[1.4] SpaceY Heavy-Lifter Parts Pack v1.17.1 (2018-04-02)

[Alewx]

Some good questions to ask everyone:

1. How well is it working for you so far? Any problems?

2. What would you like to see added in the future? Even larger (7.5m for instance) parts? More SRB/Decoupler options? Or are you satisfied that it fills the required niche?

It looks really promising, I didn't have the time to test it, but it is good to have an alternative to the KW 5m parts.

If I didn't overlook, there seems to be no fitting Sepratron for the job of pushing the 5m parts. I usually have the radial decoupler at the bottom and not at the top, to avoid them breaking from the engine weight, so that I need Sepratrons on top to push them away from the craft.

[NecroBones]

It looks really promising, I didn't have the time to test it, but it is good to have an alternative to the KW 5m parts.

If I didn't overlook, there seems to be no fitting Sepratron for the job of pushing the 5m parts. I usually have the radial decoupler at the bottom and not at the top, to avoid them breaking from the engine weight, so that I need Sepratrons on top to push them away from the craft.

That's a good point. I overlooked it, since I still have my 3x sepratrons (Flingatrons) in the MRS pack. But an even bigger one here would be a great idea. Consider it on the list!

[Alewx]

That's a good point. I overlooked it, since I still have my 3x sepratrons (Flingatrons) in the MRS pack. But an even bigger one here would be a great idea. Consider it on the list!

That is awesome

[Wahgineer]

Could you possibly make a single engine version of the clusters (I.e.; one engine from the small 5/9 engine cluster and from the big 5 engine cluster) for use on smaller rockets? I've seen a lot of mods where just one engine would be perfect for use on a smaller launcher, but I could only use it in a huge cluster.

[NecroBones]

Could you possibly make a single engine version of the clusters (I.e.; one engine from the small 5/9 engine cluster and from the big 5 engine cluster) for use on smaller rockets? I've seen a lot of mods where just one engine would be perfect for use on a smaller launcher, but I could only use it in a huge cluster.

That's an interesting idea too. They would probably have to be at least 2.5m at the attachment point, considering their size, or 3.75m to have a stacking option. Since they're mostly meant as lower-stage engines, it's probably OK to let them be wider than the stack, and just disallow use as upper stages (much like the larger clusters). I'll have to see what the widths look like individually.

If you just divide the thrust numbers up, the 9-way (F9) cluster would have about 755 thrust per engine, and the R5 would come out to about 2000 per engine. Those are in the ballpark of Skippers and the LFB, roughly, so a 2.5m attachment probably isn't ridiculous.

[wasmic]

I very much like this pack. It's much improved from your MRS pack, which is kinda meh.

It works very well with 3.2x scale.

If you don't mind me asking, where can I download 3.2x?

[NBZ]

Some good questions to ask everyone:

1. How well is it working for you so far? Any problems?

2. What would you like to see added in the future? Even larger (7.5m for instance) parts? More SRB/Decoupler options? Or are you satisfied that it fills the required niche?

I love it. When Squad one day decides to go 5m, I am sure they will contact you!

It is excellent that the internal tanks are blue, as it makes it easy distinguish on the parts-list where everything is scaled. I with the Rockomax tanks had an internal color too, so I wouldn't mix up X200-16 with the FL-T200 all the time.

It goes nicely with the Taurus HCV, which needs huge lifters.

Three things:

1. The checkerboard patterns are very busy looking. When several sizes are combined, many shapes occurs, like L, T and Π. SpaceX' rockets are all plain white, but since you go with the NASA style, see here that most designs are quite simple. (Saturn V actually had its black areas reduced to lessen thermal absorption.) I suggest that all stripes should match seamlessly:
   
   1. 
      
   2. Medium tank as now, but with four (not six) black stripes.
      
   3. Large tank's top-end as a medium tank.
      
   4. Small tank be halfway striped.
      
   5. Both cones checkered two quarters black on top half, and inverted on bottom half.
      
   6. The quad-adapter should be either two quarters black (as Saturn I) or four quarters black, i.e. matching the tanks.
      
      
   7. Why are the tanks not 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, (1/8,) like Kerbodyne's (+Capsuledyne), Rockomaxs, and Jebediah's?
      
