[1.5.1] Cacteye Optics Community Takeover: Updated 10/22/2017

[SpaceBadger007]

I am unable to download this because when I copy the cacteye folder from the gamedata in the cacteyeoptics folder and paste it into my gamedata folder, a mini window comes up and says internet explorer has stopped working and it will not paste (even though I am using chrome)! also if you want the distant object enhancer thing do i download the folder or the gamedata in the folder or the cacteye folder in gamedata folder? 

EDIT: not internet explorer sorry windows explorer sorry my bad sorry about that

Edited June 24, 2016 by SpaceBadger007

[icedown]

I have no idea why an IE window is popping up and it will not paste.  The downloads work fine for me and there are no executeables in the files.  For distant object enhancement, you must download and install it separately, then copy the contents from the Gamedata folder from inside the DistantObjectHook directory into the Gamedata folder which will put an additional dll into the Cacteye/Plugins directory.

[SpaceBadger007]

2 hours ago, icedown said:

I have no idea why an IE window is popping up and it will not paste.  The downloads work fine for me and there are no executeables in the files.  For distant object enhancement, you must download and install it separately, then copy the contents from the Gamedata folder from inside the DistantObjectHook directory into the Gamedata folder which will put an additional dll into the Cacteye/Plugins directory.

thank you for the distant object enhancer help. As it turns out I cannot copy and paste any mods over my gamedata, this will need some tinkering!

[CobaltWolf]

1 hour ago, SpaceBadger007 said:

thank you for the distant object enhancer help. As it turns out I cannot copy and paste any mods over my gamedata, this will need some tinkering!

...is it in your Program Files folder? That's usually write protected.

[icedown]

1 hour ago, SpaceBadger007 said:

thank you for the distant object enhancer help. As it turns out I cannot copy and paste any mods over my gamedata, this will need some tinkering!

One very good habit to make when playing modded KSP is to leave the copy in the steam directory alone.  I always just make a copy to another directory that's not in program files to play and mod.  That way when things go stupid, and they do quite often, a clean reinstall doesn't mean redownloading, just making a new copy

[alphaman]

Can I safely update from Andem's version? I already have a telescope in orbit in my save game.

[icedown]

12 hours ago, alphaman said:

Can I safely update from Andem's version? I already have a telescope in orbit in my save game.

You can, but as with any mod upgrade, delete the existing files in the game data directory. This should not be a problem for any save game as no parts have been modified, just some things in the plugin.

I'm going to officially release the new science stuff with the 1.1.3 update.  This update will still be compatible with current games and will add new science to be done with the telescopes but will NOT fix the damage done to the contract and progression systems that is already done.  The only way to fix this is start a new game.

Edited June 21, 2016 by icedown

[icedown]

Updated to 1.1.3.4

Telescope must be in high Kerbin orbit for science now.  I've redone the science experiments so that they no longer break progression and contract systems. 

[SpitfireAcademy]

Is the airlock extension backwards or something?

[icedown]

3 minutes ago, SpitfireAcademy said:

Is the airlock extension backwards or something?

Airlock?

[Nnimrod]

This looks pretty awesome.

Are there different telescopes for different wavelengths? Or just visible light? I'm not sure you could learn a whole lot by pointing a gamma ray telescope at a planet, but you definitely can from the longer wavelengths.

[CobaltWolf]

On 6/24/2016 at 10:59 PM, Nnimrod said:

This looks pretty awesome.

Are there different telescopes for different wavelengths? Or just visible light? I'm not sure you could learn a whole lot by pointing a gamma ray telescope at a planet, but you definitely can from the longer wavelengths.

That'd be pretty sweet. In keeping with the somewhat modular nature of the parts in the mod, you could have different scopes but keep the same service bay, etc. So you'd have the different scopes, and different experiments for each one...

Speaking of new things, I got bored...

RtoL: Aperture open, aperture closed, old Cacteye for comparison. The model is suprisingly simple for the old one! Rubber Ducky did a good job with it IMO.

Edited June 27, 2016 by CobaltWolf

[Angelo Kerman]

Nice to see the CactEye being revived. It is in capable hands.

[AlamoVampire]

love the mod, i really do! was stoked to see it was revived, but, I have a dilly of a question. in its config on the space center screen, I unchecked the box for enabling sun damage to the telescopes, and yet they still take sun damage. why is this?

[icedown]

On 6/28/2016 at 2:09 AM, AlamoVampire said:

love the mod, i really do! was stoked to see it was revived, but, I have a dilly of a question. in its config on the space center screen, I unchecked the box for enabling sun damage to the telescopes, and yet they still take sun damage. why is this?

Not sure, I'll look into it.

[CobaltWolf]

So I was looking at the current parts. Personally, I think most of the parts in the pack are fine, save for maybe some minor texture edits to bring them a bit closer to the newer stock style.

