+ [Part] [1.6] Davon supply mod v025

[PrivateFlip]

I was imagining more like it would automatically subtract a chunk of fuel from a certain vessel on the surface and, after the delay, bring it to the station. This way you could still use KAS, Kethane, etcetera to construct your base and then just use your mod to automate the reusable launches.

I actually started working on the mod I suggested in response to your comment, but decided to scrap it because halfway through because i didn't completely right as i was coding the logic (you can check the edit history). I do like this idea however, Nathankell made a similar suggestion earlier:

I don't suppose you could add a way to detect if there's a kethane mining operation on the moon the station is orbiting, and decrease the delivery time to 1 day if so? ...

That's technically feasible. It could check if there are vessels landed on the planet and then check if they contain Kethane, but such a mechanic would break realism when the Kethane patch was depleted, or the particular Kethane was actually shipped in from elsewhere. Taking all that into account would require more complicated code. It might be a better idea if Kethane users wanted such functionality to have some dedicated relay system where you would deliver fuel to a ground station which would then with delay be delivered to an orbiting station. It's much easier to make something like that from the ground up and it would integrate better with the Kethane game mechanic than to try and squeeze it in the current mod in a somewhat acceptable way.

...

So there are at least two people who would like something like this. I will look into some of the technical aspects this afternoon and report back on it.

[TomatoSoup]

I will look into some of the technical aspects this afternoon and report back on it.

Awesome! I think that a lot of the code will be similar to Orbital Construction Redux, so it might be worth giving their source a peek.

[PrivateFlip]

Awesome! I think that a lot of the code will be similar to Orbital Construction Redux, so it might be worth giving their source a peek.

The latest update on this: With a little help of NathanKell and Diazo I now have working code for this mod. The plugin allows the part to cycle through vessels on the surface of the planet below. The plugin can then be requested to take up to a certain amount of fuel from the selected vessel (the resource and the amounts can be configured in the part.cfg file of the part the partmodule is installed into and can for instance work for Kethane). After a time interval the fuel will be delivered to the station the part is attached to. I will clean up the code and do some bug checking tomorrow. A couple of weeks ago another modder indicated he was planning on making a Kethane enabled Davon-module part, so maybe we also have a part to go with it as this plugin will better match with Kethane than the Davon Supply plugin (I'm not a very good modeler myself).

[SmiteZero]

Sorry if it's been mentioned, but can this be modified in any way to deliver other types of resources besides the stock ones? (ie. Rocket Parts)

[PrivateFlip]

Sorry if it's been mentioned, but can this be modified in any way to deliver other types of resources besides the stock ones? (ie. Rocket Parts)

Yes this is possible. The partmodule which governs the functionality is resource neutral. The resources managed by the partmodule, delivery amounts and times can all be easily set in the part.cgf file.

Below an example: this part contains RocketParts, Greenfuel and MonoPropellant:

RESOURCE
{
 name = RocketParts //(check spelling, it's case sensitive, and I don't know how the rocket parts resource is called) 
 amount = 0
 maxAmount = 2880
}
RESOURCE
{
 name = Greenfuel
 amount = 0
 maxAmount = 4000
}
RESOURCE
{
 name = MonoPropellant
 amount = 0
 maxAmount = 100
}


MODULE
{
	name = DavonRestrictedResourceSupplyModule
	DeliveryAmountFactor = 2  //This part delivers two times the capacity of the part of the managed fuels
	SupplyActivationFactor = 4 //This part requires you to deliver four times the capacity of the part to activate it
	ManagedResources = LiquidFuel, Greenfuel //It manages RocketParts and Greenfuel (and leaves the MonoPropellant alone)
	BaseDeliveryTime = 99999
	DeliveryTimeList = Jool, 1, Kerbin, 90 //Delivery to jool orbit takes 1 day, Kerbin 90 days
}

So you can set it up for whatever resource you like. (You can also set add this partmodule up to other parts if you prefer.)

I hope this answers your question.

[SmiteZero]

Hey that's awesome, thanks! After I posted I went to snoop to see if it was that easy and found those lines, but confirming I did the right thing is awesome. This makes it even more useful!

(I still think another AI-controlled ship needs to be spawned, perhaps in-line with a docking port a kilometer or so out and just move straight in to dock. hehe) Also my personal opinion is that the part is still too heavy. Having to supply it with x amount of it's resources is punishment enough for something that's supposed to remove busywork - especially since it's really just empty tanks. (All these things I modified in the .cfg to suit me anyway, no real problem, just sharing thoughts.)

Edited November 2, 2013 by SmiteZero

[PrivateFlip]

Hey that's awesome, thanks! After I posted I went to snoop to see if it was that easy and found those lines, but confirming I did the right thing is awesome. This makes it even more useful!

(I still think another AI-controlled ship needs to be spawned, perhaps in-line with a docking port a kilometer or so out and just move straight in to dock. hehe) Also my personal opinion is that the part is still too heavy. Having to supply it with x amount of it's resources is punishment enough for something that's supposed to remove busywork - especially since it's really just empty tanks. (All these things I modified in the .cfg to suit me anyway, no real problem, just sharing thoughts.)

