FusTek Station Parts Dev Thread (continuation of fusty's original work)

[Deathsoul097]

Hmmm, you know there's a mod out there (KSPX maybe? Or some stock alike mod...?) that has 45 degree angled RCS nozzles. Sounds like that would have let you place it away from the porthole

Um, actually, I was using some 45 degree thrusters from KOSMOS, and that was the most efficient, and lowest partcount option I had. Ah well, it's there, and unless I install KAS with the ability to grab those, I will leave them. (Might actually be a good thing to do, that. The earlier, and even some of the later modules have RCS blocks on them. While it wont count toward much, it will at least give me a bit of leeway.

The offending part:

The station now:

[sumghai]

Progress Report, 31 May 2014

I'm not working at my usual dev PC this weekend (undergoing servicing, nothing serious), so no access to the latest version of Unity that can open my project file. Still, that hasn't stopped me from blocking out the last internal model for the Kupola Observation Module in Blender:

Fig 61 - (WIP) FusTek Karmony Util Module - Internals

As mentioned previously, the Kupola acts as a space station / planetary outpost's "crow's nest", with seating for three Kerbals:

- One Kerbal would be responsible for monitoring station operations, via a series of RPM monitors; the systems installed in the module are merely a whole bunch of thin clients, linked to the Utilities module subsystems elsewhere in the station. This station is also where the Kupola blast shutters would be toggled, in the event that Mission Control reports small-to-moderate micrometeorite showers imminent (larger showers would require the entire station to be evacuated).

- Another Kerbal would be responsible for robot arm operations; again, this is another RPM thin client setup, remotely linked to the robotics control systems rack in the Science module. Note that this will be the "main" robotics control station for day-to-day operations, while the Science module counterpart serves as a backup.

- A third Kerbal will sit typing up miscellaneous reports on a laptop, with a camera stowed nearby should a Kodak moment happen to swing by.

For reference and to check hull clearances , I've overlaid a wireframe of the Kupola exterior model onto the interior - the unused thickness near the bottom accounts for the bulkhead where the standard Karmony hatch would be embedded.

Next task - get the rest of these internal models into KSP, so that I can start working on props and "modular" internal panels.

[sharpspoonful]

I would like to note the MSI is looking into possible RPM support for the various parts. I had built a Kanadarm replica for station operations, and the cupola would fit the " robotics" control nicely.

[sumghai]

I would like to note the MSI is looking into possible RPM support for the various parts. I had built a Kanadarm replica for station operations, and the cupola would fit the " robotics" control nicely.

Yep, I've been made aware of this development a couple of weeks ago. It'll definitely be a nice-to-have feature for FusTek.

[okan170]

Well, that looks awesome! I've always kind of waffled between putting one kind of Cupola or the other on, but I think this makes for an addition yet functional distinction. Regarding the lighting, something darker with a lot of illumination nearer to the window to make it feel more atmospheric might be nice, with the glow of the electronics in the shadows.

[sumghai]

Well, that looks awesome! I've always kind of waffled between putting one kind of Cupola or the other on, but I think this makes for an addition yet functional distinction. Regarding the lighting, something darker with a lot of illumination nearer to the window to make it feel more atmospheric might be nice, with the glow of the electronics in the shadows.

I'll definitely take note of that, cheers

[sumghai]

Progress Report, 2 June 2014

I've upgraded Unity and Blender on both my laptop and dev PC to the latest (and same) versions, so we won't see a repeat of the derpage from my last report.

I've also gotten the internals into KSP and assigned to the appropriate modules - no screenshots since they're more or less the same appearance as in Unity, although I've noticed that at night, some of the internal lights light up the module externals (I had set the internal spotlights to long ranges to help with testing, but I can easily change them to directional ones once I make proper internal light fixtures later, so that's an non-issue).

Right now, I'm going to take a short but very important detour from FusTek to help work on a derivative of the sfr Command Pod plugin, to fix a number of major issues with the original - this will be used to make the windows on the Kupola (and possibly other modules) transparent so that one can actually see Kerbals sitting in the pods from the outside, and is apparently critical for many other add-ons out there (BobCat Industries' Tesla Recon Rover, Alskari's HSH). So if anyone is a Unity camera or plugins guru, some help there would be greatly appreciated.

