[WIP] MSI's Infernal Robotics - Model Rework (v02 Pre-Release Beta)

[sirkut]

Hmmm. Strange things happen if you connect the 'inside' section of the Hinge Pivotron - Standard (Open) to your structure instead of the 'outside'. As in, the wrong part of the hinge moves and the model ends up floating in space. Is this expected behaviour or should I poke around with it some more and get screenshots and details etc?

Only one side is deemed the stable position, if you attach it the wrong way it will act up like you just said.

[ZodiusInfuser]

Hmmm. Strange things happen if you connect the 'inside' section of the Hinge Pivotron - Standard (Open) to your structure instead of the 'outside'. As in, the wrong part of the hinge moves and the model ends up floating in space. Is this expected behaviour or should I poke around with it some more and get screenshots and details etc?

This isn't expected behaviour as such, but a limitation of the mod and occurs with all existing IR parts too. To alleviate this, all these new parts have yellow markers near the "correct" attachment node. Use these as a guide to avoid incorrect placement.

Edit: ninja'd

[sirkut]

This isn't expected behaviour as such, but a limitation of the mod and occurs with all existing IR parts too. To alleviate this, all these new parts have yellow markers near the "correct" attachment node. Use these as a guide to avoid incorrect placement.

Edit: ninja'd

Ninja'd? Hardly, you gave a better explanation.

[Darren9]

I love the look of the new joints, not sure I'll ever find a use for an uncontrolled pivitron but who knows I do have a part suggestion if that's OK, not sure if it's already been requested, currently the Rotatron Right-Angle (rev) seems the most suitable VTOL engine rotator, rotating it though moves the thrust and mass of the engine in a big arc around the rotation point which is bad for stability. Could we get a specialized engine rotator with offset attach point, at the moment it's quite hard to make one. The picture will probably explain better than I can with words, a single piece that achieves what that little contraption does, would surface attach at the rotator and a 1.25m and 0.625m high variant would accommodate quite a few engines.

[Galane]

Too bad KSP's limitation of not allowing loops of nodes prevents using this to make a Sarrus Linkage.

Late part suggestion. Plain old wedges in a few angles which could be stuck on then attach a hinge or rotator or structural part to stick out non-orthogonally. Look up a Kaman 'eggbeater' twin rotor helicopter to see where this idea is going... Synchronizing the two blades would be a problem unless there's some way to craft high speed gearing in KSP?

The wedges could also be used to 'bend' a robot or crane arm to be able to reach over an object without needing to add a hinge in the middle.

An alternate method would be a hinge which can have its angle tweaked and locked in VAB/SPH.

Yet another on the wish list, one shot robot parts that can be moved once and only to their pre-set limit then they lock and the servo control for them vanishes. That'd be useful for something like an Eve rover that will be dropped, unfolded for use then left there. No need to fold up what won't be recovered.

[B787_300]

uuuum it seems that the colliders are a bit off on the structural parts and the robtic joints

[Bobhendly]

Im designing a helicopter.. A couple things would be nice: Some flat and small free spinning docking washers, And a gimbal.

[Camacha]

Too bad KSP's limitation of not allowing loops of nodes prevents using this to make a Sarrus Linkage.

I do not have a KSP installation handy to experiment, but should that not be possible with proper struttage?

[ZodiusInfuser]

uuuum it seems that the colliders are a bit off on the structural parts and the robtic joints

Pretty much all of the colliders are simplified geometry (for performance), so for example the RoboTube ones ignore the outside protrusions, and the joints ignore the "motor" feature. Are there any particular ones you think should be addressed?

Im designing a helicopter.. A couple things would be nice: Some flat and small free spinning docking washers, And a gimbal.

There is already a free spinning Rotatron in the collection. I will be adding docking washer sized versions in the future though. As for gimbal, an uncontrolled one is possible by combining the two free spinning Pivotron types. I may considere a powered version in the future, but I'm not sure of how useful they would be.

