Notantares Space Industries - "Bigger Khleb" Concept Poll

[NISSKEPCSIM]

Notantares Space Industries - Poll

Now that I'm (Mostly) done with the "Big Khleb" parts, I'm beginning to think of other things to do. First on the list? @qzgy's "Bigger Khleb" suggestion.

"Wonder if you would make a "Bigger Khleb", by extending it for a crew cabin or something."

Essentially, something in the same vain as the Big Gemini "Big-G."

However, before I can even start modelling, I have a very important question to ask you all: Which variant of the "Bigger Khleb" do you prefer? So far, I have come up with two concepts:

I am opening a poll, so you can cast your votes. If you have other ideas, like, let's say, giving Concept 1 Concept 2's Service Module, please leave a comment.

[NISSKEPCSIM]

Here are a couple of pictures of a mockup of the "Concept 1" crew module attached to the regular "Big Soyuz" pod:

[NISSKEPCSIM]

Also, a more in-depth look at "Concept 2," for those that are interested:

 

Edited August 28, 2017 by NISSKEPCSIM

[Bottle Rocketeer 500]

@NISSKEPCSIMI want this, a Big-G-style extension with a scaled-up Soyuz SM, as shown here:

[NISSKEPCSIM]

So, this?

On 8/28/2017 at 0:14 AM, kraden said:

I think I like Concept 1 better, but that image of having a cylindrical SM looks like it might be cool too.

 

[Bottle Rocketeer 500]

13 minutes ago, NISSKEPCSIM said:

So, this?

 

Yes, a regular Tantares-alike Khleb SM

[kraden]

I think I agree. It's purely aesthetic, but having the SM continue to flair out may make the top of the rocket seem stubby and less aerodynamic. 

[NISSKEPCSIM]

So, currently Concept 1 and Concept 2 are tied, with 5 votes each, and 1 voted for "other." Whatever result we get by the end of tomorrow shall decide which concept shall be pursued first.

[Pand5461]

May I ask, why is it "Big Khleb" and not "Bolshoy Khleb"?

[kraden]

I'm guessing because most people looking through add-ons are less likely to click on something with a fully transliterated Russian name. By putting "Big" at the beginning, more people will understand that it's a larger version of something from the Russian or USSR's space programs, even if they don't know what "Khleb" means. Just a guess though, but if I were in his shoes, I would have done the same.

[NISSKEPCSIM]

Yep, that's exactly right. But, y'know, Bolshoy also kind of sounds like "Bolshie," which is a British word for an uncooperative person.

[Pand5461]

2 hours ago, NISSKEPCSIM said:

Bolshoy also kind of sounds like "Bolshie," which is a British word for an uncooperative person.

You made English even more weird for me.

Actually, "Bolshoy Khleb" wouldn't make much sense either. Really Soviet-themed name would be "Khleb BIG" (as in "Soyuz TMA" ship, "DM" upper stage or "Soyuz-FG" rocket).

This one would be "Khleb BIG-R" then, R standing for "Rasshirenniy" (Extended).

If anything, this is not a demand, just me thinking aloud.

[NISSKEPCSIM]

38 minutes ago, Pand5461 said:

...Soviet-themed...

Don't you mean Russian-themed? "Big Soyuz" was a study in 2008 in making a larger version of the Soyuz capsule, which could hold 6 people, and land using conventional parachutes, and was fully expendable. Did you confuse it with the "Zarya" spacecraft, which was a top-secret Soviet project from the '80s, which was supposed to involve a larger version of a Soyuz capsule, capable of holding 8 crew, and made a powered landing, designed to be partially reusable? Zarya is often mistakenly referred to as "Big Soyuz," when it really isn't.

Oh man, and we're back to a tie, with 6 - 6 on the poll! 

[Pand5461]

3 minutes ago, NISSKEPCSIM said:

Don't you mean Russian-themed?

Both, actually.

I mean, air/spacecraft modifications names are usually the name of the base craft plus some abbreviation vaguely related to what the modifications are about.

[NISSKEPCSIM]

Well, Big Soyuz is a completely new craft. It's like the Federatsiya. That's its name, because it's a brand-new craft, not a derivative of an existing craft, like all the Soyuz vehicles have been. At least, that's how I see it.

[Pand5461]

Soyuz 5 is also a new launcher but RKK Energiya hasn't come with a better name for whatever reason.

And now I looked into the main topic, "Big Khleb" is a nickname (may as well be what "Amerikans" call it), while the BK-50Y-Z is exactly what I said about crazy abbreviations.

[NISSKEPCSIM]

Meh. That's just a random number I picked so that it'd fit in with other parts, but I guess.

[Pand5461]

Weird alphanumeric codes really add a nice touch (like Soyuzes are 7K-OK, 7K-L1, 7K-MF6, 7K-STMA-M etc.). Especially for the pod, because stock ones don't have any.

[NISSKEPCSIM]

Also, I added the "BK" prefix so that you can easily find it in the search bar - no other part has the same tag, other than mine!

[NISSKEPCSIM]

Oh man, 7 to Concept 1, and 6 to Concept 2! The time to close the poll approaches, but not for a couple of days yet...

[NISSKEPCSIM]

Just a quick update to show what the new normal maps will look like:

Generation 3 normals:

No more weird artifacting on the smooth surfaces!

Nice panel lines!

Comparison of Gen. 2 normals to Gen. 3 normals:

So much better!

[qzgy]

Mind me making a comment about those parts, especially about those panels?

Although they look very nice, I'm not a big fan of the really big scratches at the corners of the panels. Maybe tone it down a bit? Or make it less regular? Right now they are all relatively straight, where it would make sense to have some maybe curve a bit or something.

[NISSKEPCSIM]

I think I might remove the scratches from the normal map.

[NISSKEPCSIM]

Lights!

Now the only parts on the normal are the panel lines!

Much better than the, *cough* *clears throat* previous version.

[Bottle Rocketeer 500]

@NISSKEPCSIM Can you please try to make rounded corners for the window on the extension?