Jump to content

Work-in-Progress [WIP] Design Thread


GusTurbo

Recommended Posts

15 minutes ago, pTrevTrevs said:

This time last year I doubt any of us were even dreaming of making craft this advanced, but here we are now. Very little has changed in the game itself that allows us to build like this, and what parts have been added were meant for completely different purposes. We're doing this through pure ingenuity. You'd think that everything you could possibly do in this game would be done in a short time after its release, but that obviously isn't true. We're building on one another's discoveries, exploring new methods, and, in a sense technologically progressing. And this is in a video game.

I really appreciate your feeling and I agree with the terrific possibilities this game gives us. The quest for weird contraptions started right at the beginning though. For example the first helicopter using stock parts was made 4 years ago and the first turboshaft at the end of 2013.

We're on a fascinating path and really pioneering. The future will need people not for just modeling, creating textures or sound samples. In the future we'll need people to incorporate materials, physics and parts for creating believable virtual reality environments. Squad isn't aware yet of the possibilities (unless I underestimate them).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Azimech said:

 For example the first helicopter using stock parts was made 4 years ago and the first turboshaft at the end of 2013.

That's right, but I believe it used an extremely crude bearing and had rocket engines mounted directly on the end of the blades. 

Compare that with how far we (mostly you) have come. Now we have more efficient jet engines turning turbines with greatly improved bearings, making a much smaller yet more efficient assembly that is much easier to operate and can be inserted into helicopters that actually look realistic (as opposed to something like this).

It's exactly what I meant by saying that we're building on top of each other. That first helicopter made people realize that they're possible, you made it practical, and now others (myself included) are helping make it more common.

Edited by pTrevTrevs
Link to comment
Share on other sites

54 minutes ago, Yukon0009 said:

Still progressing on the Saturn V, about 500 parts. Second stage engines have a habit of oscilating into the interstage :P

aKuzDpU.png

This reminds me I need to update a thing on my SV, keep forgetting..

 Good luck getting it finished dude! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/16/2017 at 3:27 PM, Servo said:

I've begun working on a 1:1 scale F-14, which will include a VG wing. I've only started the fuselage so far, so no swing-wing yet, but expect updates with it in the future.

YcitfM3.png

6G7RKBX.png

That is a beautifully sculpted bird.  I look forward to seeing it fly!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, Torquimedes said:

That is a beautifully sculpted bird.  I look forward to seeing it fly!

You won't have to wait too much longer. The craft is in the "final tweaking" stage, and I'm preparing to film a video for it over next weekend. I'm not quite sure how much I want to replicate Top Gun trailers, but expect some references.

How to fly this craft:

1.) First, start listening to this.

 

2.) Take off with wings forward. Buzzing the tower optional, but highly recommended.

L6z84P3.png

2.) Sweep those wings and go supersonic (well, 220 m/s).

6nTdE0H.png

3.) Shoot down some MiGs (or F-5 stand-ins, I won't judge). (MiGs not included)

ASQerBX.png

4.) Return home victorious.

H89B7wd.png

 

If anyone wants to help me make a proper cinematic showcase of this bird, I would love the help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Servo said:

You won't have to wait too much longer. The craft is in the "final tweaking" stage, and I'm preparing to film a video for it over next weekend. I'm not quite sure how much I want to replicate Top Gun trailers, but expect some references.

How to fly this craft:

1.) First, start listening to this.

I played Kenny Loggins Danger Zone on a loop for the 3 days I spent building my F-14.  My family will never let me forget this...

...but, whenever they see an F-14, they start singing it.  :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ever since 1.2.2 was released, I was wanting to build a new and improved Saturn V; and here it is. Weighing in at a monstrous 1.1 thousand tons and over 900 parts, this will bring your framerate down to its knees. My computer pulled a whopping 10 fps at launch (Specs: CPU: FX-6300, GPU: GTX-950, RAM: 8 GB). I always wanted to have a realistic stock Saturn V paint job. Ore tanks wouldn't work in this case, as they are too large, so I decided to use fuel cells, since I already had some experience with them (when I was working on the Stock Titan Rocket family). The large one was too light in color but the small one was perfect. Even though it was too small to "paint" an area that large, I still tried it out. I thought it turned out okay, since it had a nice clean finish and a real Saturn-type look. I went with the Apollo 11 rocket paint-scheme, if you look closely at some actual pictures. My old Saturn's second and third stage needed some work, but I decided, as mentioned above, to redo the whole rocket (really it was only the first, second, and third stage. The LM and CM stayed the same.) Anyways, enough talk, here are some pictures.

ur70NOn.png

Sitting on the pad, I was afraid my game would crash as soon as I pressed the "space" button.

UEscYXI.png

Liftoff. To my surprise, there was only a slight pause and the engines roared to life. Average fps is 10.

Pictures of the second and third stage in spoiler.

Spoiler

IHpy4uQ.png

2S2He9Y.png

I will post more pictures if requested. This is still a WIP build, even though it looks finished. It may never be...

