Probe Cores as Computers

[0something0]

Hello, director of 0something0's space program here. 

So, we've noticed that when trying to license our craft to other space programs , often times the program that is receiving the blueprints are unable to make them because part contracts of the more specialized and elusive manufacturers are non-transferable, so if they don't have the licenses as me,  they can't make the craft that I am licensing them to. I understand the situation when it comes to parts from organizations like Tetragon Projects or BahamutoD's Arms Corporation, but I've noticed many software companies such as Mechjeb, KOS, Burn Together, etc have been using their own proprietary computer architecture on their own proprietary hardware. I will acknowledge that a lot of the companies are fairly liberal about their code, but the fact that we have to use proprietary parts that can't be shared with other players and the fact that we have to manually remove every part is irritating our engineers and our lawyers. So, I say we establish a common computer architecture based on some of the most commonly available systems that nearly every space program has access to.

(In normal people language)

So, its a pain to share .craft files when you have a thousand tiny computer parts for utility purposes from mods like Mechjeb, KOS, Burn Together, etc. So, we as a modding community should make it so all of the software are contained within probe cores so the probe cores act as computers that we can load software from mods on.

[linuxgurugamer]

Use KerbalX, which tells you which mods are needed.

or, just share stock vessels

[0something0]

7 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Use KerbalX, which tells you which mods are needed.

or, just share stock vessels

The problem is that its a pain to try to take off the tiny modded parts, especially when I often tuck it away in cargo bays. 

[Geonovast]

2 minutes ago, 0something0 said:

The problem is that its a pain to try to take off the tiny modded parts, especially when I often tuck it away in cargo bays. 

Then share them with KerbalX.  Anyone who downloads it will be told which mods it requires.

[0something0]

Just now, Geonovast said:

Then share them with KerbalX.  Anyone who downloads it will be told which mods it requires.

But when modded parts account for a tiny fraction of mass, volume, potentially part count, and is not needes to fly the vessel, they shouldn't need mods to get the craft. I enjoy mod as much as the next guy, though my poor 4GB of ram means I am limited in my options soI often play mostly stock.

[linuxgurugamer]

Adding functionality to a probe core won't help.  People will still have the parts there.

Modders don't  make parts for nothing.  Parts have a reason for being

[d4harp]

The following patch will add a kOS computer to all controllable parts without a crew requirement (i.e. probe cores). If you use this patch, you can play your game with kOS using nothing but stock parts. (I'm not at my gaming pc right now so can't test, but I am using a similar patch in my game and it works)

@PART[*]:HAS[@MODULE[ModuleCommand]:HAS[#minimumCrew[0]],!Module[kOSProcessor]]:FINAL
{
  MODULE
  {
    name = kOSProcessor
    diskSpace = 5000
    ECPerBytePerSecond = 0
    ECPerInstruction = 0.000004
  }
}

Using this as a template, you can add other modules (like MechJeb).

However, I think it should be left to the individual user to patch their game like this. If every computer-like mod added it's module to stock probe cores, then the part action windows would get very messy for those parts.

Edited June 12, 2018 by d4harp