[Idea] Cosmic Radiation Plugin?

[Boosterspice]

Hello,

I was talking to a friend of mine when something hit me: cosmic radiation (very little of it though)

Seriously though. Cosmic radiation is a real challenging problem in our world. It makes timing EVAs very important, and spaceships need radiation shields to prevent the components from being fried.

This would be a really interesting plugin to make, as it will make the whole game more interesting and challenging, both in design and in flight. Also, it would require new parts such as radiation shields.

I lack the skill to do this, but I hope someone will at least give it a serious thought.

[togfox]

There is an old neutrino plugin that acted like a measurement tool. Didnt do anything other than give readings. Was designed to be a puzzle for ppl to work out the source of the neutrinos by sending probes all over the kerbalverse.

[Fractal_UK]

It's something I've thought about for KSP Interstellar. I'm already half way by modelling planetary magnetic fields and the amount of charged particles trapped in Van Allen belts but I'm still working on a good way to transplant this into something that might make a good game mechanic. It's easy enough for electronics but it's tough to store information about Kerbals, and indeed to have any way of non-lethally penalising a Kerbal if you could.

[Boosterspice]

For starters, it doesn't have to lethal to kerbals. As you say, that would be difficult to incorporate. However, as an idea for your wonderful parts, you could add something that would fry your electronics if they get too close to the sun without having been upgraded to be radiation proof. Might work for structural parts as well, if you think of it as overheat.

@togfox,

Yes, i remember that one. Maybe that would be a good starting point for some inspiration for a plugin?

Edited October 23, 2013 by Boosterspice
Grammar Nazi attack

[togfox]

The code is available (I assume) so someone really only needs to include a few lines:

If reading >= threshold then

Do something kerbalish

End if

See. Simple!

[artao]

This really would be awesome to include. Agree completely! Just radiation in general tho, not just cosmic rays.

..

also, this really belongs in the Add-On Requests and Support forum, no? =D

[NathanKell]

Fractal_UK, I'd use that in a heartbeat. One way to distinguish between all the different otherwise-identical probe cores would be by shielding.

[Boosterspice]

One would have to create a mechanism that counts, i.e. "Radiation points accumulated", which can be added to to every part through the config files,maybe?And the sun could be the point of origin of waves of radiation points.

[artao]

Also have to account for how many rads/sieverts any Kerbalnauts have taken.

[togfox]

You would need a decontamination chamber with flashing lights to purge the rads.

[BananaDealer]

One of the experiments to be available in the Cabana Corp. R&D Facility will be to check cosmic radiation...

That and hamster wheels.

[Boosterspice]

So it'll work a little like the old neutrino plugin?

[BananaDealer]

So it'll work a little like the old neutrino plugin?

No, it's just gonna be a regular experiment. I might give it some actual role if I get more experienced with plugin development, but for now it's just gonna be something you can perform in space around planets and the Sun...

[Boosterspice]

I've looked around on the forum, and it seems that random solar flares are out of the question. So, I have an idea. The Tracking Station has a timer for when the next solar flare hits. You can also add a part to keep track of the solar flares. As for protection, you can have either physical shields or already shielded parts at the expense of weight, or you could have energy shields that require power to keep operational. When the solar flare hits, the tracker then tells you have long it's going to last, which is randomly determined by the plugin.