flying saucers [Min KSP 1.12.2] Kerbal Flying Saucers - Build Flying Saucers in KSP!

[vardicd]

11 minutes ago, shdwlrd said:

I maybe shooting in the dark here, but if you have MKS installed; there is a patch that affects any part the starts with fuelcell. It's called stock tweaks.

I will investigate this, but would it affect other mod parts that use the stock code? seems strange.

[shdwlrd]

17 minutes ago, vardicd said:

I will investigate this, but would it affect other mod parts that use the stock code? seems strange.

The way it's formatted, it will affect any part with an internal name starting with fuelcell. It looks like it's adding a output resource to them. Outside of that, I can't tell what exactly the patch is trying to do.

 

Edited June 27, 2018 by shdwlrd
missed a word...

[vardicd]

19 minutes ago, shdwlrd said:

The way it's formatted, it will affect any part with an internal name starting with fuelcell. It looks like it's adding a output resource to them. Outside of that, I can't tell what exactly the patch is trying to do.

 

The patch isn't responsible, I've removed it and cleared the MM cache to force it to reload, still have no stock fuel cell functionality. the search continues.

 

[shdwlrd]

16 minutes ago, vardicd said:

The patch isn't responsible, I've removed it and cleared the MM cache to force it to reload, still have no stock fuel cell functionality. the search continues.

 

As I said, a shot in the dark. Have you checked the KSP log yet? MM records everything it does in it. 

Edited June 27, 2018 by shdwlrd

[vardicd]

@shdwlrd @Angel-125 I have discovered that I can make the stock fuel cells work, if I change a line of code in the config file from:  FillAmount = 0.95 to  FillAmount = 1.0

MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleResourceConverter
        ConverterName = #autoLOC_502022
        StartActionName = #autoLOC_502023
        StopActionName = #autoLOC_502024
        ToggleActionName = #autoLOC_502025
       -----> FillAmount = 1.0 <-------
        AutoShutdown = false
        GeneratesHeat = false
        UseSpecialistBonus = false
I have no idea why this makes a difference, but I'm going to make the same change to the flapjack module and see if it begins to work for me.

Edited June 27, 2018 by vardicd

[vardicd]

@Angel-125 Well, that was it. I have no idea why that one line of code makes a difference, but it does. by altering the code line to fillamount = 1.0 the flapjack engine mount fuel cell is now producing electricity, and way more than needed. I just had a partially built flapjack dancing on the runway, and the engine mount fuel cell was producing more energy than the transmitter and and reaction wheels were using. Should anyone else come to you with complaints of the engine mount fuel cell not working, you can point them toward that particular line of code and have them see if making that change clears the issue for them.

 @shdwlrd Thanks for the help, in trying to help me figure out what was going on. I have no idea what mod I have that's causing a problem with the stock fuel cell code as it is written, but there it is.

[shdwlrd]

3 minutes ago, vardicd said:

Thanks for the help

No problem. That's just weird, with the 120+ mods I run, I've haven't had an issue with the fuelcells not working.

[vardicd]

2 minutes ago, shdwlrd said:

No problem. That's just weird, with the 120+ mods I run, I've haven't had an issue with the fuelcells not working.

I've never noticed before, as I never use them. All my designs rely on solar, or the nuclear reactors that come from Roverdude's constellation of mods. The only fuel cell I've ever really touched before was the HL GyroRing from the airship pack, and it worked though I notice in the config file for it, the Fill amount code line is FillAmount = 0.99 which is apparently different enough from the 0.95 stock value that it works as well.

[shdwlrd]

24 minutes ago, vardicd said:

I've never noticed before, as I never use them. All my designs rely on solar, or the nuclear reactors that come from Roverdude's constellation of mods. The only fuel cell I've ever really touched before was the HL GyroRing from the airship pack, and it worked though I notice in the config file for it, the Fill amount code line is FillAmount = 0.99 which is apparently different enough from the 0.95 stock value that it works as well.

