[0.25]KSP Interstellar (Magnetic Nozzles, ISRU Revamp) Version 0.13

[merendel]

I can't seem to convert EC into MJ. I have 16k EC in batteries and about 500 EC/s of power generation, but I never get any MJ.

You cant convert EC to MJ on the same craft. The only way to make MJ out of EC is from solar pannles and beamed power. The transmitter will take the output of solar and transmit it as the equivalent of MJ. output from RTG's will not be converted this way nor can you drain the batteries to convert. One of the few exceptions is fusion reactors can use EC instead of MJ to kickstart their reaction.

If you've got a solar array or something and you want to power something that requires MJ on it you'll need to beam power off the ship to a relay and have a reciever to recieve the power back in MJ. otherwise you'll need to either attach a reactor/generator or recieve beamed power from some other sorce.

[NeoAcario]

I was working out the very same thing before .23.5 seems to have caused Infernal Robotics to stop working. 240 XL panels @ 75,000 km kerbol orbit are making 470 MW. Part count there is 560 or so by that stage I think. You can see int the vid I need to add some more heatsinks.

Edit: I forgot to add it only has two batteries. both are the largest type in stock i believe (4000 charge).

That's it? 470mw for a 560 part solar station? Screw that. I'll just stick with my 100 something part fusion station barely in the water off 3km SE of the launchpad that makes about 450GW. All I have to do for that thing is deliver Lithium every year.

~Steve

[WaveFunctionP]

Antimatter Reactor help. KSP 0.23

I've been trying for hours/days to get a 1.5m antimatter reactor to work. I have an electric generator connected to the reactor and antimatter fuel transferred to a container on-board the vessel. The antimatter reactor stays at Status: Active (0.00%) while producing no power regardless of what I do. The reactor will not consume antimatter. The electric generator is set to direct conversion but generates no electricity.

http://i.imgur.com/fEdFhqu.png

http://i.imgur.com/ZLIVgVY.png

I also have a small 0.65m KIWI fission reactor powering a 0.65m electric generator. This is providing 2.56 MW to the craft. I'm new to KSP Interstellar and am trying to power a plasma engine with the antimatter reactor. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Direct conversion generators only operate on charged particles. Antimatter reactors only output thermal power. You need a generator in KTEC mode.

[NeoAcario]

I asked a couple pages back for people's favorite KSPI ships... only WaveFunctionP has shared so far!

Show us your favorite ships or the backbones of your fleets!

Here's another of mine. My standard fuel station that I have in orbit around a number of bodies. Fill the cryostat with Tritium on the launchpad and it can run for ~200 years with it's .625m Fusion reactor. Even has a plasma thrust on there for station keeping. Naturally I have to use my warp tug to take the orange tanks down to miners on the surface to refill them.

~Steve

[smithton]

That's it? 470mw for a 560 part solar station? Screw that. I'll just stick with my 100 something part fusion station barely in the water off 3km SE of the launchpad that makes about 450GW. All I have to do for that thing is deliver Lithium every year.

~Steve

Yeah, it isn't very efficient by comparison, The design scales up but the part count was killing my machine when I added more sections so I dialed it back. I suppose the only advantage is that it doesn't require maintenance visits.

[BigD145]

That's it? 470mw for a 560 part solar station? Screw that. I'll just stick with my 100 something part fusion station barely in the water off 3km SE of the launchpad that makes about 450GW. All I have to do for that thing is deliver Lithium every year.

~Steve

You lose some of that as you get further from Kerbin. Using two of the Balka's from KOSMOS will get you 400+MW. You can build a 40ish part satellite and even that's probably too many parts.

Has anyone else's claw not shown up in VAB career? I suspect treeloader. I think the claw has its own node "actuators". Treeloader is just a dll. Now what?

Edited April 2, 2014 by BigD145

[VaporTrail]

So.. I have a question... does anyone have the 'perfect' solar farm? ie.. a station/probe in Low Kerbol Orbit used to gather light and turn it into transmitted power?

