Vagrant203

I'm going to try something a little different. Most mission reports I've read have focused on a particular expedition or save. The Pathfinder Files will focus on the development and implementation of a specific vessel type, Long Service Vessels. So far, I've only developed two versions of this vessel in two separate saves, both bearing the name Pathfinder, thus the name of this thread. I've mentioned the first in another thread, but there are differences now. I'll now be using "generation" to refer to how many saves have featured LSVs, and letters to refer to the iterations within a save. This is a marked departure from previous terms, which used generation to describe tech level and letters to denote an entirely new ship. This first post will cover the launches, orbital assembly, and some operation within Kerbin's SoI, of the second generation, model B. The only mods in use at the moment are ReStock, ReStock Plus, and SCANsat. The first launch conveyed the drive section, command center, and crew quarters. Like the first generation, a Mk1-3 command pod serves as bridge and probe control. A four-seater Hitchhiker pod has also been carried over, supplemented by two Mk1 crew cabins for a total of eight passenger seats serving as habitation. The two additional cabins have been mounted atop structural fuselages, with a service bay and a slanted nose cone atop them for aesthetics. One service bay features an OKTO probe core and an avionics hub, while the other is populated with batteries. Each cabin also has two jr docking ports, mounted radial top and bottom. On the bottom of each fuselage are a 1.25m reaction wheel and a Caravel engine from Restock Plus, a recent acquisition which has fast become a favorite for its balance between Isp and thrust strength. Behind the Hitchhiker is a central Rockomax tank with fuel ducts leading out to two outboard fuel tank stacks, each featuring a Poodle engine for the best Isp. There are more service bays with monoprop tanks, batteries, and one stack of 0.625 reaction wheels. There is also one midsize dock port at the aft, and a jr size on the nose of the bridge. There are a few peculiarities to this arrangement. Under typical operation, the central tank is drained first, as you would expect. To my surprise, on refueling, the central tank also pulled from the outboard tanks, despite the fuel ducts and spaced decouplers, when using "in." I resorted to using "out" on the tanks to be drained and decoupling them immediately, one by one. In the future I'll try refueling with only the central and delivery tanks selected. ∆v calculation also behaved strangely, flickering between eight hundred some and three thousand. This was likely an odd interaction with MechJeb's "differential throttle" function found under utilities. Shutting off the Caravel engines was an easy fix, giving the accurate reading of three thousand running on Poodles. The Caravels were great for the launch and may be useful, or even necessary, for other high-power situations or simply a shorter burn. Glamour shot Service bays opened, angled towards sunlight, best shot to see details The second launch covers everybody's craving, sweet glorious Science! There's a research lab, Science Jr, goo, thermometer, barometer, and, last but certainly not least, a SCANsat Multispectral Analyzer, which I just love. You can even find [classified data redacted]. The biome feature is neat too, although that function can also be filled by the lab's KerbNet access in case ya didn't know. There's also some more RCS and monoprop (forgot reaction wheels, whoops) and both ends feature a midsize dock, one of which is occupied by the drive section. There are also two radial docks in both mid and jr varieties. For now, these sections enable Pathfinder to meet specs within my tech level. Once I've unlocked ISRU technology, a pair of engineers will join the crew with a refinery section and a mining drone. Speaking of drones, the third launch is an RCS tug I've dubbed Retriever, following a theme of dog breed names for kerman's best friend. It features both jr and mid ports and six extending Communotron 16s, providing extended control range and transmission of research when not being used as a tug. The next launch will be a probe lander and two sample return packages. The probe will have all the experiments the lab section does, excluding the SCANsat and materials bay to save mass and enable a return trip.

All three of those combined into one post would still be fairly short. And I'm not seeing any "juicy" parts so far, other than your crew gone Croatoan.

Do not rush art.

Out of concern for my crew, I'm staying tuned. Maybe write longer posts though? Those three together might as well be one.

I've had to start over a few times. Combination of ragequit or broken saves. It seems like it gets easier every time. Are you on Steam? There's a guide/craft collection you can use to blitz a lot of the early stuff, saves time on craft design.

I feel your pain, dealing with limited memory. Watching this thread with great interest.

RIP

Bluedog was one of the packs I tried to hold on to through testing due to its versatility, but it caused more strain than the NF probe pack. I would like to again bring up the hope of perhaps getting some downsized textures for the parts packs. I might try experimenting with a single pack's textures, but I'm pretty worn out on extensive testing. I would also prefer that mod authors provide downsized textures rather than a third party modification and worry about licensing.

I launch the game through the stand-alone launcher mostly, since Steam does have a bit of background processing. It does take up all the memory, which is like... Less than 2 gigs. It's a piece of excrements. Fortunately the new computer is looking more and more likely. Someone less skeptical would call it a sure thing, perhaps. The various options that have been considered all meet or exceed 8 gigs, so it'll be a lot easier. I'm not gonna try and wrestle my current junk into any more mod configurations, I spent hours just getting to playable status the other night after test series 6. Right now it's like a house of cards so I'm careful about even breathing around it.

Let's go with the latter.

I am SO DONE. Go on without me and this potato-brain piece of sheep manure.

5a is complete. Now running CCleaner through a custom clean, to include "wipe free space," then restart. Hoping that Windows will then utilize the full ten gigs I set aside, and maybe more in the system managed paging file. If that doesn't work, I have truly hit the hard limit of this computer. Ah, wait, I never deleted the IVAs for Station Parts! *adds to the end of 5b steps*

Not much. I've been hoping my paging file can take up the slack, I've set aside ten gigabytes for that.

Yeah, this is expected behavior. However, ten minutes is somewhat unusual even for this computer, and the main menu is suffering as well. The loading screen for settings is having a (Not Responding) moment, without clicking anything. Either Near Future is a big stressor or my computer is hitting its limit.

Test spoiler updated. 4b has notes of interest even before its conclusion

I wouldn't call it a waste. About to test another round of mods, to include KSP-AVC and its compatibility override. And I can switch to 1.8.1 if testing brings another fail. For other Steam users, previous versions are available under Properties in the Betas tab.

MM documentation seemed to indicate that wouldn't be an issue (at least as far as I understood.) Nevertheless, I'll track that as Science! continues. Future reference: I'll be consolidating results below. Latest: Test 6b. Testing suspended indefinitely.

Good/bad news. ReStock works. Which means I have no idea what is the problem. Adding ReStock Plus and USI-LS now. LS was working before these shenanigans, and Plus seems like a logical next step.

Ok, I have a sneaking suspicion there's some weirdness going on with ReStock. I removed most of the new mods and a few I had that were already working and it wouldn't foxtrot start, just stayed on initial loading. Just ran a control group experiment; full stock KSP is now starting. Next I'll throw ReStock in and see what happens. Science! *he says with fake enthusiasm*

Let's wait to determine that certainty till I get the word about a new one or nah.

A-firm, I'm running 64-bit.

Nope. Trying to trim it down just so I can play, lots of cool stuff in the list so picking what to drop is a bit difficult. Fact is though, going from fifteen add-ons to forty-foxtrot-six is just too much for this potato.

Now on loading attempt four. Foxtrot this beaverhouse computer. At least my birthday is the second and I might be getting a better computer. MAYBE.

Still waiting to find that out... After forty minutes of waiting for my game to load up. And counting.

Near Future Aeronautics? Maybe Deep Freeze as well?