[WIP][1.8.x] SSTULabs - Low Part Count Solutions (Orbiters, Landers, Lifters) - Dev Thread [11-18-18]

[Temeter]

Or autostrut.

[Jimbodiah]

Nah, doesn't work as nicely and I've had that just stop working during launches. It's also a pain to have to set the rigid/strut option on every single part. They should just auto enable them on everything and not need to have it in the GUI to begin with.

 

Mage, would something like this be an option to enable boil-off or other options for your mod (like not using non-stock fuels)? It looks like a nice feature to change setting in-game for people not handy in changing cfg files.

Edited October 20, 2016 by Jimbodiah

[Shadowmage]

9 minutes ago, tater said:

The R-7 wobbled like crazy (gimbal issues). I even installed gravity turn last night to test launches without pilot error getting in the way, and it had issues as well. I should check vs 1.1.3, but it does seem worse to me.

 

6 minutes ago, Jimbodiah said:

Try to set gimballing at 50% for launch and lower to around 10% along the way to orbit.

 

My suggestion would actually be to patch and disable the gimbal response speed on the gimbals for those engines (or all engines...) and test again.  I bet the wobbling will be gone

(I intend to test this myself if/when I can find time for it)

[SebastianPahlsson]

@Shadowmage Just made a MKS base on minimus, Now i want to use your parts for a transfer stage to Duna. Can you tell me how I change numbers and add MKS hab time to your hab modules. Also how I add Hydrogen, oxygen and aerozine50, NTO to Ore converter?

 

Edited October 20, 2016 by SebastianPahlsson

[Shadowmage]

17 hours ago, Jimbodiah said:

PS: Anyone seen this mod? Nice addition to the Shuttle it looks like.

http://spacedock.info/mod/1011/Shuttle Payload Technologies

Indeed, MrMeeb has been making some nice looking shuttle payloads.  As a bonus they should be mostly compatible with the SSTU shuttle cargo bay (it is very close to the stock bays / other shuttle mod bay form factors).  Haven't actually tried it yet due to the other problems with the shuttle, but will certainly be giving it a go with my next playthrough.

 

17 hours ago, mechanicH said:

Nice Shuttle parts @Jimbodiah,  these would work perfect with the SC-E or even the stock build. Btw @Shadowmage thank you for working on the shuttle project, i know its been a pain in the back for you, but its going to be well worth it.  

I'm -hoping- to be able to return the shuttle within the next few releases.  Might even try to sqeeze them in prior to much more work on the HAB parts.

Need to get the landing gear working again, which is the biggest problem with them at the moment.  Will require quite a bit of work on the KSPWheel system which I haven't had time to work on recently.

Aside from that it also needs some love on the COM/Aero stability -- I realized that it has roll instability because of the inertia tensor -- need to remove mass from the fuselage and add it to the wings to make it more stable in simulation;  this will make it more resistant to changes in roll orientation due to the increased mass simulated towards the wings.  May help with yaw instability as well a bit.

I -think- that those are the main outstanding problems with the SC-E parts that need to be fixed up.  Most everything else seemed to be working decently.  Might be nice if I could get the custom 'control from here' transform for the thrust-line working as well (more accurate ascents when using autopilots)... but I consider that purely a 'bonus'.

 

1 hour ago, Jimbodiah said:

Nah, doesn't work as nicely and I've had that just stop working during launches. It's also a pain to have to set the rigid/strut option on every single part. They should just auto enable them on everything and not need to have it in the GUI to begin with.

 

Mage, would something like this be an option to enable boil-off or other options for your mod (like not using non-stock fuels)? It looks like a nice feature to change setting in-game for people not handy in changing cfg files.

I'm tempted to make a mini-mod (or patch?) that force-enables either 'rigid connection' or 'auto-strut' on all parts.  Haven't yet looked into how viable it would be.  May also try to fix up the 'apply upgrades in sandbox' bit while I'm at it...

