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

[Morphisor]

Some further insight into the new contracts being added:

They are based on the parts sets provided by BDB and the corresponding new custom science experiments. The mission profiles are designed to fit their historical nature, but without being too limiting. .

Instead, they are intended to be generic and can mostly be used throughout the system instead of just around their historical counterparts. Also, all of them will scale both the rewards and parameters needed to any size system the player uses. 

 

The current batch that's been added covers a range of orbiting satellite contracts; further and different types of contracts are planned and will be added soon™. The focus for this batch is mainly on performing new science.

For anyone trying out these contracts in the latest 1.7 dev branch, your feedback on gameplay and balance is much appreciated, as well as any bugs of course.

[Pappystein]

14 hours ago, biohazard15 said:

Thanks but no thanks. Stock antennas are OP in stock, and rescaling them would make them OP in rescale, maybe even more OP than in stock.

Guess I'll just use my MM patch then.

Biohazard15,  You are right, some of the stock antennas are way to "efficient" than others.   And it isn't really a type/Generational thing.  It is if they threw numbers at the cfg and hoped it would work (AKA too many hands in the pie!)   And I want to be clear here.  Each type of antenna determins a lot of HOW WELL it works.   Eg a Parabolic reflector + Feedhorn antenna is a Directional and FOCUSED signal so, assuming it is pointed correctly you get an amazing signal even with an original broadcast power that is less than a few watts!  

IRL things that make one antenna better than the other:

Spoiler

• Shape/Type
• Material it is made of (gold copper or Gold/Silver/Copper alloys seem to work the best for strength vs noise but new things come every day!)
• Power of the transmitter
• Self Noise of the Transmitter
• Sensitivity of the Receiver
• Self Noise in the receiver (You might see a Spec for a radio of SNR...  That is THIS!)
• Distance
• Broadcast Frequency
• Signal Type (Continious Wave, Interupted Continious Wave, AM, FM, PCM, and many many other types now-a-days including combinations of one or more of the previously listed forms.)
• Doppler shift.   (While commonly thought of as a way to interpret Radar,  Doppler Shift can actually affect radio broadcast due to speed difference between the broadcaster and the receiver.
• Total Harmonic Distortion (has to do with amplification of the received signal to a usable level in this case... in Audio products it is part of the SNR listed above.)
• Atmospheric (or Space) weather conditions (including temperature, Humidity, Altitude, Radiation, Solar Winds, I can go on and on!)
• Competing interference (I will give a great example below.)
• I am probably forgetting a ton of factors (I haven't built a radio since 1994... So been a while!)

 

And yes, that is a lot more variables than KSP actually keeps track of.   So, to cover all of those variables AND stay within KSP's structure (unless someone wants to re-write 100% of the Radio code!) we have to "fudge" the numbers.

THAT is what I am trying to figure out in such a way that it makes sense across all the various Communication Devices in KSP.   All without having someone re-write all the radio code for KSP.  

 

So for those of you who will think RemoteTech will fix this.   Remote Tech does add two (I think, I only quickly D/Led the files for it and did a quick perusal) new components to how radios work.   But still, a lot of Radio work is left to the Author to design/build themselves with no basis in reality.

 

Here is the modern Antenna example I sited in the Spoiler above:   DirecTV or DishNetwork (in the US at-least)    Operate on the IEEE Ka and Ku (NATO I/J*) band of frequency.      Most Police radar guns in the United States operate somewhere in the "K" Band (Ka, K or Ku.)  If a Police car is pointing it's radar gun across your Satellite TV Dish, you CAN loose your Satellite TV signal.   This is the Competing interference I was referring to above.

 

 

*NOTE I am saying the NATO bands from memory and I could have stated the wrong ones!   There is so much overlap between the IEEE bands and NATO bands that It is hard to keep them straight without referencing charts upon charts unless you deal with this stuff on a day in and day out basis!

