Project Blackfish: a huge VentureStar-like SSTO ship w/ custom plugin. Help wanted.

[Neutrinovore]

No, it's not. In fact, it's impossible to make it FAR-compatible as it is (this is true for any single-part ship). It needs to have it's aerodynamic surfaces separated from the main body for FAR wing calculations to work.

Just to interject for a moment, if I may.

I don't use FAR, and I have no desire to start, but I'd just like to point out that with this particular vessel, as with all lifting-bodies, the ENTIRE THING is an 'aerodynamic surface', insofar as the entire body needs to generate lift, not just the tiny little winglets at the back. Fwiw. I don't know if that will throw a monkey in the wrench, FAR-wise, I'm just looking forward to being able to fly this in-game!

[White Owl]

So far as I understand, FAR can apply lift and drag to any given part in one of two different ways. First, the most obvious, is designated wing parts have the relevant stats spelled out in the part's config file. That probably won't work here, because the vehicle has to be a command pod and/or probe core. It may be a lifting body, but you can't call it a winglet, so can't explicitly define the aerodynamic stats.

The second way FAR works is to look at the part mesh and estimate its aerodynamic qualities. Lift and drag from non-wing parts can certainly work, and work well. Wingless aircraft are already very possible ingame, and have been for some time. I see no reason why the Blackfish shouldn't have lift enough to fly.

Control, though... I wonder how this can work without separately defined control surfaces. Maybe this is why you're seeking coding help? Or has this problem already been solved?

[JeffersonFlight]

Wow looks really nice, good job.

[Oicani]

Just to interject for a moment, if I may.

I don't use FAR, and I have no desire to start, but I'd just like to point out that with this particular vessel, as with all lifting-bodies, the ENTIRE THING is an 'aerodynamic surface', insofar as the entire body needs to generate lift, not just the tiny little winglets at the back. Fwiw. I don't know if that will throw a monkey in the wrench, FAR-wise, I'm just looking forward to being able to fly this in-game!

That's pretty much what the plugin does. The VentureStar was a lifting body design, and the plugin helps achieve that.

The reason why we still need some work done on the plugin is to polish the aerodynamic qualities of the Sunfish a bit further.

[Kickasskyle]

That's pretty much what the plugin does. The VentureStar was a lifting body design, and the plugin helps achieve that.

The reason why we still need some work done on the plugin is to polish the aerodynamic qualities of the Sunfish a bit further.

This is neat, I hope you get the help you need in making this thing operational, it'd be a shame if this just sits.

[Guest]

That's pretty much what the plugin does. The VentureStar was a lifting body design, and the plugin helps achieve that.

The reason why we still need some work done on the plugin is to polish the aerodynamic qualities of the Sunfish a bit further.

FAR can already do that. However, to achieve realistic lift and drag with airfoils, as well as aerodynamic control, they need to be split from the body and attached separately.

[Oicani]

FAR can already do that. However, to achieve realistic lift and drag with airfoils, as well as aerodynamic control, they need to be split from the body and attached separately.

That's interesting, will look into that.

Nonetheless, we still need to find able help. CFG editors and coders are welcome.

[S1000RRHP4]

Any news from it?

[Wosser1]

Looks very nice.

Any chance of putting out an alpha release?

[Oicani]

Hey, mates.

Here's all the files related to this project. If you are interested in helping or just using it yourself as it is (not recommended!) go nuts.

License: do whatever you want as long as you give credit (to cBBp especially)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1417259/Project%20Blackfish%20stuff%20for%20public.rar

[Dextre]

The link is brocken. "The resource could not be found."

[S1000RRHP4]

Thank you Oicani!

but the link is broken

[S1000RRHP4]

Ouch 4.3GO !

thank you

[S1000RRHP4]

Someone know how to use it in game, i would like to test it

[Oicani]

Try now - it was uploading.

[Wosser1]

Could you provide the files necessary to test it in KSP?

e.g. model.mu, textures, .dll's (and their source) and .cfg's

to decrease the download size. 4 Gb seems a bit extensive.

[S1000RRHP4]

Yes i would love to use it in game, even if it's not complete

Edited August 21, 2014 by S1000RRHP4

[Oicani]

Anyone can download the pack and make a ready-to-use version, but the point of releasing all the source files isn't for people who just want to test it, more for people who want to mess with the mod itself. Sorry.

[CardBoardBoxProcessor]

here is the stuff for it

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1417259/Project%20Blackfish%20stuff%20for%20public.rar

[Neutrinovore]

here is the stuff for it

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1417259/Project%20Blackfish%20stuff%20for%20public.rar

Uh, sorry, but I don't really feel like downloading 4.2 GIGAbytes of whatever is in this file, thanx!

[Woopert]

Looks very nice! Though I will point out, