[WIP] More Ore Tanks Mod

[techgamer17]

This is my first mod that I am considering making. The stock Ore tanks in KSP, in my opinion, are too big for smaller landing craft (with the radial holding tank as an exception). Therefore, I am planning on making a mod pack for myself that will give more Ore tank sizes, and also thought about releasing it to the public.

Furthermore, the game has two inline-mounted ore tanks, both 1.25m and 2.5m, respectively. However, I do believe that they are too long to fit on a lander of some sort and I would like to make a half-version of the 1.25m ore tank, with exactly half the storage capacity. This wouldn't change the fact that it is 1.25m, though, it would only change the height of the tank. This would in turn enable it to be mounted on crafts more compactly. 

If this mod is what people may consider using after development, then please reply to this forum as this is going to go ahead for my personal use but I would like to see if the general community would like to also use these parts. 

The textures will probably be similar, but they might not be identical for reasons to do with copyright of Squad's textures. I will look into this. 

Speculated parts list:

• 0.625m Tiny Ore Tank; capacity around half of the 1.25 version. 
• 1.25m Small Ore Tank; only difference to stock one is the height; therefore the capacity is half that of the stock 1.25m one.
• (Possibly) 3.75m Extra Large Ore Tank; for huge landers and bases; capacity twice the size of the 2.5m stock tank.

These ore capacity numbers may change in development if they seem too high or too low for the relative size of the tank. 

All of above is true in the hope that my creativity skills with 3D design software is good enough to create a decent mod pack.

 

Please submit your opinions below. Thanks.

 

UPDATE:

The first fuel tank is done. This one is the 1.25m half-variant one. 

The picture below shows the normal stock 1.25m Ore tank and next to it is the modded one.

http://imgur.com/3mDW2tQ

• Cost: 750
• Mass: 0.25
• Ore Capacity: 150

THIS MOD HAS NOW BEEN TRANSFERRED TO THE "DEVELOPMENT" SUB-FORUM:

 

 

Edited January 5, 2017 by techgamer17

[Tyko]

just keep in mind the Square Cube Law. If you halve the size in all three dimensions you can't just halve the capacity. It's actually 1/8th the capacity

https://www.sensorsone.com/length-width-and-height-to-volume-calculator/

Edited January 4, 2017 by Tyko

[linuxgurugamer]

What about Tweakscale? 

[wasml]

Using MODEL { texture = } you could reuse the Squad texture from the Squad folder (in other words you wouldn't distribute the texture - just reuse the already installed one that comes with the game).

[DStaal]

Sounds like a good idea - and really, this mod could be made entirely with MM patches, I think.  Just cloning and rescaling (and possibly retexturing) stock parts.

[Sharpy]

Definitely, Tweakscale fulfills all tank size needs. Plus there are mods like Mining Expansion that add more tanks - 0.625 profile tank the size of two Oscar B, a huge tank for the 3.5m profile...

If you want to try making a first mod, sure that would be a good training - making new tanks is quite easy and a good way to get a hang of things, but don't expect it to be popular. Most of parts mods provide several tanks at least, and with a couple part packs I have such an abundance of tanks I'm really getting lost - never mind tanks that support both Tweakscale and Interplanetary Fuel Switch, which allow both custom contents and arbitrary size.

Simply put, the mod market for more different fuel tanks is saturated. Such a mod would be a good exercise but don't expect it to be popular.

[techgamer17]

8 hours ago, Sharpy said:

Definitely, Tweakscale fulfills all tank size needs. Plus there are mods like Mining Expansion that add more tanks - 0.625 profile tank the size of two Oscar B, a huge tank for the 3.5m profile...

If you want to try making a first mod, sure that would be a good training - making new tanks is quite easy and a good way to get a hang of things, but don't expect it to be popular. Most of parts mods provide several tanks at least, and with a couple part packs I have such an abundance of tanks I'm really getting lost - never mind tanks that support both Tweakscale and Interplanetary Fuel Switch, which allow both custom contents and arbitrary size.

Simply put, the mod market for more different fuel tanks is saturated. Such a mod would be a good exercise but don't expect it to be popular.

Yep agreed, it was for my own personal use mostly but I most likely will be releasing it to the public for whoever wants to use it. 

18 hours ago, Tyko said:

just keep in mind the Square Cube Law. If you halve the size in all three dimensions you can't just halve the capacity. It's actually 1/8th the capacity

https://www.sensorsone.com/length-width-and-height-to-volume-calculator/

Yes I will take that into account and I will make the capacity around 1/8 of that from the stock part.

[techgamer17]

20 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

What about Tweakscale? 

You could use that I guess, but this is an alternative option.