 

Haven't yet had time to look into the custom mod-settings stuff yet.  Have several options I would like to add there (such as toggling between the adapter selection GUI or the scroll lists); boiloff and a few other settings might be good to add there as well.  I suppose I should probably take notes on them so they don't get forgotten about   ( https://github.com/shadowmage45/SSTULabs/issues/365 )

Changing fuels would not be an option -- that is all done through part configs and cannot be changed by a simple game setting, the user would need to add/enable a patch or edit configs.

 

[Temeter]

54 minutes ago, Shadowmage said:

I'm tempted to make a mini-mod (or patch?) that force-enables either 'rigid connection' or 'auto-strut' on all parts.

I'm not too sure about that. From what I've heard, auto strut can actually make things worse when it's done for too many parts at once; not to mention it's basically a strut, meaning strutting everything would mean a hefty performance cost.

I built a bunch of more realistic rockets and found that it's much more benefitial to strategically add few autostruts to grandparent/root where it actually matters (e.g. fuel tank to grandparent to circumvent the decoupler wobble). If you want a good rocket, then you have to build a good rocket.^^

Edited October 20, 2016 by Temeter

[mechanicH]

 

You mean this kind of mod @Shadowmage

[Theysen]

Everybody going for a bit of real craft building should use KJR by default. It doesn't squeeze performance even on the biggest contraptions and has no funny interactions like rigid attachment on radial decouplers and srbs (hint: the booster loses attachment and flies away at the very first time pitch momentum is induced, lol). Plus it sometimes requires a simple strut on boosters for example which makes them look quite realistic - unless using SSTU's RBDC which is boss, of course  

 

 

 

 

[Jimbodiah]

The KJR test version works great, launched 20 rockets today I think, with zero wobble, not a care in the world now.

[01010101lzy]

The SC-GEN-PDC Part in the latest release cannot go above 1.25m... May be a typo in the code?

-update-

Okay, all procedural parts can't resize above 1.25m now. Decouplers can't go above and fuel tanks can't even resize...

Is it my KSP out of date or the new release broken?

Problem solved!

Edited October 21, 2016 by 01010101lzy

[tater]

You are in Sandbox mode, and have not checked the box to apply all upgrades. Go to "Settings" in game, and difficulty you can check the box.

2 minutes ago, 01010101lzy said:

The SC-GEN-PDC Part in the latest release cannot go above 1.25m... May be a typo in the code?

 

Edited October 21, 2016 by tater

[01010101lzy]

 

5 minutes ago, tater said:

You are in Sandbox mode, and have not checked the box to apply all upgrades. Go to "Settings" in game, and difficulty you can check the box.

 

Thanks!

Edited October 21, 2016 by 01010101lzy

[Jimbodiah]

I'm actually having the same thing with the two inline decouplers in a new career mode where the size does not go over 1.25 but there are no upgrades either. I played a science career where this was no issue, but a full career mode I can't get larger decouplers (though tanks can upgrade after buying them from the techtree). Where do I upgrade them as they are only shown in the node that first unlocks them.

Edited October 21, 2016 by Jimbodiah

[Shadowmage]

23 minutes ago, Jimbodiah said:

I'm actually having the same thing with the two inline decouplers in a new career mode where the size does not go over 1.25 but there are no upgrades either. I played a science career where this was no issue, but a full career mode I can't get larger decouplers (though tanks can upgrade after buying them from the techtree). Where do I upgrade them as they are only shown in the node that first unlocks them.

They use the 'fairing diameter upgrade' unlocks... which are likely down in some of the aero or construction/materials nodes.

