Firespitter propeller plane and helicopter parts v7.1 (May 5th) for KSP 1.0

[Snjo]

Snjo, I found out about your excellent parts animation module through my use of the B9 Aerospace parts - it's definitely nice to see multiple persistent animations per component

I've been studying the documentation you've written for FSanimateGeneric, and while for the most part it seems straightforward, I was wondering if you or anyone have used this module with deployable solar panels? I'm asking because I'm trying to retrofit another modder's solar panels, which have problems with multiple animations per part.

Said part is the Balka Solar Wings Block from CardboardBoxProcessor's Kosmos pack - it consists of two extendable/retractable solar "wings" mounted on opposing sides of a rotating hub. The combined rotation of both the solar wings and the hub usually allows the Balka to track the sun effectively, but when switching between flights, the panels would revert to their default retracted state due to stock KSP being unable to handle multiple animations per part. The panels are *enormous* such that it takes literally minutes to fully re-extend each wing.

Below is a snippet from CBBP's original CFG file.

CBP just asked me the same thing, and I've been thinking it over. The problem is in the handling of animation layers and finding animations in the stock module. The only way I see it working together is by creating some extra code, so the animations would be handled by my module, and the collection aspect would be handled by the solar panel collector code. However the collector would also need to be fed an animation with no content, and have their Events hidden by code. The extra code would have to handle the collector codes extend/retract, AND making sure those events don't fire at the same time ever, because of the animation layer issue.

The ideal solution would be a whole new collector code, but that requires handling the solar tracking and the actual energy production and delivery to the vessel, which I don't know how works.

If you don't make new code , and use one set of blank animations for the collectors, and one set for FSanimateGeneric, you can get it working, but the collection aspect would be independent of the deployed state. Also you would need access to his model/unity project to put additional models in the part.

edit: If you are comfortable coding, you can retool my code as long as you change the class name to avoid plugin conflicts.

Edited July 11, 2013 by Snjo

[Snjo]

Are nose/wing guns a planned feature?

Not at the moment, but I know InfiniteDice (Boat Parts Man) has some in the works. I've tried them, and they promise to be quite deadly.

[sumghai]

I've been thinking it over. The problem is in the handling of animation layers and finding animations in the stock module. The only way I see it working together is by creating some extra code, so the animations would be handled by my module, and the collection aspect would be handled by the solar panel collector code. However the collector would also need to be fed an animation with no content, and have their Events hidden by code. The extra code would have to handle the collector codes extend/retract, AND making sure those events don't fire at the same time ever, because of the animation layer issue.

The ideal solution would be a whole new collector code, but that requires handling the solar tracking and the actual energy production and delivery to the vessel, which I don't know how works.

If you don't make new code , and use one set of blank animations for the collectors, and one set for FSanimateGeneric, you can get it working, but the collection aspect would be independent of the deployed state. Also you would need access to his model/unity project to put additional models in the part.

edit: If you are comfortable coding, you can retool my code as long as you change the class name to avoid plugin conflicts.

I see.

One of these days, I might attempt to rework (a copy) of FSanimateGeneric to handle multiple solar panels (FSsolarPanel?).

[Snjo]

As long as you don't use the prefix FS, that's mine

Originally I didn't have prefixes for the plugin classes, but I figured there was a good possibility two people could end up creating modules called solarPanel for instance. That would create a conflict. In v5 I was finally able to get rid of the last modules without the FS prefix.

So when I've co-created a plugin class with someone else, and both parties wanted to include a variant in their mod, I'd name mine FSawesomeThing, and the other guy would name his IDawesomeThing, and then we'd both be able to tweak bits of it without creating problems for people using both mods.

[sumghai]

As long as you don't use the prefix FS, that's mine

Originally I didn't have prefixes for the plugin classes, but I figured there was a good possibility two people could end up creating modules called solarPanel for instance. That would create a conflict. In v5 I was finally able to get rid of the last modules without the FS prefix.

So when I've co-created a plugin class with someone else, and both parties wanted to include a variant in their mod, I'd name mine FSawesomeThing, and the other guy would name his IDawesomeThing, and then we'd both be able to tweak bits of it without creating problems for people using both mods.

