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Cupcake's Dropship Dealership...


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Hey All, I'm afraid the full release is a little way away, but I thought you guys might want to play around with the trainer edition in the meantime. :) Instead of weapons you're carrying fuel, but even without the fireworks this craft is a great deal of fun to fly. Incidental this edition of the Banshee Mk2 will become my standard single engine trainer, replacing the Stratos Model T (no flowers by request).

I like the new trainer, but I'm sad that you've started putting all your docking ports upside-down/back-to-front. ;.;

I'm a long way from being a skilled VTOL pilot, so I often enjoy the option you give of "You can also use the top docking port if you'd rather fly the X like a regular rocket."

Except that both on this dropship and the SCARAB before it, you've placed the top docking port back-to-front reversing the controls. I pull back on the stick, the dropship pitches forwards and vice versa.

Also the top docking port is usually integral to your design - attached to many parts, so it's not usually a simple matter of altering it in the hanger myself.

I know it's not how you intend your dropships to be flown, but I'll be sad if that's the standard design now for the future. :(

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I like the new trainer, but I'm sad that you've started putting all your docking ports upside-down/back-to-front. ;.;

I'm a long way from being a skilled VTOL pilot, so I often enjoy the option you give of "You can also use the top docking port if you'd rather fly the X like a regular rocket."

Except that both on this dropship and the SCARAB before it, you've placed the top docking port back-to-front reversing the controls. I pull back on the stick, the dropship pitches forwards and vice versa.

Also the top docking port is usually integral to your design - attached to many parts, so it's not usually a simple matter of altering it in the hanger myself.

I know it's not how you intend your dropships to be flown, but I'll be sad if that's the standard design now for the future. :(

Whoops. You're quite right, I'm not sure how that slipped through the testing process. It's even more embarrassing with the SCARAB seeing as it's been out for a while, but I guess I've never really used it in space only on Kerbin which is probably why that one got missed! :blush:

Anyway, the docking port orientations have been fixed for both vessels, I've also added a docking light on the SCARAB which will hopefully make the process of lining up the ports easier. Thanks for bringing it to my attention I really appreciate it, and if I miss anything else please let me know! :D

Cupcake...

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Awesome, thank you Cupcake! I'm glad it was just an oversight and not a conscious decision - one is much easier to change than the other! :D

I'm probably the only one who looked at the Tadpole in that awesome painting (I still have it as my wallpaper) and thought "Why is the docking port all wonky?" :P

iBTVprH.jpg

Frankly, I ought to be more concerned by the missing parachute!

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Awesome, thank you Cupcake! I'm glad it was just an oversight and not a conscious decision - one is much easier to change than the other! :D

I'm probably the only one who looked at the Tadpole in that awesome painting (I still have it as my wallpaper) and thought "Why is the docking port all wonky?" :P

http://i.imgur.com/iBTVprH.jpg

Frankly, I ought to be more concerned by the missing parachute!

I guess if I really wanted to force people to fly VTOL I could just get rid of the top docking port completely (not that I'd ever do so such a thing!). Glad you're making good use of the poster, as the saying goes the devils in the details. :)

Cupcake...

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I'd say that if someone as bad at VTOL as me can do this, then this is a very good trainer indeed! :D

http://files.the14th.eu/forum/2014/2014-03-26i.jpg

http://files.the14th.eu/forum/2014/2014-03-26h.jpg

Bravo! Look at that, it's just the right size too. :cool: Not sure how you Kerbal's gonna get down though. :P

Cupcake...

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Well, guess what time it is!

If you guessed time for another VTOL self-advertisement spree, then- well- I'm actually surprised really.

My first Single-Stage to Minmus! (And it looks kinda snazzy.)

I can't pilot, which is why I gave it so much delta-v, it's virtually idiot-proof!

(Except you have to land kinda softly on those SAS units)

Edited by CakeNinjaProductions
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New desktop background, looking forward to this.

Cheers, hopefully won't be too far away now. :wink:

Well, guess what time it is!

If you guessed time for another VTOL self-advertisement spree, then- well- I'm actually surprised really.

My first Single-Stage to Minmus! (And it looks kinda snazzy.)

I can't pilot, which is why I gave it so much delta-v, it's virtually idiot-proof!

(Except you have to land kinda softly on those SAS units)

Great job! I think a wee bit of tuning and you'll be able to do return Munar missions too. :)

Cupcake...

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Don't think it needs tuning- I just need to practice flying more efficiently.

