[1.2] Real Solar System v12.0 Dec 8

[Friedrich Nietzsche]

First of all: Awesome mod, that gives you a faint clue of what rocket engineers are achieving. I'm playing with RSS as part of Realism Overhaul.

Yesterday I had my first Moon landing, and what I've saw, was this: http://i.imgur.com/MpbesCx.png

Is there a way to make the moon (and/or other celestial bodies) surface more appealing? I admit, that I am a bit of a graphics ...... I would install RSS VE, but since I'm playing on Windows, I don't have infinite amounts of RAM

[SymbolicFrank]

I was wondering: how much video memory do you guys have?

Because, while it seems that all available textures are loaded into program memory, video memory is also mapped into the process memory address space. And as I have 4 GB of video memory, all those textures fit in there at the same time as well.

Without a mechanism that limits the amount of textures loaded into video memory, I expect that the memory consumption would be like it is on my computer. I do have 16 GB ram, but of course that doesn't matter with a 32-bit process.

[srbgaming]

I was wondering: how much video memory do you guys have?

Because, while it seems that all available textures are loaded into program memory, video memory is also mapped into the process memory address space. And as I have 4 GB of video memory, all those textures fit in there at the same time as well.

Without a mechanism that limits the amount of textures loaded into video memory, I expect that the memory consumption would be like it is on my computer. I do have 16 GB ram, but of course that doesn't matter with a 32-bit process.

3 GB RAM, 1 GB VRAM. The real issue is 32 bit. I can run RSS + my expansion with a lot of other mods, though it is slow, launches lag a lot, and I have to be careful not to go over memory. Crashes happen occasionally. Minimum graphics. Stock is far more enjoyable performance wise.

[SymbolicFrank]

3 GB RAM, 1 GB VRAM. The real issue is 32 bit. I can run RSS + my expansion with a lot of other mods, though it is slow, launches lag a lot, and I have to be careful not to go over memory. Crashes happen occasionally. Minimum graphics. Stock is far more enjoyable performance wise.

Yes, but the total amount of textures loaded into video memory (and so the amount of address space used by them) is limited to less than 1 GB on your computer.

[SymbolicFrank]

@Starwaster: I tried your stock drag fix, and while it works great in atmospheres, it looks like it makes MechJeb think it can fly straight through planets.

[-Velocity-]

Have you considered correctly orienting the galactic equator and putting in an Earth-realistic sky? I'd assume you can replace the sky texture just like any other.

[Mutifex]

I updated the RSS Expansion Pack and added it to KerbalStuff for permanent download link. Version 1.1 includes Enceladus, Saturn's cryovolcanic moon with a subterranean ocean. I decided to add it in due to all the press it's been getting, and a mission is in the works right now.

Anyway, you can find the download link HERE: https://kerbalstuff.com/mod/638/Real%20Solar%20System%20Expansion%20Pack%20-%20Dwarf%20Planets%2C%20Moons%2C%20and%20more

I also streamlined the download a bit to make it easier to install.

@srbgaming Hey, just thought I'd let you know of a small problem.

First though, I'm excited by the look of this. Fits the excessively modded career I am starting. Thankyou.

Have been bashing my head against a wall trying to get this working correctly for the last few hours and kept having RSS fail to change the appearance of Kerbin to Earth. Restoring RSS to default without your changes would without fail, get everything working again.

I seem to have narrowed the issue down to the RealSolarSystem.cfg file you distribute. When loading this up in a text editor I start getting warnings about invalid characters. Scrolling through the file I then see a number of places where characters in the file were not recognised by the editor. I have managed to resolve this for myself by copying and pasting your code at the bottom of the file onto a fresh copy of the file from the RSS install and it seems to be working correctly. I should state btw that I am running Linux, so that may account for something, though it feels like it shouldn't be the cause.

You might want to check your files. My most likely guesses are that the file has either been last saved as something other than plain text, or that perhaps something went wrong with the upload file. I did download this multiple times to ensure I didn't simply get an error on the first download.

