Launchpad Lights

[vossiewulf]

I've been surprised there isn't more than one mod for this purpose- I just googled again, didn't see anything. But amusingly I found a guy from last year using almost the identical solution to me and asking the same question, why isn't there a launchpad mod with multiple lighting options that has our cool launch vehicles looking like proper massively-floodlit Apollo launches? Considering there are mods for like growing evil mutant carrots in the R&D facility, it seems something of an oversight.

This was my fancy solution - four Packrat rovers with batteries + solar + bank of spotlights, arranged around the pad with the side ones aiming low and the front and rear ones aiming high.

It works reasonably well, and they have enough batteries to never turn off so until a better solution comes along they're parked there for the duration.

Here's YT video of a guy doing almost exactly the same thing. Anyway, I think that would be a widely-used mod if done well so like the lights are smart enough to alter aim depending on height of launch vehicle, full range of rainbow colors because why not, possibly even disco ball lights. Yes, disco ball lights should be a requirement.

Edited August 6, 2017 by vossiewulf
Language

[Jas0n]

I'm pretty sure SXT or KSC ++ adds launch pad lights

[linuxgurugamer]

5 minutes ago, Jas0n said:

I'm pretty sure SXT or KSC ++ adds launch pad lights

Yes but not like this. The lighting Towers are only a single light and they don't move or rotate this solution was brilliant.

42 minutes ago, vossiewulf said:

I've been surprised there isn't more than one mod for this purpose- I just googled again, didn't see anything. But amusingly I found a guy from last year using almost the identical solution to me and asking the same question, why isn't there a launchpad mod with multiple lighting options that has our cool launch vehicles looking like proper massively-floodlit Apollo launches? Considering there are mods for like growing evil mutant carrots in the R&D facility, it seems something of an oversight.

This was my fancy solution - four Packrat rovers with batteries + solar + bank of spotlights, arranged around the pad with the side ones aiming low and the front and rear ones aiming high.

It works reasonably well, and they have enough batteries to never turn off so until a better solution comes along they're parked there for the duration.

Here's YT video of a guy doing almost exactly the same thing. Anyway, I think that would be a widely-used mod if done well so like the lights are smart enough to alter aim depending on height of launch vehicle, full range of rainbow colors because why not, possibly even disco ball lights. Yes, disco ball lights should be a requirement.

Can you upload craft file for those lighting Rovers?

[Mecripp]

2 hours ago, vossiewulf said:

I've been surprised there isn't more than one mod for this purpose- I just googled again, didn't see anything. But amusingly I found a guy from last year using almost the identical solution to me and asking the same question, why isn't there a launchpad mod with multiple lighting options that has our cool launch vehicles looking like proper massively-floodlit Apollo launches? Considering there are mods for like growing evil mutant carrots in the R&D facility, it seems something of an oversight.

This was my fancy solution - four Packrat rovers with batteries + solar + bank of spotlights, arranged around the pad with the side ones aiming low and the front and rear ones aiming high.

It works reasonably well, and they have enough batteries to never turn off so until a better solution comes along they're parked there for the duration.

Here's YT video of a guy doing almost exactly the same thing. Anyway, I think that would be a widely-used mod if done well so like the lights are smart enough to alter aim depending on height of launch vehicle, full range of rainbow colors because why not, possibly even disco ball lights. Yes, disco ball lights should be a requirement.

There is 

it's alittle old but still should work you would need this to 

 

[vossiewulf]

7 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Can you upload craft file for those lighting Rovers?

Sure. Where?  I'm a fully qualified modeler/texture artist/coder but for the time being do not have realistic bandwidth to tool myself up for modding KSP, so all I can do for now is pass on some ideas and hopefully someone will pick them up. Or maybe I will later if no one does. A very easy solution would be including (maybe further polished) Packrat lighting rovers to one of your 137 mods. Cool solution would be multiple choices of dedicated light towers, rainbow colors if someone wants them, and three sizes of disco balls that sit on launch towers and spin for no reason. And best would be to have them be optional upgrades to the launchpad so you have to work to get your lights.

 

[TheRagingIrishman]

1 hour ago, vossiewulf said:

Sure. Where?

https://kerbalx.com is made specially for sharing ksp craft files

[linuxgurugamer]

4 hours ago, vossiewulf said:

Sure. Where?  I'm a fully qualified modeler/texture artist/coder but for the time being do not have realistic bandwidth to tool myself up for modding KSP, so all I can do for now is pass on some ideas and hopefully someone will pick them up. Or maybe I will later if no one does. A very easy solution would be including (maybe further polished) Packrat lighting rovers to one of your 137 mods. Cool solution would be multiple choices of dedicated light towers, rainbow colors if someone wants them, and three sizes of disco balls that sit on launch towers and spin for no reason. And best would be to have them be optional upgrades to the launchpad so you have to work to get your lights.