I use fuelcells to supplement RTG's and solar when needed. I reserve the use of reactors for ground bases... well and now KFS. Mod to mod and mod to stock reactions can be weird. From how easy it is to summon the kraken in KSP, it wouldn't surprise me how changing some value a couple points would fix a broken part.

[Angelo Kerman]

42 minutes ago, vardicd said:

I've never noticed before, as I never use them. All my designs rely on solar, or the nuclear reactors that come from Roverdude's constellation of mods. The only fuel cell I've ever really touched before was the HL GyroRing from the airship pack, and it worked though I notice in the config file for it, the Fill amount code line is FillAmount = 0.99 which is apparently different enough from the 0.95 stock value that it works as well.

Outstanding! Glad you got it figured out. I’ll add that to the next update.

[shdwlrd]

19 hours ago, Catatau_27 said:

1° - First, thank you, I'll try to add more generators and see how it will behave, I need to keep aerodynamics in relation to weight, and fuel enough for takeoff on the track, certainly in the first tests I will have to use energy and fuel cheat, because until now it is impossible to launch any spacecraft into space without help of solid fuel boosters, you would run out of fuel to circulate or abort and try to re-enter, and even if it were efficient in circulating there would be no fuel left to return .

2° - Yes, I am a builder, but I am damn perfectionist, I really hate when something is released without being effectively good and functional in the most enjoyable possible, there will certainly be an improved version of Aegis - Skydancer available soon in Kerbal-X, for whom have interest in my creations just follow: https://kerbalx.com/Catatau - They are not the best creations in the universe, but they were the best I could do with the existing pieces in their respective epochs, whenever someone launches a new mod with new parts I run to test and I put together a sketch of something, and about my inspirations ... well ... promising too much like Star Citizen. xD If anyone wants to suggest improvements for my creations, please, all help is welcome. =)

For floating I use Kerbal foundries, it is by far one of the most important mods ever made, although the appearance is not the best, its functionality is unbelievably good

Solutions: [1] - It would be useful if the creator of the mod builds an engine that appropriates more units of the gravity generator in the form of electroplasma, would save space and I would use less mods to accomplish the feat, an engine that works on the basis of energy that is easily replenished by the generator which in turn would be powered by the sun. [2] - Laboratory parts, Converter (to convert energy from the sun directly into electroplasm) and a load ramp with an elongated tip to be used as a tail. Of course this is not a requirement, but for better results it takes more parts, in the long term as life support, it will be necessary parts that are in accordance with the proposal, something that I consider important are landing legs which give stability to vehicles like the one I created, {I'm using those of mod B9} until then are the closest models for this type of craft, but their defect: 1- They are not editable in size. 2 - They are limited in the application, those who try something innovative and creative face the problem of landing legs, for creations so they should be projected from inside the ship, {When I do not use the B9 legs I even do M.S.I and parts robotic, works but spent time developing the landing gear Load, to later spend more time to do the own landing leg}. 

 

Not seeing bottom of the craft, I don't know if you can add more gravity wave generators without ruining the look of the craft. But if you add the new gravity wave generators near the center on mass, it won't shift the balance of the craft much. I would suggest adding enough gravity wave generators to hover without depleting the gravity waves. Without knowing the weight of the craft, I would guess you would need 3-4 total. (I'm able to get a ~96,000kg craft into orbit using three reactors and generators.)

If you want to use the rocket engines on it, I would suggest a forward flight using the only the gravitic engine at about half throttle. That way the gravitic is doing most of the heavy lifting and the rocket engines are only for the extra boost to get into orbit.

Another method would be to hover to just above the atmosphere but below the Karman line. (60-65km above Kerbin.) Then throttle up. You won't have to deal with all the drag from the lower atmosphere.The DV would be greatly increased at that point. 

From my testing, you only really need to be able to do 70-75% throttle without depleting the gravity waves to make orbit. It's a lot slower, but it can be done. (Just watch your static build up.)

[vardicd]

4 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

Outstanding! Glad you got it figured out. I’ll add that to the next update.

No problem, I don't know if anyone else will have the same problem as me, unless they're running the same problem child mod as me [whatever that is] but if it helps prevent others from having the problem, glad I could help.

