[1.12.5] Bluedog Design Bureau - Stockalike Saturn, Apollo, and more! (v1.14.0 "металл" 30/Sep/2024)

[CobaltWolf]

3 minutes ago, Drakenex said:

By all means! RL comes first. Thanks for all the hard work and effort expend making this. You're famous here in my office :P!

Wut. 0.o

[Drakenex]

1 minute ago, CobaltWolf said:

Wut. 0.o

hehehe nothing, a lot of people here plays KSP, no one is active in the forums or care about the addons. They just ask me if the "wolf guy" updated and uploaded any new Saturn parts.

[Araym]

1 hour ago, davidy12 said:

@CobaltWolf: On the FASA launch clamps (specifically the umbilical), you put "Bluedot_DB" for the source of the model in the cfg. file. 

Already adressed and corrected (it was my fault, as I did the integration of FASA launchclamps inside BDB: our dear @CobaltWolf turned himself to a evil mastermind, using more minions to be ready with BDB release for 1.2). A lot of fixes are undergoing to be ready for release in this last hours.

But thanks for the note

Edited October 11, 2016 by Araym

[Drakenex]

"Finch" verniers mentioned on the 1C engine mounting base are still in development?

[Araym]

1 minute ago, Drakenex said:

"Finch" verniers mentioned on the 1C engine mounting base are still in development?

Those are some of the vernier that cames with the BDB Atlas... even probably should be used the surface mountable "Crow" ones, rather the stack "Finch" (but CobaltWolf could correct me)

[Drakenex]

1 minute ago, Araym said:

Those are some of the vernier that cames with the BDB Atlas... even probably should be used the surface mountable "Crow" ones, rather the stack "Finch" (but CobaltWolf could correct me)

Can't find them, only the "Crow" ones, but they are kinda low tech to use them on the supposedly evolved Saturn 1C, IMHO at least. 

[CobaltWolf]

Whoops, yes should be 'Crow'. I need to remake the Atlas engines including those.

@Drakenex there was a lot of discussion a couple years ago on the ETS thread, and our own resident NathanKell actually built out the Saturn 1C in Realism Overhaul to test it. The ETS authors usually don't define hard details for their stuff unless pressed on it, and their explanation of the Saturn 1C's roll control was basically 'it has verniers of some sort'. NathanKell built ant tested it with LR-101s (the Atlas + Thor verniers) and they were able to provide the small amount of roll control needed. As E of Pi noted, if they wanted they COULD have very easily, and cheaply, crash developed a larger vernier; it's just one had never been needed, since any large rockets at the time used clustered engines. If you want something 'bigger', I recommend using the old B109-D 'Ros' radial engines that I made all that time ago. It's also worth noting that the LR-101s are still used on Delta II, pretty much unchanged.

EDIT: I do plan on remaking the Finch to have gimbals, so you can put it straight onto the bottom of the S-IE engine mount.

Edited October 11, 2016 by CobaltWolf

[Araym]

4 minutes ago, Drakenex said:

Can't find them, only the "Crow" ones, but they are kinda low tech to use them on the supposedly evolved Saturn 1C, IMHO at least. 

Even in reality, not all the "advanced" things developed by NASA were really "new things", but rather clever usage of already available hardware...

... but beside that, check Muo-101S "Finch" Liquid Engine in "General Rocketry" (they are pretty small and abismal, in the part selection menu, so a lot of time they are unnoticed), alongside of their siblings "Crow" (remember that the part search, in KSP, should be still sensible to the " used in the name, so if you search them by "Finch" you should add those "apex" -dunno how to call them in english... I'm italian- before and after the names)

[Drakenex]

7 minutes ago, CobaltWolf said:

Whoops, yes should be 'Crow'. I need to remake the Atlas engines including those.

