[WIP][TechTree @ 0.23.5] - [MS19e] - Realistic Progression LITE

[Agathorn]

I suggest as this modpack aims for realism, that you increase the ratio between the fuel mass and tank mass. Standard in KSP, its 1:9... The external tank of the newer retired shuttles had a ratio of 1:28, thus requiring that you have ridiculous size space craft just to reach orbit. Although I enjoy the challenge (have landed on the moon, and brought a satellite into a stable orbit around it (wouldn't be stable if it were THAT realistic)), it isn't realistic.

Unless I am missing something and you already have done it?

Keep up the excellent work man, really looking forward to this!

This mod is designed to be used with the Realism Overhaul pack which does that.

[metaphor]

Also, could have sworn I added a 2m heatshield in RO. But anyway, the stock 1-person capsule doesn't need an extra heatshield, it has one built in. When you right-click on the part in the catalog, on the right it mentions Heat Shield.

Whenever I use just the capsule's heat shield and a parachute on top, it turns on its side when re-entering instead of going heat shield first. So I have to attach an extra heat shield to stabilize it.

[gleedadswell]

Whenever I use just the capsule's heat shield and a parachute on top, it turns on its side when re-entering instead of going heat shield first. So I have to attach an extra heat shield to stabilize it.

Also, there would be cases (e.g. lander going to a place with an atmosphere) where you might want some things under the capsule which would be protected by a heat shield.

[gleedadswell]

Procedural Interstage

(In proc fairings)

OK, I'm using proc fairings and have played with fairings for the payload at the top of the rocket (cool!). But I haven't tried the interstage fairings yet. I'll check them out.

Thanks!

[gleedadswell]

So one mod I'm using came with ModuleManager_1_5_6, another came with 1_5_5 and another came with 1_5. Do I need all three or does 1_5_6 supercede the others?

[Rjhere]

Is there a link to download all the mods in one zip?

[NathanKell]

You want only one ModuleManager, in the root of the GameData folder; let it be the latest version.

[Thalur]

Whenever I use just the capsule's heat shield and a parachute on top, it turns on its side when re-entering instead of going heat shield first. So I have to attach an extra heat shield to stabilize it.

I had trouble with that with one of my sub-orbital science probes. I had (bottom to top) smallest heat shield, cube-sat, dipole antenna, mk-1 pod parachute, and the first time it re-entered it flipped on its side and burned up. I got around it by setting the remote-tech flight computer to point surface-retrograde all the way down and that was enough to keep it pointing the right way.

[NathanKell]

Ratzap: WAC Corporal was an early sounding rocket designed by Frank Malina at JPL. Used with a Tiny Time booster, and atop ex-V-2s in Project Bumper. Later turned into the Aerobee line. Maybe it doesn't have a custom experiment yet?

Rjhere: actually, the thing that changes dry mass etc is Real Fuels. Also engine TWR, and many other things. There is not a pack link yet (making one as soon as latest FAR and KJR come out), although even then it will only includes mods that can be re-distributed; some mods' licenses don't allow it.

[Agathorn]

Is there a link to download all the mods in one zip?

No because many mod author's licenses don't allow redistribution of their mods.

[gleedadswell]

OK, I'm using proc fairings and have played with fairings for the payload at the top of the rocket (cool!). But I haven't tried the interstage fairings yet. I'll check them out.

Thanks!

Procedural interstage fairings are officially awesome! It took a few tries to get them working, but now I think I'll deliberately design my rockets with size mismatches between stages so I'm forced to use fairings instead of ordinary decouplers. ;-)

[MedievalNerd]

2 things while I'm here:

What's the WAC Corporal thing for? Putting it on the pad and right clicking gives no clues.

Also Mun low orbit and surface don't have sample experiments? Or have I overlooked them?

Ahh yes,

NathanKell was aware that I was working on recreating the bumper project. So I sent him my amazingly resized nose cone, and he created all these extra parts to make a real replica of it!

The reason the WAC Corporal cap doesn't do anything, is that it's just a piece for now until I add it's experiments. (The experiments are released as part of RPL, no RO)

Hope this helps!

[Guest]

how close is the release of MS19? Been waiting until its out to continue my RPL career, should i just continue with MS18 or is MS19 a few days away?

[Ratzap]

Ahh yes,

NathanKell was aware that I was working on recreating the bumper project. So I sent him my amazingly resized nose cone, and he created all these extra parts to make a real replica of it!

The reason the WAC Corporal cap doesn't do anything, is that it's just a piece for now until I add it's experiments. (The experiments are released as part of RPL, no RO)

Hope this helps!

Heh, I suspected it was part of something incomplete. Soon

[MedievalNerd]

how close is the release of MS19? Been waiting until its out to continue my RPL career, should i just continue with MS18 or is MS19 a few days away?

