[1.12] Extraplanetary Launchpads v6.99.3

[taniwha]

My understanding is the ore scanner (OMD) is that big for good old physics reasons: ie, you need large masses to detect the fluctuations in gravity. Thus, it's unlikely to shrink any. If you have trouble launching it into orbit, don't . Build it there instead.

That said, I do plan on doing new scanners that use optics or ground penetrating radar. Infrared is supposed to be good for detecting lunar titanium concentrations, and with titanium comes iron (usually), and silicon is unavoidable. I suspect aluminum is too.

[BigD145]

It's big and clunky and semi painful to get into orbit. It stays. I think it does its job.

[Donziboy2]

Sounds fair, any plans for larger containers? Something in the orange tank size would be nice since I can fit 3 of those in my SSTO I tried using a 2.5m to 4x 1.25m and a crapload of the 6m containers but the part count is pretty high once I get it all strutted and then strut it into the SSTO, it adds almost 150 parts to an already part heavy design.

Also do you plan to make amount of parts in the rocket parts containers adjustable in VAB?

Almost have enough parts in my career to build it

Edited December 28, 2013 by Donziboy2

[FaceDeer]

I don't know how versatile the Kethane DLL is in this regard, but it'd be fun if in addition to the big ore deposits there were also lots of littler ones scattered around. If that was the case then it might make sense to have a small ore scanner with a range measured in meters - you'd mount it on a rover and send it tooling around the countryside looking for nice-flavored rocks.

I wouldn't be surprised if the resource distribution system in Kethane is going to get a revamp in the future to account for biomes, though. Those spiffy heatmaps Majir was showing off in the Kethane thread would go well with that.

[taniwha]

Sounds fair, any plans for larger containers? Something in the orange tank size would be nice since I can fit 3 of those in my SSTO I tried using a 2.5m to 4x 1.25m and a crapload of the 6m containers but the part count is pretty high once I get it all strutted and then strut it into the SSTO, it adds almost 150 parts to an already part heavy design.

Also do you plan to make amount of parts in the rocket parts containers adjustable in VAB?

Almost have enough parts in my career to build it

http://i.imgur.com/u1KitL6.png

For larger storage, look into Talisar's Talisar's Spherical Tanks. Unfortunately, the current version is stuck between 0.22 and 0.23 due to relying on MFT (but that does have a testing release). You could also use the older version (which EL patches via Module Manager to support EL), but I suspect it's not integrated into the tech tree (you also get a zillion parts).

As for tweakables: check the OP, It has (in big bold text) a link to an updated resources config that enables tweakables (I forgot to do so before release).

I don't know how versatile the Kethane DLL is in this regard, but it'd be fun if in addition to the big ore deposits there were also lots of littler ones scattered around. If that was the case then it might make sense to have a small ore scanner with a range measured in meters - you'd mount it on a rover and send it tooling around the countryside looking for nice-flavored rocks.

I wouldn't be surprised if the resource distribution system in Kethane is going to get a revamp in the future to account for biomes, though. Those spiffy heatmaps Majir was showing off in the Kethane thread would go well with that.

I need to figure out how, but I do want to use Kethane's support for custom generators to do more interesting deposits. Indeed, Majiir is working on some very interesting stuff for Kethane, but he's currently AWOL (holiday season stuff, I imagine), so I can't consult with him about it.

[kola2DONO]

It could be nice with smaller containers, so i could mine ore without having to make a gigantic rover.

Also a smaller drill would be something i would appreciate too.

[Aeon-Phoenix]

kola2Dono look at the top ones. those small enough?

Ohai. Here is your friendly modeler again wif sum nuus.

Got the cans nailed down and send to T. He will need to balance them and stuff.

The new launchpad might get delayed as i ran into some importing issues, nothing all too serious i guess. we'll see

Next on my list is a nice fancy new smelter that does not make you give stillbirth to small kerbals while looking at it.

Drills. I'm doing some concept drawings as we speak. I do not want them to be too close to what the guys of kethane did and i talked to one of my ex-colleagues at Thyssen-Krupp, who knows a bit or two about drilling and refining ore with a mobile platform. It will probably not even be a drill but more like an excavator, like they use for strip mining.

[TimMartland]

kola2Dono look at the top ones. those small enough?

Ohai. Here is your friendly modeler again wif sum nuus.

http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/xx254/Aeon_Voom/2013-12-28_00001.jpg

Got the cans nailed down and send to T. He will need to balance them and stuff.

