Mod idea – Eve optimized engines

[OhioBob]

Although I haven’t performed many Eve launches, I’ve always found it frustrating that I have to use engines, designed for use on Kerbin, that have really lousy performance on Eve.  There is nothing mysterious about designing an engine that will give good performance on Eve.  It just requires a low expansion ratio nozzle that is optimized for the high ambient pressure.  No space agency would ever take a Kerbin-optimized engine and settle for using it on Eve.  They would design engines specific to Eve’s environment.

My idea is to mod a few engines for Eve landing/return missions.  I’ve actually done this already, to a point.  I took three of the game’s stock engines – Swivel, Skipper and Mainsail – made copies, and then edited the configuration files to turn them into Eve-optimized versions of the stock engines.  It is already a fully functioning mod, but, since the engines are just copies of the stock engines, they look identical to the original.

I’m not a modder.  I can edit a configuration file, but I have no idea how to go about changing or creating graphics.  I’d like to release this as a mod, but it would be pretty lame to do so without some change in the graphics to differentiate the engines.

I’m requesting help from any modder who’d be willing to collaborate with me by making the graphics changes.  Since the mod engines are supposed to be variants of the stock engines, there are only minor differences.  The only real change would be in the size of the nozzle (the mod nozzle would be shorter with a smaller exit diameter).  Some color changes would also make the engines easier to distinguish, such as changing the orange paint on the Skipper and Mainsail engines to some other color (perhaps purple).

Just to show you what I have so far, here are the names, descriptions, and stats for the modded engines:

LV-T55 "Abel" Liquid Fuel Engine

The LV-T55 engine is a variant of the popular LV-T45 engine. It is furnished with a low expansion nozzle to optimize its performance in high ambient pressure environments. The engineers claim it will work even on Eve.

Maximum Thrust:  171.25 kN (Vac.), 165.625 kN (ASL), 142.5 kN (Eve SL)
Specific impulse:  274 s (Vac.), 265 s (ASL), 228 s (Eve SL)

RE-I5-1 "Viper" Liquid Fuel Engine

The Viper is a low expansion ratio version of the highly popular and versatile Skipper engine. While outperformed by the Skipper in most environments, the Viper is really at home on the planet Eve. In Eve's thick lower atmosphere, the Viper provides good mid-power performance.

Maximum Thrust:  568.75 kN (Vac.), 550.469 kN (ASL), 477.344 kN (Eve SL)
Specific impulse:  280 s (Vac.), 271 s (ASL), 235 s (Eve SL)

RE-M3-1 "Cobra" Liquid Engine

The Cobra is a low expansion ratio version of the powerful Mainsail engine. Like its smaller sibling, the Viper, the Cobra is designed specifically for use on Eve. It has both the high-power and performance to be used as an Eve heavy lifter.  At least that's what the engineers say.

Maximum Thrust:  1350 kN (Vac.), 1311.29 kN (ASL), 1146.77 kN (Eve SL)
Specific impulse:  279 s (Vac.), 271 s (ASL), 237 s (Eve SL)

If anyone is willing to help me out, please reply.

If any modder wants to take this idea and develop a series of all new Eve-optimized engines, I have no objection.  I’m willing to help out with whatever part I can do.

If someone has already written a mod for something like this, then I apologize for stealing your idea.  If such a mod exists, can somebody please direct me to it?

 

Edited April 5, 2016 by OhioBob

[OrbitalBuzzsaw]

Cool.

[OhioBob]

Since starting this thread, I've at least figured out how to make minor changes to the graphics.  So far all I've done is change the "45" stenciled on the side of the LV-T45 to read "55" on the side of the LV-T55.  Not much, but I know now that I have some tools to work with.  I should be able to change the paint color on the engines so we have at least that to differentiate them.  I don't feel comfortable trying to edit anything more than the color.  It is not a big difference, but it is enough that I feel that I can release the mod.  If anyone what's to volunteer additional help, I'll accept it, but I think I can get by (minimally) with what I have.