[sumghai]

(A Somewhat Minor) Progress Report, 3 June 2014

Just dealing with some low-lying fruit that I've encountered since I started working on IVAs:

Fig 62 - FusTek Karmony Viewport Tweaks

In the long run, I plan to rework the Karmony models to cut holes in the fuselages, so that if my sfr Command Pod plugin rework gets done, then the Karmony windows will actually show the Kerbals inside the modules.

[sumghai]

(Another Quick) Progress Report, 4 June 2014

Another new part - or more precisely, a near-identical variant on an existing one:

Fig 63 - FusTek Karmony Payload Bay - Final Testing

By popular request, I've decided to take the existing Warehouse module model, slap on some proper inner bay textures, and also make a variant that will work as a generic Payload Bay. I should probably have added some doohickeys like cabling/plumbing on the inner surface of the bay, door hinges and a faux control panel near the door, but at least this is better than that not-so-dinki-di-aussie purple placeholder texture.

I'm probably going to push out another dev build later this week - check the usual places for the download.

[diomedea]

I reckon the Karmony modules internals are mostly yet to be finished, so the issue I am having with lighting levels is probably going to be addressed anyway.

However, as it could be of help, the images here are to show what the effect is now on IVA on another module (used a stock Mk 1-2, but any part with a IVA would do) when Karmony modules are attached. The effect of a single Karmony module attached is quite marked, though still bearable; it increases with the number of modules, and if something excessive is built (like I do for the last images) the lighting level becomes unacceptable.

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Thanks for all the excellent work already done, I hope the above could be useful to further improve this mod .

[okan170]

I reckon the Karmony modules internals are mostly yet to be finished, so the issue I am having with lighting levels is probably going to be addressed anyway.

However, as it could be of help, the images here are to show what the effect is now on IVA on another module (used a stock Mk 1-2, but any part with a IVA would do) when Karmony modules are attached. The effect of a single Karmony module attached is quite marked, though still bearable; it increases with the number of modules, and if something excessive is built (like I do for the last images) the lighting level becomes unacceptable.

Thanks for all the excellent work already done, I hope the above could be useful to further improve this mod .

I assume it has to do with the bright lights inside the IVAs from being temporary. Other parts do this but are less bright so its not as noticable (ever notice a point light move outside the landercan for a bit while time accelerating?) If you have enough FustTek parts with the temp interior, you can actually glow a spot on the Mün. I'm not sure why that happens, but in a full dark night, theres a little faint light coming from my space station onto the surface.

[sumghai]

I reckon the Karmony modules internals are mostly yet to be finished, so the issue I am having with lighting levels is probably going to be addressed anyway.

However, as it could be of help, the images here are to show what the effect is now on IVA on another module (used a stock Mk 1-2, but any part with a IVA would do) when Karmony modules are attached. The effect of a single Karmony module attached is quite marked, though still bearable; it increases with the number of modules, and if something excessive is built (like I do for the last images) the lighting level becomes unacceptable.

Thanks for all the excellent work already done, I hope the above could be useful to further improve this mod .

I assume it has to do with the bright lights inside the IVAs from being temporary. Other parts do this but are less bright so its not as noticable (ever notice a point light move outside the landercan for a bit while time accelerating?) If you have enough FustTek parts with the temp interior, you can actually glow a spot on the Mün. I'm not sure why that happens, but in a full dark night, theres a little faint light coming from my space station onto the surface.

Yeah, I'm aware of the lighting issue - as I've stated, that's just temporary for dev purposes (so that I don't have to grope around in the darkness while testing IVAs).

I plan to make modular interior lighting props that have ranges confined to within the IVAs, so that they won't spill over to the next module.

[sumghai]

Progress Report, 13 June 2014

I spent a wee bit of time asking around for some help regarding the sfr Command Pod plugin rework, and as it turned out, this piqued Mihara's interest and he decided to try writing his own version of the transparent pod plugin.

In addition to fixing the weird IVA transform problem, he's entertained the possibility of including it in a future version of RasterPropMonitor, so that users will have one less dependency to deal with (since I was already planning on using JSI RPM for docking cameras and crew computers anyway).