The new launchpad might get delayed as i ran into some importing issues, nothing all too serious i guess. we'll see

Next on my list is a nice fancy new smelter that does not make you give stillbirth to small kerbals while looking at it.

Drills. I'm doing some concept drawings as we speak. I do not want them to be too close to what the guys of kethane did and i talked to one of my ex-colleagues at Thyssen-Krupp, who knows a bit or two about drilling and refining ore with a mobile platform. It will probably not even be a drill but more like an excavator, like they use for strip mining.

Ooh, cool! I'm really glad you have started working on EL, because the only thing stopping me from using the mod was its weird pre-alpha style textures. What you have show so far looks awesome and I can't wait for it to be fully completed and included!

[FaceDeer]

Nice! HexCans were a decent enough stopgap measure, but it's good to give a mod like this its own unique and recognizable visual style.

Yeah, the number one thing that's held me back from going whole-hog with Extraplanetary Launchpads has been the models for some of the parts. I'm glad to hear that you're getting input from actual real-world engineers on how stuff like this would look and operate, I'd love to set up a bucket-wheel excavator on the Mun.

[impwarhamer]

I love those new tanks, although it would be good to have some half-sized ones.

The only thing is i don't want to build my base now because i want these new parts! I guess i'll just hack them in as replacements when you add them.

[Aeon-Phoenix]

Okay and more stuff.

After thinking about the furnace (not smelter - wrong technical term) i came to the conclusion that simple yet different comes around best. Now some people would think: wouldn't they cover it with sheet metal? And i thought by myself: not in operation as it generates too much heat. Hence the warning plaques i put on it. I also thought some old school gauges look just kerbalish enough.

And you might notice that i use the same shell as with the cans. This is of course to cut it shorter for me and to keep a design going that should stretch throughout the new series of parts.

I've send the part to T. It is in his hands now.

[Sokar408]

Okay and more stuff.

After thinking about the furnace (not smelter - wrong technical term) i came to the conclusion that simple yet different comes around best. Now some people would think: wouldn't they cover it with sheet metal? And i thought by myself: not in operation as it generates too much heat. Hence the warning plaques i put on it. I also thought some old school gauges look just kerbalish enough.

And you might notice that i use the same shell as with the cans. This is of course to cut it shorter for me and to keep a design going that should stretch throughout the new series of parts.

I've send the part to T. It is in his hands now.

http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/xx254/Aeon_Voom/2013-12-29_00001.jpg

Really glad to see someone working on this. What has kept me from using this mod is the extremely.. lets just say "simple" models used so far. Keep it up! :*

[FaceDeer]

This is much as I imagined a portable smelter would look, very nice.

Perhaps a future enhancement might be to put side panels covering it that unfold like petals when it's in operation and have radiators on the inside surface? That would give it a nice analogous functionality to how the Kethane processor's radiators emerge during operation while not simply copying the design. Perhaps even make the furnace itself give a little glow of heat.

[Aeon-Phoenix]

A little update on the Launchpad. I got it exported and the animation is baked in and everything.

I HOPE.

I got no clue how to get it to animate in KSP to preview it. So again. I probably put that into taniwha's hands.

[taniwha]

Hey, I don't know either! (yet)

[taniwha]

Perhaps a future enhancement might be to put side panels covering it that unfold like petals when it's in operation and have radiators on the inside surface? That would give it a nice analogous functionality to how the Kethane processor's radiators emerge during operation while not simply copying the design. Perhaps even make the furnace itself give a little glow of heat.

Kethane refining and smelting are very different processes. In kethane refining, heat is a waste product. In smelting, heat makes things go. Putting radiators on a smelter would be like putting radiators on a kettle: no tea* for you today. (*or other hot beverage of your choice).

[Aeon-Phoenix]

Besides that when it starts to glow. Something is going terribly wrong hehehe. furnaces are heavily insulated. The outside heat is something you simply need to deal with. But that is why the design is "open"

[impwarhamer]

Okay and more stuff.

After thinking about the furnace (not smelter - wrong technical term) i came to the conclusion that simple yet different comes around best. Now some people would think: wouldn't they cover it with sheet metal? And i thought by myself: not in operation as it generates too much heat. Hence the warning plaques i put on it. I also thought some old school gauges look just kerbalish enough.