   8. Your decouplers are great, but their bulky appearance appears as if they were able to crossfeed like their real-life SpaceX counterparts. Would it be possible to have a right-click enableable crossfeed (like some Procedural Parts, and Tweakable everything)? This would improve appearance and further reduce part count.
      
      
      Keep the good work up!

[NecroBones]

I love it. When Squad one day decides to go 5m, I am sure they will contact you!

It is excellent that the internal tanks are blue, as it makes it easy distinguish on the parts-list where everything is scaled. I with the Rockomax tanks had an internal color too, so I wouldn't mix up X200-16 with the FL-T200 all the time.

It goes nicely with the Taurus HCV, which needs huge lifters.

Three things:

1. The checkerboard patterns are very busy looking. When several sizes are combined, many shapes occurs, like L, T and Π. SpaceX' rockets are all plain white, but since you go with the NASA style, see here that most designs are quite simple. (Saturn V actually had its black areas reduced to lessen thermal absorption.) I suggest that all stripes should match seamlessly:
   
   1. 
      
   2. Medium tank as now, but with four (not six) black stripes.
      
   3. Large tank's top-end as a medium tank.
      
   4. Small tank be halfway striped.
      
   5. Both cones checkered two quarters black on top half, and inverted on bottom half.
      
   6. The quad-adapter should be either two quarters black (as Saturn I) or four quarters black, i.e. matching the tanks.
      
      
   7. Why are the tanks not 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, (1/8,) like Kerbodyne's (+Capsuledyne), Rockomaxs, and Jebediah's?
      
   8. Your decouplers are great, but their bulky appearance appears as if they were able to crossfeed like their real-life SpaceX counterparts. Would it be possible to have a right-click enableable crossfeed (like some Procedural Parts, and Tweakable everything)? This would improve appearance and further reduce part count.
      
      
      Keep the good work up!
      Awesome, glad you like it! And thanks for the feedback. This is exactly the kind of feedback I need. I was worried about how busy it might get (and in fact, toned it down a little during the original design). But I didn't go back and look at any one specific real-world rocket during the "painting" process.
      The good news, is that a repaint isn't too hard. Since they all share the same texture file, it's a matter of moving the mappings around in each model to use either the black or white sections. It gets a bit touchy in that it I have to get pixel-perfect positions, but I don't have to alter the textures themselves.
      To answer your questions:
      
      1. I like these suggestions. I may rearrange the colors on the tanks and see how it all looks. I agree this could be improved by having the colors aligned to each other.
         
      2. The small and medium tanks share the heights of the small/medium 3.75m stock tanks. The tall one, I made it 3x the medium instead of 2x, just to go "big", figuring you have plenty of granularity with the smaller ones, should you want something in between. However, this doesn't mean I can't add the expected size tank in there too, as an additional part.
         
      3. Unfortunately, no, not as a parts-pack that doesn't contain plugin code. Both of those mod-types change the behavior of the game, in that regard. It certainly would be a nice feature though.
         

[NecroBones]

good news, is that a repaint isn't too hard. Since they all share the same texture file, it's a matter of moving the mappings around in each model to use either the black or white sections. It gets a bit touchy in that it I have to get pixel-perfect positions, but I don't have to alter the textures themselves.

I spoke too soon, on this part. I forgot that I arranged it the way I did for a reason-- to get the colors to align to the polygon edges. I have to move texture around to make this work after all. Still, I think it's worth looking into, since it will make a more unified look.

[NecroBones]

OK, so here's how the repainting is going: (conical size adapters, and fuel tanks all updated, plus an additional size in between the previous medium/large sizes):

Sample rockets:

[NecroBones]

Also, I have a start on an "R1" engine (one engine from the Saturn-like 5-way cluster), with the guts exposed.