@Drakenex there was a lot of discussion a couple years ago on the ETS thread, and our own resident NathanKell actually built out the Saturn 1C in Realism Overhaul to test it. The ETS authors usually don't define hard details for their stuff unless pressed on it, and their explanation of the Saturn 1C's roll control was basically 'it has verniers of some sort'. NathanKell built ant tested it with LR-101s (the Atlas + Thor verniers) and they were able to provide the small amount of roll control needed. As E of Pi noted, if they wanted they COULD have very easily, and cheaply, crash developed a larger vernier; it's just one had never been needed, since any large rockets at the time used clustered engines. If you want something 'bigger', I recommend using the old B109-D 'Ros' radial engines that I made all that time ago. It's also worth noting that the LR-101s are still used on Delta II, pretty much unchanged.

EDIT: I do plan on remaking the Finch to have gimbals, so you can put it straight onto the bottom of the S-IE engine mount.

Great! good to know. Well, though the alternate timeline is nice and all, it lacks a little tech details.

1 minute ago, Araym said:

Even in reality, not all the "advanced" things developed by NASA were really "new things", but rather clever usage of already available hardware...

... but beside that, check Muo-101S "Finch" Liquid Engine in "General Rocketry" (they are pretty small and abismal, in the part selection menu, so a lot of time they are unnoticed), alongside of their siblings "Crow" (remember that the part search, in KSP, should be still sensible to the " used in the name, so if you search them by "Finch" you should add those "apex" -dunno how to call them in english... I'm italian- before and after the names)

quotes?

Yeah, more than a lot is reused very old tech ...

Oh yes! just found them! but no, they can't be used right now. Nice @CobaltWolfis remaking them.

 

[KSPNerd]

I would like to work on making the craft files complete and up to date, as well as adding more pictures!!!!

 

-KspNerd (Unofficial BDB Beta Tester/Contributor/Information Finder)

[Araym]

Just now, Drakenex said:

Great! good to know. Well, though the alternate timeline is nice and all, it lacks a little tech details.

quotes?

Yeah, more than a lot is reused very old tech ...

Oh yes! just found them! but no, they can't be used right now. Nice @CobaltWolfis remaking them.

 

Yes... "quotes"... my bad...
Beside, use the "Crow" one. On "testing" they were the one that we used sidemounted to the Saturn I-E engine skirt. Both are planned to be "remake" like some other Atlas engines, but still they are the ones needed (even if the F1 in KSP have enough gimbal control to fly alone )

[minepagan]

5 minutes ago, KSPNerd said:

I would like to work on making the craft files complete and up to date, as well as adding more pictures!!!!

 

-KspNerd (Unofficial BDB Beta Tester/Contributor/Information Finder)

I am making a craft file repo on Kerbalx.com which will be continually updated and you can pick and choose what you want.

EDIT: If you have any submissions just upload the file and PM me a link and I will include it.

Edited October 11, 2016 by minepagan

[Drakenex]

13 minutes ago, KSPNerd said:

I would like to work on making the craft files complete and up to date, as well as adding more pictures!!!!

 

-KspNerd (Unofficial BDB Beta Tester/Contributor/Information Finder)

 

7 minutes ago, minepagan said:

I am making a craft file repo on Kerbalx.com which will be continually updated and you can pick and choose what you want.

EDIT: If you have any submissions just upload the file and PM me a link and I will include it.

Same with screenshots, I'll add them to the gallery. I want to add upper stages in mid-flight, Capsules, new rockets still uncovered and probes. Thanks!

[komodo]

If there are issues, please enter them on the github issues page, as that's very easy to keep track of. 

Regarding rescales, we're  actively working on that. Sigma dimensions should work ok, but it's Kopernicus that is not ready. DO NOT BUG THEM, the update process has begun, but it will be ready when it's ready (aka, "Soon")

S1c needs addn testing, it's not even 24 hours old?  We can look at the dv on it for sure, but what was the nature of your payload? The less the first stage has to lift, and the second stage with the J2 in particular, the more efficient it will be. (The extra isp makes a big difference.)

