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FusTek Station Parts Dev Thread (continuation of fusty's original work)


sumghai

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Sorry for being rude, but you seem to be too much into details that are not of real importance for gameplay. imho.

So does the ALCOR pod, but look how successful its been. The details are what help to immerse you as the player into the game, movie, or book. Without details, these might as well just be unbaked, untextured and unfinished models. Details are what separate to successful mods from being buried in the release pages, whether it's detail to coding, detail to player needs/wants, or detail to art. It is all relevant to the success of mods.

Edited by sharpspoonful
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What I meant is that while some parts are partially done(no textures, no IVA) - the modder jumps to the other parts.

I DO appreciate personal input of each and every modder. They make this game real sweet.

Edited by Horus
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  • 2 weeks later...
It may be because he got frustrated with a part (IVA) and did the hatch's detail work instead.

Ding ding, we have a winner.

Whenever I reach the add-on authoring equivalent of a writer's block with a certain feature, I move on to dealing with low-lying fruit insteading of wasting time running around in circles. Often a fresh change of perspective helps when I revisit the troublesome features later. Besides, the hatch exterior detailing is going to be duplicated on the internal hatch prop as well, so I'm killing two birds with one stone.

I'll also add that prior releases were broad strokes on getting as much new parts out as possible, and R0.04a is mainly a part quality update.


Progress Report, 3 September 2014

I'll be honest, making IVAs for FusTek is extremely frustrating - the viewport shutters are still not animating via JSIActionGroupSwitch, and whenever I import an IVA prop config into Unity to work on it, the Unity project takes ages to load all the assets and causes even my high-end dev PC to grind to a halt.

I've also been busy in the last couple of weeks dealing with IRL stuff, and so lately I've been focused on the aforementioned easier-to-deal-with niggles instead:

ksp_fustek_visual_tweaks_3_3_sep_2014_by_sumghai-d7xrxj4.png

Fig 72 - FusTek Station Parts - (Upcoming) Visual Tweaks 3

I'm currently working on the last of these visual tweaks, the hatches for the Kuest and Kuest Legacy Airlocks. I've spent the last couple of days looking up high-resolution reference images and reading NASA technical manuals in order to figure out how some of the doodads work (such as the pressure equalization valve and latching crank handles), so that I can adapt them for FusTek in a sensible manner - it's been a difficult process, given that the best info I have so far are badly-digitized scans from a bootleg NASA manual (specifically, USA007587 Shuttle Crew Operations Manual).

As soon as I'm done with the Airlock hatch revamp, I'll return to IVAs (starting with the internal version of the updated Karmony hatches).

Oh, and I'd probably appreciate some help with custom RPM props like those from the B9 5.0 release - something to fit in with the FusTek theme.

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I risk coming across as a claqueur in this thread but to hell with it: the new visual tweaks look fantastic! :D

Sometimes modders need claqueurs (you taught me a new word, thank you!) for motivation, myfriend. on the other hand, we're not hired by Sumghai. We'd be closer to a modern spin on claques; Fanboi's/grrl's.

EDIT: Bug report

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Textures do not display windows properly. Tested with the last commit from github

Edited by sharpspoonful
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EDIT: Bug report

http://imgur.com/a/AVkIx

Textures do not display windows properly. Tested with the last commit from github

The issue only affects Sippyfrog's KSO (or anyone else's) alternate texture packs, and to be frank, there's not much I can do about it, because:

- UV maps got moved around a lot in the upcoming revamp

- I don't have the source files for the KSO textures, so any edits I make on Sippy's behalf would be horrible kludges

Once R0.04a is released, I hope to publish a UV template and an Ambient Occlusion mask image to help alt texture pack artists make their variants fit the new standards. In the meantime, I'll file a GitHub issue with a "Waiting on Third Party" tag as a reminder.


