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

[BubbaWilkins]

Improving

I even made a craft with drop tanks. It's a bicth to take off with, but with constant vigilance on the trim, and the tail stabilizing air brakes, it should give you great range with 300 fuel.

Looking good.

Now all we need is a matching nose cone and we can make all sorts of fighters.

Very exciting times!

[Snjo]

Looking good.

Now all we need is a matching nose cone and we can make all sorts of fighters.

Very exciting times!

In the mean time, one creative youtuber used the oblong tail i use for the Mustang as a nose piece for an awesome fighter jet. You people are so creative

[BigFatStupidHead]

You people are so creative

Well, great tools help to inspire.

[Hooligan Labs]

The input lock fix and such may no longer be needed, I haven't tried without it, but you don't get the lockup you did in 0.20 any more. That piece of lock fix code is based on lots of experiments by both me and InfiniteDice, so no one really knows what it all does any more Try one thing at a time and see what happens.

I could. Particularly it says that it won't start physics. Does this fix it as well?

The buoyancy kills the stock buoyancy on the part, and does pretty much the same thing, but with more configurability, and less crazy. So after killing the stock code on a part, that part will fall through the ocean like it wasn't even there. It's all just air then.... Mine pushes up to a max, to allow for parts that have a max load capacity basically.

This is something to consider. However, for a submarine there are a couple things opposed to this approach. The buoyancy solution has to effect the entire submarine (vessel). Also, it should continue to scale as the sub descends, like in reality.

Oh, and water impact resistance in stock is just based on ground impact resistance, so I made that a separate thing. Any part placed on the sub that's missing custom buoyancy code will drag you up, so it has to consist of only parts with that code, unless you do a Destroy on all vessel.parts[x].partBuoyancy. That has to happen after OnStart though, cause it's added at some odd time.

This part could be useful! Improved water resistance, water impact and ... well, destroying all .partBuoyancy components too.

[Wolf123]

Hi.. Me again. I spawned in water!!! Once , then it started being annoying. But i found out that when i use the water launch, in the debug it says moving me to the water, saying the coordinates. But just as the game engine kicks in, it says progress node: lading on KSC runway. And thats what it does, lands me on a runway. Just thought I'd give some info.

[Snjo]

I could. Particularly it says that it won't start physics. Does this fix it as well?

Physics don't start if you spawn in space with the water launch module, so it has limits of some kind. It udes to be that wings weren't activated, but that's OK now. As far as I can tell, everything starts up after the move. This is of course only tested with stock+FS. Any other mods may tamper with launch, like may be the case in Wolf123's case.

This is something to consider. However, for a submarine there are a couple things opposed to this approach. The buoyancy solution has to effect the entire submarine (vessel). Also, it should continue to scale as the sub descends, like in reality.

Affecting just one part doesn't help you stay level though. Affecting parts on different corners of the vessel, or named transforms on different corners of the single part sub, will keep it level.

[colmo]

Loving the new wings. They're definitely my favourite - those flaps are great for all sorts of manoeuvre. They drop minimum speed below 30m/s - great for Infinitedice's carrier.

Here's a Firespitter jet with procedural fuselage and a Kethane detector in the nose! (req. Firespitter, Procedural Fairings, Kethane):

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Procedural Jet 2.3 craft file

Edited August 7, 2013 by colmo

[Snjo]

First test flight, January 9th, 2013

Thanks to all you guys! I never would have thought when I created that weird texture-less non-rotating propeller above, on a slow day at work, that things would go this well! And now you've all downloaded this thing a hundred thousand times.

I've gotten a lot of good feedback and nice comments the last half year, in fact, the only negative comment I can remember, was a Russian guy telling me in russian, that people should go play DCS Black Shark instead

[Greys]

DCS Black Shark is a superior game, it doesn't do any of the same things and has bullets.

inb4 why you use period as comma separator.

Congrats, honestly I don't play KSP without your props, they open up ways of playing that don't exist in any other mod

[Jong]

Hi! A minor bug report.

The helicopter main rotor has an Isp of 1 in vacuum, rather than 100 like the large rotor and I presume was intended from the commented out lines.

[mrsinister]

awesome update btw.

