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

[MaverickSawyer]

Hmmm... Potential bug with the antimatter collector and detectors.

Went to Jool, just above the atmosphere via stock "Set Orbit" cheat, and the ZAP detector came up empty. Same thing with the scoop. Same story with the gas giants of the Outer Planets Mod.

Is this normal, or am I missing something?

[Gryphorim]

1 hour ago, MaverickSawyer said:

Hmmm... Potential bug with the antimatter collector and detectors.

Went to Jool, just above the atmosphere via stock "Set Orbit" cheat, and the ZAP detector came up empty. Same thing with the scoop. Same story with the gas giants of the Outer Planets Mod.

Is this normal, or am I missing something?

I think it depends on altitude. I found nothing at minimum altitude and at 5x minimum, but hit a sweetspot at 2x minimum alt.

[MaverickSawyer]

1 hour ago, Gryphorim said:

I think it depends on altitude. I found nothing at minimum altitude and at 5x minimum, but hit a sweetspot at 2x minimum alt.

So, 2x the altitude of the upper fringes of the atmosphere? Huh. Will investigate.

[Gryphorim]

18 hours ago, MaverickSawyer said:

So, 2x the altitude of the upper fringes of the atmosphere? Huh. Will investigate.

I'll clarify that "minimum altitude" was minimum altitude the "set orbit" cheat allowed. So 2x that.

Edited May 18, 2017 by Gryphorim

[MaverickSawyer]

Ah. Well, that certainly clears things up. Will look into that tomorrow.

[MaverickSawyer]

Huh. Not only am I not finding antimatter, the ALICE sensor doesn't pick up any helium 3 or deuterium in the atmosphere of Jool, either. Plenty of hydrogen (37.35%), though. 

[Gryphorim]

On 5/15/2017 at 0:45 PM, Gryphorim said:

 Loving the far future propulsion tech. One question though: is there any plan to add some far future electrical generation tech?

I say this, as if ICF Fusion and antimatter catalysed effects can be used for propulsion, surely there would be similarly advanced electrical generation means.

[Nertea]

On 5/13/2017 at 9:24 PM, helaeon said:

I'm having the same issue. I have a huge huge part list though so not ruling that out. I'll pop in if I can figure out the result.
From Kaa253's response I'm expecting it's a mod conflict or maybe MM config causing an issue.

If anyone has any ideas I'm also not seeing the Z-pinch engines in sandbox.

SOLUTION: Use the release Nertea linked a while back (it's also in the OP), not the github repo. I have a feeling it has to do with the ChargedEngines module that is in-progress.

Yes, using the released version is best.

On 5/14/2017 at 7:45 PM, Gryphorim said:

 Loving the far future propulsion tech. One question though: is there any plan to add some far future electrical generation tech?

Not really.

On 5/17/2017 at 7:41 PM, MaverickSawyer said:

Hmmm... Potential bug with the antimatter collector and detectors.

Went to Jool, just above the atmosphere via stock "Set Orbit" cheat, and the ZAP detector came up empty. Same thing with the scoop. Same story with the gas giants of the Outer Planets Mod.

Is this normal, or am I missing something?

There is a narrow band at an altitude that is randomized based on save seed. I'm not really enjoying the way the stock scanner presents the exoatmospheric resources though, so I will probably find a better way to detect them.

On 5/20/2017 at 2:48 AM, Gryphorim said:

I say this, as if ICF Fusion and antimatter catalysed effects can be used for propulsion, surely there would be similarly advanced electrical generation means.

But what is the point, exactly? There isn't anything outside of KSPI-E that actually needs more power than NFE reactors can provide. 

[MaverickSawyer]

2 hours ago, Nertea said:

There is a narrow band at an altitude that is randomized based on save seed. I'm not really enjoying the way the stock scanner presents the exoatmospheric resources though, so I will probably find a better way to detect them.

Perhaps a "hot/cold" system. You use the ZAP to take a reading. Adjust your altitude, take another reading. Previous reading and current reading appear in the right-click box. Bam, you can then do the math to find your target altitude.

[Gryphorim]

12 hours ago, Nertea said:

But what is the point, exactly? There isn't anything outside of KSPI-E that actually needs more power than NFE reactors can provide. 

Personally I've been building ships using arrays of very large electric engines, as opposed to nuclear or AM. It struck me as odd that there were fusion and antimatter engines, but not similar high yield electrical generators.

 

[Stevie_D]

Think i've found a bug for you Nertea.

Whilst making an upgrade to my orbital station, i couldn't fathom why the part i had created was spazzing out when i put it on the launchpad. So i started removing bits of the craft until it stopped.

Turns out that if you use one fusion/fission fuel tank on its own everything works as intended, but add a second attached to the same tank, and .....voila! ANTI-GRAV DRIVE!

 

Whilst i don't show it in this video, if you cheat the bugged tanks together into orbit they begin turning and accelerating on their own - its like watching a scifi show  heh.

