[WIP][1.1.3] Large Structural/Station Components [Image Heavy]

[udk_lethal_d0se]

As long as the collision mesh, attachment nodes and part name remain the same, it should just magically get repainted in space.

Beat me to it by 30 seconds.

[lyndonguitar]

Nice! thanks for the response, I'm building my station now

[udk_lethal_d0se]

Awesome.

I'd love to see photo's of peoples creations.

[udk_lethal_d0se]

A taste of what the parts might (providing the majority vote is for the new models and textures) look like once the Poll has finished.

[nothke]

Hay man, your work is fantastic! I am working on another project and don't have time for making new models, so I think you are the right man to talk to =)

One of the things I wanted to make is a WET WORKSHOP, which is practically, a fuel tank that when used, turns into a crewable module. For example, there was a proposition once upon a time in NASA to convert the Shuttle external tank into a crewable module once it's spent. So imagine the stock KSP orange tank that can be crewed after being emptied =) Another thing could be a fuel tank that converts into a cargo bay (for example for retrieving debris or satellites)

It sounds like a great compromise for part count. The dry mass of the workshop would be higher than the standard fuel tank and also more expensive (maybe even twice), but you wouldn't need to carry another module for crewing, also you get a bigger crew space for less launch mass. The bad side is that it can be crewed only when the tank is empty (and possibly can't be reverted to tank function since it would undergo some interior decoration after being crewed).

You could also easily use the models you've already made, but give them more... less sophisticated sturdier fuel-tanky texture =)

It's actually strange that there is no mod that exploits this idea..

Edited June 6, 2013 by nothke

[betaking]

I think it would require a plugin,

but it would be nice....

and it could lead the way for custom IVA's..

(you have algorithims that are able to generate a 3d space for the fuel tank based on the capacity of said fuel tank.)

If only in real life had nasa used a wet workshop (as in the big external fueltanks for the shuttle, which actually would have cost less fuel wise to bring up than to drop)

[nothke]

I think it would require a plugin,

Yes, but an extremely simple one.. Practically,

- when fuel is 0 and button "convert to crew module" pressed, do CONVERSION, if more than 0, write "unable to convert, there's still fuel inside"

- on CONVERSION, enable the hatch and crew module and disable the fuel tank module

If only in real life had nasa used a wet workshop (as in the big external fueltanks for the shuttle, which actually would have cost less fuel wise to bring up than to drop)

Yeah, the external tank was detached when the Shuttle was at 98% orbital speed, so it would take very little thrust to get it all up. The problem with the wet workshops in real life is that they are very complicated to successfully and properly convert to crew spaces.. In Kerbal universe there is no such thing as "complicated" xD as we can see that all engines (except solid fuel) can be unrealistically restarted infinite times.

Edited June 6, 2013 by nothke

[Scottiths]

Here is something I made with your parts per your request to see creations. BEHOLD! KERLYMPOUS MUN!

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=150746928

I used the Giant spherical fuel tanks from the spherical fuel tanks mod. The core of the station is the large hub with a window on it bounded on either side with the skylight corridor. At the end of each corridor is your version of the spherical fuel tank. On either side of the hub are your in line batteries and a lander can followed by the solar arrays. This enormous station holds over 100,000 fuel

*edit*

Also, I kinda like the compromise between the old and new foil ends

Edited June 6, 2013 by Scottiths

[udk_lethal_d0se]

Here is something I made with your parts per your request to see creations. BEHOLD! KERLYMPOUS MUN!

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=150746928

I used the Giant spherical fuel tanks from the spherical fuel tanks mod. The core of the station is the large hub with a window on it bounded on either side with the skylight corridor. At the end of each corridor is your version of the spherical fuel tank. On either side of the hub are your in line batteries and a lander can followed by the solar arrays. This enormous station holds over 100,000 fuel

*edit*

Also, I kinda like the compromise between the old and new foil ends

Wow, those other spherical tanks are huge.

[udk_lethal_d0se]

Testing out a new generator design.

