[0.90] Orbital Material Science version 0.6

[micha]

Hi N3h3mia,

Just a quick shout-out to you and your great mod! Just came back from Australia and ready to get stuck back into KSP. Looking forward to trying out all the changes - you've been busy!! Hope all your exams went well

Cheers,

- Micha.

[Flow]

Hello N3h3mia,

I don't know if anybody else gets this bug, but sometimes when starting KSP the loading process gets stuck at CCF_Experiment/NE_CCFE. Doesn't happen every time, but maybe 2 out of 3. Gets stuck and just shows the loading screen forever. Could it be there's something broken in the part.cfg file?

[Astrofox]

I would like stockalike probes and solar panels at the beginning of the tech tree, just terrible solar panels that work with a payload only about 0.25 meters in diameter, please, because KSP really needs this kind of thing, also, terrible decouplers that are heavy and have no decoupling force whatsoever. (please make probe parts 0.25meters in diameter, as well as the decouplers for them and really low torque reaction wheels pre-configed in the files as well.

Thanks for the poll,

Astrofox

[parrots]

Hello N3h3mia,

I don't know if anybody else gets this bug, but sometimes when starting KSP the loading process gets stuck at CCF_Experiment/NE_CCFE. Doesn't happen every time, but maybe 2 out of 3. Gets stuck and just shows the loading screen forever. Could it be there's something broken in the part.cfg file?

I had this issue after adding a mod, I think it may have been that I hit the memory limit but I'm not sure. Removed another mod and it's worked fine since, but it was the same part.

Some questions to aid in troubleshooting:

Was this the most recent mod you installed?

Was it previously working with no issues?

Were any other mods added after this one but before the error started?

It may be worth trying the active texture management mod, as I recall I saw the issue during the part where textures were being loaded.

[N3h3mia]

Hello N3h3mia,

I don't know if anybody else gets this bug, but sometimes when starting KSP the loading process gets stuck at CCF_Experiment/NE_CCFE. Doesn't happen every time, but maybe 2 out of 3. Gets stuck and just shows the loading screen forever. Could it be there's something broken in the part.cfg file?

An other thing the may help to get to the bottom of this is the KSP.log file. Close KSP (the log file is not update synchronously) and then look at the last few lines of the log file. Or send me the file (forum PM or create a issue on GitHub) if it looks like a problem caused by the mod.

[N3h3mia]

I would like stockalike probes and solar panels at the beginning of the tech tree, just terrible solar panels that work with a payload only about 0.25 meters in diameter, please, because KSP really needs this kind of thing, also, terrible decouplers that are heavy and have no decoupling force whatsoever. (please make probe parts 0.25meters in diameter, as well as the decouplers for them and really low torque reaction wheels pre-configed in the files as well.

Thanks for the poll,

Astrofox

I can see the use of the parts you suggest. But they don't fit the scope of this mod. And I don't have the time to develop and maintain 2 mods at the moment. Sorry

[DanBMan]

It oddly seems to be working now. I think the only issue before was I had saved and loaded after the experiment was done. I will let you know if I can somehow reproduce the error, thanks for the help though!

[whiteout1911]

Hey man, love your work! I just had one gripe with it: When recovering experiments from vessels/stages that were recovered by StageRecovery, contracts would not complete. As I cba to manually complete the contracts via the debug menu, I modified your plugin to support experiment recovery via StageRecovery.

If someone is interested (modified *.cs is included): http://www./download/aqzu2tj26ortugy/OrbitalMaterialScience_0.5.1_StageRecoverySupport.zip (StageRecovery is obviously required!)

Edited January 25, 2015 by whiteout1911

[parrots]

I put a CactEye telescope in orbit this morning and followed it up with an OMS station. It feels like I'm running NASA, and that is awesome. Thank you for this mod!

I had a few questions, if anyone is willing and able to answer. I'm sorry if these are answered somewhere else and I missed it. I looked, and I know it can be annoying when the same questions keep getting asked.

