Frameshift and FTL Drives– Puffin Technologies

[MGUARN]

I notice you didn't add the "Part {" for the heatsinks.I was wondering if you did that on purpose or you forgot about it.Since , if that's one of the problems that probably why.

[OrbitusII]

I notice you didn't add the "Part {" for the heatsinks.I was wondering if you did that on purpose or you forgot about it.Since , if that's one of the problems that probably why.

*Facepalm* That might be it... I know I used 0.19 configs for the initial part setup and never updated it... Thanks, I'll get right on it! I think the lack of "PART{}" was contributing to the loading issues you had and not the raycast derping, since the parts that have the solar heating module were based of of 0.20 configs. Again, I think the issue is the code getting the collider(s) every frame and not using a single collider found in OnStart (or potentially OnLoad). I'll still probably talk to one of the devs to see if I can figure out what they're doing and what I might be doing differently/wrong.

Edited June 21, 2013 by OrbitusII

[OrbitusII]

Fixed the Heatsink part.cfg so it now has the "PART{}" thing enclosing it all. DL is in the original post.

No (public) updates to the plugin yet, as I PM'ed HarvesteR to see if I can figure out how the stock solar panel module does the check for its illumination so the solar heating works correctly.

[OrbitusII]

So since I am waiting on Harv to get some info for raycasting in KSP, I'll be starting on the Frameshift 2 plugin. This will be easy and quick, since it's just applying a force to every part in the vessel, so you can expect an InDev release fairly quickly (both the T/SH plugin and the FS2 plugins will be available, as separate downloads and versions, in the OP). There may even be some extra FTL stuff included with Frameshift 2...

[OrbitusII]

Never thought I would see this old model again...

Now to make the force apply correctly

Edited June 22, 2013 by OrbitusII

[Scotius]

Wow. A Unindentified Flying...Donut?

[Canopus]

Cool work Orbitus!

[Mekan1k]

The MK1 frameshift engine in all it's glory!

*Never turn on in atmosphere for that reason*

OrbitusII, Might we want to make an 'impulse' mode and a 'frameshifting' mode, for the engine? One uses the current version of the frameshifting, and the other uses the plugin to provide the thrust? Like the SABRE engines in the B9 aerospace pack?

[OrbitusII]

So one that's plugin-free and another one that's not? Or two modes– one that provides thrust like a regular engine and another that applies ship-wide force? o.O The latter would be easier/safer, since there wouldn't be the issue of people not putting a stock engine module on their own Frameshift engine.

Thanks for all the kind words, hopefully the new model won't cause too much lag since I haven't been able to optimize it much. D: I'll do some testing with it tonight (assuming I can get it set up quickly).

[Mekan1k]

Two modes- that way, a ship can use the impulse for heavy-pull orbit maneuvers, and the frameshift for, well, fast travel.

[OrbitusII]

I'm not quite sure what you mean... Skype me and I think I can figure it out.

Frameshift 2 Plugin Test 1 (image .gif heavy... man I wish we had spoilers back... if you're prone to seizures or motion sickness, look away now )

Going fast! 9 minutes to Mun periapsis versus 8 hours with conventional systems!

Even faster! 4 minutes! Oh, and we'll skim the Munar surface at 20 km/s at 7 km altitude! Cutting it a bit too close for my taste...

Sped this gif up a little, but you can see how fast we're going without looking at the velocimeter!

Oh, crap... (realtime)

TOO FAAAAAAAAAAAST! (realtime)

See ya later, slowpoke! (realtime)

Our initial trajectory is totally going to miss Duna, even at 20 km/s (plus Kerbin's orbital velocity, so ~30 km/s)

Yep, missed it by a long shot. Lucky I quicksaved.

Much better...

Oh, hello Ike! Even when I'm going uber fast you're trouble! (No, seriously, I had an Ike encounter right after these screenshots were taken; realtime)

I tried to get a closer periapsis to show off some ridiculous atmospheric effects, but alas, it was too late... (realtime)

Interestingly enough, the course corrections I did to get on a Duna encounter and lower my periapsis ended up giving me a Jool encounter! Maybe once I continue this I'll see how the Jool system looks while going at ridiculous speeds.

Overall, this test/mission was a great success! The plugin version is basically debug mode right now, but it works and it works effectively! I could hardly tell the difference from the stock Frameshift (although this one is more stable and thus less wobbly).

Next on the development list, staging support and resource usage (plus animation managing, but that's later).

[OrbitusII]

Updating thread title, since I'm working on Frameshift and FTL stuff now (until I get more info that will help my raycasting work).

Also got staging support and resource consumption added, just need to make resource usage based off of throttle and not a constant. It now behaves (almost, since vessel-wide force) exactly like a stock engine!

Did a quick test as well to make sure that the vessel-wide force application works (basically I used the long trusses to offset a fuel tank and see if turning on the Frameshift would make it flip in the opposite direction of the fuel tank (fuel tank on right = uncontrollable yaw to left)). The test succeeded, so we know that the code works.

Why did I do this test in the way I did? Conventional engines that apply force from one location would make the ship yaw right if the fuel tank was on the right. The Frameshift does the opposite,

applying force to every part to make the ship more stable while accelerating

*, so if the part count is higher on the right, it'll make the ship yaw left, since the force is being applied in greater quantities to the right of the center of mass.

*This is important since the Frameshift is a veeeeeery powerful sci-fi engine. Without it you'll have catastrophic unplanned disassembly and, on occasion, uncontrollable puffins (where do you think we got the company name from? ).

