[1.4.4] Solar Science [v1.1.1] [August 3, 2018]

[Snoopy20111]

Previous thread. This new thread was necessary because of loss of my old email, forgotten password, some source files, and hosting site (you will be missed, Kerbal Stuff)

Salutations! May the sunlight always be upon you!

*Update v1.1.0: New Sound Effects and Realtime solar images!
Update v1.1.1: New licensing, preparing for a handover to @zer0Kerbal. Check for his thread linked below.
Check the changelog for more details

 

This small mod adds a couple new scientific instruments (such as the one pictured here) which do science specifically around the most wondrous body in the Kerbol system. Both of these instruments are based upon instruments currently aboard the SOHO and STEREO spacecraft, and when experiments are run, real, recent images are displayed. It also adds a few new flags.

To install

Like most other mods, simply download the file (Linked at the bottom), unzip it, and drop the folder it gives you into Kerbal Space Program>GameData.

Notes:

• The Source Code, models, textures, and sounds are provided. These are in .cs, .fbx, .png, and .wav formats, respectively, and are all found in the folder Solar Science > Source. By the license, you can do anything you please with them as long as you don't profit and you give credit to me. Preferably, this would amount to mention of "Snoopy 20111."
• Remember to Praise the Sun!

 

Screenshots:

 

Review from KottabosGames (v1.04):

 

Changelog:

Spoiler

 

1.0

• Initial release

1.01-1.03

• Exact changes are unknown due to both poor record keeping and the unfortunate closure of Kerbal Stuff.
•  All changes were minor however, and only amounted to rebalancing values, editing a couple flags, etc.

1.04

• Updated for KSP 1.1
• Made instruments heavier
• Shuffled placement in the tech tree to make more sense

1.05

• Updated for KSP 1.2
• Textures converted to DDS, making Solar Science load in the blink of an eye
• You must now point the instruments towards the sun and steady your craft before running their experiments

1.06

• Confirmed to work with KSP 1.3.1
• Grammar changes in some item descriptions

1.1.0

• Confirmed to work with KSP 1.4.4
• On running experiment, loads in a recent image of the sun from SOHO or STEREO for the KMI or STEREO part, respectively
• Added original sound effects
• New Experiment descriptions

 

 

Roadmap (???)

Spoiler

Disclaimer, I am not tied to any of these. More of a wish list, really.

1.2

Require/allow STEREO to run from two separate craft at once, like the real STEREO mission, for more science

Contracts?

1.3

Allow experiment to be run over time for more science

Also to produce animation of relevant SOHO/STEREO images

 

 

Download here on Spacedock

Curse mirror

Google Drive Mirror (Solar Science v1.1.0)

This work is licensed under the MIT License.

Edited March 17, 2020 by Snoopy20111
Updated in preparation of handing the mod over to Zer0Kerbal

[AndrewHere]

Some pictures of the new parts?

[Snoopy20111]

8 hours ago, AndrewHere said:

Some pictures of the new parts?

Beyond the header image I don't currently have any screenshots of the parts, as I believe that was also lost during my computer switch. I'll try to get some up as soon as I can (probably within the next 24 hours)

[AndrewHere]

3 hours ago, Snoopy20111 said:

Beyond the header image I don't currently have any screenshots of the parts, as I believe that was also lost during my computer switch. I'll try to get some up as soon as I can (probably within the next 24 hours)

That will be good because you can't really tell from that screenshot since its a bit dark.

[Snoopy20111]

3 hours ago, AndrewHere said:

That will be good because you can't really tell from that screenshot since its a bit dark.

Threw up some new screenshots, but personally encountering some problems getting the experiment to run; there's likely been a syntax change somewhere since initial release that I've missed. Will be trying to fix that asap.

[Deimos Rast]

screenshot formating and formating of the OP are a little jacked up.

Also, I have all your KS archives up to v1.03 if you want them.

[VaPaL]

@Snoopy20111 Thanks for updating it!  This has been on my wanted list for a long time, but I started playing in 1.0.5  Will download it as soon as I get home!!

[Snoopy20111]

11 hours ago, Deimos Rast said:

screenshot formating and formating of the OP are a little jacked up.