The only parts I take significant issue with are the Cacteye Telescope itself, and the Fungeye to a lesser extent. I posted my wip model of a Cacteye refresh a bit further up the thread. What do people think? I personally don't like the current design, with the big pipes, but like it says in the OP, this is for the community to decide. The Fungeye generally just needs some more detail to the mesh , particularly around the door.

By the way, how does the Fungeye look mounted on the HECS2? I think they'd work well together, especially if you tried and get a solar panel setup similar to the Kepler telescope. Perhaps Kepler style solar panels could be added for Fungeye? Or is the Fungeye octagonal? That probably wouldn't work then...

I can't tag on mobile, but Icedown, do you plan on adding deep space observation experiments? That seems more appropriate for the Cacteye telescope, but you could also keep its current functionality and add a JWST style telescope for interstellar observations.

[pap1723]

25 minutes ago, CobaltWolf said:

So I was looking at the current parts. Personally, I think most of the parts in the pack are fine, save for maybe some minor texture edits to bring them a bit closer to the newer stock style.

The only parts I take significant issue with are the Cacteye Telescope itself, and the Fungeye to a lesser extent. I posted my wip model of a Cacteye refresh a bit further up the thread. What do people think? I personally don't like the current design, with the big pipes, but like it says in the OP, this is for the community to decide. The Fungeye generally just needs some more detail to the mesh , particularly around the door.

By the way, how does the Fungeye look mounted on the HECS2? I think they'd work well together, especially if you tried and get a solar panel setup similar to the Kepler telescope. Perhaps Kepler style solar panels could be added for Fungeye? Or is the Fungeye octagonal? That probably wouldn't work then...

I can't tag on mobile, but Icedown, do you plan on adding deep space observation experiments? That seems more appropriate for the Cacteye telescope, but you could also keep its current functionality and add a JWST style telescope for interstellar observations.

I think the new Cacteye looks really good. The issue with the Fungeye is that there is not really anything historical to compare it to. Hubble was the first of it's kind and that is very obviously what Cacteye is based off of.

[CobaltWolf]

42 minutes ago, pap1723 said:

I think the new Cacteye looks really good. The issue with the Fungeye is that there is not really anything historical to compare it to. Hubble was the first of it's kind and that is very obviously what Cacteye is based off of.

While Hubble was the first large telescope put into orbit, there were plenty of orbital observatories put up before it. I think there are plenty of telescopes in the expandable list near the bottom of this page to mine for designs.

I'm really curious where the design for Fungeye came from though. It HAS to be based on something...

[pap1723]

1 minute ago, CobaltWolf said:

While Hubble was the first large telescope put into orbit, there were plenty of orbital observatories put up before it. I think there are plenty of telescopes in the expandable list near the bottom of this page to mine for designs.

I'm really curious where the design for Fungeye came from though. It HAS to be based on something...

I had looked through that list earlier before I had responded in order to come up with some ideas, but that is where I struggled.

I've got 2 decent links for you I think...

Here is the OAO that was the earliest set of space observatories: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbiting_Astronomical_Observatory

Here is a list of many space telescopes: http://historicspacecraft.com/Telescopes.html

After looking at both the Fungeye and the OAO images again, I am fairly sure that is where the inspiration came from.

[CobaltWolf]

15 minutes ago, pap1723 said:

After looking at both the Fungeye and the OAO images again, I am fairly sure that is where the inspiration came from.

I think one of the keys would be to not add too much (something I'm certainly guilty of). So perhaps trying to merge iconic designs would be best - for example, a new telescope could be made by combining the designs of Kepler, Spitzer, and ISO for an infrared telescope. Right now, I imagine it would be best to have Cacteye (visual light), as well as telescopes for Infrared, UV, Xray, and Gamma. That leaves 5 main telescopes, with Fungeye being (IIRC) a less rewarding Cacteye primarily used to discover asteroids. I haven't been able to play with the mod in a while so I might remember that functionality wrong. As I mentioned above, Cacteye can either gain deep space functionality, or it can be kept to planetary observations and another new telescope (likely JWST based) could be added for that.

Infrared will be easy. As mentioned, I would like to combine the designs of Kepler, Spitzer, and ISO for that (I am aware Kepler isn't infrared) and make it 1.25m, possibly 'oversized', where only the round node is 1.25m and the rest sticks out, similar to the HECS cores.

Fungeye could possibly be relegated to UV, and partially redesigned to be based more closely OAO / IUE. A service module that is sized appropriately could be added, that is an extension of the octagonal body.

Xrays would be more difficult, since the designs of those observatories do not necessarily lend themselves to typical Kerbal construction. I just realized yesterday that Chandra's forward is the large end, which means it'd have to be upside down to launch. A solution will have to be found for this.