Edit: Also adding the InDev plugin to the original post. Go nuts with super powerful and questionably ethical sci-fi engines!

Edited June 24, 2013 by OrbitusII

[Scotius]

Wow...30km/s How long braking takes? Can maneuver nodes system even plot a course for such speed demon?

[Mekan1k]

BWAHAHAHA!

Yes, maneuver nodes can plot a course, but this engine is a 'Torch' Class engine, meaning idealy you point at your target, then turn the throttle up to full, wait until the halfway point, execute turnaround, and then brake when in SOI.

[OrbitusII]

Braking is somewhat impractical during interplanetary (unless you're going to Jool) so it's better for interstellar (which we don't have yet ). I might dabble in creating my own star just for this purpose as a result of that. Braking will take several minutes, so depending on the body you're encountering it might be impossible to slow down enough to actually orbit, then there's the issue of actually getting into a safe orbit! It requires a lot of practice and patience (not so much this, since you're going at super high speeds ) to use, obviously.

A significant issue with actually using it in conjunction with, say, NERVAs (to make a safe orbit with accurate, small amounts of dV) at this point is a lack of action group support, but that's next in my list of things to do so it shouldn't be too bad for too long.

Maneuver nodes can handle it, you just have to wait longer to get ~12000 m/s in dV to register. Mek's got it right though, you accelerate, turn around, and slow down when in SoI. Maneuver nodes are (somewhat) obsolete when science fiction is taken into account.

[Mekan1k]

A note- the new version of the frameshift needs a toggle, so that the engine can be turned off.

[OrbitusII]

Yep, that's action group support, which I'll be working on either today or tomorrow (depends on whether or not I can get to the computer again today ).

[Lazurkri]

hmmmnnn... too bad we can't simulate asteroid impact,,,, because hitting a planet at 30KM/s would be AWESOME!!!!

[Mekan1k]

Yes. Yes, it would.

[Lazurkri]

Yes. Yes, it would.

A little apocalyptic though. Well, depending on the size and where it hit... if it was under 100 meters, meh, maybe you'd see earthquakes and tidal waves. Over 100 meters? possible Extinction level event....

[OrbitusII]

I suppose I could annihilate the planet entirely... It'd probably only be realistic for Gilly though... smashing into Jool at <insert ridiculous number here> m/s would be kinda like shooting a bullet into a cloud... a really big cloud... I'm not quite sure, the physics would definitely be bizarre yet still within the confines of reality... maybe...

I made some progress with the toggle-ability, it at least shows up with the context menu but doesn't do anything at the moment. In theory the last change I did should add the action group usability, but I have yet to test it.

[Lazurkri]

I suppose I could annihilate the planet entirely... It'd probably only be realistic for Gilly though... smashing into Jool at <insert ridiculous number here> m/s would be kinda like shooting a bullet into a cloud... a really big cloud... I'm not quite sure, the physics would definitely be bizarre yet still within the confines of reality... maybe...

I made some progress with the toggle-ability, it at least shows up with the context menu but doesn't do anything at the moment. In theory the last change I did should add the action group usability, but I have yet to test it.

I'm a little fuzzy on my physics, but I'm pretty sure, if you did it right, you could compress Jools atmosphere enough that it would ignite... it'd be easier if you were using atomics or antimatter warheads, though, as a KEW would likely zip through the atmosphere until it hit the (probably) metallic hydrogen core and possibly ignite it....

Also, I'm pretty sure that if you were to shape the object in question ( say into a pointed, aerodynamic shape so that more of its mass survives atmospheric entry) and make it of a more durable material, it's likely that you could make it a ridiculously deep penetrating weapon, possibly even powerful enough to punch down to tectonic fault lines and such. Smash enough of these into a planets geologic weak spots, and I suppose the planet may come apart from the shock....

[Mekan1k]

The thing with frameshifting is that it, sort of like an alcubierre drive, effectively RIPS SPACE. A ship with an alcubierre drive would punch a hole THROUGH a planet or sun, without stopping (This is due to the interference effect at a space-time-distortion-barrier: alcubierre statements explain that the inter-spacial barrier that the ship uses is impermeable, and furthermore, matter within a certain energy density [it hits the ship at a delta-v of near or past lightspeed], the matter gets compressed into a 'alcubierre shock', a planeks-width thickness that can be INFINITELY dense, and have no maximum energy limit, as matter cannot leave the shock zone after entering, while energy can enter. When the field is turned off, the matter rapidly expands at near-lightspeed, obliterating anything in it's path.), but frameshifting is less.... complete, with it's space-time distortion (No super-destructive matter/energy wave if the drive is turned off after a long journey). The overall effect would be that of a sharp spinning blade spinning, drilling it's way through a melon.

That's the allure of alcubierre and frameshift drives- the distortion shields the ship from matter at significant speeds- alcubierre ships could pass through nearly anything, from a planet to a star all the way up to a black hole (and even that might not destroy the thins), and frameshift drives protect against super-fast micro-impacts, such as interstellar dust, and the effect of the gravitational flux in the drive should cause ships and small asteroids to be 'punted' out of it's way....

[Scotius]

Interesting. I was wondering what would happen if a ship with Alcubierre drive rammed something while going FTL. Now, if such bubble could be created at low power, so it doesn't send ship into superluminal speed...we would have a honest-to-gosh force-field

[Mekan1k]

Yes, an alcubierre drive with no acceleration distortion would be, in effect, a perfect force field.

Although a better analogy would be that it rips the ship out of the universe and leaves a mass-less destructive sphere behind.