1. Does experience translate to higher efficiency (and thus faster progress)? The modules are fully staffed, but the scientists are fresh out of... wherever Kerbal scientists come from, and this is their first mission.

2. Do the experiments run on rails or does the ship/station they're on need to be in focus?

Regarding KEES:

3a. When complete, must the PC be used for storage or can they go in any KAS container?

3b. Do I need to pack the PEC with the experiments? I'm guessing no.

3c. Do I need to pack them at all, or would a cargo bay work?

4. Is the MEP-825 used automatically once I start the relevant phase of the experiment, or do I need to move data/parts around?

5. Is this mod still dependent on Station Science at this point, or are they now entirely separate? I'm curious what dependencies exist and why, so I can learn more about modding KSP.

6. Any plans to add more experiments, lab equipment, or modules? Maybe live experiments with seedlings, small animals, or insects?

I'm looking forward to more already. OMS is interesting and makes a nice step between probes/pods and huge stations. Again, thanks for doing this, it really adds to the game.

[N3h3mia]

It oddly seems to be working now. I think the only issue before was I had saved and loaded after the experiment was done. I will let you know if I can somehow reproduce the error, thanks for the help though!

Your welcome, and thanks for checking. Bug that just sometimes occur are hard to hunt down.

- - - Updated - - -

Hey man, love your work! I just had one gripe with it: When recovering experiments from vessels/stages that were recovered by StageRecovery, contracts would not complete. As I cba to manually complete the contracts via the debug menu, I modified your plugin to support experiment recovery via StageRecovery.

If someone is interested (modified *.cs is included): http://www./download/aqzu2tj26ortugy/OrbitalMaterialScience_0.5.1_StageRecoverySupport.zip (StageRecovery is obviously required!)

Thanks, I'll try to integrate StageRecovery in a way that doesn't create a mandatory dependency.

- - - Updated - - -

>1. Does experience translate to higher efficiency (and thus faster progress)? The modules are fully staffed, but the scientists are fresh out of... wherever Kerbal scientists come from, and this is their first mission.

In this mod experience does not effect the efficiency.

>2. Do the experiments run on rails or does the ship/station they're on need to be in focus?

They do run an rails.

>Regarding KEES:

>3a. When complete, must the PC be used for storage or can they go in any KAS container?

In the current version (0.5) you must use the PC to complete a KEES-contract. The contract system does not recognize the experiment in an other KAS container. In the next release the any KAS container should work. To just get the science any container works.

>3b. Do I need to pack the PEC with the experiments? I'm guessing no.

No.

>3c. Do I need to pack them at all, or would a cargo bay work?

Currently a cargo bay works. But keep in mind the PEC is designed for micro gravity and not to withstand the g forces of launch and reentry. In a future release there might be a g force maximum that could destroy the connection of the PEC to the craft.

>4. Is the MEP-825 used automatically once I start the relevant phase of the experiment, or do I need to move data/parts around?

The MEP is used automatically. The idea behind is that the crew would move the experiment from the pod to the appropriate lab.

>5. Is this mod still dependent on Station Science at this point, or are they now entirely separate? I'm curious what dependencies exist and why, so I can learn more about modding KSP.

OMS is no longer dependent on Station Science. In the first versions of OMS some experiments needed some resource from Station Science labs.

>6. Any plans to add more experiments, lab equipment, or modules? Maybe live experiments with seedlings, small animals, or insects?

Short answer yes. I have several ideas and plans. The limiting factor is time. There is a section on future stuff in the OMS-Wiki and a idea collection issue on git hub. In my software engineering days I worked most of the time on open source projects and I'm convinced that teamwork creates better results than the lonely programmer, so more or less everything is on GitHub.

- - - Updated - - -

Hi N3h3mia,

Just a quick shout-out to you and your great mod! Just came back from Australia and ready to get stuck back into KSP. Looking forward to trying out all the changes - you've been busy!! Hope all your exams went well

Cheers,

- Micha.