Also, I have all your KS archives up to v1.03 if you want them.

Thank you, I would appreciate the archives! Need to make sure the one I have available right now is indeed the most current version. Also, not sure what's going on with the screenshots. The first image is jacked up but fixes itself quickly. Will try to fix that as well.

4 hours ago, VaPaL said:

@Snoopy20111 Thanks for updating it!  This has been on my wanted list for a long time, but I started playing in 1.0.5  Will download it as soon as I get home!!

I'm glad to see there's still demand for it! I honestly never imagined Solar Science would last this long. As for using the mod, currently the parts and animations seem to play correctly, but when trying to conduct the experiment nothing seems to happen, so hang tight and I'll do my best to get it properly doing science again. In the meantime, you're free to download and build a craft with the parts on it. 

EDIT: It might be a while until I can get it fixed, due to classes and tests and all that nonsense. Hang in there!

Edited June 29, 2016 by Snoopy20111

[VaPaL]

@Snoopy20111 No problem man, take your time, no need to hush!  

[MKellerBR]

@Snoopy 20111

Great job! Great mod!

PS: It would be very useful if it were indexed in CKAN.

 

[Deimos Rast]

Sent all archives via PM

IMO: you should get rid of the "don't expect massive things from this mod" part. Not every mod needs to be KW Rocketry or Tantares, but as long as you do a small thing well, I think people will be content with that. No need to sell yourself short. My 0.02c.

Edited June 29, 2016 by Deimos Rast

[VaPaL]

Totally agree with Deimos Rast!

[Snoopy20111]

2 hours ago, Deimos Rast said:

Sent all archives via PM

IMO: you should get rid of the "don't expect massive things from this mod" part. Not every mod needs to be KW Rocketry or Tantares, but as long as you do a small thing well, I think people will be content with that. No need to sell yourself short. My 0.02c.

 

2 hours ago, VaPaL said:

Totally agree with Deimos Rast!

Thank you! I removed it. Just had it because the old thread did. In hindsight I guess I just wanted to make sure people knew what they were getting lol

6 hours ago, MKellerBR said:

@Snoopy 20111

Great job! Great mod!

PS: It would be very useful if it were indexed in CKAN.

 

Thank you! As soon as I get the mod functioning again I'll look into getting it indexed. Didn't know it existed until now. I'm still very out of the loop

[Deimos Rast]

So you got the archives? I'll keep the links live for a bit longer than clean things out (my 50gb dropbox account got downgraded to 2gb, RIP).

---

For anyone else looking for another small science mod in some what of a similar vein, you could check out KDEX, a lunar dust experiment mod. Even though the two obviously deal with very different celestials, they feel like a complementary pairing.

Would be neat if there were special science events for solar eclipses, but that might be hard to figure out (been seeing a lot of them ingame lately).

[Snoopy20111]

1 minute ago, Deimos Rast said:

So you got the archives? I'll keep the links live for a bit longer than clean things out (my 50gb dropbox account got downgraded to 2gb, RIP).

---

For anyone else looking for another small science mod in some what of a similar vein, you could check out KDEX, a lunar dust experiment mod. Even though the two obviously deal with very different celestials, they feel like a complementary pairing.

Would be neat if there were special science events for solar eclipses, but that might be hard to figure out (been seeing a lot of them ingame lately).

Yes, I got the archives. You can clear the space now if you need to. Also, that would indeed be really cool. Perhaps that's something for down the road, once I actually have a grasp on coding instead of basically having others do it for me

[Snoopy20111]

Alright gang, it's working! Better still @MKellerBR, I put Solar Science on Spacedock, which allowed me to put it in CKAN with the check of a box.

If I ever find the time, I think what would be next on my list is making sure you are indeed pointing it at Kerbol, and maybe a more detailed view of what images are actually being produced...something like these, or maybe like these?

[MKellerBR]

@Snoopy20111 Great! Thx so much!

I have a separate instance of KSP only for testing mods.. the total are 156 mods ... how many are on CKAN, is complicated to track and update each.
My game instance in career mode, you only the best mods in my opinion, the majority of Science, and some PlanetPacks.