[Snjo]

Hi! A minor bug report.

The helicopter main rotor has an Isp of 1 in vacuum, rather than 100 like the large rotor and I presume was intended from the commented out lines.

I think it was intentional at one point, to prevent you from flying too high, but since then I introduced the atmospheric nerf, that will make you lose thrust the closer you get to space. All the atmospheCurve does is consume more fuel the higher up you are. Since there's no reason to think the engine could chew through all its fuel in a second, I guess I'll put it back to 100. You still won't get more than 0.01 thrust or something when you're closing in on the vacuum.

[Hooligan Labs]

First test flight, January 9th, 2013

Well deserved! You've explored and added much to the game, and helped others in the process!

I just tested your float parts (seabomber!) with and without FSbuoyancy. I may have to make that a highly recommended or mandatory part for submarines.

[BubbaWilkins]

First test flight, January 9th, 2013

You've certainly made exploring Kerbin itself much more interesting. Good Jorb and Congrats on your successes!

[KhaosCorp]

Affecting just one part doesn't help you stay level though. Affecting parts on different corners of the vessel, or named transforms on different corners of the single part sub, will keep it level.

I thought the same thing, my first sub test had 6 'ballast' tanks, 2 on the bow, 2 on the stern, and 2 midship. Even with this it was either sinking or raising to the surface...no middle ground. And it was anything but level, despite all my mucking about with the ballast tanks.

Keep in mind I did these test with no plugin...stock displacement on all parts. Not that I wanted to do it that way...I am just not capable of writing a plugin...not even a little lol.

[Snjo]

Well deserved! You've explored and added much to the game, and helped others in the process!

I just tested your float parts (seabomber!) with and without FSbuoyancy. I may have to make that a highly recommended or mandatory part for submarines.

Thanks! Helping is half the fun, and it also helps you think through and learn from what you've done previously. We can only improve by sharing our discoveries.

I wonder why the stock float code changed, and how. Since there doesn't seem to have been anything gained in the process.

I thought the same thing, my first sub test had 6 'ballast' tanks, 2 on the bow, 2 on the stern, and 2 midship. Even with this it was either sinking or raising to the surface...no middle ground. And it was anything but level, despite all my mucking about with the ballast tanks.

Keep in mind I did these test with no plugin...stock displacement on all parts. Not that I wanted to do it that way...I am just not capable of writing a plugin...not even a little lol.

I can imagine one thing that can be done to make subs even easier to make. Remove the partBuoyancy AND remove gravity from the part rigidbody. So when you are under water, the only gravity effect you see is a custom force that gently pulls you up or down to simulate ballast over/underweight. And of course when you reach the surface, you need to prevent the part from flying above it.

Then there's the issue of the position camera, and the missing water plane when you are below it.

[Razchek]

I can imagine one thing that can be done to make subs even easier to make. Remove the partBuoyancy AND remove gravity from the part rigidbody. So when you are under water, the only gravity effect you see is a custom force that gently pulls you up or down to simulate ballast over/underweight. And of course when you reach the surface, you need to prevent the part from flying above it.

Then there's the issue of the position camera, and the missing water plane when you are below it.

For the camera issue you just rewrite the current camera class to how you feel it should respond. In KerbTown take a look at the KtCamera class file for a rough example.

I emulated most of the original functionallity of the actual flight camera but control it manually (except Tilt/Pivot, I didn't find that necessary). This allowed me to clip through terrain as the minimum pitch isn't set at the terrain collision height.

Just remember to enable the updates again when the vessel is switched / scene changed.

As for the surface issue, detect your altitude. 0 = sea level. If you're less than that; add force up depending on whatever physics factors you want to include.

Size (collider bounds) compared to mass could simulate oxygen inside the vessel making it lighter?

I think keep gravity enabled and just add the force up (make the negative altitude absolute and multiply the strength of the force) when below the surface.

Adjust the water effects as necessary to blur the land above, add a nice low pass filter to the audio to muffle the sound of the water (e.g. alpFilterComponent.cutoffFrequency = 1000 - (altitude * 20)).

Maybe even add another filter to echo sound.

There's a good hundred lines or so you could write and have a very nice underwater experience. Even less and you'll still have a nice experience lol.

