[WIP] Space Launch System (SLS) and ORION (MPCV)

[Kerbolman]

Need any testers? I've always loved the looks of the SLS and would love to get my hands on it!

[Stevincent]

Need any testers? I've always loved the looks of the SLS and would love to get my hands on it!

Maybe, when I get to that stage, still a lot of modeling to do before I want to get to testing.

[Stevincent]

Ok, so I just started working on the J-2X and have been looking at the separate stages and started getting really confused, and I figure this is the best place to ask.

Ok so there is a delta cryogenic stage, and on the Nasa site it seems they used the 5M version of it when it looks like it should really be the 4m version which will be used in the first two missions. So if thats the case fine, I can see how the 4M version will work with the 70T Block I Crew version. But for the 105 and 130T versions they are supposed to be using a Large cryogenic stage. I cant find too much information on this, wikipedia has it at 5M and thats what I have been able to find online. I just am not sure how it fits into what they have shown in the diagram is the entire stage housed inside a covering and those are jettisoned? I havent been able to find anything on this. So if anyone could point me in the right direction it would be very much appreciated. Also the upper stage of the 130T version has 3 J-2X engines now? Is that correct? Well thanks guys for the help.

[Stevincent]

ok so I superimposed some of my reference images onto the it and I guess it makes sense what do you think? This is for the 5M cryo stage.

[Stevincent]

Here is the highpoly version of the J-2X engine

Had a difficult time with this couldnt find a lot of reliable references for the backside of the engine.

[Stevincent]

Ok here is some progress on some more of the stages. I've also been chipping away at the poly counts on the models so they will looks as much as the original high poly as I can. Getting some of these under the 2K tris count is difficult. Anyways here are some of the high polys I've been working on.

[scottholio]

They look absolutely amazing, you are obviously very talented

[Razorcane]

The later variants of the SLS are planned to have 5 for the 150 TON capacity.

Actually it was the earlier versions that were going to have five. Of course, there are still five, but one is in the 2nd stage(or third if you can't the SRBs).

[Stevincent]

Both are planned as of right now 4 is what they are looking at but to makeup for it they are going to use 4RL-10 on the Cryostage instead of the one, but it will be 8.4 meters vice the 5 meters. Exciting stuff, Im going to model them all though, well thats my intentions.

[Stevincent]

Made a lame-o-video render of what I have so far.

[Shaun]

That's hardly lame XD It's brilliant!

What program do you use to model?

[BFGfreak]

That's better than me, that's for sure.

[Mekan1k]

That is one sexy animation, but I gotta say.... It looks really... wasteful. Like... As if the components used were more then needed, with all the extra fairings decoupling and all.

[Stevincent]

That's hardly lame XD It's brilliant!

What program do you use to model?

Thanks and I use maya for the modeling and the basic animation and mental ray for the render.

That's better than me, that's for sure.

You can do it =P

That is one sexy animation, but I gotta say.... It looks really... wasteful. Like... As if the components used were more then needed, with all the extra fairings decoupling and all.

Thanks! But I am a bit confused by the wasteful part, are you saying there is too much detail for KSP? If so, I am working on the low poly models I'm trying to stay true to the high poly models as much as I can.

[Shaun]

Thanks and I use maya for the modeling and the basic animation and mental ray for the render.

You can do it =P

Thanks! But I am a bit confused by the wasteful part, are you saying there is too much detail for KSP? If so, I am working on the low poly models I'm trying to stay true to the high poly models as much as I can.

If it works on KSP smoothly, I'd definitely get your mod, but I have a good computer, and I'd assume that you also have a good computer. However, it would be unfortunate if this mod was only suited for high-end computers.

[Shaun]

Oh and I forgot to mention, when you get the texture, bump and heat maps put on each part, that may slow it down.

[Stevincent]

If it works on KSP smoothly, I'd definitely get your mod, but I have a good computer, and I'd assume that you also have a good computer. However, it would be unfortunate if this mod was only suited for high-end computers.

Yeah Ill be trying my darndest to get this mod to work smoothly in KSP. Puts a lot of pressure on my texture abilities lol.