Ah, makes sense.

[orileybomb01]

i know this is a propeller mod pack but i found the nose air intake and im wondering if jet parts will ever be included in this pack

[KhaosCorp]

i know this is a propeller mod pack but i found the nose air intake and im wondering if jet parts will ever be included in this pack

There is a tail jet engine that kinda goes with that nose already in the pack. You probably over looked it because it does not look like an engine, but rather an aerodynamic part.

[Snjo]

I've created new functionality for the landing gears, scrapping the stock landing gear code, and creating similar stuff, but with a lot more functionality. Most importantly, the wheels now have motors on them, just like rover wheels, so it's much easier to taxi on the runway/carrier (especially since the wheels already have steering).

The stock code needs everything to be just exactly to its expectations, or it will break, disabling the wheel. This new code can skip stuff like the wheel mesh rotation, suspension and animation, and even the collider itself without freaking out, and most importantly, it supports any number of wheels in a single part, so those four wheeled jet liner gears, or even a single part car axle should be good to go.

A problem with the stock rover wheels is that they lack enough friction to get up steep hills and ramps, so here you can also adjust any property of the wheel colliders friction and spring from the cfg file (Not that this module supports the rover wheel setups though, that's a whole different kind of crazy)

It only took half a year, but the tail wheel can finally roll when retracted again, since disabling the collider on gear retraction is an option, as well as different drag when deployed/stowed. The drag stuff is actually interesting. It's much harder to take off with lots of drag on the bottom of the plane, so I set it as low as any other part (which all weirdly have about 0.2 drag, even the Rocomax tanks and such), and it takes off OK, but with three deployed landing gears, it slows the plane down from 124m/s to 104m/s. It actually helps a bit as an air brake, even though it's no more draggy than any other part when deployed. (Stock gear code applies 0 drag in all situations)

The end result is that you will want to stow your landing gear when you are flying to go faster, which is a good thing.

Edited July 19, 2013 by Snjo

[InfiniteDice]

Landing gear... "drag when deployed/stowed. The drag stuff is actually interesting. It's much harder to take off with lots of drag on the bottom of the plane... The end result is that you will want to stow your landing gear when you are flying to go faster, which is a good thing."

Hip Hip Hooray!

[gmpd2000]

Can you do some F-86 Sabre styled parts?

[orileybomb01]

There is a tail jet engine that kinda goes with that nose already in the pack. You probably over looked it because it does not look like an engine, but rather an aerodynamic part.

i will have to look, that will make building a f-86 a lot easier

[mushroomman]

If I scaled some of the parts down (mostly the electric helicopter blades) would it cause any unwanted complications?

[Snjo]

If I scaled some of the parts down (mostly the electric helicopter blades) would it cause any unwanted complications?

No, just change the rescaleFactor, and possibly the thrust output and fuel use.

Can you do some F-86 Sabre styled parts?

I know I've promised this long ago, so I 'm sorry I haven't done the rest of the parts yet. New f-86 textures for the texture switcher and some wings/tail is still on the old todo-list. Vacation starts in four days, so we'll see what happens then.

For now, I'm just messing around with the wheels and the VTOL, adding advanced steering to them:

[mushroomman]

No, just change the rescaleFactor, and possibly the thrust output and fuel use.

Thanks. It seems to have worked just fine.

So I've been trying to build a mini electric helicopter and it seems to work pretty well, but it's not great. And advice on how to make it better? It doesn't handle very well at high speed mostly.

Note, I have made the tail longer since these pictures.

[Climberfx]

LOL. Very nice. It would be great this working on Vtol from B9!

[Galacticruler]

Snjo, I hope you can toss this on the list of things to do somewhere:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/41226-Retractable-deployable-wings?p=536305#post536305

[Snjo]

Pre-release v5.4

Download

-new landing gear functionality: motor, roll retracted, friction overrides, etc.

