[WIP] Universal Storage

[BananaDealer]

Ahh. You seem to have one of your cores upside down Either that or an individual wedge. It doesn't line up if you do that because that hatch isn't exactly central on the corrugation.

http://i.imgur.com/qX6i8ft.jpg

OR we could have screwed up and put a node upside-down and didn't even realise ><

And no, I don't think symmetry is possible, just due to the way this wedge and hub system works. Its similar to the space station core and how you cant get symmetry working on that properly either. Something to do with node hierarchy.

Hmmm... Each of the wedges has only been turned horizontally, so I'm not very sure how I could have "turned it upside down"... Though you might actually be right as I tried it again and got no offset wedges. But again, each of the wedges has only been turned on the horizontal plane...

Also, it might be worth it invest into VAB tweakables to allow for people to check for unwanted collisions with other parts (like solar arrays)...

[Paul Kingtiger]

Elektron looks amazing

[Daishi]

Hmmm... Each of the wedges has only been turned horizontally, so I'm not very sure how I could have "turned it upside down"... Though you might actually be right as I tried it again and got no offset wedges. But again, each of the wedges has only been turned on the horizontal plane...

Also, it might be worth it invest into VAB tweakables to allow for people to check for unwanted collisions with other parts (like solar arrays)...

Yeah not sure why that happened, glad its sorted now.

Unwanted collisions for the hatches opening? Yeah i've decided to get rid of their collision meshes, they add about 30% more physics calcs per part and have a nasty habit of jamming against things and breaking them. Not worth it IMHO for the ability to whack a kerbal aside with the door.

VAB tweakables are kind of locked down to squad parts at the moment (i think). No way to add them until they tell us how.

We have some awesome features coming up in the next Fuelcell update & ECLSS pack in regards to tweakables though

- - - Updated - - -

Elektron looks amazing

Thanks Paul

[BananaDealer]

Tweakables aren't locked to squad parts... There's a lot of mod parts that have tweakables. I think you just have to make your animations playable in VAB (then again, I know nothing of coding, so don't take my word).

As for collision meshes, while I agree that sending a Kerbal on his marry way into the unknowns of space after slightly nudging something is tedious, I don't mind collisions... Unless they break stuff, but then that's more RP for me so it all comes together...

IMO, having Kerbals just clip through the doors would be kinda lame...

Also, on the fire extinguishers and whatnot... Would one be able to take it out of its' storage wedge and zoom about with it in space, Gravity style?

[DMagic]

Tweakables aren't locked to squad parts... There's a lot of mod parts that have tweakables. I think you just have to make your animations playable in VAB (then again, I know nothing of coding, so don't take my word).

As for collision meshes, while I agree that sending a Kerbal on his marry way into the unknowns of space after slightly nudging something is tedious, I don't mind collisions... Unless they break stuff, but then that's more RP for me so it all comes together...

IMO, having Kerbals just clip through the doors would be kinda lame...

Tweakables, at least animation previews, are very easy to setup in the VAB/SPH, but they do require a plugin, there's nothing in ModuleAnimateGeneric that can handle it (the source code for my parts is available, the editorDeployEvent(), as is a number of others'). It's also easy to make the changes persistent, so that a door opened in the VAB stays open when you launch. It's probably not worth making a plugin only for this purpose, but if you need it for something else it's easy enough to add on.

[BananaDealer]

Tweakables, at least animation previews, are very easy to setup in the VAB/SPH, but they do require a plugin, there's nothing in ModuleAnimateGeneric that can handle it (the source code for my parts is available, the editorDeployEvent(), as is a number of others'). It's also easy to make the changes persistent, so that a door opened in the VAB stays open when you launch. It's probably not worth making a plugin only for this purpose, but if you need it for something else it's easy enough to add on.

Oh, thanks for clarifying this!

[DMagic]

Oh, thanks for clarifying this!

Actually, a better solution is to try out StupidChris' Advanced Animator. It should work basically the same as ModuleAnimateGeneric but it gives you options for editor animations, among other things.

[BananaDealer]

Actually, a better solution is to try out StupidChris' Advanced Animator. It should work basically the same as ModuleAnimateGeneric but it gives you options for editor animations, among other things.

Well, not that I currently deal with models, animations or whatnot... But I will keep that in mind.

Also, just saw your Asteroid Science thing and that got me thinking...

[Daishi]

Actually, a better solution is to try out StupidChris' Advanced Animator. It should work basically the same as ModuleAnimateGeneric but it gives you options for editor animations, among other things.

Thanks so much DMagic, that looks really useful for the upcoming ECLSS release and updates Will have a play with it!

[Daishi]

Tweakables aren't locked to squad parts... There's a lot of mod parts that have tweakables. I think you just have to make your animations playable in VAB (then again, I know nothing of coding, so don't take my word).

As for collision meshes, while I agree that sending a Kerbal on his marry way into the unknowns of space after slightly nudging something is tedious, I don't mind collisions... Unless they break stuff, but then that's more RP for me so it all comes together...

IMO, having Kerbals just clip through the doors would be kinda lame...

Also, on the fire extinguishers and whatnot... Would one be able to take it out of its' storage wedge and zoom about with it in space, Gravity style?

Kerbals cant actually open them by themselves (that would require the Firespitter plugin, and we want to try keep this as standalone as possible) - so the likelihood you'll have a Kerbal on EVA next to a door you want to open is pretty low. Its also lot of extra physics calcs for very little gain. Main wedges still have them though, dont worry.

Fire extinguishers? Are we making fire extinguishers?

[BananaDealer]

Kerbals cant actually open them by themselves (that would require the Firespitter plugin, and we want to try keep this as standalone as possible) - so the likelihood you'll have a Kerbal on EVA next to a door you want to open is pretty low. Its also lot of extra physics calcs for very little gain. Main wedges still have them though, dont worry.