I was on a mega roll this weekend, until I hit a brickwall with the coding of the new chemical release experiment. I pressed on until I was about to go mad, no idea what the hell is wrong in there. I'm going to confer with my fellow programmers to see what am missing here.

My data collection experiments still work, so i'm rather puzzled as to why this isn't working. I'm reusing much of the same code except with a few changes, and those seem so trivial that I doubt it mkae the whole thing go boom... Gargh!

I'm definitely not a good programmer, or even worthy to use that 'title'. :/

This weekend would be the next release window as I would see it. Being back full time at work and dealing with some very left field request, I have to do a bit of work when I get home at night. So ain't much fuel in the tank for KSP on weeknights for now! So the weekends is where the 'magic' is 'supposed' to happen.

EDIT: If there is anybody familiar with coding plugins for KSP and has a bit of time on their hands, would you be so kind to PM me. I'll send him/her the latest code for review, if they find what's wrong well then. Yee haa! I will look at it again this weekend if no one is able to.

Edited January 30, 2014 by MedievalNerd

[MedievalNerd]

Wow,

Talk about getting tunnel vision. lol

If the problem is what I think it is I'll hate myself pretty badly. But if it is, then it's almost not a problem. I'm just an idiot.

Maybe this weekend doesn't seem to far fetch from where I'm standing.

The gods of gaming aren't too proud of me right now.

[Ratzap]

I tried adding FASA today but it didn't seem to have many integrated parts - command pod in node 0 etc. I put NovaPunch in too and it seems to be much better integrated into the tree and real engines but some of the thrust values seem rather high.

Enjoying it so far I just wish I'd stop running out of charge halfway to a node :-/

[MedievalNerd]

I tried adding FASA today but it didn't seem to have many integrated parts - command pod in node 0 etc. I put NovaPunch in too and it seems to be much better integrated into the tree and real engines but some of the thrust values seem rather high.

Enjoying it so far I just wish I'd stop running out of charge halfway to a node :-/

Frizz is adding new parts quite frequently, especially recently with Mercury, Atlas and Explorer 1. Each of those have sub parts as well, which will most likely be all over the place when you load up RPL.

As for other mods, multiple updates have been released since my last update. As such, I'll have to go through the entire tree with the most updated versions of each mod to make sure they are still in their intended location, and to find suitable locations for the new parts as well.

Just a tad bit of moving parts in this whole process.

[m_robber]

Hey Medieval

Good to hear that it's going well - appreciate all the hard work!

As for other mods, multiple updates have been released since my last update. As such, I'll have to go through the entire tree with the most updated versions of each mod to make sure they are still in their intended location, and to find suitable locations for the new parts as well.

I was wondering if it is possible to make an extra node where all the various new parts get lumped together for M19, a bit like the "not working" node in 18. That way, new parts from other mods wouldn't get spread about randomly as the mods are updated before M20 comes out. Anyway, just a suggestion.

[MedievalNerd]

Hey Medieval

Good to hear that it's going well - appreciate all the hard work!

I was wondering if it is possible to make an extra node where all the various new parts get lumped together for M19, a bit like the "not working" node in 18. That way, new parts from other mods wouldn't get spread about randomly as the mods are updated before M20 comes out. Anyway, just a suggestion.

Great idea, but I think that might require some sort of plugin of sorts? IE, scan the existing tree and place any foreign new IDs in a specific node. Hmm... That's probably more complicated than it sounds. :/

But yes, I do tend to put stuff that isn't tweaked or unfinished further down the tree or in that quarantine node you mentioned.

[disembodied]

So I unlocked nuclear engines, tried them out and... http://i.imgur.com/hGSjgaL.jpg - This doesn't seem right.

For comparison, an orbital engine - http://i.imgur.com/jjMSbc7.jpg

I'm using the RftS engine config.

[metaphor]

So I unlocked nuclear engines, tried them out and... http://i.imgur.com/hGSjgaL.jpg - This doesn't seem right.

For comparison, an orbital engine - http://i.imgur.com/jjMSbc7.jpg

I'm using the RftS engine config.

Look at the mass of your fuel tank. Hydrogen takes up a lot of space for the same mass. 1 ton of fuel for 6 tons of engine is not going to get you much delta-v. You need very physically large (but not very massive) tanks to use nuclear engines efficiently. The balloon tank also helps since the regular one doesn't have a good full/empty mass ratio for hydrogen.

[Guest]

Hi, jumped into try 18c with KSP 0.23, small issue though. What altitude is "high space" in kerbins (earths) SOI, I hopped a craft 4500km up and was still in near/low space. Any help would be great

[Ratzap]

40,000km and up. Mun/Moon high is 200km and up (big difference I know).

[MedievalNerd]

Here we go, I'll add it to the OP too.

40,000km and up. Mun/Moon high is 200km and up (big difference I know).

The cutoff is MEO. We merged LEO & MEO into Space Low. I might actually split them up in a future update. But much to do till then.

Edited January 31, 2014 by MedievalNerd