[DStaal]

8 hours ago, vardicd said:

@Angel-125 Well, that was it. I have no idea why that one line of code makes a difference, but it does. by altering the code line to fillamount = 1.0 the flapjack engine mount fuel cell is now producing electricity, and way more than needed. I just had a partially built flapjack dancing on the runway, and the engine mount fuel cell was producing more energy than the transmitter and and reaction wheels were using. Should anyone else come to you with complaints of the engine mount fuel cell not working, you can point them toward that particular line of code and have them see if making that change clears the issue for them.

Quick question: Before you adjusted the fillamount, did you let the EC drain?  That is, would the EC drain fully without the fuel cell kicking in?

Setting the fillamount less than 1 means it will fill the EC to that percentage of full - so a 0.95 should turn off the fuel cell at 95% full EC.  (This is useful for ships that combine multiple sources of EC - If your fuel cells and your solar panels both are set to fillamount 1, then you'll run both full-tilt even in full sunshine if you have any EC drain.  If the fuel cell is less than that - and the 0.95 gives a bit of rounding wiggle room - then your fuel cells will help when you're less than full, but if your solar panels can keep you full they will.)  From a quick calculation, for your ship you showed before that would be at 4897 EC, which you were above - so I'd expect the fuel cell to not be producing.

[Catatau_27]

9 hours ago, shdwlrd said:

Not seeing bottom of the craft, I don't know if you can add more gravity wave generators without ruining the look of the craft. But if you add the new gravity wave generators near the center on mass, it won't shift the balance of the craft much. I would suggest adding enough gravity wave generators to hover without depleting the gravity waves. Without knowing the weight of the craft, I would guess you would need 3-4 total. (I'm able to get a ~96,000kg craft into orbit using three reactors and generators.)

If you want to use the rocket engines on it, I would suggest a forward flight using the only the gravitic engine at about half throttle. That way the gravitic is doing most of the heavy lifting and the rocket engines are only for the extra boost to get into orbit.

Another method would be to hover to just above the atmosphere but below the Karman line. (60-65km above Kerbin.) Then throttle up. You won't have to deal with all the drag from the lower atmosphere.The DV would be greatly increased at that point. 

From my testing, you only really need to be able to do 70-75% throttle without depleting the gravity waves to make orbit. It's a lot slower, but it can be done. (Just watch your static build up.)

I send to you one test version, please check it out! Free to try another things, Please when you finished, send-me back, your version =)

Currently I use almost 100 mods xD It's insane, but the lack of recurring parts within a pre-established model forces me to seek other solutions. D: 

[Catatau_27]

A trial version of Aegis - Skydancer is available on KerbalX 

https://kerbalx.com/Catatau/Aegis-Skydancer

Please test and leave your vote, this motivates me to continue building =)

Edited June 27, 2018 by Catatau_27

[Angelo Kerman]

47 minutes ago, Catatau_27 said:

A trial version of Aegis - Skydancer is available on KerbalX 

https://kerbalx.com/Catatau/Aegis-Skydancer

Please test and leave your vote, this motivates me to continue building =)

Looks cool, thanks for sharing that!

[Catatau_27]

15 minutes ago, Angel-125 said:

Parece legal, obrigado por compartilhar isso!

I hope everything goes well in your blutonion production, so you can concentrate on the yard and make more incredible parts for Kerbal Flying Saucers = D hoping to be a power converter for Electroplasm, or a futuristic blue Engine, or a piece of laboratory, or a hangar part, or a loading ramp, or a landing gear system, or a new set Wild Blue Industries. M.S.S - Massive Star Ships. <3 <3 <3 Everyone loves big ships.

[vardicd]

5 hours ago, DStaal said:

Quick question: Before you adjusted the fillamount, did you let the EC drain?  That is, would the EC drain fully without the fuel cell kicking in?

