[DEVTHREAD]Pathfinder - Space Camping & Geoscience

[Angelo Kerman]

nice. (10 char)

Thanks. I've had some personal issues to handle so I'm not as far along as I'd like, but I just finished up the TERRAIN tonight and am working on some geology lab improvements. I'm hoping to have an update late next week.

[rottielover]

Decided to try a camping trip to the mun, and I can't attach the muncrete slab to the ground, just highlights red. I have one of the electric screwdrivers equipped. Does it have to be a wrench?

Edit, tried a wrench too (aka spanner), no dice. Appears I can't attach the slab to the ground.. I'll go back and read and see if I missed a step maybe ,,,

Edited July 13, 2015 by rottielover

[rasta013]

Think this was a result of the update to KIS/KAS that happened today. I'm not able to attach to the surface either and was able to as of yesterday. Only thing that changed for me between now and then was the update to KIS/KAS this morning.

[Mecripp]

Looking at the cfg looks like a small change was made the minislab has

MODULE
{
    name = ModuleKISItem
    volumeOverride = 100
    stackable = true
    allowAttachOnStatic = true
}

MODULE
{
    name = ModuleKISPartStatic
    breakForce = 10
}

and KIS concreteBase is

	MODULE
	{
		name = ModuleKISItem
		volumeOverride = 100
		stackable = true
		allowPartAttach = 2
		allowStaticAttach = 1
		staticAttachBreakForce = 10
	}

EDIT- And KAS Pylon has

	MODULE
	{
		name = ModuleKISItem
		volumeOverride = 150
		stackable = true
		allowStaticAttach = 1
		staticAttachBreakForce = 10
	}

Edited July 13, 2015 by Mecripp2

[Angelo Kerman]

Looking at the cfg looks like a small change was made the minislab has

MODULE
{
    name = ModuleKISItem
    volumeOverride = 100
    stackable = true
    allowAttachOnStatic = true
}

MODULE
{
    name = ModuleKISPartStatic
    breakForce = 10
}

and KIS concreteBase is

    MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleKISItem
        volumeOverride = 100
        stackable = true
        allowPartAttach = 2
        allowStaticAttach = 1
        staticAttachBreakForce = 10
    }

EDIT- And KAS Pylon has

    MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleKISItem
        volumeOverride = 150
        stackable = true
        allowStaticAttach = 1
        staticAttachBreakForce = 10
    }

Thanks for the investigation. I've made changes to the Saddle and they restore the ability to bolt the part to the ground. I duplicated the values from the KIS concrete slab. You'll see those changes in the next update. Meanwhile, if you pack up your base, exit the game, manually add the new config settings, and restart your game and setup your base again, you'll be good to go.

[Angelo Kerman]

Here's another preview. Now you won't have to haul a Buckboard around. I'm on track for having the next release by the weekend.

Edited July 17, 2015 by Angel-125

[rabidninjawombat]

That little pack looks awesome Love the idea

[Angelo Kerman]

That little pack looks awesome Love the idea

Thanks! It is KIS/KAS friendly, it has a dedicated mounting rack so you don't have to be an engineer to pull it off your ship, and it has (or will have) parts that are specially designed for it. Outback may end up as a separate parts pack but it is integrated into Pathfinder for now.

[Angelo Kerman]

Get the latest here!

CKAN/KerbalStuff update is on the way.

And side note: I got "The Martian" for my birthday and I'm really enjoying it.

0.1.5: Bonanza

Orbiting satellites are great for detecting resources from space, but advanced sensors take a long time to research. With this update, Pathfinder introduces resource scanning tech earlier in the game- assuming it works. Additionally, the Geology Lab can do things that the stock surface scanner can- and more if you staff it right. Finally, the new Outback gives you a handy way to haul small amounts of resources around without lugging the Buckboard.

New Parts

- Added the T.E.R.R.A.I.N. Geo Scanner. If it breaks down, you'll have to repair it. Don't want it to break? You can change it in the settings menu.

- Added the Outback Extravehicular Support Pack (ESP). It's great for hauling a small amount of resources around, and it's EVA friendly. It can be attached to the exterior of a vessel by pressing the "H" key, and detached using the "G" key. Anybody can use it.

Ponderosa

- Cleaned up the Ponderosa right-click menu and moved a lot of functionality to the Ponderosa Operations window. Access it via the Manage Operations button in the right-click menu.

Pathfinder Geology Lab

- The Geology Lab is now controlled through the Operations window. Simply right-click on the Ponderosa, press the Manage Operations button, and press the Show button to manage the Geology Lab.

- The Geology Lab can now perform a surface analysis of the biome if properly staffed.

- If you have the Impact mod (I recommend it), the Geology Lab can lend its seismometer to the cause if properly staffed.

Templates

- Added the Prime Flux Battery template to the Buckboard and Outback, named after Prime Flux, who suggested the idea. Thanks Prime Flux!

ToolTips & Settings

- Added a tooltip to remind players that the requirement to pay for redecorating/inflating the Ponderosa can be turned off.

- The Settings window can now be toggled using the modifier key (which defaults to the Alt key on Windows) plus P instead of being hard coded to the Alt key.

