Mission-Based Naming - Anything Like This Out There?

[Beale]

Hello!

If this doesn't actually exist, I might stick on the coding gloves and attempt it myself, but:

Are there plugins out there that automatically name a craft as part of a mission programme (I.E. the Gemini Program). Crafts, or perhaps craft-names that are designated as part of this programme will be named sequentially on launch (I.E. Gemini 1, Gemini 2, etc.).

Sorry if my English has let me down - let me break it down into a 'flow-diagram' type thing:

1. Define a new programme, call it 'Project Beale' for example.
   
2. Add a craft name to the programme, "Moon Lander" for example.
   
3. Add another craft name to the programme, "Satellite" for example.
   

Now whenever a craft called "Moon lander" or "Satellite" is launched, it will automatically be renamed as the "programme name + number of the mission in that programme".

"Moon Lander" -> Launch -> "Beale 1"

"Moon Lander" -> Launch -> "Beale 2"

"Moon Lander" -> Launch -> "Beale 3"

"Satellite" -> Launch -> "Beale 4"

.

.

.

"Moon Lander" -> Launch -> "Beale 42"

Hope I make sense!

Really this thread is half request, half "how I might do this" if such a plugin does not already exist.

Further fun stuff?

• Keep a log of all missions in a particular programme?
  
• Automatically assign a programme flag to the mission?
  
• Total cost of the programme so far?
  
• Kerbals involved in the programme?
  

Kind Regards.

Edited May 13, 2015 by Beale

[tg626]

I've never heard of such a thing, tho the idea is an interesting one... I often accidentally end up with multiple "MissionName I" craft in space because I forgot to increment the number after loading it.

[Beale]

I've never heard of such a thing, tho the idea is an interesting one... I often accidentally end up with multiple "MissionName I" craft in space because I forgot to increment the number after loading it.

Yep, this is exactly my curse!

Even with best intentions, it is sometimes difficult to keep track of how many things I've launched, especially after they've been recovered / crashed.

[Alshain]

I would just like a random name generator plugin. I'm terrible at coming up with good names for missions or ships. I can't tell you how many of mine are just "Untitled Spacecraft"

[Kilmeister]

Hrm, sounds like a good idea. I currently name all my missions "KSC-000" where i just incrementally increase the number with each successive launch. As far as existing mods... I think there was something like that in the long long ago (like patch .19ish) that kept a mission record, but never really checked it out. I'll have a stab at it, but I've never written a plugin for unity.

[tg626]

(I name my contract grind satellites "KOSMOS [4-digit-random-number]")

[amorymeltzer]

I would just like a random name generator plugin. I'm terrible at coming up with good names for missions or ships. I can't tell you how many of mine are just "Untitled Spacecraft"

There was a mod that did just that, called Champagne Bottle. I loved it! It's been out of date for a while, but the source is available...

[Beale]

I would just like a random name generator plugin. I'm terrible at coming up with good names for missions or ships. I can't tell you how many of mine are just "Untitled Spacecraft"

Well this would be good for you, now you only have to come up with a handfull of names, then add a number to the end

Hrm, sounds like a good idea. I currently name all my missions "KSC-000" where i just incrementally increase the number with each successive launch. As far as existing mods... I think there was something like that in the long long ago (like patch .19ish) that kept a mission record, but never really checked it out. I'll have a stab at it, but I've never written a plugin for unity.

(I name my contract grind satellites "KOSMOS [4-digit-random-number]")

That would be really cool Kilmeister!

In general I am the same, at least attempting to number flights sequentially.

But, it always falls apart at some point.

One thing I quite miss in Kerbal Space Program is the history-like records you get (Dwarf Fortress esque), I'd like to look back at what things have flown in the past.

There was a mod that did just that, called Champagne Bottle. I loved it! It's been out of date for a while, but the source is available...

Interesting plugin, a shame it isn't up-to-date.

But, yeah, something similar to this (ish).

[Voidryder]

Like this idea. I do this in an excel sheet to track my programs/missions/flights. Could dig a plugin that helps me along the way. Especially if the flight number could be customized. For instance all my prototypes are 001, 002, 003, etc. Then full-up testing sans crew are 100's, with finally crewed craft starting in the 200's.

[dewin]

I would just like a random name generator plugin. I'm terrible at coming up with good names for missions or ships. I can't tell you how many of mine are just "Untitled Spacecraft"

I just come up with a simple naming theme (and occasionally ask people on IRC for help). My current theme is city names, with the first letter changing each craft (Austin, Boston, Cambridge, Dublin, Edinburgh, Florence, Geneva, Hawthorne, Ithaca and Jakarta in one of my saves)

[Odyssey]

I've got pages of stored names, a lot of which I never got around to using. My policy is that reusable ships (i.e. space shuttles) get a craft name & a mission number (e.g. Olympic-004). For capsules that come back and splash-down, those get program names and a flight number (i.e. Apollo 11)

[billbobjebkirk]

To add on to this idea, it might be cool if you could select a mission patch for the whole program, then the mod would automatically add the number.