we will struggle to balance against EL as it's dis-proportionally cheap given the facility it;s providing. Really need some more opinions from other players on this one, as ultimately I suspect that this mod may end up not being able to balance against EL and will end up doing what is agreed by the wider user base.

Also have some more taster shots of the MicroDock:

Spoiler

 

[steedcrugeon]

a revised Texture for the MiniDock:

[steedcrugeon]

work has been ongoing, although my studies and work have been interfering with productivity (again!).

So here are some nearly done images of the super entry level 'Nanodock™'

This part actually has 1 crew space internally!

 

[Omegano]

Keep up the awesome work!  I have a question, though:  are you planning to do any ground based structures for rovers & planes?  If you did, that would make this my one stop shop for construction spots!  Especially once ShipYard is further along...

[steedcrugeon]

On ‎16‎/‎01‎/‎2017 at 4:12 AM, Omegano said:

Keep up the awesome work!  I have a question, though:  are you planning to do any ground based structures for rovers & planes?  If you did, that would make this my one stop shop for construction spots!  Especially once ShipYard is further along...

At present I don't think ground based construction facilities is on the radar. Not that it couldn't be, but for now it's not planned.

[Kaa253]

YES!!! Please 

[steedcrugeon]

@Kaa253 as Fendrin has gone quiet on further development of this, which is understandable from his perspective as there wan;t much feedback as to how best to balance these with other mods. I am planning (after my next lot of coursework is out of the way) to put out and 'add-on' release which will essentially be the SpaceDock mod plugins and the various collapsible dock models in the states they currently are in. 

[Kaa253]

 

 

6 hours ago, steedcrugeon said:

how best to balance these with other mods

USI Modular Kolonisation System is currently changing from off-world construction based on EL to GC based system. Given that ShipYard may also be an option as well as potentially other KAS original or KAS v1.0 mechanisms for ship construction it is hard to say at present what might be the best way to balance these parts within that spread of mods. 

If the parts can be made available then hopefully the community will contribute MM patches that interpret them as space docks for use in EL, GC, ShipYard, KAS, etc. I appreciate any and all of your efforts, thanks. Best wishes for the studies 

[steedcrugeon]

Now that I've gotten Unity working again i have fixed the flag issues I had with the NanoDock. So preparing for release it looks like the MiniDock, MicroDock and NanoDock will soon be available for a 'beta' release. The MidiDock will take a bit longer.

@Kaa253 Will those 3 be enough for the community to work with to produce patches or give feedback?

[steedcrugeon]

The MiniDock, MicroDock and NanoDock are now available for testing purposes. Please contribute feed back if you use these!

SpaceDock BetaTesting release can be found here:

SpaceDock BetaTesting (on spacedock)

SpaceDock BetaTesting (.zip direct from Github)

[steedcrugeon]

Mega dock development has been sidelined for a more pressing project, codenamed 'Walrus'. 

With a service capacity of 60,000 m³ and an optimum berthing length of 100m, the announcement of Project: Walrus is no way related to recent claims of industrial espionage by the engineering team at SHED... 

Edited April 12, 2017 by steedcrugeon
corrected volume error in service capacity

[steedcrugeon]

just checking the scale of Project Walrus's in game structure. This shot is representative of the size of the part and is the skeleton of what the underlying part will be. the antenna at the end of the station is indeed a JX2, for scale (couldn't find a kerbal banana).

 

 

[xendelaar]

awesome design