Resources & Storage

- Added the PhotoMaterials resource for taking pictures.

- Adjusted the Buckboard's storage capacity when not being used to store KIS items.

- You can now access the Chuckwagon's inventory from inside the module.

KIS/KAS

- Updated the saddle to account for the latest changes in KIS.

- Thanks to the latest version of KIS, non-engineers can attach the drill to a vessel with the "H" key and grab it with the "G" key.

Recommended Mod

Impact: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/...eroids-30-6-15

Edited July 20, 2015 by Angel-125

[rottielover]

LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just had a thought... RoverDude in MKS/OKS setup a system whereby if you're base ships were within a certain distance of each other, they could share resources... (I admit I haven't been keeping up on the latest developments so that system could be surpassed by now). Anyway, my thought was going back to the rocketparts requirements for the initial inflation. Any thoughts about possibly "licensing" or at least "borrowing, if you have MKS installed" that system, so that I could say, drop a rocketparts container within X amount of meters from my base and voila, I can now inflate? It's just a thought, KAS works just fine for getting these things inflated exactly where I want them, it's just the extra steps

Anyway, keep up the great work, LOVE the KIS backpack, it's wondrous!

[Angelo Kerman]

LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just had a thought... RoverDude in MKS/OKS setup a system whereby if you're base ships were within a certain distance of each other, they could share resources... (I admit I haven't been keeping up on the latest developments so that system could be surpassed by now). Anyway, my thought was going back to the rocketparts requirements for the initial inflation. Any thoughts about possibly "licensing" or at least "borrowing, if you have MKS installed" that system, so that I could say, drop a rocketparts container within X amount of meters from my base and voila, I can now inflate? It's just a thought, KAS works just fine for getting these things inflated exactly where I want them, it's just the extra steps

Anyway, keep up the great work, LOVE the KIS backpack, it's wondrous!

Glad you like the latest update. I have plans for the Outback, it has a top node for a purpose left for a future update. For the proximity resource transfer thing, I think that the KAS pipes serve the same purpose. I personally would like more stuff to do on EVA, and hooking up the KAS pipes fit the bill. That said, you could look at the MKS config files and make a ModuleManager patch for the Ponderosa and perhaps the Conestoga to add whatever module adds the proximity transfer. That would give you what you're looking for.

I don't know what the MKS proximity module is but the following might help you get started with a patch:

@PART[WBI_Ponderosa]:NEEDS[Kolonization]

{

//Add proximity module from MKS here

}

For the Conestoga, just replace the WBI_Ponderosa with WBI_Conestoga.

Edited July 20, 2015 by Angel-125

[Angelo Kerman]

Not slowing down, here's an early look at a new part for Pathfinder:

[Mecripp]

Nice

[Jim Starluck]

You know what we're going to need?

Large rover parts designed to pack all of this base equipment into for a long-term, cross-country camping expedition.

National Lampoon's Kerbal Vacation, anyone?

[Angelo Kerman]

You know what we're going to need?

Large rover parts designed to pack all of this base equipment into for a long-term, cross-country camping expedition.

National Lampoon's Kerbal Vacation, anyone?

... Or a 3200km trek to an alternate launch site...

[Angelo Kerman]

Another preview:

[Doughy]

this is awesome

[Prime flux]

Glorious! Looking forward to trying it out. A lightpost is something which have been missing for a long time. A nice to have around the base, but often too expensive in total number of parts.

Does it comes with built in batteries?

Question/suggestion: Could the light pole be used as a base for a solar array? Replace the lights with 2 (circular) solar arrays?

Edited July 22, 2015 by Prime flux

[Doughy]

Glorious! Looking forward to trying it out. A lightpost is something which have been missing for a long time. A nice to have around the base, but often too expensive in total number of parts.

Does it comes with built in batteries?

Question/suggestion: Could the light pole be used as a base for a solar array? Replace the lights with 2 (circular) solar arrays?

im pretty sure the light pole was made using stock/other mods but i could be wrong.

[Angelo Kerman]

Glorious! Looking forward to trying it out. A lightpost is something which have been missing for a long time. A nice to have around the base, but often too expensive in total number of parts.

Does it comes with built in batteries?

Question/suggestion: Could the light pole be used as a base for a solar array? Replace the lights with 2 (circular) solar arrays?

Thanks. The lamppost comes with built-in batteries in addition to a built-in standard KAS port. It's all one part. I designed it so that the lights can be replaced with circular solar arrays similar to some NASA pictures I've seen for moon bases, and it will be used for a deployable communications antenna as well.

And I just figured out how to use progress bars in the action menu, so now I'm working out how to adjust the light's color value and intensity. Out in the field you'll be able to adjust the values.

this is awesome

im pretty sure the light pole was made using stock/other mods but i could be wrong.

Thanks. I have no doubt that light poles have been done before, but I wanted one for Pathfinder with the fewest part count (1) possible.

