The Open Part Mod - Week of 4/11 project started

[Tiberion]

Today I did some cleanup and added more detail and hardware. The meshes are "done" to the point I'll start UVMapping and then import it into Unity and work on textures.

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[curiousepic]

I'm pretty proud of myself; this is my first part, but I've already got it in-game, and I can tell I've already learned a lot on my own. I wanted to keep it simple at each step so I could get a quick vertical-slice of part development. I may refine or redesign it later, but wanted to post what I have in case my motivation wanes Also, taxes...

Screw-On Tri-Fuel Mini-Tank

Manufacturer: Surplus Party Supplies Ltd.

Description: All the fuel types you'll ever need. Just don't expect much of each. Or any Xenon. CAUTION: Triple-check that the right tank is screwed into the left valve! Or is it the middle valve?

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And here's the part.

My progress is largely due to this video tutorial. Thanks Otis!

Edited April 13, 2014 by curiousepic

[frizzank]

Wow there are a ton of awesome parts in here.

Snjo that looks really nice, a transparent reflection texture would really sell the glass ball. Plugin integration is cool, but your only going to be jugged on the art.

Can someone else with code experience start a one week code project with similar guidelines in a new thread? It seams like there is interest, and I am sure it would produce some awesome mini mods.

[Mekan1k]

Can anyone make suggestions for new parts?

EDIT: If so, I request a small probe with built-in RTG (it would be great for air-dropped probes), and small, more streamlined stockalike air intake.

Edited April 13, 2014 by Mekan1k

[astropapi1]

Can anyone make suggestions for new parts?

What about a radial ion engine? *Crosses fingers*

[frizzank]

Can anyone make suggestions for new parts?

EDIT: If so, I request a small probe with built-in RTG (it would be great for air-dropped probes), and small, more streamlined stockalike air intake.

No, read the rules....

My tanks. I went for a somewhat stock like appearance with scuba tanks as reference. Also because I can't win anyways I changed my mono tank from 10 to 5 units, just cause...

For me I worked on speed. I clocked in at 2h 30min from start to finished working in-game. About 2h was just modeling and texturing.

http://www./download/3tqabms0lcaxe8f/OpenMod.zip

Edited April 13, 2014 by frizzank

[CaptainKipard]

Frizzank seeing as you're/were in the industry can you tell us how to resist or circumvent the obsessive compulsive urge to keep tweaking things without sacrificing quality?

[NathanKell]

Well, I haven't modeled anything yet, but I built something you all might find helpful (since LF/Ox is in the tanks).

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/76421-WIP-test-Crossfeed-Enabler

No more fuel-line-from-radial-tank-to-main-part, just add this module to your tank!

[frizzank]

Frizzank seeing as you're/were in the industry can you tell us how to resist or circumvent the obsessive compulsive urge to keep tweaking things without sacrificing quality?

You can't, art is never finished, you just give up on it at some point and call it done.

The more time you put into something the better its going to look, but it has demolishing returns. At some point an extra hours worth of work does not look like you put an hours worth of work into it. It is when you first say to yourself I should move on, that's when you should stop and move on to something else or just come back to it later.

I had an extremely cruel art teacher in collage. During our life drawing class with about 20 min left in a 3 1/2 hour class he would start to critique your work. Sometimes if you were not doing so well say in a thick Scottish accent "So what you'd think of your work?" most people would respond with "it's ok, I could do better if I had more time" Then he would grab your paper drawing sheet, crumple it into a ball and say, "It's crap! You should have started over 3 hours ago." "Do it again"

It taught me a humble and valuable lesson, listen to yourself. You know when you need to stop, when to move on and most importantly, when its "Crap!" and time to start over.

I started and scraped my tanks 3 or 4 times before I settled on what I wanted to do. Because I did it early (first 10 or 15min) I wasted very little time and I was much happier with what I ended up with. In hind sight I should have added some mounting plates so it would sit better on the rocket instead of just crashing the straps into it, but its so small that you don't really notice, so I left it alone.

[darkside]

This is going slow. Lots of distractions, can't they see I am busy making parts for KSP.

More dynamic shape, very very initial texture with even more initial spec map and baked AO. No normal map yet.

Issues with some faces, I should fix those. I am not happy with the shape but I never could come up with a good design. Will try to compensate it with the textures.

[blackheart612]

Well, I'm already disqualified, since I didn't really follow the instructions but I made one so I can make one.

I'll post this here just because I want to show my support.

Behold, 7x the instruction's tris and 2x the texture. GG

[CaptainKipard]

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

I like how aerodynamic that housing looks.

Behold, 7x the instruction's tris and 2x the texture. GG

I've seen various colours being used for the three resources. What's the actual standard?

I thought it was LF, OX, and MP

Also are you reusing UVs in that model?

...demolishing...

Diminishing?

I started and scraped my tanks 3 or 4 times before I settled on what I wanted to do. Because I did it early (first 10 or 15min) I wasted very little time and I was much happier with what I ended up with. In hind sight I should have added some mounting plates so it would sit better on the rocket instead of just crashing the straps into it, but its so small that you don't really notice, so I left it alone.

What I take from that is that planning is important. Sometimes you just can't predict pitfalls, such as misjudging resource densities, which I did.

Edited April 13, 2014 by Cpt. Kipard

[blackheart612]

I like how aerodynamic that housing looks.

