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[1.8.x] DMagic Orbital Science: New Science Parts [v1.4.3] [11/2/2019]


DMagic

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So... this is a completely new, custom surface scanner, and not a robotic sampler? COOL!

Thanks. I want all of my parts to have custom science reports and not only provide an alternate means of taking default science results, and BeastofChicken already has a pretty good robotic surface sampler. I am a little worried that providing a bunch of extra science experiments will start to effect the career mode progression a bit too much. And this will only get worse when more planets get biome support.

BTW, some ideas for the next instrument(s):

Those ideas are really similar to what I've been thinking about. I actually suggested something similar for a part that Yorik has made, I'll see what he does with that part, but that is one of two probe instruments I have in mind. The other will hopefully be a relatively simple thing to make.

I've been thinking about space station and/or base instruments too, but I'm not sure how to implement them within the current science system. I'm not sure what I'll do about those types of parts, I might just wait a while to see what Squad does in the next few updates.

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Thanks. I want all of my parts to have custom science reports and not only provide an alternate means of taking default science results, and BeastofChicken already has a pretty good robotic surface sampler. I am a little worried that providing a bunch of extra science experiments will start to effect the career mode progression a bit too much. And this will only get worse when more planets get biome support.

Current tech tree balance is over-simplified even with stock-only setup. But when Squad implement missions and money - those extra experiments could be very helpful. You'll want to put as much experiments as possible in your Mun lander to get money for your future Jool mega-explorer or fancy space station.

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Current tech tree balance is over-simplified even with stock-only setup. But when Squad implement missions and money - those extra experiments could be very helpful. You'll want to put as much experiments as possible in your Mun lander to get money for your future Jool mega-explorer or fancy space station.

I'm thinking that money and contracts could effect mod packs even more so than stock. I assume they will never make stock career mode too challenging, but a lot of big part packs don't have any extra science instruments. If Squad adds both cost for using parts, and cost for researching individual parts in the R&D center, then progression through modded tech trees could really be effected, more so if they are using higher nodes than those available for stock parts.

What's also interesting is the possibility of opening up contracts to mods, though I've never seen this mentioned anywhere. Instead of using parts only to collect science you could also use them as a basis for contracts (i.e. go to planet X with such and such science instruments and return, or stay for 1 year). That could make parts like mine serve a dual purpose. It'll be interesting to see what they come up with.

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I can always transmit magnetometer results witch 100% accuracy.

Shoudlnt be there some penalty for sending data from sensors?

I know that the stock parts all behave like that, but it really doesn't make any sense in this case. The fluxgate magnetometer, the one in the middle, records current moving through a wire. The helium magnetometer on the end records infrared light absorption. Neither of these measurements would be any different if they were retrieved by hand or by transmission.

The same goes for the other instruments. Surface samples would obviously count for more if they were returned, but the laser doesn't actually collect anything. It only records light emission from the vaporized samples.

I will consider lowering the science values though (I've already lowered them once), as those numbers can really pile up, especially when they start adding more biomes.

And my next part will be much more limited and will return higher science values for returning the samples. Though I plan on making it more versatile than the stock system, not just use once then require a reset. More about that later.

I love this/you for the magnetometer boom by itself. Everything else is gravy....

Thanks. The magnetometer was the reason I started this mod. I wasn't happy with the two that were already available so I decided to make my own. The other ideas came later.

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Thanks, pictures are always welcome. Nothing says space probe like a giant boom (6m I think, assuming the scaling works right) sticking out from the side.

My new part is coming along. I might try to release it sometime this week for testing in the WIP thread. I'm not sure about how the plugin is going to work, and it will probably have some issues that need to be worked out.

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There's a bit more info in the other thread, but here's a newer shot. I don't care for the way the lights look, but otherwise the modelling, texturing and animating are basically complete. I'd like to get some particle effects working, but I'm not going to delay too much just for that.

TEKfYFA.jpg

It's meant to be a multiple use part; it can store three samples for return and transmit up to six. My plugin seems to be working, I can store multiple reports in a single part and recover them, and I can transmit and collect more results without affecting the stored results. I still have no idea what will happen when this part meets a science lab. There are lots of other rough edges to work out, and I need to get all of the animations working together nicely, but it should be doable to make the part work how I want it to.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Update to V0.6

Download on Spaceport

nMZKuEa.gif

New science part added:

Exobiology core drill.