Progress Report, 5 September 2014

Finally, the airlock hatches have been redone - this pretty much wraps up all of the low-lying fruit I've been dealing with for the past few weeks:

ksp_fustek_visual_tweaks_4_5_sep_2014_by_sumghai-d7xzu46.png

Fig 73 - FusTek Station Parts - (Upcoming) Visual Tweaks 4

Now I can resume working on IVAs without any further distractions :)

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I really like this pack but I must wonder if all of these extra polys are good in a 32 bit game? It's very difficult running many mods as it is. I understand that this is still under development, but many of the maps seem vastly excessive, emissives of 512x512 with only a few used pixels etc.

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I really like this pack but I must wonder if all of these extra polys are good in a 32 bit game? It's very difficult running many mods as it is. I understand that this is still under development, but many of the maps seem vastly excessive, emissives of 512x512 with only a few used pixels etc.

If you're keeping to 32bit, or can't go x64, have you considered the ATM mod? Also a good consideration if you find your game memory-crashing would be the Load on Demand (LoD) mod.

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I really like this pack but I must wonder if all of these extra polys are good in a 32 bit game? It's very difficult running many mods as it is. I understand that this is still under development, but many of the maps seem vastly excessive, emissives of 512x512 with only a few used pixels etc.

The maps are actually fairly optimized - I combined UVs from multiple parts into one image, to save draw calls and memory from asset reuse.

Also, if you try the very latest unofficial experimental builds on GitHub, you'll find that I got rid of the biggest emissive map altogether because all lighted windows have been replaced with JSITransparentPod-powered see-through windows. It's only the docking ports that need emissives for the orientation lights.

In short - higher poly meshes are cheap, while textures are more (computationally) expensive in KSP.

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I'm currently working on the last of these visual tweaks, the hatches for the Kuest and Kuest Legacy Airlocks. I've spent the last couple of days looking up high-resolution reference images and reading NASA technical manuals in order to figure out how some of the doodads work (such as the pressure equalization valve and latching crank handles), so that I can adapt them for FusTek in a sensible manner - it's been a difficult process, given that the best info I have so far are badly-digitized scans from a bootleg NASA manual (specifically, USA007587 Shuttle Crew Operations Manual).

The SCOM is online in PDF format - you might find better resolution pics in that version:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/pdf/390651main_shuttle_crew_operations_manual.pdf

It's the revised 2008 edition (the last revision of the SCOM), so it's possible it has newer diagrams/photos than the version you have.

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  • 2 weeks later...
The SCOM is online in PDF format - you might find better resolution pics in that version:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/pdf/390651main_shuttle_crew_operations_manual.pdf

It's the revised 2008 edition (the last revision of the SCOM), so it's possible it has newer diagrams/photos than the version you have.

I just had a look, and that's the version I already have. Thanks anyway :)


Progress Report, 20 September 2014

IVAs are proceeding at a glacial rate, due to real-life commitments, various problems I've encountered while texturing/modeling and the large amount of research I need to do in order to closely resemble the real-life ISS USOS aesthetic:

ksp_fustek_iva_dev_wip_20_sept_2014_by_sumghai-d7zsp0k.png

Fig 74 - (WIP) FusTek Internals (2)

As stated above, the fasteners for the panels recessed so that Kerbalnauts don't trip and stub their toes on them, as real-life astronauts on the ISS often go barefeet. I've also modeled them as actual meshes rather than relegating them to normal map features, since I want the internals to be of a decent fidelity (upping the resolution of the atlases isn't an option, since I've already been inundated with constant harassment about this).

Right now I'm eating lunch and doing an awful lot of research into the International Standard Payload Rack (ISPR) standard, which will be the basis of the equipment racks making up the side walls of the modules. Although in the context of KSP they are simply static internal props, I'd like to model them so that that could hypothetically be hot-swapped by Kerbals while in orbit, using a hinged swing-out mechanism similar to that on the real ISPR. However, this faux mechanism must also not interfere with the modules' internal structures and the payload racks/drawers.

(By the way, the internal rack props will also be the starting point of my future FusTek FLEXrack project, so time spent researching now is time saved later on).

tl;dr - Progress is slow because I'm doing research. Deal with it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Progress Report, 3 October 2014

I finally figured out how to design the props representing the standardized payload / equipment rack system.