Results from initial testing are quite promising:

Fig 64 - (WIP) FusTek / JSITransparentPod Test

In the course of testing, we've identified a few problems:

1)

The see-through pod functionality is currently only available while outside the vessel; in IVA mode, if one looks at another JSITransparentPod-powered capsule, it would not render the internal. Mihara explains:

...Ok, it works, everyone looks in the correct direction, and we have a problem. A rather significant one. To my credit, sfr didn't fix this problem either.

IVA objects exist on layers 16 and 20 of the world in their own coordinate system which is rotated relative to the rest of the world. Normally no camera sees objects on these layers (cameras have 'culling masks' which tell them which layers to ignore) and only the InternalCamera sees them. When you're in a specific IVA, all others have their rendering disabled, so first the world is drawn completely, then the internal of your pod is drawn on top of it, which is why if you, say, poke an object through a pod, you won't see it when looking inside.

So here's what I'm doing to make them visible anyway:

1. Allow a flight camera to see objects in IVA by changing it's culling mask.

2. Make sure that the IVA objects actually get created even if you aren't inside.

3. Enable rendering of IVAs regardless if the player is in or not.

4. Rotate and move them to undo the change introduced by the coordinate system change.

At this point, they're visible from outside where they should be.

The problem starts when the player goes inside. It's obvious to undo step 4 and put the internals back where they started from, but then the InternalCamera which looks at the IVA objects from the inside kicks in and you see double -- you see the neighbouring transparent pod both in the main camera and in the Internal camera, rotated. Doubtless, SFR's bizarre defaults are hackish attempts to fix the problem.

There are multiple approaches to fixing this and they all include different kinds of suck.

Method #1: Undo the culling mask change on the main camera. You see everything only once, the problem is that they're drawn above everything else together with other IVA elements.

Method #2: Change all the objects to use layer 0 instead and forget the culling mask changes. But then portrait cameras and IVA cameras stop working, you don't see neither portraits no details of the IVA you are currently in.

Right now I'll be going with Method #3, which I think offers the least nonsense from what is available: When the user is IVA, the transparent internals on the same ship that are not the one the player is in go invisible. As a result you see things in windows when viewing from outside, you see them when you're inside looking at another ship, but they don't get drawn over everything when you're IVA and looking at your ship.

I'm open to suggestions. As a side note, very little about the InternalCamera can be changed, as it's not a public object.

Method #3 doesn't quite work either.

In this case, one kerbal on the ship still sees himself double. I.e. the best option is to never see anything from IVA at all.

For now, we've settled on the following:

Ooh, idea. Best idea so far.

1. Design the pod-to-be-transparent so that it has windows that are not transparent by default.

2. When player is out of IVA, windows magically become transparent.

3. When player is in IVA, windows become opaque again.

This way, it at least looks sort of natural.

---

2)

There's a bit of a weirdness involving multiple independent vessels with JSITransparentPod-powered capsules, in that one of the transparent pods won't properly show the exterior in IVA. This is dependent on which craft you enter the flight scene in - the first craft will render its own exterior properly, while the next craft(s) the user switches to will only render the IVA and the world (but not any part of its own exterior). Rendevzous / docking / undocking does not alleviate this issue.

I'm wondering if it is possible to make a complete redraw call to the transparent pod function when switching between vessels / docking / undocking - of course, I myself have no idea about plugin authoring, so it's just a guess.

---

3)

While in IVA inside a JSITransparentPod-powered capsule, the current Kerbal's own head and helmet tends to flicker.

Other than these few (relatively minor) niggles, at least the plugin isn't game-breaking (although help would still be appreciated)

PS Please give Mihara some rep for his work on this

[cpast]

In many of the current IVAs, the seats have really limited fields of view. Is there any hope of you unlocking them so the Kerbals can look around more? I'm especially wondering for the cupola, where currently it seems like none of the seats can see out of the big top window.

[sumghai]

In many of the current IVAs, the seats have really limited fields of view. Is there any hope of you unlocking them so the Kerbals can look around more? I'm especially wondering for the cupola, where currently it seems like none of the seats can see out of the big top window.

Some windows already have invisible, clickable colliders that allow you to focus outside for a better view. I'm adding more as I go along, as well as possibly make moveable seats like in the ALCOR pod.

[Mihara]

Some windows already have invisible, clickable colliders that allow you to focus outside for a better view. I'm adding more as I go along, as well as possibly make moveable seats like in the ALCOR pod.

