Onion (Orion) MPCV

[Skript88]

Noticing the Huge lack of 4 kerbal pods and 3.75m command pods in the game I decided to start work on a mod.

Its called the onion mpcv because it was 1am when I started this and that was the best thing i could think of that sounded kinda like Orion don't judge me.

This is Orion:

Spoiler

Ultimate goal is to make all the parts for the orion mpcv, possibly the SLS and eventually more 3.75m command pods and cool stuff.

So far I've been able to get the command module into the game.

Here's the OnionCM next to the 1.25 and 2.5 pods for comparison. Going for stock-alike when it comes to textures though those windows are really pretty bad i'll have to work on my texturing. Holds 4 kerbs so you can bring Val along

Top is made to fit your standard docking port and stock heat shield fits pretty snug. I'm considering integrating parachutes into the pod similarly to the way the actual Orion pod functions.

I've also managed to create a LES shroud for the command pod which manages to fit the docking port on top and I have confirmed that the stock LES can lift the onion far from disaster if needed.

I'm currently lost as to how to make my models appear smooth other than increasing tri count which is obviously not the way to do things, If anyone can point me in the right direction It would be very much appreciated. (the command pod looks smooth because its somewhere in the range of 3000 tris and has a dark texture. I hope to bring that number down to the 2000 range if possible so I have more wiggle room to actually recess the windows like on the real pod.)

Last thing that's worth showing off at the moment is this un-textured model for a 3.75m nuclear engine. (I've seen many mods that include 2.5m variants but not 3.75m)

I have many other models that I've whipped up but ill show those off once they have textures and are a bit more interesting to look at.

Any advice is welcome, since this is my first attempt at developing a mod. 

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2016 by Skript88

[Nightside]

Looks good so far!

[jordanjay29]

This is the first Orion that looks Kerbal enough! Thank you. I shall watch this thread with great interest.

[tygoo7]

Very nice start! For the smoothing, add an edge split modifier. I look forward to see how this mod develops!  

[Skript88]

1 hour ago, tygoo7 said:

Very nice start! For the smoothing, add an edge split modifier. I look forward to see how this mod develops!  

Adding the edge split is what caused that main command pod to be upwards of 3000 tri's

I'm not sure If there's actually a noticeable performance hit however.

Eh, Ill see how it goes and make adjustments if the problem arises.

1 hour ago, jordanjay29 said:

This is the first Orion that looks Kerbal enough! Thank you. I shall watch this thread with great interest.

I haven't seen any Orion mods myself, I'll have some progress made soon

[jordanjay29]

Most of the Orion mods are part of SLS reconstructions. And far too many of them are shiny like no Orion capsule will be. I think too many people want them to be a bigger Apollo capsule, instead of the matte black it is (and yours reflects that well).

[tygoo7]

2 hours ago, Skript88 said:

Adding the edge split is what caused that main command pod to be upwards of 3000 tri's

I'm not sure If there's actually a noticeable performance hit however.

Eh, Ill see how it goes and make adjustments if the problem arises.

Change the model from flat to smooth and then go to the modifiers tab and add the edge split one, it shouldn't change or add any tri's at all. PM me if you want more help!  

[Skript88]

22 minutes ago, tygoo7 said:

Change the model from flat to smooth and then go to the modifiers tab and add the edge split one, it shouldn't change or add any tri's at all. PM me if you want more help!  

Well this is slightly embarrassing. Here I am thinking I know how to blender good and I said the exact wrong thing.. Subdivision surface was what I was using not edge split. Thanks for the tip you've saved me from looking like more of an idiot than I already do.

Something strange is happening now let me see if i can fix it.

Yeah seems to be that holes in the mesh cast shadows on smooth surfaces cause that makes so much since I could just hug a unicorn till it farts out puppies.

 

CRISIS AVERTED EVERYONE CALM DOWN

Edited May 20, 2016 by Skript88

[Deimos Rast]

Looks neat; only suggestion would be to consider upping the crew capacity as the Mk1-2 holds 3 at 2.5m while the Taurus HCV holds 7 at 3.75m. I also like the parachute idea.

