[0.20] Ioncross Crew Support Plugin ([0.22] dev build)

[ahappydude]

"Infact, I think that is a brilliant way to implement things, you can create an extremely powerful 'core module' that handles the majority of the code; and open up the entire life support system to the end-user to tweak into whatever they want. And with code communicates across modules, you can add in other features ...."

Is this hard to implement? WOuld be real neat if the modders hade a platform for making differents crew support addons =) Exiting cheers

[Tw1]

This looks very cool. I am reluctant to download it at the moment though, as it would mean problems for long term missions I have ongoing.

Unless you can suggest a simple modification I could make to the code for command modules, so I don't kill any kerbals? As a stopgap while I still have ships without the extra life support parts out there.

Would just setting it to have a crazy amount of oxygen work?

I may also wait to see if you're going to get custom tanks for this mod.

I'd like to suggest giving the crew tank greater life support capabilities than the command pod. Because it's there for habitation, right?

Edited May 8, 2013 by Tw1

[Tommygun]

This looks very cool. I am reluctant to download it at the moment though, as it would mean problems for long term missions I have ongoing.

Unless you can suggest a simple modification I could make to the code for command modules, so I don't kill any kerbals? As a stopgap while I still have ships without the extra life support parts out there.

You can leave the original command pods folders unmodded and then make copies of them, but rename them.

The Mk1-2Pod folder becomes Mk1-2PodOxygen folder. Then just drop in the new part files into the renamed parts folder.

Note that you will also need to rename the part file that goes into Mk1-2PodOxygen file

For example: in the part file you would see "name = Mark1-2Pod"

Change this to "name = Mark1-2PodOxygen"

Also to make it easier in the VAB to tell which pod is which, you might want to change the description seen in the VAB.

Look for "title = Mk1-2 Command Pod" and again change it to "title = Mk1-2 Command Pod Oxygen"

You don't have to do this as when you click on the one with oxygen it will display the amount of oxygen in part of the description, it just makes it more obvious.

Edited May 8, 2013 by Tommygun

[dueb]

Love the mod so far !

Btw, I think I've found a bug (or it is just me with my screwed install ) :

It seems that the CO2 -> O2 converters use electricity as expected, but, when there's no more electricity on the ship, the converters...still works !

Hoping this can help you improve this awesome mod

Keep up the good work !

[Laphtiya]

Question, I currently have a space station in orbit with about 7 Kermins stationed there. If I install this mod will it kill everyone on the station? I mean bringing them back down is not an issue I could do a few runs up there no biggy, but would I be able to just add a module to the station using the docking ports and add life support to the station without having to build from scratch?

[lyndonguitar]

What if I have a already big station with 9 kerbals on board, if I install this what would happen and what should I do?

[Tommygun]

Question, I currently have a space station in orbit with about 7 Kermins stationed there. If I install this mod will it kill everyone on the station? I mean bringing them back down is not an issue I could do a few runs up there no biggy, but would I be able to just add a module to the station using the docking ports and add life support to the station without having to build from scratch?

What if I have a already big station with 9 kerbals on board, if I install this what would happen and what should I do?

I think you can install the parts without the plugin and then add modules with the life support to the stations.

I believe your Kerbals will not start to use the resources until after you install the plugin.

So once all the new parts are on your station then add the plugin.

Just backup your original persistence file before doing this.

[yongedevil]

"Infact, I think that is a brilliant way to implement things, you can create an extremely powerful 'core module' that handles the majority of the code; and open up the entire life support system to the end-user to tweak into whatever they want. And with code communicates across modules, you can add in other features ...."

Is this hard to implement? WOuld be real neat if the modders hade a platform for making differents crew support addons =) Exiting cheers

Something like Fel suggest isn't too hard, although it is quite a bit more than the mod does right now. It'll take a bit of time to get to that point but I think it's a worthy goal.

This looks very cool. I am reluctant to download it at the moment though, as it would mean problems for long term missions I have ongoing.

Unless you can suggest a simple modification I could make to the code for command modules, so I don't kill any kerbals? As a stopgap while I still have ships without the extra life support parts out there.

Would just setting it to have a crazy amount of oxygen work?

I may also wait to see if you're going to get custom tanks for this mod.

I'd like to suggest giving the crew tank greater life support capabilities than the command pod. Because it's there for habitation, right?