I've seen various colours being used for the three resources. What's the actual standard?

I thought it was LF, OX, and MP

Also are you reusing UVs in that model?

Diminishing?

What I take from that is that planning is important. Sometimes you just can't predict pitfalls, such as misjudging resource densities, which I did.

Close enough and nope, like I would release it. XD

[Themorris]

I think I'm joining this:

Raw model

Edit: Making some progress:

Does someone know how to get rid of these f*cki'n seams on the uv map in blender?

Edit again:

I found it out, for those who don't know, apply uv island margin

Edited April 13, 2014 by Themorris

[Orionkermin]

Starting to look like an actual finished part. Still needs more detail in the texture and some seams cleaned up though. This is my first time using ambient occlusion and I've gotta say I love the results!

Seems to be working pretty well in game so far, unfortunately I haven't had time to try a mun landing yet. The tanks are arranged around a science Jr. in that picture of the lander BTW. Will try to get an actual unity file and download up asap. (maybe after work today)

[electronicfox]

I think I'm joining this:

Raw model

https://i.imgur.com/i8uQU9g.png

https://i.imgur.com/19140UA.png

Edit: Making some progress:

https://i.imgur.com/UDkEkEi.png

Does someone know how to get rid of these f*cki'n seams on the uv map in blender?

I dont use Blender, but one common rule with UV's is to hide the seams where they wont be seen/where theyll be seen the least whenever possible. You should also use edge padding with textures (bleeding the colours just outside the UV's) In the case of this model, just rotate the capsules so the seams face inwards.

[curiousepic]

Orionkermin, that's amazing; I like how you took the idea and turned it into a part that fills an empty niche! I feel like the framework might be a *little* skinny for a real structural element that needs to bear a larger load than the tanks though...

Can we get a consensus on color coding and tank size/density? Here's my current understanding and what I used for my part:

Monoprop: Middle size, yellowish because the larger stock RCS tanks use yellow. White/gray is too neutral to really be a color code.

Fuel: Largest size, red or orange; not sure what is best, but orange is the color of the external tank's cryogenic foam insulation, which isn't necessary for most tanks, right?

Oxidizer: Smallest size, bluish.

Edited April 13, 2014 by curiousepic

[blackheart612]

Orionkermin, that's amazing; I like how you took the idea and turned it into a part that fills an empty niche! I also wanted to do something that was "functional", but went with what I had at the time.

Can we get a consensus on color coding and tank size/density? Here's my current understanding and what I used for my part:

Monoprop: Middle size, yellowish because the larger stock RCS tanks use yellow.

Fuel: Largest size, red or orange; not sure what is best, but orange is the color of the external tank's cryogenic foam insulation, which isn't necessary for most tanks, right?

Oxidizer: Smallest size, bluish.

In KSP ALL stock RCS tanks have orange-yellowish color

Liquid Fuel is bright orange (look at the liquid fuel-only tank)

Not sure about the Sky blue color of the Oxidizer, pretty sure I saw them on KSPX

[Talisar]

I haven't had the time to toss my hat into this particular ring yet, but I've been following the progress. I've gotta say, I love the idea and there are some really nice looking parts coming into being here, and when they're available I'll likely download several (variety is nice ).

One suggestion for Frizzank (and I'm betting you already have this planned) is that once each contest is complete and a winner chosen, have the main post updated with an imgur gallery with pictures and download links for each of the submissions, as well as the weekly winner. Also, perhaps a link that takes you to the first post in the thread concerning that particular week's contest, so people who are interested in the workflow updates can jump right to the relevant section without having to search page-by-page. While that will end up with the main post getting long very quickly, there is already a lot of good stuff that deserves recognition, and this thread is going to get REALLY long REALLY fast.

[CaptainKipard]

LF, OX, MP looks ok to me.

Volumes and density of MP is a bit tricky given the large difference between stock MP tanks. By the standards of the small radial tanks, MP tanks should be the smallest ones. But other stack tanks go against that, so I don't know.

Edited April 13, 2014 by Cpt. Kipard

[DMagic]

Orionkermin, that's amazing; I like how you took the idea and turned it into a part that fills an empty niche! I feel like the framework might be a *little* skinny for a real structural element that needs to bear a larger load than the tanks though...

Perhaps shifting the position of the fuel pipes a little bit and adding some kind of brace in the center would make them look a little bit sturdier. But I agree, I really like the look of these and that they allow surface attach.

[BFGfreak]

The only problem I have with these tanks is that it still requires those ugly fuel ducts that ruin any aesthetics you guys create.

[Themorris]

Ok, I solved the problem with the seams(also ported it to unity):

[Orionkermin]

Perhaps shifting the position of the fuel pipes a little bit and adding some kind of brace in the center would make them look a little bit sturdier. But I agree, I really like the look of these and that they allow surface attach.

Yes maybe, or several small bars coming from between the pipes all coming together at a central bracket. Not sure if I'll have the time to make changes this week though, unfortunately.

The only problem I have with these tanks is that it still requires those ugly fuel ducts that ruin any aesthetics you guys create.

Actually a couple pages back NathenKell added a plugin to solve that, if I'm not mistaken.

[BFGfreak]

Thanks, I guess I must have missed it. Anyway here's the post where Mr. Kell created that beautiful miracle of coding.