KSP Interstellar Extended Continued Development Thread

[RenewableRocket]

Freethinker, maybe you could exchange some words with the SolverEngine dev to get some help on making a config so that your engines are excluded from his plugin?

[Profit-]

Well, they could have applied the same policy they applied for Modular Fuel tanks, which is to only apply the conversion for mods that opt in. Instead they indiscriminately convert all engines to SolverEngines causing me to lose all control. It's like your children are unexpectedly forced into a S3X change and get traumatized, not listing to your anymore. How would you feel about that?

I agree. I am really stunned a modder would do that. Stealing stuff out of a mod... I can see that... Lazyness and the like, but to actively mess up another persons mod is ridiculous.

[Nansuchao]

FreeThinker, seen that the Thermal Turbojet is heavily underperforming now (just 150 kn of thrust at departure with a ICF), how can we fastly fix this waiting for the new update? Currently all of my spaceplanes are broken...

[RenewableRocket]

FreeThinker, seen that the Thermal Turbojet is heavily underperforming now (just 150 kn of thrust at departure with a ICF), how can we fastly fix this waiting for the new update? Currently all of my spaceplanes are broken...

He's adding in higher tier improvements, for the TTJ, from teching up the branch of aeroplane-ish research, he wrote about it not too far back in this thread. Go read

[bos]

Seems like I cannot do anything about it. It's a RealFuels which is taking over control over KSPI engines. Please ask them to stop making KSPI unplayable

Shouldn't it be realism overhaul that is replacing all engine modules with realfuels engines? RO is an overhaul / total conversion mod . . . note the part specifically says "non RO" in the screenshot which means it is not guaranteed compatible.

Realfuels alone should be far less impactful . . .

Edited October 6, 2015 by bos

[Nansuchao]

He's adding in higher tier improvements, for the TTJ, from teching up the branch of aeroplane-ish research, he wrote about it not too far back in this thread. Go read

Currently I have a full unlocked Thermal Turbojet. If I had to change all my spaceplanes is ok, just I need to know it.

[ss8913]

Freethinker I think we've had a miscommunication on my recent posts about TTJ (thermal turbojet) - I notice that in the current version, the part I'm referring to has been renamed to "hybrid thermal rocket" - all of my previous posts referencing TTJ performance were in fact referencing the hybrid thermal rocket, not the new turbojet engines that you've built more recently. The hybrid thermal rocket is the one that was called the thermal turbojet in older versions of the mod. So if that clears anything up, ...

I've basically switched to ATILLA for now as they have lower profiles and are easier to fit into places...

The only issue I'm having right now is one that I think was reported a couple months ago but to which I didn't see an answer - if I set up my ISRUs to process things, then I switch to the space center and do other things.. i go back to the refinery and the ISRUs have forgotten their orders and haven't done anything in the meantime; it seems I must sit and watch and babysit the refinery until it's fully done, and do nothing else while this happens. Is this a known issue? Is it fixable? or is this something we just have to live with because of the way KSP works?

[westamastaflash]

Well, they could have applied the same policy they applied for Modular Fuel tanks, which is to only apply the conversion for mods that opt in. Instead they indiscriminately convert all engines to SolverEngines causing me to lose all control. It's like your children are unexpectedly forced into a S3X change and get traumatized, not listing to your anymore. How would you feel about that?

As far as I can tell, ModuleEnginesRF is only used when if the user has installed an engine pack that specifically converts the engines that they want converted.

In my install which includes stockalike real fuels, after module manager completes, the "TweakableThermalRocketNozzle" part has a regular "ModuleEngines" module, not a ModuleEnginesRF module. The "KspiNuclearCandle" part uses a regular "ModuleEnginesFX" module. Perhaps this user is using something like Realism Overhaul, which is specifically designed to be a complex set of compatibility parts for a specific set of mods leading to a specific game experience, also telling the end user that it will not work if one installs other mods as well. Real fuels on its own seems to be fine for me...

Edited October 7, 2015 by westamastaflash

[ABZB]

As far as I can tell, ModuleEnginesRF is only used when if the user has installed an engine pack that specifically converts the engines that they want converted.

