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[1.11.2] Telemagic [v1.11.2.10] "Phoenix" release


Hotel26

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https://spacedock.info/mod/1627/Telemagic

[MIT license; source is at https://github.com/Hotel26/Telemagic and builds in the Release/Any CPU configuration.  A post-build copy of the resultant DLL is expected to fail harmlessly for others.]

Announcing the surprise "Phoenix" release.  (This mod had been pronounced 'dead' and I never envisaged returning to it.  My gratitude to @Aazard for encouraging me.)

Briefly, Telemagic facilitates the following:

  1. deployment of aircraft and rocket vehicles from KSC to Baikerbanur [promoting BKB to a first-class space center]  This feature on hold.
  2. refueling of vehicles at KSC, Island Airport, Dessert Strip and BKB (Baikerbanur)
  3. refueling of vehicles at recognized "hub" airports

The objective is to promote regional aviation networks and thereby promote exploration and colonization.

This "Phoenix" release replaces the cumbersome "control tower" concept with the simple concept of parking a client vehicle within 30 meters of a supply vehicle, marked as Target, and "milking" the supply.

This means that heavy tankers can be designed, filled and then flown to regional/hub airports or to form an operations base at some location.  Once parked on the ground, other smaller craft can refuel from them many times before the tanker must be flown home to refuel.


Refueling at KSC, Island Airport, Dessert Strip and BKB takes place on the "fuel aprons" depicted:

 

WQbOVFS.png    8AAio8I.png
 

ScULRMx.png   bgptCOr.png

mj38W6F.png

 

To use Telemagic:

You must have engines shut down and brakes applied.  Then press the Telemagic button to summon the genie:

skCr5qAt.png

You must be parked, either on a designated fuel apron (see above), or within 30 meters of your target, which must also be parked, brakes applied and engines shut down.


Feedback, suggestions, difficulties: please contact me here in this topic.

Status: please check here for status especially about current problems.  If you are experiencing a problem mentioned here, feel free to contact me also by PM as I may be assisted by taking a copy of your craft file(s) or by your specific information.


Acknowledgements:

Hotel26 is indebted to @JadeOfMaar, @Li0n, @bewing, @Lisias and @Aazard for their invaluable assistance.  Bravo!

Edited by Hotel26
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For those who have downloaded so far, thank you.

It's worth pointing out that the (imminent) revision of Telemagic supporting control towers, will refuel craft landing on the surface of any body in the Kerbolar System [that has a surface] and will therefore comprise a super-efficient mechanism to land, take on a load of fuel (including XENON!!!) and boost it back to orbit to refuel interplanetary vessels.

None of this will be exactly free (you will have to land a "control tower") and it will still promote the skills of the game (e.g. pin-point landing) but it will give the Rocketeer the Option to bypass fuel-refining.  [I think we have all been there now and done that...]

Edited by Hotel26
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Happy to announce the

[1.3.1.3] Telemagic "Bombs Away" release!

This is the second of three, planned, major releases.  It adds the recognition of "hub" airports and provides refueling for aircraft parked on the designated fuel aprons (within ~30m) of the tower.

This is what you need to begin building your own regional/global aviation network on Kerbin to stimulate exploration/settlement!!

In addition, with every download of [1.3.1.3] Telemagic "Bombs Away", you get a bonus, free Aquila Cruise vessel to use as a reference design.  Deploy Cruise yourself (just add your own booster!) or design your own, more elaborate vehicle!

Call 1-800-Hotel26 for assistance or simply more information.

dg0IPlq.png

 

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Some thoughts from the Telemagic people (that's me).

Now that Telemagic users are in possession of control towers and may commence building networks, I'd like to outline the following important information.  Do please read it!

Today's .3 release is an interim release (as was .1).  It does not enforce a number of conditions that will become stringent in the final version.

  1. Vehicles for teleportation will be required to have all engines shutdown and at least one set of brakes applied
  2. The same as above for refueling operations.  Neither will smoking in the vicinity of the apron be permitted, (unless helmet is fully secured).
  3. A Kerbal will be required to be present inside the control tower cupola during refueling taking place at hub airports.  No attendant; no fuel, buddy!

Furthermore, some further conditions are likely to apply to the definition of what exactly constitutes a "hub" airport.  The tower itself must be landed and parked immovably (no wheels) and contain a cupola situated at least 8m above the ground.  It's possible that docking ports may be prohibited.  Outside of that, Telemagic will NOT contemplate any changes to the definition of the tower building itself that would BREAK the work already done by loyal users.  That is a commitment.

But in addition, a hub airport will likely require a flat area and a set of four flags that are used as threshold markers for dual runways, either parallel or intersecting.  The runway lengths will have minimum and maximum lengths.