...Don't forget about https://github.com/Mihara/RasterPropMonitor/wiki/Internal-modules#jsisetinternalcamerafov which was made precisely to fix that problem.

[okan170]

Some windows already have invisible, clickable colliders that allow you to focus outside for a better view. I'm adding more as I go along, as well as possibly make moveable seats like in the ALCOR pod.

These are great, and probably the closest we can all come to mobility in the IVA environment! That rotated render layer is kind of funky to hear about, I wonder if that's why the light coming through the IVA windows (all IVAs) is visibly offset from the location of the sun.

[Mihara]

These are great, and probably the closest we can all come to mobility in the IVA environment! That rotated render layer is kind of funky to hear about, I wonder if that's why the light coming through the IVA windows (all IVAs) is visibly offset from the location of the sun.

That is precisly why. And due to the way it's coded, it's easier to turn the sun off and make your own. https://github.com/Mihara/RasterPropMonitor/issues/61

[okan170]

That is precisly why. And due to the way it's coded, it's easier to turn the sun off and make your own. https://github.com/Mihara/RasterPropMonitor/issues/61

If squad ever fixed this, would it end up breaking everything ever?

Still, I wonder if it'd be possible to see a mod one day that fixes the default IVAs so it looks right!

[cpast]

Some windows already have invisible, clickable colliders that allow you to focus outside for a better view. I'm adding more as I go along, as well as possibly make moveable seats like in the ALCOR pod.

How would the movable seats work? I have the ALCOR, but I wasn't aware of movable seats (or is it just that you can change the origin point of the camera?)

[Mihara]

If squad ever fixed this, would it end up breaking everything ever?

Still, I wonder if it'd be possible to see a mod one day that fixes the default IVAs so it looks right!

Actually, fixing it would break little if anything. It's quite possible change the coordinate system so that it matches up with the rest of the world and then rotate the IVA body upon loading, once. It would even be possible to add a flag to permit a modder to model the IVA in the same coordinate system as the pod, which would save everyone a bloody lot of trouble.

Alas.

[falken]

Is there a way for me to change the "control from" direction of the Kupola? I ideally want to have it pointing downwards from my station, much like the real ISS Cupola, but as I use mechjeb to maintain the station's attitude it would start to flip up with the kupola pointing at the horizon.

So for instance....

Kupola direction of control

|-----|

\-----/ -------------->>

[cpast]

Is there a way for me to change the "control from" direction of the Kupola? I ideally want to have it pointing downwards from my station, much like the real ISS Cupola, but as I use mechjeb to maintain the station's attitude it would start to flip up with the kupola pointing at the horizon.

So for instance....

Kupola direction of control

|-----|

\-----/ -------------->>

Just set Mechjeb to maintain attitude radially downwards.

[Razorcane]

Well, I thought about this by saying 'how are they currently doing this on the ISS?' first.

If what I've seen is correct, the hatches on berthed modules (the ones that are permanently connected to the structure/each other) are actually completely removable. Presumably the hatch panel is stowed.

The other method would be for spacecraft that dock temporarily (Soyuz, Progress, ATV, Dragon, etc.) At least for those that use CBM (currently only Dragon and HTV I think)...the hatch looks like it slides on an arm or a rail, on sort of a compound-action (slides, then swings). I think a system like this could be used within the smaller confines of the Kirs module:

(Actual hatch opening starts around 1:28)

I was trying to find the segment in the Sunni Williams videos where I thought I remembered her using one of the hatches but that might have been one of the Russian probe and drogue type.

Actually they're not removable. They're on a rail system that rotates the door 90 degrees and allows for easy stowage. If you look on the left and right of the hatch you can see a rail that the door is setting on, and you can also see the door changing axes as he pushes it open.

[Deathsoul097]

Just set Mechjeb to maintain attitude radially downwards.

Yes, but, what happens when you IVA? When you do, the Control point changes to suit the direction of that model, even though that part might not be a control part, which basically means that in order to keep our stations looking good, we cannot enjoy IVA. Really, the control from here system needs to be an absolute override of everything else, no matter IVA or orientation. As it is now, KSP just looks and goes, oh you want to control it this way but see this other way? NOPE.