[WIP] Nert's Dev Thread - Current: various updates

[Nightside]

Wow those look incredible!

[Nertea]

3 hours ago, Nightside said:

Wow those look incredible!

I had a lot of fun with these. Quite different than anything I've modeled before. 

 

This guy is done too. Took forever, for such a limited-use engine. I had flipped the LH2/AM ratios in the config before, which is why the performance was so great. Now that the AM use is correct, it's a lot harder to use it (needs so many tanks...). Certainly now requires an "advanced" tank that can store more than 50u. 

More or less finalized the UI for the AM factory "building". Also most of the vessel AM loading logic is done too, but I can't seem to get the revert to VAB logic to return the used resources yet... may need to get help there. 

I'm going on vacation in a few days so no more work for 2-3 weeks. Had hoped to get something playable for testing by then, but it doesn't look like it'll be done by then. Still have to finish the plasma core engine's textures, make another AM tank and fix all the plugin issues. 

 

 

[Sudragon]

Will the AM factory take out the whole KSC if you park a rover through it?

[Angelo Kerman]

1 hour ago, Nertea said:

I had a lot of fun with these. Quite different than anything I've modeled before. 

 

This guy is done too. Took forever, for such a limited-use engine. I had flipped the LH2/AM ratios in the config before, which is why the performance was so great. Now that the AM use is correct, it's a lot harder to use it (needs so many tanks...). Certainly now requires an "advanced" tank that can store more than 50u. 

More or less finalized the UI for the AM factory "building". Also most of the vessel AM loading logic is done too, but I can't seem to get the revert to VAB logic to return the used resources yet... may need to get help there. 

I'm going on vacation in a few days so no more work for 2-3 weeks. Had hoped to get something playable for testing by then, but it doesn't look like it'll be done by then. Still have to finish the plasma core engine's textures, make another AM tank and fix all the plugin issues. 

 

 

Fantastic artwork! You can create your own custom buildings at the KSC? I'm curious about that..

[blowfish]

@Nertea you might want to talk to @JPLRepo about adding custom space center buildings.  I would hate to see such a complicated task undertaken twice

[Nertea]

@blowfish, @Angel-125, it's just a toolbar button that pretends it's a building. I don't really want to take on the task of modeling a whole new building until much, much later in this process :P. 

[JPLRepo]

I'm working on something that will allow fully integrated custom KSC facilities. Upgradeable/Destructible. Currently for one of my own mods. But I plan on probably^(TM) making it something more, or at least sharing the knowledge. Have to wait for KSP 1.2 to come out first.

[Streetwind]

Loving the models, very unqiue-looking! Have a great vacation

[Nertea]

Bit more work - I got the revert to launch/editor working just fine, and completed the launch UI. 

The only two remaining plugin-related problems are therefore:

1. Returning the antimatter from a recovered vessel to the pool
2. Hijacking the launch button in the space centre to do this too. 

Everything else seems to be more or less as I want it

[shynung]

@Nertea Nice work on the AM factory plugin. Have a good vacation.

[Nightside]

It seems like it should be an underground facility anyway, secret and safe.

[Domfluff]

You say that like you don't think Kerbals would have antimatter snowball fights around the fuel tanks.

[Overlocker96]

I think with this new "Far Future Tech" mod and NFP mod, you have covered near all types of advanced and exotic propulsion, the only ones that are left are the Quantum Vacuum Thruster, EM Drives or my favourite the Bussard Ramjet which can be used in conjuntion with the beam core antimatter rocket to reach near 0.2c first and then big fractions of the speed of light.

Edited August 2, 2016 by Overlocker96

[shynung]

I recently looked at Angel-125's DSEV mod, which has a fusion engine. The fusion engine, interestingly, doesn't start right away when I activated it though the staging system. Instead, it prints out "Charging Capacitors", and the engine sucks in EC at a constant rate while a percentage rating is displayed in the context menu, which reaches 100% when total EC fed reaches 48000. Only then does the engine actually start, ready to thrust. When the engine is on, it doesn't take in any more EC, but instead uses little amounts of fusion fuel to keep the reaction going, sucking in more as thrust levels are raised, and LqdHydrogen propellant is pumped through.

http://imgur.com/gallery/oA80k

Might be something interesting to learn from.

Edited August 2, 2016 by shynung

[Nertea]

2 hours ago, shynung said:

I recently looked at Angel-125's DSEV mod, which has a fusion engine. The fusion engine, interestingly, doesn't start right away when I activated it though the staging system. Instead, it prints out "Charging Capacitors", and the engine sucks in EC at a constant rate while a percentage rating is displayed in the context menu, which reaches 100% when total EC fed reaches 48000. Only then does the engine actually start, ready to thrust. When the engine is on, it doesn't take in any more EC, but instead uses little amounts of fusion fuel to keep the reaction going, sucking in more as thrust levels are raised, and LqdHydrogen propellant is pumped through.

http://imgur.com/gallery/oA80k

Might be something interesting to learn from.

There's some room for something like that in an advanced implementation of certain engines - the ACMF engine and the two z-pinch engines recover some driver power using thermal conversion from absorbed neutrons in the radiation shield. Does it add a huge amount to gameplay at this point? Not hugely, considering that there would still be driver power needed for both engines (recovery doesn't seem like it's 100%). 

I'd rather see how the "simple" implementation works first :). 

