Kerbodyne Plus Development Thread

[Bonus Eventus]

 

Updated the crew module. Added some subtle form changes, added airlock IDs signs, and internal cabin IDs so you have some idea of which cabin your dudes are in. I also solved a couple of bugs with the airlock and ladders. Now I'm working on radial decouplers for the behemoth launch system. After that aerodynamic size 3 nosecone.

[Siphonophore]

Yo @Bonus Eventus, any progress on any of my suggestions, namely the T202 airlock and T202(?) centrifuge?

also, any progress on any new parts like the Data Server, XL RCS engines or the service module? I think the service module could have like a spacious inner storage accessible from the four doors around it and probably room for super tiny probes

 

[Bonus Eventus]

I'm focusing on the 1.1 update ATM. All my work is going into ion engines and xenon storage tanks. RCS might make it in. After a lot of fruitless investigation, I found that there's no good way to make a centrifuge. Every method so far doesn't address IVA or if it does, it uses something really lag prone, like infernal robotics or the extremely experimental ModuleJointMotorTest which squad seemingly abandoned.  So all you can do is have a ring that spins with no IVA or compromise and have the iva in the center. So, there won't be any centrifuge indefinitely. 

 

EDIT: So, I thought I should just add that one could also make an IVA in the shape of the centrifuge with kerbals placed throughout (like porkjet's mod) as long as there aren't any windows to reveal how the IVA camera isn't rotating with the craft.

Edited March 5, 2016 by Bonus Eventus

[LitaAlto]

On 3/2/2016 at 2:30 AM, Bonus Eventus said:

I'm focusing on the 1.1 update ATM. All my work is going into ion engines and xenon storage tanks. RCS might make it in. After a lot of fruitless investigation, I found that there's no good way to make a centrifuge. Every method so far doesn't address IVA or if it does, it uses something really lag prone, like infernal robotics or the extremely experimental ModuleJointMotorTest which squad seemingly abandoned.  So all you can do is have a ring that spins with no IVA or compromise and have the iva in the center. So, there won't be any centrifuge indefinitely. 

Did you ever look at Porkjet's Habitat Pack and its centrifuge IVA? Or does that use ModuleJointMotorTest?

[RedParadize]

On 3/2/2016 at 5:30 AM, Bonus Eventus said:

I'm focusing on the 1.1 update ATM. All my work is going into ion engines and xenon storage tanks. RCS might make it in. After a lot of fruitless investigation, I found that there's no good way to make a centrifuge. Every method so far doesn't address IVA or if it does, it uses something really lag prone, like infernal robotics or the extremely experimental ModuleJointMotorTest which squad seemingly abandoned.  So all you can do is have a ring that spins with no IVA or compromise and have the iva in the center. So, there won't be any centrifuge indefinitely. 

What about a single part rigid centrifuge? A bit like Porkjet and Roverdude centrifuge but instand of inflating, two half octagon on arms are deployed away from the center. Similar to 2010s Leonov but retractable. No docking port, hatch or window on the rotating part. Would it be doable ?

[Bonus Eventus]

9 hours ago, LitaAlto said:

Did you ever look at Porkjet's Habitat Pack and its centrifuge IVA? Or does that use ModuleJointMotorTest?

@Porkjet's IVA doesn't rotate. He cleverly gave the iva no windows, so the player doesn't notice the lack of synced rotation of the centrifuge. @Porkjet uses the firespitter plugin and layered animations to achieve his centrifuge.

5 hours ago, RedParadize said:

What about a single part rigid centrifuge? A bit like Porkjet and Roverdude centrifuge but instand of inflating, two half octagon on arms are deployed away from the center. Similar to 2010s Leonov but retractable. No docking port, hatch or window on the rotating part. Would it be doable ?

That's the same as @Badsector's Dark Technology centrifuge.  

If I were to do a centrifuge, I would want:

• Modular pieces so the centrifuge could be assembled in space
• IVA rotation, so you can see the ring rotate from interior windows
• Animation that can stop rotating
• Timewarping that doesn't stop the animation or crash the game while centrifuge is spinning

I found in my research that craft files have a tree structure, so if you add some type of special stack node (a unity transform) for other parts to connect to a rotation animation, you will have to check for all the children of that node and move them as well, this will have to be updated essentially every frame. (this is what infernal robotics does, so I've read). Also, this would affect every scene where parts are loaded. So, we're talking about a very advanced plugin. It would be different if we weren't affecting every other part in the stack. It would be best if squad were to complete ModuleJointMotor because this would be akin to writing the wheel module from scratch. It would affect to many other parts. To put it plainly this would be like creating an entirely separate mod. It would be too much of a burden to take on for little ol' me.

