[0.20.2] Mission Controller v0.10 (06/24/2013) [ALPHA]

[SchroedingersHat]

I think the most expensive parts are recyclable. If you have a working SSTO (I never built one), could you give it to me so that I could test it?

About the development cost: Someone in this thread suggested a similar idea, and I am "working" on it . Working = thinking.

(As I said, I think I was doing it wrong when I made the suggestion)

My current batch of spaceplanes don't work without a collection of mods and would probably fall out of the sky without FAR. Might install a fresh copy with just mission controller for that.

Speaking of mods, one of the other things that got me thinking was the presence of alternate fuels and resources. Modular fuel tanks has the option to add H2 and LOX (which can't really be used with MC because they are too cheap). There's also IonCross with its oxygen, but there are a number of others.

I'd be happy to post (or push once I install all the necessary gubbins for git and compiling c sharp) what is needed for anything I can think of in the same way you've added the current resources (maybe add an if statement to only show the line when the cost for a resource is non-zero).

Otherwise you may want to (and I don't know enough c sharp so I probably can't change the logic of what you've done) make some kind of cfg file for extra resources? It would be awesome if it somehow worked with modulemanager so cost could be defined when the resource was added.

[nobody44]

(As I said, I think I was doing it wrong when I made the suggestion)

My current batch of spaceplanes don't work without a collection of mods and would probably fall out of the sky without FAR. Might install a fresh copy with just mission controller for that.

Speaking of mods, one of the other things that got me thinking was the presence of alternate fuels and resources. Modular fuel tanks has the option to add H2 and LOX (which can't really be used with MC because they are too cheap). There's also IonCross with its oxygen, but there are a number of others.

I'd be happy to post (or push once I install all the necessary gubbins for git and compiling c sharp) what is needed for anything I can think of in the same way you've added the current resources (maybe add an if statement to only show the line when the cost for a resource is non-zero).

Otherwise you may want to (and I don't know enough c sharp so I probably can't change the logic of what you've done) make some kind of cfg file for extra resources? It would be awesome if it somehow worked with modulemanager so cost could be defined when the resource was added.

You mean that everyone could define the resources and the prices per unit in a textfile? And my plugin parses the textfile and uses it for determine the costs of a vessel?

[SchroedingersHat]

You mean that everyone could define the resources and the prices per unit in a textfile? And my plugin parses the textfile and uses it for determine the costs of a vessel?

Exactly. The most logical place would be the cfg file in the resources dir of whatever mod, this makes it simple for the mod creator to implement but that may run into issues with multiple mods and overwriting. Hence the suggestion of modulemanager (but I don't know how involved that is).

The alternative would be put them all in your own mod's cfg folder and let each player curate their own if they have an unsupported resource.

[ialdabaoth]

You mean that everyone could define the resources and the prices per unit in a textfile? And my plugin parses the textfile and uses it for determine the costs of a vessel?

Let me second SchroedingersHat's suggestion, and yes, this is how you'd want to do it. Although you don't need to parse the textfile; you just need to parse the confignode from the GameDatabase - that's where KSP puts it after KSP automatically parses the textfile for you. What you'd do is something like this:

RESOURCE_COST
{
  name = LiquidFuel
  cost = 0.1
  max_storable = 99999999
  upkeep_cost = 0
}

and then your plugin would do:

foreach(ConfigNode node in GameDatabase.Instance.GetConfigNodes("RESOURCE_COST")) {
  string resource = node.GetValue("name");
  float.TryParse(node.GetValue("cost"), out resourceInventory[resource].cost);
  double.TryParse(node.GetValue("upkeep_cost"), resourceInventory[resource].upkeepCost);
  float.TryParse(node.GetValue("max_storable"), resourceInventory[resource].maxStorage);
}

After which you could just refer to your resourceInventory[] dictionary.

(I added upkeepCost in case you decide to work with something like my ModularFuelTanks' RealFules resources, where fuels like Liquid Oxygen have refrigeration needs).

Edited June 20, 2013 by ialdabaoth

[Mr Shifty]

For some reason, I hadn't tried this mod until this morning. It rocks! Thanks for all the work you've put into it.

[malkuth]

Any possible way to add the ability to edit your fuel cost in the config at a later time? Being able to adjust things to you current play needs might be helpful for the mod. Right now it seems the fuel cost outway the actual cost of the vessel.

And what is Other Resoucrce Cost and Liquid engine cost.. Not sure where your getting these values?

Edited June 20, 2013 by malkuth

[nobody44]

Any possible way to add the ability to edit your fuel cost in the config at a later time? Being able to adjust things to you current play needs might be helpful for the mod. Right now it seems the fuel cost outway the actual cost of the vessel.

And what is Other Resoucrce Cost and Liquid engine cost.. Not sure where your getting these values?

That is the case for the stock parts.

I noticed something: The parts cost value is used in the stock parts properly, but in KW rocketry it is not. I will readjust the factors so that I won't need the cost value in the part.cfg. It will be ignored in the future...

[veryinky]

The ComSat Contract III will be removed soon, because of Contract VI. So you will have to readjust your satellites into the right orbit.