 

EDIT==========

In the end, if you have a patch you think is good @biohazard15 you do you.   I am just trying to share what all has to be considered for balancing, should we want Antennas to work like real life.

 

Edited March 24, 2020 by Pappystein

[nepphhh]

RealAntennas. https://github.com/DRVeyl/RealAntennas/wiki

Edited March 24, 2020 by nepphhh

[biohazard15]

The only probable problem with Corona contract is the fact that KH-1 can be used only once. This forces you to either add second camera, or launch another satellite. I suggest splitting this contract into two - KH-1 with one target, unlocked at engineering 101, and KH-4 with two targets, unlocked at stability.

I also suggest splitting the reward like stock contracts do, i.e. giving some money in advance. Something about 11-12K would be good (Thor-Agena A with KH-1 costs 11240 kerbucks)

Edited March 24, 2020 by biohazard15

[Pappystein]

23 minutes ago, nepphhh said:

RealAntennas. https://github.com/DRVeyl/RealAntennas/wiki

Nice, I was un-aware of this mod.  Still looks like it might be in Early Development.    I will look into this but I have a feeling it is too much "Player work" and not enough "Modder work"  Player work being something done for every launch and Modder work being stuff done once that the player can repeat.

 

[Morphisor]

39 minutes ago, biohazard15 said:

The only probable problem with Corona contract is the fact that KH-1 can be used only once. This forces you to either add second camera, or launch another satellite. I suggest splitting this contract into two - KH-1 with one target, unlocked at engineering 101, and KH-4 with two targets, unlocked at stability.

I also suggest splitting the reward like stock contracts do, i.e. giving some money in advance. Something about 11-12K would be good (Thor-Agena A with KH-1 costs 11240 kerbucks)

Thanks, you are right about the advance funds, completely forgot about those.

As for KH-1, I'll look into it, may do a workaround within the contract instead, don't wanna bloat the count if it isn't necessary.

[Friznit]

18 minutes ago, Morphisor said:

Thanks, you are right about the advance funds, completely forgot about those.

As for KH-1, I'll look into it, may do a workaround within the contract instead, don't wanna bloat the count if it isn't necessary.

First contract I saw was to launch a Keyhole into polar orbit of the Sun then return the capsule to Kerbin, which feels a bit...odd?  I might give it a go just to see if I can.

[Morphisor]

4 minutes ago, Friznit said:

First contract I saw was to launch a Keyhole into polar orbit of the Sun then return the capsule to Kerbin, which feels a bit...odd?  I might give it a go just to see if I can.

Yeah, that's seems like it shouldn't happen. May apply to others too, fixing already.

[Morphisor]

All reported issues for the contracts have been fixed and submitted by PR:

Advancefunds have been added to all contracts, main reward lowered a bit to compensate.

Sun has been excluded as a possible target for most contracts.

Corona contract split into KH-1 and KH-4; the KH-4 contract will replace KH-1 in mission control once the tech has been researched.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Morphisor

[nepphhh]

1 hour ago, Pappystein said:

Nice, I was un-aware of this mod.  Still looks like it might be in Early Development.    I will look into this but I have a feeling it is too much "Player work" and not enough "Modder work"  Player work being something done for every launch and Modder work being stuff done once that the player can repeat.

Added meaningful complexity in a model will always cause the player with an eye to efficiency to have to perform more work in configuration and optimization. If they do not, the added complexity is not meaningful, as the solution space within which the player must optimize is no more varied than before.

RA is in full release & is completely functional. Very strong personal recommendation.

Bonus: configuring new parts is trivial with RA, because it requires only physical characterization of the part model. I'm talking 2 line configs.

Edited March 24, 2020 by nepphhh

[Pappystein]

2 hours ago, nepphhh said:

Added meaningful complexity in a model will always cause the player with an eye to efficiency to have to perform more work in configuration and optimization. If they do not, the added complexity is not meaningful, as the solution space within which the player must optimize is no more varied than before.

