[Very WIP] EVA fuel from monoprop mod

[Grumman]

I have an idea for my first plugin which would handle the infinite EVA fuel available to Kerbals in a less lenient way, making it easy to roleplay it as a finite resource without punishing you too much if you actually run out.

1. Add a variable to kerbalEVA called virtualFuel.

2. When a Kerbal goes on EVA,

(2a.) deduct 5 units of monoprop from the ship's stores, or

(2b.) reduce the ship's stores to zero if less than 5 units of monoprop are present.

3. If step 2b was used, virtualFuel is set to (5 - ship's stores). Otherwise it is set to 0.

4. When a Kerbal returns from EVA,

(4a.) add its (EVA fuel - virtualFuel) to the ship's stores as monoprop, or

(4b.) add 0 fuel to the ship's stores if virtualFuel > EVA fuel.

Does anyone see anything wrong with my logic, if my intention is to make EVA fuel use reduce your monoprop stores without monoprop fuel use reducing EVA fuel stores?

[jofwu]

The good news is that I think your logic is right. The bad news is that I think it's already been done.

See this thread: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/94396-0-24-2-EvaFuel-0-0-1

I think it's working without problems in 1.0.4, but it IS technically out of date. So maybe a new take would be a good thing. If you make something, post it in that thread. They'll probably be interested.

[Grumman]

Thanks for the pointer. I'd call it good news if it had already been done, but the two mods do differ in how they handle empty monoprop tanks. In that other mod, if the ship has 4 units of monoprop and a Kerbal wants 5 units of EVA fuel to go on EVA, he only gets 4 units of EVA fuel. In this mod, the Kerbal gets 5 units of EVA fuel but also 1 unit of "fuel debt". When the Kerbal reenters the ship, that 1 unit of "fuel debt" means the ship only gets 4 units of monoprop back from the Kerbal's 5 units of EVA fuel.

Done this way an empty monoprop tank will never leave your Kerbal stranded with an empty EVA tank, but EVA still reduces the amount of monoprop available for maneuvers. Or compared to stock, it changes the game from "infinite EVA fuel" to "infinite EVA fuel, but only after you run out of monoprop."

[problemecium]

^ I LIKE THIS!

I'm apprehensive of mods or the stock game adding a functionality to have Kerbals take the MonoPropellant from the ship, as it provides a legitimate, but frustrating, danger of being stranded helplessly. So if this will add that in, but let Kerbals use "emergency EVA fuel" then I approve wholeheartedly.

Regarding the VirtualFuel - instead of adding a resource, it seems like you should just be able to use a local variable and/or the existing EVAFuel resource. Worst-case scenario, why not just have the Kerbal use MonoPropellant as EVA Fuel and use the EVAFuel resource as VirtualFuel?

[Grumman]

Regarding the VirtualFuel - instead of adding a resource, it seems like you should just be able to use a local variable and/or the existing EVAFuel resource. Worst-case scenario, why not just have the Kerbal use MonoPropellant as EVA Fuel and use the EVAFuel resource as VirtualFuel?

The reason why using the local variable VirtualFuel to keep track of how much EVA fuel will not be returned seemed like the best idea is because it requires the least shuffling around of the preexisting systems. Kerbals on EVA are given 5 units of EVA fuel which they consume when maneuvering with their jetpack, and all those things can remain unchanged. The less I have to change, the less likely it is to interfere with somebody else's mod, or screw up on its own.

[bgeery]

I suggest making the virtualfuel a configurable option. Turn it off and no monoprop = no eva fuel (like current EVAFuel mod does things). That way everyone can choose how hard to make things, and we get a new mod that's being maintained.

[Reiver]

I've always been tempted to rig it so that 5 units of EVA fuel = 1 unit of MonoProp; or possibly a 10:1 ratio or the like. Not infinite, but more generous than "Whoops, you only get two refills". The trick of course is that Kerbals would start with a full tank, even if the Monoprop hits zero before they ever climbed out.

That latter part is really important for not stranding Kerbals.