[1.3] Wyvern, an advanced 5-kerbal crew capsule

[zlsa]

Introducing the Wyvern crew capsule.

Industry newcomer Arc Aerospace unveiled their new crew capsule today. With modern computer-aided design practices and its state-of-the-art computer system, it's capable of fully autonomous flight without any astronauts onboard. Furthermore, thanks to its lightweight composite design, it's able to hold five astronauts while weighing less than the competition's Mk1-2 while still compatible with existing 2.5m launch vehicle infrastructure.

At the same time, Arc Aerospace announced a new form of capsule recovery: propulsive landing. When fitted with four Wyvern Engine Pods (sold separately), the Wyvern crew capsule is able to land propulsively. (Parachutes not necessary, but strongly recommended.) These engine pods also provide launch abort capability from the launchpad all the way into orbit. Each engine pod contains a full tank of monopropellant, so no external monopropellant is needed for vertical landing. (Make sure you set your fuel tank priorities correctly so that they're not drained while in orbit, leaving you to find no monopropellant in your tanks after reentry!)

With all of the extra mass afforded by the ultra-lightweight design of the crew capsule, Arc Aerospace says that the Wyvern has leading-in-class electric storage, data transmission capabilities, and even limited-duration crewed deep-space operations.

Kerlington Paper Planes and Model Rockets, Inc. contended that the Wyvern, as a clean-sheet design, was not fit to carry crew without an extensive safety record. Arc Aerospace responded with evidence of over a dozen uncrewed launches that demonstrated the reliability and safety of the Wyvern crew capsule, including a long-duration uncrewed deep-space mission. In unrelated news, Kerlington has slashed the price of their competing Mk1-2 crew capsule.

Complete Imgur album

 

Requirements

• RasterPropMonitor is required for the IVA.
• RealPlume configs are included.
• VenStockRevamp is strongly recommended but not required. These parts were designed to fit in with Ven's style.
• Works with Ferram Aerospace Research.
• Tested in both KSP 1.2.2 and 1.3.

 

Credits

@Ven for Ven's Stock Revamp, for the models and textures for the top and bottom of the capsule (and an incredible art style to boot);

@MOARdV and @Mihara for RasterPropMonitor (for the IVA props); and

@EmbersArc for Kerbal Reusability Expansion (which inspired the idea of a modern crew capsule mod for KSP)
 

Installation

Just download the mod and unzip it into your GameData folder. Make sure you have RasterPropMonitor installed.
WyvernCrewCapsule-0.1-alpha.zip

Note that the capsule's files are within the ArcAerospace folder; despite my dislike for mod authors naming the folder after the in-game company that means nothing to the end user (and making it difficult to find out what parts are provided by which mods), I plan to expand the Arc Aerospace lineup with different parts in the future, and I'd like for my parts to all be in the same place for simplicity and to avoid name collisions.

 

License

CC-BY 4.0 International

Don't forget to credit Ven if you reuse the textures or models! The top and bottom of the Wyvern capsule are taken directly from Ven's Mk1-2 remodel.

 

How you can help

Right now, I'm looking for feedback on the overall balance of these parts. This is also my first KSP mod and I play 100% sandbox, so I just used the existing config for the Mk1-2 pod for science and some minor tweaks to the costs. I'm aware that this pod is pretty darn OP for stock, but my intent was to make it an end-game part.

Edited September 6, 2017 by zlsa
Made image link to the full album

[Benjamin Kerman]

Congratulations on the release! The parts look good, solid first mod!

[ssd21345]

So stock-like dragon capsule (Hence the name Wyvern)? It looks cool!

Edited September 9, 2017 by ssd21345

[TheKurgan]

EXCREMENT!! this looks nice!

5 Kerbals... Nice IVA AND FAR compatible whaaaat??

Awesome.

Edited September 9, 2017 by TheKurgan

[CERVERUS]

If you don't have IVA the wrongs are to .cfg parameters!