RA is in full release & is completely functional. Very strong personal recommendation.

Bonus: configuring new parts is trivial with RA, because it requires only physical characterization of the part model. I'm talking 2 line configs.

Thanks.   I plan on experimenting with it this weekend (so after work tomorrow assuming my job doesn't change AGAIN thanks to SARS-19)   as it is I am pretty much working half days.     I am lucky I guess that my states stop work order does not apply to me as I am a "needed" service provider.   After all I spent all of February cooped up in my home sick!

Keep safe, Keep Well and Keep Healthy everyone!

 

 

 

[OrbitalManeuvers]

On 3/22/2020 at 11:47 AM, MashAndBangers said:

So I decided to visit Lindor with my Voyage 2 probe

@MashAndBangers Sorry I'm a few days behind here ... but would you mind sharing some more info about how you got there? Lindor is kicking my interplanetary transfer butt (an area I already suck at).

[CobaltWolf]

On 3/23/2020 at 7:16 PM, biohazard15 said:

Back to mundane stuff...

1) Etoh-AF Redstone fins turn invisible when you choose green paintjob (missing or bugged texture, I guess?)

2) TIROS-1 nodes are misaligned (or maybe I'm using the wrong decoupler?):

Finally got to these... I should have noted, in the future, if you find bugs like this, logging them on the Github issues list means they won't be forgotten... at least, eventually someone will be like "oh that'll take 2 mins to fix".

[MashAndBangers]

1 hour ago, OrbitalManeuvers said:

@MashAndBangers Sorry I'm a few days behind here ... but would you mind sharing some more info about how you got there? Lindor is kicking my interplanetary transfer butt (an area I already suck at).

Titan IV, Centaur T, Agena with strap on tanks, and the Burke engines on the probe with an Oscar C fuel tank.  Mechjeb helps you get a proper trajectory.  It also helps to have faster warp installed so the years go by while orbiting Kerbin waiting for the burn.

[Zorg]

Just a few random screenshots

[Pappystein]

3 hours ago, Zorg said:

 

 

Were these taken in Stock KSP or JNSQ?   I know you have flown in both recently.  

[MashAndBangers]

Pioneer 1 and Thor-able appreciation post!

 

Pioneer 1 needs the ability to change it's control point so we can flip it for whichever engine we need to use (for mechjeb of course).

I think this is how they do it for the Lander Can:

MODULE
	{
		name = ModuleCommand
		minimumCrew = 1
		defaultControlPointDisplayName = #autoLOC_6011000 //#autoLOC_6011000 = Up
		CONTROLPOINT
		{
			name = forward
			displayName = #autoLOC_6011001 //#autoLOC_6011001 = Forward
			orientation = 90,0,0
		}
		CONTROLPOINT
		{
			name = reverse
			displayName = #autoLOC_6011004 //#autoLOC_6011004 = Reversed
			orientation = 0,0,180
		}
	}

 

[biohazard15]

Juno IV-A\Alouette 1 appreciation post:

Nice evening launch to 900km x 120km x 50deg orbit:

Note that this rocket is somewhat prone to flip if flown incorrectly, especially just before and after 1st stage decoupling. For MJ, I recommend PVG, turn start at 50 m\s, turn rate 0.8deg, RCS on. You may turn off omit coast, but it will most likely omit it anyway, resulting in one long burn to orbit (6K is slow). Both stages are at their default fuel load (i.e. underfueled), since extra fuel isn't necessary for such a light payload.

Fairings are autodropped at 85km, mainly for artistic purposes.

These antennas are looooooong.

6K still had enough fuel for deorbit burn. Keep your space clean, eh!

[Pappystein]

2 hours ago, biohazard15 said:

Juno IV-A\Alouette 1 appreciation post:

Nice pictures... But the Thumbs up is for:

2 hours ago, biohazard15 said:

6K still had enough fuel for deorbit burn. Keep your space clean, eh!