The idea is that a hub airport is bigger than a regional airport (one runway and one or two flags) and will be harder to find and survey.  This will preserve the hierarchy of 1. space center (launch capability), 2. hub airport (refueling), 3. regional airport (local transport by rover).  You cannot just build a hub every 2km...  :)

I haven't set down these rules specifically as yet for two reasons:

  1. I need time myself to explore the parameters, using Telemagic in practice myself
  2. user consultation would be a tremendous plus in this enterprise and I am very open to that

Therefore, please use common sense as you start airport construction.  Please don't hesitate to open a discussion with me, privately or right here, or open a discussion with other Telemagic users (if any!) and promote your own thoughts.

Telemagic has already made Kerbin much more interesting to me!!  I have not actually been further into space than LKO in the whole time I have been working on this project.  But please DO NOTE that Telemagic is operable on other bodies, atmosphere or not and can provide efficient surface-based refueling throughout the Kerbolar system.  You still have to move control towers there.  You still have to land them at the desired locations.  You still have to perform routine, pinpoint landings with 30 meters(!!) to refuel (or use a fuel truck with conventional port docking system in conjunction with the tower).  And, added BONUS: XENON!

 

Edited by Hotel26
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A minor release designated [1.3.1.5] is imminent (this weekend).  It implements the following draft proposal for what constitutes a Hub Airport:

  1. Control tower is landed.  [Not immersed in water (>= 0AGL); obviously not on Kerbol nor Jool]
  2. Possesses a cupola with Kerbal crew (1) present and awake!
  3. Cupola is >= 8m above the ground.
  4. No wheels or docks in the craft.  [an airport must be immobile]  Extensible landing struts are OK!
  5. precisely 4 flags within a 1.5 km radius of the tower will define dual runways
  6. altitude of those 4 flags and the tower all within 10m of each other [flatness]
  7. runways (would) intersect at an angle not less than 30 degrees [they don't actually have to intersect!]
  8. major runway is at least 1000m in length
  9. minor runway is at least 800 in length

All of the above satisfied, aircraft parked, stationary, brakes applied and engines shutdown within a 30m radius of the tower [with the exception of the tower itself!] will be refueled (LF, OX, MP, electric charge, ORE!, XENON!) when Telemagic operates.

This is a proposal and subject to user input [please respond here].  But now fast-tracking toward ironclad status.

---

As a footnote, user adoption of Telemagic has been very gratifying.  Thank you; please enjoy!!

I therefore commit to making the third, major, planned Telemagic release ["Splashdown!!"] before April Fools' Day, 2018-4-1.  It will simply move Telemagic into full, KSP plug-in mode in which it will "drop-in" to KSP via Gamedata and then appear as a simple, unobtrusive Telemagic button on your screen in Camera View.

I further commit that Telemagic will be 1. updated for future releases of KSP with very pronto timeliness; 2. before the event of my Untimely Death, the source code will be published (with an unrestricted license) at github/Hotel26...

Edited by Hotel26
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  • 2 weeks later...

[1.3.1.5] Telemagic has been released.

It implements the Telemagic rules as described in the note immediately above.

It's set up to permit a user to run the older version side-by-side: just unpack as usual and it will *add* files to GameData/Telemagic.

You will need to adjust your launch method to run the new file, which is Telemagic.1.3.1.5.jar, but you can still run your older installation if you so desire until you've confirmed acceptance of any airports you've already constructed...

Please let me know about any issues!

 

Edited by Hotel26
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  • 1 month later...

Thank you all who have downloaded Telemagic so far!!

The planned "April Fool's Day" release date draws nigh and there's a good chance that KSP 1.4 will be released before that date.

Be advised my intention is to attempt to produce a new release of Telemagic that is not only a true KSP plug-in but one that will attempt to work with both KSP 1.3.1 and the new 1.4.

This will depend largely on how soon KSP 1.4 becomes available.

Please stay tuned!

hiSUed6.png

Aquila Peregrine receives a hot wash and a new load of fuel moments after landing at KSC and pulling straight onto the fuel pad...

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  • 4 weeks later...

Work on this has begun...  :)

Telemagic v1.3.1.7
[LOG 20:20:07.532] Telemagic says Hi...

P2yHcaQ.png  A new (egg-shaped) button appears in KSP...  :)

User feedback...

6Z8u3fZ.png

 

First success!!  (i.e. making an actual change inside KSP)  These are a before and after shot of an Aeris 3A being refueled on the apron at KSC:

ANp7SED.png     nNPWBKn.png

[Please click the left-most shot to see a close-up and then use right-arrow to slide to the second shot.]

Note the Electric Charge and Liquid Fuel before and after.  [Please excuse the hideous spelling error in the message (and the verbose "name") as this is a work very much in hot development.]

Telemagic v1.3.1.7 will also NOT top up resources that have been locked off.  This new, important feature is a tribute to the creative genius of Brikoleur who very often designed his aircraft to be flown with strategically-less-than-full tanks.