Great to hear you got it working. I assume it's now supplying rocket parts for orbital construction.

Also thanks for the suggestions, feedback is always appreciated.

[Damaske]

Refill station under construction in Mid-Kerban orbit,

I've yet to enable the piece just yet, and it was a pain in the butt to get into orbit. Kept breaking free from the lifter's i made to haul it into orbit, Lost four before i said (bleep) it and enabled the No breaking cheat, so it would not break free again. though i did think of another way to haul one up. but that will be for next time. Interesting mod so far, and the "You MUST fill it first makes it a believable Refilling station, as you can't just haul something empty into orbit and expect it to work right away. You'll need to fuel it and then make sure it is operating right before it becomes a working station, much less one that will refill ships returning or leaving near-Kerban space. "

From what i have read, the delay is real also as it takes time to fill a tanker ship, have it burn up from Kerban to your station to drop off fuel, And the fact you don't see the refill tanker is its of Romulan design and uses a cloaking stealth field to avoid space pirates.

Edited November 2, 2013 by Damaske

[spiritplumber]

I edited it so that I only have to fill it once, but love this. Great idea, minimal overhead, worked the first time.

[Damaske]

not yet finished, but her is the progress on my station.

[SmiteZero]

I edited it so that I only have to fill it once, but love this. Great idea, minimal overhead, worked the first time.

I did a similar thing. It still took something like 6 shipments from those things sticking out the side. https://www.dropbox.com/s/ydwsjnlv5pxsxfk/screenshot1.png

[Surefoot]

Works for me too:

Upon launching i noticed my fuel usage was doubled, or my actual DV halved (as per Mechjeb indications) - looks like a bad interaction with MJ2.

Otherwise no issue, it keeps my fuel station topped, perfect.

[Damaske]

Nice looking station there surefoot, But i am trying to make mine with stock parts minus the part from here just because i am going to use it for making my SSTO's fly up to it to test them out. And i don't want to accidentally use a modded part that someone else might not have and they not be able to try the craft i made. and i don't want to make a "you need these mods to have this craft work list".

[Surefoot]

I see, it's easy to check what you are using though as in the VAB/SPH the parts are grouped by mod. I use the most common ones like B9, Novapunch and those toroidal/spherical tanks. The only uncommon mod i use is IonElec Hybrid pack, for the inline generators (much more heavy than RTG's, but more practical for integration in a stack). Also i use FAR which has a lot of consequences on what i can lift in orbit (no asparagus monsters..).

[Marlin]

As part of the new model KhaosCorp also added an extendable port. This port will now extend while deliveries are underway and during the supply activation phase and retract when these processes are completed.

Does the extendable port have any function, exactly? Like, is it a docking port that I can dock a ship? Or is it just an animated part that activates during the delivery of fuel?

[PrivateFlip]

Does the extendable port have any function, exactly? Like, is it a docking port that I can dock a ship? Or is it just an animated part that activates during the delivery of fuel?

The latter, it is simple eyecandy KhaosCorp implemented as nice extra touch to the part. It extends whenever it is awaiting supply or delivery and retracts when these processes are completed. You can also manually toggle the port without any impact on the further function of the mod.

[Damaske]

I added a port to it and extend it out to dock to refill my smaller ships with the clamp jr's.

[hakan]

Could you detect whether the Kerbal Alarm Clock is installed and add an alarm for the time when a delivery is scheduled to be fulfilled?

I have one supply module in my LEO station and keep checking back again and again for the first delivery.

[triffid_hunter]

This mod is very understated, I'm surprised it's not more popular

any chance we could optionally add RocketParts to the list of supplied resources?

[PrivateFlip]

Could you detect whether the Kerbal Alarm Clock is installed and add an alarm for the time when a delivery is scheduled to be fulfilled?

I have one supply module in my LEO station and keep checking back again and again for the first delivery.

This might be possible but a this point I'm not planning to add this. KAC already allows you to manually set an alarm yourself if you want to.

This mod is very understated, I'm surprised it's not more popular

any chance we could optionally add RocketParts to the list of supplied resources?

Yes this is already possible, the plugin is resource neutral so you can easily alter the part to supply other resources. See these posts for instructions

[kalizec]

Would like the author to know that I really like this mod.

There's many a time I have to launch a rather large vessel where it's impractical to launch it fully fueled.

This mod saves me countless launches with rockets just for refueling, while at the same time being balanced enough to not seem like 'infinite fuel'.

[Mystique]

Seems like DS mod's "engine" feature is breaking MechJeb's delta-v calculation - it shows nothing in VAB. Is it safe to just remove that "engine" from cfg file or it's needed for resupply or different stuff?

[Justin Kerbice]

Interesting and usefull

[triffid_hunter]

Seems like DS mod's "engine" feature is breaking MechJeb's delta-v calculation - it shows nothing in VAB. Is it safe to just remove that "engine" from cfg file or it's needed for resupply or different stuff?

From what I've seen, providing/filling fuel is implemented as an engine that consumes a negative quantity of fuel. I would expect you to no longer be able to receive fuel if you remove the engine module.

[lyndonguitar]

This will be helpful, I will edit it to support tac life for delivery of food and stuff