Adding a crazy amount of oxygen would work, but it has mass so it would throw off all your calculations for delta v. You can adjust the density of oxygen in the resource file, but then you have to overbuild any new craft if you plan to adjust it back up latter. I think your best option is to not add the IonModuleLifeSupport module to any of the parts or do as Tommygun suggests and create separate parts. You can build all new ships with life support systems and then turn it on when you finish with your last old mission.

Since I imagine your case if fairly common I think a good long term solution will be to have the crew death on a toggle so you can run the mod with it turned off until your last flight without life support equipment ends.

Question, I currently have a space station in orbit with about 7 Kermins stationed there. If I install this mod will it kill everyone on the station? I mean bringing them back down is not an issue I could do a few runs up there no biggy, but would I be able to just add a module to the station using the docking ports and add life support to the station without having to build from scratch?

It will kill everyone on the station, but the station will have to been active for at least an hour before it will do its first death check. You can carry on with other flights and bring up a life support module when you plan to use the station and it'll work fine. You may need more power if you're planing to run a large recycler though.

Oh and I'll look into why the recycler would be working even when there's no power.

EDIT:

It looks like Tommygun beat me to posting, and the advice for dealing with adding the mod to existing saves is probably easier than my own. Thanks Tommygun.

Edited May 9, 2013 by yongedevil
Tommygun posted while I was writing

[Tangent]

Its not exactly on-topic but do you have anything to do with Ioncross.com youngdevil? They have a KSP forum so i wouldn't be surprised

*edit*

I see now that you're actually Ioncross staff

http://www.ioncross.com/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b-KSP/m-1358619627/

Edited May 9, 2013 by Tangent

[yongedevil]

Yes. Ioncross is the name of a gaming community that came together around Freelancer. I gave the mod the name so the guys who I talk and play Kerbal with could easily find the mod on the spaceport.

Edited May 10, 2013 by yongedevil
typo

[ahappydude]

Yes, take all the time you need Community will be gratefull when its ready, cheers for this life systems^^ I made an eva airtank using your scrubber and oxygen for a moonwalk and back cheers

[Laphtiya]

It will kill everyone on the station, but the station will have to been active for at least an hour before it will do its first death check. You can carry on with other flights and bring up a life support module when you plan to use the station and it'll work fine. You may need more power if you're planing to run a large recycler though.

Oh and I'll look into why the recycler would be working even when there's no power.

EDIT:

It looks like Tommygun beat me to posting, and the advice for dealing with adding the mod to existing saves is probably easier than my own. Thanks Tommygun.

Yeah I was thinking of doing the following:

1) Evacuate everyone from the station before installing the mod.

2) Install the mod

3) Construct a life support module with everything the Kermen need and attach it to the space station.

4) Repopulate station.

As most space stations are mine is a modular design held together with docking clamps, I assume that if I make an extension with the life support materials needed and dock this at one of the many free ports I have available this will provide life support for the entire station?

[lyndonguitar]

How about adding a food/water supply? Food supplies last up to 30 days(you can stack up multiple parts/storages) before you need another supply run. That would make me do necessary trips to the station. (STS like resupply missions!!)

EDIT: I have an awful lot of mods that supports crew inside, H.O.M.E., Deep Space, Nova Pack, KSPX, B9 Aerospace, Lack Luster Labs, Fustek Parts, TT Multiwheels, Kosmos, etc

Do I have to add the codes to every part.cfg ???

Edited May 10, 2013 by lyndonguitar

[Tw1]

I decided to try adding some of the parts without the plugin. This way, I can slowly phase them in, as I replace stations, station parts etc. Then, once one generation of interplanetary trips comes home, I shouldn't have any problem putting in the full plug in.

Have you got someone to customize the parts? That'd be great. I reckon you should stick to just doing oxygen, unless you consider renaming the resource to "Oxygen and Water"- covering both of them all in one blow.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Tw1

[MAKC]

i disagree with adding a toggle. you always have the option of not installing the plugin, but knowing you can just turn it off if your kerbals are dying makes it feel a bit cheaty imo.

[lyndonguitar]

i disagree with adding a toggle. you always have the option of not installing the plugin, but knowing you can just turn it off if your kerbals are dying makes it feel a bit cheaty imo.