Clean Space.... Or bust (your future launches!)

 

 

3 hours ago, MashAndBangers said:

Pioneer 1 needs the ability to change it's control point so we can flip it for whichever engine we need to use (for mechjeb of course).

I think this is how they do it for the Lander Can:

MODULE
	{
		name = ModuleCommand
		minimumCrew = 1
		defaultControlPointDisplayName = #autoLOC_6011000 //#autoLOC_6011000 = Up
		CONTROLPOINT
		{
			name = forward
			displayName = #autoLOC_6011001 //#autoLOC_6011001 = Forward
			orientation = 90,0,0
		}
		CONTROLPOINT
		{
			name = reverse
			displayName = #autoLOC_6011004 //#autoLOC_6011004 = Reversed
			orientation = 0,0,180
		}
	}

 

I would point out the Opposite thrusting engine is so Pioneer 1 can be spin stabilized...   When you reach Apoapsis, with your probe spinning, you can't very well flip it around!   Therefor they put backwards firing rockets for when the probe's orientation to flight was backwards!

In modern times the Satellite is rarely spun up  until after final orientation is achieved (IE they point it for Circulization burn THEN spin up the stage.)

 

 

[Zorg]

7 hours ago, Pappystein said:

Were these taken in Stock KSP or JNSQ?   I know you have flown in both recently.  

That was in JNSQ

7 hours ago, MashAndBangers said:

 

Pioneer 1 needs the ability to change it's control point so we can flip it for whichever engine we need to use (for mechjeb of course).

I think this is how they do it for the Lander Can:

 

3 hours ago, Pappystein said:

 

I would point out the Opposite thrusting engine is so Pioneer 1 can be spin stabilized...   When you reach Apoapsis, with your probe spinning, you can't very well flip it around!   Therefor they put backwards firing rockets for when the probe's orientation to flight was backwards!

Pappystein is right that the forward engine would have been used to thrust retrograde without re-orienting. But no reason why we can't add an alternate control point so people have the flexibility to use it as they like, including any weird builds

I can do this for P3 as well.

[Morphisor]

3 new contracts have been added to the 1.7 dev branch: Lunar Orbiter, Mariner and Ranger. 

Go do stuff in far away places!

[MashAndBangers]

11 hours ago, Pappystein said:

I would point out the Opposite thrusting engine is so Pioneer 1 can be spin stabilized

 

8 hours ago, Zorg said:

But no reason why we can't add an alternate control point

\o/

 

In the meantime, the frogs put some frogs into space:

 

With the OFO payload, the Scoot rocket can get pretty high.  I think I was at an orbit at roughly 500km in JNSQ.  Anyways, the KSP OFO has shown that frogs can still do basic tasks in space, such as make pancakes and win twitter arguments.

 

no idea how they got pancake mix into space without us noticing...

[Friznit]

36 minutes ago, MashAndBangers said:

 

no idea how they got pancake mix into space without us noticing...

That was probably the left overs from one of my failed high G aerobraking tourist contracts

[CobaltWolf]

Progress creeping forward... if its not obvious Gemini will keep me occupied for a while

The only parts textured are the capsule and the reentry RCS exteriors. Those textures themselves are very work in progress but you should get the idea. The areas around the decoupler fairings especially need to be reworked.

Since I've had a lot of questions - no, I'm not forgetting about the Augustus capsule, Big G crew cabin, or the 1.875m "rumble seat". I'd actually like to get them made before moving on to the service module parts since those are going on a separate sheet. The first priority is to get back up to the current functionality before worrying about new stuff.

[Zorg]

Meanwhile, one of the best complementary mods to BDB, Universal Storage 2 has a new beta out for testing

New 1.25m to 1.875m service module perfect for advanced Mercury shenanigans.

 

The posigrade motors also have the BDB automated sequential firing feature btw.

Edited March 26, 2020 by Zorg