[CaptainKipard]

Zodius can I suggest you change the title of this thread? You might get more feedback.

[B787_300]

two things

1. change the title and update the OP to have the new stuff

2. would it be possible to make a telescoping tunnel that could be used as like space station jetways?

[ZodiusInfuser]

two things

1. change the title and update the OP to have the new stuff

2. would it be possible to make a telescoping tunnel that could be used as like space station jetways?

#1. Thanks for reminding me. I'll get on that shortly

As for #2, I did have a station sized telescoping section modelled ages ago but never got it in game. It's certainly on my list of stuff to add in the future

[B787_300]

Zodius the reason i ask is that i made a 2m Docking bay and it looks odd having just the port on the end of a rod... breaks immersion that i want the docking pert to move crew... here is an image the shuttle is called Nero and he will burn down Rome when given the chance... he is currently banished into a 250km orbit...

[sirkut]

Be careful not to dock two crafts that have extendable docking ports when utilizing the Infernal Robotics plugin. One of the "extensions" will break due to parenting and will cause you grief. If you dock with just one using this method you should be fine.

[BigD145]

Stuff released? Sweet. Looking forward to a full release.

[B787_300]

Be careful not to dock two crafts that have extendable docking ports when utilizing the Infernal Robotics plugin. One of the "extensions" will break due to parenting and will cause you grief. If you dock with just one using this method you should be fine.

thanks for the warning

[ZodiusInfuser]

Zodius the reason i ask is that i made a 2m Docking bay and it looks odd having just the port on the end of a rod... breaks immersion that i want the docking pert to move crew... here is an image the shuttle is called Nero and he will burn down Rome when given the chance... he is currently banished into a 250km orbit...

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

I have similar usage plans for such a part. Here is the old design I started on. When I get inspiration I'll revisit this concept, but don't expect this anytime soon.

[phoenix_ca]

Alright, so can someone explain to me why the structural pieces exist? I mean...what purpose do they serve, functionally, that beams and trusses in the stock game do not?

[sumghai]

Alright, so can someone explain to me why the structural pieces exist? I mean...what purpose do they serve, functionally, that beams and trusses in the stock game do not?

Presumably, so that certain actuators can be stowed inside them resulting in much more streamlined designs.

[phoenix_ca]

Presumably, so that certain actuators can be stowed inside them resulting in much more streamlined designs.

I'm not seeing it. The sections on the right of the image on the first post all have cross beams that would block any sort of stowage, and the rest are either adapters or solid structural pieces.

[sumghai]

I'm not seeing it. The sections on the right of the image on the first post all have cross beams that would block any sort of stowage, and the rest are either adapters or solid structural pieces.

Whoops!

The parts currently released by ZodiusInfuser are simply truss parts compatible with his reworked IR models. I must've mistakenly assumed that these were included in the download as well.

[phoenix_ca]

Yeah. I saw another post of those and I can see the utility. It's just the pure structural parts that have me a little miffed as to their existence. I mean...if the point is just to have cool looking parts...I guess that's fair enough.

[TheCardinal]

I have similar usage plans for such a part. Here is the old design I started on. When I get inspiration I'll revisit this concept, but don't expect this anytime soon.

https://www.cubby.com/pl/DockingArm%20Complete.png/_d1d81e62a11f4d75aab372eab50bd328

Errrrrr ... inspiration??? The designs already look perfect to me but i guess it's the plugin which requires a lot of work.

[codepoet]

Does any of this stuff include any unpowered, free moving hinges? I am interested in coming up building a rocker-bogie suspension system for a rover.

[Darren9]

Does any of this stuff include any unpowered, free moving hinges? I am interested in coming up building a rocker-bogie suspension system for a rover.

Yes, free hinges and free rotators, you can also use a powered part and adjust the "jointspring" value in the parts .cfg to get various stiffness spring hinges and rotating joints.