Hope you find the feedback helpful to the cause. I look forward to starting my new career now with your additions.

[srbgaming]

@srbgaming Hey, just thought I'd let you know of a small problem.

First though, I'm excited by the look of this. Fits the excessively modded career I am starting. Thankyou.

Have been bashing my head against a wall trying to get this working correctly for the last few hours and kept having RSS fail to change the appearance of Kerbin to Earth. Restoring RSS to default without your changes would without fail, get everything working again.

I seem to have narrowed the issue down to the RealSolarSystem.cfg file you distribute. When loading this up in a text editor I start getting warnings about invalid characters. Scrolling through the file I then see a number of places where characters in the file were not recognised by the editor. I have managed to resolve this for myself by copying and pasting your code at the bottom of the file onto a fresh copy of the file from the RSS install and it seems to be working correctly. I should state btw that I am running Linux, so that may account for something, though it feels like it shouldn't be the cause.

You might want to check your files. My most likely guesses are that the file has either been last saved as something other than plain text, or that perhaps something went wrong with the upload file. I did download this multiple times to ensure I didn't simply get an error on the first download.

Hope you find the feedback helpful to the cause. I look forward to starting my new career now with your additions.

Sorry about that, I'm not sure what it could be other than a weird conversion from Windows to Linux. I'll take a look at my config.

Has anyone else had/solved this issue?

[Mutifex]

@srbgaming

Yeah the whole "weird conversion" thing is what made me assume it may have been saved as something other than plain text cos plain text is fairly universal. Gotta say I was glad I worked that one out, I was beginning to think you a wizard performing some dark sorcery to get it working.

Now I just need to resolve the fact that I completely broke the contract system while screwing around.. lol

[Dooz]

Is there a config for removing the Axial tilt Like the inclinced orbits? for some reason It bothers me.

[regex]

Is there a config for removing the Axial tilt Like the inclinced orbits? for some reason It bothers me.

No, but you can easily go through and change everything's inclination in the config file. It should be under the ORBIT section for each body.

[Dooz]

No, but you can easily go through and change everything's inclination in the config file. It should be under the ORBIT section for each body.

Alright, thanks!

[NathanKell]

Friedrich Nietzsche: Thanks! Yeah, alas RVE is the answer. Also selectively using the 8192s (if you only visit Earth and Moon, use 2048s for everything else but 8192s for them). Finally, the PQSMods do stand in need of further tweaking to enhance terrain...

|Velocity|: I don't know of anyone having done that yet, but yes, Texture Replacer can do it.

[sashan]

Some bodies, like Ganymede have their normal and colormap textures mirrored in respect to each other. Is it normal and accounted for in the code or there's some kind of error there?

[Starwaster]

Some bodies, like Ganymede have their normal and colormap textures mirrored in respect to each other. Is it normal and accounted for in the code or there's some kind of error there?

Don't look at the texture files.

Only pay attention to how they appear in-game.

(yes, it's normal for the textures to be reversed)

[NathanKell]

Nope, that there looks like a bug. Sure enough the normal map is flipped compared to the other two. Thanks for the catch!

[Agathorn]

Don't look at the texture files.

Only pay attention to how they appear in-game.

(yes, it's normal for the textures to be reversed)

Note he said "in respect to each other"

[Jovus]

So I just got a new computer. One that can run KSP. One that can abuse KSP. And I finally want to take the plunge and try out RSS, because, let's face it, this is the apex of the KSP experience.

I've read the instructional posts on the first pages of the RSS, RF, RP-0 and RO threads. I feel fairly comfortable with the process of installing all the necessary stuff to play in RSS, with one exception.

How do I know what parts to use, and which will work?

I see there are a number of recommended part packs. However, most of these seem to be aimed primarily at the stock experience; do they come with RSS configs or something? How do I know which ones I want to install? Will the stock parts work (i.e. have RSS configs written up for them already), or should I get rid of all of them and use only the parts from the part packs? I don't want my VAB to be overrun with an embarrassment of riches, but at the same time I also don't want to be missing vital bits to make the experience work.