Edited by Hotel26
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  • 2 weeks later...

For anyone reading this thread, wondering about progress, here is an update.

The April Fools' Day Release is late but under development.  Mea culpa!

I have now successfully teleported an Aeris 3A from KSC R9 to the Baikerbanur field using an ingame Telemagic button.

Additionally, I have refueled that Aeris 3A on the BKB fueling apron (using the very same button).

I plan to release Telemagic shortly as a genuine KSP plug-in.   It will support KSP 1.3.1 and hopefully also 1.4.2.  The Telemagic version number in the release will indicate highest level of support.

This next release will support a) BKB teleportation, b) KSC/BKB refueling but likely not immediately c) hub airports.  That recognition of hub airports will very soon follow, though, as it is simply a matter of porting Java code.

In other news, in my own production world, Orbit, I have now established a Telemagic hub on the Mun at 98E.  It took some work to survey and set up, which is the intention of this mod: not to be free of effort to use.  But establishment of M98E has already almost completely eliminated the tedium of KSP mining.  In my own personal view, Telemagic has now validated its original premise -- and it's fun to use!

Edited by Hotel26
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  • 2 weeks later...
1 hour ago, theonegalen said:

This looks interesting.

Thank you; I hope so.  I've just fixed a problem in the Windows version.  (I develop on Linux.)  But I am working (late, but furiously) on the promised April version: it will be an in-game plug-in.  I've got it somewhat working (able to teleport to Baikerbanur) so hoping to release the next version imminently and have it checked out also for KSP 1.4.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Just an update on progress: Telemagic is now working as a KSP plug-in in 1.3.1 on both Linux and Windows.  I'll be doing some fairly heavy testing on it during the next week aiming for a release before the end of May.

I'll also be running it in KSP 1.4.3 so that the version I release is able to support both.  It may not initially support CKAN installation but that will be the very next thing!

I'm also happy to report that the Telemagic refueling process will also:

  1. repack your chutes for you; and
  2. wipe your cockpit windshield (wash & wax is extra)

:)

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https://spacedock.info/mod/1627/Telemagic

[MIT license; source is [UPDATE: @linuxgurugamer, @JH4C now] at https://github.com/Hotel26/Telemagic and builds in the Release/Any CPU configuration.  A post-build copy of the resultant DLL is expected to fail harmlessly for others.]

The "Spring" release is finally here!  Telemagic is now a fully-fledged KSP plug-in.  Currently only supporting KSP 1.3.1 but 1.4.x support is planned as well as CKAN support.

Briefly, Telemagic facilitates the following:

  1. deployment of aircraft and rocket vehicles from KSC to Baikerbanur [promoting BKB to a first-class space center]
  2. refueling of aircraft at KSC and BKB
  3. refueling of vehicles at recognized "hub" airports

The objective is to promote regional aviation networks and thereby promote exploration and colonization.

A hub airport is recognized when:

  • a control tower is landed.  [Not immersed in water (>= 0AGL); obviously not on Kerbol nor Jool]
  • possesses a cupola with Kerbal crew (1) present and awake!
  • cupola is >= 8m above the ground.
  • no wheels or docks in the craft.  [an airport must be immobile]  Extensible landing struts are OK!
  • precisely 4 flags within a 1.5 km radius of the tower will define dual runways
  • altitude of those 4 flags and the tower all within 10m of each other [flatness]
  • runways (would) intersect at an angle not less than 30 degrees [they don't actually have to intersect!]
  • major runway is at least 1000m in length
  • minor runway is at least 800 in length

Refueling at KSC and BKB takes place on the fuel aprons depicted:

WQbOVFS.png  mj38W6F.png

You must have engines shut down and brakes applied.  Then press the Telemagic button to summon the genie:

skCr5qAt.png

Bonus:

Please find included, in the GameData\Telemagic directory, one reference design for the Cruise Aquila craft.  This is an example of a Telemagic "control tower" slipped into a Cruise payload shell (wings/engines) mounted atop an Aquila lifter.

Please see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssGQp8Cepjc for a demonstration of a technique to launch a Telemagic control tower orbitally or sub-orbitally for re-entry and then "cruise" flight (sustainable altitude 6.5kms) to a pinpoint landing at your proposed "hub" airport site.


Current limitations:

  1. teleporting from KSC launchpad to BKB is not yet supported
  2. your first teleport (from the runway) to BKB will probably go well.  Subsequently, aircraft are known to get the "shakes".  Please immediately Esc to Tracking Station and then select back to your teleported craft.[1]
  3. "wheels not permitted" message indicates your vehicle (probably the cockpit) is not located within the refueling apron
  4. if refueling does not appear to complete (usually because of continuing electrical discharge) simply release your brakes

Feedback, suggestions, difficulties: please contact me here in this topic.