[Scotius]

Beautiful! Is it possible to add glow effect to radiator fins when generator is running?

[udk_lethal_d0se]

Beautiful! Is it possible to add glow effect to radiator fins when generator is running?

Certainly can. Just remember that it is "always on" like the other RTG.

[HoY]

What kind of power output are you thinking about for it?

[udk_lethal_d0se]

What kind of power output are you thinking about for it?

ElectricCharge @ 15.0/s

[HoY]

Mass? As long as its around a full tonne it should be pretty balanced with RTG's. also, is it an RTG? Or some other form of generator? A perpetual motion magnet motor perhaps???

Edit; just double checked the mass of stock RTG's and they are 0.025, and this generator makes 20x more power. Equal mass increase per energy unit would set your unit at 0.5 tonnes, but I'd still aim for a tonne or more for the added convience of not having to carry 20 RTG's lol

Edited June 7, 2013 by HoY

[udk_lethal_d0se]

Mass? As long as its around a full tonne it should be pretty balanced with RTG's. also, is it an RTG? Or some other form of generator? A perpetual motion magnet motor perhaps???

Mass is 1.5, It's loosely based on a large RTG.

I did however want to introduce a coolant resource to the generator and have it deplete over a very long period of time. This is still on paper though, so no major plans yet.

[HoY]

Something like what I mentioned about my nuclear reactor cooling towers? Refillable and the like?

[Gaius]

Suggestion: make it something along the lines of the Buk (BES-5). That was a one ton reactor that generated 3000W of power for Soviet reconnaissance satellites. By way of comparison, the SNAP-19 RTGs used on Pioneer 10/11 generated 40W each. Since the stock PB-NUK is based on the SNAP-19, that gives us a good basis for balancing. 3000W is 75 times 40W, so a one ton FNR like BES-5 should generate around 75 times as much power as the PB-NUK, give or take. That's be 0.75E/s * 75 = 56.25E/s... maybe round to taste.

[udk_lethal_d0se]

Something like what I mentioned about my nuclear reactor cooling towers? Refillable and the like?

Along those line, yeah. Except in this case, there would be coolant storage tanks (or other) and need to be refilled. Failing that, I could add a Time Until Depletion timer to the Generator and have the player replace the part completely when depleted.

The latter would add a nice aesthetic to the gameplay.

[udk_lethal_d0se]

Suggestion: make it something along the lines of the Buk (BES-5). That was a one ton reactor that generated 3000W of power for Soviet reconnaissance satellites. By way of comparison, the SNAP-19 RTGs used on Pioneer 10/11 generated 40W each. Since the stock PB-NUK is based on the SNAP-19, that gives us a good basis for balancing. 3000W is 75 times 40W, so a one ton FNR like BES-5 should generate around 75 times as much power as the PB-NUK, give or take. That's be 0.75E/s * 75 = 56.25E/s... maybe round to taste.

This is nice, shall implement some new changes.

Thank you.

[pizzaoverhead]

Really liking the new side textures! The old ones looked too much like plastic looking for my liking

Edited June 7, 2013 by pizzaoverhead

[udk_lethal_d0se]

Really liking the new side textures! The old ones looked too much like plastic looking for my liking

Thanks, I put a lot of effort into making a decent master texture. It's turned out nicely.

[comham]

The fins make it look a lot more like a generator. nice work.

[ZobrAA]

Collision mesh issue report:

(all parts involved)

New stockalike textures are much prettier! IMHO large battery needs stockalike electricity logo too...

Testing out a new generator design.

Not good! Radiator panners are too small for that huge amount of heat! Also pannels outnumbered and tightly placed... They must radiate heat to space, not to each other!

IMHO they must be like this or so:

Or maybe you can make a separate part "heat radiator". It can even be a folding!

[HoY]

What about a plugin that changed the "glow" of the fins based on the % of current draw from the generator?

IE: no power being used or there is more positive on the grid than negative the fins stay the default texture color.

Full power being drawn from the generator and the fins glow at full brightness.

Scaled brightness in between based on generators total available output.

Just a thought lol.