LLL - Lack Luster Labs - Development Thread

[tygoo7]

Did i break something?

http://i.imgur.com/PWsnjgz.png

Who let Jeb in the VAB? No idea what's going on, have you tried reinstalling SXT?

[Mach_XXII]

Who let Jeb in the VAB? No idea what's going on, have you tried reinstalling SXT?

Yes I have

[tygoo7]

Yes I have

64-bit or 32-bit? Also what other mods are you using?

[AccidentalDisassembly]

Oh, well actually, the reactor in KSPI has to be directly next to the generator/thermal rocket to work so since it has to be touching I figure that they will always mate up. I will have to build a thermal rocket engine too. As for the reactor housing, your the second person to say something about making it glow... the reactor housing keeps all of that kind of stuff contained so vents wouldn't be very... containment minded, however it did give me another idea and since I have to build an emissive layer anyways I think it wont be too much of an issue... the Pipes for the molten salt heat exchange could feasibly become hot enough to glow with heat similar to the engines. The water not so much because it would be steam, that is under lower pressures but making that one pipe glow a low orange I will look into.

I know that visually this reactor is fairly boring, very little effects and that is kinda how these things are if there running safe you know? I am trying to come up with stuff to add to it that will give it a bit more of a kick, and make it less like the vanilla parts trust me it was originally just a 2x1 hull piece. The generator just has been upgraded from blank hull to a hull with a warning sign. So I am getting ideas as I go and you all helping me by throwing out ideas is defiantly helping! For the generator, I am thinking of having an animated part that spins outside of the 2x1 hull piece a little bit. The idea here is to have just SOMETHING on it that is doing something because really a generator house is mostly going to just have a big huge electric motor in it that is being spun by a turbine to create electricity instead of consume it. But I will think of something interesting, I promise.

Oh right, wasn't even thinking of KSPI, I was just thinking of it as a generator in general. In that case what you've got makes perfect sense. I was thinking the glowing could be rationalized as hot metal or something - it's pretty illogical, really, since a radiator would be something that PREVENTS things from glowing hot red, but mostly I just thought it would look neat - whatever you decide on will be cool!

[MrWizerd]

@ accidental: yeah the funny thing about making done things is the realization that in reality functionality trumps form... I guess that's the appeal of Victorian era steam punk, it's pretty and highly functional in the realms of better steam tech. I mean if this was like a steam powered nuclear reactor there would be tons of wacky bits and glowing bits.... steam punk in space.... that's a band, a game, and a movie name all rolled into one... anyway that's how out would look neat, or if it lacked a containment unit it would be filled with a bunch of neat things but it would irradiate everything near it in a very bad way' and that isn't good. So this is why I am looking for things to add to the hull itself.

[Lack]

Yes I have

Have you got hot rockets installed? (Or another engine/effect mod). I saw something similar with another mod a while back and I seem to recall a outofdate/fubar config being responsible.

I have a regular non-KSPI reactor (essentially the same stats as a massive RTG, just 3 tonnes of the stuff) as well. It's radial, but I used a bit of trickery so that the weight is deposited roughly in the centre of the part its attached to.

[Whirligig Girl]

PLEASE hurry up and get an alpha version of the truck parts out! I REALLY want them!

[Lack]

PLEASE hurry up and get an alpha version of the truck parts out! I REALLY want them!

I released a version yesterday, check a few posts back.

[Whirligig Girl]

EpicWin on Lack's behalf. Epic work, dude.

EDIT:After playing around with the trucks some, here's some real feedback.

-I can't seem to destroy the truck parts via crashing.

-Braking nearly causes a flip.

-I can't exit the truck cab (hatch obstructed)

There are some other cargo-type parts that'd be nice.

-a smaller KAS-capable box.

-a leather-strap type Strut part for fastening objects to a truck.

-a standalone truck wheel.

Will we get the Pickup Truck? Perhaps as a single part?

How about the trains? I'm thinking that each train car would be a single part, and only the locomotive would have moving rover wheels, the other cars would have landing gear wheels. They could be attached by a special docking port with the claw's moving joint that would allow non-rigid connection, or simply by KAS.

Overall, I really like the work done here so far.

Edited August 1, 2014 by GregroxMun

[Lack]

I can't seem to destroy the truck parts via crashing.

