[WIP] Convair NEXUS - super heavy Earth Launch Vehicle

[MaverickSawyer]

Updated to remove smoke altogether (again) from the LH2/LOX engines. Also tweaked the effects if using RealPlume.

And added extra stack nodes to the top of the procedural fairing pieces. It helps to make sure you're small towns don't fall apart when taking off.

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

Multiple nodes on the fairing plate? YES. This suddenly became a viable platform for a whole-base-to-Jool mission

[LitaAlto]

I'm not sure what's going wrong, but when I install version 0.9 from CKAN, ModuleManager chokes and crashes the game. I'm not sure why off-hand. At first I thought it was because you misspelled "tetrafluoride" but it looks like you used "BlutoniumTetraflouride" consistently in the cfgs. The relevant lines from output_log.txt are below:

PartLoader: Compiling Part 'Nexus/GCR-1/OCGC-NTR-6k/GCnuclearEngine6k' 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 56)


[COLOR=#b22222][ShipTemplate]: No Resource definition found for RESOURCE[/COLOR]

(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 56)


Added sound_rocket_hard to FXGroup running

(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 56)


[COLOR=#b22222]BlutioniumTetraflouride not found in resource database. Propellant Setup has failed.[/COLOR]

(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 56)


NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at ModuleEngines.SetupPropellant () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at ModuleEngines.OnLoad (.ConfigNode node) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at PartModule.Load (.ConfigNode node) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at Part.AddModule (.ConfigNode node) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at PartLoader.ParsePart (.UrlConfig urlConfig, .ConfigNode node) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at PartLoader+.MoveNext () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 

(Filename:  Line: -1)


NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at PartLoader.GetDatabaseConfig (.Part p) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at PartLoader.GetDatabaseConfig (.Part p, System.String nodeName) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at DragCubeSystem.LoadDragCubes (.Part p) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at Part+.MoveNext () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 

(Filename:  Line: -1)


NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at scatterer.Core.OnDestroy () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 

(Filename:  Line: -1)

Edited August 25, 2015 by LitaAlto

[Sampa]

Some more info on that thing i found:

That's a truncated aerospike engine, albeit a freaking huge one. It had only 4 flaps and they did not extend as far as yours. It had 4 blocks of 6 thrusters in addition to the aerospike which served as verniers. I see you have those modeled in already. ALso from what I can tell, the nozzles surrounding the aerospike were angled in, but not flattened as I usually see them, which is a bit unusual. Why the giant aerospike is hollow remains a mystery to me.

image for additional reference:

http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/155/4/8/convair_nexus_ssto_by_william_black-d77puy9.jpg

Sierra? I have no clue how you find pictures like these! These are just amazing pictures! Here's some rep!

[TiktaalikDreaming]

I'm not sure what's going wrong, but when I install version 0.9 from CKAN, ModuleManager chokes and crashes the game. I'm not sure why off-hand. At first I thought it was because you misspelled "tetrafluoride" but it looks like you used "BlutoniumTetraflouride" consistently in the cfgs. The relevant lines from output_log.txt are below:

PartLoader: Compiling Part 'Nexus/GCR-1/OCGC-NTR-6k/GCnuclearEngine6k' 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 56)


[COLOR=#b22222][ShipTemplate]: No Resource definition found for RESOURCE[/COLOR]

(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 56)


Added sound_rocket_hard to FXGroup running

(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 56)


[COLOR=#b22222]BlutioniumTetraflouride not found in resource database. Propellant Setup has failed.[/COLOR]

(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 56)


NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at ModuleEngines.SetupPropellant () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at ModuleEngines.OnLoad (.ConfigNode node) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at PartModule.Load (.ConfigNode node) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at Part.AddModule (.ConfigNode node) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at PartLoader.ParsePart (.UrlConfig urlConfig, .ConfigNode node) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at PartLoader+.MoveNext () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 

(Filename:  Line: -1)


NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at PartLoader.GetDatabaseConfig (.Part p) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at PartLoader.GetDatabaseConfig (.Part p, System.String nodeName) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at DragCubeSystem.LoadDragCubes (.Part p) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 


  at Part+.MoveNext () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 

(Filename:  Line: -1)


NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at scatterer.Core.OnDestroy () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 

(Filename:  Line: -1)

V0.9 might be a bit confused with resources. I migrated to community resources after that and all blutonium went away.

Also, not too sure when I added the ludicrous detail in the main rocket. It may just be stupid high poly count crashing stuff.

Yeah, looks like resource issues. Update to 1.0.4 should cover off resource names, MM edits and stupid high poly count. Tested on this crappy laptop that I usually just use to look up recipes and it's crap at even that.

Edited August 25, 2015 by TiktaalikDreaming
Should not reply on forums when 1.5L of beer in

[TiktaalikDreaming]

I'm not sure what's going wrong, but when I install version 0.9 from CKAN, ModuleManager chokes and crashes the game. I'm not sure why off-hand. At first I thought it was because you misspelled "tetrafluoride" but it looks like you used "BlutoniumTetraflouride" consistently in the cfgs. The relevant lines from output_log.txt are below:

PartLoader: Compiling Part 'Nexus/GCR-1/OCGC-NTR-6k/GCnuclearEngine6k' 

[COLOR=#b22222]BlutioniumTetraflouride not found in resource database. Propellant Setup has failed.[/COLOR]

The typos go all the way down. Blutionium != Blutonium

Dammit me!

