jrandom Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 I just discovered a great reason why we still need a scissor-lift style piston instead of the telescoping ones: If you have a telescoping piston that intersects with a detaching stage, explosions result. I'm trying to build a deployment system for my unfolding rover, and the root attachment point is a piston for lowering the thing safely to the ground. (There were rails attached to the moving part of the piston that would move the unfolding rover out away from the lander before unfolding.) A scissor lift wouldn't extend into the surface it's attached to at the base, preventing this issue.I couldn't figure out why my lander was exploding on the launchpad during separation tests (the top part pops off to fly back up into orbit). So I scrapped it and built a test rig up to the point of putting in the telescoping piston. The moment I decouple the interstage, all sort of stuff explode.From the bottom->up, it's telescoping piston->interstage->engine->fuel->command pod: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirkut Posted September 11, 2013 Author Share Posted September 11, 2013 Are you using a less powerful decoupler? I know you had issues with it before. I wonder what it could be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhnifong Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Is anyone else experiencing severe bugs when combining robotic parts with docking struts? I'm getting intermittent attitude lock and can't figure out what the cause is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrandom Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Are you using a less powerful decoupler? I know you had issues with it before. I wonder what it could be.It's not the decoupler -- I've checked. When the decoupler fires, the physics system now checks the two separate parts for collisions, and since the piston is intersection the engine and fuel tank above it, the Unity physics engine makes them fly apart at very great speeds and explodes other pieces as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gristle Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 It's not the decoupler -- I've checked. When the decoupler fires, the physics system now checks the two separate parts for collisions, and since the piston is intersection the engine and fuel tank above it, the Unity physics engine makes them fly apart at very great speeds and explodes other pieces as well.Could you use shorter pistons, but more of them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoMrBond Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Could you use shorter pistons, but more of them?I think it's to do with the pistons impinging on the tanks because they're sunk into the structure,So when the physics switchover happens at the moment of decoupling, the system decides that the piston shouldn't be sharing the same location as the tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirkut Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 What if you enable part clipping does it still happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrandom Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Could you use shorter pistons, but more of them?Sadly, no. I need to keep the height of the lander down. so the engine is right above the interstage. There are only two telescoping piston parts short enough: 1/4 B and C, and I think they're a bit too small for the weight they'll be taking: two full-size rails (which when put together and extended get the rover juuust clear of the lander -- the rover has to be out far enough that it won't collide with the ship when it's unfolded.The procedural interstage does have a height adjustment thingy so I might be able to find a compromise, but a scissor-lift style expander would be fantastic for these sorts of situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirkut Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 When I finish my break (I'm playing the game) from modding I will see about the scissor lift idea again. May require a few parts to put together in order for it to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrandom Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 (edited) I did finally manage to build a piston-less lander for the rover that should be able to land on Moho. I'm cutting the delta-v a little close so it's going to be a real white-knucker. It's got a larger maximum radius than the previous design (and is a bit taller), but it weighs less and is more stable, so there's that. The tricky part was getting the rover close enough to the ground without a lowering piston so that dropping it wouldn't risk breaking anything.I love the walkers I'm seeing in this thread. I'm going to have to build one and send it somewhere. Edited September 12, 2013 by jrandom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirkut Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 What engines & tanks are those? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrandom Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 What engines & tanks are those?The little black tanks and landing legs are from AIES. The engines are from the FASA Mercury/Gemini mod which I just installed yesterday. I'm always in search of short engines. The top part of the lander (that separates and flies back up to orbit) uses the 2.5-meter-wide super-flat B9 Aerospace "L2 Atlas" engine, hidden in these shots by the Procedural Fairings interstage that's beneath the center fuel tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirkut Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 Cool thanks. I'm just now finally trying out various mods. I've been ignoring them the whole time essentially while I worked on everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirkut Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 First thing I've built since I started Infernal Robotics. RollKage(front wheels,cabin, rtg engine), Catepillar (tank tracks), Infernal Robotics (lots of things), B9 (flat platform, headlights), Alchemy Technologies Modular Girder (rail & counterweights), KAS (winch) and lastly soon to be released MSI Animator (the claw!)Can pick up the Soyuz capsule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viperwolf Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 first thing i seen was the claw, i was going to say HEY where did you get that claw? then i realized it was you Sirkut posting. You should take a break and just play for a while. (cough after the release of the landing legs first cough) After you guys rest for a while, would it be possible to design some rover frames? L,M,S sizes Like the