This instrument is designed to search for signs of biological activity on atmospheric planets. The idea is based on some of the old Viking experiments and the proposed ExoMars Rover mission from the ESA.

The instrument can store and return three samples for full science value. It can transmit up to six reports for reduced value.

Transmission, storage and science lab processing all work similar to the stock parts. The only major difference is that the instrument must be manually reset by a science lab. The "Clean Experiment" function accessed by right-clicking the science lab won't do anything to the drill. You must right click the drill itself to reset the experiment count.

Also added support for Trueborn's Custom Biome plugin. Science reports with custom biomes are included for the core drill, laser scanner and optical telescope.

Check the first post of this thread for a full preview of the update.

Change Log:

v0.6:
- New biological activity core drill. Designed for rovers and landers.
- Features multiple storage containers.
- Can be used up to six times before needing to be returned to Kerbin or reset with a science lab.
- Two different animation modes, used for rovers or landers. Animation dependent on the drill's orientation relative to its parent part - preview animation in the VAB/SPH - use cubic octagonal struts or other small parts to modify animation behavior.
- New science reports for core drill.
- Included support for Trueborn's Custom Biomes plugin. * Requires separate download
- Reports for custom biomes for the laser, optical telescope and core drill.
- Reduced values for some science experiments.

v0.5:
- New surface scanning laser instrument. Designed for rovers and landers.
- Changes in magnetometer and telescope part names to address compatibility issues with other mods (will not be backward compatible without manually changing the names or installing the alternate part folder). Re-purchasing parts in the R&D center is required.
- New model for magnetometer, includes added details to the instruments themselves, cleaner animation, and lower RAM usage due to more efficient use of textures.
- Custom part modules for all parts to address animation and science collection issues:
- Magnetometer and RPWS animations are fully reversible while playing, animation speed for these parts is increased as well.
- Deployed previews are available in the VAB/SPH for all parts
- Attempts to collect science where not possible will trigger a message with suggestions about where to use the instrument; will not play the deploy animation if the part is in the retracted position.
- Transmitting or resetting the instrument will not trigger the retract animation.
- Repeatedly pushing the collect data button/action group will not spam multiple results.
- The laser has only a single, forward animation. Data is collected midway through the animation.
- Edited existing science reports, and added several more. Added full set of surface reports for the laser.

v0.4:
- New textures for all parts.
- Changed non-SCANsat telescope to be the default, for the SCANsat version replace the default scope folder with the alternate folder.
- Tweaks to models and animations for the magnetometer and telescope.
- Add Langmuir probe to RPWS model (should not break existing crafts).
- Added surface reports for the magnetometer, including biome support where available.
- Added biome support for non-SCANsat telescope in low orbit.
- Rearranged tech tree placement; parts moved to earlier nodes.
- Decreased science report values, added and edited science reports.
- Added FxModule to part.cfg to force deployment before science reports can be collected.

v0.3: Initial upload.

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How did you build that Rover? For the life of me I cannot figure out how to get two RoveMate bodies together. Tried octagonal struts and I beams and still can't get it.

L34qKnU.jpg

I'm not sure how it easy it is to see, but the basic build order is: Probe core, then sideways rover body, then 1X1 structural panel, then a second 1X1 panel attached to the edge of the first (they were unintentionally clipped into the rover bodies, so you can't see the second panel), then the second rover body on top of that. The wheels are placed on I-beams attached to the ends of the two 1X1 panels.

That's my full test version of that rover; when I switch on unlimited fuel and RCS that thing can get in and out of atmospheres with no problem, and it's perfectly stable. I can hover with the main engines and use the RCS thrusters to scoot around. The side mounted parts are all attached to the rover body through an inverted cubic octagonal strut, that way I can separate them for pictures and not have any extra parts hanging off the sides.

For how quickly I made that rover it actually turned out really well. It's perfectly stable on Kerbin and can get up to about 25m/s, you have to be a little more careful on Duna or Laythe, but it works really well.

