[WIP] Add on Airlocks

[TiktaalikDreaming]

This mod will be a few add on airlocks, mostly as surface attachable parts. 

Over on the G+ community for KSP someone mentioned it would be nice to be able to add hatches to parts.  That's a task I leave to someone who wants lots of coding headaches.  However, and Airlock is quite fine.  Basically a small part, with a crew capacity of one, with a hatch.  I'll be adding in the MM config for Connected Living Space, so if you're using that, they'll be usable.  For us non-realism type users, they are available to add hatch functions to any part.

Now, they're not hatches.  You first need to transfer your kerbal to the airlock.  Then EVA them.  Repeating the process on the way back.  This is both because KSP requires the hatch to be on the part that holds the EVAing kerbal.  And because airlocks just work that way.

Now, initially, I'm making just two parts, mostly-replica of the ISS's Japanese Lab's Airlock, as it's about the smallest genuine airlock I could find.    (There's a challenge!).  Anyway, should be safe. 

There's two versions, the full Japanese Airlock has some science lab features and lives in the Science section.  The shorter model, is just big enough for a kerbal, and has no functions other than an airlock, and lives in Utility.

Anyway, Download here: http://spacedock.info/mod/865/Tiktaalik's Airlock Collection

Dev versions can be found here (no promises on anything, sorry, but it IS just parts, so likely won't kill anything else)  https://github.com/TiktaalikDreaming/Airlocks

Still a WIP, but included: Totally cheaty airlock/hatch.  A REALLY small hatch that is impossibly small for anyone who just wants to add a hatch, and is OK transferring Kerbals to wafer thin strange dimensions in limbo until they're EVAed.

Future plans;

A hatch and docking node set for any sizes that aren't completely ludicrous (I'm not sure if the small docking node is big enough for a sane looking hatch, haven't checked yet).  So basically a part that's both a docking node and an airlock.  I'll base at least one of those on the Common Berthing Mechanism.  The part will be a bit longer than the existing docking nodes, but use the same widths for sizes 1, 2, and 3.

Anyway, pics or it didn't happen;

Note, at time of writing it seems imgur album links aren't working (if posting, you'll notice the icon/button has been removed until fixed), but I have an album of various progresses at;

http://imgur.com/a/VXPd1

 

Edited December 25, 2018 by TiktaalikDreaming
imgur linkies

[Speadge]

for linking imgur almum, just press the option in the editor and JUST enter the album-ID, NOT the whole link!

 

Besides: nice idea - have wanted this for several parts

Edited July 26, 2016 by Speadge

[TiktaalikDreaming]

6 hours ago, Speadge said:

for linking imgur almum, just press the option in the editor and JUST enter the album-ID, NOT the whole link!

 

Besides: nice idea - have wanted this for several parts

I've added imgur albums before.  I think you'll find the IMGUR album button has been removed pending investigation into it's current weirdness.  @KasperVld is on it.  

Edited July 26, 2016 by TiktaalikDreaming

[Speadge]

sorry, didnt even try it on mobile, just wrote by memory

[TiktaalikDreaming]

3 minutes ago, Speadge said:

sorry, didnt even try it on mobile, just wrote by memory

No worries.  It was actually showing still for me until the java/whatever reloaded at some stage.

[DStaal]

I'll be keeping an eye on this one - at the moment it doesn't offer me anything other mods don't already offer (as part of larger part packs), but I like the theme and having airlocks is useful.

For the small docking port: I believe @Angel-125 worked out that you could fit a Kerbal through one - as long as they weren't wearing a helmet.  So probably not something you want as an airlock. 

[TiktaalikDreaming]

14 minutes ago, DStaal said:

I'll be keeping an eye on this one - at the moment it doesn't offer me anything other mods don't already offer (as part of larger part packs), but I like the theme and having airlocks is useful.

For the small docking port: I believe @Angel-125 worked out that you could fit a Kerbal through one - as long as they weren't wearing a helmet.  So probably not something you want as an airlock. 

Helmets do seem useful for airlocks.  Kerbal helmets are huge though, so it's always going to be the limiting factor.

[TiktaalikDreaming]

Working on sorting textures before moving to other airlocks.

Just need some added detail on the outside sections and done, but the basic look is fairly well sorted;

[TiktaalikDreaming]

I'm going to call the Japanese Airlock complete (until bug reports).  I've updated the mod on Spacedock.  It now looks like;

With IVA view looking like;

 

And I've started work on my "outrageously cheaty" airlock, which will basically match stock hatches by not adding bulk or weight or any of that realism stuff.  You'll still need to transfer Kerbanauts to the airlock part to EVA, but the part itself won't take any significant space outside the craft, or intrude on the space inside other parts' IVAs.

Just some early modelling work;

[Voidryder]

Great mod and welcomed idea. Devo made a set of these back in .18 with opening hatches etc, but it is the same concept - Kerbals go into folded space.  "it's bigger on the inside". 

You'll be surprised at how handy these come in when building command modules, landers, etc. I use to use Devo's on Procedural Parts modified to hold crew.. 

Dig the Tardis doors.  

It would be just fantastic if you would consider hatches/airlocks modeled after the ones on the Gemini, Dragon, the Soyuz and Orion spacecrafts as well.

Thanks for bring these to the community. Keep up the good work.

[TiktaalikDreaming]

7 hours ago, Voidryder said:

Great mod and welcomed idea. Devo made a set of these back in .18 with opening hatches etc, but it is the same concept - Kerbals go into folded space.  "it's bigger on the inside". 

You'll be surprised at how handy these come in when building command modules, landers, etc. I use to use Devo's on Procedural Parts modified to hold crew.. 