Status: please check here for status especially about current problems.  If you are experiencing a problem mentioned here, feel free to contact me also by PM as I may be assisted by taking a copy of your craft file(s) or by your specific information.

  • larger craft may experience the message "wheels not permitted" or "dock not permitted".  I'm investigating a case where this error prevented refueling.  I'll indicate here when an update with a fix is available.

Related: https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/175341-telemagic-airport-registry/

[1] this will be fixed as top priority, Kraken willing.

Acknowledgements:

Hotel26 is indebted to @JadeOfMaar, @Li0n and @bewing for their invaluable assistance.  Bravo!

 

Edited by Hotel26
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This looks interesting, I look forward to the 1.4.x implementation.

Two things:

  1. You've failed to mention your licencing terms in the post. This is a requirement of the forums.
  2. The YouTube link is non-functional for anyone who isn't you, as it links to the editing subsystem which only displays videos you've uploaded yourself. The correct link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssGQp8Cepjc - auto-embed below:
Edited by JH4C
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5 hours ago, Hotel26 said:

as well as CKAN support.

Hi! This should be appearing in CKAN within a few minutes. I had two packaging suggestions for the future, if you're interested:

  • A .version file is helpful for supporting a range of multiple game versions when you get to that point, see http://ksp.cybutek.net/kspavc/Documents/README.htm
  • Putting the .craft file in a separate Ships folder outside of GameData would make it easier to install
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This looks really interesting. In my last couple of saves been using a process for refueling SSTO crew/tourist transports (playing with tourism plus) and keeping my tourist side of the operations fully reusable (ie craft don't get 'recovered' and respawned, they get refueled on the tarmac and taxied back onto the runway).  The main issue I've had has been in keeping part counts down around KSC while also having a mining operation to supply the fuel, shuttle busses to take fresh meat tourists out to the craft and bring returning ones home and a rather cool tow truck to taxi the aircraft around.  
It looks like this could reduce some of the part count overhead that my current setup needs.  

Couples Qs; 
Where does the fuel come from? Do you have to mine and supply it, or does it just cost funds to refuel?
Is there support for life support mods.  I use TAC LS, and I also have a system of greenhouses away from KSC to grow food for my tourist missions, which means I need to collect the waste products so...
Can waste resources be transferred out of the landed craft into silos while fuel/LS resources are transferred in? Or would waste resources just get disposed of? (no biggie if not, that would just require a KAS fuel line hookup like I do anyway to remove the waste resources for recycling). 
Is fuel transfer triggered manually or does it happen automatically [edit - just noticed you say when brakes are on and engines off, that's cool as it gives you a controllable 'switch' over when it happens]

Unfortunately i've just started making the shift to 1.4.3 so I won't be able to try this out just yet, but I'm going to be watching this with interest! Great idea!

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9 hours ago, HebaruSan said:

This should be appearing in CKAN within a few minutes

Thank you for both suggestions and for your help!  Suggestions will be implemented in an imminent update.

@kataeochi

  1. The fuel is supplied to you at KSC rates, so it does cost funds.  You don't have to mine it.  All resources, including xenon, is refilled unless the resource flow-state is locked off.  Chutes are repacked.  I was working on also ensuring that every crew-member was given at least one flag but hadn't cracked the code by the deadline.  This will be in a future release.
  2. Telemagic provides a single button (courtesy of @JadeOfMaar).  Press the button and the genie will come.  Or it will deliver some kind of meaningful excuse, e.g. "MiG15b engines are not shutdown".
  3. Telemagic does not support any other mods at this moment, HOWEVER: what you describe sounds entirely within its purview.  I.e. it's what you'd expect Telemagic to do.  I would be willing, in principle, to work to support this after finishing several essentials (BKB launchpad; 1.4.x support; CKAN support; publishing up-to-date sources on github; eradicating the 'shakes' problem during teleport; replenishment of flags).

Thanks for your interest!

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2 hours ago, wile1411 said:

Just as a heads up

Thank you very much for this!

Telemagic is now a true KSP plug-in: https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/175340-131-telemagic-1318-spring-release/

In principle, Telemagic only requires a kind of look-out >= 8m from the ground.  It should accommodate any kind of design that accomplishes that.  Currently, Telemagic recognizes stock parts, and the cupola in particular.  But it should really work with anything that moves in the same spirit.  And I'd be very happy to work with other mods.

At the moment, I'm preparing to support KSP 1.4 and make a few other essential enhancements.  After that, further extension really just depends upon demand, which I am truly hoping to see.

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9 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

full availability of th ed source code 

Thank you, sir.  And thank you for your interest.  I had promised the source code at github/Hotel26/Telemagic and, uhm, it's #1 on my priority list right now.  I'll confirm with you and @JH4C personally when it's there (this weekend).

(Sorry, I am an inveterate procrastinator and know better...)

Edited by Hotel26
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