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

[Snjo]

Press Shift

[Kimberly]

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".

You've turned the engines on, but you don't seem to actually have the throttle turned up! Press left-shift to increase thrust, just as you would do with a rocket.

[AWickedWookiee]

lol wow! That was incredibly stupid on my part. I have no idea why I thought I didn't need to use the throttle just like a rocket.

Sorry to waste your time with this.

I'll see myself out.

[Snjo]

Throttle control is very important in airplanes, and especially in helicopters.

In planes, you need to control the pitching tendency of the plane by either adjusting throttle (if the engine isn't in line with the wings, otherwise it doesn't matter as much), and/or using trim (alt+WASD) to adjust for different pitching tendencies at different speeds and altitudes (air density). (Alt+x resets trim BTW)

In helicopters, you need to be on the throttle all the time to not shoot up into the air, or plummet to the ground. Get used to keeping your pinky on shift/ctrl.

[Wolf123]

Hi Snjo, So I have done a complete reinstall and run the game. Then i downloaded the newest pre release and it does the exact same thing. So I am pretty sure that its not the mods that are causing it. Also it says in the Debug,[Log]: [Progress Node Reached]: Landing, [Log]: [Progress Node Reached]: Kerbin, [Log]: [Progress Node Complete]: Landing, [Log]: [Progress Node Complete]: RunwayLanding. And just above those logs, It always say [Log]: FSmoveCAL: moving vessel to: (-1199.2, 66.2, 4095.4) loads of times. I know i have said alot but there is another problem. When I am loading the Mustang file, it loads but then say craft mustang not loaded because ithad the following parts missing: FSnewFighterTailgear. Just giving some info. Have a good day!

[Snjo]

I was testing the new landing gear code on a part called FSnewFighterTailGear. I must have thrown the wrong craft file in the zip file. I'll make sure to replace it.

Those FSmoveCAL lines are the attempts to move the vessel to the ocean. While those are running, you should be hovering above the ocean. Are you being moved back to the runway after those have completed? If so, it might just bee that it doesn't try that move for long enough, because your computer is doing the load too slowly. I think it tries for three seconds. I'll make a new build where that is a config value, so slower machines can have a longer countdown, and we'll see if that helps.

[Snjo]

v5.5 pre-release

Download

-F-86 fighter jet wing with deployable leading edge for increased lift+drag

-F-86 tail control surfaces (elevators and rudder)

-Folding electric plane propeller

-Greatly reduced the weight of the landing gear. (Check the balance of your craft)

-Added brake lights to some gears

-Trim tool displays current trim

-Plugin: Deprecated the FSswitchButtonHandler function, replaced by FSgenericButtonHandler. Removed FSbuttonHandler in favor of FSgenericButtonHandlerID

-Updated some broken craft files

-Water Launch Module: On slower machines, try setting a longer timer setting if you are put back to the runway at launch. Edit the line timer = 4.0 to a higher value (seconds). (Parts\Utility\FS_moveCraftGadget\part.cfg)

MODULE
{
	name = FSmoveCraftAtLaunch
	moveAtLaunch = True
	launchPosition = -1199.2, 66.2, 4095.4
	timer¨= 4.0
}

[Wolf123]

Hi Snjo! Thanks alot for all the help you offered! Yep your craft files work now, and I Like the Mermaid! Anyway, what you said about the timer and all that I think your spot on, but the problem is that I change the timer in CFG to 10.0 And restart the game. And when i load the seahorse it doesont seem like 10 seconds before dropping down and again puts me on the runway, and still says runway landing and all that! And the I try setting the timer to 30.0 but still its seems like 3 or 4 seconds before it puts me on the runway. So I think your spot on but the timer just isnt working for me! I have the latest pack, you just posted in the last post above me.

[Snjo]

You can blame my typo for that. I put an umlaut after the word timer.

Make sure the line is timer = 10.0, not timer¨=

[Wolf123]

If this works... Damn, with ten i just explode on the runway! I am going to try with 20! Edit: It is my fault i think! i put put timer= 10.0 there was no space between timer and equal! LOL! let s see if that fixes it!

Edited August 11, 2013 by Wolf123

[colmo]

New pre-release!

I hope it doesn't break this almost completely Firespitter biplane I built:

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FS Biplane 1.2 Craft file

Flight instructions:

Use the trim presets to acheive level flight - try -45 or -50 pitch settings, and use 1 or 2 (action groups) to trim pitch up/down.

Before landing, turn on brakes and cut engine - this will engage wheel brakes and airbrake, and induce a lot of upward pitch, so use a large negative pitch preset (-60 or more) to bring it down. Wheel brakes engaged immediately stops the plane bouncing on landing. Landing lights on the gear help, especially at night.

Edited August 11, 2013 by colmo

[Hooligan Labs]

Snjo, it does look like the buoyancy that comes with KSP is virtually unworkable. I will be using an approach very similar to your FSbuoyancy, with the particular difference that I will destroy part.buoyancy on ALL parts. Thanks a lot.

[BubbaWilkins]

New pre-release!

I hope it doesn't break this almost completely Firespitter biplane I built:

Just when I thought I was done with prop planes....

Nice job, had to make one of my own! Sucker is slow, but agile!

Edited August 12, 2013 by BubbaWilkins

[colmo]

Just when I thought I was done with prop planes....