It's a testing version, the crash tolerance is set quite high. Also acts to stop the entire thing exploding on the slightest bump.

Braking nearly causes a flip.

Breaking with the front wheels of a lorry at high-speed'll do that. Disable the brakes for the front wheels in the action group tab in the VAB.

I can't exit the truck cab (hatch obstructed)

Works fine for me, although I may have uploaded an older version before I fixed it.

There are some other cargo-type parts that'd be nice.

-a smaller KAS-capable box.

-a leather-strap type Strut part for fastening objects to a truck.

-a standalone truck wheel.

Possibly later on. The standalone truck wheel has some issues with orientation, hence it's not included.

Will we get the Pickup Truck? Perhaps as a single part? How about the trains? I'm thinking that each train car would be a single part, and only the locomotive would have moving rover wheels, the other cars would have landing gear wheels. They could be attached by a special docking port with the claw's moving joint that would allow non-rigid connection, or simply by KAS.

Possibly, they're rainy day projects.

[Whirligig Girl]

front wheels of a lorry at high-speed'll

Well, that alternate phrasing for "Truck" ensures that you're British.

EDIT: So can we get a newer testing version with proper hatches?

[Lack]

Well, that alternate phrasing for "Truck" ensures that you're British.

EDIT: So can we get a newer testing version with proper hatches?

Having my location set as Blighty might be a hint as well

Here's the latest version I've got, hopefully it should work.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39086055/SXT-17-pre.zip

[Whirligig Girl]

Another few part ideas.

There's some missing greeble-y type parts like engine boxes and yellow metal containers that go on the backs and/or fronts of trucks from the VAB/SPH.

A red or White 1960/1970 style civilian car would be pretty cool.

EDIT: Since I use custom .cfg files for proper descriptions, were the cfg files modified at all, or do I have to replace the cfg files as well? Or can I just replace everything except the cfgs?

EDIT2: They work fine with the same config files.

There's an annoying bug with KSC++ where a road segment that's a driveway from the road to a parking lot that is partially in the ground and has no collider box. Otherwise there's a few minor bugs with the road where they don't quite match up.

Still really cool.

Additionally, I think the trucks should be separate from STX, either being bundled with KSC++ or on it's own, because STX is really for rockets.

EDIT3: There's yet another bug. The Wide-Load cabin uses the Bonny IVA.

Edited August 1, 2014 by GregroxMun

[Lack]

There's an annoying bug with KSC++ where a road segment that's a driveway from the road to a parking lot that is partially in the ground and has no collider box. Otherwise there's a few minor bugs with the road where they don't quite match up.

Yeah, I forgot to add a mesh collider for that.

Additionally, I think the trucks should be separate from STX, either being bundled with KSC++ or on it's own, because STX is really for rockets.

SXT isn't just for rockets.

EDIT3: There's yet another bug. The Wide-Load cabin uses the Bonny IVA.

That's why you need to update the .cfgs.

[Whirligig Girl]

That's why you need to update the .cfgs.

Self Facepalm

SXT isn't just for rockets

I don't know what I was thinking writing this. It has plane and rocket parts, of course! But I still feel like it should be separate, even if it's just for people who think SXT has too much stuff for them but who want the trucks.

EDIT: It seems I'm getting NullRefs. Could this be caused by SXT? This has not happened with any other ships, and whatever has occurred, it makes both map, tracking station, and flight scenes lag horribly.

EDIT2: It's not this mod causing the problem.

EDIT3: I've narrowed the problem down to KerbinSide, but NOT KSC++. This is good, because I REALLY love KSC++

EDIT4:

EDIT3:

EDIT4:

She's great at going uphill.

EDIT5: She REALLY likes to flip.

EDIT6: Well, she didn't last very long.

Edited August 1, 2014 by GregroxMun

[Initar]

But I still feel like it should be separate, even if it's just for people who think SXT has too much stuff for them but who want the trucks

The philosophy of the SXT pack is, as I understand, to have to lowest memory footprint, using as much models and textures from the game as possible. Even the truck crate can be seen in the VAB (I added a KAS container module to it btw).

Anyway, those little things open a lot of possibilities...

[MrWizerd]

Oh lack, I forgot to mention that the tail for the bonny plane has LFO instead of just Liquid fuel, was that intentional, I have altered the cfg on mine, but I forgot to make a mention about it.

