[WIP] Skylab - released

[raidernick]

To download please visit the release thread: HERE

With the plethora of good Saturn V mods out now I have decided to create a skylab for use with them. This is an old orbiter model made by Usonian and released under GPL license.

I am reworking the textures and redoing all of the animations from scratch as there was no way to import the original animations, I'm not even sure msh files contain them.

Anyway here is the progress so far.

So far the only animations I have done are the telescope mount and bottom antennas. Next on the list are the top solar panels.

Here is a better look at the textures.

I plan to have this done within a week or two. It will include the micrometeorite shields and left solar panel which will decouple mid flight as well as the top nose cone.

I will release it in 3 sizes to fit the most popular saturn v mods, OLDD FASA and Lovad.

After this is done I plan to work on the intended skylab with working solar panels and shielding as well as the 80's concept for the ISS.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/

This license does not cover mod packs. Putting my work into a mod pack is prohibited.

Edited February 5, 2015 by raidernick

[Mecripp]

Nice can't wait to see the out come.

[sp1989]

well I guess this is another thread that I have to follow good luck and I look forward to seeing what comes.

Edited July 13, 2014 by sp1989

[jackkymoon]

I'm digging those textures man.

[sp1989]

Can you do fairings too? Im pretty sure Denny had some Skylab style fairings in his because he said he was working on a skylab, FASA has the 3.75 fairings but they arent exactly accurate, and Lovad well we haven't heard from Lovad in a while. I haven't tried his Saturn since .23 but it wasn't working too well then and with .24 coming out soon I am gonna say that mod is probably dead. Anyway they aren't a huge priority but fairings would be really nice. No big deal there is Proc fairings and the aforementioned mods have fairings that would fit so it really not a problem just an observation and I suppose a request.

[Virtualgenius]

I agree with sp1989 if you could do the whole payload with the fairing and the base would be awesome will make it universal on whatever rocket you use

[raidernick]

I'll work on the base

Edited July 14, 2014 by raidernick

[raidernick]

Just added the third bottom antenna and a prototype for the original sunshade.

Here is the sunshade with some deformation:

Edited July 14, 2014 by raidernick

[Kartoffelkuchen]

Ooooooh that looks great! And all these struts and other details:confused:

[Virtualgenius]

I think the sunshade was orange

[sciencepanda]

looks awesome. I've been looking for a skylab mod for a while. My search is now complete.

[raidernick]

I think the sunshade was orange

The textures were taken directly from reference shots. I have seen the original pictures of them sewing it together and it is orange. There were also two sunshades though. One was installed on top of the other one one was gold and one orange.

Here is the picture it was taken from. This is the only shot I've seen showing the top of the original sunshade post installation.

I'm guessing the light reflection is making it look like a different color compared to here:

Here I tried 2 variations using a color that is a little more orange. Personally I like the second one better even though the first one is closer to the actual color. For me it's all about perspective and while it may be orange in actuality on all the pictures of the station it appear more goldish.

Edited July 14, 2014 by raidernick

[CaptainKipard]

I'm confused about the decoupling solar panel. I understand you're going for realism but how will you force that to happen? Or is it up to the player?

[MK3424]

Hmmm maybe you can use this mod for the reflection:http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/70089-Reflection-Plugin-Continued-0-23-5

[raidernick]

I'm confused about the decoupling solar panel. I understand you're going for realism but how will you force that to happen? Or is it up to the player?

It's going to be in the staging so you'll have to decouple it during takeoff.

Hmmm maybe you can use this mod for the reflection:http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/70089-Reflection-Plugin-Continued-0-23-5

As far as I can tell that plugin works on the entire model not just one specific part. The parasol and gold on the main body are all part of the same model. If I apply that in the config it'll reflect the entire model including areas that shouldn't be like the telescope mount, black and white stripes etc...

[Guest]

No need for decoupling, I think. Just make it breakable, and it should break off due to a collision with the fairing. Just remember to enable collisions with the craft on both solar panel and the fairing.

[raidernick]

No need for decoupling, I think. Just make it breakable, and it should break off due to a collision with the fairing. Just remember to enable collisions with the craft on both solar panel and the fairing.

I was going to make it decouplable so if someone wanted to they could keep it on and use the station in its intended form. This would be a future update as the first release the left panel will not function it will just be a placeholder.

[MK3424]

As far as I can tell that plugin works on the entire model not just one specific part. The parasol and gold on the main body are all part of the same model. If I apply that in the config it'll reflect the entire model including areas that shouldn't be like the telescope mount, black and white stripes etc...

Hmm i read this on the plugin page"NearClipPlane added. Set this to if unwanted portions of your Part are being reflected".

[DennyTX]

have u seen ?

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/83445-Skylab?p=1221500&viewfull=1#post1221500

it is still 50% nontextured, but internal has been done (geometry) for 75% i guess. will u do internal too?

[raidernick]

have u seen ?

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/83445-Skylab?p=1221500&viewfull=1#post1221500

it is still 50% nontextured, but internal has been done (geometry) for 75% i guess. will u do internal too?

Yeah I've seen it and no I probably won't do an internal. I'm pretty much done with mine already. Everything is done except the right solar panel and top solar panel trussing. It is 100% textured(although some will need refinement).

Given its complexity, an internal would require a huge time investment that I currently can't give.

Edited July 15, 2014 by raidernick

[raidernick]

Top solar panels are done. All that's left to do now is the right panel and attachment nodes/scaling.

[raidernick]

I finished the right solar panel. So now the station mesh,texture and animations are all done. I just need to scale it and add the nodes for the fairings,mm shields and left panel. Expect an alpha release sometime this week.

If someone has an interior that they would like provide me with or create for this mod I would happily accept and integrate it. For now I am just going to use genericspace3.

NOTE: This will use denny's/fasa LEM docking cone for the docking ports. I won't include it with the mod since you need their mods anyway for the rest of the apollo hardware.

Edited July 16, 2014 by raidernick

[sp1989]

I finished the right solar panel. So now the station mesh,texture and animations are all done. I just need to scale it and add the nodes for the fairings,mm shields and left panel. Expect an alpha release sometime this week.

Wow! You sir are a machine!

[raidernick]

It's finished. Expect an alpha release tomorrow. It will come with 3 scaled versions. One for oldd, one for fasa and one for lovad.

Still looking for anyone willing to help with the internals.

[Kerbal01]

Amazing! Can't wait to use it!