Fire extinguishers? Are we making fire extinguishers?

Oh... I thought I read something about you making fire extinguishers...

[Daishi]

Fire hydrants, as a joke to my suspect Elektron design

A tiny little fire extinguisher would be neat though... although if Squad implemented part damage and fires, that would be neater!

[BananaDealer]

Fire hydrants, as a joke to my suspect Elektron design

A tiny little fire extinguisher would be neat though... although if Squad implemented part damage and fires, that would be neater!

I think there's a couple of WIP plugins that would handle random failures...

I know of at least two, in fact. One of them has a working alpha for stock parts. I can't actually find it however...

In any case, still think that wedge/contents interchangeability would be sweet, though probably far off...

[Mecripp]

I think there's a couple of WIP plugins that would handle random failures...

I know of at least two, in fact. One of them has a working alpha for stock parts. I can't actually find it however...

In any case, still think that wedge/contents interchangeability would be sweet, though probably far off...

One is here http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/75734-WIP-023-%28ARM-Compatible%29-Kerbal-Mechanics-Parts-can-now-fail%21

[Daishi]

One is here http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/75734-WIP-023-%28ARM-Compatible%29-Kerbal-Mechanics-Parts-can-now-fail%21

Oh the possibilities! I'll keep this in mind, cheers guys!

By the way, hatches can now only be opened by kerbals close to them (no idea how to get rid of those status indicators though). Thanks Dmagic

Plus there's something else we'll keep secret until the ECLSS release and Fuelcell update

Edited April 13, 2014 by Daishi

[Daishi]

Meh, secrets blown (i cant help myself), we've worked out how to toggle the external structure off before launch! So you can have much more exposed craft if you want to. Totally optional, with no extra parts

Just got the Sabatier converter to make, and we'll be ready to release the first rendition of the ECLSS pack (and be a few parts closer to the TAC release).

[Chris_Pi]

Nice! Always thought it was a bit of a bummer the internal models weren't seen more - Both as easier to ID different wedges and plain old eye candy. They really do look good.

Any chance of a model for a battery wedge to go with the fuel cell +water splitter setup to reduce how often the fuel cell needs to be run to keep stuff powered? Possibly just a placeholder model to keep things consistent if you'd rather someone else finish it up looks-wise?

[Voidwolf]

Nice Mod guys, now a must have in my mod list, One thing I would love implemented though is Ladder segments attached to the outside of the module doors, maybe a little like the stock rungs, or maybe a dedicated 'ladder/Storage segment'. This would make modular landers a lot easier to get in and out of

[Daishi]

Nice! Always thought it was a bit of a bummer the internal models weren't seen more - Both as easier to ID different wedges and plain old eye candy. They really do look good.

Any chance of a model for a battery wedge to go with the fuel cell +water splitter setup to reduce how often the fuel cell needs to be run to keep stuff powered? Possibly just a placeholder model to keep things consistent if you'd rather someone else finish it up looks-wise?

Not sure about adding parts for every situation under the sun - we want to keep our mod as small as possible without making parts that already exist in stock (barring a monoprop wedge cause Paul insists ). We'll have an empty cargo bay where you can stuff batteries into though. It will probably be the next thing i work on for the KAS pack (which doesn't necessarily require it, you could use the bay as a structural element) - as the ECLSS pack is pretty much done!

Nice Mod guys, now a must have in my mod list, One thing I would love implemented though is Ladder segments attached to the outside of the module doors, maybe a little like the stock rungs, or maybe a dedicated 'ladder/Storage segment'. This would make modular landers a lot easier to get in and out of

Ladders make things really complicated in Unity, and you'd get the same effect by adding stock ladders down the sides.... Glad to hear US is a must have though

Sabatier unit (C02 + Hydrogen = water and methane\liquid fuel) is pretty much done and dusted, just got to replace the placeholder piping with the textured segment and its into Unity. Got a bit lazy with the big barrel thing, but i can always come back and tweak the textures later.

[Josh Hawley]

Got a bit lazy with the big barrel thing, but i can always come back and tweak the textures later.

Those look great, and, to be fair, a Sabatier reactor is little more than a hot metal tube ;p

Edited April 18, 2014 by Josh Hawley

[Daishi]

Cheers, its kinda a mix of that, and the fact that the actual equipment is covered in pipes and tubing. Too much of that and i can easily triple the models polycount - so i've decided to keep it a little clean. I've got the main guts of the carbon compressor section of it replicated so its at least partially faithful lol

[Daishi]

Sabatier reactor in game, working, and sent to Paul. Did a few tweaks on the Fuel Cell too, making its proportions stocker and more in line with the other parts. Might come back and change things but i think its ok for release now

Edited April 18, 2014 by Daishi
Better pic

[Chris_Pi]

Wouldn't kill me to grab a likely looking model - Maybe the RCS wedge? Something mostly solid, And try changing up the texture some and beating on the thing until it thinks it's a battery. Probably won't look like much, But as long as it works. I'm kinda inclined to ty out a ballast wedge also.

[colormode]

Amazing! I'll be keeping my eye on this

[Daishi]

Wouldn't kill me to grab a likely looking model - Maybe the RCS wedge? Something mostly solid, And try changing up the texture some and beating on the thing until it thinks it's a battery. Probably won't look like much, But as long as it works. I'm kinda inclined to ty out a ballast wedge also.

Sure, as long as you don't re-distribute your changes I'd say the water\wastewater wedge (when its finished) will have the most solid looking internals, and will likely be easier to retexture into a battery or ballast vs all the other parts. The other wedges have kind of complicated UV maps because they've got so much surface area, as i'm trying to squeeze as much into them as i can.

Amazing! I'll be keeping my eye on this