[PLUGIN, PART, .16] Zoolotac EscapePod v1.2

[Zool]

http://xenolith.ws/mod/114/escape-pod

Mirror

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LlUXYqPMq0

Plugin that allows pilotable escape pods to separate from a vessel.

The capsule on your escape craft must be attached to the main rocket directly on a decoupler.

The escape pod can be a bit finnicky about staging, for best results stage your entire espace pod at the top of the staging tree. Be sure to test your craft close to home before you send it off to the outer solar system and find out the engine won't fire.

Updated to 1.2

Fixed pod decoupling issue.

Updated to 1.1

Decouplers are no longer deleted

Staging information is now stored right before decoupling

Assembling your rocket in an unapproved manner will void your warranty.

-Based on JDP's RemoteTech plugin-

Lead Coder: Zool

Lead Artist: Shuttle

Edited August 30, 2012 by Zool

[EDF]

ETA on that vid?

[Zool]

30 minutes.

[EDF]

alright, sticking around until then

[Zool]

Youtube sure is taking it's time. Video summary, craft encounters mun on a hyperbolic trajectory, one kerbal transfers from the 3 man capsule to the 1 man capsule. The one man capsule separates and fires it's engines for a mun landing, the 3man capsule continues on toward minmus.

[deadshot462]

Can the "escape" capsule have multiple stages? Such as an escape capsule attached to a lander that has an ascent and descent stage?

[Ekku Zakku]

Well, these escape pods don't seem to like parachutes... Caused the unfortunate death of two brave test pilots, as well as the mysterious disappearance of a third (presumed eaten by the Space Kraken). Problem was solved by putting the parachute before the decoupler to separate the pod from the fuel tank and engine. I'm assuming it was because the decouple somehow caused the pod to think it didn't have a parachute to deploy =P Not gonna matter to me from here on out though, since I'm not planning on using the pod for landing on Kerbin XD Otherwise, it works perfectly! Better than trying to mess around with inverted MechJeb controls and whatnot lol

[Zool]

Can the "escape" capsule have multiple stages? Such as an escape capsule attached to a lander that has an ascent and descent stage?

Maybe... Let me know how it goes.

[Zool]

I didn't try parachutes, I'll have to mess around with them.

[deadshot462]

Zool, just a heads up, no need to double post, it's better to just edit your latest post with a new comment if no new replies have been posted yet.

I've played with this a bit, seems like it is a working second command pod, but it only allows its single stage (no extra rocket stages or parachutes). Good plugin start so far though, definitely makes it possible to create new types of missions.

Edited August 19, 2012 by deadshot462

[Lazurkri]

Zool, just a heads up, no need to double post, it's better to just edit your latest post with a new comment if no new replies have been posted yet.

I've played with this a bit, seems like it is a working second command pod, but it only allows its single stage (no extra rocket stages or parachutes). Good plugin start so far though, definitely makes it possible to create new types of missions.

Like a "cluster shot" of capsule landings from a single launch vehicle.?

... hmmmn....

*Has images of ODST drop pods streaking from orbit onto Kerbin*

Nahhhhhh.... that would never happen....could it?

[shaunlake]

Yo, that seems to be a cool thing, especially for quick mun base install .

[Freddman]

The escape pod can be a bit finnicky about staging, for best results stage your entire espace pod at the top of the staging tree. Be sure to test your craft close to home before you send it off to the outer solar system and find out the engine won't fire.

-Based on JDP's RemoteTech plugin-

If you change the engines to 'state = 1' after you decouple in the persistent.sfs file, the engines will work 'as intended'. Perhaps this can be incorporated into a future release if the plugin?

[Shuttle]

Well, I've done some testing and it looks like this mod allows to have multiple stages on the decoupled vessel! My craft:

Upper pod is modded pod, lower pod is standart pod. I launch stage 1, separate modded pod with 2 stages, go from standart pod to modded pod, all the stages are shown correctly (!), then I press space - lower engine is activated, space - decoupler is activated, space - 2nd engine activated.

It looks like we have a sensation here! The only issue I've found is that the first stage is ignored when you press space for the first time in decoupled modded pod.

Oh, and I've also experienced "shake" issue - rocket shakes periodically. Creator of Damned Robotics has the same problem. I'll record a video later.

