[Ongoing Dev] [0.23.5] Modular Kolonization System v0.16 (RELEASE) [05-10-2014]

[RoverDude]

That would be awesome, and make landing bases A LOT easier, while also keeping some realism.

I tried it last night and it technically worked but the tubes looked all weird - will do some more fiddling and try to PM the mod makers and see what I would need to do to get it tubey.

I do get all of the sentiment on the invisible transfers bit - although one thing I am trying to avoid is having my base spontaneously explode from physics which I have happen sometimes with KAS and docking ports.

[Rockstar04]

I tried it last night and it technically worked but the tubes looked all weird - will do some more fiddling and try to PM the mod makers and see what I would need to do to get it tubey.

I do get all of the sentiment on the invisible transfers bit - although one thing I am trying to avoid is having my base spontaneously explode from physics which I have happen sometimes with KAS and docking ports.

Meh, thats just how things roll in KSP

[RoverDude]

Meh, thats just how things roll in KSP

Fair enough Although I cannot begin to channel the sadness that occured when this happened after half a day of MKS testing at max warp (this was as I recall at almost four years of in-game time)

[Sintaqx]

I spent a bit more time fiddling with numbers and found that integrating with EL and maintaining a balance between the slow MKS processing and the faster EL processing isn't too bad if you adjust how many rocketparts are created per robot/computer/modularpart, approx 4000 rocketparts/wk right now (also taking into account ColonySupplies production). First thing I built was a rover chock full of KAS fittings and pylons to connect everything so I wouldn't need to have poor Jeb running around hooking up pipes to transfer materials for the next stage.

[RoverDude]

I spent a bit more time fiddling with numbers and found that integrating with EL and maintaining a balance between the slow MKS processing and the faster EL processing isn't too bad if you adjust how many rocketparts are created per robot/computer/modularpart, approx 4000 rocketparts/wk right now (also taking into account ColonySupplies production). First thing I built was a rover chock full of KAS fittings and pylons to connect everything so I wouldn't need to have poor Jeb running around hooking up pipes to transfer materials for the next stage.

Awesome - if you can PM me your config, I can add it as an optional generator for the Assembly Plant

[RoverDude]

So something like this?

[Rockstar04]

So something like this?

For me, that's perfect for now, have you reached out to the maintainer of KAS to see if he can help out with crew tunnels?

[RoverDude]

For me, that's perfect for now, have you reached out to the maintainer of KAS to see if he can help out with crew tunnels?

Not yet, but other than just cosmetically looking like a prettier KAS strut, what would folks want this to do?

[BudgetHedgehog]

Not yet, but other than just cosmetically looking like a prettier KAS strut, what would folks want this to do?

Resource and crew transfer?

[RoverDude]

Resource and crew transfer?

Crew Manifest. Nothing I could do that they have not already done better Resources you would have since the tube is nothing more than a retextured and resized KAS pipe

(new working image)

[RoverDude]

On a side note, while I would happily redistribute the new texture and show how to create a derivitive part, I'll have to sort out licensing, etc. with the KAS people (or work with them to give them a pull request) to have this added in. The model is the twiddly bit - my model causes total weirdness with the pipes. so I am using, for my own personal use, a sligly resized pipe model.

[rbos]

Rover, did my inflatable connection tunnels idea float your boat at all? Building a base which precisely lines up so that docking ports all match is hard, and a KAS-connected base isn't as satisfying. Hehe.

Sounds like something that the KAS mod could effectively handle. A "tube" part that can connect to docking ports, much like the fuel tube.

[BudgetHedgehog]

Ah, you said it was a strut first

Haven't got Crew Manifest (haven't really seen a need for it yet) but if it becomes important in bases, I'll grab it. Anyway, how about IVA?

[RoverDude]

Sounds like something that the KAS mod could effectively handle. A "tube" part that can connect to docking ports, much like the fuel tube.

Yep, see image on last page This is working a treat, and I sent Majiir a PM to see how best to integrate this with KAS and satisfy any license requirements.

[RoverDude]

Ah, you said it was a strut first

Haven't got Crew Manifest (haven't really seen a need for it yet) but if it becomes important in bases, I'll grab it. Anyway, how about IVA?

Not pre-release unless someone wants to make one

[TinyPirate]

Not yet, but other than just cosmetically looking like a prettier KAS strut, what would folks want this to do?

That last design looks awesome! If the tunnels connected to a custom large circular, radially-attached porthole (rather than a little KAS docking thing) that would be absolutely perfect!

Btw: crew manifest has been superseded by ship manifest, which does the same thing and more. And yeah, it should be a "recommended" mod alongside TAC.

Edited March 26, 2014 by TinyPirate

[Garibaldi2257]

Or you could just make them work between docking ports if that can be figured out, no extra parts?

[RoverDude]

Or you could just make them work between docking ports if that can be figured out, no extra parts?

