[WIP][1.0.5]* RSS Visual Enhancements (RVE)

[Kartoffelkuchen]

Beautiful!

When can we expect a download? I really want my RSS install look better, you know?

[pingopete]

Well I'm currently waiting on a fix from rbray for the atmosphere shader, once that's sorted things will move pretty quickly. Really wanted to get a release out before term starts but if there's no fix I'm not sure that'll be possible.

[avi]

haha no I appreciate the ideas I've given it some thought before, (rounding can't be done in the current system without increasing the resolution I don't think). I think what would be idea would be a full on proceedural system, but what would be more realistic/in scope with EVE mod, would be a mid level mask texture available, so one from great distance (currently the 8 k city mask) then a middle range one (that'd determine cities layouts from a closer scale), then the cities detail texture currently in use. This could be used for all other textures as well not just cities.

All of these things would be lovely to have, and more, however I don't like bugging rbray too much as you have to remember these are pretty much all unneeded for stock kerbal sized planets, which is used by the vast majority of the community :/

He's already done a huge amount just to make RVE, thus far, even possible on RSS, which I'm hugely greatful for. This is, for the time being at least, why I'm just focusing on the more significant issues, but don't worry I'm keeping all these ideas in the back of my mind for when it may be appropriate to ask

Yeah, unfortunately I don't know as much as I'd like about the software architecture behind these things. I've wanted to get into modding myself, but it's seemed a daunting task, and with this mod, I'm not sure there's anything else I'd actually want to create.

[sarge1022]

Is this working in .90? This mod looks great and would vastly improve my RSS/RO game but when I install it the clouds look like this:

I realize this is a work in progress mod and can't wait for an official release, but I am just wondering if this is something on my end or if I just need to wait for an update to the mod.

Edited January 3, 2015 by sarge1022

[pingopete]

Yeah, unfortunately I don't know as much as I'd like about the software architecture behind these things. I've wanted to get into modding myself, but it's seemed a daunting task, and with this mod, I'm not sure there's anything else I'd actually want to create.

Ha yeah well tbh this really started off as just a personal experiment to see how EVE played with RSS, I really didn't think anyone would take any interest

I feel I've come quite a way so far, but that there's unbelievably great things down the line for RSS if ryanBray continuous development of the overhauls. I've seen what's capable with it - potentially better visuals than space engine, and though it hadn't been implemented properly yet, if it continuous in development it'll be possible.

This photo was from literally just a 20 minute test of GoogleEarth textures I whacked into the Overhaul

Rbray said he hoped, at some point, to implement biome based texture controls, I hoped to use this to include textures like these for RSS. Combined with the new hi-res cloud details I believe the result should be most pleasing

Is this working in .90? This mod looks great and would vastly improve my RSS/RO game but when I install it the clouds look like this:

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

I realize this is a work in progress mod and can't wait for an official release, but I am just wondering if this is something on my end or if I just need to wait for an update to the mod.

That is.. the current state of the project I'm afraid, hence why I was reluctant to have people using it

Edited January 3, 2015 by pingopete

[sarge1022]

OK, thanks for the reply. I really hope you get this working soon because RSS is an amazing mod but it is in dire need of some eye candy!

[pingopete]

OK, thanks for the reply. I really hope you get this working soon because RSS is an amazing mod but it is in dire need of some eye candy!

Thank you, I do too

[pingopete]

>>Hey guys! If you'd like you to get involved with the development of RVE if possible - I could do with some opinions, textures and ideas !!<<

So while I'm waiting for some fixes and features to the EVE overhauls I've been looking into doing what else I can in the mean time.

I've been looking at finding textures for the planets and trying to figure out what they should look like, particularly from the ground as with some planets i.e. Venus/Europa/Pluto etc these fine details are un-known to us yet and it's therefor somewhat subjective. I'd love the communities opinions on what they think it should look like

/ would want it to be like.

Please post ideas, pictures, concept art, previously used textures in other games etc.. etc.. of how you'd like these new landscapes to look and feel when exploring them in RealSolarSystem!

Some of the planets/bodies I was hoping to get some ideas on are listed below, and some descriptions to help get you thinking.. but please if you have any other things you'd like to see let me know /if you think anything wouldn't be realistic :

Europa's icy/snowy vista (overlooking jupiter against a black sky) -Geysers? -Ice lakes?

Europa's "mountainous" surface from a distance

Venus' hot/baked surface -Volcanoes? -Lava<Glowing at night???

One of the few images I have to go on

Titan's Surface

From what I've read there are lakes of methane and clouds that rain it, and with such a thick atmosphere I'm guessing a dark grey/yellow sky, rocky ground possibly very similar to Venus but with Eve's lakes from original KSP?

Maybe something like this rough impression

Image from hudgen's decent

Also Callisto and Io's surface..

I'd be grateful for any input/ideas and pictures you can find to show what you'd like to see!