Specifically I'm looking for exactly how much battery I'm going to need with respect to what orbit altitude and how much power I'm collecting... to yield how many watts of transmitted power, and finally of course how much in the way of radiators that requires.

Anyone have this all worked out yet? And if so... why have you not put it on the wiki?

~Steve

Was still working that out myself. Right now I have a design that generates approx. 1.6GW @ 20-25Mm. Trick is, that it's something like a 200 part payload (42 gigantor panels...) and has (IIRC) 7 4k batteries. Pretty much requires some welds in the booster or a fairly simple booster. I get around it by using a thermal turbojet as a primary booster, a monoprop fueled plasma thruster as an injection stage, and the quantum vacuum as final booster/transfer stage.

Takes a couple of hours to drop it into the proper orbit, but once the first one is in orbit the second isn't as hard.

This is the version before the current:

[WaveFunctionP]

So much easier just to send up more fusion reactors in orbit, which is why I haven't really bothered with solar (difficult to deploy) or even antimatter (completely unnecessary in the stock kerbol system).

I think part of the problem may be that the scaling is too high on reactors. The 4 fold gains at each type and upgrade make fission of limited use (the added lifetime doesn't really play much of a factor in the typical time scale of a playthrough), fusion is plain overpowered which makes antimatter just plain ridiculous (if you even decide to bother with it).

And the Power to weight ratios of reactors makes building smaller more inefficient, which kinda goes against the way tech works in ksp. Bigger is not necessarily better in stock. It is in interstellar. I've considered tweaking the reactors in my experimental version to see how it plays, but I have too many features and usability concerns I want to implement before I focus on balance.

I know some may say that the current implementation is realistic, which may be true, but that doesn't make it necessarily fun.

[NeoAcario]

Was still working that out myself. Right now I have a design that generates approx. 1.6GW @ 20-25Mm. Trick is, that it's something like a 200 part payload (42 gigantor panels...) and has (IIRC) 7 4k batteries. Pretty much requires some welds in the booster or a fairly simple booster. I get around it by using a thermal turbojet as a primary booster, a monoprop fueled plasma thruster as an injection stage, and the quantum vacuum as final booster/transfer stage.

Takes a couple of hours to drop it into the proper orbit, but once the first one is in orbit the second isn't as hard.

This is the version before the current:

Now that's much better.

See... I'm spoiled on power. I'm trying to find out the viability of around 35-50 GW from Solar. Basically enough to run all of my current/planned lesser Rovers/bases. I don't really ever plan to use transmitted power for propulsion. I have basically limitless Antimatter thanks to my Jool station (I pick up 1mil every 2months from it).

I'm basically just trying to find out all of the specifics with regards to battery required per W transmitted. How much radiator you'd need at as low an orbit as you'd like to go. Since I've got unlimited AM, hell, I still have over 100k left over in my first AM pick up... I plan to just toss on a 1.25m AM reactor+thermal and as much dV as I need.

I'm really interested in... say... perhaps 6 or 12 in with 2 transceivers... one set to transmit and one to relay. That way you could get full power from any direaction around Kerbol.

Is that 74k batteries or 7.4k? You've got a space in there. Or you mean SEVEN of the 4k battiers? So 28k total? That amount of batteries sustains 100% transmission of 1.6 GW perfectly? how much batter left over when transmitting and not time warping?

Basically I'm looking for every detail you can think of.

Sorry for being such a pain

~Steve

EDIT:

So much easier just to send up more fusion reactors in orbit, which is why I haven't really bothered with solar (difficult to deploy) or even antimatter (completely unnecessary in the stock kerbol system).

I think part of the problem may be that the scaling is too high on reactors. The 4 fold gains at each type and upgrade make fission of limited use (the added lifetime doesn't really play much of a factor in the typical time scale of a playthrough), fusion is plain overpowered which makes antimatter just plain ridiculous (if you even decide to bother with it).

And the Power to weight ratios of reactors makes building smaller more inefficient, which kinda goes against the way tech works in ksp. Bigger is not necessarily better in stock. It is in interstellar. I've considered tweaking the reactors in my experimental version to see how it plays, but I have too many features and usability concerns I want to implement before I focus on balance.