[Ekku Zakku]

Yup! I definitely found out that it can have multiple stages, it's just that if a parachute is on the final stage, it won't activate. It needs to be activated before the final decoupler it seems =3

Also, I just had a successful Mun landing (Apollo style!) using this pod, it worked flawlessly (*cough* unlike MechJeb *COUGH* (j/k)), and I'll be posting some screenshots in a few minutes once I get them all uploaded.

[Zool]

I'll upload a version with a few fixes today. Right now I'm headed to the mun to hit the dunes.

[Ekku Zakku]

Here's my rocket, which performed a landing on the Mun in a very Apollo-like mission (with a bit of added drama, this is KSP after all): http://imgur.com/a/ra0ox#0

[MrMoog]

Very nice plugin that will have plenty of uses. It seems to work pretty well with the exception that a MechJeb attached to an escape pod won't work. I see the interface and the information panels, but the commands won't work at all. Is it something that you think can be fixed?

[Shuttle]

I found a small bug: ASAS on the decoupled ship doesn't work until you switch to some far located (that requires scene load) vessel and back. I guess restoring a flight from the control center will work as well.

[JDP]

I found a small bug: ASAS on the decoupled ship doesn't work until you switch to some far located (that requires scene load) vessel and back. I guess restoring a flight from the control center will work as well.

That is a known bug in the debris activation method Zool is using, it's based largely on a design by me, which is largely based on a design by r4m0n. There is some wierd stuff going on with ASAS activation and AFAIK there always has been. I'm not sure if it will ever be fixed. But then again I wasn't sure that proper staging control of activated debris could work.

This is some truly monumental work Zool! care if i steal it for the next release of RemoteTech?

And another thing: I'd recommend playing around with your plugin removing the internalSpace of all but one vessel.parts, and after decouple, re-adding the internalSpace of the debris.part with the highest crewCapacity. That way you should avoid the brightness glitch while still being able to have an internalSpace in your extra pods.

[Zool]

That is a known bug in the debris activation method Zool is using, it's based largely on a design by me, which is largely based on a design by r4m0n. There is some wierd stuff going on with ASAS activation and AFAIK there always has been. I'm not sure if it will ever be fixed. But then again I wasn't sure that proper staging control of activated debris could work.

This is some truly monumental work Zool! care if i steal it for the next release of RemoteTech?

And another thing: I'd recommend playing around with your plugin removing the internalSpace of all but one vessel.parts, and after decouple, re-adding the internalSpace of the debris.part with the highest crewCapacity. That way you should avoid the brightness glitch while still being able to have an internalSpace in your extra pods.

Feel free to use it in any way you want. I thought about that, but I couldn't figure out how to add, remove, or create internal spaces.

[JDP]

Feel free to use it in any way you want. I thought about that, but I couldn't figure out how to add, remove, or create internal spaces.

I'm going to give it a shot and if I find a way I'll add it in 0.4. As far as I can see, internalSpace is simply a partModule, and those should be simple to add and remove from parts at runtime. I'd think that the most challenging task would be how to determine which internalSpaces to remove and which to re-add. With the addition of staging in Debris, it's suddenly possible to have a mothership decouple any number of other motherships that can in turn decouple any number of vessels/motherships (in theory even doing this ad infinitum).

It's pretty high up on a very long to-do list of features to add for 0.4. So if I find out how to do it, it'll probably be some time before I'll release it. I'll PM you with a code example once I'm done with the internalSpace code. That way, you don't have to wait for my release in order to update yours.

[Ekku Zakku]

I ran into a bit of an issue that makes things kinda difficult in certain situations; when I decouple something off of one of the pods, my camera/control/whatever is left on the debris and not on the pod, so I have to switch over quickly. Is this fixable or is it something I'll just have to deal with?

[Zool]

Whichever part is connected to the decoupler when the pod breaks off of the main rocket becomes the "root" part. If you attach it so the capsule is the root part the focus will stay on the pod. I've taken a crack at fixing it, but it doesn't seem to like it when I redefine the part connections on a loaded vessel.

[Ekku Zakku]

Ah, I see, that makes sense! I'll see if I can modify my ship design to take that into account then.