From the ProceduralDecoupler part:	
	UPGRADES
	{
		UPGRADE
		{
			name__ = SSTU-FR-D1
			maxDiameter = 2.5
		}
		UPGRADE
		{
			name__ = SSTU-FR-D2
			maxDiameter = 3.75
		}
		UPGRADE
		{
			name__ = SSTU-FR-D3
			maxDiameter = 6.25
		}
		UPGRADE
		{
			name__ = SSTU-FR-D4
			maxDiameter = 10
		}
	}	

From the 'UpgradeParts-FR' file:
// Below are the upgrade parts for MFT fairings

PARTUPGRADE
{
	name = SSTU-FR-D1
	partIcon = SSTU-SC-GEN-FR-N
	techRequired = specializedConstruction
	entryCost = 10000
	title = Modular Fairing Max Diameter Increase (2.5m)
	description = Increases the maximum diameter available for modular fairings.  This upgrade allows up to 2.5m diameter fairings to be created.
}
PARTUPGRADE
{
	name = SSTU-FR-D2
	partIcon = SSTU-SC-GEN-FR-N
	techRequired = composites
	entryCost = 20000
	title = Modular Fairing Max Diameter Increase (3.75m)
	description = Increases the maximum diameter available for modular fairings.  This upgrade allows up to 3.75m diameter fairings to be created.
}
PARTUPGRADE
{
	name = SSTU-FR-D3
	partIcon = SSTU-SC-GEN-FR-N
	techRequired = metaMaterials
	entryCost = 30000
	title = Modular Fairing Max Diameter Increase (6.25m)
	description = Increases the maximum diameter available for modular fairings.  This upgrade allows up to 6.25m diameter fairings to be created.
}
PARTUPGRADE
{
	name = SSTU-FR-D4
	partIcon = SSTU-SC-GEN-FR-N
	techRequired = nanolathing
	entryCost = 40000
	title = Modular Fairing Max Diameter Increase (10m)
	description = Increases the maximum diameter available for modular fairings.  This upgrade allows up to 10m diameter fairings to be created.
}

 

Yes they will be getting their own unlock parts/nodes in the future (will be for ISDC, RBDC, PDC).

[Jimbodiah]

Ah, okay, I was looking for a thumbnail of the parts in question... Old dog and new tricks.

[Shadowmage]

Bit of work on the inflatable module geometry -- playing around with the animations and how to do the windows with them in play.  Not too hard to do.  BlendShapes/ShapeKey/Vertex animations are.. kind of neat to work with.  Not sure how to do compound / multi-keyframe setups for them, but so far haven't really needed that.

Have decided that there will be two diameters of inflatable -- 2.5m & 3.75m.  Each of those diameters will have two length options (2.0x and 3.0x).  So you'll be gaining one additional large inflatable out of these.  Not sure that I'll be making the tiny one (the HAB-D).  May keep the geometry around to include the the BaseCore stuff if/when I get to it though.

Hoping to do a bit more geo work on these over the weekend, and perhaps move onto texturing and finalization next week.

[Shadowmage]

On Thursday, October 20, 2016 at 11:46 AM, SebastianPahlsson said:

@Shadowmage Just made a MKS base on minimus, Now i want to use your parts for a transfer stage to Duna. Can you tell me how I change numbers and add MKS hab time to your hab modules. Also how I add Hydrogen, oxygen and aerozine50, NTO to Ore converter?

 

The short answer is to wait until I can get to them.  I intend on making MKS and USI-LS configs for all of the ShipCore / StationCore parts.  However, it may be a month or two until I get to them.

The long answer is -- you can do it yourself the same as you would with most other mods parts.  I even have some example configs in... GameData/SSTU/Parts/StationCore/ST-DOS/USI-LS--ST-DOS.cfg -- should give you enough information to create patches for the rest.

As to the ore converter -- no clue, sorry.  You can likely look at the MKS patches as I believe those add a few new resources to it.

 

Also, please note that the HAB parts will be getting changed / altered / removed / renamed in the upcoming releases as those parts are finished (so craft using them -will- break).  The existing DOS and COS parts should be a bit more stable (mostly just need balancing).

 

[tater]

Will the COS parts be getting a hatch?

 

[Shadowmage]

4 minutes ago, tater said:

Will the COS parts be getting a hatch?

 

Nope, no room for them.  Nor do the real-world modules have an external hatch.