[VaPaL]

@Snoopy20111 Kottabos review:
 

 

Edited July 8, 2016 by VaPaL

[Snoopy20111]

On 7/8/2016 at 6:20 PM, VaPaL said:

@Snoopy20111 Kottabos review

Thanks for the heads up! I'm amazed this mod is actually going somewhere 

[Stratickus]

I did not see it in the main post, nor have I seen anything through career mode, but does this mod add additional Solar Science contracts as well? Or is there a separate contract pack that adds them? Just curious.

Cheers,

[Calvin_Maclure]

Are we going to see this mod updated for 1.2 when the time comes?

Cheers!

[Snoopy20111]

On 9/22/2016 at 10:51 PM, Stratickus said:

I did not see it in the main post, nor have I seen anything through career mode, but does this mod add additional Solar Science contracts as well? Or is there a separate contract pack that adds them? Just curious.

Cheers,

It does not. Up until this point Solar Science has simply been an updated version of the original mod I made a year and a half ago, before contracts were introduced. That said, it's an interesting idea. One day I may revisit it.

 

On 9/30/2016 at 1:23 PM, Calvin_Maclure said:

Are we going to see this mod updated for 1.2 when the time comes?

Cheers!

Certainly! In fact, unless 1.2 does an entire shakedown of how parts and plugins are structured, it should work as is.

[micha]

On 28/06/2016 at 3:03 AM, Snoopy20111 said:

Previous thread. This new thread was necessary because of loss of my old email, forgotten password, some source files, and hosting site (you will be missed, Kerbal Stuff)

 

On 28/06/2016 at 3:03 AM, Snoopy20111 said:

The Source Code, models, and textures are provided. These are provided in .cs, .fbx, and .png formats, respectively, under their appropriate folders; the code is in Solar Science>Plugins, and the models/textures are in Solar Science>Parts>Science. By the license, you can do anything you please with them as long as you don't profit and you give credit to me. Preferably, this would amount to mention of "Snoopy 20111."

Nifty Hadn't seen this mod before, looking forward to trying it out.

But.. wouldn't it make sense to put the sources up on GitHub (or similar) instead of in the archive? Firstly just in case you lose access to your files again, secondly to allow others to bugfix/contribute? (For example I noticed in the review video there were a handful of minor spelling/grammar mistakes).

[Snoopy20111]

On 10/13/2016 at 9:01 AM, micha said:

 

Nifty Hadn't seen this mod before, looking forward to trying it out.

But.. wouldn't it make sense to put the sources up on GitHub (or similar) instead of in the archive? Firstly just in case you lose access to your files again, secondly to allow others to bugfix/contribute? (For example I noticed in the review video there were a handful of minor spelling/grammar mistakes).

Honestly? I'm not a coder. Github in theory sounds great, but when it comes to hosting stuff there I get lost The grammar and spelling and all is just .cfg stuff, already editable anyway. Adding in the already meager source code is the difference of a few kilobytes. And to be quite honest, my interest in KSP comes and goes; I simply don't have the time nor willpower to sit down and sort all of it out nor further develop the mod anymore. This is much of why I include the code with the mod: it's much easier that way for potential inheritors to pick up and work with Solar Science if they literally already have everything for it.

 

Also, update to 1.2 coming right up, just gotta deal with the slight engine update and we'll be all set!

[micha]

4 hours ago, Snoopy20111 said:

And to be quite honest, my interest in KSP comes and goes; I simply don't have the time nor willpower to sit down and sort all of it out nor further develop the mod anymore. This is much of why I include the code with the mod: it's much easier that way for potential inheritors to pick up and work with Solar Science if they literally already have everything for it.

Oh that's a shame, but fully understandable. And if it's feature-complete there's nothing really to do except maintain it for new versions of KSP.

If you don't mind I'll pop it up on Github for you (fully attributed to you of course), just so it doesn't get lost. Let me know if you'd be ok with it (yes, I know the license says I can do what I want, but I prefer to ask anyway).

4 hours ago, Snoopy20111 said:

Also, update to 1.2 coming right up, just gotta deal with the slight engine update and we'll be all set!

Yayy