I know some may say that the current implementation is realistic, which may be true, but that doesn't make it necessarily fun.

Shame on you! How dare you knock my Anitmatter! Pffftttt. Play with my warp tug and tell me it isn't fun! And it's only 1.25m !

But wait... if you don't use AM... does that mean you don't use Warp either?

As for my preferred current power station, I just roll a power station into the water 3km from the launchpad. 1x sci lab, 1x direct gen, 1x thermal gen, 1x 3.75m fusion reactor... combine a few of these stacks together as desired. Toss on a bunch of spare lithium containers... and you're good to go. the 3.75m reactor BARELY breeds more tritium than it uses. And since it's right off the cost, you can deliver more Lithium by truck with KAS.

Edited April 2, 2014 by NeoAcario

[WaveFunctionP]

Shame on you! How dare you knock my Anitmatter! Pffftttt. Play with my warp tug and tell me it isn't fun! And it's only 1.25m !

But wait... if you don't use AM... does that mean you don't use Warp either?

As for my preferred current power station, I just roll a power station into the water 3km from the launchpad. 1x sci lab, 1x direct gen, 1x thermal gen, 1x 3.75m fusion reactor... combine a few of these stacks together as desired. Toss on a bunch of spare lithium containers... and you're good to go. the 3.75m reactor BARELY breeds more tritium than it uses. And since it's right off the cost, you can deliver more Lithium by truck with KAS.

Funnily enough, antimatter reactors have an inverted twr profile than the other reactors. Smaller is better in their case.

Warp Drive doesn't require antimatter to run. It does make getting antimatter trivial though.

Edited April 2, 2014 by WaveFunctionP

[BigD145]

I had to change the grapple claw to an existing tech tree node to use it and still run Interstellar.

Here's my solar 400MW+. 53 parts that could easily get cut down considering it's manned.

[NeoAcario]

Well crap... looks like I jynxed myself and Steam decided to update my KSP. HURRAY! Thankfully it looks like only KAS was broken. But it looks like I'm going to be stuck with just playing in the sandbox and designing craft while I wait for mods to get updated. BOOO!

~Steve

[smithton]

You lose some of that as you get further from Kerbin. Using two of the Balka's from KOSMOS will get you 400+MW. You can build a 40ish part satellite and even that's probably too many parts.

Has anyone else's claw not shown up in VAB career? I suspect treeloader. I think the claw has its own node "actuators". Treeloader is just a dll. Now what?

Yeah, I looked at the KOSMOS stuff, but the aspect I enjoy most playing the game is dealing with the little fiddly stuff and with 200+ mw panels, I'd have had no excuse to make

! I had to create a new game today as treeloader wasn't initializing in my existing career game; New career treeloader worked normally for me.

[Raven.]

There's an update out for KAS. The only thing on my that I've noticed so far is that the Actuator node in the tech tree (the research node that provides the claw) is not visible with Interstellar installed.

[NeoAcario]

There's an update out for KAS. The only thing on my that I've noticed so far is that the Actuator node in the tech tree (the research node that provides the claw) is not visible with Interstellar installed.

Yeah, I just downloaded the KAS update now, about to apply.

I was just testing the new rigidity adjustments that Squad made and HOLY ****! 3.75m AM reactor + thermal.. doing 40+ G turns in low atmo and there wasn't a single shake! I think squad really fixed the stack nodes! HURRAY!!!!!!!!!1111oneone

Now I can stop using struts from thrusters to fuel tanks!

~Steve

EDIT:

Darnit.. just realized I now need to re-add MJ and Chatterer to all the command modules.

[BigD145]

I opened my dozen fission caterpillar and it rolled off the flightline edge without breaking. The thing did "the wave" in front of me just now on physics load and stayed intact. It lifted it's own height off the ground. Goddamn.

[sidfu]

Yeah, I just downloaded the KAS update now, about to apply.

