Jump to content

Firespitter propeller plane and helicopter parts v7.1 (May 5th) for KSP 1.0


Snjo

Recommended Posts

Kt3hMhy.jpg

Mod and plugin download, from snjo.github.io

[snip]

Public change log and todo-list

Plugin source code

Oblong standard part meshes for modellers

Confused? Check the Firespitter parts guide

eKGyXDa.png

The biplane Update!

v7.1

-KSP 1.0 Compatability

-Some issues remain with the parts

v6.3.5

-Plugin update for compatibility with various mods like B9

-Some minor fixes to prices in cfg

-Removed unneeded pngs, and optimized others.

v6.3.4

-KSP 0.24 Compatibility.

-Lots of plugin features for upcoming version 7, and features used in other mods like B9

v6.3

-Oblong round noses, short and long

-Oblong to 0.625m adapter

-Helicopter landing pads by Justin Kerbice

-Warning message on the Main Menu if you are using an incompatible KSP version

-W.I.P. turboprop engine. This will see changes to performance, sound and looks

-FSengineSounds: Implemented disengage, running, flameout sounds, fixed bugs.

-FSwing: Made leading edge action name cfg editable for use in extending flaps etc.

-FSwheel: supports altering retract animation speed in cfg

-FSslowtato: key/action group based rotator module

-FSmeshSwitch: swap meshes instead of textures for better memory conservation

v6.2

-Landing gear tires bump, screech and smoke when touching down, and have rolling and retract sounds.

-Overhauled the Water launch system. Save your current position to re-use in new vessels. Launch anywhere on Kerbin! More reliable coordinate saving.

-Scaled f-86 wing lift back to 72%, which should be around the realistic lift amount (still more than stock lift)

-Subtle braking sound.

-Fixed some old tail gear scaling and floating point error rendering issues (Scale has changed a little bit)

-Support for part effects (sounds etc) in the animation module.

v6.1.1

-Fixed some FAR Values. Included two example craft re-tweaked for FAR.

-A surprise

v6.1

-FAR values added to biplane wings and F-86 wings (FAR is optional as always!)

-CoM indicator bug fixed, replace engines on existing craft for a fix. (Removed 0/0 electric resource node from engines)

-Some wings have had module changes, which will reset the texture selection. For craft already in flight, you can EVA a Kerbal an Repaint the part.

-All example craft renamed with the prefix FS to make them easier to find

-Guide PDF updated

-Added Normal map (etc) switching support to FStextureSwitch

v6.0

New:

-Biplanes! Make you own WWI planes with these new parts. Be an Ace or a Twenty-Minuter!

This is a whole matching part set with alternate switchable textures on each part.

-New custom lift and wing code that is more realistic and more customizable.

-Custom lift is used in the biplane parts and the F-86 wings. (The legacy F-86 wings are included as a zip in the Parts/Aero folder)

-Auto deploying leading edge slats, and flaps on the F-86 wings.

-KSP 0.23 Compatibility with tweakables. Fewer silly popups, more nice tweaks.

Fixes:

-Action Group to increase/decrease hover height in heli/VTOL rotors.

-Wheels have less sideways friction for safer take offs and landings.

-Wheel motor reversing bug fix.

-FSwheel friction override bug fixed.

Note that FAR compatibility for the new wings is not done yet

v5.6.2

-Removed error message spam on bi-plane wheels

v5.6.1

-Added science storage and crew report to the cockpits

v5.6

-KSP 0.22 compatibility

Parts:

-Avro Lancaster Engines. Surface mounted big engines, one variant with internal landing gear, one without.

-All parts have been assigned a science node (costs have not been set)

Useful tweaks:

-FAR fix: if FAR is present, the control surface range module is disabled to fix incompatibility.

-Turned Allow Surface Attach on for tail control surfaces.

-The bomber cockpit is now less indestructible. (Fixed collider order)

-The bomber wings have proper collision detection

-Wheel and engine settings in the SPH now affect the whole symmetry group.

-VTOL steering can be toggled on and off with an action group (without affecting the steering setup)

Minor tweaks you don’t care about:

-Tweaks to the default rotation code in multi axis engine and part turner.

-atmospheric nerf can be disabled to allow for vacuum operations (the module itself is still required on relevant parts)

-FSwheel: suspension overrides can have negative values if overrideModelSpringValues = True

-FSwheel: disable collider at a given time during retraction.

