[1.2.2] Phoenix Industries ³Sat (CubeSat mod) (v2.2, compatible with TweakScale and MechJeb)

[Miravlix]

I just noticed that almost 3 small stock solar panels fit in the space of one tiny solar panel, so why is tiny only generating a fraction of the power?

 

Same problem with Small, it's something like 10 times the size of a stock small panel, but generates the same power.

 

It also made the RemoteTech support unbalanced, since the 3Sat was generating way too little power to be balanced for the job of carrying RT energy cost antennas.

 

Perhaps something like the following changes:

Tiny Solar Panel

cost = 300 (Panel is way to cool to only cost 30, especially since stock cost 75), mass = 0.013 (Personal opinion it needs more mass, especially with tweakscale support as it will make an otherwise insignificant number a lot larger), chargeRate = 0.70 (Same as 2 stock panels, so it at least doesn't feel dumb to put 4 Tiny Solar Panels on a 3Sat, instead of 8x small stock,)

 

Edited March 11, 2016 by Miravlix

[Miravlix]

After some testing, I think I can confirm that one of the tiny edges of the solar panels is the "front". Unfortunately this seems to have a big impact on them.

[-ctn-]

That's on the list of things to fix with this mod...

Also, if anyone uses this and has the Beta 1.1 version of KSP installed, please let me know if there are any bugs or issues.

[Drew Kerman]

On 3/31/2016 at 8:38 AM, -ctn- said:

Also, if anyone uses this and has the Beta 1.1 version of KSP installed, please let me know if there are any bugs or issues.

Everything loads up fine in KSP v1.1 release with no errors in the log but there is this:

For both the large and small solar panels

[OliverPA]

So first of all thank you so much -ctn- for these lovely cubes! I've been using them for a while and they are truly awesome.

I did notice though, that they seem hugely overpowered compared to stock parts to the extent that using them feels like cheating: They weigh and cost next to nothing, yet have SAS, on-board reaction wheels and a huge battery. But where is all this equipment supposed to be? They cubes are clearly hollow.

So I've tried to make a few changes and am interested in everyone's thoughts if these changes integrate them better within the world of ksp.

• Removed reaction wheels and reduced huge batteries because these parts are definitely larger than the clearly hollow cubesat models.
  In line with similar stock probes they now have an on-board electric charge of 5 (was: small 400, tiny 200).
• Aligned cost to 75% of comparable stock parts because while I get that Cubesats are supposed to be cheap alternatives, they seem to be by far too cheap considering their capabilities and size in ksp. The small cube is comparable to OKTO2 in terms of features and now set to 1100 (was 200) and tiny is comparable to HECS - 100 for reaction wheels and now set to 500 (was 160).
• Tried to align weight with stock parts because the current weight was set to small = 20kg and tiny = 10kg which makes the tiny cube 1/4th the weight of OKTO2 (= 40kg) which has similar features and is much smaller (= far less metal parts).
  Set the weight to 40kg for tiny and 120kg for small which still gives the cubes a clear weight advantage compared to similarly sized stock probes which could be explained by not having solid side panels.
• Changed TweakScale settings because they scaled mass (and cost and resources...) by the power of 3 which shouldn't be due to the hollow nature of the cubes. Power 2 would seem right if the side panels were solid, so I used 1.25 which gives sensible values for the various sizes in my opinion.
  Also changed TweakScale settings to not scale the battery size.
• Added a second bottom attachment node so that the bottom can be closed or used for another solar panel, etc. It even allows for cube stacking
• Added RemoteTech support.

 

• Also the solar panels are not aligned at with stock (weigh far too little, cost nothing, generate clearly less than stock panels). New values are based on OX-STAT panel.
• Changed TweakScale settings to use power 2 instead of 3.

These changes are written as a MM patch to the original mod, so put them into a new cfg file:

Spoiler

@PART[3Sat_small] {
    @cost = 1100
    @mass = 0.12
    node_stack_bottom2 = 0.0, -0.82, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 0
}

@PART[3Sat_tiny] {
    @cost = 500
    @mass = 0.05
    node_stack_bottom2 = 0.0, -0.42, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 0
}

@PART[3Sat_small|3Sat_tiny] {
    @RESOURCE[ElectricCharge] {
        @amount = 5.0
        @maxAmount = 5.0
    }

    -MODULE[ModuleReactionWheel] {}
}

@PART[3Sat_small|3Sat_tiny]:NEEDS[TweakScale] {
    %MODULE[TweakScale] {
        type = free_square
        %TWEAKSCALEEXPONENTS {
            mass = 1.25
            Resources {
                amount = 0
                maxAmount = 0
            }
        }
    }
}

@PART[3Sat_small|3Sat_tiny]:NEEDS[RemoteTech] {
    %MODULE[ModuleSPU] {}
    %MODULE[ModuleRTAntennaPassive] {
        %TechRequired = unmannedTech
        %OmniRange = 3000
        
        %TRANSMITTER {
            %PacketInterval = 0.3
            %PacketSize = 2
            %PacketResourceCost = 15.0
        }
    }
}

// **************** Solar panels

@PART[3Sat_tinySolar] {
    @mass = 0.01 // 0.005
    @cost = 150 // 30
    @MODULE[ModuleDeployableSolarPanel] {
        chargeRate = 0.7 // 0.18
    }
}

@PART[3Sat_smallSolar] {
    @mass = 0.04 // 0.005
    @cost = 600 // 60
    @MODULE[ModuleDeployableSolarPanel] {
        chargeRate = 2.8 // 0.35
    }
}

@PART[3Sat_smallSolar|3Sat_tinySolar]:NEEDS[TweakScale] {
    %MODULE[TweakScale] {
        type = free_square
        %TWEAKSCALEEXPONENTS {
            mass = 2
        }
    }
}

 

[-ctn-]

Hey everyone, just wanted to drop in and say I haven't forgotten about these mods.  