[Alewx]

OK, so here's how the repainting is going: (conical size adapters, and fuel tanks all updated, plus an additional size in between the previous medium/large sizes):

http://www.necrobones.net/screenshots/KSP/KSP%202014-11-21%2019-33-32-03.jpg

Sample rockets:

http://www.necrobones.net/screenshots/KSP/KSP%202014-11-21%2019-34-35-36.jpg

http://www.necrobones.net/screenshots/KSP/KSP%202014-11-21%2019-35-13-15.jpg

http://www.necrobones.net/screenshots/KSP/KSP%202014-11-21%2019-35-45-47.jpg

Looks really cool; the blue colorcode that makes it possible to see if stock or not is a nice thing.

3,75m SAS? YEAH awesome

[E.Nygma]

Hi, and congrats to another great mod pack!

I might have a suggestion though: KW has this nice ASAS-system made of hollow rings for large rockets... but it looks nearly always out of place, is there a chance to get a more stock-alike one?

Thanks and Regards

Edited November 22, 2014 by E.Nygma

[NecroBones]

Looks really cool; the blue colorcode that makes it possible to see if stock or not is a nice thing.

3,75m SAS? YEAH awesome

Actually the large ASAS is from MRS, my first mod.

Hi, and congrats to another great mod pack!

I might have a suggestion though: KW has this nice ASAS-system made of hollow rings for large rockets... but it looks nearly always out of place, is there a chance to get a more stock-alike one?

Thanks and Regards

Huh, I'll have to take a look at KW's and see what they did. But yeah, large ASAS isn't hard to do, so it's certainly a possibility.

[E.Nygma]

Thank you for looking into it!

[NecroBones]

Thank you for looking into it!

Huh, that is very clever. Radially-attached ring halves. I think I could probably manage something like that.

[Noio]

I'm a big fan of MRS, but I had been keeping KW Rocketry around alongside it for:

- The size-1 Maverick-1D, an engine which fills what I feel to be a huge hole in the lineup;

- The excellent SRB collection, which addresses a part of the catalog which to me is lacking;

- The excellent 5-meter parts.

But to me, the Space-Y lifter pack provides more utility, integrates more closely to the rest of the stock lineup, and does it in less RAM. So it's time to scratch out line-item three.

Very, very nice.

(However, there will always be a soft squishy lovey place in my brain for the sound of the KW Griffin Century igniting. And so I'll miss it a little. )

Edited November 22, 2014 by Noio

[Shad0wCatcher]

Can always keep the sound effects for that rocket and the rocket itself around I'm in the same boat with my love affair with KW Rocketry

[Alewx]

Actually the large ASAS is from MRS, my first mod.

Oh really? Why didn't I hear from it earlier

[NBZ]

OK, so here's how the repainting is going: (conical size adapters, and fuel tanks all updated, plus an additional size in between the previous medium/large sizes):

http://www.necrobones.net/screenshots/KSP/KSP%202014-11-21%2019-33-32-03.jpg

Sample rockets:

http://www.necrobones.net/screenshots/KSP/KSP%202014-11-21%2019-34-35-36.jpg

http://www.necrobones.net/screenshots/KSP/KSP%202014-11-21%2019-35-13-15.jpg

http://www.necrobones.net/screenshots/KSP/KSP%202014-11-21%2019-35-45-47.jpg

That is great. Happy I could be of help.

Maybe rotate the cone tank 22.5 degrees so each quarter lines up over two eighths on the tanks?

And I still think the many narrow lines on the tallest tank are to many. No rocket has ever had that many lines. I think if you would just leave the bottom blank, it would emphasize how huge that tank is. If the SpaceY logo looks unbalanced like that, then move the top horizontal ring to above the lines.

[NecroBones]

I'm a big fan of MRS, but I had been keeping KW Rocketry around alongside it for:

- The size-1 Maverick-1D, an engine which fills what I feel to be a huge hole in the lineup;

- The excellent SRB collection, which addresses a part of the catalog which to me is lacking;

- The excellent 5-meter parts.