 

Kerbalx.com

I actually want it for a short video I'm making.  No need to include it in a mod, KerbalX is fine for that

[vossiewulf]

15 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Kerbalx.com

I actually want it for a short video I'm making.  No need to include it in a mod, KerbalX is fine for that

Got it. I made a KerbalX account and uploaded the basic LightRover there. I used two light angles as described on that page, one for the side rovers and a different one for the front and rear ones, so to match my results anyone using this will need to make that second version from this.

And I just leave mine on 24/7, since the lights never run down at night. They're visible in the daytime also, making your launch vehicle a bit more shiny-looking. I like that, and I hope others do too because the only way to turn them on and off is to fly each one of them (which you can thankfully do right from the space center), which is a bit of a pain to do every day.

[TheRagingIrishman]

29 minutes ago, vossiewulf said:

And I just leave mine on 24/7, since the lights never run down at night. They're visible in the daytime also, making your launch vehicle a bit more shiny-looking. I like that, and I hope others do too because the only way to turn them on and off is to fly each one of them (which you can thankfully do right from the space center), which is a bit of a pain to do every day.

For those who want their lights to automatically turn off in the day, install 

Edited August 8, 2017 by TheRagingIrishman

[evileye.x]

I'm using lightclamps. I mean launch clamps with installed flood lights saved as subassembly. 

Edited August 8, 2017 by evileye.x

[vossiewulf]

10 hours ago, TheRagingIrishman said:

For those who want their lights to automatically turn off in the day, install 

Thanks! Will grab it although the lights are likely to remain on for the launchpad, that sounds right handy for other purposes.

On 8/7/2017 at 3:59 AM, linuxgurugamer said:

I actually want it for a short video I'm making.

BTW, the Light Rover is kinda a prima donna, already making noises about minimum closeup camera time and... oh for god's sake he's managed to get a rider. Better lock him down with NO phone or internet access before he gets a crew/posse/entourage! 

Translation: please let me know when you release it  

 

[linuxgurugamer]

1 hour ago, vossiewulf said:

BTW, the Light Rover is kinda a prima donna, already making noises about minimum closeup camera time and... oh for god's sake he's managed to get a rider. Better lock him down with NO phone or internet access before he gets a crew/posse/entourage! 

Translation: please let me know when you release it  

Sure, but it's going to be a few weeks.  I've never done a video before, so it's going to take a bit of time.

Thanks

7 hours ago, evileye.x said:

I'm using lightclamps. I mean launch clamps with installed flood lights saved as subassembly. 

Unfortunately, that launchpad is not big enough.  This is a huge ship, the bridge just isn't long enough (I think, I haven't yet gotten to doing that part of the video yet)

[vossiewulf]

Welcome. Only sorry it's stone knives and bearskins, this really does deserve a mod but you're totally saturated, and I haven't even looked at a KSP modding doc and really can't manage it for now... so what poor bastar.... friendly modder person can we talk into this? Spiffy would be:

It's an upgrade to KSC with a two levels so you have to work a bit for it

1. At level 1 we get only a single choice with two towers, front and back, no tracking on lights.
2. At each level we have
   1. RGB sliders
   2. global slider brightness slider
   3. on/off button
   4. radio button to just have the lights come on for launch to launch +Xm.
3. At level 2 we get:
   1. At least two, preferably three tower look options - US and RU '70s would be good, and something more modern
   2. For each light source (assume minimum 4 like my layout)
      1. RGB/Brightness
      2. Tracking - (not sure how tricky this is) - the lights can track the launch vehicle up to say 1000m. KSP Unity lights don't seem to have much in the way of attenuation of any kind, I've lit up all of Minmus with a couple spotlights, so no changes to lights needed.
      3. Variant behaviors (for amusement's sake) - lights spinning randomly around the pad until engines light up and then they lock on the vehicle, flashing, strobing, randomly changing colors, etc.
   3. Preferably- towers have some animation as the players arrive at the pad, with lights turning on and deploying and focusing on the pad.
   4. DISCO BALLS MUST BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS MOD

Oh one more - there should be a radio button option to override KSP music with the Rocky Theme for every launch.

 

Edited August 8, 2017 by vossiewulf
because I said so

[linuxgurugamer]

1 hour ago, vossiewulf said:

Welcome. Only sorry it's stone knives and bearskins, this really does deserve a mod but you're totally saturated, and I haven't even looked at a KSP modding doc and really can't manage it for now... so what poor bastar.... friendly modder person can we talk into this? Spiffy would be:

It's an upgrade to KSC with a two levels so you have to work a bit for it

1. At level 1 we get only a single choice with two towers, front and back, no tracking on lights.
2. At each level we have
   1. RGB sliders
   2. global slider brightness slider
   3. on/off button
   4. radio button to just have the lights come on for launch to launch +Xm.
3. At level 2 we get:
   1. At least two, preferably three tower look options - US and RU '70s would be good, and something more modern
   2. For each light source (assume minimum 4 like my layout)
      1. RGB/Brightness
      2. Tracking - (not sure how tricky this is) - the lights can track the launch vehicle up to say 1000m. KSP Unity lights don't seem to have much in the way of attenuation of any kind, I've lit up all of Minmus with a couple spotlights, so no changes to lights needed.
      3. Variant behaviors (for amusement's sake) - lights spinning randomly around the pad until engines light up and then they lock on the vehicle, flashing, strobing, randomly changing colors, etc.
   3. Preferably- towers have some animation as the players arrive at the pad, with lights turning on and deploying and focusing on the pad.
   4. DISCO BALLS MUST BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS MOD

Oh one more - there should be a radio button option to override KSP music with the Rocky Theme for every launch.