-VTOL steering supports models with inverted transforms through invertSteering = True

v5.5

-F-86 fighter jet wing with deployable leading edge for increased lift+drag

-F-86 tail control surfaces (elevators and rudder)

-Folding electric plane propeller

-Greatly reduced the weight of the landing gear. (Check the balance of your craft)

-Updated gyroscope and nose SAS to use the new SAS module. Converted cockpits to the new reaction wheel system. (very weak reaction wheels) (thanks to PolecatEZ for some input)

-Added brake lights to some gears

-Trim tool displays current trim

-Water Launch Module: On slower machines, try setting a longer timer setting if you are put back to the runway at lunch. Edit the line timer = 4.0 to a higher value (seconds). (Parts\Utility\FS_moveCraftGadget\part.cfg)

v5.4

KSP 0.21 compatibility update

- New landing gear functionality: motor, roll retracted, friction overrides, etc.

- VTOL steering (pitch and yaw through engine rotation, roll through thrust variation)

- Texture switcher module. Switch textures in the hangar for parts (Currently only implemented on Bomber nose art)

- New float code to combat the new KSP versions inability to float things.

- Updated Water Launch module to work with the new KSP version.

- Updated FAR values on the wings. Might allow for less bugginess. You still need to delete the FSwingletRangeAdjustment module in each wing cfg for full control though. (Thanks BubbaWillikins)

- Support for arrays of values in cfg files through FSnodeLoader

v4.2

Legacy download for KSP 0.19.1

Wallpapers:

sYHb1HR.png

1920x1200 / 1920x1080

c0lbftW.png

1920x1200 / 1920x1080

Installation:

Check out Scott Manleys video on installing mods

Make sure you put the Firespitter files in the GameData folder the way it is presented in the zip file. This mod relies on many assets that have to be in the right folder, like sounds and textures. If you get creative with the file and folder names, stuff will break!

Troubleshooting:

Q: I have no engine sounds, but the propellers spin

A: You placed the folder in the wrong place or renamed it.

Q: The propellers don't spin, but they provide thrust

A: You somehow installed without the dll file, so only stock code is running.

Q: I get sent to outer space when I launch a plane with an electrical engine

A: You are using and old version KSP Interstellar or some other mod that is conflicting with my code.

Firespitter code does not interfere with anything outside its own parts, so the fault here is usually with the other mod reaching into all parts and doing crazy stuff.

Q: Everything is broken and I am sad

A: Make sure you use the latest version of KSP and Firespitter. Do not post support questions on the spaceport, no one reads it. Use the forum if installing correctly didn't work. Keep in mind that lots of people are using the mod successfully, so unless it's a new bug introduced in the latest FS version, you probably messed up the install.

License:

You may reuse code and textures from this mod, as long as you give credit in the download file and on the download post/page. Reuse of models with permission. No reselling. No redistribution of the whole pack without permission.

UV map texture guides are included so you can re-skin to your liking.

For reuse of the plugin, please either direct people to download the dll from my official release, OR recompile the wanted partmodule/class with a new class name to avoid conflicts.

For modders re-using the dll directly, you MUST place it in the Firespitter folder in your zip file, so people don't end up with two copies of the dll.

The right path is: [KSP_OS]\GameData\Firespitter\Plugins\

Edited by James Kerman
redacted by a moderator
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the electric propeller part consume too much energy

It is hard to recharge during the flight:(

I tried a couple of different settings, and I landed on this, so it wouldn't be a free ride. If you either smack a lot of solar panels on it, or land every now and then. a light plane with panels on the wings can go forever in the sun.

A helicopter, less so.

It's not possible in my mind to find a place where it's both realistic (very efficient), and balanced with the other stock parts, so I went for balance.

That being said, it's very easy to modify this on your own.

Open the file part.cfg in the parts folder (e.g. d:\games\KSP\parts\FS_copterRotorMainElectric\ or \parts\FS_propengineElectric\)

edit the lines:

    
atmosphereCurve
{
key = 0 3000
key = 1 3000
}

to for instance

    
atmosphereCurve
{
key = 0 9000
key = 1 9000
}

This will triple your efficiency. I don't hold the universal truth on these matters, I only go according to my tastes, so if you feel it is wrong, it's just fair to make it seem realistic to you.

Edited by Snjo
typo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The new version has been uploaded to Space Port. Added a new video to the first post.

The only changes since yesterdays pre-release is a nose mounted ASAS unit for the Apache, some IVA tweaks, and new sounds for the Mustangs 0.5m propeller.

But it's the first full release in a long time, so I'm happy, and a little nervous that I broke something :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Snjo, I've got a bug. I'm playing on a mac with the newest release, and there's no sound from any of your engines whatsoever. Solutions?

I've had several reports of this problem on mac. I assume there's some incompatibility with either the sound codecs, or the way mac handles folder names. Since the folder name issue has now been resolved on linux, I'm mostly thjinking macs can't play these wav files.