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http://i.imgur.com/L34qKnU.jpg

I'm not sure how it easy it is to see, but the basic build order is: Probe core, then sideways rover body, then 1X1 structural panel, then a second 1X1 panel attached to the edge of the first (they were unintentionally clipped into the rover bodies, so you can't see the second panel), then the second rover body on top of that. The wheels are placed on I-beams attached to the ends of the two 1X1 panels.

That's my full test version of that rover; when I switch on unlimited fuel and RCS that thing can get in and out of atmospheres with no problem, and it's perfectly stable. I can hover with the main engines and use the RCS thrusters to scoot around. The side mounted parts are all attached to the rover body through an inverted cubic octagonal strut, that way I can separate them for pictures and not have any extra parts hanging off the sides.

For how quickly I made that rover it actually turned out really well. It's perfectly stable on Kerbin and can get up to about 25m/s, you have to be a little more careful on Duna or Laythe, but it works really well.

Plus it looks great! lol. Thanks this really helped me out with my rover. Much love, keep up the great work btw. <3

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I think I've got a problem, I can see and research the parts on my career save, but when I try to right-click them nothing pops out, as in, I cannot do science (ie: the magnet boom thing doesn't extend). Anyone else got this?

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I think I've got a problem, I can see and research the parts on my career save, but when I try to right-click them nothing pops out, as in, I cannot do science (ie: the magnet boom thing doesn't extend). Anyone else got this?

That's odd. None of the parts work? And you can't access the action group settings either? It sounds like the plugin modules are not being loaded.

Do you get any error messages in the debug menu (Alt + F2)? There could be red errors showing up when the vessel is first loaded. There could also be an orange message while the game is loading saying something like "DMMagBoomModule Not Found", or something to that effect meaning that the part module wasn't loaded.

Is the plugins folder in the right location (it shouldn't matter where it is, as long as it's somewhere in the GameData folder), and has the part.cfg file been edited in any way?

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That's odd. None of the parts work? And you can't access the action group settings either? It sounds like the plugin modules are not being loaded.

I'd post screens but KSP is not saving them (weird!). When I right click them they don't give me any buttons (only temperature and drag reading, from FAR and DR), and no, I can't access action groups settings. I'm thinking too that something is not being loaded, I'm having trouble with Station Science too.

Do you get any error messages in the debug menu (Alt + F2)? There could be red errors showing up when the vessel is first loaded. There could also be an orange message while the game is loading saying something like "DMMagBoomModule Not Found", or something to that effect meaning that the part module wasn't loaded.

The debug menu is spammed by "look rotation viewing vector is zero" and I can't scroll up, but i'm not seeing any red or orange text.

Is the plugins folder in the right location (it shouldn't matter where it is, as long as it's somewhere in the GameData folder), and has the part.cfg file been edited in any way?

Installation looks fine, .cfg was not edited . I got DMagic.dll and Dmagic BTDT.dll... actually could that be the problem? I followed the installation instructions but I could've done something wrong. I can start a multispectral scan with the telescope.

Thanks :)

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I will try out FAR and Deadly Reentry later tonight to see if they are causing issues. Do they alter my parts at all, or do those values come from something the plugin is doing? I know that they use modulemanager to alter some parts, but I thought that was limited to stock parts.

I've seen the "look rotation" spam before, too, it's really annoying but it always stopped after a few seconds for me. Does it happen only in the spacecenter view (that's where I always saw it)? If it does ever stop, try reloading the parts from the ALT F12 menu and check for that "module missing" line. My guess is that's the issue, but I don't know why it would happen.

That BTDT shouldn't cause any problems, but I haven't actually tested that since I first released it. All it does is control the animations. There's some dim chance that some of the event or action names is causing a conflict somewhere. I'll test it later tonight too.

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I just tested it out with FAR, Deadly Reentry, SCANsat, my BTDT scanner, and the 0.6 version of my mod and everything was working ok.

Were the parts ever working properly? or have they been bugged since you installed them? You could always try re-downloading and re-installing them, you never know.

I'll let you know if I find anything else.

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I just tested it out with FAR, Deadly Reentry, SCANsat, my BTDT scanner, and the 0.6 version of my mod and everything was working ok.

Were the parts ever working properly? or have they been bugged since you installed them? You could always try re-downloading and re-installing them, you never know.

I'll let you know if I find anything else.

Yeah, I'm gonna backup and reinstall the mod. This also happens with station science.

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