[1.11.x] Endurance (from Interstellar) Continued... (V1.13) 20th Feb 2021

[bravemanray]

17 hours ago, JPLRepo said:

I've got a fix for the lander RCS ready. Also fixed it's shader -should have been specular.
I've also added attach nodes to the top and bottom of the lander, which I think will make it easier to make the endurance and attach it without using subassemblies (still to test that though).
I'm also trying to figure out what is going on with the docking ports, because they are misbehaving. So more work there to figure out what is going on with those.
I can't replicate whatever the FPS issue is with the inflatable habitat, seem to work fine for me.
I will do a pass over everything again to make sure I haven't missed anything else once I sort out the above before I do another point release.
 

great to hear that...

anyway.. vanilla docking port work perfectly so I believe there's an issue with your docking port

about the inflatable habitat, I will trying to make another copy with endurance, kis & kas only

so i knew, one of my installed mods conflicting with yours...

 

[Table]

18 hours ago, Denko666 said:

not sure what u mean exactly but: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8gqghl9kt414hmn/Endurance%20-%20vanilla.craft?dl=0

I meant the craft file from this mod, b/c the docking ports are wonky as hell.

[JPLRepo]

9 hours ago, Table said:

I meant the craft file from this mod, b/c the docking ports are wonky as hell.

I think I've finally fixed the docking ports! I'll try to get an update out in the next 24 hours.

[JPLRepo]

V0.93 released. See the OP for download.
Changelog:
Fixed Texture on Lander - Specular.
Added Attach nodes to the top and bottom of the Lander.
Fixed RCS ports on Lander and Ranger.
Adjusted the Ranger VTOL forward.
Fixed Docking Nodes, they now attach/detach (couple/de-couple) and have "Control from here" ability.

It is now possible to build the entire Endurance without any Sub-Assemblies. Tip for attaching the docking nodes:
Hold Alt/Option key when placing them, continue holding Alt/Option and rotate them the right way. If they are not green move the mouse outwards a little bit until they turn green and release. Should attach nicely. For the Ranger angled ports first attach docking nodes to a Straight attach point on the ring centre. Attach two Docking nodes the right way around and then attach the Ranger. Then select the innermost docking port and place it on the angled attach node.

Edited March 14, 2016 by JPLRepo

[dresoccer4]

8 hours ago, JPLRepo said:

For the Ranger angled ports first attach docking nodes to a Straight attach point on the ring centre. Attach two Docking nodes the right way around and then attach the Ranger. Then select the innermost docking port and place it on the angled attach node.

trying to work out what you mean from your description, but struggling a bit. any chance you could explain further, or maybe post some pics to help? sorry if i'm the only slow one!

[JPLRepo]

3 hours ago, dresoccer4 said:

trying to work out what you mean from your description, but struggling a bit. any chance you could explain further, or maybe post some pics to help? sorry if i'm the only slow one!

I've started a WIKI. See the "Attaching the Rangers" page. Hope this helps.

[Table]

Oh thanks!

[tsubasawolfy]

After watching the KSP forums for 1 year, you are the first one that makes me to create account  and to say "Thank you so much".

This mod is one of my favorite mods, and it's so good to make the Endurance traveling again.

[JPLRepo]

50 minutes ago, tsubasawolfy said:

After watching the KSP forums for 1 year, you are the first one that makes me to create account  and to say "Thank you so much".

This mod is one of my favorite mods, and it's so good to make the Endurance traveling again.

I feel humbled and honored. 

Glad you like it that much. And v0.93 should have been 0.91 but now it's all working again, so everything is good again.

[V8jester]

Thank you JPL! We all really appreciate you breathing life back into the endurance once again

[JPLRepo]

Just now, V8jester said:

Thank you JPL! We all really appreciate you breathing life back into the endurance once again

Thanks man. Look out for the next version with less fixes and more enhancements!

[Deimos Rast]

Does anyone have any tips or tricks on  how to fly the Viper/Lander/Ranger trio of craft?

