[WIP] Cacteye Telescope v0.1 (2/1/14) - Modular, EVA-serviceable orbital telescope

[JeffreyCor]

Thank you very much!!

[BudgetHedgehog]

Has anyone figured out the backwards ladder issue yet? Not that I mind, just looks weird. Thanks for the cfg processor mount fix, I'll try it out now.

Ducky, any news on an update?

[mdapol]

There seems to be a problem between this mod and the L-Tech mod. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/53813-0-23-L-Tech-Scientific-Industries-V2-01

When I have that mod installed, the CactEye gets additional buttons for taking pictures but the science doesn't seem to work. It could be because L-Tech adds science from cameras and the two are clashing. I've uninstalled L-Tech for now.

[JeffreyCor]

Is it all science or just when clicking take picture on the processor? If it is just the processor it is likely due to the update to HullCam VDS which incorporates L-Tech science (when present) and not an actual conflict.

I have both installed without issue, not considering the processor take picture function as I do not like the full screen function of HullCam so can't focus/zoom on the object as required to get science from pictures, so I always just skip that in favor of the modules on the telescope.

[mdapol]

Is it all science or just when clicking take picture on the processor? If it is just the processor it is likely due to the update to HullCam VDS which incorporates L-Tech science (when present) and not an actual conflict.

I have both installed without issue, not considering the processor take picture function as I do not like the full screen function of HullCam so can't focus/zoom on the object as required to get science from pictures, so I always just skip that in favor of the modules on the telescope.

There was no "Analyze Data" button on the Wide Field Camera 2 for me.

[JeffreyCor]

Did the Wide Field 1 work properly, and/or other modules work properly? It could be a problem with that particular module, maybe being corrupted. I just ran though all level 1 modules and confirmed proper operation with L-Tech installed, but haven't unlocked level 2 on my current playthough yet.

Do you have the community science thing installed maybe? I have seen many reports of problems with that causing conflicts with a verity of mods but is not one I use myself.

[mdapol]

Did the Wide Field 1 work properly, and/or other modules work properly? It could be a problem with that particular module, maybe being corrupted. I just ran though all level 1 modules and confirmed proper operation with L-Tech installed, but haven't unlocked level 2 on my current playthough yet.

Do you have the community science thing installed maybe? I have seen many reports of problems with that causing conflicts with a verity of mods but is not one I use myself.

I've never used the Wide Field Camera 1. I installed CactEye after I already had the tech for Camera 2. No I don't use community science. It's too buggy.

[i8jello]

Can you tell us where the parts are located in the tech tree? thx.

[Mecripp]

Can you tell us where the parts are located in the tech tree? thx.

Just looked at a couple looks like TechRequired = advExploration you can look at the part.cfg with a text edit'er like notepad.

[CaptainKipard]

I really want to try this. How usable is it in it's current form?

[BudgetHedgehog]

Very, but it can be a bit OP. I mean, take it up to orbit with spares of the one-shot cameras in a KAS box, target every planet you can, take photos and one-shots, replace one-shots, take more one shots and boom - about 1000 Science or something ridiculous. And if you boost it to Munar orbit, you can do it all again as the experiments count as done from the planet it's orbiting, not the one it's targeting.

But as for stability/bugs etc, it's pretty good. There's a slight bug on the processing units in that they have an odd EVA grab position and clip into the mount when you replace them, causing RUDs but there's a fix earlier in the thread (at least for the EVA grab position EDIT: it fixes both). In all other respects though, it's very stable. Just slightly OP.

[JeffreyCor]

One funky bug I found after upgrading my telescope to level 2 parts. The first time using it, the parts seem to freeze and not provide an analysis making it seem like it isn't working. If you exit back to the spaceport then go back to the telescope via the tracking station the parts then work correctly from then on out. No idea why this problem occurs, but the workaround seems to work consistently.

[rottielover]

JeffreyCor, that sounds an awful lot like the bugs that are solved by QuickSave / immediate QuickLoad ... I wonder if it could be an old KAS bug. Did you upgrde to the 0.4.6 version of KAS with the fixes found a a page or so back? (or are you still using KAS 0.4.5 or earlier?)