In my install which includes stockalike real fuels, after module manager completes, the "TweakableThermalRocketNozzle" part has a regular "ModuleEngines" module, not a ModuleEnginesRF module. The "KspiNuclearCandle" part uses a regular "ModuleEnginesFX" module. Perhaps this user is using something like Realism Overhaul, which is specifically designed to be a complex set of compatibility parts for a specific set of mods leading to a specific game experience, also telling the end user that it will not work if one installs other mods as well. Real fuels on its own seems to be fine for me...

yeah, same here. there is probably something in the patches he has that is adding ModuleEnginesRF to all things. Try adding a patch:

@PART[*]:HAS[@MODULE["kspi engine module name"]|@MODULE[..]]:FINAL
{

     @MODULE[ModuleEngines*]
    {
          @name = ModuleEnginesFX
    }

}

or something

[FreeThinker]

yeah, same here. there is probably something in the patches he has that is adding ModuleEnginesRF to all things. Try adding a patch:

@PART
[*]:HAS[@MODULE["kspi engine module name"]|@MODULE[..]]:FINAL
{

     @MODULE[ModuleEngines*]
    {
          @name = ModuleEnginesFX
    }

}

or something

mm, this might be a functional patch until we find a better solution.

[miyuruasuka]

The bug was in RealismOverhaul. It attempts to overwrite all the engines. It will be fixed, apparently, in the next version of RO. Sorry for bothering!

[FreeThinker]

+1 Great to hear that

[FreeThinker]

[h=2]Version 1.5.10 for Kerbal Space Program 1.0.4[/h] Released on 2015-10-07

• Added sound for ATILLA thruster
  
• Increased power and mass Nuclear Ramjet
  
• Decreased power Nuclear Turbojet
  
• Nuclear/Thermal Turbojet ability to switch propellant is now unlocked with Efficient nuclear propulsion
  
• Nuclear/Thermal Turbojet performance depends for a large degree on unlocked jet engine technology (last 4 techs)
  
• Reduced Minimum Isp magnetic nozzle for Dusty Plasma
  
• Reduced percentage of Charged Particles produced by Dusty Plasma
  
• Fixed Nuclear Ramjet ability to generate thrust standalone
  
• Fixed Bug that could cause exceptions with AJE installed
  

Edited October 7, 2015 by FreeThinker

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

Looking good over here FreeThinker.

I can verify without a doubt we're KSPI-E is playing nice with AJE now.

[FreeThinker]

Thanks for the feedback

[Profit-]

Version 1.5.10 for Kerbal Space Program 1.0.4

Released on 2015-10-07

• Added sound for ATILLA thruster
  
• Increased power and mass Nuclear Ramjet
  
• Decreased power Nuclear Turbojet
  
• Nuclear/Thermal Turbojet ability to switch propellant is now unlocked with Efficient nuclear propulsion
  
• Nuclear/Thermal Turbojet performance depends for a large degree on unlocked jet engine technology (last 4 techs)
  
• Reduced Minimum Isp magnetic nozzle for Dusty Plasma
  
• Reduced percentage of Charged Particles produced by Dusty Plasma
  
• Fixed Nuclear Ramjet ability to generate thrust standalone
  
• Fixed Bug that could cause exceptions with AJE installed
  

Cant wait to try it. (LOL and probably break it, but this is still one of the best KSP mods)

[ss8913]

Freethinker, I have an idea... was reading about quantum entanglement last night... would maybe good to go along with the alcubierre drive(?) - quantum entanglement FTL comms antennas - really only useful for (and integrated with) RemoteTech, but that's a near-future technology that would fit well with the theme of the mod, I think. Not sure how hard it'd be to do, though.

Also, any updates on the fixed 0.10/0.50c warp drive thing that we had discussed a few weeks back?

[EnigmaG]

The soot accumulation bug is still in.

[wolfman29]

What was the purpose for decreasing the charged particle density produced by the Dusty Plasma? Also - I think there's some trouble conducting heat away or something with regards to thermal electric generators. Even starting at 60% efficiency (where I am in the tech-tree), they tend to drop down to 5-10% very quickly when at full power (even with plenty of huge radiators). Any thoughts?

EDIT: To the poster above mentioning quantum entanglement - you can't transmit information via entangled particles. Breaks the laws of physics. At least the Alcubierre drive is theoretically possible.

[ss8913]

What was the purpose for decreasing the charged particle density produced by the Dusty Plasma? Also - I think there's some trouble conducting heat away or something with regards to thermal electric generators. Even starting at 60% efficiency (where I am in the tech-tree), they tend to drop down to 5-10% very quickly when at full power (even with plenty of huge radiators). Any thoughts?