[davidy12]

Note: S-IV IU has more Electric Charge than the S-IVB.

[Rory Yammomoto]

well... does this work in 1.2 release that just released 10 minutes ago?

[CobaltWolf]

you could wait a couple hours for me to finish taking care of housecleaning on the release, or you could not bother me about 1.2. Your choice.

[Araym]

7 minutes ago, Rory Yammomoto said:

well... does this work in 1.2 release that just released 10 minutes ago?

Nope... it works only for KSP 0.15............ (kings of back compatibility )
<... Araym the evil minion...>

By the way: the part is going to the final checks: downloading now from the github repo could always lead to problems, later, when it is released as polished and final version (craft saves breaking... issues to those already alunched... etc etc etc as always if using parts that are still in development)...
... in a bit it will be released. Soon.

Edited October 11, 2016 by Araym

[Rory Yammomoto]

5 minutes ago, CobaltWolf said:

you could wait a couple hours for me to finish taking care of housecleaning on the release, or you could not bother me about 1.2. Your choice.

I was poking some fun. I already know. It's a yes.

[CobaltWolf]

Today’s the day! The BDB team is happy to present to you the v1.0 release of Bluedog Design Bureau – “Eagle!”. As you read, please remember these are primarily my own thoughts on the update, and often reference ‘my work’, ‘my blablabla’. I absolutely don’t mean to make it seem like this project is solely my own anymore. As always, I’m blown away by the level of community involvement and activity here on the thread. The mod truly wouldn’t be the same without y’all. I consider myself exceptionally fortunate to have such a devoted fanbase that has continually kept me interested in creating more cool parts, and dedicated contributors who work endlessly to keep the mod updated and working.

This update is somewhat of a capstone for BDB. I have held off on tackling Saturn and Apollo for months, first out of a lack of interest, then out of fear that I wouldn’t be able to live up to the expectations of both the community, and myself. Though there’s certainly room for improvements, I am relieved to feel that these parts were up to our standards for release out the door. Part of my hesitation was a fear that my takes on these iconic spacecraft would never be ‘good enough’. I believe that I accomplished my goal of creating a detailed interpretation that fits into the stock art style. Over the course of 2.5 months (I started modelling Apollo in July 2016) we worked almost daily to get the v1.0 beta ready for release on September 30^th. After that, we continued to work, at times making hourly updates on the Github to continue pushing the polish and content of the update. In the release, you will find new parts to build the Saturn 1B, Saturn V, Apollo Block II, and the Lunar Excursion Module. Also included are the beginnings of future updates – parts for advanced Apollo variants, and parts for the S-1E first stage from Eyes Turned Skywards.

I started Bluedog Design Bureau just over one year ago – the thread was started September 30^th, 2015. In many ways this release is a one-year anniversary gift, for myself as much as you guys. I wanted an excuse to practice my modeling and texturing skills, something I didn’t have much chance to improve on in my classwork. Like many mod authors before me, I was inspired by @Beale's Tantares, and @frizzank's FASA, two massive parts packs that greatly increased the number and variety of parts in the game, while representing real world rockets. I wanted to create several cool antennas that I had seen picture of, but weren’t represented in game yet. After that I wanted to make a stockalike Explorer 1 probe, then a Redstone, then an Atlas V… things quickly got out of hand. As of this release, we have around 300 parts included in the mod – about the same number as in stock - almost all of them created with bespoke assets, some of them coming from other modders. In the span of 1 year, BDB has become one of the biggest mods for Kerbal Space Program, spanning from the earliest launch vehicles to the biggest ever made, and beyond.

