KSC Needs Pad Lighting!

[LameLefty]

It finally struck me, after months of playing, that KSC needs some flood lights and perimeter lights around the launch pad. Every superb NASA launch pad photo you can think of has an analogous one taken at night with those spectacular flood lights. Launching a mission in KSC at night ought to have the same thing. For that matter, I'm sure spaceplane pilots would appreciate some runway lighting as well. I did a quick search for mods that might exist to add them but couldn't find to any. Anyone else feel that KSC lights would add to the game?

[Nexustrimean]

Its fairly simple to build your own mobile pad lights if you feel the launch pad is too dim. This also has the advantage of getting light just where you want it, and in the intensity you want.

[astropapi1]

B9 has flood lights. Just stick them to a launch stability enhancer and you're ready to go.

[DChurchill]

Making 4 or 6 rovers with an RTG and some floods would be easy.

In fact, this is a great idea. Off to install some floodlights.

[astropapi1]

Making 4 or 6 rovers with an RTG and some floods would be easy.

In fact, this is a great idea. Off to install some floodlights.

The problem is that external flodlights increase the number of parts being loaded.

[Zeroignite]

I stuck a flag at the end of the runway. Not exactly the same as full lighting, but it works.

[Flixxbeatz]

Why not make one yourself?

[DChurchill]

The problem is that external flodlights increase the number of parts being loaded.

Sure. 26 parts. Meh. Not that many. You could trim some off this, too. From 250 meters.

Is it possible to mod the craft file so the physics engine ignores them? Then it's just more polygons.

Lights off.

Edited August 4, 2013 by DChurchill

[Tw1]

I put a ring of kerbals around the pad to serve this purpose back in 0.20.

They didn't add a lot more light, but I definitely saved on part count.

[Vanamonde]

Here's a craft file you can download for mobile floodlights: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/25254-Self-deploying-floodlight After placing, eject the wheels to reduce the part count.

[Sean Mirrsen]

I usually just place lights on long struts or I-beams attached to the launch clamps. Works best that way, and minimal parts.

[Galileo Kerbonaut]

I am used to place lights on the clamps now. Works well. You can smoothly angle them by pressing SHIFT+Q, E, W, A, S, D, in the VAB.

[Motokid600]

[Tex_NL]

Sure. 26 parts. Meh. Not that many. You could trim some off this, too.

With a minor redesign you can loose all wheels (detach them after you put the lights in position). A single RTG will suffice even without the battery, stripping it down to just 20. And you could probably get even lower.

[LameLefty]

Thanks for all the suggestions. It never even occurred to me to put lights on the launch supports. And the self-deploying light vehicles are a cool approach too. I'll experiment and see which I like best.

On the other hand, I really do think some basic lighting features would add immensely to the game's technical accuracy and help visual appeal without making it too "un-Kerbal-ish." Navigation strobes and red/green lights should be standard parts in the game (I mean, it's danged hard to see your own ship on the back side the Mün!), and runway lighting, pad floods, even a red beacon on the top of the water tower should all be part of the base game. Just my tuppence of course.

Anyway, thanks all.

[Themohawkninja]

Thanks for all the suggestions. It never even occurred to me to put lights on the launch supports. And the self-deploying light vehicles are a cool approach too. I'll experiment and see which I like best.

On the other hand, I really do think some basic lighting features would add immensely to the game's technical accuracy and help visual appeal without making it too "un-Kerbal-ish." Navigation strobes and red/green lights should be standard parts in the game (I mean, it's danged hard to see your own ship on the back side the Mün!), and runway lighting, pad floods, even a red beacon on the top of the water tower should all be part of the base game. Just my tuppence of course.

Anyway, thanks all.

Things like runway lights will be added, but en mass area lighting can't be added, as C7 stated in his blog about the new KSC. It's just way to much for Unity to handle.

[Zephram Kerman]

Things like runway lights will be added, but en mass area lighting can't be added, as C7 stated in his blog about the new KSC. It's just way to much for Unity to handle.

I think it's because adding light sources slows down the renderer. They don't want to inflict any lag on us where it can be avoided. However, little point lights that don't actually brighten anything (such as red and green nav beacons) wouldn't cause this problem. Edited August 4, 2013 by Zephram Kerman

[Themohawkninja]

I think it's because adding light sources slows down the renderer. They don't want to inflict any lag on us where it can be avoided. However, little point lights that don't actually brighten anything (such as red and green nav beacons) wouldn't cause this problem.

As I understand it that is correct. Point lighting is perfectly okay.

[Fleb]

I am going to make my own flood tower. Can't believe I never thought of doing it already.

[GeorgeT93]

For beacons and nav lights, there's the aviation lights mod that adds them so you can attach them to any ship. They're also easy to mod, so you can add your own colors. I know I use them on all my ships now.

[LameLefty]

For beacons and nav lights, there's the aviation lights mod that adds them so you can attach them to any ship.

Yeah, I saw that mod last night when I went looking for some pad lighting. I plan on installing it later today and retrofitting my favorite ship models.

[rdfox]

I actually make good use of the aviation lights on my assembled-in-space craft; I set up the strobes and red beacons to be able to help pick the vehicle out at long range against the stars (stars don't flash, after all!) and also determine orientation at distance (one end is red, the other is white), while I also use the navigation lights in a cruciform arrangement around the axial docking ports, to help me determine alignment before docking. White is "up," blue is "down," red is port, green is starboard...

[Ph34rb0t]

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/40374-WIP-KerbTown-v0-11-2-Beta-Place-static-buildings-cities-launch-sites-more!?

With some floodlight objects...