Since I don't have a mac, I can't test it, but you could do me a favor.

I made a variant of the mustang engine which uses an ogg file instead of wav, If you slap it on a craft and see if it makes a sound, I can switch to ogg files if you are successful.

If it works it should make an engine sound while running, but no coughing startup sound.

Download (This just contains the new sound and the .5m red nose mounted propeller engine)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the idea behind the various tanks (air-, oxidizer- and fuel tank) you've added, but it would be far more excellent if there were some way to allow for action groups with them.

This way, you could use the tanks when you need them. For instance, when you're flying up at 20 kilometers and the plane isn't getting enough intake air. Open up the valve for the air tank, and voila! You're good to go again.

I haven't tested if the TAC Fuel Balancer works with the tanks to keep them filled up, but even if it does, it'd be nice to have the action group compatibility.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the idea behind the various tanks (air-, oxidizer- and fuel tank) you've added, but it would be far more excellent if there were some way to allow for action groups with them.

This way, you could use the tanks when you need them. For instance, when you're flying up at 20 kilometers and the plane isn't getting enough intake air. Open up the valve for the air tank, and voila! You're good to go again.

I haven't tested if the TAC Fuel Balancer works with the tanks to keep them filled up, but even if it does, it'd be nice to have the action group compatibility.

Hmmm, that's an interesting idea. You can already stop flow from a tank by right clicking on it. But making a small module you can throw on a tank toggle stop flow via action group should absolutely be doable. It could then be applied to all fuel tanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How do I use this mod with FAR?

Oh, I forgot to uncomment the FAR values.

A kind soul made some FAR values for all my wings and control surfaces awhile back. They are all included in the part.cfg files, but I commented them out because I didn't realize they could stay in even if you didn't use FAR.

I will fix it in the next version, but for now, go into the part.cfg files of each wing you want to use and remove the // in front of all the lines in the FAR module sections.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm, that's an interesting idea. You can already stop flow from a tank by right clicking on it. But making a small module you can throw on a tank toggle stop flow via action group should absolutely be doable. It could then be applied to all fuel tanks.

I never fully addressed this.

Yeah, I know you can do that, but sometimes the resources can suddenly disappear on you (that's to say, you forgot to keep an eye on the gauges), so being able to open the tanks without fumbling with a right-click menu is a godsend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just tried the 0.5m Mustang engine with the .ogg, no dice. I'm happy to do any Mac testing you need, just send me a PM.

Hmmm, that's disappointing. I wonder how mys sounds are different than the default KSP ones. I tried mp3 and aiff, but hose didn't play even on my machine. The thing with wav files are they can have lots of different encodings. But on the other hand it might be something completely different...

The stock sounds don't have a file type in the cfg, but when I try to omit that, it simply plays nothing. The stock sounds are handled differently somehow. Will keep trying to find an answer, and contact you if there is something to test.

Has an electric tail-rotor been included? I remember using this once, and that's what kept me from doing anything useful with the electric main rotor.

The electric engine has an option to flip the thrust. IT's oddly named, but on the right click-menu there is an option to "Reverse", and an option to "Normalize" when you want to thrust in the normal direction. Good for taxiing if you are careful.

In the action group setup it's sadly only called "toggle". That's a limitation of the module used there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The electric engine has an option to flip the thrust. IT's oddly named, but on the right click-menu there is an option to "Reverse", and an option to "Normalize" when you want to thrust in the normal direction. Good for taxiing if you are careful.

In the action group set up it's sadly only called "toggle". That's a limitation of the module used there.

But what about a helicopter tail rotor? I was under the impression that the regular tail rotor is tied to yaw, and uses a small amount of fuel to run. Is there an electric equivalent to that?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But what about a helicopter tail rotor? I was under the impression that the regular tail rotor is tied to yaw, and uses a small amount of fuel to run. Is there an electric equivalent to that?

You can alter between having the tail rotor respond to yaw or roll by right clicking on it and clicking "use QE/AD"

It uses electricity already (and a custom resource, FScoolant, to make electricity work, but that's irrelevant as long as you are in atmosphere)

It hasn't used liquid fuel for several versions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah. Ok. I'll take a look. Hmm, all this talk about props and rotors has me thinking about torque, and maybe having it as a resource like intake air to be used to run things like powered intakes, turbofans/props, generators, as well as main and tail rotors. One turboshaft engine could run anything that spins. Alternativly, in atmospheres without oxigen, an electric motor, or thermally powered (think stirling engine for space: http://goo.gl/gNTA http://goo.gl/IVHQU)

Edited by aquilux
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...