Here is the right:

http://prntscr.com/gjbtpg

 

Change to the capsule .cfg with the:

WyvernCrewCapsuleInterior

and to the the IVA .cfg with the:

ArcAerospace/Spaces/WyvernCrewCapsule/WyvernCrewCapsuleInterior

[Bluastrid]

Looks very promising!

If you're afraid it might be too OP for a stock career game, put it far down in the tech tree and make it super expensive to compensate, and voilà!

[Drakenex]

awesome! My new favorite DragonV2

 

 

Edit: just missing RCS (I'm aware is alpha) and some kind of custom parachute and it'll be perfect

One more thing! It's possible to make the flag transform a little smaller?

 

Edited September 30, 2017 by Drakenex

[sjbuggs]

I definitely need to add this to my career game...  I'm so done with the mk1-2 (lack of symmetry makes my eye twitch). 

If you support CTT, using orbital command pod or heavy pod from the Near Future Spacecraft ought to give a good starting point for balance.

[helaeon]

Its beautiful. Excellent job on the stock-alike look.
Definitely looking forward to any other pods and parts you come up with.

[TheKurgan]

@zlsa This is still a beautiful pod.... I still use it, have you done any other parts?

Edited October 2, 2018 by TheKurgan

[B-STRK]

Okay, in case @zlsa drops by and sees this, or if anyone else cam help: does the IVA work in a 1.4.5 install? I remember seeing pics of the IVA (even as a WIP) before back in the day. But it's not popping up for me in the said KSP version.

For anyone who can help, much thanks!

[Cheesecake]

1 hour ago, B-STRK said:

Okay, in case @zlsa drops by and sees this, or if anyone else cam help: does the IVA work in a 1.4.5 install? I remember seeing pics of the IVA (even as a WIP) before back in the day. But it's not popping up for me in the said KSP version.

For anyone who can help, much thanks!

Did you install RPM? Then it should work.

[B-STRK]

30 minutes ago, Cheesecake said:

Did you install RPM? Then it should work.

It's already installed. No dice unfortunately.

Suppose there's a potential conflict with prop installs, e.g. ASET and Near Future?

Edited December 19, 2018 by B-STRK

[zlsa]

I can confirm the IVA does not work with KSP 1.4.5. Not sure what the issue is; I can look into it next weekend if I have time.

[Stone Blue]

@zlsa so I took a look at this, and got ust about everything fixed. IVA now works.

There were some incorrect model URLs and other stuff in several of the configs.
i also converted the textures to .dds, and shrunk the mod from 39.5MB to 12.2MB ... it could probably go smaller, if you reduce the texture sizes. Not sure 2K textures are really necessary here vOv

Oh, also wondering why use MonoProp, instead of solid fuel on the engine pods? vOv

I can zip everything up, and PM you a download link if you want... ust hit meh up in PM

Edited December 19, 2018 by Stone Blue

[B-STRK]

On 12/20/2018 at 1:39 AM, Stone Blue said:

@zlsa so I took a look at this, and got ust about everything fixed. IVA now works.

There were some incorrect model URLs and other stuff in several of the configs.
i also converted the textures to .dds, and shrunk the mod from 39.5MB to 12.2MB ... it could probably go smaller, if you reduce the texture sizes. Not sure 2K textures are really necessary here vOv

Oh, also wondering why use MonoProp, instead of solid fuel on the engine pods? vOv

I can zip everything up, and PM you a download link if you want... ust hit meh up in PM

Hope to see it soon as well! Danke!

(And by that I mean released for all, changes merged etc.)

Edited December 21, 2018 by B-STRK

[Stone Blue]

I changed up the pod ladder/hatch, and in process of adding dbl-click to IVA windows... also scaled down the flag to 75%

[Stone Blue]

So, with @Tonka Crash's request and help, I finally updated this mod. (I had completely forgotten all about it... getting old really stinks... )...