Hope this helps!

Edited May 25, 2017 by Stevie_D

[Nertea]

On 5/25/2017 at 10:21 AM, Stevie_D said:

Think i've found a bug for you Nertea.

Whilst making an upgrade to my orbital station, i couldn't fathom why the part i had created was spazzing out when i put it on the launchpad. So i started removing bits of the craft until it stopped.

Turns out that if you use one fusion/fission fuel tank on its own everything works as intended, but add a second attached to the same tank, and .....voila! ANTI-GRAV DRIVE!

 

Whilst i don't show it in this video, if you cheat the bugged tanks together into orbit they begin turning and accelerating on their own - its like watching a scifi show  heh.

Hope this helps!

Huh maybe a node offset problem or something, I'll have a look when i get a chance.

[Gryphorim]

Oversized Electric engine assembly on modest science ship, the KR-90:

[ISE]

On 5/31/2017 at 4:54 AM, Gryphorim said:

Oversized Electric engine assembly on modest science ship, the KR-90:

Reminds me of the Tantive IV from Star Wars 

[Streetwind]

On 8.6.2017 at 8:19 PM, ISE said:

Reminds me of the Tantive IV from Star Wars 

It is in fact a Corellian CR90 Corvette from Star Wars, yes. One of the best recreations of it I have seen in KSP to date.

[Captain Sierra]

So unfortunately bad news. The far future plugin appears to crash on load in 1.3 (shoulda seen that coming really). I am refraining from shoving logs at you for now because it possibly just needs a recompile (if that doesn't fix it, let me know to shove logs at you). I figure this is a minor thing on the list for whenever the next dev release comes ... which I presume is relative to whenever the magnetoinertial fusion rockets are done.

[Nertea]

It's something like third on my priority list right now, and yes, one of the main reasons it won't work is because a recompile is needed. 

[Mekan1k]

Well, I for one am looking forward to the update and the Far Future parts. FF for the win!

[Spaceception]

Wow, how did I not know about this? What are all the parts? I saw the screenshots, but there weren't any stats on what they were.

[Stevie_D]

On 6/25/2017 at 7:19 PM, Nertea said:

It's something like third on my priority list right now, and yes, one of the main reasons it won't work is because a recompile is needed. 

I think (hope) most folks understand (with the amount of mods you have) that the development version of a new one doesn't come top of the list, Nertea. We appreciate the effort you put into all this stuff, NF comes first, and i dont mind waiting longer for FF if it means your sanity is kept intact.   It is only a dev version, afterall.

Edited June 27, 2017 by Stevie_D

[Nertea]

2 hours ago, Spaceception said:

Wow, how did I not know about this? What are all the parts? I saw the screenshots, but there weren't any stats on what they were.

I don't really have a parts list and the specs are certainly not final. The planned scope is to represent several classes of technologies:

Magnetic Fusion Propulsion

Comprising magneto-inertial, z-pinch and magnetic fusion propulsion with low thrusts and moderate specific impulses in the 4000 to 10000s range. 

Inertial Fusion Propulsion

Comprises laser-ignited fusion engines with potentially exceptionally high specific impulses (hundreds of thousands)

Thermal Fusion Propulsion

Comprises thermal fusion engines that extend fission thermal performances with medium thrusts and specific impulses up to 50000s.

Exotic Fuel Propulsion

High thrust, fancy fuels comprising metallic hydrogen catalyzed engines and nuclear salt water engines. Typically overpowered.

Antimatter-based Propulsion

Ranging from catalyzed to beam core, so 5000-10000s for catalysed and up to 2000000s for fully beam core. Wide range of performance with tech level.

[Spaceception]

30 minutes ago, Nertea said:

Exotic Fuel Propulsion

High thrust, fancy fuels comprising metallic hydrogen catalyzed engines and nuclear salt water engines. Typically overpowered. 

So like torchships? Or close to being torchships?

And this is like a simpler KSPIE almost? Cool. Definitely keeping up with this

 

Edited June 27, 2017 by Spaceception

[Nertea]

55 minutes ago, Spaceception said:

So like torchships? Or close to being torchships?

And this is like a simpler KSPIE almost? Cool. Definitely keeping up with this

The NSWR and the beam-core AM engine are certainly torchships. Some of the other higher-end fusion engines might be.

[Nertea]

I had a good chunk of time to work out most of the 1.3 issues today when I was being mad at Mk4. Finished up the localization for the plugin and did lots of upgrade work with the UI and the plugin bits behind the scenes. I think at this point I could either:

1. Release an update with a minimum of new concept
2. Wait for some time before new content is completed (target is 3x engine parts and 2x fuel tank parts)

Opinions?

 

 

[helaeon]

I'd like to have FFT back for 1.3 with what was there for 1.2. New concepts and parts are great but would be nice to be able to use what is there already in the mean time if it doesn't cause you headaches later.
If it does, then wait.