Edited January 4, 2015 by pingopete

[Hattivat]

"But Europa's surface is not at all like anything in the inner solar system. It is exceedingly smooth: few features more than a few hundred meters high have been seen. The prominent markings seem to be only albedo features with very low relief.

There are very few craters on Europa; only three craters larger than 5 km in diameter have been found. This would seem to indicate a young and active surface."

So it's nothing like that picture above, I'd imagine to be more like this:

Except without the mountains in the background.

[pingopete]

"But Europa's surface is not at all like anything in the inner solar system. It is exceedingly smooth: few features more than a few hundred meters high have been seen. The prominent markings seem to be only albedo features with very low relief.

There are very few craters on Europa; only three craters larger than 5 km in diameter have been found. This would seem to indicate a young and active surface."

So it's nothing like that picture above, I'd imagine to be more like this:

http://cache3.asset-cache.net/gc/200134703-001-iceland-vatnajokull-glacier-winter-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=S9d9bv4gCQe9ySeLQynRGW2eV5g%2B68evrQ0dO4PLyQ6zvVprSBrmtmi1gwPpGRZO

Except without the mountains in the background.

Thanks for the info, you're picture didn't work though

[Hattivat]

Thanks for the info, you're picture didn't work though

will use links then: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/11/29/1354188215125/Greenland-ice-sheet-melti-006.jpg

http://www.tertium.co.uk/katie/guardian.jpg

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/iceland-vatnajokull-glacier-royalty-free-image/104186911

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/ice-surface-skalafelllsjokull-glacier-tongue-iceland-southeast-area-35390033.jpg

http://bea.blog.is/users/ac/bea/img/img_0224.jpg

basically the look of the fairly boring, unglamorous 90% of the glacier that people rarely photograph, choosing to concentrate on the small bluish part at its very front instead.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Hattivat

[maccollo]

So I gave this another try and I got it working. Gotta say it's one of the prettiest things I've ever seen in KSP! Anyway, so there were two problems with my install. First I installed the RSS textures wrong. I had gotten accustomed to throwing them into a texture folder inside the RSS gamdata folder, so that's was just me being stupid.

The second thing I did incorrectly was that I fetched the wrong version of EVE. When I figured out which one to use everything worked like a charm!

[pingopete]

will use links then: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/11/29/1354188215125/Greenland-ice-sheet-melti-006.jpg

http://www.tertium.co.uk/katie/guardian.jpg

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/iceland-vatnajokull-glacier-royalty-free-image/104186911

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/ice-surface-skalafelllsjokull-glacier-tongue-iceland-southeast-area-35390033.jpg

http://bea.blog.is/users/ac/bea/img/img_0224.jpg

basically the look of the fairly boring, unglamorous 90% of the glacier that people rarely photograph, choosing to concentrate on the small bluish part at its very front instead.

Ok thanks for your ideas, I will try to get it as much like this as possible

So I gave this another try and I got it working. Gotta say it's one of the prettiest things I've ever seen in KSP! Anyway, so there were two problems with my install. First I installed the RSS textures wrong. I had gotten accustomed to throwing them into a texture folder inside the RSS gamdata folder, so that's was just me being stupid.

The second thing I did incorrectly was that I fetched the wrong version of EVE. When I figured out which one to use everything worked like a charm!

Great to here you have it working A shame I haven't been able to get a release up though yet

EDIT: Macollo I frikin' LOVE your Venus RSS video! It's so epic, and with stock sized parts damn fair play!!

Edited January 4, 2015 by pingopete

[Hattivat]

Ok thanks for your ideas, I will try to get it as much like this as possible

You are welcome, but please don't overdo it, obviously nothing on Earth can be a 100% match of what Europa looks like, and these pictures are just for inspiration. I'm by no means an expert on the matter but based on what is known about Europa (that its surface is pretty much 100% solid ice, and relatively smooth) and the pictures I have seen, I'd search for inspiration in pictures of glaciers and frozen seas, hence the pictures I've linked above. What is certain in any case is that craters and large mountains are a no-no, while ridges are a yes, as are in all likelihood geysers.

Here is a nice set of pictures of Europa:

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/slideshow/Strangely-serene-Europa-98398/photo-7192774.php

Also: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?Category=Planets&IM_ID=16645

And some more pictures of Earth ice for inspiration:

http://www.gdargaud.net/Antarctica/FromAir/FlyingAboveSeaIce2.jpg

http://robertscribbler.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jakobshavnisbrae-16.jpg

Edited January 4, 2015 by Hattivat

[pingopete]

You are welcome, but please don't overdo it, obviously nothing on Earth can be a 100% match of what Europa looks like, and these pictures are just for inspiration. I'm by no means an expert on the matter but based on what is known about Europa (that its surface is pretty much 100% solid ice, and relatively smooth) and the pictures I have seen, I'd search for inspiration in pictures of glaciers and frozen seas, hence the pictures I've linked above. What is certain in any case is that craters and large mountains are a no-no, while ridges are a yes, as are in all likelihood geysers.