 

8 hours ago, Overlocker96 said:

I think with this new "Far Future Tech" mod and NFP mod, you have covered near all types of advanced and exotic propulsion, the only ones that are left are the Quantum Vacuum Thruster, EM Drives or my favourite the Bussard Ramjet which can be used in conjuntion with the beam core antimatter rocket to reach near 0.2c first and then big fractions of the speed of light.

Well, the bussard ramjet will be kinda covered when i make a magnetic scoop, but reactionless drives are totally out :). 

[shynung]

5 hours ago, Nertea said:

There's some room for something like that in an advanced implementation of certain engines - the ACMF engine and the two z-pinch engines recover some driver power using thermal conversion from absorbed neutrons in the radiation shield. Does it add a huge amount to gameplay at this point? Not hugely, considering that there would still be driver power needed for both engines (recovery doesn't seem like it's 100%). 

I'd rather see how the "simple" implementation works first :).

Just throwing the idea. I think I'd prefer a simpler implementation, too.

[Nertea]

I've cleaned up and polished a bunch of things to create an initial testing release so I can get some feedback when I'm away, you can get it on my git page. 

Some release notes:

• All costs, masses, and other specs are quite WIP, particularly costs. I'm interested in feedback on these for sure
• Recovering a vessel does not correctly refund AM
• Launching a vessel from the launch pad vs the VAB/SPH does not correctly debit AM
• You can edit the AM factory specification for testing by editing FFTSettings.cfg in the GameData folder if you wish
• Some art is unfinished; check the issues list before letting me know (you'll most notice the advanced AM storage container and the plasma core AM engine)
• CTT is highly recommended if playing career
• Heat Control/NF Electrical might be useful considering the power needs/heat generation of some parts

Additionally, note that the obscene fuel cost of anything using fusion fuels is something I'd really like input on. As this is a CRP resource managed by KSPI, this has to be negotiated, but just for reference, CRP defines He3 cost as 525/unit and Tritium cost as 188/unit. This is possibly too much. 

For reference, Deuterium is defined as 0.256/unit and standard LH2 is 0.03675/unit. 

Git also contains the source for the plugin component of course.

 

Edited August 3, 2016 by Nertea

[Jimbodiah]

Looks freaking amazing!!!! Love it!!!  NF Propulsion on steroids.

[Raptor9]

On 7/24/2016 at 7:28 PM, Nertea said:

...that ship is getting a TWR of 8 with 850,000 m/s of DV in that shot...

TWR of 8?!....and 850,000 m/s dV??!!  [Shaking head rapidly] WHAT!?

17 minutes ago, Jimbodiah said:

NF Propulsion on steroids.

No kidding!  Best analogy would be...Existing NF Propulsion:    NF Dev thread: 

Edited August 3, 2016 by Raptor9

[Nertea]

3 hours ago, Raptor9 said:

TWR of 8?!....and 850,000 m/s dV??!!  [Shaking head rapidly] WHAT!?

No kidding!  Best analogy would be...Existing NF Propulsion:    NF Dev thread: 

Hah, it's a little less crazy now that I fixed the fuel ratios... Maybe 1/4 the DV and 1/2 the TWR. Plus now it needs power for AM storage and such, so Th effective potency is quite a bit below the version in that screenshot.

[shynung]

A few points:

- The Z-pinch engines hasn't had names yet.

- The NSWR engine was named 'Heinlen'. Posting it here because you may have meant 'Heinlein'.

- The NSWR engine consumes electricity. NSWRs in principle are nearly identical to hypergolic rockets, which simply release propellants into a reaction chamber. I don't see why the NSWR would need electricity, unless using a magnetic nozzle.

Also, regarding this:

On 26/7/2016 at 0:56 AM, Nertea said:

I have several phases on my plan document. 

1. AM and AM-catalysed engines with support tanks (this is pretty close to done)
2. Pulsed fusion/fission engines (MTF, MIF, Z-pinch fission/fusion)
3. ISRU components
4. Other fusion drives (ICF, magnetically confined, magnetic mirror cells)

A dev release should happen after phase 1. A real release probably happens after phase 3. 

I'd suggest to put in the ISRU components last. That way, you'd have a pretty good picture on what the ISRU processes need to produce, since the engines needing the refueling are done.

Edited August 4, 2016 by shynung

[Jimbodiah]

Having fun with this mod together with Mage's new station parts. Both mods WIP but already awesome.

[Deimos Rast]

On 8/1/2016 at 1:23 PM, Nertea said:

The only two remaining plugin-related problems are therefore:

1. Returning the antimatter from a recovered vessel to the pool
2. Hijacking the launch button in the space centre to do this too. 

Everything else seems to be more or less as I want it

amazing work as always.

I'm a little worried about #2 and compat with Kerbal Construction Time, since it hijacks the launch button already.

[shynung]

@Nertea I suggest grouping the non-AM engines into later updates of Kerbal Atomics, since they're a bit closer to reality than AM power, and are indeed powered by the might of the Atom. They'd be somewhere between FFT and KA/NFT, in terms of game balance, overall performance, and power consumption.

EDIT: On second thought, forget the suggestion.

Also, how's your vacation?

Edited August 11, 2016 by shynung

[SmarterThanMe]

On 02/08/2016 at 4:23 AM, Nertea said:

Returning the antimatter from a recovered vessel to the pool

Holy moly. Just as an aside. After having it knock all about in re-entry, can I not volunteer to be the one that has to deal with the existence annihilating material, please?