I was just testing the new rigidity adjustments that Squad made and HOLY ****! 3.75m AM reactor + thermal.. doing 40+ G turns in low atmo and there wasn't a single shake! I think squad really fixed the stack nodes! HURRAY!!!!!!!!!1111oneone

Now I can stop using struts from thrusters to fuel tanks!

~Steve

EDIT:

Darnit.. just realized I now need to re-add MJ and Chatterer to all the command modules.

just use a command to add them to all at once instead of mutiple entries

@PART[*]:HAS[@MODULE[ModuleCommand],!MODULE[MechJebCore]]

{

MODULE

{

name = MechJebCore

}

}

[Ruedii]

I opened my dozen fission caterpillar and it rolled off the flightline edge without breaking. The thing did "the wave" in front of me just now on physics load and stayed intact. It lifted it's own height off the ground. Goddamn.

Yep, All the mod makers will have to be adjusting their settings to balance for the new stress physics. Otherwise, many things won't break, and others won't break when and where they are suppose to. (For instance, you could wind up ripping your rocket in half instead of tearing off a solar panel.)

[DivisionByZero]

I had to change the grapple claw to an existing tech tree node to use it and still run Interstellar.

Here's my solar 400MW+. 53 parts that could easily get cut down considering it's manned.

http://i57.tinypic.com/r1hoc5.jpg

Could you tell us where to find the file and what you changed?

[sidfu]

Could you tell us where to find the file and what you changed?

shuld be rightther eon the claws cfg just manualy change it to a knwn node

[WaveFunctionP]

I've uploaded my latest experimental version (in my sig), including the reception throttling and auto vacuum plasma mode switching, along with the latests dev tweaks implemented by fractal.

It's probably best to delete your warpplugin folder to remove duplicate parts.

Version 0.23.5.0.10.exp040214
- Fixed data collection on magnetometer.
- Replaced non-functional model for .625m arcjet thruster to rescaled 1.25m model. (temp bug fix)
- Added more details to generator, reactor and radiator modules.
- Added water and lithium resource maps to kerbin. (current values have not been balanced)
- Added (currently unused) water and lithium resource point assets
- Added atmospheric intake functionality to atmospheric scoops.
- Added Generators will now initialize with full EC.
- Charging is now disabled by default on the alcubierre drives.
- Added 1000 EC to computer core, and increased torque to 5/5/5.
- Added a more detailed tooltip description for the computer core.
- Added details about power transmission to array and reciever to tooltip descriptions.
- Added details about generator attachment and modes to tooltip descriptions.
- Added detail to the GC/MS tooltip to indicate that it is also a science experiment.
- Added details to the GRS description to indicate that it is useful for detecting concentrations of uranium and thorium.
- Added a more detailed description of the science labs capabilities.
- Added a clarification of the crygenic helium tank, and its use with the IR telescope.
- Added details about the magnetometer is also a science experiment	to the tooltip desciption.
- Added details to the helium-3 container to clarify that it does not store helium, and is used as a reator fuel.
- Added tooltip to antimatter containers to indicate maximum capacity.
- Remove old hex can part files that were causing loading errors.
- Removed old methane tank part file that was causing loading errors.
- The large xenon tank now actually contains xenon.
- The UN tank now uses the correct model.
- Charging is now disabled by default for antimatter containers.
- Support for Toolbar (FractalUK) (doesn't appear to working yet)
- Support for persisting Kerbal total radiation exposure (FractUK)
- Module UI improvements (FractalUK)
- Added radiation hardening to crew modules. (FractalUK)
- Added percentage sliders for microwave transmission and reception parts. (FractalUK)
- Microwave recievers will now attempt to throttle reception to equal demand. (experimental)
- Plasma engines now have the capability to automaticely toggle between quantum vacuum plasma and normal fuel. (experimental)

Let me know of any issues you run across. Extra eyes should spot more bugs. Spelling errors, wierd/missing tooltip information, or strange behavior. Nothing is too small to report.

Edited April 2, 2014 by WaveFunctionP

[NeoAcario]

I've uploaded my latest experimental version, including the reception throttling and auto vacuum plasma mode switching, along with the latests dev tweaks implemented by fractal.