I am, without a doubt, one of the worst pilots to grace the halls of KSC, and the best I can manage with these sleek and deadly contraptions is to wallow around in the air like a drunken catfish. (And I can just feel you getting antsy @JPLRepo, but this isn't going to turn into another stealth bug report, although I do have some info you may or may not find interesting).

My background with aircraft, both in real life and in game, is virtually non-existent. I have yet to, in the hundreds of hours (rounding down) I've apparently logged in this game, successfully make it off the runway. Ever. So naturally, VTOL sounds immensely appealing, because...hey, no runway!

Anyway, as coincidence would have it, I just so happened to be rummaging around in the configs for the Viper/Ranger/Lander (which, I can assure you, has nothing to do with why they weren't flying straight....like I said, this is most definitely not a bug report). One thing led to another and I sort of made a spreadsheet comparing all the lifting surfaces in Stock KSP to the lifting values of the Trio in an effort to track down my issue (instead of, you know, learning how to fly). I offer it without commentary, because I really don't know what to make of these numbers, if anything; maybe you do, maybe you have some use for them. If not, that's cool too.

My opening question was actually a legitimate one: if anyone has any suggestions on how to better fly these things I'm all ears. Currently, aside from having a retard at the wheel, my basic diagnosis of the problem is I went too heavy handed on..."customizing" ...the mass and the thrust, and threw off the balance, which, when combined with the built-in lift of the aircraft and FAR (the craft are also shaped like kites), causes them to do loop-di-loops (Lander) or just flounder around (Ranger). I don't know what they behave like normally or in stock aerodynamics or with a competent pilot or really anything about them. They look killer though.

A couple questions and other comments:

• Are you supposed to put engines on the back of the Ranger (it has attachment nodes there)? I didn't, but it looked like the lander engines might fight and hey, more dV!
• Because of the design of the crafts, I don't actually know which direction my thrust is pointing in. I mean, the back is obvious (as are the engines on the lander), but where are the other engines on the Ranger and Viper?
• How do they work with FAR (or how are they supposed to)? Because I use FAR, and I think I already know how they handle with FAR already (like a kite).
• The NAVBall Alignment, being horizontal, is great for rovers and such...but I ...actually don't know about this one. Thinking about it now, I suppose this is standard on aircraft? I just know telling MechJeb to align Surface:UP had rather unfortunate results.

Cheers.

(oh, I did find the turning down the reaction wheel torque from the default value of 100, to around 25, helped at least make it so MechJeb's corrections weren't so violent. Increasing "crashTolerance" to triple figures also helped me too, but I suspect that one might be more circumstantial).

---edit---

Forgot about the Cooper Engines...that might have helped last flight.

---edit2---

After attaching 3 Cooper Engines (and later disabling the third), I successfully took the Ranger from ground to...well my Ap is currently in excess of 1,000Km, but we're in space, so I'm happy.

My thoughts on the Ranger:  She's a touchy mistress, but seems to handle well. The ascent took over 10 minutes, because I had to do most of it at under 5% throttle due to the massively quick build up of dynamic pressure (I am more or less playing with default values now on the Ranger/Cooper Engine). At less than 5% throttle, I was at a constant 30,000kPa dynamic pressure according to FAR; 40,000kPa is when things start getting rough. Tapping Z once (maxing throttle), then hitting X (killing throttle), shoots my kPa into the 70 to 100 thousand range, at which point if I lose control (which happened once), the G force from the spinning alone instantly kills the crew (if you have the mods that enable deadly G's and such). As the atmosphere receded, and about the time the ClosedCycle engine kicked on, I could open up the throttle more and it wasn't an issue. I have no idea what an optimal ascent profile would look like for this type of vehicle, so I just told MechJeb a pitch of 10 degrees and hit execute.

I'll poke at the configs some more and see if I can even things out a little (for me anyway). Your future plans in the OP does mention "tweaks to the Ranger engine air mode"...

Also, it turns out the Ranger doesn't float. You know, in case you were curious.