[JeffreyCor]

i did upgrade KAS to 0.4.6, the fewer explosions bit on the heading there caught my interest right away I didn't even think of doing the save/load (doh!) that would have been much faster.

Update: The quicksave / load does correct the issue. Also found if you click "take picture" on the processor it causes all functions with the telescope to stop functioning until QS / L is performed or other ship loaded.

Edited March 28, 2014 by JeffreyCor

[Helix935]

hmm this is great for gathering science

[kiwiak]

hmm this is great for gathering science

Actually too great.

Experiments that are supposed to be single use (these that dont require targeting specific planet ) can be reused infinitly.

I hope we will have fix for this and bug with replacing processor soon.

One suggestion. Science results for planet factory planets? These default like sentar, ablathe etc. Actually ablathe woudl be probably impossible to watch without frying telescope.

Well Dmagic recently added sience results for these planets, so it woudl be cool if my second favourite science mod added them too.

[EdisonMaxwell]

The game stops loading at tele_processor_high. It doesn't stop responding and the loading hints keep cycling. I waited for quite some time but it wouldn't get past that point. Any ideas?

[YANFRET]

This mod is really beautiful thank you for making it!!

[zYnthethicz]

I have a slight problem, when i try to mount a new processor, the mounted processor ends up upside-down.

When i try to use the processor it just says: "Incorrectly mounted"

What do?

[rottielover]

I have a slight problem, when i try to mount a new processor, the mounted processor ends up upside-down.

When i try to use the processor it just says: "Incorrectly mounted"

What do?

Go back a couple pages in the thread and apply the hotfix I found, someone was kind enough to create a MM config download even.

[AndersW]

I just ran into a problem. I was zooming in on a planet and didn't have a way to exit zoom. I tried quicksaving/loading, but that just made it stop rendering anything except the UI. So, how do you exit zoom?

[technogeeky]

This has been an excellent and fun add-on for me. I am too tempted by it, however. I'd be surprised if there was an easier way to get science points than this add-on anywhere. Obviously, this telescope was meant to be servicable by EVA. Unfortunately I didn't even have docking ports by the time I broke the telescope, so I discounted that possibility and went with the 'launch the spare' option.

The first rule of government is: why build one when you can have two at twice the price!

Anyway, becuase I had mounted another sensor on the body of the telescope (SCAN multispectral) and becuase I had enough fuel, I moved my (second) telscope into orbit around Mun so I could get a full biome scan there.

To my surprise I found that all of the Wide Field Camera I observations could be re-made for full value. Of course I took advantage. Of course!

I would consider that a bug for two reasons.

1. (and the primary one) This is disproportionately lucrative for science. Not just launching more than one, but one can be used to generate science in every biome!

2. (and the 'realism' one) It's nonsense scientifically. There would be no reason for the science value of a Hubble-type telescope to differ because of the planet it is orbiting. (This isn't true obviously for observing planets in a solar system, like we are doing with the Wide Field Camera in the game, but it stands in general).

In addition, it seems like the telescope *assumes* it's in Kerbin orbit. When I try to target bodies that would be blocked by line of sight from a Kerbin orbit through Mun; but I am in orbit around Mun -- I get a message that the object is blocked by Mun. But it is very clearly not -- I can look at it with the telescope! My guess was therefore that it assumed I was in some Kerbin orbit, and I would have indeed been blocked there. Perhaps.

Anyway, overall I love the project. It has a wonderful mix of game aspects and science aspects.

[federicoaa]

The game stops loading at tele_processor_high. It doesn't stop responding and the loading hints keep cycling. I waited for quite some time but it wouldn't get past that point. Any ideas?

That's a bug with module manager. Delete and reinstall all the mods you have and that should make it work again.

[zYnthethicz]

Go back a couple pages in the thread and apply the hotfix I found, someone was kind enough to create a MM config download even.

The fix worked. But now the navigation when you use the telescope inverted.. but i can live with that.

[rottielover]

The fix worked. But now the navigation when you use the telescope inverted.. but i can live with that.

"hotfix" = quick and dirty 'make it work right now' fix (like digital duct tape).