Bored 3D Modeler looking for a challenge..

[Panichio]

I would absolutely love inflatable/deflatable lander cushions like on the MER landers. Ideally they would actually bounce and fit on the small structural panel, so one could build pods with those.

There's already a mod for that.

[Galacticruler]

I'd love to hire you for my mod, but it seems you have lots on your plate, and little room remaining.

[Panichio]

I discovered Soviet Launch vehicles while browsing Wikipedia, so an Analog to the Saturn V will be planned.

--> Adding Saturn V analogous vehicle.

That's fine and dandy, but I was thinking more along the lines of SLS. The major Russian launch vehicles have already been modelled (with the exception of a complete N1), and someone has already done the Saturn V rocket. Maybe, if you're up for it, you could design one entirely from your

.

[swiftgates24]

Enginia. A cross of an engine and Jebidiah. Tons of thrust, with a high chance of overheating. Sucks up fuel like crazy, and it is huge!

[Cryocasm]

Enginia. A cross of an engine and Jebidiah. Tons of thrust, with a high chance of overheating. Sucks up fuel like crazy, and it is huge!

So basically similar to the 2011 engine (which had 20m in diameter I believe), and generated tons of tons of tons of thrust.

I don't see much use for it, however I will consider a series of 7.5 meter parts, in order to launch really heavy stuff.

That's fine and dandy, but I was thinking more along the lines of SLS. The major Russian launch vehicles have already been modelled (with the exception of a complete N1), and someone has already done the Saturn V rocket. Maybe, if you're up for it, you could design one entirely from your

.

You see, I use the word "analog" to point people into the direction I'm looking, I read and see and analyze diagrams, only to base my work off of them using exclusively my imagination. The general idea of the Uragan is what I like, a complete copy of it is not in order here.

I'd love to hire you for my mod, but it seems you have lots on your plate, and little room remaining.

If its something small, or low in quantity, then I may do some work. I'm mainly looking at wrapping up the thread now.

Hmm, what about a O'Neil cylinder?

It's a huge (15 miles long) cylinder that rotates slowly to generate gravity.

Oooh, how I love space stations and habitats for thousands. The problem is, that, these things have tremendous weight, and these things have little use (other than aesthetics) in KSP currently. I'll look into a much smaller, Rockomax Jumbo Fuel Tank-sized habitat to be put into orbit around Jool, the only reasonable candidate for such a habitat. Adding.

Well, I suppose the size can be anything, but it's not an engine. It's that large because it stores the electricity it uses, and even speeding up a mass of 15 by 800m/s would cost over 20k units of electric energy. It quite literally changes the speed at that instant, at the cost of energy, so there's no thrust in the sense of an engine shooting exhaust. In that sense, it could be put anywhere, even at the core of a ship. It will never be capable of FTL, because the energy cost is far too prohibitive, scaling with ship mass and the requested delta-V.

The warp field generator simply changes it's own mass at a constant draw to electric energy. Also a somewhat prohibitive cost, which scales with ship mass.

The only way to use either of these is with a pile of batteries and solar panels, which would probably be torn off if used in atmosphere.

Ah, seeing as how I actually thought of official names after I posted, I'll share those:

The IVM will be called a Ship-Wide Inertial Field Transformer, SWIFT. The energy cost for a change in velocity (either positive or negative) is at least abs( shipmass * requested dV).

The warp field generator will be called a Higgs Field Gradient Generator, HFGG, since it is directly changing it's own mass. The energy cost per second of doing this will probably be (|new mass| + 1) ^ ln(|shipmass| + 1).

I could also make an absurdly powerful Ion thruster that works on it's own (sans-plugin file), if you'd like, but it looks like someone else above has already started on one. Once again, I'm just dipping my toes into plugin programming, and changing velocity and a part's mass is easy enough, but also has interesting consequences on play.

Well right, I'll add it to the list, but I've got tons of things now, I think I'm going to begin wrapping the thread up and turning it more into a discussion about what I am doing, while retaining the ability to suggest, but stopping the emphasis on it.

I'd love to see a Command pod in the 3.75m size, with a cool IVA.

Not like futuristic or anything styling as the core, just like something big enough you could move around in for a long duration flight.

Probably not even for more than 3 crew, just more empty space like someone was actually living in there.

So basically to free up the kerbonauts. Hmm, I'll see how good my first models go, then I'll dive into IVA and hopefully I'll manage a large and proper interior model.

I would really love something that enables me to do MER style landings, and I am sure a lot more people would like that too. The parachute hack would probably work, but then you'd be pairing parachutes (inflatable airbags) with true parachutes (pre bounce stage). It feels a bit... off, though it is an improvement over the current situation. I am not sure what it would take to make it all work. This type of modding is quite new to me

The Curiosity system is buildable with stock and mod parts, most notably KAS. I am fine with the way that works as it is, we are just missing the bouncy bits for MER.