----edit 3---

Took the Viper successfully to from orbit (HyperEdit) through the atmosphere and back up again. I'm beginning to suspect your lift values might be fine. I did suffer engine failure though (DangIt mod), and during the attempted servicing of the engine, discovered that trying to re-enter the Viper cockpit from EVA is apparently impossible (well, I'm 0/4 in my attempts; Bill grabs on momentarily, then gets kicked back out into space). No need to throttle the throttle on the Viper due to dynamic pressure. She was rather stable, until I decided to test out where the RCS ports were, at speed, during reentry.

Edited March 16, 2016 by Deimos Rast

[Denko666]

You may want to have a look at ThrottlrControlledAvionics. Itll help you stabalise when doing VTOL

[V8jester]

11 minutes ago, Denko666 said:

You may want to have a look at ThrottlrControlledAvionics. Itll help you stabalise when doing VTOL

Personally I love Vertical Velocity Control and taking the time to balance the COM / COT on a VTOL. It will hold a hover fly to a spot also ascend or descend by a preset speed. Makes for butter soft landings with perfect accuracy. Here is a video where I used it to stabilized a 300T Drop ship with two cable suspended Hab modules - which where then assembled by the drop ship while hovering

https://youtu.be/3a9Q880YnWU?t=1m53s

 

[Denko666]

9 hours ago, V8jester said:

Personally I love Vertical Velocity Control and taking the time to balance the COM / COT on a VTOL. It will hold a hover fly to a spot also ascend or descend by a preset speed. Makes for butter soft landings with perfect accuracy. Here is a video where I used it to stabilized a 300T Drop ship with two cable suspended Hab modules - which where then assembled by the drop ship while hovering

https://youtu.be/3a9Q880YnWU?t=1m53s

 

Holy Krap Kerman! Now THAT is COOL! 

Guess ill have to give VVC another look. Couldn't quite figure it out so i left it alone. 

[JPLRepo]

22 hours ago, Deimos Rast said:

Does anyone have any tips or tricks on  how to fly the Viper/Lander/Ranger trio of craft?

I am, without a doubt, one of the worst pilots to grace the halls of KSC, and the best I can manage with these sleek and deadly contraptions is to wallow around in the air like a drunken catfish. (And I can just feel you getting antsy @JPLRepo, but this isn't going to turn into another stealth bug report, although I do have some info you may or may not find interesting).

My background with aircraft, both in real life and in game, is virtually non-existent. I have yet to, in the hundreds of hours (rounding down) I've apparently logged in this game, successfully make it off the runway. Ever. So naturally, VTOL sounds immensely appealing, because...hey, no runway!

Anyway, as coincidence would have it, I just so happened to be rummaging around in the configs for the Viper/Ranger/Lander (which, I can assure you, has nothing to do with why they weren't flying straight....like I said, this is most definitely not a bug report). One thing led to another and I sort of made a spreadsheet comparing all the lifting surfaces in Stock KSP to the lifting values of the Trio in an effort to track down my issue (instead of, you know, learning how to fly). I offer it without commentary, because I really don't know what to make of these numbers, if anything; maybe you do, maybe you have some use for them. If not, that's cool too.

My opening question was actually a legitimate one: if anyone has any suggestions on how to better fly these things I'm all ears. Currently, aside from having a retard at the wheel, my basic diagnosis of the problem is I went too heavy handed on..."customizing" ...the mass and the thrust, and threw off the balance, which, when combined with the built-in lift of the aircraft and FAR (the craft are also shaped like kites), causes them to do loop-di-loops (Lander) or just flounder around (Ranger). I don't know what they behave like normally or in stock aerodynamics or with a competent pilot or really anything about them. They look killer though.