For the new update, I'm going to try to get the solar panels actually functional and play with balancing the parts. The biggest issue will be the solar panels.

Stay tuned! 

Edited September 20, 2016 by -ctn-

[Drew Kerman]

I need to save my likes cause there's a lot of action surrounding a KSP release but wanna say glad to see your stuff will be carried over and improved for v1.2!

[-ctn-]

Okay, new update for this is almost done. The solar panels have been fixed and the correct side now absorbs sunlight. I didn't tweak much as far as stats go, but..

FINALLY! The reason I made this mod was because I was hearing all about KSP's antenna relay/signal features, and I thought it would be neat to use CubeSats in-game to set up cheap and small relay devices. With 1.2, that is finally a thing. So now these really have a purpose, which is awesome.

I may make a 3Sat - decoupler/adapter, but I have some parts to work on with the other mods, so we'll see.

Stay tuned everyone!

[-ctn-]

For those that wanted Decouplers...

[CobaltWolf]

Lovely! I can't think of a better way you could have done that decoupler.

[-ctn-]

Thanks, however it is essentially one of the stock parts of the game that I just tweaked and scaled. I heavily re-worked the texture and modeled in some wires for aesthetic purposes though.

[-ctn-]

Preview, update coming within the next few days:

[Zorathex]

WOOO! I'm so excited, I love small probes, I used to make larger ones then I started making small compact ones and my average satellite cost dropped from 17,000 to 6,000.

[-ctn-]

I know I keep spamming pictures, but here:



Stackable science module for the inside of the two probe cores. Includes every stock science instrument. Quite costly.

[-ctn-]

Update is up on Spacedock!

[C04L]

-ctn- this mod is great! Thanks a lot for making it.

one observation. in the parts menu in vab/sph the solar panels are in UTILITY instead of ELECTRICAL with all the other panels.

sorry, ocd kicked in.

the round-square decoupler is genius (also needs to go into COUPLING)

Edited September 29, 2016 by C04L

[-ctn-]

2 hours ago, C04L said:

-ctn- this mod is great! Thanks a lot for making it.

one observation. in the parts menu in vab/sph the solar panels are in UTILITY instead of ELECTRICAL with all the other panels.

sorry, ocd kicked in.

the round-square decoupler is genius (also needs to go into COUPLING)

I'll look into that! Thanks for the help!

I'm glad you like the mod  

[COL.R.Neville]

i dont have any problems using the the lil attachment point inside, you could maybe make it one size bigger so people are able to see it easier? 

or if not that then the trays like box sat uses is pretty nifty. 

[FiiZzioN]

Can I ask why the mod includes a folder entitled "Parts" that seem to have all of the old parts in it? Didn't know if it was intentional or was left in by mistake.

[-ctn-]

1 minute ago, FiiZzioN said:

Can I ask why the mod includes a folder entitled "Parts" that seem to have all of the old parts in it? Didn't know if it was intentional or was left in by mistake.

Oh, that's left in for members who don't have 1.2 installed and...

Sorry, my bad - definitely a mistake. I'll fix that soon. Thanks for pointing that out!

[pheenix99]

On 9/27/2016 at 0:49 AM, -ctn- said:

 I thought it would be neat to use CubeSats in-game to set up cheap and small relay devices.
 

YES!

[pheenix99]

I'm mildly confused. Reading over the last few posts, it seems as though a 1.2 version is the current release, while spacedock lists it as 1.1.3.

Can anyone clarify?

[-ctn-]

2 minutes ago, pheenix99 said:

I'm mildly confused. Reading over the last few posts, it seems as though a 1.2 version is the current release, while spacedock lists it as 1.1.3.

Can anyone clarify?

It's for 1.2. At the time that I updated it, 1.2 was not publicly released so the most current version I could list on SpaceDock was for 1.1.3. I haven't had time yet to fix that. 

[pheenix99]

1 minute ago, -ctn- said:

It's for 1.2. At the time that I updated it, 1.2 was not publicly released so the most current version I could list on SpaceDock was for 1.1.3. I haven't had time yet to fix that. 

Cool deal...just double checking.

Now I just need to get my 3Relay network launched

[AlphaKerman]

Wow, amazing mod! It's way much better that Probodobodyne QBE stock part that i used normally. I love it! 

May i give you a suggestion. Maybe you can add on the future cubesat rack deployer, where you can deploy about 3 cubesat at the time like used on the ISS. Just an idea though