[WIP] Coatl Aerospace ProbesPlus Dev Thread [Beta] 10/19/2020 (1.8-1.10)

[rasta013]

Akron,  just some quick praise on the new textures...Been using the PP cores a lot in the past few days and checking all the new textures out and so far it looks good.  Just like others, the DMagicScienceAnimate thing seems to be the only true outstanding issue...

[akron]

3 hours ago, rasta013 said:

Akron,  just some quick praise on the new textures...Been using the PP cores a lot in the past few days and checking all the new textures out and so far it looks good.  Just like others, the DMagicScienceAnimate thing seems to be the only true outstanding issue...

Thank you. I am trying to see what I can do about ScienceAnimate. I like that you can control animation states for experiments. Experiments that deploy out (Like the GRS) will look silly if they were to deploy and retract EVERY time you reset the experiment. I could make it so that collecting science doesn't trigger an animation, but then you'll be able to collect Gamma Ray data even without deploying the boom. It's a trade-off either way, I just don't know what's better just yet.

[akron]

Github has been updated, y'all. Barometer now uses the stock science module. Still looking for other chances to use it with other parts, but I think the booms will stay using DMagic for now. I also removed foil texture use from parts in favor of a stock grey for a quick fix. I'm not particularly fond of it, but there aren't many options without breaking away from stock again and adding more color. Try them and let me know what you think.

 

EDIT: The ELIX didn't have foil, I don't know why it's in there

Edited February 21, 2017 by akron

[snekposter]

Those parts look pretty sick now, but I must admit I never really used the telescope, uv thing or ir thing because the torekka science boom combined them into one part. Now with Vorona there's another combo part though so that's nice

[akron]

46 minutes ago, snekposter said:

Those parts look pretty sick now, but I must admit I never really used the telescope, uv thing or ir thing because the torekka science boom combined them into one part. Now with Vorona there's another combo part though so that's nice

The balance is that the individual parts can return more science than the combo parts, at least until fully upgraded. Even then I'm pretty sure the IR spec on Torekka can't return 100% science. I think it only goes up to 95% when fully upgraded. I'm trying to add a little balance niche to parts like this, weight, or varying cost. Although most of you will probably just end up using what looks good. I'm probably gonna end up making a bunch of alternate models anyway, for variety.

EDIT: The moral here is check the stats and description. I worked hard on it

Edited February 21, 2017 by akron

[snekposter]

I cram so many science experiments onto my probes anyway that any drop in science output is negligible. Alternate models will always be welcome though

[akron]

39 minutes ago, snekposter said:

I cram so many science experiments onto my probes anyway that any drop in science output is negligible

Lol. Ok, so the only thing there is that you'll burn through the techtree rather quickly. If that's the intention, nevermind, but it's kinda interesting to limit your probes to a specific mission. I do Survey missions (Could be a fly-by) with 4-5 experiments at most, Imaging missions with cameras and EM spectrometers, radio survey missions with RPWS and Magnetometers, SCANSat missions etc. It's kinda cool and keeps it interesting.

45 minutes ago, snekposter said:

Alternate models will always be welcome though

This, I can do. I just hope I don't try and cram anything more in this release though

[snekposter]

32 minutes ago, akron said:

Ok, so the only thing there is that you'll burn through the techtree rather quickly.

Well I'm  also running the galileo planet pack on 50% science returns, and using the community tech tree so it's actually taking forever to fill it out.

34 minutes ago, akron said:

This, I can do. I just hope I don't try and cram anything more in this release though

I was pretty stoked to see a new magnetometer model with the vorona parts, and I prefered its more complex shape immediately. Also the vorona imaging camera thing is what made me figure out where you hide the new pushes on github   more experiment variants do it

[rasta013]

6 minutes ago, snekposter said:

Well I'm  also running the galileo planet pack on 50% science returns,

LOL...I was thinking the same thing.  My GPP install is a 10% science return with 90% contract science penalty.  I just made it to 2.5m stuff (barely) and I've pretty much exhausted everything in the Gael SOI.

[akron]

1 hour ago, snekposter said:

 Also the vorona imaging camera thing is what made me figure out where you hide the new pushes on github

I didn't really hide them though

1 hour ago, rasta013 said:

LOL...I was thinking the same thing.  My GPP install is a 10% science return with 90% contract science penalty.  I just made it to 2.5m stuff (barely) and I've pretty much exhausted everything in the Gael SOI.

So what you're saying is that I need to add more science experiments anyway?

[rasta013]

2 hours ago, akron said:

I didn't really hide them though

So what you're saying is that I need to add more science experiments anyway?

[MaverickSawyer]

Nah, he just needs to get clever. There are ways past the steepest part of the science curve other than simply brute force.

[rasta013]

1 hour ago, MaverickSawyer said:

Nah, he just needs to get clever. There are ways past the steepest part of the science curve other than simply brute force.

I generally agree with you hence the overly restrictive science settings I play with.  Combine that with entirely eliminating the stock solar system (including the Sun) and many of the "ways past" are no longer there.

EDIT:  And I also just recalled this bit...if I really wanted to defeat the science game in my restrictive setup just install MKerb...

 

 

Edited February 22, 2017 by rasta013
Just had a thought...