Nice job, had to make one of my own! Sucker is slow, but agile!

How is it in landing? I pushed the lower wing forward to prevent brake-tipping (stock gear on the front worked better for me as it doesnt tip), and the upper wing back to improve IVA visibility.

[BubbaWilkins]

How is it in landing? I pushed the lower wing forward to prevent brake-tipping (stock gear on the front worked better for me as it doesnt tip), and the upper wing back to improve IVA visibility.

I'm using FAR, so mine flies a little different from yours. Slamming the breaks will nosedive it, but pulsing them only pops the tail up a little and is manageable. Best thing to do is just coast in as slow as possible. If I had my wings configured like yours, it would put the CoL too far forward and be uncontrollable. I'll see if I can throw a video up later.

EDIT - short vid added.

Edited August 13, 2013 by BubbaWilkins

[Hooligan Labs]

So I have the (beta) submarine part and plugin up! It is ~50% based on FSbuoyancy. It possibly could have just referenced your code, but I chopped it up and put it in my plugin in such a way that it affects every single part.

Many people are having issues with using the water launch system. I believe it is due to lag - when I was testing my vessels with high latency I had the same thing happen.

Lag is the highest while loading the level. Could the launch system wait until the first stage is ready? And/Or be triggered by right click menu?

[Snjo]

So I have the (beta) submarine part and plugin up! It is ~50% based on FSbuoyancy. It possibly could have just referenced your code, but I chopped it up and put it in my plugin in such a way that it affects every single part.

Many people are having issues with using the water launch system. I believe it is due to lag - when I was testing my vessels with high latency I had the same thing happen.

Lag is the highest while loading the level. Could the launch system wait until the first stage is ready? And/Or be triggered by right click menu?

It has to start trying before physics kick in, otherwise it will be ripped apart. Or at least that was the way in .19. It keeps trying for a set amount of time, hopefully ending after physics has started and everything is loaded. The time it tries is a cfg value.

[Snjo]

I'm using FAR, so mine flies a little different from yours. Slamming the breaks will nosedive it, but pulsing them only pops the tail up a little and is manageable. Best thing to do is just coast in as slow as possible. If I had my wings configured like yours, it would put the CoL too far forward and be uncontrollable. I'll see if I can throw a video up later.

EDIT - short vid added.

Is it just me, or was there a wheel skid sound effect when you landed? I know I haven't gotten around to add that yet.

[mrsinister]

yeah ^, I heard it too.

[BubbaWilkins]

Is it just me, or was there a wheel skid sound effect when you landed? I know I haven't gotten around to add that yet.

Sadly no, just Chatterer going off.

[PolecatEZ]

Snjo, just wanted to let you know I've updated a lot of things about your mod pack. All the cockpits got put in line with the new torque system for starters. ASAS/SAS modules were redone according to new logic also. There were a few other miscellaneous fixes as well. I'll zip them up and send them to you tomorrow...tired for now.

I couldn't find the module nor fix it to make the floaty landing gear retract...was it meant to?

[Snjo]

Snjo, just wanted to let you know I've updated a lot of things about your mod pack. All the cockpits got put in line with the new torque system for starters. ASAS/SAS modules were redone according to new logic also. There were a few other miscellaneous fixes as well. I'll zip them up and send them to you tomorrow...tired for now.

I couldn't find the module nor fix it to make the floaty landing gear retract...was it meant to?

Oh, wow, that sounds great! Yes float section with the landing gears does retract.

If you can mention which files have updates, it'll make merging things quicker

[PolecatEZ]

Oh, wow, that sounds great! Yes float section with the landing gears does retract.

If you can mention which files have updates, it'll make merging things quicker

Apache Nose, Gyroscope, and all 4 cockpits for sure, I'll figure out some way to get them to you in the morning. I had them all cut and pasted into a message for you, but the system said no...5000 character limit.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nz7tsm9492ms6yy/ZsgAXFjjWH

Edited August 14, 2013 by PolecatEZ

[Hooligan Labs]

It has to start trying before physics kick in, otherwise it will be ripped apart. Or at least that was the way in .19. It keeps trying for a set amount of time, hopefully ending after physics has started and everything is loaded. The time it tries is a cfg value.

Huh, physics even rips apart something that is on rails? I'm surprised!

By the way, in your travels have you found a way to make a part that is not active run a plugin?

[Snjo]

Huh, physics even rips apart something that is on rails? I'm surprised!

By the way, in your travels have you found a way to make a part that is not active run a plugin?

It will rip apart if you do the move after physics kick in, cause it's no longer on rails.

Do you mean to run it while it's loaded, but on another vessel, or unloaded?

For loaded stuff, any code running in OnUpdate will run, but you know that (Also Update(), FixedUpdate etc, OnFixedUpdate is less good)

For unloaded stuff, I guess you'd have to throw the code over to a KSPAddon...

Partmodule thing:
OnUnload() // or something
{
    SillyCode.backgroundModules.Add(this);
}

[KSPAddon(KSPAddon.Startup.Flight, false)]
public class SillyCode : MonoBehaviour
{
   public static List<PartModule> backgroundModules = new List<PartModule>();

   Update()
   {
      foreach (PartModule pm in backgroundModules)
      {
          pm.OnUpdate();
      }
   }