Frameshift and FTL Drives– Puffin Technologies

[Scotius]

Love this .gif Y'know - so far i've refrained from using your engine. It's awesome, but also game-breaking. But to heck with that. I don't care anymore with 0.21 looming on the horizon. I'm gonna build a huge mothership around it, stuck a dozen or so Kerbals inside and go wild across the system .

[Mekan1k]

So... Much... Lag....

Orbitus, this is possibly the most epic-looking engine in the universe, but even my computer chuggs with this thing's animation. Maybe we should stick with the old model, until the game becomes a bit more... efficient. That way, we can get the plugin done and released, without freezing everyone's computers? (And hopefully we can fix the texture- I can't find the black texture for the engines!!!)

Oh, and Scotius, I hope you make an AAR to show us your grand tour.

[OrbitusII]

Yeah, I was worried about the terrible performance that might come with the new model... I can feel it through the interwebs, lagging my typing of this post! Well, that's why we test after all, it's better to iron out any issues now, before it's released than trying to clear them up for every user on the forums.

I'll definitely get the older, simpler, and more elegant texture applied to the Frameshift. I don't know why I switched to the ugly electromagnet one...

[Mekan1k]

Well, I hope the plugin construction is going well. Is it?

[Scotius]

Maybe one day I can write half-decent stories, but first i'd have to get off my lazy butt, and actually learn how to weave pictures into the text. Without screenshots it will be just another fanfic.

[Mekan1k]

If you want help, at least with the getting screenshots in, just PM me. You read my AAR's, so I can give you a recommendation for getting pics into text if you like.

[OrbitusII]

Well, I hope the plugin construction is going well. Is it?

Still no computer, so no testing, plus updating MonoDevelop messes up the permissions so I can't use it. So I can't really give a yes or no answer since there's nothing to answer with.

Maybe one day I can write half-decent stories, but first i'd have to get off my lazy butt, and actually learn how to weave pictures into the text. Without screenshots it will be just another fanfic.

I do wish you luck writing a story, Mek's AAR is quite good and I think you can learn a good amount from his coaching.

[Scotius]

*le sigh* I can confirm the lag ( it's horrible). Also connecting nodes are out of whack So, unfortunately i will not go to space today - or at least using Frameshift Drive. Where can i find older(working) version?

[Mekan1k]

Still working on it... See, this version is legacy, so it works, but we will be releasing a newer version of the engine with the new plugin...

Until then, these links bring you to the legacy version:

http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/0-18-framshift-engine-radial/

http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/0-18-2-frameshift-drive-by-mekan1k-and-orbital-ii/

Details of the plugin, when it's done:

-Engines will be able to switch between to modes

-Frameshifting will use electricity

-Frameshifting will be able to allow for stable acceleration of large-scale structures, such as oddly-shaped stations. (The uside: when the frameshift is active, the drive will accelerate anything, no matter how brittle, in a straight line, without causing structural damage unless you hit something. Turning is another matter...)

[OrbitusII]

*le sigh* I can confirm the lag ( it's horrible). Also connecting nodes are out of whack So, unfortunately i will not go to space today - or at least using Frameshift Drive. Where can i find older(working) version?

The old model is still available with the download in the OP (I think...) and also on Spaceport, but the ones on SP need to be updated to use the 0.20 GameData system and the new Frameshift PartModule.

Mek has the basic concept of the plugin down, so that's about what it'll be in the end.

Also, this post is from my new computer! I still need to clear and install the HDD and Ubuntu (running it off of a thumb drive at a friend's house ATM) but this is proof that it's working and almost ready for use!

Ok, so I also need a new monitor since I'm using said friend's 72-inch flatscreen instead of a legitimate computer monitor, but it's stil almost ready!

Edited July 12, 2013 by OrbitusII
Got the right TV size

[Scotius]

Cogratulations Good luck with configuration and setting everything up.

[OrbitusII]

Thanks!

We breadboarded it (since I just picked up screws an hour ago) to see how everything worked, and it works fine! The only negative thing we noticed is that we could only get 1920*1080 pixels on his 72" flatscreen, but I won't be using a screen THAT big (probably only 22") so it's not a problem.

Currently waiting on the Ubuntu download servers (611/695 MB downloaded... after 1.5 hours) so I can burn a disc to install it. After that I just need my paycheck and I can go out and get a monitor.

PROGRESS!