Dig the Tardis doors.  

It would be just fantastic if you would consider hatches/airlocks modeled after the ones on the Gemini, Dragon, the Soyuz and Orion spacecrafts as well.

Thanks for bring these to the community. Keep up the good work.

I'll take a look.  The capsule hatches generally are just hatches, albeit enthusiastically sealed compared to a planet bound hatch.  And they tend to be very much integrated into shape of the craft.  But some might be suitable as independent parts.

I immediately thought of the Tardis (although I've never been a watcher of the show, which is very ungeek of me) due to the bigger on the inside features.  And in 1.1+, the insides will be visible due to the IVA overlay.  So, once I have a Tardis insides (proving to be a lot trickier and varying a lot per season than the outside) then I can just re-use that for all the hatches that aren't really airlocks.

 

[Voidryder]

Sounds like a plan. I do hope you consider those ridiculously thin airlocks in various shapes like the spacecraft I listed before. Keep up the good work. 

Edited August 1, 2016 by Voidryder

[linuxgurugamer]

On 7/29/2016 at 10:43 PM, TiktaalikDreaming said:

 

Just some early modelling work;

I know, you are making a Tardis!

 

Seriously, looks really nice, I'm looking forward to seeing your future work.  Now following on Spacedock

Edited August 3, 2016 by linuxgurugamer

[TiktaalikDreaming]

22 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

I know, you are making a Tardis!

And the inside space is a poodle.  (EDIT: I have no <expletive> idea what I meant to say there before autocorrect butchered it, so I'm just going to leave it as is.)

Edited August 4, 2016 by TiktaalikDreaming

[linuxgurugamer]

it would be cool if someone would actually build a Tardis.  Outside, it would be big enough to visibly fit one Kerbal.  Inside, an IVA should be huge.  And there would be a way to select various places to go, along with the sounds that the Tardis makes.

I could do the code, i suppose, but someone else needs to do the models

[TiktaalikDreaming]

9 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

it would be cool if someone would actually build a Tardis.  Outside, it would be big enough to visibly fit one Kerbal.  Inside, an IVA should be huge.  And there would be a way to select various places to go, along with the sounds that the Tardis makes.

I could do the code, i suppose, but someone else needs to do the models

Hell, I have most of the external model (it's currently one sided, but took hardly any time, and copying things in Blender is a bit like copying things in any program.)  And I do intend the control room to get somewhat more detailed than the ugly roughing out shown.  I can donate that bit of time, no trouble.  I am starting to think I should have chosen season 2's interior, which from the shots I could find on the Internet, looked like a small basement room at the BBC with a hexagonal console in the middle.

But, the airlocks are distracting me from the Duna Excursion Module, which is distracting me from the Aggregate rockets, which are distracting me from the Nexus rockets, which I'm using to procrastinate fixing the Orion drive.  I'm wondering if I could be biting off more than I can chew here.  I'll do up a Tardis outside to send you as a mu.  The inside is (very much) a WIP.

[linuxgurugamer]

No rush, I'm rather  busy with other stuff.  But if'/when you do, don't forget the hatch.  Would be cool if the door could open and close, and if you could even get the light on top to flash....

Edited August 4, 2016 by linuxgurugamer

[DStaal]

Just a thought on the tardis-style airlock IVAs: Could you have them on the outside of the part?  (That is: The part away from the ship?)  That way they wouldn't conflict with IVAs from the part the airlock is attached to.

[TiktaalikDreaming]

45 minutes ago, DStaal said:

Just a thought on the tardis-style airlock IVAs: Could you have them on the outside of the part?  (That is: The part away from the ship?)  That way they wouldn't conflict with IVAs from the part the airlock is attached to.

Can do.

[TiktaalikDreaming]

Updated.

Now there's two flavours of actual airlock.  And the WIP super thin weird dimension airlock/hatch.

@DStaal's request for the cheaty airlock's IVA to be on the outside instead of the inside has been implemented as well.  Although the IVA may change at any time.  It's basically the blender equivalent of thinking out loud at the moment.  I gave up on the season 17 or whatever thing with walkways and stairs etc, and went for the classic, esp seeing as I found a scan of the BBC set design from season 6.

[Voidryder]

Just want to say thank you. I have used the airlocks on a few stations and bases. Keep up the good work.

[TranceaddicT]

On 7/26/2016 at 6:01 AM, TiktaalikDreaming said:

Future plans;

A hatch and docking node set for any sizes that aren't completely ludicrous

One word: Tweakscale.

[TiktaalikDreaming]

11 hours ago, TranceaddicT said:

One word: Tweakscale.

Not really what I was talking about.  And internal spaces don't tweak very well.

[TiktaalikDreaming]

I have the beginnings of the Medium sized Airlock Docking node (I'm going to call them Airdocks).  Based of the Squad Docking node, with a touch of NASA universal docking system.  I think a Kerbal will fit, but I'm not 100% sure.  I'll be taking this into an alpha part before doing anything further with it, to test if a kerbal (with helmet) does fit.  That'll give me some idea of whether to bother with the mini-docking node or not.  The larger node will clearly fit a kerbal.  Probably a small group of them around a picnic table.

 

[Voidryder]

Looking good. As to Kerbals not fitting "mini-docking node", per Wiki a helmet-less Kerbal can wiggle through a Clamp-O-Tron Jr since 1.1.  So if you are making the mini Airdock the same size, they can squeeze through. Just have to hope the other side is pressurized or has a breathable atmosphere. Otherwise, that will be "One small step for a Kerbal and one long....gasp...aaaaaagh...."  

Here's the link. Hope it helps.

http://tinyurl.com/kkrgggj