I am planning on making an 'airlock' adapter that will have a hatch (and might still try hatches on some other adapters), but there won't be any on the base models.

[tater]

20 minutes ago, Shadowmage said:

Nope, no room for them.  Nor do the real-world modules have an external hatch.

I am planning on making an 'airlock' adapter that will have a hatch (and might still try hatches on some other adapters), but there won't be any on the base models.

That's right, way up thread you said that hatches were possible on adapters! I tried reading back several pages... but we're a chatty lot, lol.

Edited October 21, 2016 by tater

[falken]

One thing I'd suggest with the ST-MST-ISS solar system would be to reduce the diameter of the 'barrel' section a little, simply so that it can fit into a Mk3 cargo bay. The thing is slightly too big for it, and it would make sense for an ISS inspired part to be able to be ferried up into orbit in a shuttle.

Even just a rescale would suffice I reckon, however no matter what I do to the .cfg it doesn't seem to reflect in game...

edit: Curious. in ModelData-ST-MST.cfg, I modified "diameter = 1.875" to "diameter = 1.25" an it actually increased the size of the main solar part with rotating barrel, and setting it to 2.5 or 3.75 actually reduced it. 

Okay, I've set that last setting back to 1.875 and went back into "ST-MST-ISS.cfg" and changed the following from this:

    name = SSTUModularStationCore
    topDiameter = 1.875
    coreDiameter = 1.875
    bottomDiameter = 1.875

to this:

    name = SSTUModularStationCore
    topDiameter = 1.65
    coreDiameter = 1.65
    bottomDiameter = 1.65

This allows the part to fit (with a tiny bit of wiggle room) into the Mk3 fuselage cargo bay.

E: Shadowmage, one thing I'm going to have a go at doing is making an MM patch that allows you to globally change tankagemass. What you have set up is obviously 100% A-OK for stock, but if you use SMURFF the parts become too heavy to their new lighter counterparts. I painstakingly edited all tankagemasses in my 1.1.3 save to fall in line with the SMURFF tankagemass. Once I'm done I'll probably upload it or something.

Edited October 23, 2016 by falken

[Pappystein]

10 hours ago, falken said:

One thing I'd suggest with the ST-MST-ISS solar system would be to reduce the diameter of the 'barrel' section a little, simply so that it can fit into a Mk3 cargo bay. The thing is slightly too big for it, and it would make sense for an ISS inspired part to be able to be ferried up into orbit in a shuttle.

Um, not to nitpick but nowhere does SQUAD say that the MK3 pattern fuselage is supposed to mimic in scale the Space Shuttle.

On the other hand.  Good experimenting and good documentation of your work!

/joke PS real space stations are launched on Saturn II rockets! /joke 

 

[falken]

Well, seeing as that's generally the size in which shuttles are made in, and the Squad Mk3 cockpit is basically a replica of the shuttle cockpit...

 

 

[falken]

Alright chaps, I'm conceding defeat here. Here's the MM patch I tried to make to allow me to mess with SSTUVolumeContainer tankageMass quickly and easily:

@PART[*]:HAS[@MODULE[SSTUVolumeContainer]]
{    
    @MODULE[SSTUVolumeContainer],*
    {
        @tankageMass = 0.037
        
    }
}

Cannot for the life of me get the damn thing to work though. 

[JoseEduardo]

so, I was bored today (thanks to the wonderful policies of the former government, where we now have plenty of work available, the dollar isn't as high as a stoner and we're totally not broke) and I decided to make something useful instead of bugging @Shadowmage about station stuff.... so I turned @CobaltWolf's Sarnus into a SSTU part to be rescaled freely and have the adapters/mounts/interstages as part of the tanks (not only his tanks, but also for MFT-A).

here's an example:






just for the record, the first stage is 6.25m wide

I'll be making a new thread with this patch and a few more once I'm finished with them, they won't be part of Nova and I'll be moving the engines on Nova to this new pack