Habitats!

[Comet Tail]

So, I'm updating my KSP and putting on all the mods I like for it - I go super mod-heavy, realism overhaul, real solar system, etc. etc.

Basically, I want to simulate a space program, set a moon colony, Mars colony, maybe an asteroid mining base, and even set up a base on Callisto. Maybe pay Titan a visit, too.

I'm going to need a lot of habitat parts, especially for the deep space stuff. But I don't see many habitat part mods that are compatible with RO.

Habtech is probably the closest to what I want, though I'm not sure how it interacts with (or doesn't) life support system mods. Or Porkjet's Habitat pack.

I think Kolonization systems makes it a lot more complex than I'm looking for, though it does look really neat. I just don't want to have to constantly manage the colony while I'm waiting for multi-year flights to leave/arrive.

Any recommendations on which ones to get? If any?

Edited June 1, 2016 by Comet Tail

[VaPaL]

There's Kerbal Planetary Base Systems by @Nils277. It's basically a stock-a-like parts pack (very well designed) but it interacts with USI-LS, TAC-LS and Kerbalism.

USI Kolonization Systems with USI-LS is very complex, but you can change the effect tha lack of supplies, EC or homesickness have on your kerbals and how long the can last wiith supplies/EC and how much they consume of each per second. UKS also integrates with TAC-LS but some functionalities will be missing. It provides means to make a more usefull colony, with production chains and everything. It integrates with Extraplanetary Lanchpads by @taniwha and OSE Workshop by @ObiVanDamme as well. Give a look at its Wiki (https://github.com/BobPalmer/MKS/wiki)

I never use others.

 

[legoclone09]

I think your only option in RSS/RO is to use Hitchhikers with TAC converters and storages on them, no compatible base mods exist to my knowledge.

[Nightside]

What do you mean by "compatible with RO?" Does RO change the scale of capsules, hitchhikers, etc to be HUMAN scale?

I'm trying to set up a similar game myself, I'm playing RSS (with SMURFF, not RO) and using Real Scale Boosters and all the kerbal sized ships are almost too easy to launch.

There are a few mods that allow you to set up various types of artificial gravity rotating structures, but you may have to adjust configs with Module Manager if you are trying to get things to be "real sized" and also carry all the resources you want.

[Comet Tail]

Alright - I haven't replied in so long because I've been trying to gather up information to make a good reply. Apologies.

So I've looked into things, poked around a bit - basically, the problem comes down to this: There's just not enough variety, or enough modules that really make sense for surface bases.

So, the first question is what does a space colony look like to begin with?

Well, here's a look.

Bigelow is looking to set up inflatable habitats, partnered with NASA. But whenever I think of all the nitty-gritty logistics details, my brain just kinda locks up for some reason.

These modules are connected. How did they get that way? They're also on their side, in terms of how you package things in a rocket, typically. You can arrange the rockets so it descends "on its side" (in the arrangement shown), but then balancing the center of mass and thrust vectors becomes tricky in Kerbal, where you really just have your eyes.

All that aside, though, the one big thing is just the inflatable modules. I guess what I'd like to see is an RO adaptation of Porkjet's habitats. I used those in an older version of KSP, but here are the issues;

a) Scaling: I'm honestly not sure if this is an issue or not - I could never tell just by looking if their scale was off, but RO does, in fact, use a different scale than vanilla KSP.

b) TAC life support: It looks like USI-LS is in competition with TAC, but I use TAC just as a thing of habit - I think its' what RO originally used, if it even supports USI even now.

 

I guess the bare necessities for a colony would be something to turn "ore" into water (and possibly turn water into LH2 and LOX with some electricity - there's already stuff that does that, but it'd be convenient to have that integrated in), and maybe "waste", if you have a greenhouse take "waste" and water to make food. Alternatively, you could cut the waste out (pun not intended, but relished nonetheless).

Then you could set up a little research base with your bare minimum - greenhouse, extractor, refinery, and lab/habitat (powerplant is being lumped in with those, but this - especially if it's nuclear - would likely be yet another module).

Will be one heck of a challenge to set all this stuff up on Callisto 

 

Maybe I could hop in and just DIY. Currently waiting on Porkjet's fixes for the latest update, though, ckan won't even let me download it at the moment, though of course I could grab it the ol'fashioned way...