A couple questions and other comments:

• Are you supposed to put engines on the back of the Ranger (it has attachment nodes there)? I didn't, but it looked like the lander engines might fight and hey, more dV!
• Because of the design of the crafts, I don't actually know which direction my thrust is pointing in. I mean, the back is obvious (as are the engines on the lander), but where are the other engines on the Ranger and Viper?
• How do they work with FAR (or how are they supposed to)? Because I use FAR, and I think I already know how they handle with FAR already (like a kite).
• The NAVBall Alignment, being horizontal, is great for rovers and such...but I ...actually don't know about this one. Thinking about it now, I suppose this is standard on aircraft? I just know telling MechJeb to align Surface:UP had rather unfortunate results.

Cheers.

(oh, I did find the turning down the reaction wheel torque from the default value of 100, to around 25, helped at least make it so MechJeb's corrections weren't so violent. Increasing "crashTolerance" to triple figures also helped me too, but I suspect that one might be more circumstantial).

---edit---

Forgot about the Cooper Engines...that might have helped last flight.

---edit2---

After attaching 3 Cooper Engines (and later disabling the third), I successfully took the Ranger from ground to...well my Ap is currently in excess of 1,000Km, but we're in space, so I'm happy.

My thoughts on the Ranger:  She's a touchy mistress, but seems to handle well. The ascent took over 10 minutes, because I had to do most of it at under 5% throttle due to the massively quick build up of dynamic pressure (I am more or less playing with default values now on the Ranger/Cooper Engine). At less than 5% throttle, I was at a constant 30,000kPa dynamic pressure according to FAR; 40,000kPa is when things start getting rough. Tapping Z once (maxing throttle), then hitting X (killing throttle), shoots my kPa into the 70 to 100 thousand range, at which point if I lose control (which happened once), the G force from the spinning alone instantly kills the crew (if you have the mods that enable deadly G's and such). As the atmosphere receded, and about the time the ClosedCycle engine kicked on, I could open up the throttle more and it wasn't an issue. I have no idea what an optimal ascent profile would look like for this type of vehicle, so I just told MechJeb a pitch of 10 degrees and hit execute.

I'll poke at the configs some more and see if I can even things out a little (for me anyway). Your future plans in the OP does mention "tweaks to the Ranger engine air mode"...

Also, it turns out the Ranger doesn't float. You know, in case you were curious.

----edit 3---

Took the Viper successfully to from orbit (HyperEdit) through the atmosphere and back up again. I'm beginning to suspect your lift values might be fine. I did suffer engine failure though (DangIt mod), and during the attempted servicing of the engine, discovered that trying to re-enter the Viper cockpit from EVA is apparently impossible (well, I'm 0/4 in my attempts; Bill grabs on momentarily, then gets kicked back out into space). No need to throttle the throttle on the Viper due to dynamic pressure. She was rather stable, until I decided to test out where the RCS ports were, at speed, during reentry.

I added Wiki pages for the Lander, Ranger and Viper. Hope they help a bit around the features and what parts are meant to attach.
Personally I use Throttle Controlled Avionics.

They all work fine in FAR for me... Yes the Ranger is very powerful.. maybe a bit too powerful... I will look at balance of all three over the coming weeks for the next release. Yes I had planned to look at them all.
I can ascend the Ranger from the lanuchpad and into orbit in a matter of minutes... Don't forget these are Sci-Fi (futuristics ships with futuristic characteristics and engines). but I'm not sure it is meant to be that powerful given it needed a booster to leave Earth.

 

Edited March 17, 2016 by JPLRepo

[thomash]

What a great mod, and I thank JPL for keeping it alive.

I have a small problem.  The IVAs for Ranger and the Lander work perfectly.  However, the Endurance displays are not.  The are live, showing the RPM logo info, but the buttons don't work.  I'm pretty sure I caused this when I was cleaning up my GameData folder to make space for this mod.  Is anyone here able to lend a fellow Kerbonaut a hand?  Thanks.

[JPLRepo]

9 hours ago, thomash said:

What a great mod, and I thank JPL for keeping it alive.