However, the name, while fitting, runs into conflict with HGR's Onion orbitals. Although I suppose it's an orbital and not a pod, and nothing says there can only be one

Cheers.

[NeoFatalis]

Is this only me or it's actually has the Ore tank textures?

[Skript88]

8 hours ago, NeoFatalis said:

Is this only me or it's actually has the Ore tank textures?

No I made these textures. They were originally white until I realized I did the shading backward and then switched the colors to make it not only more true to the actual orion and not the concept but to fix the shading.  

12 hours ago, Deimos Rast said:

Looks neat; only suggestion would be to consider upping the crew capacity as the Mk1-2 holds 3 at 2.5m while the Taurus HCV holds 7 at 3.75m. I also like the parachute idea.

However, the name, while fitting, runs into conflict with HGR's Onion orbitals. Although I suppose it's an orbital and not a pod, and nothing says there can only be one

Cheers.

You are not wrong.. But the actual Orion holds a crew of 4, but is also meant for long term stays in space. So I think its okay to only hold 4, As stated above this will probably move past just a Orion recreation and I can make some other pods and stuff. 

Here's the first 3.75 engine. 

I've got it in game but even though it consumes fuel, and says its producing thrust, the ship won't accelerate. :/ 

[davidy12]

Actually, it's designed for a crew of 6

[Skript88]

3 minutes ago, davidy12 said:

Actually, it's designed for a crew of 6

I swear I was about to call you a potato but you are right..........

Sorry. 

I swear though in the original concept I saw it was 4 person command pod....

But eh six sounds better especially with this guys reasoning:

12 hours ago, Deimos Rast said:

Looks neat; only suggestion would be to consider upping the crew capacity as the Mk1-2 holds 3 at 2.5m while the Taurus HCV holds 7 at 3.75m. I also like the parachute idea.

However, the name, while fitting, runs into conflict with HGR's Onion orbitals. Although I suppose it's an orbital and not a pod, and nothing says there can only be one

Cheers.

 

[Deimos Rast]

4 hours ago, Skript88 said:

You are not wrong.. But the actual Orion holds a crew of 4, but is also meant for long term stays in space. So I think its okay to only hold 4, As stated above this will probably move past just a Orion recreation and I can make some other pods and stuff.

 

Ah, then maybe you could do something like give it a higher number of USI habitation months, or other life support related functions to support long term survival. Wait, just read ahead and is it 6 after all? Well now...

Now I have to think of something productive to add quick. Um...IVA? At 6 and a pod you're in a weird spot. Could just do "Placeholder" but people will grumble. I don't really use IVAs myself and would rather you work on the exteriors. Most big IVAs are cockpits or crew.

No idea on the engine, sorry.

[selfish_meme]

[Skript88]

57 minutes ago, selfish_meme said:

GOOD TO KNOW I'M BOTH RIGHT AND WRONG. -Proves I must do more research-

1 hour ago, Deimos Rast said:

Ah, then maybe you could do something like give it a higher number of USI habitation months, or other life support related functions to support long term survival. Wait, just read ahead and is it 6 after all? Well now...

Now I have to think of something productive to add quick. Um...IVA? At 6 and a pod you're in a weird spot. Could just do "Placeholder" but people will grumble. I don't really use IVAs myself and would rather you work on the exteriors. Most big IVAs are cockpits or crew.

No idea on the engine, sorry.

USI-LS as a mod I use personally would be something I aim to suport once I figure this out

As soon as I figure out how IVA's work i'm going make one. For now the pod will only be 4 but if It's really that big of a deal to people ill up it. The 6 person config looks super crowded and I wouldn't imagine it being used for things like going to Mars *ahem I mean Duna* BUT the Orion is a Multi purpose crew module So It makes since to maximize the crew capacity of the vessel for situations like going to ISS.

Edited May 21, 2016 by Skript88

[jordanjay29]

3 hours ago, Skript88 said:

For now the pod will only be 4 but if It's really that big of a deal to people ill up it. The 6 person config looks super crowded and I wouldn't imagine it being used for things like going to Mars *ahem I mean Duna* BUT the Orion is a Multi purpose crew module So It makes since to maximize the crew capacity of the vessel for situations like going to ISS.

