MajiirKerbalLib 0.2.1 - Engine toggles, high-Isp prioritization, stock part fixes

[Majiir]

I've deployed a hotfix for the ship loading issue. First post has updated links. Check out the comments on the issue tracker if you're curious about what was happening.

There are a few more bugs on the tracker at the moment, so keep an eye on them and let me know if you have any information that could help.

[Majiir]

Deployed another hotfix. The current version is 0.1.3, available in the first post of this thread. NERVA engines should no longer turn blue. (But now, I know how to make them turn blue on command... muahaha!)

[7rex]

I too had the issue where ship parts were disappearing and the ship would not/could not move. The latest version (0.1.3) seems to have fixed the issue.

Something I found with the problem was any ship that had a fuel tank would be stuffed up, even it it sat on the launch pad.

[Tirak]

Does this reactivate Fuel Lines when a tank is refilled?

[Cydonia]

@Majiir You rock! Thanks for bug-fixing so quickly.

[Cydonia]

Deployed another hotfix. The current version is 0.1.3, available in the first post of this thread. NERVA engines should no longer turn blue. (But now, I know how to make them turn blue on command... muahaha!)

Ah, so it's to do with temperature... weird. Do the engines reach Absolute zero then? Haha. Thermodynamic heat death in KSP.

[tijaiha]

Amazing Plugin, though this:

The issue with the RCS feeding order is that it will quite often drain the stack from the top (ie, your lander etc) first and then work down the stack. It's difficult to reproduce, but the simplest fix in any case would be to make it drain via the order the tanks are staged.

..would make this must-have plugin far more must-havier.

[Majiir]

Does this reactivate Fuel Lines when a tank is refilled?

Nope, thanks for pointing that out. I'll work on a fix.

@Majiir You rock! Thanks for bug-fixing so quickly.

Ah, so it's to do with temperature... weird. Do the engines reach Absolute zero then? Haha. Thermodynamic heat death in KSP.

They actually reach NaN (not a number). When I disable the engines, I set the maximum thrust to zero so plugins like MechJeb and Engineer will know the engine can't provide thrust. But, when the engine tries to work out its temperature, it divides by zero. My fix was to ignore the engine's own temperature calculations when it's disabled; that way, it just cools down like any part.

Amazing Plugin, though this ... would make this must-have plugin far more must-havier.

I've added it to the issue tracker. I might tackle it in 0.3 or 0.4.

[Motorsheep]

I'd love to be able to disable flow from RCS tanks so I don't always end up with empty tanks on my lander after I've used RCS to turn my larger rockets over in space..

edit:

ah, I see tijaiha has mentioned the issue before.

[sal_vager]

KSP should use RCS fuel from bottom to top, though if you add them late in a build this can be messed up.

When it's working though you can have an RCS tank on your transfer stage so you don't use the landers propellant.

[Joshmo]

This is great!

[CAPFlyer]

KSP should use RCS fuel from bottom to top, though if you add them late in a build this can be messed up.

When it's working though you can have an RCS tank on your transfer stage so you don't use the landers propellant.

Yes, but I can still see a great usefulness for such a capability. There are times when I would like to be able to have certain tanks train at certain times. I can do this with normal tanks but not with RCS tanks, limiting how I build my ships.

[Majiir]

Yes, but I can still see a great usefulness for such a capability. There are times when I would like to be able to have certain tanks train at certain times. I can do this with normal tanks but not with RCS tanks, limiting how I build my ships.

I'll implement a simple enable/disable flow on the RCS tanks, similar to regular fuel tanks. I can do a more complex fuel feed overhaul at some point down the road.

[colmo]

"automatic compensation for offset center-of-mass" - this. If you can make it work with VTOLs too, individually throttling engines to keep a craft level (or within a few degrees of 0, automatically returning the craft to a standstill on release of the controls), you will be worshipped.

[BlazingAngel665]

Now my KSP vanilla mod test release has a new 'vanilla' component. Between this and MechJeb there is nothing left to do but fly off into the sunset. Also Dev's you seeing this????

