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

[mrmcp1]

Thanks for the new update all of the new parts seem like great additions particularly the new engine, which will be great for SSTO's. Are the engine pods meant to have intake air values, if they are there is no option to close the intake. I don't think they should have intake air because it has mounting points for two/ three intakes.

[DavidBowman]

This is genuine base game material. Squad should really look into Nertea's mods

[klgraham1013]

I think this may be my next must have parts pack. Come on Unity! I need 64 bits!

[Voculus]

Yeah, baby! More excellent parts, and they play very well with FAR. Many thanks, Nert!

[jfull]

How exactly does the higher thrust RAPIER compare with the stock one?

As in, how is it balanced?

[Raptor9]

It has higher thrust in atmosphere, but also a greater intake air requirement, and better efficiency. Higher thrust in Closed-Cycle, but less efficient compared to the RAPIER. Also, the SCIMITAR is slightly heavier obviously.

SCIMITAR: Mass: 1.5, Drag: .2, Atmo Thrust: 290, Atmo ISP: 900, CC Thrust: 280, CC ISP: 305(ASL)-350(Vac)

RAPIER: Mass: 1.2, Drag: .2, Atmo Thrust: 190, Atmo ISP: 800, CC Thrust: 175, CC ISP: 320(ASL)-360(Vac)

Edited November 30, 2014 by Raptor9

[Nertea]

The pilot can't see the runway?

Clearly .

Nice, I'll DL the new update ASAP. I was just playing with the previous release earlier today, and for the most part it flew pretty well, except for one VERY nasty attribute: if I (or MechJeb) input anything more than a moderate amount of positive pitch (i.e. 'pulling back on the stick'), the plane would depart from controlled flight and swap ends very quickly. But, since you mention making some lift/drag changes to some or all of the parts, I think this will solve the problem. No, I don't use 'FAR' or 'NEAR', just the 'Stock Drag Fix' plugin. Anyway, like I said, I'm looking forward to playing with the newest version as soon as I can.

Keep up the great work, Nertea! Later all!

Yeah, that was because a lot of the values needed work. That behaviour still occurs if you turn too fast, but it's less common now.

Thanks for the new update all of the new parts seem like great additions particularly the new engine, which will be great for SSTO's. Are the engine pods meant to have intake air values, if they are there is no option to close the intake. I don't think they should have intake air because it has mounting points for two/ three intakes.

It's not an intake, it's like an IntakeAir tank... shouldn't need to be closed or anything. It might extend your engines' use at high altitude for a few seconds, that's all.

It has higher thrust in atmosphere, but also a greater intake air requirement, and better efficiency. Higher thrust in Closed-Cycle, but less efficient compared to the RAPIER. Also, the SCIMITAR is slightly heavier obviously.

SCIMITAR: Mass: 1.5, Drag: .2, Atmo Thrust: 290, Atmo ISP: 900, CC Thrust: 280, CC ISP: 305(ASL)-350(Vac)

RAPIER: Mass: 1.2, Drag: .2, Atmo Thrust: 190, Atmo ISP: 800, CC Thrust: 175, CC ISP: 320(ASL)-360(Vac)

About that. I'm totally open to feedback on balance for this one. It may need to take some hits in other areas, but I haven't noticed it being particularly easy to get to orbit with it.

[Neutrinovore]

An update regarding my last post:

Yep, Nert, you're exactly right. She flies much more predictably now, so excellent job on the lift/drag rework. It'll still flip on you if you try to fly it like a fighter plane, but that's exactly how it should be for a Space Shuttle, right?

I've already flown a mission to remove crew from an asteroid research ship, and she (my design, I should say) flew like a dream. I've been looking for a shuttle system that's large enough when finished to carry components to build a 'KSS', and not be like 200 parts all by itself, and I think I've got it now.

Again, great mod. I look forward to whatever you decide to work on next, lol!

Later!

[Nertea]

An update regarding my last post:

Yep, Nert, you're exactly right. She flies much more predictably now, so excellent job on the lift/drag rework. It'll still flip on you if you try to fly it like a fighter plane, but that's exactly how it should be for a Space Shuttle, right?

I've already flown a mission to remove crew from an asteroid research ship, and she (my design, I should say) flew like a dream. I've been looking for a shuttle system that's large enough when finished to carry components to build a 'KSS', and not be like 200 parts all by itself, and I think I've got it now.

Again, great mod. I look forward to whatever you decide to work on next, lol!

Later!

Thanks muchly . Glad the tweaks worked out well!

Last two parts I wanted to sneak in. There was some wasted texture space on the engine pod texture sheet, which turned into some really large radial intakes. One of them has a 1.25m node on the back, something I find I frequently want when building engine pods. The intakes are (if I've got Taverius' notes right) about as efficient as the stock ram intake.