In that time, I’ve also had the pleasure of becoming close with two very awesome people. @VenomousRequiem was one of the first people to take interest in the mod, and has become a great friend. I’ve been continuously impressed with how much your skill at modeling has developed given your limited time to practice. I know that life hasn’t been the easiest for you the last few months, but I know things will get better for you. @Jso, I really have no idea where I would be if you hadn’t joined the team as a full time developer. Not only would this release not be happening today, it also would have been absolutely nowhere near as good. I can only do so much with modeling and texturing – you’re the one that makes the mod actually playable.

A message from @VenomousRequiem

Quote

I'd like to start off saying how unbelievable proud I am of Cobalt and Jso, and even myself. A year in the making, we finally are able to push something out worthy of being called Bluedog Design Bureau 1.0. In the past year, we've all come a very far way, although Jso and myself joined more recently than Cobalt(Obviously). I'm not very good at meaningful speeches, but it's important to me that I express how amazed I am that we've made so much progress. I sincerely hope you all enjoy the 1.0 update, and I hope you understand how much work has gone into it thus far. On top of being able to call Cobalt one of my closest friends, I'm also very excited to be around during this wonderful time, and I will continue to be here until the end(hopefully never). This has been an excellent opportunity to practice my modeling skill, which has always been something I've wanted to do. I'd also like to thank everyone who has helped us along the way, which at this point is far too many people to list. This whole project would have been much slower without your help!

A message from @Jso:

Quote

I came here a year ago looking for an Atlas for my career save and mentioned some oddities in the fuel tanks to VenomousRequiem. I still haven't resumed my career save.

I also want to take a moment to thank the many contributors that have helped the project, specifically this update. A more complete list of credits is in the OP. In no particular order, these are the people that made the release happen:

• @Kurld for creating the Apollo LES, and working with Jso to create its unique functionality.

• @komodofor working with Jso on a number of projects, and generally helping keep things working.

• @cxg2827 for adapting his APAS docking ports to serve as CADS docking ports from Eyes Turned Skywards.

• @[email protected] for assistance with information about the paint scheme and greebling on the Saturn V.

• @IronCretin and @Araym for helping pull through a lot of bugfixes and improving functionality of the mod.

• @Mods_o_joy for creating the awesome base model for our LEM IVA.

• @Ledenko the original creator of our Apollo IVA.

• @Daelkyr for adapting the K-P0110 IVA to carry 5 kerbals.

• @akron for feedback on parts, especially the models for the J2 and F1 engines – they would not look nearly as accurate without him helping me figure out how to model them.

• @TimothyC for research on the various stages and functions of Apollo, as well as forever increasing the length of my roadmap.

• @Foxxonius Augustus for providing even more help with research, as well as taking on the role of Hypemaster General on the thread.

• @frizzank and the FASA team, for their launch clamps which have been packaged in this update, pending further modifications.

• @Nertea for creation of Cryogenic Engines, and @RoverDude for creation of Community Resource Pack, on which our hydrolox engines are based.

• @MrMeeb for a project that y'all haven’t even seen yet.

• Anyone other contributors that I might have missed – BDB has grown far bigger than just myself, and it’s hard to keep everyone straight.

• All those that have donated to support the mod – I’d be stuck eating instant ramen for the next few months without you!

• Everyone on the thread! Especially during this last update cycle, the participation and excitement on the thread has been heartwarming.

Even though this release is massive – the largest we’ve ever done – I know the first thing that most of you are thinking is ‘what next?’. Well, BDB isn’t over. If you check our roadmap, you’ll find that it is longer than ever – and still probably too long to ever reasonably be completed. Things will continue to be added to the mod, and likely in no particular order. Things will continue to be improved, better balanced, more compatibility.

As a bit of a side note – earlier I mentioned @Beale and his Tantares mod. Currently he is remaking his N1, Soyuz spacecraft and LK lander. Here’s to him, for teaching me how to mod, and my best regards concerning his current work. #SpaceRace2016

Anyways, without wasting your time any further…

BLUEDOG DESIGN BUREAU – V1.0 – “EAGLE!” – 11/Oct/2016

DOWNLOAD FROM GITHUB

NOTE – Only for KSP version 1.2 full release. WILL NOT WORK IN 1.1.3. 64bit recommended.