But to me, the Space-Y lifter pack provides more utility, integrates more closely to the rest of the stock lineup, and does it in less RAM. So it's time to scratch out line-item three.

Very, very nice.

(However, there will always be a soft squishy lovey place in my brain for the sound of the KW Griffin Century igniting. And so I'll miss it a little. )

Glad you like the mods! Yeah, I'm keeping RAM usage in mind, big-time. So far, we have 5 fuel tanks and a fueled nose-cone, all sharing one texture. I love it when that works out.

I think that Maverick 1D looks like a good niche. I'll keep that in mind.

Can always keep the sound effects for that rocket and the rocket itself around I'm in the same boat with my love affair with KW Rocketry

We'll slowly chip away at KW's dominance. lol I think it's a great mod, but I never used it myself just because it feels like it takes over your part inventory, and obsoletes most of the stock parts, while having a different art style. I'm awestruck with the art assets though, every time I look at it.

Oh really? Why didn't I hear from it earlier

Yeah, since these mods are all pretty new, it's taking time for people to take notice. No worries!

That is great. Happy I could be of help.

Maybe rotate the cone tank 22.5 degrees so each quarter lines up over two eighths on the tanks?

And I still think the many narrow lines on the tallest tank are to many. No rocket has ever had that many lines. I think if you would just leave the bottom blank, it would emphasize how huge that tank is. If the SpaceY logo looks unbalanced like that, then move the top horizontal ring to above the lines.

I'm hesitant to rotate the cones, because my OCD with symmetry would complain. Though of course, that can be done in the VAB too. Well, in 5-degree increments anyway. I'll think on it. I do see what you mean.

I agree on the narrow stripes, I just don't know what I feel like doing down in that section. Plain white could certainly work.

Huh, that is very clever. Radially-attached ring halves. I think I could probably manage something like that.

I had some time to work on this today, and I think I have this working, for both 5m and 3.75m (using the same model/texture for both):

Edited November 23, 2014 by NecroBones

[E.Nygma]

I had some time to work on this today, and I think I have this working, for both 5m and 3.75m (using the same model/texture for both):

That's amazing! A bit of nitpicking though: the edges on the main rings surface look rather sharp, maybe a more hexagonal shape would do better? And the colouring seems to be a bit off, the black looks washed out and the white greyish, is this intentional? Love the details, does the light switch if you activate the SAS (I know, now I'm greedy) ?

Thank you!

Edited November 23, 2014 by E.Nygma

[ste1701]

I love the 2.5m SRB!

[NecroBones]

That's amazing! A bit of nitpicking though: the edges on the main rings surface look rather sharp, maybe a more hexagonal shape would do better? And the colouring seems to be a bit off, the black looks washed out and the white greyish, is this intentional? Love the details, does the light switch if you activate the SAS (I know, now I'm greedy) ?

Thank you!

Yeah, this is where some feedback is always useful. I actually accentuated the sharp edges a little with the texture, and the "faded" colors were part of giving it a slightly "brushed metal" appearance like the 2.5m stock ASAS. The "brushed" patterning is subtle though.

Some things I could certainly do, would be to re-contrast the black/white to look like matching paint again, and perhaps completely round off those edges for an aerodynamic look.

Unfortunately the light doesn't "work". I'd need a plugin for that.

I love the 2.5m SRB!

http://i.imgur.com/qlkEtsW.png

Awesome!

[NecroBones]

Yeah, this is where some feedback is always useful. I actually accentuated the sharp edges a little with the texture, and the "faded" colors were part of giving it a slightly "brushed metal" appearance like the 2.5m stock ASAS. The "brushed" patterning is subtle though.

Some things I could certainly do, would be to re-contrast the black/white to look like matching paint again, and perhaps completely round off those edges for an aerodynamic look.

OK, I decided to try these changes out. It took longer than I planned, but it's still morning here, so I guess it didn't take too long...

Originally the stripes didn't match the tanks, so I rearranged the colors, and now it can be placed such that it looks like it's part of certain fuel tanks. I think it's an improvement.