Similarly, many of the Gamma ray observatories I see don't seem to follow the typical stacked cylinders that KSP favors.

[Angelo Kerman]

Might also consider that the CactEye was built with various cameras in mind. You could have the main telescopes and have different cameras for infrared, xrays, and so on. If you look at one of RubberDucky's, he had that idea in mind..

[CobaltWolf]

3 minutes ago, Angel-125 said:

Might also consider that the CactEye was built with various cameras in mind. You could have the main telescopes and have different cameras for infrared, xrays, and so on. If you look at one of RubberDucky's, he had that idea in mind..

Absolutely! Perhaps only have two or three telescopes, but give them different camera modules. I think it's a balance between keeping the EVA maintenance/upgrade features relevant, and adding more varied/interesting designs. Seeing as I tend to lean towards the latter, it's good to keep that in mind.

[pap1723]

16 minutes ago, CobaltWolf said:

I think one of the keys would be to not add too much (something I'm certainly guilty of). So perhaps trying to merge iconic designs would be best - for example, a new telescope could be made by combining the designs of Kepler, Spitzer, and ISO for an infrared telescope. Right now, I imagine it would be best to have Cacteye (visual light), as well as telescopes for Infrared, UV, Xray, and Gamma. That leaves 5 main telescopes, with Fungeye being (IIRC) a less rewarding Cacteye primarily used to discover asteroids. I haven't been able to play with the mod in a while so I might remember that functionality wrong. As I mentioned above, Cacteye can either gain deep space functionality, or it can be kept to planetary observations and another new telescope (likely JWST based) could be added for that.

Infrared will be easy. As mentioned, I would like to combine the designs of Kepler, Spitzer, and ISO for that (I am aware Kepler isn't infrared) and make it 1.25m, possibly 'oversized', where only the round node is 1.25m and the rest sticks out, similar to the HECS cores.

Fungeye could possibly be relegated to UV, and partially redesigned to be based more closely OAO / IUE. A service module that is sized appropriately could be added, that is an extension of the octagonal body.

Xrays would be more difficult, since the designs of those observatories do not necessarily lend themselves to typical Kerbal construction. I just realized yesterday that Chandra's forward is the large end, which means it'd have to be upside down to launch. A solution will have to be found for this.

Similarly, many of the Gamma ray observatories I see don't seem to follow the typical stacked cylinders that KSP favors.

I think 5 sets of telescopes is a good idea. Most of them are actually late game technologies as other than OAO, they are all from the 1980's and newer. Here is what I would propose:

• UV -> Fungeye / OAO Model
  • Early Game (1968 historically)
  • No upgradeable parts
• Infrared -> Kepler / Spitzer based model
  • Mid Game (First Infrared was IRAS in 1983)
• Hubble / Cacteye
  • Mid-Late Game (1990)
  • Can be upgraded with Wide Field or Deep Field interchangeable parts like it is set up with now
  • Deep Field Part would come later in Tech Tree
• Gamma Ray -> Fermi Space Telescope based model https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Fermi_telescope_illustration_01.jpg
  • Late Game (2008)
• Deep Space -> JWST based
  • End Game

6 minutes ago, CobaltWolf said:

Absolutely! Perhaps only have two or three telescopes, but give them different camera modules. I think it's a balance between keeping the EVA maintenance/upgrade features relevant, and adding more varied/interesting designs. Seeing as I tend to lean towards the latter, it's good to keep that in mind.

Or now that I saw both of your responses, best option might be like this...

1. Fungeye / OAO
   1. Starts as Wide Field Only
   2. Infrared comes later
   3. Cannot be changed with an EVA / service mission (too early for that technology)
2. Cacteye / Hubble
   1. Has Wide Field and Infrared to Start
   2. Can add Asteroid Finder
   3. Can add Deep Space module
   4. Can be serviced by EVA
3. JWST

 

[CobaltWolf]

@pap1723 the Fermi picture gave me an idea. This is a proof of concept, and it's too small (currently 1.25m but it's significantly smaller than Fungeye for a supposedly more major observatory) but I think you can combine the design of Fermi and Compton.

As you can see, it's basically the lower half of Fermi with Compton on top. The upper part definitely needs to be larger.

EDIT: a bit better...

Edited June 30, 2016 by CobaltWolf

[pap1723]

8 minutes ago, CobaltWolf said:

@pap1723 the Fermi picture gave me an idea. This is a proof of concept, and it's too small (currently 1.25m but it's significantly smaller than Fungeye for a supposedly more major observatory) but I think you can combine the design of Fermi and Compton.

As you can see, it's basically the lower half of Fermi with Compton on top. The upper part definitely needs to be larger.

Damn you work fast, and that looks great!