Edited March 5, 2016 by Bonus Eventus

[DStaal]

On the centrifuge idea: Could you have a non-rotating one?  After all, having one section of the ship that rotates separately causes no end of technical hurdles - as well as being a maintenance nightmare.  Realistically, it's more likely you'd just rotate the entire ship.  As long as you make it clear in-game that it's intended that the centrifuge habitat doesn't rotate separately, it'd be a nice part.

[Siphonophore]

@Bonus Eventus

I seriously agree with @DStaal, an internal centrifuge would be far more realistic and scientifically accurate

[davidy12]

Agreed. An internal Centrifuge makes a lot more sense. 

[Stone Blue]

On 3/5/2016 at 0:36 AM, DStaal said:

On the centrifuge idea: Could you have a non-rotating one?  After all, having one section of the ship that rotates separately causes no end of technical hurdles - as well as being a maintenance nightmare.  Realistically, it's more likely you'd just rotate the entire ship.  As long as you make it clear in-game that it's intended that the centrifuge habitat doesn't rotate separately, it'd be a nice part.

Isnt a NON-rotating centrifuge an oxymoron, though?... If it didnt rotate, then it would just be a standard "module" of some type... ??

Edited March 6, 2016 by Stone Blue

[DStaal]

Non-rotating as in it doesn't rotate separate from the rest of the ship.  It's still designed to be used to create artificial gravity for the crew, and to provide usable space under the centrifugal force load - it's just that to do so you intend to rotate the whole ship, instead of dealing with the mechanical and technical complications of a single rotating section.  (And that's just the real-life explanation - it's obviously easier to make it non rotating in KSP as well.)

[Bonus Eventus]

10 hours ago, DStaal said:

Non-rotating as in it doesn't rotate separate from the rest of the ship.  It's still designed to be used to create artificial gravity for the crew, and to provide usable space under the centrifugal force load - it's just that to do so you intend to rotate the whole ship, instead of dealing with the mechanical and technical complications of a single rotating section.  (And that's just the real-life explanation - it's obviously easier to make it non rotating in KSP as well.)

Hmm...I just happened to find this comment on deviant art:

 

Quote

francisdrakex Edited Sep 21, 2015 

The engines are mounted near the mass center. They can be swivled sideways for continous thrust during cruise flight, while the spacecraft is rotating to provide artificial gravity. http://francisdrakex.deviantart.com/art/Hermes-Infographic-486185729
This 'sideways tumbling flight' is a simple method to create artificial gravity without any additional moving parts (as a centrifuge would require). Only when maneuvering close to planets the rotation is stopped and the engines are oriented fore-to-aft. This is to point the reactors' radiation away from docking targets.

http://francisdrakex.deviantart.com

The comment was made on deviant art by FrancisDrakex in response to a question about the engine clusters on his illustration of the Hermes from the book "The Martian" 

Might be interesting to try embedding an engine into either side of a ring that would then spin the craft. I'll have to think about that...

 

[Bonus Eventus]

early concept for the new Ion Engine Cluster

[davidy12]

5 hours ago, Bonus Eventus said:

early concept for the new Ion Engine Cluster

Your making a Hermes  

[Bonus Eventus]

Another quick concept. I'm considering making it just one large engine. Both of these are size 2 btw

Edited March 7, 2016 by Bonus Eventus

[Siphonophore]

@Bonus Eventus those look very nice, BUT, I think you should use the first design, it looks a little nicer, and the exhaust probably could be like a sky-blue color.

Edited March 8, 2016 by AJTheMighty

[Deimos Rast]

@Bonus EventusYou do some wonderful work; reading through this thread has been fascinating to watch this develop.

I've had this pack installed for awhile but only now just started to unlock parts for it - not what I was expecting at all. From a design perspective and aesthetically, they are very different from every other part pack I've seen and stand out. And the parts are big!

Well done!

[Bonus Eventus]

3 hours ago, Deimos Rast said:

@Bonus EventusYou do some wonderful work; reading through this thread has been fascinating to watch this develop.