[Incursore]

Sorry for the dumb question, do these parts work with the last version (1.2.2)?

[Cdw2468]

13 minutes ago, Incursore said:

Sorry for the dumb question, do these parts work with the last version (1.2.2)?

Yep, should be fine

[rasta013]

1 hour ago, Incursore said:

Sorry for the dumb question, do these parts work with the last version (1.2.2)?

They work perfectly. I'm even using it in two installs both of which have over 170+ mods each so it's remarkably stable with everything too.

[akron]

3 hours ago, Incursore said:

Sorry for the dumb question, do these parts work with the last version (1.2.2)?

Yes, as @Cdw2468 and @rasta013 mentioned, but I just wanted to clarify: There are 2 versions of the mod out right now. The last official release is BETA 0.14.2 which you'll find in Spacedock. This is from a few months back and will work in 1.2.2 as long as you manually update Firespitter and DMagicScienceAnimate. The latest test version of the mod can be downloaded from Github by downloading the repository. This will work in 1.2.2 right away without updating.

It's a little confusing until you get used to beta testing from Github. Github updates happen regularly and then get compiled to a full release. Just let me know if you have any questions.

Cheers

[MaverickSawyer]

On 2/6/2017 at 11:23 PM, akron said:

Got about half-way through a texture pass on the Vega camera. There's also some more tweaks in Github. Still pushing for a release, maybe this weekend so let me know if anything is broken.

~cheers

Trying to figure out where this fits bet on the Vorona... Any suggestions/hints? It seems to always be clipping into something else when either stowed or deployed...

[akron]

4 hours ago, MaverickSawyer said:

Trying to figure out where this fits bet on the Vorona... Any suggestions/hints? It seems to always be clipping into something else when either stowed or deployed...

I placed it with snapping exactly on the side and then used the move tool without snapping to adjust. I think it may still clip into the solar panel a little but the proportions look right so, idk.

[MaverickSawyer]

Okay, will keep that in mind for the next one I launch.

[akron]

9 minutes ago, MaverickSawyer said:

Okay, will keep that in mind for the next one I launch.

By the way, are you still seeing offset thrust on the Lahar engine?

[CarnageINC]

*Never mind...nothing to see here...move along...move along....

UPDATE:  I couldn't sleep and found the problem.  I had Cobalt Wolf's mod, Mini Sample Return Capsule, and a Probodobodyne OKTO probe body on my craft.  This created an error in MechJeb that basically doubled my Delta/V of what it actually was.  Quite strange, since I can not replicate the error if I rebuild that specific craft.  I think the craft save file was corrupted, that would explain the same issue occurring with a different engine.  So it was just coincidence that it happened after I unlocked your mod feature on the tech tree.  I'll leave the original thread so not to confuse anyone who may have read it earlier.

---------------- Old thread -------------------

Hi Akron, I've come across a strange situation I'm not sure about.  First off I have a lot of mods but I've narrowed my issue to your mod I believe.  Second, I just came across this problem tonight on 3 different launches and I haven't had time to fully test it out, I'm off to bed shortly.  Third, this posting is more a less a fishing expedition to see if you have any ideas I may try on my testing I do tomorrow.

Alrighty, now I'm in career mode and I'm off visiting the anomalies all through out Kerbin and the moons.  My science building is the second tier I believe, I'm maxed out on 300 sci on the tree.  I've been granted an early unlock by 'investors' that unlocked 'High Performance Fuel Systems'.  I grabbed your propulsion upgrade in that tech node. 

Now I've just launched 2 missions using your .625m liquid fuel engine and 1 mission with Squads "Spark" to Minmus.  My problem is now my engines use up the fuel way to fast, what Mech Jeb is showing is not jiving with the performance numbers.  I showed roughly 200 Delta/V each launch for my circularization burn.  Then on all my missions, I ran out of fuel before or just after my ejection burn from Kerbin.  With your engine I had ~1800 Delta/V and ~1660 Delta/V with the Spark.  I should of only used ~1000 to 1100 Delta/V every time but thats not what happening.

No clue on why this is happening, I don't know if its a bug or a mod conflict, hell, it might not even be your mod that's the issue but this happened after I unlocked that tech so that what leads me to believe were the issue lies.  I wanted to run it past you to see what you thought and what suggestions you may have to help me, help you troubleshooting this glitch.

--------------- Solved ---------------------

Edited February 23, 2017 by CarnageINC
Found reason for glitch

[akron]

2 hours ago, CarnageINC said:

*Never mind...nothing to see here...move along...move along....

lol. I'm glad you figured it out. I spend my drive to work thinking the upgrades were messed up and I'd have to delay the release some more since I'd have to figure out how to fix them  

[MaverickSawyer]

10 hours ago, akron said:

By the way, are you still seeing offset thrust on the Lahar engine?

Haven't used it yet. I'll check that first thing.

 

EDIT: Yup, still off-axis along the pitch plane. It seems to be a touch low.

Edited February 23, 2017 by MaverickSawyer

[Phineas Freak]

@akron I can confirm the offset thrust vector. Just tested it (in RO). Really weird since the thrust transform seems to be perfectly centered, at least in Blender.