There will be missions that will include those kind of missions (with proper reward), but for now you are right.

I question why they would want the satellite moved to a new random location once a year, geostationary satellites are to stay in one spot in the sky.

I'd like to propose an alternative, which would reward the player for getting the orbital period of the geosat as close to 6:00:00 and eccentricity as close to 0 as possible. Namely that geosat longitudes wouldn't be randomly generated every time the mission is selected but instead is chosen by going down a list, checking to see if there's already a satellite in that position.

Like, the first Comsat VI mission would be for 30 (29.75 to 30.25 longitude) then the next ones would be for 60, 90, 120, 150 180 -150 -120 -90 -60 -30 and 0. Once all the slots are filled up there wouldn't be any more ComsatVI missions. Now if the satellites were placed /perfectly/ then when the year was up they'd still be in position to renew the contract. But if they were more than .3 seconds off the satellite would have moved out of position over the year and would require the player to move it back into position to renew the contract.

Lists of positions could also be used to create GPS constallation missions. Semi-synchronous satellites at a 55 degree inclination spaced at 60 degrees in their orbits. 24 slots for satellites that'd need to be maintained once a year if they weren't placed into perfect orbits.

[nobody44]

I question why they would want the satellite moved to a new random location once a year, geostationary satellites are to stay in one spot in the sky.

I'd like to propose an alternative, which would reward the player for getting the orbital period of the geosat as close to 6:00:00 and eccentricity as close to 0 as possible. Namely that geosat longitudes wouldn't be randomly generated every time the mission is selected but instead is chosen by going down a list, checking to see if there's already a satellite in that position.

Like, the first Comsat VI mission would be for 30 (29.75 to 30.25 longitude) then the next ones would be for 60, 90, 120, 150 180 -150 -120 -90 -60 -30 and 0. Once all the slots are filled up there wouldn't be any more ComsatVI missions. Now if the satellites were placed /perfectly/ then when the year was up they'd still be in position to renew the contract. But if they were more than .3 seconds off the satellite would have moved out of position over the year and would require the player to move it back into position to renew the contract.

Lists of positions could also be used to create GPS constallation missions. Semi-synchronous satellites at a 55 degree inclination spaced at 60 degrees in their orbits. 24 slots for satellites that'd need to be

maintained once a year if they weren't placed into perfect orbits.

The current geostationary missions already have minimal and maximal orbital period as well as maximal eccentricity. And why do you say "They" ? Someone. Just like on earth there are many different TV satellite operators which need satellites in many different positions.

The missions your propose are very static. Then why not make them static ? You can create a new mission package with those missions. Would be very glad to bundle them with the current contract missions into one big contract mission package.

[veryinky]

And why do you say "They"

Well, whoever the client is for that particular geostationary satellite isn't going to want it in a different location a year later. It would mean all their customers would have to point their dishes at a different place in the sky every year.

Making a static mission pack would be easy, though I'd like a third option between the choice of repeatable and nonrepeatable; non-repeatable if there's already clientControlled ship on that mission. The reason being that if the static missions were non repeatable then there would be no station keeping maintenance at the end of the year. If the mission is set to repeatable then the player could put dozens of satellites at a specific position in the sky ignoring the rest.

So if you could add a mission field which prevents the player from taking a mission if there's already a clientControlled ship on that mission I'd be more than willing to write up a set of Geostationary, SemiSynchronous, and GPS themed missions. Right now I'm testing a mission pack where the player has to land next to anomalies (or simply interesting places on planets like the plateau on Eve or the holes of Moho)

[vladoportos]

anybody else having problem with icons being just red question marks ? I have downloaded clean KSP and latest build, extracted to GameData, plugin will load but no icons...

---\\--- Also no missions to select :-/

Scratch that, I'm just a moron who didn't copy the root folder its working now ...

Edited June 20, 2013 by vladoportos

[nobody44]

Well, whoever the client is for that particular geostationary satellite isn't going to want it in a different location a year later. It would mean all their customers would have to point their dishes at a different place in the sky every year.

Making a static mission pack would be easy, though I'd like a third option between the choice of repeatable and nonrepeatable; non-repeatable if there's already clientControlled ship on that mission. The reason being that if the static missions were non repeatable then there would be no station keeping maintenance at the end of the year. If the mission is set to repeatable then the player could put dozens of satellites at a specific position in the sky ignoring the rest.

So if you could add a mission field which prevents the player from taking a mission if there's already a clientControlled ship on that mission I'd be more than willing to write up a set of Geostationary, SemiSynchronous, and GPS themed missions. Right now I'm testing a mission pack where the player has to land next to anomalies (or simply interesting places on planets like the plateau on Eve or the holes of Moho)

I guess I never thought much about it... here is what my idea was behind this contracts:

There are 100 companies that need a geostationary satellite, each of them in a very different position. Now I don't want to show 100 geostationary missions to the user. That would be a mess. Instead the plugin picks exactly one of those 100 contracts from the companies. And if the user wants the next contract of that type, he presses discard.

I introduced a new mission field: repeatableSameVessel.

This field basically declares, if the mission can be finished more than once with the same vessel. Let's take ComSat Contract III as an example.