DEMV 2 frame. This may be something DEVO would like to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirkut Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 I've toyed with the idea of doing some rover frames with Devo. He may or may not help out but I'm certainly going to make some to go with these smaller sized IR parts. There are some things we talked about doing unrelated that should be very exciting once we get them started.Btw. I will be doing a quick little update for the infernal parts. I'm going to release the hinges in a 90 degree setting. Should expect them tomorrow sometime. I need them and it's time to get it done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viperwolf Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 (edited) man that sounds good, The more parts you release the more mods i delete hehe. I think everyone will be happy with the 90dg hinges. Ive needed them a few times, but was trying to keep from requesting to much stuff. YOu went from rotating docking washers to a full blown factory of parts. I feel that soon your mod will be up there with the most used mods of all. And for an important question directed towards Squad. Why have you not listed MSI/wayland corp in the NEws Weekly? Edited September 12, 2013 by viperwolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gristle Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 man that sounds good, The more parts you release the more mods i delete hehe. I think everyone will be happy with the 90dg hinges. Ive needed them a few times, but was trying to keep from requesting to much stuff. YOu went from rotating docking washers to a full blown factory of parts. I feel that soon your mod will be up there with the most used mods of all. And for an important question directed towards Squad. Why have you not listed MSI/wayland corp in the NEws Weekly?Agreed! MSI deserves some official recognition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viperwolf Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 TinyPirate are you using PF for your fairing on the robots? if you are how are you getting the nodes to attach. i cannot make them attach after creating and shaping the fairing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gristle Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 TinyPirate are you using PF for your fairing on the robots? if you are how are you getting the nodes to attach. i cannot make them attach after creating and shaping the fairingOnly pieces that will surface attach work with the fairings. I use the tiny structural column bit. The IR door hinge washers will stick to the fairings also. I think you can use the I-beam parts too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viperwolf Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 ok thank you, i will try the hinges again. that is the first thing i attempted but i could not get the fairings to stick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devo Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 man that sounds good, The more parts you release the more mods i delete hehe. I think everyone will be happy with the 90dg hinges. Ive needed them a few times, but was trying to keep from requesting to much stuff. YOu went from rotating docking washers to a full blown factory of parts. I feel that soon your mod will be up there with the most used mods of all. And for an important question directed towards Squad. Why have you not listed MSI/wayland corp in the NEws Weekly?I don't expect anything in the news weekly, the last thing they featured was a procedural part that had been out for no more than 7 days, when people like Bobcat have been striving for years at it and there is no spotlight on the endless amount of good mods he has made, or TT or many others, it's quite discouraging.And sirkut, if you look in my Unity folder on the share drive, you will find a couple of rover bodies I havent even shown you yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirkut Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 I don't expect anything in the news weekly, the last thing they featured was a procedural part that had been out for no more than 7 days, when people like Bobcat have been striving for years at it and there is no spotlight on the endless amount of good mods he has made, or TT or many others, it's quite discouraging.And sirkut, if you look in my Unity folder on the share drive, you will find a couple of rover bodies I havent even shown you yet.My favorite part of the weekly for MrTinyPirate's videos was "custom mechanical parts."awesome! I'll take a look at the rover bodies. I just made a 90 degree tall hinge so I'll get those to you. Also added a bottom node attachment for the rotatrons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoMrBond Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 My favorite part of the weekly for MrTinyPirate's videos was "custom mechanical parts."awesome! I'll take a look at the rover bodies. I just made a 90 degree tall hinge so I'll get those to you. Also added a bottom node attachment for the rotatrons.I wish they would implement a smaller node size than the current 0 (0.625/probe green ball) as even those basically envelop a small part :\ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Majiir Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 I don't expect anything in the news weekly, the last thing they featured was a procedural part that had been out for no more than 7 days, when people like Bobcat have been striving for years at it and there is no spotlight on the endless amount of good mods he has made, or TT or many others, it's quite discouraging.And sirkut, if you look in my Unity folder on the share drive, you will find a couple of rover bodies I havent even shown you yet.If you want something featured, just tell xPDxTV. (Alternatively, drop me a note and I can poke him.) I think the Weekly is currently trying to highlight emerging mods (something I've advocated) but I'm sure he'd be happy to highlight an established mod if it makes a substantial update. (Kethane was featured twice, for example.)On a different note, I've recently been playing with IR to build mecanum wheels, and I'm surprised how buggy things are even though the codebase has had quite the time to mature. I'm getting a lot of what looks like quaternion errors to me (they're not being normalized, so the rotation matrix also performs some translation or scaling of coordinates). These quaternion errors could even be in Unity code, but renormalizing them should still be doable from the plugin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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