I started out with some mockups in SolidWorks, so that I can prototype ideas before commiting to a design in Blender. I was inspired by the pivot-and-unhook mechanisms used on the real-life ISPRs, and so modelled the FusTek FLEXracks to suggest that they have a similar feature. The overall shape of the FLEXracks was also modified to prevent the pivoting racks from potentially colliding with the support beams inside the modules

To maximise the depth of the 250 x 190 mm lockers inside the FLEXracks, I had to reduce the number of lockers from 5 rows of 2 down to 4 rows, moving them around to allow for structural supports and closeout panels between groups of lockers - these obviously invalidates my original rack and drawer layouts from June 2014, so I'll have to rework those too at a later date.

Even with these compromises, I'll admit I'm not really using the full depth of the FLEXracks themselves, but I reckon this is good enough.

ksp_fustek_karmony_flexrack_engineering_22_sept_20_by_sumghai-d8030z9.png

Fig 75 - FusTek Crew Module / FLEXracks Engineering Mockup

And here's the final version of the internal FLEXrack props and the non-FLEXrack door/frame assembly variant. Note that the FLEXrack itself only consists of the frame and internal cavity, since the modular drawers and any closeout panel(s) will be implemented as yet another system of props.

ksp_fustek_iva_dev_wip_3_oct_2014_by_sumghai-d81e8y2.png

Fig 76 - (WIP) FusTek Internals (3)

Finally, some in-game screenshots showing up things are shaping up right now. Some of the props I made in previous updates have been tweaked to ensure compatibility with these new props:

ksp_fustek_iva_dev_wip_2_3_oct_2014_by_sumghai-d81eelu.png

Fig 77 - (WIP) FusTek Internals (4)

Next up: The rest of the structural panels, decking and curved walls with padding

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This method of creating IVAs with common props is a very cool approach!

Not only does it seem to help develop internals that's aren't plain,but at the same makes it seem less daunting. Rather than staring at A blank UV for a large IVA and thinking "where the hell do I start?", it breaks it up into workable sections. So even if you only manage to do a small amount of work on 1 or 2 props, a good amount of change will be seen in the IVA.

Definitely will have to give this technique a try.

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Progress Report, 4 October 2014

While reviewing the updates I made yesterday to the Karmony module internals, I decided to add more blue corner panel props so that they would form quasi-octagonal support beams running down the entire length of the interior, giving a more structurally sound appearance.

This change also meant that I would have to adjust the position of the side ceilings and decking, so those were the next props to be tackled:

ksp_fustek_iva_dev_wip_4_oct_2014_by_sumghai-d81in8n.png

Fig 78 - (WIP) FusTek Internals (5)

ksp_fustek_iva_dev_wip_2_4_oct_2014_by_sumghai-d81inv4.png

Fig 79 - (WIP) FusTek Internals (6)

Obviously this would mean that the side areas (such as the Habitation module's galley and exercise area) won't sit flush with the main decks formed by the bottommost FLEXracks, but it was an acceptable compromise.

The presence of the support beam there would also allow air vents and faux lights to be mounted there as well, adding consistency to the module interior design.

My next major task will be to work on the padded curved walls. I will also need to rework the viewports by shrinking them so that they don't clip into the divider wall panels, and fixing the animation issue to allow multiple instances of the viewport prop to be independently toggleable.

NOTE: As usual, I upload my latest WIPs to the GitHub repo so that you guys can play around with them before any official release.

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Sumghai could I suggest a couple of parts for the future?

A 6 sided hub section similar to what we have in the stock version, but suited to the FusTek palette.

A 1.25 wide crew access tunnel, maybe 3 different lengths. Would be handy for making "freedom" style stations.

Just a couple ideas that popped into my head. No obligation at all!

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Just wanted to chip in my appreciation for the continuing work on this, its amazing! I've always rather enjoyed the atmospherics of having a station as an actual "place" for the Kerbals to be.

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OivfUs2.png

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Does the "click me" in the latest dev version not work on most windows or am I just clicking the wrong thing? Awesome work, love seeing the development on this!

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