[1.12.5] WaterDrinker - Stockalike Propeller Engines [0.4][09.08.2024]

[Beale]

WaterDrinker

WaterDrinker is a mod that, much like FireSpitter, aims to add propeller engine parts into KSP, using a new custom plugin.

The plugin behind this aims to be lightweight, take advantage of stock engine features that have been added to the game, but still decently fleshed out and flexible.

ToDo

Features coming:

• More parts.
• Plugin-only distribution.

Downloads

https://github.com/Tantares/WaterDrinker/releases

Images

 

Part Authors

The information here is subject to change, while initial features are developed and fleshed out, and feedback is extremely welcome.
The make-up of a WD propeller engine is extremely simple:

Additionally, you need an animation which completes a single rotation of both the "high" and "low" elements. These elements don't have to be meshes, but can be parents containing multiple meshes, which can all be animated as you please.

The part should be exported with this.

Finally, this can all be put together in the config.

"baseAnimationSpeed" and "baseAnimationMult" control how the animation reacts to the throttle.
"lowHighThrottleThreshold" is the percentage of throttle at which the spinning "high" disc kicks in.

MODULE
{
	name = FXModuleWDAnimatePropeller
	preferMultiMode = False
	engineIndex = 0
	engineName = Main
	lowThrottleTransformName = low
	highThrottleTransformName = high
	lowHighThrottleThreshold = 0.8
	IsMirrored = False

	animationName = wd_prop_engine_s0_1_spin
	baseAnimationSpeed = 0.01
	baseAnimationMult = 1
	animationLayer = 1
}

 

Edited May 9 by Beale

[CardZLol]

You should remake this in a couple of years and call it AirBlower so we can have a complete trilogy

(It looks awesome! Great work )

[Jay The Amazing Toaster]

42 minutes ago, CardZLol said:

You should remake this in a couple of years and call it AirBlower so we can have a complete trilogy

(It looks awesome! Great work )

Needs EarthSwallower for all 4 elements to live in harmony 

[JadeOfMaar]

1 hour ago, Jay The Amazing Toaster said:

Needs EarthSwallower for all 4 elements to live in harmony 

To think this living hell with prop engines happened because FireSpitter attacked, and destroyed the balance.

2 hours ago, CardZLol said:

AirBlower

Maybe we can get @Angelo Kerman to rename his plugin for prop engines into this, lol (his Wild Blue cowboy engineer motif would totally fit and "prop" it up.)

Is my pun good? Horrible?

Edited June 27, 2023 by JadeOfMaar

[ffx]

The name of this mod is already legendary, the models are good and the fuctionality is roughly modernized firespitter. Impressive work.

[SofieBrink]

Very cool stuff! Much excitement on my end.

[linuxgurugamer]

On 6/26/2023 at 7:05 PM, Jay The Amazing Toaster said:

Needs EarthSwallower for all 4 elements to live in harmony 

Need one more for the 5th Element

[Manul]

15 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Need one more for the 5th Element

Gamma emitter. A plugin for interaction between a nuclear reactor and nuclear thermal jets or nuclear turboprops (Tu-119 style)

[JadeOfMaar]

2 hours ago, Manul said:

Gamma emitter. A plugin for interaction between a nuclear reactor and nuclear thermal jets or nuclear turboprops (Tu-119 style)

As it so happens there is a part behavior situation I've discovered that would need a plugin focused here. I might choose to have it named "GammaSinker" as it's more about the heat that's produced when gamma rays hit something, and much less about the gammas themselves.

 

Brain time. Water Drinker's engines should run on coal and water and be steam props.  

[Beale]

WaterDrinker v0.2

A simplified and lightweight analogue to the basic FireSpitter propeller plane controller, with some example parts.
Add the "WaterDrinker" folder to your KSP/GameData folder.

Includes:
- size 0 turboprop
- size 0 electric turboprop
- size 1 turboprop

v0.2:
- Added thrust reverser support.
- Localisation
- Code cleanup and fixes.

MIT

https://github.com/Tantares/WaterDrinker/releases/tag/v0.2

The larger engine can reverse thrust in-flight (usually to disastrous effect).

The smaller engines can only be reversed in the VAB, or by a kerbal on EVA.