How it should be:

repeatable = true: makes the mission repeatable, but you can not finish *this* mission more than once with the same vessel

clien controlled = true: client takes over control

repeatableSameVessel = false: even after the lifetime is over, you *can not* finish this mission with this vessel again

If we change repeatableSameVessel to true, the vessel can finish the mission more than once, but only after its lifetime.

But besides that... let's not focus on the contract missions.

And FYI: bac9 was so nice and made some new icons. I use them now, and it looks great in my opinion . Will release a new version in some minutes.

anybody else having problem with icons being just red question marks ? I have downloaded clean KSP and latest build, extracted to GameData, plugin will load but no icons...

Which OS? And please post the *full* path to the MissionController.dll and the icon folder.

[pasty2k2]

This is probably the mod I've enjoyed playing the most - I have to say thank you sir/madam for implementing a perfectly capable custom career mode generator!

Eagerly awaiting your latest update so I can continue NT mission 22

Is it possible to have mission parameters for functions of other mods? Example, "Locate a Kethane deposit on the moon".

Any plans for spaceplanes? Is there any way of actually definitively telling what is a rocket and what is a spaceplane?

Loving it, can't wait for more!

[Sandworm]

Here is my latest update my "Military_Launches" package. I've fixed many errors and balancing issues and added Almaz/Skylab missions.

http://hugefiles.net/hala0llq8998

And via pastebin...

http://pastebin.com/4sevMbGD

Edited June 20, 2013 by Sandworm

[SchroedingersHat]

That is the case for the stock parts.

I noticed something: The parts cost value is used in the stock parts properly, but in KW rocketry it is not. I will readjust the factors so that I won't need the cost value in the part.cfg. It will be ignored in the future...

It may be appropriate to keep (or keep configurable) the cost value as part of the price. It makes sense for some things (such as some small item that is expensive because of rather than in spite of being light -- antennae, computers, kethane scanners or similar) in ways that are hard to account for just by mass/resources/etc. Maybe add it as well as the value calculated from mass/resources/etc?

That being said, some of the costs aren't very well thought out -- everything in aerodynamic being 500 for example -- but I think that will change (for other mods if not squad's parts) as this mod becomes more popular (providing you keep the cost as part of it).

[nobody44]

It may be appropriate to keep (or keep configurable) the cost value as part of the price. It makes sense for some things (such as some small item that is expensive because of rather than in spite of being light -- antennae, computers, kethane scanners or similar) in ways that are hard to account for just by mass/resources/etc. Maybe add it as well as the value calculated from mass/resources/etc?

That being said, some of the costs aren't very well thought out -- everything in aerodynamic being 500 for example -- but I think that will change (for other mods if not squad's parts) as this mod becomes more popular (providing you keep the cost as part of it).

I used the cost value, but obviously I can't use it:

1. the stock fuel tanks are really expensive (the cost value is about 12.5k + fuel)

2. the *other* fuel tanks in other mods don't use this value

So it is not really possible (without modifing all stock parts or a convention like "ignore if this value if below 1 million, otherwise subtract one million and add it to the construction costs") to balance this.

[SchroedingersHat]

That sounds like a good way of handling it. I also think many of the other mod authors will add a cost if given a reason -- until then there's ModuleManager and users of this mod can put together some cfgs for common mods just like they do for deadly reentry and modular fuel tanks

[The Destroyer]

How do I update from 0.6 to 0.8 without resetting my KT space program?

(the package on the main post, not stock)

[nobody44]

How do I update from 0.6 to 0.8 without resetting my KT space program?

(the package on the main post, not stock)

Backup your space program file (file ending "sp" in the PluginData directory) and replace the dlls. Should be about it.

I just released a small update:

Newest Changes (0.9):

• fixed difficulty reset after restarting the game
  
• new icons from bac9
  
• added new mission field: repeatableSameVessel for client controlled and passive missions
  
• reworked costs (no construction costs because they are too different for different addons)
  
• new Duna mission
  

Edited June 20, 2013 by nobody44

[MK3424]

Like the new icons!

[dewdkorn6969]

need to report a bug... If you complete a mission and land a craft when u click finish and recycle and the end flight screen shows up, you can click the finish and recycle button multiple times to keep recycling the same craft over and over again if you dont select anything from the end flight screen.. atleast it was doing it in 0.8 gonna try 0.9 to see if it was fixed

[theSpeare]

I haven't had a look yet exactly, but how did you compensate for lack of construction costs? Surely there must still be pricing somewhere for this. Maybe add a toggle button for this feature?

[HavinAlmassi]

I haven't had a look yet exactly, but how did you compensate for lack of construction costs? Surely there must still be pricing somewhere for this. Maybe add a toggle button for this feature?

Well for starters the LV-T45 engine now costs 23000 Keuros. :/

[theSpeare]

But that's pricing just for engines - you also had to pay for expensive solar panels, batteries, other things like MechJeb and such - things that were not necessarily compulsory (thereby allowing you to make cuts and increase efficiency)

[HavinAlmassi]

No worries, guy. Those costs are still there and appear to be unchanged.