[Neutrinovore]

Woah, I WANT those intakes! And I don't even build airbreathing spaceplanes, lol! So, now, is the current download updated with those parts, or are we waiting for a new download link?

[Nertea]

I'm in the process of moving this to a release thread, so no. In an hour or two probably.

[blowfish]

If you want something to check the intake values against, B9 has two intakes which are more or less the exact same thing, and they're almost certainly balanced by Taverius. You can view the cfgs online here (with 1.25m node) and here (without node).

[Chezburgar7300]

I'm in the process of moving this to a release thread, so no. In an hour or two probably.

HYPE!

[Bacon_commando]

I'm in the process of moving this to a release thread, so no. In an hour or two probably.

Can't wait! I have been following this mod waiting for it to be released, and now my wish has become true

[Nertea]

Release thread is up. Curseforge was fast today!

[Neutrinovore]

Awesomesauce! Glad to see you move to a release in a timely fashion, Nertea. There are mods that have been in 'development' for YEARS, literally ever since I started playing KSP, that are still just sort of stumbling along, half done, virtually abandoned by their authors... but not you, sir! You da man! Lol.

Seriously though (well, somewhat. ), congrats on getting this great mod done. Or as 'done' as a mod for an unfinished game gets, I guess.

Thanks again, and my Rep goes to you today. Huzzah!!

[Nertea]

Thanks . I should mention that development isn't by any means going to stop on this project (I still have many parts I'd like to make), but it is now reduced to priority equivalency with my other stuff - which means that I work on whatever is interesting at the moment .

[Starbuckminsterfullerton]

- which means that I work on whatever is interesting at the moment.

I would be remiss if I didn't once again bring up the PPD-1/SSPX IVA's.

[Bomoo]

Dem heavy radial intakes, mang. Mk3 is very likely going in the trash as soon as my KSP updates to 0.90. Mk4 master race!

[Nertea]

Bored at work! Excuse the crappy scan

Sick of modeling things with people in them, or designed for operation near people. Got to make me some fire-spewing fire machines, with none of those goddamn internal meshes or "safeties".

Expect to see models of these sometime in Feb (estimate).

Some notes

- Hey no tankbutts! Some people might like that. The ones that have large assemblies that look like tankbutts, that's an integrated radiator. With generator machinery inside.

- Part of actual nuclear propulsion pack, with its own NTR mechanics (building upon my new heat model and compatible with NFElectrical)

- Bimodal, trimodal, solid core, gas core, liquid core!

On a side note, anyone have any images of semi-realistic NTR exhaust?

[Helix935]

Bored at work! Excuse the crappy scan

Sick of modeling things with people in them, or designed for operation near people. Got to make me some fire-spewing fire machines, with none of those goddamn internal meshes or "safeties".

Expect to see models of these sometime in Feb (estimate).

http://i.imgur.com/RP1W1Dn.png

Some notes

- Hey no tankbutts! Some people might like that. The ones that have large assemblies that look like tankbutts, that's an integrated radiator. With generator machinery inside.

- Part of actual nuclear propulsion pack, with its own NTR mechanics (building upon my new heat model and compatible with NFElectrical)

- Bimodal, trimodal, solid core, gas core, liquid core!

On a side note, anyone have any images of semi-realistic NTR exhaust?

Looks suspiciously like Kommitz Nuclear Rockets

[Nertea]

Or like this. Or this. Or this. Or wait this. Even... this.

Why on earth would I copy another modder's parts?

[Sage]

Nuclear engine exhaust should be totally transparent in real life, since excited H2 emits mostly in the UV spectrum and up. Considering that's a bit boring, you should go for a deep bluish, yet very faint plume. Possibly have the emissive of the engine be withe inside the nozzle itself. (That's actually how normal LH2/LOX engine look, since water is pretty up in the energy spectrum). Eagerly waiting for your heat mechanics (and those engine are going to fit so well with Ven's revamp, too.)

[Captain Sierra]

Looks suspiciously like Kommitz Nuclear Rockets

There's only so many ways to make NTRs.

Nertea,

I don't have any good pictures (only pictures that exist are what, 60's era?) but I know in some pics it looks orange translucent.

This is normal H2 combustion:

I imagine this but without the blue and with a bit more red in it.

Okay, correct me if I'm wrong but this is how this quote translates:

"Sick of modeling things with people in them, or designed for operation near people.": IVAs are p***ing me off.

"Got to make me some fire-spewing fire machines, with none of those goddamn internal meshes or "safeties".": I wanna make some bada** rocket engines!

ANd a quick question. Are you going to bundle these with propulsion? Because with that installed I never use nukes. The MPDTs have phased out nuclear propulsion on anything long range.

Edited December 17, 2014 by Captain Sierra

[Percebob]

Eh, nuclear engines are nuclear engines, no wonder why they are somewhat similar in shape with Kommitz's work. They're looking nice on these sketches anyway, looking forward to your work once again.