[Mecripp]

Can we get a Antenna on the top of the light pole

[Angelo Kerman]

Can we get a Antenna on the top of the light pole

That is doable, I could see a Communotron-16 omnidirectional antenna equivalent, making it a poor kerbal's communications array. The Gaslight is designed to be compact, cheap, and available early in the tech tree, so it needs to avoid dish antennas. Actually, the pole itself could be the antenna...

I was thinking of a larger deployable antenna that tracks satellites to serve as the base antenna, and in light of the new 1.1 changes that will add a relay system, the larger antenna would have the power to reach Kerbin, but would be available later in the tech tree. Given that vision, a Gaslight equipped with the low-end antenna makes sense. Thanks for the suggestion

[Doughy]

is this mod compatible with CTT? i cant seem to find the lamppost. or those tiny tubes...or that generator lol.

edit: OH they arent released yet my bad lol

Edited July 22, 2015 by Doughy

[rasta013]

Can we get a Antenna on the top of the light pole

I second this sentiment! That would be extremely handy for the mobile base since packing, carrying and mounting antennas can prove to be quite annoying especially if you use things like Antenna Range or RT. Looks great though and love the portable light pole idea as that's another annoying thing to have to carry albeit far easier to carry and mount.

I've been playing around with the latest addition to the mod, the Outback ESP. This is proving to be a rather handy little item but there's one thing that needs to be toned down a LONG ways. The Prime Flux Battery option is WAY overpowered for the level of tech that you acquire the Outback. Paying only 45 science and 800 in cash for a battery that has EC of 756 is way out of line with the other available tech. The best thing I can achieve with my 110+ mod setup at a similar level of tech is going up to Electrics for 90 science and using a Procedural Parts Battery and can still only manage to get one with 300 EC. At the 45 science level I can only manage 156 with a PP battery. The Outback's only trade off is the extra 10kg of extra mass which is meaningless - anyone will take that all day long. I see people attaching these to their craft as the primary battery source with the intention of never removing them. This extra power is really a major issue early in career games but has no real effect later on. I don't know if you have a way you could scale the power up with increasing tech levels or not but that would be the ideal solution. Otherwise, just simply toning down the power and providing a pack that has between 150-300 EC still gives a significant advantage at the 45 science level. Additionally, that advantage would quickly disappear after just a couple more purchases in the electrics line when the 400 EC battery opens for stock and many other mods like PP give even more advantages.

Other than that, the balance on all the other selections for the Outback seem to really be in line with other tech available at this level and provides that tiny bit of extra flexibility you need for various types of setups. Really a great addition to this whole package...keep up the great work!

[Angelo Kerman]

is this mod compatible with CTT? i cant seem to find the lamppost. or those tiny tubes...or that generator lol.

edit: OH they arent released yet my bad lol

Great question. At the present time, I have not integrated the mod with CTT. But if CTT doesn't remove nodes in the stock tree, you should be ok.

I second this sentiment! That would be extremely handy for the mobile base since packing, carrying and mounting antennas can prove to be quite annoying especially if you use things like Antenna Range or RT. Looks great though and love the portable light pole idea as that's another annoying thing to have to carry albeit far easier to carry and mount.

I've been playing around with the latest addition to the mod, the Outback ESP. This is proving to be a rather handy little item but there's one thing that needs to be toned down a LONG ways. The Prime Flux Battery option is WAY overpowered for the level of tech that you acquire the Outback. Paying only 45 science and 800 in cash for a battery that has EC of 756 is way out of line with the other available tech. The best thing I can achieve with my 110+ mod setup at a similar level of tech is going up to Electrics for 90 science and using a Procedural Parts Battery and can still only manage to get one with 300 EC. At the 45 science level I can only manage 156 with a PP battery. The Outback's only trade off is the extra 10kg of extra mass which is meaningless - anyone will take that all day long. I see people attaching these to their craft as the primary battery source with the intention of never removing them. This extra power is really a major issue early in career games but has no real effect later on. I don't know if you have a way you could scale the power up with increasing tech levels or not but that would be the ideal solution. Otherwise, just simply toning down the power and providing a pack that has between 150-300 EC still gives a significant advantage at the 45 science level. Additionally, that advantage would quickly disappear after just a couple more purchases in the electrics line when the 400 EC battery opens for stock and many other mods like PP give even more advantages.

Other than that, the balance on all the other selections for the Outback seem to really be in line with other tech available at this level and provides that tiny bit of extra flexibility you need for various types of setups. Really a great addition to this whole package...keep up the great work!

Great feedback, thank you. Consider the MC-16 communications link to be a part of the Gaslight. Yay reduced parts count! I have some other ideas in mind for next update to help keep the base's part count low as well, but still work with KIS/KAS.

I currently don't have a way to scale up the EC based upon tech level, but I can tone down the storage. The Outback actually stores about 1/4 the EC that the Buckboard does when configured as a battery. I've been thinking about this for a while, and I think an alternate solution is to require RocketParts to switch to the battery template, just like it takes RocketParts to switch Ponderosa templates. That would also mean you need an Engineer to perform the conversion (both of which can be turned off in the Settings window). I think a combination of the two- lowering the EC levels on both the Outback and the Buckboard to EC amounts appropriate to the tech level, and requiring RocketParts to make the conversion, will solve the problem.