[Scotius]

Just a quick, random idea before i'm off to work: Instead of CPU eviscerating animation simply add glowing areas on the torus. A bit like Ion engine texture (yes, with hex grid), but maybe brighter since Frameshift is a bit more powerful It will still make the engine look hi-tech and cool, without grinding the animation to a screeching halt.

[Mekan1k]

That is the plan- The engine will probably glow, and if we can get an animation of some sort added to the glowing texture, like the original engine, maybe with a shimmer effect or some sort of distortion around the ring.

We are talking about still having a moving animation, but making the structure simpler.

Chances are, though, we will have a sort of glowy-effect for now.

[OrbitusII]

Haha! Success!

New computer is totally finished (minus some more RAM, but that can wait until I'm paid) and I have MonoDevelop installed and ready to go!

I'll start programming again in a couple of days (I'd like to make sure I have all the issues I can find ironed out and I also have to copy over the plugin files) so there'll probably be an update sometime soon.

[Scotius]

That's good news indeed. Even more so because of this:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/36293-Planets-and-ScaledSpace

If this mod will work as advertised, we will need some seriously strong engines to reach outer planets without getting headache. And melting our computers because of ridiculosly huge motherships needed to reach that far on 'normal' engines. As for now only Orion mod and Frameshift come close to "torchship" class engines.

[Pigbear]

I know I sent a ship going FTL but FTL is still quite slow. You need to go MFTL (Much faster than light)

[Mekan1k]

I must say, that even if you try to go FTL practicley in KSP, the engine does not allow it.

I know, I managed to get there. I always build a machine, in each version of KSP, since we released the first frameshift engine, that can exceed lightspeed in-game.

The trick is to get the game to allow FTL travel, and so far, we don't know why the kraken likes to prey on the FTL.

[Pigbear]

I must say, that even if you try to go FTL practicley in KSP, the engine does not allow it.

I know, I managed to get there. I always build a machine, in each version of KSP, since we released the first frameshift engine, that can exceed lightspeed in-game.

The trick is to get the game to allow FTL travel, and so far, we don't know why the kraken likes to prey on the FTL.

It does not do that for me. It always works.

[Mekan1k]

Seriously? Let me get a test and a screenshot....

[OrbitusII]

The plan is to include two types of engines- the Frameshift, which is a sublight engine, and a near-instantaneous acceleration Alcubierre Drive (minus all the cool visual effects).

Both will apply an even force across their area of influence. For the Frameshift, it is the entire vessel. For the Alcub. Drive, it will be a bubble of set size.

Considering a new model for the Frameshift, but I don't think I'll carry through with it...

The original model and texture were nice and simple, so I'll probably improve on them a little and then they'll be the FS2 model and texture.

[Mekan1k]

So! Test to get the original frameshift engine to ftl in 0.20.2- the only one I have never gotten a probe to lightspeed- and I am reaching a barrier.

Here are pics:

The launcher & probe

Ascent

Max push to orbit with an edited nuclear engine.

After decoupling from the pusher

Before the engines start their lightspeed burn:

Beginning burn to lightspeed

Burn in segments:

Current mission time: 1 hr 18 minutes

Speed: 580 km/s

Time to exit system per coast: 1 day 20 hrs.

I am still running the simulation.....

(edit: the speed right now is 600 km/s, and that is 0.2% lightspeed. I need to build a probe that accelerates faster than 18 m/s^2)

Edited July 15, 2013 by Mekan1k

[Scotius]

Now that i like Just add more lights and some bump-mapping on the surface and i will be happy to fly this ship around.

[Mekan1k]

A lightspeed test update: up to 0.533% c, and it's accelerating at the same speed, but the numbers seem to be spinning slower......

Maybe the engine includes some relitivistic effects after all.

[Pigbear]

The plan is to include two types of engines- the Frameshift, which is a sublight engine, and a near-instantaneous acceleration Alcubierre Drive (minus all the cool visual effects).

Both will apply an even force across their area of influence. For the Frameshift, it is the entire vessel. For the Alcub. Drive, it will be a bubble of set size.

Considering a new model for the Frameshift, but I don't think I'll carry through with it...

The original model and texture were nice and simple, so I'll probably improve on them a little and then they'll be the FS2 model and texture.

The texture looks good. I think it needs something that kinda sticks out of the drive. Currently it reminds me of a node drive. I think it should look less symetrical.