I think this has been built or is being built by the ISS project

The ISS is more probable to have the Dream Chaser, but I like the Kliper platform. It appears robust and I feel like I can easily make my versions of it (manned and unmanned) so that you guys can simply send out atmospheric probes. The unmanned Kliper (as seen in the pictures on the 5th page of this thread) would have massive amounts of free space for extra fuel, an ion instead of liquid fuel system, as well as tons of space for scientific equipment. I just need to figure out how one would open cargo bay doors, as those would expose the probe to sunlight and the planets environment; exactly what its supposed to research.

I am (aside from capsules and spaceplanes) looking at passive descent mechanisms, this means the Kliper of mine will most likely have brake chutes to deploy after atmospheric entry burn, then all that needs to be done is hold the craft on a steady glide while it slows down. Once the craft has below, say, 100 m/s, you could deploy the landing chutes, which will bring the craft down with its heatshield to the ground, and allow your experiments. If you saw the picture of the Uragan (Energia-M), this platform poses even more usability for interplanetary missions, as you could land and field tons of experiments from one long cylindrical lander.

Adding large habitat capsule ->

[TheCardinal]

Some extra idea's:

Multiple wheeled landing gears: double wheeled (normal aviationtype), triple wheeled (SR71 main landing gear), quadruple wheeled (C5A nose landinggear), four and six wheeled bogies.

Rotating radar like parts.

[comham]

Did you decide what it is you're going to create first? What are you working on now?

[Cryocasm]

Did you decide what it is you're going to create first? What are you working on now?

Most likely the Ion / Plasma thrusters, as those are in overwhelming demand.

[astropapi1]

You could try modelling the circular solar panels from the Orion CEV with their opening animation.

[ummwut]

Well right, I'll add it to the list, but I've got tons of things now, I think I'm going to begin wrapping the thread up and turning it more into a discussion about what I am doing, while retaining the ability to suggest, but stopping the emphasis on it.

Alright. Seems like you got what you were asking for when you made the thread! Regular updates on your activity would be nice, and I think putting an emphasis on discussion is wise.

[Camacha]

The ISS is more probable to have the Dream Chaser, but I like the Kliper platform. It appears robust and I feel like I can easily make my versions of it (manned and unmanned) so that you guys can simply send out atmospheric probes. The unmanned Kliper (as seen in the pictures on the 5th page of this thread) would have massive amounts of free space for extra fuel, an ion instead of liquid fuel system, as well as tons of space for scientific equipment. I just need to figure out how one would open cargo bay doors, as those would expose the probe to sunlight and the planets environment; exactly what its supposed to research.

I actually think it was/is the Kliper, but I can't seem to find the topic anywhere, partly due to al the Google links being broken. I'll keep looking for you though.

Edit: sorry, it was a different thread. Here is a Kliper

Also, I'd like to be (also) credited for the MER cushions/air bags

There's already a mod for that.

Okay, that is pretty cool I am really (really) not digging the looks, but the functionality seems to be pretty much what I'd hope it to be. Used in larger numbers this seems to introduce quite some lag which is of course undesirable, but maybe this is a good starting point for a modding attempt by me to make the parts I want to see. Apparently making .dll's in not necessary!

Thanks for the tip!

Edited April 24, 2013 by Camacha

[Panichio]

Okay, that is pretty cool I am really (really) not digging the looks, but the functionality seems to be pretty much what I'd hope it to be. Used in larger numbers this seems to introduce quite some lag which is of course undesirable, but maybe this is a good starting point for a modding attempt by me to make the parts I want to see. Apparently making .dll's in not necessary!

Thanks for the tip!

Yeah, I think that they are much too small.

[Cryocasm]

Well, right. Tomorrow is the great day of Friday. This means its time to stop procrastinating as school is "hard" and "time-intensive", and really get down to work, I'll draw up some preliminary stuff, and post it into the thread to hold you guys over while I get my (now not anymore secret) test parts working (the parts themselves aren't the bane, its more about getting the textures to match the model currently as well as testing exportation, going to update unity 3D and acquire the .mu and .mbm file writers + devkit). I have been quite active outside of the thread, but I think that my first focus will be one of the high-uumph Ion/Plasma thruster systems.

Now, however, I do have to ask, should I stick to Xenon fuel or add in another noble gas, like Argon for Plasma (plasma is ionized gas, meaning even Iron or Lead can be used for a plasma thruster, however the temperature needed to attain gaseous state and ionize these gases is a waste of energy).

Expect FLT-200 -400 and -800 sized batteries as well as the mininuclear reactors to power this serious space stuff.

[czokletmuss]

Yay, we will have VASIMR! Thanks!

I vote for Xenon, there is no need to add more resources when the Xe can be used in this type of engine

[Cryocasm]

Yay, we will have VASIMR! Thanks!