Edited July 7, 2023 by Beale

[OrdinaryKerman]

1 hour ago, Beale said:

WaterDrinker v0.2

A simplified and lightweight analogue to the basic FireSpitter propeller plane controller, with some example parts.
Add the "WaterDrinker" folder to your KSP/GameData folder.

Includes:
- size 0 turboprop
- size 0 electric turboprop
- size 1 turboprop

v0.2:
- Added thrust reverser support.
- Localisation
- Code cleanup and fixes.

MIT

https://github.com/Tantares/WaterDrinker/releases/tag/v0.2

The larger engine can reverse thrust in-flight (usually to disastrous effect).

The smaller engines can only be reversed in the VAB, or by a kerbal on EVA.

How simple (or complicated) would it be to port Firespitter-dependent engines over to this? e.g. AP+

After looking at some Airplane Plus engine models, it seems they don't have premade animations for anything FS handles (prop spin, thrust reverse) so this question is rather useless as someone will have to add the animations anyway

also why are they called turboprops

Edited July 7, 2023 by OrdinaryKerman

[Beale]

9 hours ago, OrdinaryKerman said:

How simple (or complicated) would it be to port Firespitter-dependent engines over to this? e.g. AP+

After looking at some Airplane Plus engine models, it seems they don't have premade animations for anything FS handles (prop spin, thrust reverse) so this question is rather useless as someone will have to add the animations anyway

also why are they called turboprops

Guess who just learned the difference between the prop and turboprop.

Yes I must update this wording next update, where I will be adding an actual turboprop.

Re: porting - yes this would be more difficult than a simple re-config. I've gone with animations for max flexibility for both the looping spin and the thrust reverser, so that one could for example move a piston while the blade spins etc.

If you have access to the source files for an engine, it would be really trivial to re-export it in a WaterDrinker format from unity.

[Beale]

 

Edited July 8, 2023 by Beale

[Beale]

WaterDrinker v0.3

A simplified and lightweight analogue to the basic FireSpitter propeller plane controller, with some example parts.
Add the "WaterDrinker" folder to your KSP/GameData folder.

Includes:
- size 0 piston prop
- size 0 electric prop
- size 1 piston prop
- size 1 turbo prop

v0.3:
- added size 1 turbo prop

MIT

https://github.com/Tantares/WaterDrinker/releases/tag/v0.3

[theJesuit]

So good having lightweight props engines. 

So pretty too. 

I'm going to add these into the Quartix TechTree to allow a lower RAM load than having Breaking Ground installed.

[Beale]

Yay / Nay

[Beale]

 

[Beale]

 

If anyone recognises the plane they get a shiny silver penny.

[theJesuit]

Is this a two seater? 

[The Dressian Exploder]

On 7/7/2023 at 5:06 PM, JadeOfMaar said:

Brain time. Water Drinker's engines should run on coal and water and be steam props.

This was probably a joke but honestly a steam-powered prop that runs on Ore could be a really interesting engine concept! Similarly, an ore-based steam generator could be useful in some scenarios...

Perhaps for another mod, steam powered traction engine wheels!

[Beale]

19 hours ago, theJesuit said:

Is this a two seater? 

2 seats up-front, and one in the rear yep.

[NiL]

22 hours ago, Beale said:

Yay / Nay

Yay!

Also, are helicopter-type engine in plans? Uncexpectedly, may look nice on that cockpit, with a round stock nosecone would have a kind of stretched-nose Sikorsky H-34 vibe.

Edited July 11, 2023 by NiL

[Beale]

44 minutes ago, NiL said:

Yay!

Also, are helicopter-type engine in plans? Uncexpectedly, may look nice on that cockpit, with a round stock nosecone would have a kind of stretched-nose Sikorsky H-34 vibe.

I admittedly don't know much about helicopters. It would certainly be nice (I've made a few small probe helicopters with the existing parts, but they're too small to look cool for crewed vehicles).

Focus is on planes for now, but who knows in future.

[SwissArmyKnife]

22 hours ago, Beale said:

If anyone recognises the plane they get a shiny silver penny.

First thing that springs to mind is Lack's old SXT seaplane.

[Royalswissarmyknife]

22 hours ago, Beale said:

 

If anyone recognises the plane they get a shiny silver penny.

Its the umm the plane that uhhh its the one that goes in the air and it has the uhhh.