[0.20.2] Real Space Experience

[jeti140973]

Hi all, my first mod - hope you like it :-)

Real Space Experience v1.1.5

What is it?

A mod that aims to increase the immersive and realistic experience of space travel. Removes the background starfield texture to provide a more realistic effect of the darkness of space. Also, all sounds are muted during EVAs to simulate that the lack of air prevents propagation of sound. Instead, a spacesuit breathing sound effect is added. A cockpit sound effect has also been added when in internal view, but that's just a gimmick. I hope these two changes will provide a more immersive experience. It sure does for me.

FEATURES:

• EVA audio conditions, all sounds are muted when the player is outside the spacecraft
  
  
• EVA audio conditions, spacesuit sound effects added
  
  
• Cockpit audio conditions, cockpit sound effects added when the player is in internal view
  
  
• Removed background texture from skybox, providing a darker outer space experience
  
  

Why should I use it?

Space is very weird place. A truly otherworldly and foreign place. The lack of sound and the void of space may just be two of the most striking characteristics of space travel (not counting the floating and choking). I think it was astronaut James Lovell who once described how weird it was to go to the Moon, and travel hundreds of thousands of kilometers without ever passing *anything* underway. Game designers usually stick to traditions and proven conventions to provide a more familiar experience, but I think it defeats the purpose of a space simulation game. I for one would like this to change. So if this mod makes your game seem WRONG at first, then please keep this in mind. It may not be RIGHT, but at least this should be more CORRECT. However, it will not be for everyone, no doubt.

Where can I get it?

The mod is available from the Kerbal Space Port - download HERE

Source code is now provided as part of the download.

How do I use it?

Well, it's easy to use so far. No interface (yet), nothing to click or press.

The mod will only take effect once in flight, so the background starfield texture will remain visible in the tracking station and the main menu. I do not plan to change that.

INSTALLATION

Drop the JeTi-folder from the zip-archive into your [KSP]\GameData-folder. Uninstall the previous version first (see below).

UNINSTALLATION

Delete the JeTi-folder in your [KSP]\GameData-folder

** If you want the background texture back - simply delete the VideoTweaks.dll-file from the [KSP]\GameData\JeTi\Plugins-folder! **

Any known problems?

The mod has been developed and tested for KSP v0.20.2

No known problems so far, that I am aware of. But note, that my mod mutes all sound during EVA and so will interfere with certain mods, like Chatterer.

Please contact me with any problem you encounter.

Any future plans?

No promises, but this is on my todo-list:

- adding configuration options, to enable and disable the various features.

- to allow Chatterer sound effects during EVA.

- make sound mute relative to atmospheric density. Should allow for environmental sound effects on some foreign planets (if present).

- Starfield texture reappear gradually relative with decreasing lighting conditions.

Edited June 24, 2013 by jeti140973

[KD3]

Sounds very nice. I will have to try this.

[Greys]

Looks interesting, I take it by your future plans that the starfield is not currently modulated and even in full eclipse or extreme solar orbits/trajectories there would be no starfield?

[Djhcc26]

I'm intrigued.

So basically if I'm on the light side of the planet there's little to no, stars but on the dark side the stars reappear?

[jeti140973]

Looks interesting, I take it by your future plans that the starfield is not currently modulated and even in full eclipse or extreme solar orbits/trajectories there would be no starfield?

I'm intrigued.

So basically if I'm on the light side of the planet there's little to no, stars but on the dark side the stars reappear?

Yeah, that's for a future update - MAYBE. If it's even possible, and within my powers. I'm fairly new at this :-)

Currently, I have just changed the cameras setting from using a background texture to using a solid (black) color instead. So nomatter if you are in total brightness or darkness there will (currently) be no stars. Realistically, stars should appear when you are in complete darkness, like on the dark side of a moon and with no bright objects nearby. Don't know if I can pull that off, though.

Similar with sounds. When going on EVA I simply mute all audio sources, except for the breathing sound effect. When going back inside all audio sources are then unmuted again. It's a simple solution with a big effect. The downside is, that going outside on the surface of Kerbin will also mute all outside sounds - which isn't very realistic. I'm just counting on that being a rare occurrence in comparison. I will try to vary the sound level depending on atmospheric pressure, but that's also for a future update.

[Mekan1k]

This is both clever and needs to be a part of the game.

+Rep.

When the gradual implementation of the lighting on the starfield is implemented, I think, then I will download.

[MAKC]

will be following this. how about an option to force IVA? i think it would go well with the general immersion theme

[CaptRobau]

You should call this the Creepy Space Experience. No stars results in a very creepy atmosphere. Especially on the night side of Kerbin

[jeti140973]

Well, I think that fits it pretty well, actually. "A blackness almost beyond conception"... :-)

[Vorgra]

Just a heads up, you can actually see stars while in space.