I have an initial release up, Here

Just NOTE, THAT THIS WILL BREAK ANY SAVE GAMES WITH CRAFT IN-FLIGHT, from zlsa's last version.
I also did not package the required/suggested dependency mods... Those will have to be installed/updated seperately.

For the RPM dependency, I highly suggest using the latest *adopted* version by JohnnyOThan, HERE, rather than MOARdV's discontinued version.

Please LMK if anyone has any issues with this release. I really only concentrated on optimizing/updating the models & textures, and not game balancing.

[B-STRK]

On 6/4/2020 at 10:29 PM, Stone Blue said:

So, with @Tonka Crash's request and help, I finally updated this mod. (I had completely forgotten all about it... getting old really stinks... )...

I have an initial release up, Here

Just NOTE, THAT THIS WILL BREAK ANY SAVE GAMES WITH CRAFT IN-FLIGHT, from zlsa's last version.
I also did not package the required/suggested dependency mods... Those will have to be installed/updated seperately.

For the RPM dependency, I highly suggest using the latest *adopted* version by JohnnyOThan, HERE, rather than MOARdV's discontinued version.

Please LMK if anyone has any issues with this release. I really only concentrated on optimizing/updating the models & textures, and not game balancing.

Hiya Stone, thanks for getting Wyvern up to speed again!

One issue I found after testing the part, the IVA seems inverted vis-a-vis the pod's control point orientation:

(The navball being "upside down" when the pod is maneuvered IVA is rotated heads up).

I'm not sure if this is a mod conflict or not? (RPM is the adopted version as you suggested.)

Edit: One thing I notice however is that the door on the IVA matches up to the door on the exterior model. Only thing is that when the part is loaded in the SPH build scene, it appears "door side up" which usually gives me the impression the door is on the "upper"/dorsal side of the craft in a horizontal flight/SPS orientation, similar to how a cockpit canopy is the "up" of that part. And that is reflected by the door side oriented towards the sky blue in the navball above.

Edited June 6, 2020 by B-STRK

[Stone Blue]

7 hours ago, B-STRK said:

One issue I found after testing the part, the IVA seems inverted vis-a-vis the pod's control point orientation:
(The navball being "upside down" when the pod is maneuvered IVA is rotated heads up).

I'm not sure if this is a mod conflict or not? (RPM is the adopted version as you suggested.)

Edit: One thing I notice however is that the door on the IVA matches up to the door on the exterior model. Only thing is that when the part is loaded in the SPH build scene, it appears "door side up" which usually gives me the impression the door is on the "upper"/dorsal side of the craft in a horizontal flight/SPS orientation, similar to how a cockpit canopy is the "up" of that part. And that is reflected by the door side oriented towards the sky blue in the navball above.

Thanx for the heads up. Yes, @Tonka Crash notified me about this same issue.

No, its not an RPM issue. Its definately in THIS mod.

Yeaaahhh... From what I can tell, the IVA was originally modelled around having the hatch ventral, and NOT dorsal.
IIRC, when I first took a look at this mod, the IVA *was* rotated 180 along top/bot axis, and 180 along the left/right axis.... I think... I just know it *was* kinda convoluted rotation in relation to the exterior model, and that I had to mess with it quite a bit to get the hatch/windows to line up with the exterior model.

In "fixing" that, I'm sure I didnt think to take into consideration how it would affect the control point.

Looking into it today. TonkaCrash has also provided feedback and suggestions on balancing (I dont personally play career, or even *seriously*... I just screw around in sandbox), hopefully with moar coming... I will integrate those, and hopefully a fix for the control point, and update pretty soon.
Tonka declined to take over the mod, so i will also soon make a new, seperate release thread, a new listing on SpaceDock, and get it unfrozen on CKAN.
 