Me too! I've kind of been using a one size fits all ascent profile for my SSTO's but I suspect there are more efficient ones out there. I also meant to say good job on the video it was nicely done, good choice of music too. :)

Cupcake...

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Cupcake, oh god of VTOLs, I need some advice. Keep in mind I'm new to VTOLs.

How do I keep the COM in one place?

Um... Well to help explain things we'll take a quick look under the hood of a Tadpole Dropship. :) Now you'll see the fuel setup is completely symmetrical, and right in the middle (in green) is the COM which also lines up perfectly with the engine. This means when the fuel drains the COM isn't going to move an inch. The same goes for RCS tanks, Xenon or any other consumerable, if it's on this line it isn't going to throw the balance of the ship when it drains.

c14Xukd.jpg

Now that we've got our basic fuel setup we can add the cockpit at the front. This is going to muck up the COM so we need to counterbalance it, in this case the two landing gear legs and reaction wheel is used to pull the COM back towards the centre line. You can never really get it 100% lined up but by moving smaller items like solar panels and lights up and down the hull you can get it pretty close. BTW I also always drain the RCS from the cockpit as otherwise it'll throw the COM as it drains.

VoIaV20.jpg

I should point out that with the extra strong reaction wheels you don't need to be quite as OCD about balance as I am, chances are your VTOL will fly just fine. Anyway, hope this helps. :wink:

Yay! Flying 'round the space center is fun!

http://i.imgur.com/KVcFSFx.png

Weee-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

http://i.imgur.com/3BRhsyg.png

Oh bother :rolleyes: *laughtrack*

It is amazing how often the MK2 cockpit survives the crash, the same goes with the Scythe! :D

Cupcake...

Edited by Cupcake...
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  • 1 month later...

Hey, Cupcake! (Yes, I'm still alive.)

Remember back when I built that giant, Rocko-carrying, jet-powered VTOL launch stage?

Well, It's been a couple iterations since then... now it burns less than half the fuel and takes the payload all the way to Munar orbit...

M9EXsT0.png

Well... a munar orbit. I'll mark it down to inefficient piloting. Also, Cupcake, how goes the movie-animation-thing?

jXx9O75.png

If anyone wants to dissect it, I can provide a craft download.

It also has 2 nukes clipped inside the SAS units, and the landing gears are for landing back on Kerbin (Which I have not yet perfected).

Edited by CakeNinjaProductions
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Also, just watched your tank hunting video, it occurred to me that you might not know about all of the bridges around KSC:

http://i.imgur.com/GzZJzvW.png

I considered for a moment that you might have already known about them but they were too small, but then I remembered who you are.

Nice job on the ship, it's amazing what a bit of tuning and a decent ascent profile can do. :wink: Keep posting pics as it develops it's cool to see how it's coming along. Funnily enough I did manage to fly a Banshee through the stairwell under the helipad yesterday, although I left some bits behind when I tried it again the other way. :blush: As to the cinematics, they're on hold at the moment until my friends and I can get a decent break from Universtiy and finish them off. The films are most of the way there they just need that final push.

In the meantime the Banshee MK3 is coming out next weekend. I've also got a new utilitry dropship that's waiting for release too. :)

Cupcake...

0s9bCpj.jpg

Edited by Cupcake...
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No way the banshee fits under there. Did you take the struts and fuel off or something?

I used the trainer model with the two drop tanks which is a wee bit more compact then the missile ones. Still, it was a bit of squeeze! :P

Cupcake...

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Some weapons testing states that arms moving at speeds greater than 150-200 m/s often seem to phase through even large objects. I would suggest a thrust delimiter of about 1/4 for long-range rounds.

(Or, probably better, take 1 pair off and set the other to 1/2 thrust)

Edited by CakeNinjaProductions
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Some weapons testing states that arms moving at speeds greater than 150-200 m/s often seem to phase through even large objects. I would suggest a thrust delimiter of about 1/4 for long-range rounds.

(Or, probably better, take 1 pair off and set the other to 1/2 thrust)

I wonder if the physics per frame has anything to do with it?

Cupcake...

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Just wanted to say your new video was really cool... I enjoyed it very much.

Thanks man! :) I still lurk around in your SSTO thread now and again, it's always great to see what people are coming up with. :cool:

Cupcake...

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I wonder if the physics per frame has anything to do with it?

Cupcake...

Tickrate is either at normal speed or (if laggy) at a lower rate. If the MET in the top left isn't yellow, tick rate should be constant.

Even so, changes in speed/position and physics happen at the same tickrate, so it shouldn't even have an effect.

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