 

I'd love to do it, but I don't do modeling.  So we need to volunteer I mean, find a volunteer to do this

[vossiewulf]

3 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

I'd love to do it, but I don't do modeling.  So we need to volunteer I mean, find a volunteer to do this

Allegedly getting close to being in a position (by that I mean my exploded desktop has been resurrected) to do some modeling again, we'll see. Actually we should tell Nertea we found a huge gap in his NFT series: Near Future Launchpads! Series incomplete without it!

[Trolllception]

I may be interested in making a model or two.  Need a good reason to start learning Blender a bit more.  Do you have any reference images in mind?

Edited August 8, 2017 by Trolllception

[linuxgurugamer]

10 minutes ago, Trolllception said:

I may be interested in making a model or two.  Need a good reason to start learning Blender a bit more.  Do you have any reference images in mind?

 

See if you can find some pictures of the Apollo 11 Launchpad lights. Also, just look for pictures of Lorde spotlights preferably ground-based.

The important thing is that you the light is strong and very directional.

2 hours ago, vossiewulf said:

Allegedly getting close to being in a position (by that I mean my exploded desktop has been resurrected) to do some modeling again, we'll see. Actually we should tell Nertea we found a huge gap in his NFT series: Near Future Launchpads! Series incomplete without it!

I asked him, he was too busy to be able to do anything with this

Edited August 8, 2017 by linuxgurugamer

[vossiewulf]

7 minutes ago, Trolllception said:

I may be interested in making a model or two.  Need a good reason to start learning Blender a bit more.  Do you have any reference images in mind?

Nope, the thought I had was lights on towers to light the upper parts of the vehicle and to track the vehicle up to 3km or so, and either more lights lower down on the same towers to light the pad itself and the lower parts of the launch vehicle, or make those separate searchlight vehicles like I did (except much more purpose-built). And start with a simple generic tower for the first level, and then look at Russian and US launch towers from the '70s and '80s and more or less copy those to create the level two light towers. Note I was NOT thinking of reproducing whole Apollo launch towers, instead create much simpler dedicated light towers, but use the US and Russian launch towers as inspiration for the design. And then maybe one more modern light tower for level two, something more modern that looks like it would be at home at a SpaceX nighttime launch.

[linuxgurugamer]

Launchpad lighting is usually ground-based. If you want to do Towers, then make them stackable with the lights being attachable to the Tower to make this more flexible.

The towers that you normally see around launch pads these days are for lightning protection, not for lighting.

Edited August 8, 2017 by linuxgurugamer

[Trolllception]

Maybe something like this would look modern and spacey.  A light like this could easily be mounted on a small truss structure that anchored to the ground.  I don't imagine too much difficulty creating the model but rigging it for animation in KSP will be harder since I haven't really done any animation yet with my modeling.

Edited August 8, 2017 by Trolllception

[vossiewulf]

3 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Launchpad lighting is usually ground-based. If you want to do Towers, then make them stackable with the lights being attachable to the Tower to make this more flexible.

Listen to LG, he has about eleventy quadrabazillion times more KSP modding knowledge than I do, which approaches zero- I've just done a bunch of game/modding work elsewhere.

I just had the idea, when it comes to implementation I'll trust LG's judgment.

However instead of it being just another parts mod, I would like to see it be improvements you can make to the launchpad so players have to work for it and there are two levels that give you basic/fancy lighting if you choose to pursue it. And there are DISCO BALLS

Edited August 8, 2017 by vossiewulf

[linuxgurugamer]

2 minutes ago, vossiewulf said:

Listen to LG, he has about eleventy quadrabazillion times more KSP modding knowledge than I do, which approaches zero- I've just done a bunch of game/modding work elsewhere.

I just had the idea, when it comes to implementation I'll trust LG's judgment.

 you did a good job of outlining the functional requirements and implementation

[vossiewulf]

1 minute ago, linuxgurugamer said:

 you did a good job of outlining the functional requirements and implementation

Thanks, but I work in the Bay Area managing developers, so i'm a ringer  Careful or I'll suggest we go Agile and designate a scrum master.

[linuxgurugamer]

If you are willing to pay me, I'll do Agile

[Drew Kerman]

I still want that damn water tower pad light to go off during the day...