You didn't understand what he's saying, he was gonna install the mod in a game already in progress, that means as soon as he loads it, all existing kerbals = dead. because the existing ships in game won't have the necessary life modules in order to keep them alive

There's no way to save the kerbals unless you turn off the plugin first,. wait for the kerbals to return home and finish their missions and then all the ships will have a "redesign" for the mod

[zzz]

I begin game with your system and make, mostly for personal use, sort of recolor to make parts more distinct. It's not art too much but maybe someone need it as a placeholder before you get proper models.

http://rghost.ru/45912354

[Mulbin]

Setting some time aside next week for modelling. These are the prototypes I made which I will be working with, going to be a re-texture (to bring in line with KSP palette) as well as more parts (stackables etc). Ignore the H20 as currently not a planned feature of yongedevil's mod, will likely be re-textured / added to for a different part.

[royying]

how about water and food requirement?

[Awaras]

Can you add a pure CO2 scrubber? Just something that removes CO2 or expands the CO2 storage capacity of a life support module without adding the recuclers?

[SasquatchM]

I was playing around a bit ago making hydroponics module - it didn't actually do anything, but I think it would work well with this, especially if you could add a food / water requirement.

[yongedevil]

EDIT: I have an awful lot of mods that supports crew inside, H.O.M.E., Deep Space, Nova Pack, KSPX, B9 Aerospace, Lack Luster Labs, Fustek Parts, TT Multiwheels, Kosmos, etc

Do I have to add the codes to every part.cfg ???

Yes. That is the biggest downside to having the module attached to the crewed parts. I chose this approach as opposed to having a single strap on part to simulate the whole ship because it makes ship construction a lot easier. There is one less part to worry about forgetting, and with the built in oxygen and scrubbers on the pods a short near Kerbin mission doesn't require extra oxygen tanks, scrubbers, and life support control parts.

I have wondered if if there is a way to dynamically add the module to parts when the game loads or something but I don't know how to do that. And I have enough idea to figure how to implement at the moment.

Yeah I was thinking of doing the following:

1) Evacuate everyone from the station before installing the mod.

2) Install the mod

3) Construct a life support module with everything the Kermen need and attach it to the space station.

4) Repopulate station.

As most space stations are mine is a modular design held together with docking clamps, I assume that if I make an extension with the life support materials needed and dock this at one of the many free ports I have available this will provide life support for the entire station?

If the life support is attached to the ship in any way it should work. The oxygen and carbon dioxide are transferred like xenon or RCS fuel to the whole ship. And if it wasn't clear you won't have to evacuate the station because unless the station is your active ship nothing will happen on it, and it will take a full hour of it being your active ship before anyone will die.

Can you add a pure CO2 scrubber? Just something that removes CO2 or expands the CO2 storage capacity of a life support module without adding the recuclers?

I don't have plans as I don't feel it's a necessary part. However, if you look at the post I made on the module's fields back on page 2 you can see that the IonModuleLifeSupport can have its scrubberRate defined. Simply add the module to a non-crewed part and set the scrubberRate to a positive value to create a pure scrubber.

One of my hopes is that by making the mod more flexible so it can support custom consumables and waste resources others will be able to release custom versions with things like pure CO2 scrubbers, hydroponics pods, or food and water requirements.

[Awaras]

I don't have plans as I don't feel it's a necessary part. However, if you look at the post I made on the module's fields back on page 2 you can see that the IonModuleLifeSupport can have its scrubberRate defined. Simply add the module to a non-crewed part and set the scrubberRate to a positive value to create a pure scrubber.

One of my hopes is that by making the mod more flexible so it can support custom consumables and waste resources others will be able to release custom versions with things like pure CO2 scrubbers, hydroponics pods, or food and water requirements.

Thanks, I'll see if I can make something like that. My reasoning for the request is that the CO2 recycler part that recycles CO2 back into oxygen would be a pretty advanced piece of technology, something that I might use on a mission to another planet, but not for a mun mission for example. I tried to send a 1-kerbal craft to land on the mun but the CO2 filled up and killed my kerbonaut while the pod still had loads of O2 left...

Actually, now that I think about it, I guess the easiest thing to do would be to change the CO2 capacity of pods to be equal to their O2 capacity. I'll try that.

[yongedevil]

Awaras, the IonModuleLifeSupport module has a built in CO2 scrubber. If you right click the part the module is attached to (your command pods and crew cans) you should see a button to activate or deactivate the CO2 scrubber. I can see how that would be easy to miss though. I'll make a note to point that out more clearly in the documentation.

[Awaras]

Awaras, the IonModuleLifeSupport module has a built in CO2 scrubber. If you right click the part the module is attached to (your command pods and crew cans) you should see a button to activate or deactivate the CO2 scrubber. I can see how that would be easy to miss though. I'll make a note to point that out more clearly in the documentation.

D'oh...

I kinda missed that.