[Matias]

One thing really needed for me - specific impulse based on variable thrust over altitude without changing fuel consumption.

[Volt]

Just downloaded this. I like it. I would love a fix for RCS consumption; my 3-man rendezvous ship just got rendered useless by premature consumption of its RCS. Best way to fix it would probably be making them not allow fuel drain until they are activated by staging.

[Majiir]

The download link for version 0.2 has been posted. This version adds a fuel readout and toggle for RCS fuel tanks, much like regular fuel tanks have. It also includes air-breathing engines in the specific impulse prioritization system, which allows for much improved control of spaceplanes.

[Majiir]

Now my KSP vanilla mod test release has a new 'vanilla' component. Between this and MechJeb there is nothing left to do but fly off into the sunset.

Vanilla mod test release? What is this?

One thing really needed for me - specific impulse based on variable thrust over altitude without changing fuel consumption.

It might come in a later release that's more input-oriented. Can you give a scenario where this would be useful?

[Shuttle]

Hello!

I am not sure if I understood the first post correctly so I'll post a feature request here: an ability to control each engine's thrust individually. For example, one engine running at 50% thrust and another at 70% thrust. This would help a lot with shuttles and VTOLS

[Majiir]

I've released a 0.2.1 hotfix. This fixes an issue with the specific impulse calculation for air-breathing engines. I've also added a specific impulse readout for air-breathing engines and legacy liquid engines. (Right-click the engine to see it.)

Hello!

I am not sure if I understood the first post correctly so I'll post a feature request here: an ability to control each engine's thrust individually. For example, one engine running at 50% thrust and another at 70% thrust. This would help a lot with shuttles and VTOLS

I'm focusing on more automatic features that don't require a UI at the moment. The idea is that anyone and everyone should feel free to install the plugin because it doesn't do anything you wouldn't want and doesn't have a big clunky interface. I'm thinking about interface options for the future, so I'll keep this in mind, but it probably won't be for a few update cycles.

[Legal2k]

"automatic compensation for offset center-of-mass" - this. If you can make it work with VTOLs too, individually throttling engines to keep a craft level (or within a few degrees of 0, automatically returning the craft to a standstill on release of the controls), you will be worshipped.

I really second that! would be awesome. I already have some basic model done, just waiting for that feature.

[rditto48801]

Would it be possible to slow down the movement/turn speed of control surfaces and gimbling engines?

To make it so that it takes maybe up to full second (or a half second?) for a control surface or gimbling engine to turn to its maximum angle. And also have them smoothly go back to the strait position instead of snapping back strait when there is no control input.

It could allow for more smooth control of a rocket and space plane, yet still be a few times faster/more responsive than the precise control toggle.

It could also make it so the ASAS (and perhaps MechJeb also?) is much less likely/capable of shaking/wobbling larger/more complex rockets to bits by flapping control surfaces and turning gimbled engines back and forth rapidly like a whip wielding space squid high on caffeine was at the controls.

[Majiir]

Would it be possible to slow down the movement/turn speed of control surfaces and gimbling engines?

To make it so that it takes maybe up to full second (or a half second?) for a control surface or gimbling engine to turn to its maximum angle. And also have them smoothly go back to the strait position instead of snapping back strait when there is no control input.

It could allow for more smooth control of a rocket and space plane, yet still be a few times faster/more responsive than the precise control toggle.

It could also make it so the ASAS (and perhaps MechJeb also?) is much less likely/capable of shaking/wobbling larger/more complex rockets to bits by flapping control surfaces and turning gimbled engines back and forth rapidly like a whip wielding space squid high on caffeine was at the controls.

I experimented with this at length. Unfortunately, simple part-level tweaks are insufficient. (It just results in oscillations that are even worse.) I'll be working on a fix for this eventually, but it will be part of a much more comprehensive control systems overhaul.

[tijaiha]

Simply brilliant so far. Keep it up!

Would it be possible to keep the staging indicator and icons on left of screen when in map view? Could be quite handy not having to switch back to normal view to check fuel levels or stages in certain situations.