[Greys]

The visibility of stars is all dependent on the relative light level and "exposure level" necessary for functional vision, when you're looking towards the sun or on a highly reflective planet that is lit, the exposure has to be so low to allow for what's seen to not be solid white, that the relatively low intensity of stars is completely lost; while in space not looking at the sun or on the dark side of an atmosphereless planetoid stars would be visible, as long as you're not looking at a spotlight and your spaceship isn't highly reflective; but without the atmosphere to disperse their image they would be true pinpoints of light and there would be a lot more of them. Even an unlit atmosphere disperses the dimmer stars into obscurity so you only see decently bright ones; which is a reason ground based observatories need to be at high altitude to live up to their potential.

If you wanted to accurately represent the starfield's dynamics you would want to have several transparent starfields with different size and intensity stars that you would manipulate the alpha of based on offsets to a curve; and then in atmosphere you would want a derivative set of layers that is blurred and distorted; with an additional layer for atmospheric color scatter.

This is an unmagnified image of the starfield and earth from supposedly the ISS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposure_%28photography%29

Edited June 23, 2013 by Greys

[Subcidal]

This looks awesome. I always love anything that adds more immersion. Just a suggestion for something thats always bugged me. You should make the camera shake during liftoff when in IVA. At the moment it's way to peaceful. Some camera shake that got less as intense with elevation would be a great effect.

Looking forward to a dynamic starfield, that would be pretty neat.

[m4ti140]

^This - the starfield dimness when looking on Kerbol is alredy simulated, so if you just lowered the brightness until stars disappear completely when looking towards Kerbol, it would be OK. Of course for all of this to work properly, KSP would need to recognize planets as light sources as well, but it still would be better then stock

+ engine sounds should be removed too if you are planning to simulate silence of space. IRL these aren't heard in space, neither in cockpit - AFAIK, no, it doesn't go through the spacecraft's body bc the engine sound doesn't exist in space, it requires air around nozzle, resisting the escape of exhaust gases, for the sound to be produced - nor outside.

[Mekan1k]

^This - the starfield dimness when looking on Kerbol is alredy simulated, so if you just lowered the brightness until stars disappear completely when looking towards Kerbol, it would be OK. Of course for all of this to work properly, KSP would need to recognize planets as light sources as well, but it still would be better then stock

+ engine sounds should be removed too if you are planning to simulate silence of space. IRL these aren't heard in space, neither in cockpit - AFAIK, no, it doesn't go through the spacecraft's body bc the engine sound doesn't exist in space, it requires air around nozzle, resisting the escape of exhaust gases, for the sound to be produced - nor outside.

In a real spacecraft, the 'rumble' of an engine outside of atmos is audible, as the air inside the cabin of the spacecraft allows the sound to be transmitted to the ear from the spacecraft's frame.

[Max Q]

This is both clever and needs to be a part of the game.

+Rep.

When the gradual implementation of the lighting on the starfield is implemented, I think, then I will download.

I don't know if changing the opacity of the star field is possible, but I certainly like the breathing sound effects - it reminds me of 2001: a Space Odyssey. I read in one review of that movie the silence with only breathing was a little disturbing to some viewers, who felt the need to leave the theater. I look forward to a version where you can toggle the features, as mentioned above. It would be cute if there was the occasional nervous "Oooo..." spoken by a Kerbal, but I'm not asking for it to be included (this mod is your baby, not mine ).

[whatisthisidonteven]

I'd like it if the skybox was reverted to default - Or at least it made optional. Stars are perfectly visible in space, it's just cameras that don't pick them up sometimes iirc. Even if that's not the case, I still think it looks better with the skybox.

[Mr Shifty]

From NASA: (http://helios.gsfc.nasa.gov/qa_star.html#starsp)

Is it true that in space a person is not able to see stars all around them like we do here on Earth?

No, I hear that in space the stars look wonderful, bright (although not twinkling) and very clear. What has probably caused some of this confusion is that in the typical photo or video image from space, there aren't any stars. This is because the stars are much dimmer than the astronaut, Moon, space station, or whatever the image is been taken of. It is extremely hard to get the exposure correct to show the stars. Luckily, the human eye handles the different light levels much better than a camera does.

Dr. Eric Christian

(July 2001)

[KhaosCorp]

This is a great idea...however if your trying to add 'realism' it seems like you need to do some more research. You info about light and sound in space is a bit off. Otherwise great job, will be keeping an eye on this one.

[JebThrillMaster]

Downloading

[mushroomman]

Does this mean that the starfield is edit-able? So we can have less crap ones?

[Frostiken]

At the very least, a less-ugly starfield would suffice. The current one is very... primitive.

[JBM12G]

I would love it if there was a version of this mod with a much dimmer starfield with the nebulae effects removed. It seems like it would be a nice compromise between the total blackness you have and the absurd starfield in the game currently.

[Greys]

It's absurd for Earth, but you could very likely have a planet with life on it near enough to nebula for them to be visible in the sky.

Still, a mod that gives the ability to arbitrarily replace the starfield would allow for whatever.

[aftokinito]

Awesome mod, love it.

Remember to include the source code btw.

[Alfondoo]

Still, a mod that gives the ability to arbitrarily replace the starfield would allow for whatever.

Hah!!

But yeah, that would be awesome