Edited by Munbro Kerman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

PJfg7v8.jpg

11H6sYL.jpg

It's ugly, it's unstable, it's fragile, and it's... evidently not powerful enough to fly... *incomprehensible swearing*

@Azimech, would it be better to replace the four small jet engines with two larger ones? Should I add more blades or remove one? Should the blades be larger to create more lift or smaller to cut down on weight?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Try autostruting the rotor asembly, replacing the outward facing engines with one placed on the very end of the tail and changing the prop pitch.

Also replacing the small evelons with linear RCS ports could help you to make it more compact and reduce drag.

Edited by vitekc45c
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Munbro Kerman said:

Ever since 1.2.2 was released, I was wanting to build a new and improved Saturn V; and here it is. Weighing in at a monstrous 1.1 thousand tons and over 900 parts, this will bring your framerate down to its knees. My computer pulled a whopping 10 fps at launch (Specs: CPU: FX-6300, GPU: GTX-950, RAM: 8 GB). I always wanted to have a realistic stock Saturn V paint job. Ore tanks wouldn't work in this case, as they are too large, so I decided to use fuel cells, since I already had some experience with them (when I was working on the Stock Titan Rocket family). The large one was too light in color but the small one was perfect. Even though it was too small to "paint" an area that large, I still tried it out. I thought it turned out okay, since it had a nice clean finish and a real Saturn-type look. I went with the Apollo 11 rocket paint-scheme, if you look closely at some actual pictures. My old Saturn's second and third stage needed some work, but I decided, as mentioned above, to redo the whole rocket (really it was only the first, second, and third stage. The LM and CM stayed the same.) Anyways, enough talk, here are some pictures.

ur70NOn.png

Sitting on the pad, I was afraid my game would crash as soon as I pressed the "space" button.

UEscYXI.png

Liftoff. To my surprise, there was only a slight pause and the engines roared to life. Average fps is 10.

Pictures of the second and third stage in spoiler.

  Hide contents

IHpy4uQ.png

2S2He9Y.png

I will post more pictures if requested. This is still a WIP build, even though it looks finished. It may never be...

How'd you do the interstage between the second and third stage? Antennae?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Munbro Kerman said:

Even though this probably was not your intention, but this is a great suggestion! I could use antenna for the interstage and keep the fuel cells on the second/third stage, or I could test that out too. Thanks :wink:

I do not recommend this..

 I have used backwards antennae on many, many builds, using them in large numbers causes a lot of lag. I mean, a lot! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm mostly busy with my cinematics (see my sig), but I've been noodling around the idea of a modular drive system in Kerbin orbit.  The idea would be to launch an SSTO that docks with it, disengages from the RAPIER drive section, then attaches to one of several types of drives.  Short range higher Isp chemical to hit the muns or asteroids.  High Isp nuke drive, and an aerobraking safe nuke drive.  The idea is to have a mostly pulling design with tankage at the rear protected by replacable heat-shields.  That means I need to have radially attached NERVs, but I wanted to make them deployable, so they can be safe during hard aerobraking.  The whole thing survives a Kerbin re-entry from LKO at an initial 40km periaps, but of course lithobrakes at almost mach 1 with no damage until said lithobraking.

For the articulation, I'm using Infernal Robotics powered washers.  I remember seeing Scott Manley put nukes on a puller system where they folded from pointing forward, opening like a flower to aim back.  I found that looked a bit wobbly, so I went for a "double wishbone" mechanism.  To get around the game's limitation of single connection points, I placed the parts where they should be, then attached them with struts/spacetape.

Here's a quick shot of the articulation.  I guess I don't need the radiators, as I understand in 1.2, nukes don't overheat anymore.

 

Edited by Soda Popinski
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Majorjim! said:

I do not recommend this

I was just working on the Saturn V and trying out the anntena trick, I'm thinking I'm going to end up with more parts than the Saturn with fuel cells. So, as a result, I'm ditching the antennas. Thanks for 'warning' me.

Edited by Munbro Kerman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Battlecruiser on station...

5ZXEEe9.png

Another ship done, another entry to my upcoming (WIP) new stock fleet. This one's quite tough too, taking multiple hits from my current lineup of stock ship-to-ship missile designs like a champ, with only external (aesthetic) damage being dealt.

2HzIOpk.png
uchfHxZ.png
AAZLf7k.png

Wing parts over steel plate- once again demonstrating that sacrificial layers of armor still function even in KSP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Munbro Kerman said:

I was just working on the Saturn V and trying out the anntena trick, I'm thinking I'm going to end up with more parts than the Saturn with fuel cells. So, as a result, I'm ditching the antennas. Thanks for 'warning' me.

It's not the part count as such, the antenna themselves cause lag. I guess due to the more complex model. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few updates on the Saturn V. Added four more engines on the first stage, now it doesn't take off at a snails pace (old TWR is 1.19, new TWR: 1.54). Tried a full moon mission with it and I've found no problems. Interstage separates cleanly, LES cover comes off like the real thing, the lander ascent stage separates cleanly, and the third stage has enough delta-v for error. Lander ascent stage has a pretty low fuel amount after getting into orbit around the Mun, so precise maneuvers are recommended when flying. If any problem arises this will be the first place I post.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...