--Edit: Just read up on buoyancy physics. Looked a lot simpler at first, but still very doable. I might give it a go (I need to write bouyancy for KerbTown anyway).

--Edit2: Found some existing work that I can adapt.

Edited August 8, 2013 by Razchek

[Snjo]

For the camera issue you just rewrite the current camera class to how you feel it should respond. In KerbTown take a look at the KtCamera class file for a rough example.

I emulated most of the original functionallity of the actual flight camera but control it manually (except Tilt/Pivot, I didn't find that necessary). This allowed me to clip through terrain as the minimum pitch isn't set at the terrain collision height.

Just remember to enable the updates again when the vessel is switched / scene changed.

As for the surface issue, detect your altitude. 0 = sea level. If you're less than that; add force up depending on whatever physics factors you want to include.

Size (collider bounds) compared to mass could simulate oxygen inside the vessel making it lighter?

I think keep gravity enabled and just add the force up (make the negative altitude absolute and multiply the strength of the force) when below the surface.

Adjust the water effects as necessary to blur the land above, add a nice low pass filter to the audio to muffle the sound of the water (e.g. alpFilterComponent.cutoffFrequency = 1000 - (altitude * 20)).

Maybe even add another filter to echo sound.

There's a good hundred lines or so you could write and have a very nice underwater experience. Even less and you'll still have a nice experience lol.

--Edit: Just read up on buoyancy physics. Looked a lot simpler at first, but still very doable. I might give it a go (I need to write bouyancy for KerbTown anyway).

--Edit2: Found some existing work that I can adapt.

You might want to look at my FSbuoyancy module for a very simple implementation, or the upcoming InfiniteDice version of the same for a very complex one

[Snjo]

Having fun making KerbTown fuel pump:

FS Housing Program (includes KerbTown plugin)

Edited August 9, 2013 by Snjo

[ohlookabirdie]

thanks, downloading now

[AWickedWookiee]

Hi - I just downloaded v5.4, never used this mod before. I have KSP .21

I installed by copying everything into the KSP GameData folder. The animations work perfectly fine and all the part are there. However, when I power up one of the propeller engines (the animation of it spinning works and I hear the sound) I get zero thrust. The craft just sits there. I am guessing I am missing something really basic. Any ideas?

[BubbaWilkins]

Hi - I just downloaded v5.4, never used this mod before. I have KSP .21

I installed by copying everything into the KSP GameData folder. The animations work perfectly fine and all the part are there. However, when I power up one of the propeller engines (the animation of it spinning works and I hear the sound) I get zero thrust. The craft just sits there. I am guessing I am missing something really basic. Any ideas?

Fuel? post a pic of the craft with the resources tab pulled down.

[Snjo]

Hi - I just downloaded v5.4, never used this mod before. I have KSP .21

I installed by copying everything into the KSP GameData folder. The animations work perfectly fine and all the part are there. However, when I power up one of the propeller engines (the animation of it spinning works and I hear the sound) I get zero thrust. The craft just sits there. I am guessing I am missing something really basic. Any ideas?

That's a new one! If you right click the engine while it's running, what does the thrust reading say? It should read more than 0.0 thrust, and it should not say it's deprived of any resource.

If you press alt+f2 you will see the error log. If there's lots of red text there, something's gone wrong. In that case, post the KSP_win\ksp_data\output_log.txt to pastebin.com and post the link to it here.

[BigFatStupidHead]

I take it your brakes are disengaged? Is it for all the propellers, or just a specific one?

[AWickedWookiee]

Thank you for the replies. This might be user error, but I want to be sure. I did take some screen shots. Sorry, I didn't have a chance to shrink the size so they are big.

This first one shows the airship I am trying to build. This one uses the electric prop engines. Plenty of electrical charge but zero thrust. Am I missing something else? I have no fuel of any type on this ship, just plenty of electrical.

This second screenshot shows the Firespitter "Stock" aircraft. Obviously, the fuel-driven prop. Same issue. Wheel brakes are off, it rolls forward like some craft do on the runway at about 1 m/s, but that's it.

I tried the Alt-F2 debug, but the only error message/red text was related to "Wheelcollider requires an attached rigid body to function".