OrbitusII

Say hello to Kerbin, guys. What could be so exciting? I won't question it. Coming home.

Preview of the Frameshift 2 for tonight. Be sure to go to http://www.twitch.tv/orbitusii tonight at 19:00 MDT, 03:00 GMT for the livestream with Mekan1k, Ariuss (Not So Parallel Studios), and myself! Definitely going to be a good show!

I think Bobcat wanted 64% real size for the KSP parts, so those specs would be Go ahead and correct my math... I think I may have messed it up a little, at least for the volume.

Update's been a long time coming.... Not really sure what's going on with the secret project at the moment, depending on what I can get done with the engine tutorial I have in the works and what 3_bit & Mekan1k can do we may or may not release what we have and expand as we continue to make mods (currently the engines are going nowhere, so we'll probably do that). In other news, I've gotten back into programming with Unity3D and I am considering switching to plugin writing once the Frameshift 2 and MonoProbe 2 are completed. I'm almost finished UV mapping the Frameshift 2's main structure, then I can move onto the "doors" and start texturing once those are done being modeled and animated. Plugin Plans: There is the idea for a magnetosphere and radiation plugin, suggested by nhnifong. It's pretty easy so I may start with that. There's also the Kerbal Colony Builder idea layed out by SwiftGates24. Unfortunately we lost the thread and links to the googledocs idea page, but it's similar to RTS for KSP– tech levels and building rockets off of Kerbin... There was a plugin on the forums that allowed for building rockets on other planets, but it was also lost with the Forum Apocalypse; if anyone can get me the link to that plugin I'll talk to the creator to see if he wants to help. *This will wait until the resources are implemented by Squad, to make everyone's job easier* Keep in mind that everything is subject to change and, as always, there are no ETAs besides "whenever it's finished." There will be an update livestream within the next three (3) days, expanding upon this info.

I prefer KSP for its ease of modification and openness. Yes, MC has a massive game world and can be modified relatively easily, but KSP is so much more than Minecraft. I see Minecraft as more of an experiment for Mojang's Java-based engine (which is quite terrible) and has a lot that could be improved, whereas KSP is actually something that Squad wants to do and to do well. Minecraft is a sandbox with loads of space but limited capabilities due to the blocks and near-nonexistent optimization; KSP is a sandbox that teaches to have fun in failure, only limited due to the fact that it's in development. As PDCWolf said, I am a bit disappointed with what Mojang is doing. They said they would get a built-in mod support system and I honestly can't see that ever happening, plus there's the incorporation of mods into the vanilla game (notably horses). True, they add content, but it's unnecessary; what they should do is make it easier to add the content so it doesn't have to be a part of the regular game, but you can get it and use it with minimal effort (like what Squad is planning for expansions). Quite frankly, KSP's forums are loads better as well– searching for the one post doesn't take an hour, it's either there or it's not, no scanning through 50000 posts with the same name (yet). With that said, I don't want KSP to become the next Minecraft. I'd love it to become as popular as Minecraft, and I believe it will, but KSP is its own game and cannot be constrained to the standards of another.

Lots of tiny pictures from a new Kerbin imaging mission! <––– My favorite right here Munrise And a precision landing afterwards. How precise? Orbital-stage-almost-hit-the-runway precise.

Well... This has actually gotten me thinking about how I would accomplish it... I do actually code stuff with Unity (for 3 years now) so learning the KSP syntax wouldn't be too tough. The hardest foreseeable part of the plugin would be adding the "Part Health" variable to the config so that the parts can determine whether or not they're working. Generating the radiation is pretty easy, I'd just have to look into whether or not the radiation travels through planets without Mag-sphere (I think it does... I should know this!) to decide if I should use raycasting for determining how much radiation the ship receives. Pretty easy plugin, actually, I'd just have to redirect my attentions from modeling to programming, but I think if I can get 3_bit trained well enough in that field and the current projects finished I can do it. No guarantees ATM, however. My stuff on the U3D forums, if you want it: <CURRENT> Vehicle System <OLD> Door Opener <OLD> Basic Flotation

I still have a copy of 0.17? sitting on my hard drive, so I still have all the parts and could update them if enough people want it, although I think someone else already did... If I ever find the Spaceport link (I remember seeing it there!) I'll post it.

It would really help if the devs or a modder who has gotten working solar panels (Bobcat or the Kosmos TKS guy, I forget his name) could put out an example unitypackage. If I ever figure it out (which may take some time since its not high on the list) I'll make sure everyone can get that.

The one issue that I can foresee with releasing the "ready" parts is a lack of EVA capability with only ISS parts. I could release the airlock now, but I want to finish texturing and that could take a while considering how busy I am. I don't know how Bobcat and everyone has set up their parts, but IRL they don't have EVA hatches, so you'd be confined to the interior unless you docked, say, a Dragon with crew manifest to it. It's best to just finish a mod with some flak for taking "too long" than to release it incomplete in my opinion.