Here is a nice set of pictures of Europa:

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/slideshow/Strangely-serene-Europa-98398/photo-7192774.php

Also: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?Category=Planets&IM_ID=16645

And some more pictures of Earth ice for inspiration:

http://www.gdargaud.net/Antarctica/FromAir/FlyingAboveSeaIce2.jpg

http://robertscribbler.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jakobshavnisbrae-16.jpg

Ok cool, I've already been grabbing some 4k screen captures of Iceland's glaciers (GoogleEarth) at parts that had suitable resolution and possesed some ridge lines similar to those I've seen on Europa's surface. I'm gonna see if I can get some geysers as well though that may not go so well..

Edited January 4, 2015 by pingopete

[maccollo]

Great to here you have it working A shame I haven't been able to get a release up though yet

Honestly I just think you needed to make the installation instructions more idiot proof, and by that I mean linking to the right version of the dependency mods, and then have a FAQ for everything that might go wrong.

EDIT: Macollo I frikin' LOVE your Venus RSS video! It's so epic, and with stock sized parts damn fair play!!

Thanks It's a shame I did it before you added those spectacular clouds. On the other hand Venus doesn't look so good now. On that note will you be giving Mars some love in the foreseeable future? I'm planning to go back to Mars in a somewhat more down to Earth fashion.

[pingopete]

Honestly I just think you needed to make the installation instructions more idiot proof, and by that I mean linking to the right version of the dependency mods, and then have a FAQ for everything that might go wrong.

Thanks It's a shame I did it before you added those spectacular clouds. On the other hand Venus doesn't look so good now. On that note will you be giving Mars some love in the foreseeable future? I'm planning to go back to Mars in a somewhat more down to Earth fashion.

Once I can actually get a legitimate release of this mod out I'll be sure to provide far more comprehensive FAQ and DL instructions

Venus hasn't even been adressed yet, I wouldn't worry about that or any other planets for that matter! Things will all be looking as good/better than they did in that older version

[avi]

>>Hey guys! If you'd like you to get involved with the development of RVE if possible - I could do with some opinions, textures and ideas !!<<

The only thing I think the mod needs is to fix what issues it currently has, and then add bump map detail textures. The fact that the bump map isn't in the detail textures makes it all look pixelated again. Otherwise I think it's pretty much good, just with the things we've already discussed. After that's done, maybe you can have the detail textures change the geometry of Earth, so that there is more ground detail. Because right now, the entirety of the Na Pali Coast is one slightly slanted square on the island of Kaua'i.

Edited January 6, 2015 by avi

[HerrGeneral]

Is there any older release I could download? I just installed RSS and I can't stand the look of a bare planet with no clouds- I can accept bugs if it means I get at least something to cover up the frankly ugly as hell stock atmosphere.

[Chezburgar7300]

Is there any older release I could download? I just installed RSS and I can't stand the look of a bare planet with no clouds- I can accept bugs if it means I get at least something to cover up the frankly ugly as hell stock atmosphere.

https://github.com/Pingopete/RVE-KSP-0.24.2

A release for .24.2 I tested it out this morning for Earth, and as far as I could tell it works alright enough with RSS 8.5 and the new Eve Overhaul. Don't trust me completely, though

Edited January 6, 2015 by Chezburgar7300

[HerrGeneral]

https://github.com/Pingopete/RVE-KSP-0.24.2

A release for .24.2 I tested it out this morning for Earth, and as far as I could tell it works alright enough with RSS 8.5 and the new Eve Overhaul. Don't trust me completely, though

Great, thanks a ton. Much appreciated.

[pingopete]

Great, thanks a ton. Much appreciated.

You will find bugs, beware.. Also IIRC that version has only Earth, just so you know.

Also Avi: Haha well said! I've mentioned this on the overhaul thread, it is unfortunately something I can't implement my self but would love beyond anything!

Edited January 6, 2015 by pingopete

[avi]

That's frustrating. I'll take a look at the PQS doc to try and understand what that would take, and see if I could implement displacement mapping myself, but my guess is nothing will come of it.

[pingopete]

That's frustrating. I'll take a look at the PQS doc to try and understand what that would take, and see if I could implement displacement mapping myself, but my guess is nothing will come of it.

That'd be awesome, I just see symbols looking at his code, but if you can work it that'd be great, he appears to be on hiatus again. IIRC his source code has a pretty open source licence too.

A few testing screens from earlier

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[BLUAV8R]

That'd be awesome, I just see symbols looking at his code, but if you can work it that'd be great, he appears to be on hiatus again. IIRC his source code has a pretty open source licence too.

A few testing screens from earlier

http://imgur.com/a/i7Fbu

I like the lights, but I feel a medium compromise is probably best as that seems a little TOO multi-colour because in a lot of pics/vids (which i'm sure you know) it's almost all just kinda orange/yellow like this:

So a compromise between what you had before and that there would be perfect