It's probably best to delete your warpplugin folder to remove duplicate parts.

So what's the deal, WFP... are you officially working with Fractal or what?

I never did quite catch that detail.

~Steve

PS

I'm also excited that, since KSP now has more rigid joints, stronger struts (I think?), and proper 3.75m parts... I can finally remove KW Rocketry from my Mod list!

EDIT:

And which tool/where do you even harvest Lithium on Kerbin?

Also, I don't see the easy fix that Fractal did to make the Direct Conversion Gens work properly... or was in that in a previous temp thing you did?

Edited April 2, 2014 by NeoAcario

[WaveFunctionP]

So what's the deal, WFP... are you officially working with Fractal or what?

I never did quite catch that detail.

~Steve

PS

I'm also excited that, since KSP now has more rigid joints, stronger struts (I think?), and proper 3.75m parts... I can finally remove KW Rocketry from my Mod list!

EDIT:

And which tool/where do you even harvest Lithium on Kerbin?

Nothing official, just trying to do whatever I can to improve the mod. I haven't been able to make any contact with fractal. My guess is he is just very busy with more important things right now.

Water and lithium land maps are pretty much greyscaled maps of kerbin at the moment. It's all over the place, which I'm sure someone will correct me that it is unrealistic, but I figure on kerbin, like earth water is abundant in most areas, and lithium is all over the place. This is a bit of my gameplay first philosophy creeping in, but it's fairly simple to remove them or just not extract those resources for land if you are concerned about realism.

I also was excited about the removing KW. It's a nice pack, but it was also large and look quite a bit different than stock than I personally liked. I'd love to develop a stock like/lite version of interstellar that simplifies some of the mechanics and uses parts that look more like kerbals made them. But that's a long term goal. Right now I'm justing learning as much as I can, and contributing in whatever manner I'm capable of.

Edited April 2, 2014 by WaveFunctionP

[NeoAcario]

Wrong thread, I know... BUT!

So what's the deal with tracking asteroid removal? I just starting tracking and not paying attention.. and it doesn't look like you can get rid of them. Before I knew it I was tracking 30 of the damn things. They just keep creating more unknowns as you identify them. If I stop tracking them will they just go away? It doesn't look like it....

Please don't tell me I have to go edit my save to remove these damn things.

~Steve

[VaporTrail]

Now that's much better.

See... I'm spoiled on power. I'm trying to find out the viability of around 35-50 GW from Solar. Basically enough to run all of my current/planned lesser Rovers/bases. I don't really ever plan to use transmitted power for propulsion. I have basically limitless Antimatter thanks to my Jool station (I pick up 1mil every 2months from it).

I'm basically just trying to find out all of the specifics with regards to battery required per W transmitted. How much radiator you'd need at as low an orbit as you'd like to go. Since I've got unlimited AM, hell, I still have over 100k left over in my first AM pick up... I plan to just toss on a 1.25m AM reactor+thermal and as much dV as I need.

I'm really interested in... say... perhaps 6 or 12 in with 2 transceivers... one set to transmit and one to relay. That way you could get full power from any direaction around Kerbol.

Is that 74k batteries or 7.4k? You've got a space in there. Or you mean SEVEN of the 4k battiers? So 28k total? That amount of batteries sustains 100% transmission of 1.6 GW perfectly? how much batter left over when transmitting and not time warping?

Basically I'm looking for every detail you can think of.

Actually it's NINE 4K size batteries...

Here it is in the VAB. 333 parts.

Deployed: 290ish parts.

1.7 GW minimum (is more facing the other way by ~100MW) steady state transmitter output @ warp x1. 42 gigantor panels, 20 1x6 panels. Sixteen lights (surface mount radials). A bunch of cubic octagonal struts, six small decouplers for panel arm launch stability, quite a few hinges and telescoping pistions.

Have a smaller version that I set up as a relay @ 100Mm. Six of those in a hex-spaced orbit. Once the relay ring is there, dropping a new generator sat into the constellation is cake.

Edited April 2, 2014 by VaporTrail