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/aug/HQ_06299_Orion_announced.html

Orion will be capable of transporting cargo and up to six crew members to and from the International Space Station. It can carry four crewmembers for lunar missions. Later, it can support crew transfers for Mars missions.

[Daelkyr]

I'm loving what you're doing here. The Onion looks very good. I'd go with your four kerbal idea and then include an alternate config for six kerbals.

[Skript88]

Looking To show where I plan to go with this mod.

I don't want this mod to just be an Orion remake because then it's just an orbiter.

orbiters are useful for career mode and science don't get me wrong but I'm looking at some of the NASA concepts for different things that would be used alongside the Orion mpcv.

I have a few things I'm looking at that I plan to add. (As the modeling for the Onion mpcv is pretty much finished)

Orbital Habitation Modules:

This would act sort of the same way the hitch hiker storage module would In function when only Stock is being used. But the point of adding this is for USI-LS (or TAC but I don't use TAC personally so it would take a lot of convincing to get me to code for TAC) like designed this habitation module would store supplies and mulch to support 4kerbals for 60 days. (Even if I change the onion to carry 6 kerbals I will still keep this module at 4 since the Orion is only designed for 4 crew long distance)

This larger module derived from the ISS is designed to support 4 crew for 500days, just about enough for 4 kerbals round trip to duna, might need a little more but 500 is a good round number. I would implement IVA's for these of corse.

Still on the topic of USI-LS I found this 

Clearly showing 4 crew this promotional image claims the Orion can support the crew (oxygen) for 6 days. This is the number I plan to use for USI-LS intergration But that depends. I don't know the amount of time it takes for a round trip to the moon in ksp off the top of my head (I'm typing this on my phone during a lazy period at school :p) but for balance purposes I would like to keep this number around that time so that the Onion is viable for long-ish missions but still needs add ons in the form of habitation modules to function for interplanetary missions. I'm open to suggestions on this but whatever I decide you can always play without usi-le or change the resource config

Landers: 

I'm going to have to do more research into Mars concept landers. Two pictured above highly contrast eachother in style but both of them are pretty cool looking.

If anyone has a suggestion for some landers they would like to see parts made for I would love to hear it, though know that landers are currently last on my priority list after the habitation modules.

[MrMeeb]

On 5/21/2016 at 3:54 AM, selfish_meme said:

Are the smaller ones children? Are they further back? Nobody knows!

Edited May 24, 2016 by MrMeeb

[Navy2k]

MAN! Don't do this to me, i thought the first picture is your ingame model/graphics.

My brain just got in total "tilt" mode and back 

 

So back on topic: When does it look like the first picture?

 

Just teasing, keep up the work, I like every mod because Kerbal for me is all about choices, and your pod could be a good one.

 

Ben

[DJ Reonic]

Looking great! I've been waiting for one of these for a while. I would suggest maybe looking for a different name than "Onion", as the HGR Soyuz-style orbital module is called "Onion." It's completely up to you, of course, as it's your mod, but it may help prevent confusion down the road. Again, amazing capsule. Looking forward to seeing more!

[Skript88]

On 5/26/2016 at 2:19 PM, DJ Reonic said:

Looking great! I've been waiting for one of these for a while. I would suggest maybe looking for a different name than "Onion", as the HGR Soyuz-style orbital module is called "Onion." It's completely up to you, of course, as it's your mod, but it may help prevent confusion down the road. Again, amazing capsule. Looking forward to seeing more!

Onion is currently the WIP project name, I may change it down the road, open to suggestions 

[selfish_meme]

Hunter

[jordanjay29]

10 hours ago, Skript88 said:

Onion is currently the WIP project name, I may change it down the road, open to suggestions 

Ogre. Because Ogres are like Onions.

And because NASA loves their acronyms: Orbit Gaining Retrievable Environment.

Edited May 28, 2016 by jordanjay29