NOTE – BDB is balanced to have parts inline with stock values. This means that the rockets significantly overperform in the stock system. The alternative would be to have parts that are very underpowered compared to contemporary parts. To achieve proper balance, we recommend using a 3.2x rescale, which requires rockets to be built with more realistic proportions.

NOTE – The BDB Manual has not been updated. Since Kronal Vessel Viewer has not been updated, and might not be, myself and @DiscoSlelge will have to find a new way to take the renders for the manual.

Changelog:

• Updated BDB to KSP 1.2. New modules, etc

• Added Saturn S-IVB upper stage (3.75m) – Saturn V 3^rd stage / Saturn 1B 2^nd stage

• Added Saturn S-II stage (5.625m) – Saturn V second stage

• Added Saturn S-IC stage (5.625m) – Saturn V first stage

• Added Saturn S-IE stage (3.75m) – Saturn 1C first stage (Eyes Turned Skywards)

• Added Apollo Block 2 CSM (2.5m)

• Added first parts of advanced Apollo variants

• Added Lunar Excursion Module

• Added FASA Launch Clamps courtesy of Frizzank and the FASA team.

• Added APAS variant courtesy of CXG

• Included Community Resource Pack, for resource definitions.

• Saturn upper stages and Centaur converted to run off lqdHydrogen resource, for balance reasons. Additional functionality will be added to the cryogenic engines in future releases.

• Probably a bunch of other stuff. Changelogs aren't our strong suit.

Known Issues:

• Saturn, like any large KSP rocket, can be very unstable. It is recommended to turn on Advanced Tweakables and apply auto struts liberally.

• Similarly, the connection of the Apollo LES to the docking port is very weak. Recommend autostrutting to the command pod.

• Some science experiments rely on DMagicScienceAnimateGeneric. Since it has not been updated, and is probably not high on @DMagic's priority list, we’ve decided to release without it. Apologies for the inconvenience!

One final note – I’ll be PMing the moderators to move this thread to the Add On Releases board. If you can’t find us in our usual place, look there.

Here’s to BDB, our players, and the KSP community. We’ll see you on the other side.

-Matthew ‘CobaltWolf’ Mlodzienski and the Bluedog Design Bureau development team.

(Image credit: /u/KazanNinja on Reddit. That dude is awesome!)

[Jso]

7 hours ago, PickledTripod said:

So it would be impossible to use the legacy F1 and J2 in Sandbox, or once the upgrade is unlocked? I'm not too happy with that, I hope someone will make a plugin to enable switching with old versions if the part upgrade system is adopted widely in mods or in stock with a later version of the game.

Right. I agree it's not ideal which is why I'm hesitant to run with the upgrade system. We're using it now for the RL-10 and Atlas booster engines.

[biohazard15]

Congratulations with 1.0!

20 minutes ago, CobaltWolf said:

NOTE – BDB is balanced to have parts inline with stock values. This means that the rockets significantly overperform in the stock system. The alternative would be to have parts that are very underpowered compared to contemporary parts. To achieve proper balance, we recommend using a 3.2x rescale, which requires rockets to be built with more realistic proportions.

Can you please explain in detail what does that means? I've used BDB on stock solar system in 1.1.3, and I've never considered it overpowered when compared to stock.

[Cdw2468]

23 minutes ago, CobaltWolf said:

~snipped for the health and safety of all involved~ (You have no idea how long this took on mobile)

[VenomousRequiem]

Okay listen everyone. @legoclone09 and @Rory Yammomoto gather round. If we're moving to the Add-on Releases we've gotta keep things professional. Keep the memes to a minimum. I'm good friends with a couple moderators.

seriously tho

[Angelo Kerman]

Woot! Congrats on your release of BDB "Eagle!" The quality of your work is just stunning.