I vote for Xenon, there is no need to add more resources when the Xe can be used in this type of engine

I'll try my best to make it look as much as the hexagonal box shaped thing you showed me, but no promises.

[Camacha]

Yeah, I think that they are much too small.

Personally I have some issues with the color and the way they deploy. They should simply be airbags, look like airbags, feel like airbags and act like airbags By being small you need many and by using many you introduce lag when deploying.

I mean, it is a great start, but I think it all could use some refinement.

[czokletmuss]

I'll try my best to make it look as much as the hexagonal box shaped thing you showed me, but no promises.

No problem. I will be happy as long as it will be something like the VASIMR, that is high Isp and thrust few times bigger the in ion engines

[Cryocasm]

No problem. I will be happy as long as it will be something like the VASIMR, that is high Isp and thrust few times bigger the in ion engines

Its of the space station nature, so I'll see if I can make radial mount versions as well, just so you have 1 Propulsion Module on your station instead of tons of engines all over, which would mess everything up. Last night I conducted my first single-man 3000km orbit docking with a space plane that was launched vertically, I managed to overshoot the runway (after return) and had to deploy the abort parachutes, but other than that I only found the need for a "docking extension", the wings of the plane nearly hit practically everything. The extension would simply be a 10m separator away from the station-node as to avoid stupendous collisions, I'm also thinking of a In-Line Clamp-O-Tron which has a bit more extension on it than its current iteration, provided I figure out how to make docking nodes work.

[ummwut]

Hey Cryo, how did you learn about blender? Most of the tutorial videos I've found just kinda tell you what to do and how, not why, or what other options could be.

Also, there's practically no blender videos pointed towards KSP part modeling.

[Cryocasm]

Hey Cryo, how did you learn about blender? Most of the tutorial videos I've found just kinda tell you what to do and how, not why, or what other options could be.

Also, there's practically no blender videos pointed towards KSP part modeling.

In 2011, back when KSP was new, amusingly enough, I wanted to learn Blender 3D for the express purpose of KSP modelling, however my ex-computer at that time began having problems with OpenGL, so I was turned away from Blender until I got my current machine. KSP Part modelling is universal across platforms, the principal differences laying in the individual 3D programs' hierarchy. Basically, this is my current pipeline I'm testing:

New PART (whatever it may be)

Research on Internet -> Begin Blender 3D modelling V-> UV Unwrap -> Texturing -> Import into Blender + texture application -> export to .DAE

..............................................................node_collider -> .cfg file preliminary edits

-> Test in KSP (-> Tweak x times to properly work + balance) -> Unity 3D binarization.

This is for a solo part, like a radially mounted fuel tank or something, which doesn't require dimension-fits. Things like Adapter - Fuel Tank - Engine require dimension and fitting tests for attachment nodes and such, as well as its own relative dimension. So that would be before the UV unwrap, as it would have to be redone for a resized 3D model.

[Cryocasm]

Check front page for update

[Tw1]

Hey, for a while I've been wanting someone to make a new model for the hybrid ions. I'm not liking this look of the in the mod, but it doesn't seem the guy that made them is updating. My idea is for a few small changes, if you're willing I'll post a pic of the idea in a few days?

Edit: Actually, looks like you've got a lot already. Maybe I just need to find out how to load things from KSP into Blender, and vise versa. And how to use Blender.

Edited April 27, 2013 by Tw1

[ummwut]

In 2011, back when KSP was new, amusingly enough, I wanted to learn Blender 3D for the express purpose of KSP modelling, however my ex-computer at that time began having problems with OpenGL, so I was turned away from Blender until I got my current machine. KSP Part modelling is universal across platforms, the principal differences laying in the individual 3D programs' hierarchy. Basically, this is my current pipeline I'm testing:

New PART (whatever it may be)

Research on Internet -> Begin Blender 3D modelling V-> UV Unwrap -> Texturing -> Import into Blender + texture application -> export to .DAE

..............................................................node_collider -> .cfg file preliminary edits

-> Test in KSP (-> Tweak x times to properly work + balance) -> Unity 3D binarization.

This is for a solo part, like a radially mounted fuel tank or something, which doesn't require dimension-fits. Things like Adapter - Fuel Tank - Engine require dimension and fitting tests for attachment nodes and such, as well as its own relative dimension. So that would be before the UV unwrap, as it would have to be redone for a resized 3D model.

Well... looks like I have a lot I need to learn!

The update looks good!

[Cryocasm]

Well... looks like I have a lot I need to learn!

The update looks good!

Yeah, it was a rushed model, its polished version will be much nicer, it also sparked the creation of a 2-meter space station part series, with trusses and different modules, which includes the VASIMR and the reentry vehicle docks.

[ummwut]

Nice! We definitely do need more space station stuff in all different shapes and sizes.

Speaking purely in hypotheticals, would a large spinning cylinder be able to keep things inside purely by centrifugal force, or would that bug out?