And you might notice that i use the same shell as with the cans. This is of course to cut it shorter for me and to keep a design going that should stretch throughout the new series of parts.

I've send the part to T. It is in his hands now.

http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/xx254/Aeon_Voom/2013-12-29_00001.jpg

oh my god i love that furnace , i like how it looks slightly old school as i think it gives it a kerbalish theme.

In fact, i prefer it to the kethane converter thingies.

Keep up the good work!

[KhaosCorp]

A little update on the Launchpad. I got it exported and the animation is baked in and everything.

I HOPE.

I got no clue how to get it to animate in KSP to preview it. So again. I probably put that into taniwha's hands.

If your anim is playing fine in Unity then it just needs defined in the config via the default animation module (or better yet have taniwha add it to the .dll so it can trigger on activation). Only thing you need to make sure of in Unity is that the animation is set to Legacy rigging and NOT set to play on loop. Also be very mindful of when its good to (and not to) use the 'animate physics' function.....sometimes animating physics is required...other times its gonna make ya have a bad day.

taniwha, great work as always, was a damn good day when you officialy took over care of this mod

Aeon, glad to see you puttin hand on this and giving it some much needed eyecandy luvins

This is my 2nd favorite mod, and 2nd only to Kethane =P Keep up the awesome works...really looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.

[Booots]

The new parts are looking great! I can't wait for the next release.

While waiting for the new parts to build my base I've been figuring out what components I'll need to launch and I ran into a bizarre problem that I haven't seen referenced anywhere. I've launched the launchpad, landed it, and built something with it. When I go to the space center the first time, it shows up in the tracking station and everything is normal. But once I go to pilot the launchpad or any other ship and back to the space center again, the launchpad simply disappears from everything. It doesn't show up in the tracking station, there's no debris anywhere, it's simply gone as if it never existed.

Has anyone seen this problem before?

[Jagger]

I have a very quick question... Is there a way to see where the ore deposits are located from the map? When I put my mouse on top of an hexagon it tells me It has ore on it, but is there a way to see it like the Kethane deposits show themselves? If not you should do that. Maybe brown for ore and some kind of red or blue for both. It would really help me out for my future mun base, and is really practical

[Booots]

I have a very quick question... Is there a way to see where the ore deposits are located from the map? When I put my mouse on top of an hexagon it tells me It has ore on it, but is there a way to see it like the Kethane deposits show themselves? If not you should do that. Maybe brown for ore and some kind of red or blue for both. It would really help me out for my future mun base, and is really practical

That little green box in the map view screen has little arrows to both sides of where it presumable says "Kethane". Clicking the one on the right should switch it to showing ore. Orange is low, yellow is lots. As far as I know you can't show both at once, but at least you can see it now.

[Aeon-Phoenix]

If your anim is playing fine in Unity then it just needs defined in the config via the default animation module (or better yet have taniwha add it to the .dll so it can trigger on activation). Only thing you need to make sure of in Unity is that the animation is set to Legacy rigging and NOT set to play on loop. Also be very mindful of when its good to (and not to) use the 'animate physics' function.....sometimes animating physics is required...other times its gonna make ya have a bad day.

I'm totally fresh to modding. I know modelling, thats my job and i get into unity relatively quickly (loving it so far), coding i can do to some extend, but i need to dig deeper into the documentation on that. and i frankly do not got the time for that right now. I got time to deliver some fresh models before RL snatches me away again. I did it how you wrote it down tho. no loop, animation got baked into the .mu file as a Take 001 ( i just left the default). It did not played in the unity game view (probably a lack of trigger) but it played fine in the preview window of unity.

Price question: multiple textures supported by KSP? (like 2 and 2 diffuse/normals) ?

[KhaosCorp]

Price question: multiple textures supported by KSP? (like 2 and 2 diffuse/normals) ?

There is a way for that to work yes. In Unity its one set of textures per mesh (as in one diffuse, normal map, and specular), so if an object is 12 meshes then that object could in fact have 12 diffuse textures, one per each mesh.

[Phoenix Aerospace]

Pardon me, but the orbital dock from version 3.6 does not seem to be visible within the editor. The part.cfg appears to be normal, and the part seems to load normally. According to the debug menu, the part's assets are all present within the game. In addition to EL 3.6, I have FAR, KW Rocketry, KAS, Kethane, Mechjeb, and KSP Interstellar installed. Thank you in advance for any help.