What's been said so far is correct, Update and FixedUpdate run regardless of what vessel is active, assuming things are within the loading range. You could create a plugin that makes sure the vessel that things are being calculated and enacted for is the active one, but it would kind of defeat the purpose of having multiple things within the loading range work all at once. I haven't messed around with writing plugins in KSP but there is indeed a list of existing vessels, which is necessary for things like persistence.

Thanks for the input so far! 1. I looked at the Intuos5 and the smallest version is still significantly out of my current price range. Maybe once I get some experience with using tablets I'll buy one. 2. I agree. Pencil and paper are one of the best tools for drawing. Unfortunately when we reconfigured our home network we lost the scanner functionality on our all-in-one, so until we figure that out I can't really do that. I'll work on that though. 3. I like the overall look of the m609! Sadly I haven't been able to find sites that sell it besides the official one, and there it looks to be ~$140. Still, the review I could find was good, so I'm interested in doing more research on it. If you could get me some links that'd be great.

Adding new planets to the game?

Thanks, I would have replied sooner but I had nothing useful/productive 'til now. As said in this thread I am looking at buying a drawing tablet or whatever it's called. It'd be good to have some feedback so that I can make a decision, so if you have any input just let me know over there. Not here, there. It would definitely improve my textures to have something besides a mouse, plus I'm getting tired of moving my mouse back and forth all the time... I may talk about what I want some more through my livestreams, but the post has my basic needs.

The limitation is not caused by Unity itself, but by a limitation Squad implemented to keep the game practical. i.e., if KSP kept everything loaded no matter how far you went, ships would have to be a lot simpler or the physics setup currently in use would not be used. The Lazor system expands the limit, but it's an implemented restriction rather than a default restriction. I can send you an example project if you'd like to see what I mean. That being said, it's more practical for it to be done in KSP than real life, ignoring any lag and removing the unloading system to make the playing field even. Kerbin's atmosphere ends abruptly at 69.7whatever kilometers above sea level, whereas we have atmosphere going past 300-400 km (thus requiring stationkeeping). [Taking realism into account, real life becomes more practical because Kerbin would have fewer resources as it is much smaller. Unfortunately we then have to consider n-body gravity, ease of space access, and a whole plethora of other variables, so we'll ignore those for now] This basically changes the 30+ mile tube in real life to a 20ish km tube in KSP, with these values thats more than 50% complexity and cost reduction. Mek is right, liquids and gases are both fluids, so both can flow, but if you go fast enough, it takes the liquid/gas longer to move than it takes for you to move through it, so the fluid behaves similar to a solid (at least for a time), and thus we have terminal velocity. The energy required to go faster than Vt (terminal velocity in this case) is immense and doing so will most likely destroy the object you are accelerating, depending on its structure. [You also have to consider the heat generated by all that friction, so the structure may not matter at the speed you want– the object in question may just melt or vaporize and then where will you be? This is one of the design constraints for Skylon's SABRE engines, in fact] In order to counteract/negate these issues, a really big vacuum tube would be used to remove drag, and magnets would hold the object away from the walls of the tube. Unfortunately this tube must be huge in order to get the projectile to a useful pressure area before releasing it, and by that point and speed a heatshield may be necessary for leaving the atmosphere at the speeds you want without falling apart and/or burning up, then you also need boosters to finish off the orbit, and you're finally in space! Still, this is a very cool concept and I look forward to whatever anyone does with it.

Hello texturers! I'm looking at buying a drawing tablet for texturing better and I'd like to know what model you recommend, if you use or have used one. I use a Mac, and I'm looking at either the Wacom Bamboo Splash or Capture as a starting point. Any reviews or thoughts on these? If you have a better tablet that's under $100, let me know what it is! I'd like to avoid spending too much as it's my first tablet and I don't have a lot of available money for things like this (a very unfortunate thing, I know) so value for price is a big point in my decision. Thanks in advance! OrbitusII