I have a small problem.  The IVAs for Ranger and the Lander work perfectly.  However, the Endurance displays are not.  The are live, showing the RPM logo info, but the buttons don't work.  I'm pretty sure I caused this when I was cleaning up my GameData folder to make space for this mod.  Is anyone here able to lend a fellow Kerbonaut a hand?  Thanks.

Post a log (particularly while in IVA pressing the buttons), pictures, full explanation of what the problem is and I will take a look. But a full log will help track it down. If like you said, you have deleted something, then it will show early in the log on startup. Before that you could try re-installing RPM first to see if that fixes it.

[Kozse]

Hey, great mod, love the design, just ran into a small problem where I can't find the DSPS x300 Fuel Assembly.  I've searched everywhere through my parts lists and I can't find it.  :/  Any idea why?

Cheers

[JPLRepo]

1 hour ago, Kozse said:

Hey, great mod, love the design, just ran into a small problem where I can't find the DSPS x300 Fuel Assembly.  I've searched everywhere through my parts lists and I can't find it.  :/  Any idea why?

Cheers

Because you aren't looking in the fuel tanks section in the parts list?  No seriously, if it ain't there I'd only be guessing without a log file to determine if it isn't loading for you correctly. Sorry no log supplied so can't offer much more than that.

Edited March 19, 2016 by JPLRepo

[Kozse]

Here's the output log.  

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qm4d69gc91l2hfi/output_log.txt?dl=0

Edited March 19, 2016 by Kozse
added output log.

[JPLRepo]

1 hour ago, Kozse said:

Hey, great mod, love the design, just ran into a small problem where I can't find the DSPS x300 Fuel Assembly.  I've searched everywhere through my parts lists and I can't find it.  :/  Any idea why?

Cheers

Errr... Looks like the part loads fine....

artLoader: Compiling Part 'Endurance/Parts/ENDURANCE/mountEndurance/ENmountEndurance'
 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 56)

Cannot find a PartModule of typename 'GeometryPartModule'
 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 56)

Cannot find a PartModule of typename 'FARAeroPartModule'
 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 56)

Cannot find a PartModule of typename 'FARPartModule'
 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 56)

PartLoader: Part 'Endurance/Parts/ENDURANCE/mountEndurance/ENmountEndurance' has no database record. Creating.
 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/StandalonePlayerGenerated/UnityEngineDebug.cpp Line: 56)

DragCubeSystem: Creating drag cubes for part 'ENmountEndurance'

No errors there...
But then there are lots and lots of errors....
The first spam of errors look like this error.

The second set of endless spam of errors

ERROR Object reference not set to an instance of an object IN ModuleLifeSupport

Not sure what life support that is from. TAC I think.. But I noticed you have TWO life support mods installed. TAC LS and USI LS.
But you also have lots of other errors... Even one of my other mods Tarsier Space Tech.. which you have version 4.5 installed (current version is 5.8).
You also have Interstellar errors, Module Manager errors (4 versions of that installed).
You are running the correct latest version of KSP 1.0.5.1028, but with all those outdated mods it's a wonder anything is working.
I'd recommend cleaning up your KSP install. Removing or updating outdated mods, cleaning up multiple versions of mods and make sure everything is up to date (including FAR and KoS) then let me know if you still have a problem.
 

Edited March 19, 2016 by JPLRepo

[Kozse]

Thanks for your help, I updated the mods and cleared out the extras, still doesn't show in Career mode, though it does work in sandbox.

[CommanderSpock]

@JPLRepo, I just opened up an issue on github for you.

Edited March 19, 2016 by CommanderSpock

[JPLRepo]

12 hours ago, Kozse said:

Thanks for your help, I updated the mods and cleared out the extras, still doesn't show in Career mode, though it does work in sandbox.

Yep, there is a mistake in the config file for tech tree for that part which means it isn't appearing in the tech tree in career mode.
If you edit this file (with any text editor)  /GameData/Endurance/Parts/ENDURANCE\mountEndurance.cfg
Change:
TechRequired = experimentalRocketry
to:
TechRequired = heavierRocketry
I'll update it in the next version.