Hi Micha

There is still one exam coming in February. It's not difficult but a lot to learn. The one result I already got is just perfect so thats nice. :-) I hope you enjoy the new science.

[N3h3mia]

Hi everybody,

here's a short update on what's going on with OMS. Replacing KAS with some build in functionality, without copying 1/3 of KAS has proven quite difficult. I produced some impressive explosions during testing. That's why I push this to a future release. The MEP IVA is is ready for an initial release the screens show information about the lab state and the experiment running. I improved the IVA of the MSL and added animations and laptops showing experiment data. Both IVA have sound effects for running experiments or warnings. Thanks to Hayoo for the permission to use his KSP Space Agency Logo on some of the laptop screens. Here are some screenshots of the new IVA.

How many of you can't use KEES because they do not use KAS?

There are a few thing to do before I can release the new version of OMS maybe I get those done during the next weekend. I've got some ideas for the future, some on the are outlined on the OMS GitHub wiki. If you are interested or like to provide feedback have a look here: https://github.com/N3h3miah/OrbitalMaterialScience/wiki

[micha]

How many of you can't use KEES because they do not use KAS?

I use KAS so not an issue for me.

As a programmer, I also think it's better to reuse existing solutions as much as possible instead of duplicating effort. Perhaps you could collaborate with KAS to turn KAS into multiple modules -

1) the actual plugin to make it all work and

2) the various KAS containers and parts.

That way you could rely on the actual functionality of KAS without requiring people to have all of KAS installed.

I believe some mods use Firespitter in a similar manner.

Personally I'd actually love for you to extend KAS integration and offer the various experiment modules as KAS wedges. Maybe something for me to have a play with if/when I get some spare time.. that way Kerbalnauts could actually install an experiment on a station by taking a wedge from a transfer craft and adding it to the station, rather than docking the parts.

Anyway, keep up the great work

[parrots]

Personally I'd actually love for you to extend KAS integration and offer the various experiment modules as KAS wedges. Maybe something for me to have a play with if/when I get some spare time.. that way Kerbalnauts could actually install an experiment on a station by taking a wedge from a transfer craft and adding it to the station, rather than docking the parts.

Aren't the wedges a Universal Storage mod feature?

[micha]

Aren't the wedges a Universal Storage mod feature?

Doh!

Yes, of course.. and I have no idea why I've been confusing KAS and US recently.. probably because I've just built and launched a couple of station modules which contain a large number of US KAS containers..

[N3h3mia]

I use KAS so not an issue for me.

As a programmer, I also think it's better to reuse existing solutions as much as possible instead of duplicating effort. Perhaps you could collaborate with KAS to turn KAS into multiple modules -

1) the actual plugin to make it all work and

2) the various KAS containers and parts.

I totally agree with you on the duplicating code issue. My first intend was not to recreate to hole KAS way to attach part on EVA. But even that is not as easy as expected, that's is a reason why it will not be on the next update. For KEES you only need the KAS.dll so it may be a good idea to have a look into a way to distribute just the dll for everybody how doesn't want the KAS parts.

Personally I'd actually love for you to extend KAS integration and offer the various experiment modules as KAS wedges. Maybe something for me to have a play with if/when I get some spare time.. that way Kerbalnauts could actually install an experiment on a station by taking a wedge from a transfer craft and adding it to the station, rather than docking the parts.

Normally experiments run in a lab are not installed during an EVA, so that somehow breaks the logic. But I could add a new branch of science: planetary science. By adding a part that offers generic external equipment ports where experimenhttps://plus.google.com/118118267694013384803/posts/BoYTD64WcyLts could be installed. Similar to CATS that is installed on a outside slot on ISS.

- - - Updated - - -

Do you use KAS?

I created a poll in the KSP G+-community : https://plus.google.com/118118267694013384803/posts/BoYTD64WcyL

[micha]

Normally experiments run in a lab are not installed during an EVA, so that somehow breaks the logic.

I agree, but as we don't (yet) have a way to move around and manipulate stuff using IVA it is the next-best thing.