[MaverickSawyer]

Okay, the new version with the reduced poly count helps tremendously... but there's still room for improvement. I'll see if kicking the reflective shaders will help much.

[TiktaalikDreaming]

Okay, the new version with the reduced poly count helps tremendously... but there's still room for improvement. I'll see if kicking the reflective shaders will help much.

If you install Smokescreen, there's a setting to limit the number of particle effects as well.

[MaverickSawyer]

Okay, might have to look at that if I can't find the source of the memory leak I have right now...

[Yski]

V0.9 might be a bit confused with resources. I migrated to community resources after that and all blutonium went away.

It looks like CKAN is a bit confused with the versions - it still thinks v0.9 is the newest one, though being a complete ckan metadata noob I couldn't immediately tell why that is. Still, it might be a good idea to fix that, especially with that config file typo preventing the game from loading when using it.

Edited September 3, 2015 by Yski

[TiktaalikDreaming]

It looks like CKAN is a bit confused with the versions - it still thinks v0.9 is the newest one, though being a complete ckan metadata noob I couldn't immediately tell why that is. Still, it might be a good idea to fix that, especially with that config file typo preventing the game from loading when using it.

I haven't actually looked at ckan at all. I'll check it out in a week or two.

[TiktaalikDreaming]

It looks like CKAN is a bit confused with the versions - it still thinks v0.9 is the newest one, though being a complete ckan metadata noob I couldn't immediately tell why that is. Still, it might be a good idea to fix that, especially with that config file typo preventing the game from loading when using it.

OK, as I never created any ckan metadata, I'm guessing this is some auto-ckan thing via Kerbal Stuff. Yay KerbalStuff! However, reading the ckan stuff I'd swear I should still be doing something to make it work. But, as I said, I haven't. There was an error in versions in the readme.txt file release notes. But no sign of any v0.9 there either.

Also, could you enlighten me on the "config file typo preventing the game from loading"?

Thanks

[wasml]

Some of the comments I've seen indicate that if a CKAN checkbox is checked (not unchecked?) when creating a KerbalStuff project the CKAN people will create the meta data for you. Yski's best bet might be to go harass the CKAN people for a fix.

[TiktaalikDreaming]

Some of the comments I've seen indicate that if a CKAN checkbox is checked (not unchecked?) when creating a KerbalStuff project the CKAN people will create the meta data for you. Yski's best bet might be to go harass the CKAN people for a fix.

Ah, yes. It does seem I've tagged it as ckan when creating. I should read up about that. :-)

[TiktaalikDreaming]

Looking through CKAN, the change from 0.9 was to re-jig the folder structure, and my new folder structure is very non-CKAN-compatible.

I'll need to look at re-arranging the folder structure again, and re-releasing. However, I'm also fixing up some attach nodes (70f fairing, GCRs, etc) and applying emissives to the gas core rockets etc. Give it a few days. It'll also need a minor version (as opposed to build) change to represent folder changes.

Explanation: Way back at the beginning of this mod, I used the "Nexus" folder in GameData. But as I added flags, resources, agencies, I migrated the nexus folder into a higher level folder, "Tiktaalik". This served to contain the parts (still in "Nexus") and the Agencies, resources, etc. Also separated my stuff from Community Resource pack and so on.

CKAN on the second hand uses the folder as a unique identifier. So when my top level folder structure stopped having "Nexus", the mod stopped being CKAN compatible. Esp as I have other mods that use the Tiktaalik folder.

On the gripping hand, that means the folder is no longer a unique identifier. CKAN specifically rejects non-unique folder names. So, CKAN rejects all the versions prio to my folder structure change. I suspect I need to revert to Nexus as my top level folder name. Not some other name, but the same as I started with.

[TiktaalikDreaming]

OK, a probable CKAN fix is now live.

Not working... :-(

Edited September 14, 2015 by TiktaalikDreaming

[TiktaalikDreaming]

I've reached out to SirCmpwn (AKA Mr KerbalStuff) regarding this. The integration seems to be KS to CKAN, even though KS has an API for pulling. Not too sure.

[TiktaalikDreaming]

Ckan is fixed up. The metadata file had actually been manually created by someone, but only worked with the rather broken 0.9. It's now fixed to work with an updated version, tested and tested.

[123nick]

hey how do all this parts like, go together? like, i know the big aerobrakes go on the side of the nexus tanks, and the aerospace plug goes on the bottom, but what about the expansion deflection engines? are they just standard use big engines?

[SSgt Baloo]

On 12/23/2015 at 5:31 PM, 123nick said:

hey how do all this parts like, go together? like, i know the big aerobrakes go on the side of the nexus tanks, and the aerospace plug goes on the bottom, but what about the expansion deflection engines? are they just standard use big engines?

Quite. I read about this concept when I was ten, and would really like to assemble this 3-D jigsaw. Are there any downloadable craft files?

 

[Wragie]

I know this is an old thread but I just tried this in 1.3.1 and what a absolute beast!  I had to replace the thrusters used on second stage of the supplied craft file with something stronger so it was controllable and afterwards flew like dream.  I can't wait to try lifting an entire base in one shot. Should be fun.

 

If you are still around Tik many thanks for the work on this! I really enjoy trying any of the actual and proposed launch systems from that Era.  They definitely thought outside of the box on more than a few such as this and rockets like Sea Dragon. Not sure they knew what a box was in some cases lol.

Edited October 25, 2017 by Wragie
Korrecting Otto Korrect stuff...