EDIT: To the poster above mentioning quantum entanglement - you can't transmit information via entangled particles. Breaks the laws of physics. At least the Alcubierre drive is theoretically possible.

you can't use the quantum states to encode binary information?

[ABZB]

you can't use the quantum states to encode binary information?

there is a sidestep solution, actually - have an antenna that feeds off of the same exotic matter thing as the Alcubierre - basically have it send small physical packets via alcubierre to carry data back and forth (think tiny messenger robots).

for stock, this could translate to instant data transmission of science. for RT could be made to allow reasonable-time control of probes otherwise weeks or more away.

[FreeThinker]

What was the purpose for decreasing the charged particle density produced by the Dusty Plasma? Also - I think there's some trouble conducting heat away or something with regards to thermal electric generators. Even starting at 60% efficiency (where I am in the tech-tree), they tend to drop down to 5-10% very quickly when at full power (even with plenty of huge radiators). Any thoughts?

There are 2 reasons: realism and balance. From this source, it is stated that for Dusty Plasma

Clark and Sheldon estimate that only about 46% of the fission fragments provide thrust while the rest are wasted. See the report for details.

Second, the magnetic nozzle is often referred as being too powerful early on, as it virtually allows you to travel anywhere in the solar system with low amounts of fuel. This change will give some incentive to research Fusion reactors as they are the true king of charged particles.

Notice in the future, I intend to shift propulsion task from Thermal Nozzle to magnetic nozzle. Realistically, Thermal Nozzles have an upper limit on their maximum Isp (3000s). The only way to combine high Isp with High thrust is with magnetic nozzles.

Edited October 8, 2015 by FreeThinker

[Northstar1989]

Notice in the future, I intend to shift propulsion task from Thermal Nozzle to magnetic nozzle. Realistically, Thermal Nozzles have an upper limit on their maximum Isp.The only way to combine high Isp with High thrust is with magnetic nozzles.

Magnetic nozzles shouldn't produce *high* thrust with fusion- the reactors don't produce *that many* usable charged particles... The plasma in any fusion reactor we can currently conceive of is very low-density: so while fusion produces a lot of charged particles relative to its fuel consumption mass-wise, it doesn't consume that much mass or produce that many charged particles in total... It would take an antimatter reactor (or maybe aintimatter-initiated fusion, I'd have to look it up) and very high rates of charged particle usage to get anything more than a very anemic thrust from charged particles- their main benefit are astronomical ISP's, which, as crazy as this sounds, last I checked still weren't nearly high enough in the mod compared to what is expected in real life... (their ISP's are one of the highest of any known form of propulsion- in real life they would have far better ISP than plasma thrusters are capable of, for instance...)

In real life, fission fragment propulsion is expected to have ISP's of over 7000 seconds at a minimum:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fission-fragment_rocket

However many estimates are, ahem, quite a bit more generous...

http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/enginelist.php

Yes, that's a specific impulse of over 1 MILLION seconds from a Dusty Plasma Reactor's charged particles in the latter link...

Regards,

Northstar

Edited October 8, 2015 by Northstar1989

[okder]

well Turbojet still worse than attila (if attila did not changed, in sandbox mode) on speed <300m/s and >1000m/s, or on any speed if just ignore thermal->electrical loss (inertial containment reactor 1.25).

what needs to be fixed ISP->thrust balance (you don't need much isp on take off, but you need much thrust, may be use GIMBAL control to control thrust/isp balance instead of GIMBAL?, just experimental)

    velocityCurve
    {
        key = 0 1 0 0
        key = 400 0.8 0 0
        key = 800 0.9 0 0
        key = 1700 0 0 0 //!!!! this needs fixing, it's wrong
    }

curve should depends on reactor core temperature, i.e. higher temperature , then higher speed where thrust is good,

lowest thrust (both takeoff and high speed) should be the same as ATTILA without thermal->electrical loss (with same ISP set, if not enough intake atmosphere, ISP should go higher (until reactor limit), thrust lower), to fix compressing issues, compressor module could be added to precooler(s) ,and precooler/compressors should require power, and they probably should influence on ATTILA too (i.e. ATTILA with atmosphere should perform worse than it is now) .

Edited October 8, 2015 by okder

[Northstar1989]

Thermal Tubojets are not ATTILA thrusters. They have entirely different operating principles. One works on internal propellant that is superheated and contained in magnetic fields, the other simply sucks up atmosphere and spits it out the tail end after superheating it with a nuclear reactor. Why would we try and measure the two against each other?

Regards,

Northstar