I've tried poking around in all the aformentioned threads further than just the first page, but they're big. Very big, and my search-fu is weak. I would be greatly appreciative of any help, and I apologize if I'm asking one of those newbie questions you get all the time from people who don't know better.

[StoryMusgrave]

@Jovus: RSS simply makes the solar system real. Hence Real Solar System. What you want is RO. The main OP of RO has all the part information you want. Any further posts related to parts needs to be made there. You download the part packs (which most are geared toward stock, then RO (which is it's own download), simply modifies them to be appropriate for play in RSS.

[Jovus]

Thanks. Does RO also modify the stock engines and so forth? Or are the part packs actually necessary? (I recognize that using only stock, if supported, would result in a sub-par experience, but I'm trying to figure out how much to download.)

[StoryMusgrave]

@Jovus: Please read.

@Jovus: RSS simply makes the solar system real. Hence Real Solar System. What you want is RO. The main OP of RO has all the part information you want. Any further posts related to parts needs to be made there. You download the part packs (which most are geared toward stock, then RO (which is it's own download), simply modifies them to be appropriate for play in RSS.

IF you read the RO OP you will see exactly what it does.

[shoe7ess]

I don't know where else to post this so I thought I'd post this here. I tried downloading and installing the solar system expansion addon, however, for some reason, when it attempts to load the new planets it hangs when attempting to "wrap mesh" on the first planet (the first planet it reaches in the config, which I've tried changing up and modifying with the same results). Has anyone else had success using this addon? I don't know what is causing the planets from not loading, but for troubleshooting sake, I am using Realism Overhaul and RP-0. As well as Kittopia (only to add rings around Jool).

In the meantime, I'm going to attempt a fresh install using ONLY RSS and this addon and see what the results are.

*Update* With a fresh install with just RSS and the addon, it still sticks on "Wrapping mesh"

*2nd Update* So apprently, it wasn't stuck on the wrapping mesh portion, it just takes a loooooooong time to do so. Hopefully I will only have to do this once.

Edited March 20, 2015 by shoe7ess

[braininator]

It appears that SRBGAMING did not include the .obj files. Currently RSS will produce a .obj for a planet that once built will reduce loading times. However they take a long time to make. Since he didn't include any it will make them for you under the title "wrapping mesh" Just leave it for a while and as long as you do not run out of RAM it will be ready for you.

[celem]

Wow, wow, wow.

Ok, is there any kind of reference on how you've come up with the arbitrary values needed to make reality into something KSP recognises?

Stuff im talking about:

In stock if i want to know atmos height of planet X, I KSPwiki. In RSS I just wiki. Fine.

However is there any list of stuff like SoI sizes? Atmospherics you have to cutoff somewhere, but Mars went to high flying at 130 which was where I expeced roughly based on RSS Earth and wiki'ing and my aerocapture went fine. I then decided to do a flyby of Phobos and realised it has a minute SoI. I spent less than a second in the sphere of influence thanks to an inclined retrograde trajectory relative.

By some miracle one of my timed RT experiments went off 'high over phobos' and it was magnetometer, so i've disproved the 'hollow phobos theory', but I missed out on a lot XD.

I get it, phobos is a pebble and I came in on a really sketchy flyby, but can I expect similar from other micromoons? I've seen the github wiki bit, are there any more useful cheatsheets and resources out there?

Rocket pr0n, as an example, this is high over duna, and will be for 4/5ths of the distance remaining between us, I passed about 500m from it.:

Edited March 22, 2015 by celem

[NathanKell]

celem: Sphere of influence for Phobos in real life is only a few meters above the surface, IIRC. Sphere of influence is a real thing btw, so you can wiki that too. In RSS I believe I set it for 30km, unrealistically, just so you have a chance to stay in "orbit" around it. Phobos and Deimos are the only two tiny bodies in RSS, the other moons are the Galilean moons of Jupiter, Titan, and Luna, which are sizable.