Edited June 4, 2016 by Comet Tail

[Phineas Freak]

On 6/1/2016 at 7:16 PM, Nightside said:

What do you mean by "compatible with RO?" Does RO change the scale of capsules, hitchhikers, etc to be HUMAN scale?

Of course, what else? Well, it also changes the masses, crew capacities, resource storage volumes and many more. Basically, the part is not the same after ROfication.

To answer the OP question: aside from the few stock parts, SXT and Habitat Pack are supported (SXT not so much it it includes some large hard - shell hab modules). Now, if your aim is colonization then no, you won't find a lot of compatible mods (i think none of them exist for RO).

[VaPaL]

@Comet Tail @RoverDude is working on a new set of base parts inspired on the Bigelow moon base, take a look at his stream on his Twitch channel (https://www.twitch.tv/roverdude). He is also working on a construction mod that has a forklift, claws, rovers, etc

Also I think you will like USI-LS more than TAC-LS. At a first look it looks like a simplified LS, replacinf all your needs (Water, O2, Food, EC...) for Supplies and EC, and your waste (CO2, waste water...) for Mulch, but as RD said, it offers much more in terms of scope (and actually makes sense that you will send equivalent times worth of each supplies, not 3 days of water, 5 weeks of food and 2 minutes of O2). Combined with UKS + EL + OSE you have practically a new game. Your base became almost a new KSC. Of course to achieve all this in a base, you'll need to work with multiple launches and it will take time and effort. Take a look here (https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5DeuZPvuq9hODJjbWJ1a2loeUk).

 

Take a look at @Nils277 promotional images for KPBS. There he lands a horizontal base so it will give you some ideas. His mod supports USI-LS and he's woking in implementing some of UKS and OSE ( or EL, don't remember sorry) capabilities.

 

UKS consists of MKS and OKS, and OKS is a set of part for stations, and I've seen some very good stations with KBPS. I also like Station Science by @ethernet. But I haven't gone far enough in my career to see if they work well together, but I don't see why not.

 

[Comet Tail]

11 hours ago, Phineas Freak said:

Of course, what else? Well, it also changes the masses, crew capacities, resource storage volumes and many more. Basically, the part is not the same after ROfication.

To answer the OP question: aside from the few stock parts, SXT and Habitat Pack are supported (SXT not so much it it includes some large hard - shell hab modules). Now, if your aim is colonization then no, you won't find a lot of compatible mods (i think none of them exist for RO).

Not quite a colonization challenge like USI Kolonization - just something a bit more basic with the bare necessities I outlined earlier. Drill ice and minerals (all lumped into "ore"?), add the water to the life support systems and greenhouses and the minerals to the greenhouses to supplement the waste for fertilizing the greenhouse. Electrolyze some of the water to get oxygen for your life support systems.

 

@VaPaL I think I still prefer TAC - not sure if USI is supported with RO, but more than that, having things individualized means you can have 3.5 days of water and 70 days of food - and then use a water purifier to take greywater and purify it, making those 3.5 days of water last 70 days. But if your mission is only 14 days, it makes more sense to pack all the water upright, since the purifier themselves tend to be rather heavy.

Also for example, what I've outlined above wouldn't work with USI. Drilling ice gives you water, which you electrolyze into H2 and O2, and send some of the water into the ECLSS and some to a greenhouse for the plants, and the greenhouse would make food and consume waste. You'd also, almost certainly, have a water purifier on-board so you consume water a lot more slowly than any other resource - which wouldn't be true if you didn't bring a purifier.

[Phineas Freak]

@Comet Tailunfortunately almost none of these things would work because RO does not currently support resource harvesting (not even the stock "Ore"). These will be replaced some day by the RealISRU mod.

 

[VaPaL]

In USI-LS + UKS you can still do this, there are recyclers that recicle your waste into supplies (basically, drops your supplies needs) and "greenhouses" to produce supplies from mulch and fertilizers (this also inclues waste water and clean water) or aeroponics to produce supplies from fertilizer and water.

Take a look at the production chain:

 

TAC gives you a more true-to-life sentiment but USI (LS + MKS) gives you much more stuff to done. It's MUCH more complex. But in the end, the only thing that matters is what you prefer and enjoy the most. I just think most people overlook USI-LS because the think it is easier, due to having only supplies/mulch instead of water/waste water, O2/CO2, etc... TAC limits to this, USI actally goes much further.