Anyway, it was just a thought to be able to carry multiple experiments up on a single launch without the ship looking like a sausage, and then be able to install the experiments on the station without needing to leave them docked and visible externally.

[parrots]

Doh!

Yes, of course.. and I have no idea why I've been confusing KAS and US recently.. probably because I've just built and launched a couple of station modules which contain a large number of US KAS containers..

No worries, I was mostly asking because I installed a LOT of stuff at once and wasn't quite certain myself.

N3h3mia I've answered your poll (I have KAS installed), and I wanted to thank you for taking the time to answer my questions earlier in the thread.

[Andrewmacor]

It would be nice to have a generic empty container so that you are still requird to bring the materials for the experiments, but you can transfer the materials to that container permanent to the station and then undock the small containers and still have the resources to do the experiments.

[N3h3mia]

It would be nice to have a generic empty container so that you are still requird to bring the materials for the experiments, but you can transfer the materials to that container permanent to the station and then undock the small containers and still have the resources to do the experiments.

My idea goes in this direction. Create a generic experiment payload container for which you can choose the experiment you like to fly. Once docked to the station transfer the experiment to the lab, and run it. When the experiment is done choose a docked empty container to return the results to Kerbin. Maybe even create a 2 m container that could hold several experiments. This way you the parts would not need to stay all the time docked to the station and you could bring and return science with regular resupply missions. I don't know if and when I can add this.

[d4rksh4de]

Hi, if the mod is installed via CKAN then it doesn't show up in the parts list, at least the 0.5.1 version (0.5.5 is not available in CKAN yet). The problem seems to be in the folder structure which is GameData\NehemiahInc\NehemiahInc\... instead of GameData\NehemiahInc\...

[parrots]

Hey this update looks great, thanks!

[ElCapitainKu]

Hi N3h3mia,

First off, I really like your mod and appreciate everything you've been doing with it. The new skins look great. However, on my current save, after updating, I cannot run experiments. After EVA'ing out to grab the PEC and attach it to my craft, I grab the experiment, click the PEC and click Store. However, when I go back into my ship and try to start the experiment, it gives the error that it isn't stored in a PEC. Any help or insight you can give would be awesome.

Thanks,

Ku

[ctbram]

I am getting a msg - status - Not Installed on a PEC when I try to run the Passive Optical Sample Ass. II

I have watched the video and have a proper ship. I took the PEC out of the container and attached it to the ship. I took the Kees POSA II from the container and store and it pops into the carrier. I then right click on the POSA II and get the annoying as hell message! I have flown this mission 5 times now and cannot get the thing to work and I have a contract now that I cannot complete. I see the post just above mine is experiencing the same problem. Any idea what is wrong?

Edited February 2, 2015 by ctbram

[N3h3mia]

I am getting a msg - status - Not Installed on a PEC when I try to run the Passive Optical Sample Ass. II

I have watched the video and have a proper ship. I took the PEC out of the container and attached it to the ship. I took the Kees POSA II from the container and store and it pops into the carrier. I then right click on the POSA II and get the annoying as hell message! I have flown this mission 5 times now and cannot get the thing to work and I have a contract now that I cannot complete. I see the post just above mine is experiencing the same problem. Any idea what is wrong?

Ooops, yes I do. There was an unfinished feature I removed for this release causing this bug in the KEES experiment module. I fixed it in version 0.5.7. Sorry for that.

- - - Updated - - -

Hi, if the mod is installed via CKAN then it doesn't show up in the parts list, at least the 0.5.1 version (0.5.5 is not available in CKAN yet). The problem seems to be in the folder structure which is GameData\NehemiahInc\NehemiahInc\... instead of GameData\NehemiahInc\...

Thanks for reporting this. I never used CKAN and the CKAN entry was automatically generated from kerbalstuff. I contacted the the CKAN-team to fix that.

Edited February 2, 2015 by N3h3mia

[ElCapitainKu]

Thanks for the speedy bug fix!