The new stock PartUpgrade functionality!

[Streetwind]

This was mentioned in the devnotes before, and caused quite a lot of headscratching in the form of "are they saying what I think they're saying?". It wasn't quite clear what it meant or how it was going to work. Squad merely said it was for future plans, not part of 1.2.

Well, now the 1.2 prerelease is out, and with that announcement post came links to two additional things: an official API documentation, and a zipfile with a bunch of parts to tease us about Porkjet's ongoing rocket parts revamp. I went and grabbed said zipfile, just to check what parts were included. To my surprise, the zipfile didn't merely ship assets, but rather fully functional parts - complete with standalone part configs. And guess what I found inside those configs? This is the main engine module from the new LV-303:

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleEngines
	thrustVectorTransformName = thrustTransform
	exhaustDamage = True
	ignitionThreshold = 0.1
	minThrust = 0
	maxThrust = 25
	heatProduction = 50
	fxOffset = 0, 0, -0.05
	EngineType = LiquidFuel
	exhaustDamageDistanceOffset = 0.34
	PROPELLANT
	{
		name = LiquidFuel
		ratio = 0.9
		DrawGauge = True
	}
	PROPELLANT
	{
		name = Oxidizer
		ratio = 1.1
	}
	atmosphereCurve
	{
		key = 0 320
		key = 1 150
		key = 2 0.001
	}
	UPGRADES
	{
		UPGRADE
		{
			name__ = LVT-Turbopump-advR
			description__ = Thrust now 30kN.
			maxThrust = 30
		}
		UPGRADE
		{
			name__ = LVT-Turbopump-heavierR
			description__ = Thrust now 35kN.
			maxThrust = 35
		}
	UPGRADE
		{
			name__ = LVT-Turbopump-veryHeavy
			description__ = Thrust now 40kN.
			maxThrust = 40
		}
		UPGRADE
		{
			name__ = LVT-GasGen-propSys
			description__ = Isp now 330/120.
			atmosphereCurve
			{
				key = 0 330
				key = 1 120
				key = 1.5 0.001
			}
		}
		UPGRADE
		{
			name__ = LVT-GasGen-precProp
			description__ = Isp now 340/100.
			atmosphereCurve
			{
				key = 0 340
				key = 1 100
				key = 1.5 0.001
			}
		}
	}
}

 

You probably can't trigger this ingame yet (I've not had the chance to try). But that looks pretty enticing for both stock gameplay and for modmaking, doesn't it?

 

Edited September 14, 2016 by Streetwind

[Diche Bach]

Can you be more specific?

[Streetwind]

Just now, Diche Bach said:

Can you be more specific?

The UPGRADES subnode. It has placeholders to let you upgrade the turbopumps and the fuel feed systems of the engine even after it has been unlocked.

[Diche Bach]

Ah! Given I've never looked at those files I had no idea what you were referring to. Good stuff!

QUESTION: is that syntax C# or some variant of it? Where are the semi-colons?

Edited September 14, 2016 by Diche Bach

[JPLRepo]

It's KSP config node format. It's all explained here : 

 

[Temeter]

7 hours ago, Streetwind said:

You probably can't trigger this ingame yet (I've not had the chance to try). But that looks pretty enticing for both stock gameplay and for modmaking, doesn't it?

It's all ingame and functional, the engines get upgraded.

UI integration is a bit iffy, since you can only get the upgraded stats by placing an engine and clicking 'show upgraded stats'. The usual part list right click menu only shows the normal stats and a warninr 'upgraded stats available'.

Btw, if you want to see the upgraded engines in sandbox, switch is in the difficulty menu.

Edited September 14, 2016 by Temeter

[Streetwind]

Interesting! Hopefully I'll be home soon so I can finally try it out for myself after watching everyone else talk about it all day long... *gnaw*

Looks like there's work left to do on this feature still, in any case!

Edited September 14, 2016 by Streetwind

[njmksr]

That's gonna be so darn useful for ATLAS (my [hopefully] upcoming pseudoprocedural engines mod).

[Wolf Baginski]

16 hours ago, Temeter said:

It's all ingame and functional, the engines get upgraded.

UI integration is a bit iffy, since you can only get the upgraded stats by placing an engine and clicking 'show upgraded stats'. The usual part list right click menu only shows the normal stats and a warninr 'upgraded stats available'.

Btw, if you want to see the upgraded engines in sandbox, switch is in the difficulty menu.

Does it work in v1.1.3 or is that v1.2 only?

Looking at the various stats, I would expect some tweaks to the config numbers. For example, the "boattail" versions have a fairing, and at the moment it's purely decorative. I'd expect a small mass increase, and a drag decrease. Otherwise, why bother?

If the models made into the final v1.2, without the upgrades, that'd be fine, but I didn't really expect the upgrades to work at all. It does look as though it could be a v1.2.1 feature.

[Streetwind]

1 hour ago, Wolf Baginski said:

Does it work in v1.1.3 or is that v1.2 only?

v1.2 only.

[Benji13]

So if this was to be implemented, it would kind of be like KR&D?

[SpaceCommanderNemo]

Ha, I was trying to figure out how to mod something similar in with module manager.

The problem is I don't know if this will do entirely what I need for my purposes... But this could be very interesting.

[Temeter]

5 hours ago, Wolf Baginski said:

Looking at the various stats, I would expect some tweaks to the config numbers. For example, the "boattail" versions have a fairing, and at the moment it's purely decorative. I'd expect a small mass increase, and a drag decrease. Otherwise, why bother?

The boattail version causes a tiny bit less drag, just tried it my self by launching 2 parallel rockets.

Quote

If the models made into the final v1.2, without the upgrades, that'd be fine, but I didn't really expect the upgrades to work at all. It does look as though it could be a v1.2.1 feature.

I don't completely understand what you're saying. Those upgrades work, they are already an ingrated feature. I just wouldn't expect them to get added too all stock engines until 1.3, if at all, where rocket engines are most likely going to get a bit rebalanced anyway.

[udk_lethal_d0se]

Not sure if this is the best place to ask, but, am I right in thinking that the upgrade nodes could allow modification of configured models?

Example:

UPGRADE
{
	name__ = LVT-Turbopump-[nodeAbbreviation]
	description__ = Chassis upgraded.
	model = /GameData/someModder/someMod/Assets/someModel
}

 

[Van Disaster]

Also, could it be used for optional configurations - ie upgrading into the same upgrade level.

I would think a mod to put the upgrade selector in the rightclick menu shouldn't be difficult.

Edited September 17, 2016 by Van Disaster