-VTOL steering (pitch and yaw through engine rotation, roll through thrust variation)

Different control modes:

"Single pair" uses rotation for pitch for regular VTOL setups when using additional tail surfaces for stabilization.

"Double pair" uses thrust variation for pitch for Quadrocopter setups.

"Custom" pops up a menu to set any control mode on or off, plus setting the forwards/aft assumptions for thrust pitch.

"Off" is the default. Just regular VTOL action, no steering.

-Texture switcher module. Switch textures in the hangar for:

Bomber nose art

(More coming)

-Support for arrays of values in cfg files through FSnodeLoader

-Increased wing lift of the fighter wings a little bit to compensate for landing gear drag. (The old value is listed in the cfg)

Bugs

I think I got all the bugs, but I did see one odd thing where I loaded up a quad craft, clicked on the left engine in a pair, and both were deleted. Picking up the opposite engine did not cause both to be deleted. I have no idea how to nail it down though...

edit: haha, silly me, adding the part to its own symmetry list

If there are any other bugs, it's likely to be GUI related, cause there have been a lot of odd edge cases with the menus and updating values and symmetry pairs.

Edited July 24, 2013 by Snjo

[Daddy Cecil]

Anyone know if this will work with .21? If not, probably when I come back it will be updated

[Dilin]

Anyone know if this will work with .21? If not, probably when I come back it will be updated

Im using the version posted above and its working so far.

[KhaosCorp]

Everything seems to be working, except the 'launch to water' unit.

[blueshark15]

hello, after much use of the hooligan labs buoyant airship parts with your propellers, and I love your work. I do, However, have a suggestion. A new part, somewhat like a cross of the swamp engine, the helicopter tail rotor, and an rcs thruster block. You would mount one on each side of your craft (or more, you could do alot with these). When you used the docking controls, w would make both propellers push you forward, s would make both push you to the rear, a would make one spin forwards and one spin back making you spin on the spot to the left, and d would do the same thing in reverse. They would essentially be rcs blocks with only 2 ports, that would require intake air and either electricity or liquid fuel to run. Probably they could look a sideways swamp engine with a ring around the blade tips like the helicopter fenestron *not sure i spelled this right.

Anyway, let me know of the feasibility of this. I shouldn't think it would be too difficult to do.

[InfiniteDice]

Everything seems to be working, except the 'launch to water' unit.

He will have this fixed; they introduced new code to drop vessels to the ground on launch, it forces things that start over water down to the sea floor.

[GrizzlyJones]

I think it would be a good idea if you could add some parts that would help make something like a P-38 Lighting. I had made one before, but it wasnt to stable, and i had to use Procedural Wings to make the part between the cockpit and the engines and for the tailpiece with two of them just sort of going through each other, and also some sort of small short tail piece for the cockpit, i had to use the air intake, and thats a good shape and size for what you already have, but a dedicated structural piece kind like that would be really nice.

Note when i attached the taknes and the engines, i could only mount the tanks sideways, not upright and looks a bit strange, along with the tail piece, whic would be good if you had one like the one you already have, but that goes straight back, angled on each side rather than one side flat.

And I've already seen several posts of wanting F-86 Sabre Jet parts, just showing my support for that idea!!!

[Snjo]

[...] Note when i attached the taknes and the engines, i could only mount the tanks sideways, not upright and looks a bit strange, along with the tail piece, whic would be good if you had one like the one you already have, but that goes straight back, angled on each side rather than one side flat.[...]

The surface attach points on the oblong fuselages are on the top or bottom, not on the flat side. I doubt anyone uses them surface attached much. Maybe I should move the attach point to the side instead... Does anyone else use them surface attached in a way the requires the attach pint to be on the top/bottom?for the small connectors, I guess smaller wing extender kind of bit could do. For now, you could take the huge wing extender and scale it down with rescalefactor, and edit/remove the lift.

There isn't really a good way to make the rear connected wing between the tails though.

[KhaosCorp]

P-38 is ok I guess...

If there was a new plane in full parts added though I'd vote for the GeeBee!

ya cant say this gal aint the hotness!!

And fast, they were basically GIANT engines with a cockpit slapped on the back.