Puffin Technologies Development Thread WIPs: 1. Heat Sink Plugin Team: Mekan1k (models), OrbitusII (plugin) Official Status: Version 0.1 Alpha available, In-Development release available Description: Overheating SRBs got you stuck on Kerbin? Fear no more, for this plugin will cool those overheating engines down and prevent unwanted catastrophic failure! 2. Revamped Frameshift Models & Plugin Team: Mekan1k (configs), OrbitusII (models, plugin) Official Status: finalizing model Description: An overly powerful, sci-fi inspired engine that can get you to the speed of light in under 30 minutes! Soon to have its own plugin, which will help prevent spontaneous disassembly of your ships. 3. Radiation/Magnetosphere Plugin <No Preview at This Time> Team: OrbitusII Official Status: KSP API research Description: This plugin will add realism to KSP by adding radiation to Kerbol and magnetospheres to the celestial bodies. Parts with ModuleRadiationDamage will lose health and eventually break down and become unusable, but reparable by EVA'd Kerbals. In-Development Plugin Download Known Issues SolarHeating module has some jumpiness when testing using raycasting (to be investigated) Thermostabilizer fails to save stableTemp variable (bad OnSave setup?) Please Note: As this is an In-Development build of the plugin, it has a special license contained inside the .zip file concerning redistribution of the download link and the parts and code contained inside. Changelog InDev1: Initial Release– added powered coolant systems, solar heatingInDev2: Fixed raycasting check for parts that have SolarHeating ToDo List –Fix powered coolant system stableTemp saving Expanding Sytems: –Add in code to decrease part temperature to 4 Kelvin if not detected by raycast (optional) –Add in Greenhouse effect (warmer temperatures in atmosphere)Bugfixing:Postponed Temporarily ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Known Issues There appears to be an issue where the stage requirement of the resource consumption is broken. I think this is fixed but it will require testing. Please Note: As this is an In-Development build of the plugin, it has a special license contained inside the .zip file concerning redistribution of the download link and the parts and code contained inside. Changelog InDev1: Initial Release– Frameshift PartModule ToDo List –Check the staging requirement of the resource consumption Expanding Systems: –Action group support (next) –Add support for multiple resources being consumed (maybe) –Re-implement FractSpc resource –Add near-instantaneously accelerating Alcubierre DriveBugfixing:

Puffin Technologies Development Thread The place to go when you absolutely, positively MUST have ridiculous solutions to space. Part of the United Rocketry Coalition (maybe?) Welcome! Please enjoy the small group of mods we have created thus far. More are on the way, so be sure to watch the livestreams on Fridays! Twitch.tv Team Mekan1k: Models & Configs OrbitusII: Models & Textures 3_bit: Publicity Frameshift Series radial standard Version 1.0 and 1.0 (To be compressed into one package) Info: Sci-fi inspired engines with ridiculous ISP and power. It is recommended that you use lots of struts to attach the engines. They use lots of electricity, so be warned! Requirements: Be sure to place the custom resource .cfg file into the "Resources" folder, otherwise these engines will not function. Improved Turbojet Model/Puffinjet Engine click image for spaceport link Version 1.1 Info: An improved model for the stock turbojet engine plus a custom engine with more thrust gimbaling, among other changes. Requirements: None besides the full version of KSP MonoProbe click image for spaceport link Version 1.1S Info: A single part probe to minimize part usage on large interplanetary vehicles. Also comes with a custom carrier for easy transportation of multiple probes. Requirements: Mechjeb 1.9.8 Heat Sinks & Coolant Systems click image for forum link Version 0.1 (alpha) Info: A plugin that will help cool down parts. Requirements: Full version of KSP All Puffin Technologies mods are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. External Means of Contact OrbitusII: Twitter, Twitch.tv, Youtube

Editing the .craft files works, but I've found that the Subassembly Loader takes 90% of the pain away from switching or duplicating stages or even entire rockets. Try out both and see what you think!

I may have to talk to Snjo about how to implement that... it looks amazing! Today is a good day for KSP Also, NINE PAGES of replies in 12 hours! Bac9, you are truly skilled/famous!

Sorry, homework! Bac9 has just arrived with a new shipment of AWESOME. I really wish there was a bigger font size...

If Squad got the Sketchfab viewer implemented on the Spaceport... So much awesomeness! I'm not even sure if there is a way to get the .mu files back into a useable format... I can send you the blender files and you can look at those. I'm kinda busy right now, so not much getting done for me in general though...

What Squad is planning to do with expansions/DLC is to finish the game, make another great game, and then come back with additional, but unnecessary content to playing the game, so things that aren't necessarily space-related, like submarines, alien life on Laythe or other planets, etc. Resources and everything that Squad has planned will be implemented by the time of KSP 1.0.0's release. As for paying for these and the crap that people have been giving Squad about it, I say the veterans need to deal with it. We are no different from the people who are buying KSP now except that we payed less, so if anything we should pay more (I do hope we don't, however). You may not agree, but this is how I feel about the payment situation.

Congratulations to all survivors! I hope that this tragic event does not occur again! As to what happened, read this article: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/content.php/161-KSP-Forums-and-SpacePort-are-back-up-Important-Notice-for-Forum-Members It has as much info as Squad has/is willing to share about recent events. Tip: look at the right side of the main forum page for articles and blog posts from the devs

All of the command pods have built-in magic reaction wheels for rotation, so depending on the size of the probe you have, including all the engines, fuel tanks, etc, it will turn easily or with great slowness. SAS and ASAS only serve as stabilization systems (SAS kills rotation, ASAS tries to lock your attitude or heading) and RCS improves handling or makes it impossible (you have to place the ports evenly on both sides of the center of mass, and you also only need it for ships with lots of mass). Thrust vectoring allows you to steer by redirecting your acceleration, rotating the ship about its CoM.