I've had this pack installed for awhile but only now just started to unlock parts for it - not what I was expecting at all. From a design perspective and aesthetically, they are very different from every other part pack I've seen and stand out. And the parts are big!

Well done!

Thanks Deimos, that's nice of you to say! 

 

Here's another quick concept this one is more utilitarian. Kind of like a space refrigerator, lol

Edited March 8, 2016 by Bonus Eventus

[Rushligh]

I like them all. the last two look like they belong with LackLusterLabs parts. (you might want to see if they can use them, or work out compatibility?)
the first engines demo should be a 3.75-5.0 Meter part that make far better use of thrust-electricity/fuel ratios; where the second engine would be a 2.5 -1.25 m part that requires far more electricity and fuel. I would love to see these parts function with NFT or KSPI.

If i had to pick i'd go with the first one. it looks so much more realistic for an ion cluster.

Edited March 8, 2016 by Rushligh
miss spelled

[Siphonophore]

@Bonus Eventus

I totally agree with @Rushligh and like I said the first one totally looks like something we humans could build. Maybe its exhaust could have lots of glowing sparks flying through it

[Bonus Eventus]

4 minutes ago, Rushligh said:

I like them all. the last two look like they belong with LackLusterLabs parts. (you might want to see if they can use them, or work out compatibility?)
the first engines demo should be a 3.75-5.0 Meter part that make far better use of thrust-electricity/fuel ratios; where the second engine would be a 2.5 -1.25 m part that requires far more electricity and fuel. I would love to see these parts function with NFT or KSPI.

If i had to pick i'd go with the first one. it looks so much more realistic for an ion cluster.

The plan I've been operating on for propulsion in 1.1 update:

1. Stage 1 - Behemoth Engine Cluster (ISP: 311, Max Thrust: 22,500 kn, Gimbal: 8 Degrees, Fuel: LFO, Weight: 45 Metric Tons)
2. Stage 2 [ option A ] - 2.5m Electromagnetic Plasma Engine (ISP: 5000, Max Thrust: 50 kn, Gimbal: 4 Degrees, Fuel: xenon/electric, Weight: 2.5 Metric Tons). The engine can be easily clustered in groups of 4 to 8 for up to 200kn of thrust, pretty good given the isp.
3. Stage 2 [ option B ] - 6m Magnetic Confinement Fusion Engine (rough idea - 13,000 isp, 1,200 kn thrust, no gimbal, liquid fuel/electric

[Bonus Eventus]

1 hour ago, AJTheMighty said:

@Bonus Eventus

I totally agree with @Rushligh and like I said the first one totally looks like something we humans could build. Maybe its exhaust could have lots of glowing sparks flying through it

Could you explain what you mean? I think all of them look like something humans could make  

This is a scale model by Ad Astra for the 200kw Vasimr engine which I've been using as a jumping off point.

[Siphonophore]

41 minutes ago, Bonus Eventus said:

The plan I've been operating on for propulsion in 1.1 update:

1. Stage 1 - Behemoth Engine Cluster (ISP: 311, Max Thrust: 22,500 kn, Gimbal: 8 Degrees, Fuel: LFO, Weight: 45 Metric Tons)
2. Stage 2 [ option A ] - 2.5m Electromagnetic Plasma Engine (ISP: 5000, Max Thrust: 50 kn, Gimbal: 4 Degrees, Fuel: xenon/electric, Weight: 2.5 Metric Tons). The engine can be easily clustered in groups of 4 to 8 for up to 200kn of thrust, pretty good given the isp.
3. Stage 2 [ option B ] - 6m Magnetic Confinement Fusion Engine (rough idea - 13,000 isp, 1,200 kn thrust, no gimbal, liquid fuel/electric

@Bonus Eventus

GO WITH BOTH OF EM

DO IT

4 minutes ago, Bonus Eventus said:

Could you explain what you mean? I think all of them look like something humans could make  

This is a scale model by Ad Astra for the 200kw Vasimr engine which I've been using as a jumping off point.

I dunno, all of em look pretty realistic to me. I feel the 2m one and the blocky one look most realistic and both should existalize in KP version 1.1  Maybe the 6m engine could have its own integrated RCS engines to compromise for its lack of gimbal.

[Bonus Eventus]

Here's the last one for the day. 

Think, I'm getting closer...

[Rushligh]

naw, i like the first one allot better! i feel like it could be a skin a KSPI VISTA modification.
(which i would very much like to see)