New model is the easy bit, but my pipe was totally messed up when I swapped for a different model, and I did not see anything in the CFG to help with that. Still, it's pretty orthagonal to what MKS does so I'll be focusing on other stuff while I wait for a reply from the KAS maintainer.

[rbos]

Yep, see image on last page This is working a treat, and I sent Majiir a PM to see how best to integrate this with KAS and satisfy any license requirements.

Awesome, I did see that, sorry, I should have edited my post to account for it. Meant to, forgot.

I hope the KAS guys make the feature permanent. Even ignoring MKS entirely, it's an awesome cosmetic feature.

[RoverDude]

Awesome, I did see that, sorry, I should have edited my post to account for it. Meant to, forgot.

I hope the KAS guys make the feature permanent. Even ignoring MKS entirely, it's an awesome cosmetic feature.

I'd happily volunteer to give them a new model and texture too

[RoverDude]

Just updated the main thread with some roadmap info - but here are the highlights for what I am working on for the next version, along with some details:

• Efficiency - The ability to increase production rates (and corresponding costs) through work space and Kerbals
  
• New storage models (Two sizes)
  
• Review of all resource masses and storage capacities
  
• Addition of 'Work Space' to all MKS caps (to support efficiency)
  
• Water Conversion Module (LF+O -> Water, Kethane + Oxygen -> Water)
  

Efficiency is probably the one that needs the most explaination. By default, a Colony could operate in a totally automated way, and the base rates reflect this. Of course, in reality you probably need people there swapping out broken parts, oiling the gears, and optimizing the process.

Efficiency is affected by a few things. First - Kerbals. More Kerbals equals more efficiency (to a point). So one Kerbal running around trying to handle logistics for an entire colony will not be very efficient (but better than nothing). But maintenance crews, working in shifts (so the other Kerbals can rest, etc.) can be very efficient, up to a cap.

The second factor is just having enough physical space (working space, living space, etc.) to perform the tasks in as well as contribute to Kerbal comfort, etc. All MKS caps have Work Space, but you could add more so your Kerbals have some space to spread around.

These factors combine to contribute to your efficiency bonus. I'm tweaking the final formulas, but basically these factors combined (number of Kerbals, the amount of working space they have, and the number of modules they have to support) will work out to an overall efficiency rating that serves as a bonus to your production speed (and hence volume). The logic being that with Kerbals performing maintenance and monitoring the process (ideally in multiple round the clock shifts), you will increase the up-time of the equipment and produce more resources. And since this applies to the entire colony, it does not throw the ratios out of whack.

For folks looking to boost these numbers even further, there will (eventually) be some larger modules in 3.75 and 5m versions, as well as (further along the tech tree) better automation modules that can replace Kerbals and WorkSpaces but at some pretty hefty resource costs (in both energy and ColonySupplies) for those cases where you are willing to pay for faster construction but don't want to risk Kerbals out of the gate for this.

Additionally, I'm doing the final pass on masses, storage capacity, etc. For masses, I am going with a combination of EL an TAC to keep in line with their masses, and working through the volume calculations for MKS modules and caps (reflecting that caps have to keep workspace available). This will result in two new inline style storage pods (a tall one and a half-capacity short one) that will replace the current Storage Hut. The old Storage Hut will still work, but will not be in future releases.

Lastly, per several suggestions, I will be either adding or modifying a module (probably adding, since the menus get pretty ugly when you have too many generators and resources) that will convert a combination of Liquid Fuel or Kethane and Oxidizer or Oxygen into water. You still have to haul stuff in, but it gives a use to excess LFO, and also lets you combine greenhouses and Kethane deposits to get more water (or haul in your oxygen since it would be a lot lighter than water). In the event that you are on a planet with Oxygen in the atmosphere (i.e. Laythe or Kerbin) you would not need the oxidizer or oxygen for the reaction.

[Jivaii]

Rover, are you planning a hook with KSPI or not at all on KSPI? (Aka, a list of recommended mods outside the required ones)

[RoverDude]

Rover, are you planning a hook with KSPI or not at all on KSPI? (Aka, a list of recommended mods outside the required ones)

No real need for a hook per se, the modules play well together (I use KSPI in my main save that I also have MKS in). I see them more as complementary, but there's nothing in KSP that I would need to take a dependecny on.

[RoverDude]

Some new models! An updated Control Center for the Colony Hub that will integrate a Mission Control and 5m omnidirectional antenna for Remote Tech users. Below it you can also see the new storage hut module.

And the brand new Kerbitat!

Side note - the construction block requirements for Colony Hubs is being removed, and Construction Hubs will now have a slower generator that lets them work without being seeded with construction parts, thus taking away the pain of getting 40 extra tons of stuff onto the surface.

[BudgetHedgehog]

.. 5m omnidirectional antenna

I'm going to go ahead and assume that's a typo...