[Stone Blue]

ok... *FIXED*



...almost...
Took a bunch of finagalling (sp?) with juggling around several of the gameobjects in the model...
Still have to get the stock control props & RPM screens flipped around, now

[Tonka Crash]

@Stone Blue I've got a few hours to do some testing and balance checks mainly aim at career. A big change will be cutting the amount of Monoprop onboard to more realistic levels.  

One other thing I'm doing (at least locally even if it doesn't make it into the mod) is to change the shape of the engine pods. It's a simple MM patch change. At first I just wanted a way to fit chutes in line with the engine pods without a lot of clipping, then I realized the shorter size made the engines work better with other command pods.

 

[Stone Blue]

1 hour ago, Tonka Crash said:

@Stone Blue I've got a few hours to do some testing and balance checks mainly aim at career. A big change will be cutting the amount of Monoprop onboard to more realistic levels. 

Kewl...
If you get anything set the way you want, shoot me the changes, or do a PR, and I'll try to get them in an update tonight ot tomorrow.

1 hour ago, Tonka Crash said:

One other thing I'm doing (at least locally even if it doesn't make it into the mod) is to change the shape of the engine pods. It's a simple MM patch change. At first I just wanted a way to fit chutes in line with the engine pods without a lot of clipping, then I realized the shorter size made the engines work better with other command pods.

Yeah, saw your PM about it, and thought it was worth looking into. And, yeah, those pics are pretty convincing, too It DOES look like it would expand the usefulness of the engines to other pods.

Too bad B9 PartSwitch doesnt do scaling. ... I'll have to look into stock variant switching as an option, tho I am doubtful its capable either.

The problem with an MM patch, is that its an "either or..." situation. Meaning no switching scale in game. People would be commited to one scale or the other.

I can still include the MM patch, as an option, but its moar convoluted, and again, "either or" situation to implement. I would probably go with the smaller scale, as you have above, as *default*, and the MM patch for the original scale, if people prefer that.

I will say that I WILL NOT, even look into TweakScale patching, and WILL NOT include any patches or support for it *in the mod*. I wont touch that mod with a 100meter Canadarm at this point.

Edited June 6, 2020 by Stone Blue

[Tonka Crash]

2 minutes ago, Stone Blue said:

The problem with an MM patch, is that its an "either or..." situation. Meaning no switching scale in game. People would be commited to one scale or the other.

I can still include the MM patch, as an option, but its moar convoluted, and again, "either or" situation to implement.

I will say that I WILL NOT, even look into TweakScale patching, and WILL NOT include any patches or support for it *in the mod*. I wont touch that mod with a 100meter Canadarm at this point.

I'm putting some of my changes that go beyond just balance updates in a OptionalTweaks.cfg patch file that will have this along with an LFO variant.  The options will be commented out for distribution, so the user would have to uncomment them in the patch to enable them.

[Tonka Crash]

@Stone Blue I've submitted a PR with my changes. I've done quite a bit of testing, but probably missed something. I specifically tested the standard engines for launch aborts on the pad and various points on the way to orbit. If the engines aren't used for abort they have enough dV to get out of Kerbin orbit, but not much more with the built in Monoprop capacity.  The capsule seems pretty stable on reentry without SAS starting from a slightly tumbling reentry. 

If CTT is installed the capsule is in the Heavy Command Modules node.  Monoprop engine pods are in Specialized Control alongside vernier engines.  LFO engines are in Precision Propulsion.

I added an optional LFO variant of the engine pods, but with no built in fuel capacity.  A separate fuel tank must be carried. Using the smallest stock 2.5m tank this gives the capsule plenty of dV for trips from Kerbin Orbit to the Mun or Minmus and back to a landing on Kerbin.

Below is a trip to the Mun with LFO engines.  4 engines combined are the equivalent of a LV-909 Terrier.  Makes for a nice compact Mun Taxi.  I also added an Indicator Lights patch since I use this for all crewed modules. The shorty engine pod patch and LFO engines are in ArcAerospace/Patches/OptionalTweaks.cfg.  They need to be uncommented to work.