Setting the fillamount less than 1 means it will fill the EC to that percentage of full - so a 0.95 should turn off the fuel cell at 95% full EC.  (This is useful for ships that combine multiple sources of EC - If your fuel cells and your solar panels both are set to fillamount 1, then you'll run both full-tilt even in full sunshine if you have any EC drain.  If the fuel cell is less than that - and the 0.95 gives a bit of rounding wiggle room - then your fuel cells will help when you're less than full, but if your solar panels can keep you full they will.)  From a quick calculation, for your ship you showed before that would be at 4897 EC, which you were above - so I'd expect the fuel cell to not be producing.

Yes I had tested all the affected fuel cells with empty batteries. It made no difference. I had launched ships with batteries with 0 charge to see if they would charge on the run way, and they wouldn't. I started craft with near 0 charge, assuming maybe they needed at least a little EC to start the fuel cells, and the cells would produce no power, and I launched ships with full batteries and started the cells and had them spin on the runway till the batteries were empty. they never produced electricity, until I made that change in the config code. That was with the flapjack fuel cell and all the stock fuel cells, for clarity.

Edited June 27, 2018 by vardicd

[DStaal]

1 hour ago, vardicd said:

Yes I had tested all the affected fuel cells with empty batteries. It made no difference. I had launched ships with batteries with 0 charge to see if they would charge on the run way, and they wouldn't. I started craft with near 0 charge, assuming maybe they needed at least a little EC to start the fuel cells, and the cells would produce no power, and I launched ships with full batteries and started the cells and had them spin on the runway till the batteries were empty. they never produced electricity, until I made that change in the config code. That was with the flapjack fuel cell and all the stock fuel cells, for clarity.

Thanks - I just wanted to make sure you were actually having a problem.    (A surprising number of people on the MKS thread put in reactors and worry that they aren't producing EC, since they never go above 95% full...)

[vardicd]

55 minutes ago, DStaal said:

Thanks - I just wanted to make sure you were actually having a problem.    (A surprising number of people on the MKS thread put in reactors and worry that they aren't producing EC, since they never go above 95% full...)

No worries. I've made mistakes that simple before.

[MOARdV]

Everyone makes all of these cool and elaborate spacecraft with this mod ... meanwhile, I make a plain Flapjack configuration and play around with the cockpit IVA, instead.

This mod gave me the inspiration to take the ASET kOS Terminal and make it MAS-functional.  (No, kOS is not supported currently - but the entire keyboard is functional in MAS)

[SchwinnTropius]

2 minutes ago, MOARdV said:

Everyone makes all of these cool and elaborate spacecraft with this mod ... meanwhile, I make a plain Flapjack configuration and play around with the cockpit IVA, instead.

This mod gave me the inspiration to take the ASET kOS Terminal and make it MAS-functional.  (No, kOS is not supported currently - but the entire keyboard is functional in MAS)

It really is what's inside that counts.

[Angelo Kerman]

4 hours ago, MOARdV said:

Everyone makes all of these cool and elaborate spacecraft with this mod ... meanwhile, I make a plain Flapjack configuration and play around with the cockpit IVA, instead.

This mod gave me the inspiration to take the ASET kOS Terminal and make it MAS-functional.  (No, kOS is not supported currently - but the entire keyboard is functional in MAS)

That looks really cool! With some changes to KerbalActuators, I could make it work better with kOS. It's on the list. Love what you've done with the cockpit IVA!

I've been a bit busy too:

It doesn't look like much, but that's the start of the double-wide outer saucer section for the Excalibur mothership. That basic shape will form things like an outer storage tank and cargo bay. Half and quarter-sized versions will become all sorts of parts like labs, crew quarters, and the like.

[CatastrophicFailure]

1 hour ago, Angel-125 said:

It doesn't look like much, but that's the start of the double-wide outer saucer section for the Excalibur mothership. That basic shape will form things like an outer storage tank and cargo bay. Half and quarter-sized versions will become all sorts of parts like labs, crew quarters, and the like.

Or... or... like, an Enterprise that spits out... BabyPrizes!.. 

[The Minmus Derp]

On 6/28/2018 at 1:17 AM, CatastrophicFailure said:

Or... or... like, an Enterprise that spits out... BabyPrizes!.. 

Maybe make it capable of holding a bunch of flapjacks.

like 12

Edited July 2, 2018 by The Minmus Derp