[Lack]

Yep, it's meant to be a low impact general stock expansion. Although thinking about it, a stand-a-lone copy of the truck isn't a bad shout, might be worth revisiting my idea of splitting the pack up into 'expansion packs' (Space race, aviation, etc.).

@Gregox, EDIT 6,

Heh, I lowered the crash tolerance (form 40 to 30ish) after what you said, seems to make a bit of a difference.

@ Initar,

Very nice, hadn't even thought of that.

@MrWizerd,

Thanks! I've taken the oxidiser out and upped the LF content.

[Whirligig Girl]

I've been putting off mentioning this. The Saturn V fuel tanks need different names. I think that specifically calling them "Jool V" tanks is detrimental to the modularity of stock parts, it seems to suggest only one ship is possible with these tanks. Also, I don't think any 3 meter tanks in this pack need be included, except for the smallest size tank, because they now exist in-game. It's actually kind of annoying. Also, the 2.5 to 3.75 meter adapter should be changed to a 3.75 to 5 meter adapter.

Could I write some proper Descriptions and Manufacturer names and have them included in a future release? Help these parts fit into stock better? I'd keep LL Aerospace and SM Truck manufacturing name, and add a few, and change a few to stock manufacturers. I could also write some agencies to go with these. Proper descriptions really help with immersion, and I already have some cfgs that add them so it wouldn't be too much trouble to write them up for the rest of the parts.

[Lack]

@Initar,Gregox,

Eh, small stuff like that don't really bother me too much. Very much in the f' it, that'll do camp of modding. By and large SXT and LLL are made because I want those parts, so they're essentially made for personal use; the release is more of an after-thought.

But if you're willing to fill in gaps like that, then that'd be great. Initar offered to help as well, if there's any specific sets of parts you'd each like to give a shot, then say. Things like the config location in the [] are useful, so I'd prefer to keep them. Since they tell you where the mod is, you can change the manufacturers around a bit, but SM Truck should stay, since they're spanner's work.

Binning the 3.75m parts isn't the worst idea ever, I've disabled them via module manager so it won't muck anyone's saves up.

[Damaske]

Lack A suggestion for the Truck wheels, can you add in the option to disable the brakes on them? The nose dive, attempt to flip over does get annoying as a work around I have been using reverse to slow down. And also can you add a steering adjustment to them also? Much thanks in advanced.

[Lack]

Lack A suggestion for the Truck wheels, can you add in the option to disable the brakes on them? The nose dive, attempt to flip over does get annoying as a work around I have been using reverse to slow down. And also can you add a steering adjustment to them also? Much thanks in advanced.

Erm, you can disable the front brakes in exactly the same way you would with a normal stock wheel. I've had no real problems with it, even at full speed it doesn't exactly flip over when breaking and it's far less violent than the rugardised. I feel that it strikes a good balance.

Steering, brake torque, etc can be adjusted in the config. It would be nice if Squad added those to the tweakables, but a plugin to deal with it is outside the scope of this mod.

[MrWizerd]

You know it seems like a similar issue across the board for all wheels/vehicles the game seems to instead of a gradual breaking force conversely apposed to the speed of travel, they seem to try to lock the breaks as fast as possible. I really think that there should be a mod written to enable a better breaking curve, since we don't have the ability to use an analog break control on a keyboard.

[Lack]

You know it seems like a similar issue across the board for all wheels/vehicles the game seems to instead of a gradual breaking force conversely apposed to the speed of travel, they seem to try to lock the breaks as fast as possible. I really think that there should be a mod written to enable a better breaking curve, since we don't have the ability to use an analog break control on a keyboard.

I find that tapping the brake works fairly well, sort of simulates not slamming your foot hard down on the brake (which you wouldn't exactly want to do every time you want to brake in a real car). I quite like it the way it is, does a cute little nose-bump just before it stops, but obviously I'm still playing around with values. There's a brakeSpeed setting, the braking torque on these is a lot weaker than the stock values (about 50 vs 500 on the rugardised, but these can go faster in a straight line), but I suspect it's been applied quicker (not super sure which way means it takes longer, experimenting with that at the moment).

Edit:

If you lock the stearing on the rear wheels, handles pretty darn nicely for a lorry being flung around at 80mph.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Lack

[Damaske]

Odd, I must have a mod that is not allowing me to adjust your wheels... ugh time to troubleshoot