[Shaun]

BTW do you also texture yourself?

[CAPFlyer]

That is one sexy animation, but I gotta say.... It looks really... wasteful. Like... As if the components used were more then needed, with all the extra fairings decoupling and all.

I have to go back to this as well, what do you mean "wasteful"? I see the minimum number of components based off the NASA animations of the SLS launch. Stevincent - just ignore them. They know not what they speak of.

I will say however, be sure to use textures and normal mapping for the fine details in the final model. You will gain a *LOT* of performance by minimizing the physical model's poly's and making up for it with normal mapping.

[LaydeeDem]

I don't see how the interstage fairings are "wasteful". Other rocketry packs like KW and Novapunch have interstage fairings and no one's game breaks with those.

[BFGfreak]

You can do it =P

Well I know I can, it's just a matter of sticking to it and not getting distracted by time sinks, like my Moho mission.

[Stevincent]

BTW do you also texture yourself?

Yes I will be doing the textures myself, but I dont have a lot of experience with it. I have only learned how to texture last semester but I will be trying my hardest to make the textures as faithful to the real thing I can possibly make them. Im only now learning about the power of normal maps so this is going to be quite the learning experience. But to give you a bit of confidence in what I can do here is an example of a model I textured for class (the model is not mine but for learning purposes). There is only a bump spec and diffuse maps present.

I have to go back to this as well, what do you mean "wasteful"? I see the minimum number of components based off the NASA animations of the SLS launch. Stevincent - just ignore them. They know not what they speak of.

I will say however, be sure to use textures and normal mapping for the fine details in the final model. You will gain a *LOT* of performance by minimizing the physical model's poly's and making up for it with normal mapping.

Im still confused to by he means. And Im hoping a lot of the detail will carry over in the normal maps, I had decent success with the RS-25, I hope to repeat that.

I don't see how the interstage fairings are "wasteful". Other rocketry packs like KW and Novapunch have interstage fairings and no one's game breaks with those.

Is that what he meant by wasteful? Im just trying to stay honest to the SLS.

Anyways here are my low poly models:

RS-25

The high poly model (no smooth) is at about 9000 Polys which im cutting down, the pipes have way too many polys, but that wont really effect anyone here.

The low poly model I have cut down to 160 polys and I've baked down the normals and it turned out quite well. 160 polys x 4 plus the base which I still am working on should put it under 1000 polys.

Now the J-2X is a different story I'm having issues getting this one down to something reasonable that still looks good and would love to have some input and recommendations.

The High poly comes in at 7500 polys.

The Low poly on the other hand I have cut it down to 776 polys. If I delete the smaller pipes which I is 4 of them I can get it down to 448 polys. Once again recommendations are welcome.

and this is the low poly without the pipes front and back view. I also have deleted one of the cone edge loops but its not in the render but it cut down the polys down to 430.

Edited July 30, 2013 by Stevincent

[Kerbal01]

Keep the pipes, even though you'll never see them they'll add a nice touch.

[Stevincent]

Well I know I can, it's just a matter of sticking to it and not getting distracted by time sinks, like my Moho mission.

Damn distractions, but Moho is a worthy distraction.

[Stevincent]

Keep the pipes, even though you'll never see them they'll add a nice touch.

768 Polys is around 1500 tris, thats per J-2X, mulitply that by 3 which is what will be on that stage that comes out to 4500 tris plus the base which is just about 200 tris. So is a 5000 tris part reasonable for gameplay? Im not sure how many tris are present in the NovaPunch packs but they look pretty hefty, but people tolerate that mod. Or if I delete those 4 pipes the 3 engines come out to about 2500 tris. Which is much much more reasonable for smooth gameplay. Im more than willing to keep those pipes, I think it looks better with them.

So the question is what is a good ceiling for tris count on parts, for solid performance they say 2000 tris is a good amount for complicated pieces. Or is that 2000 polys because that will double to tris count. The wiki page I believe says 2000 tris.

Edited July 30, 2013 by Stevincent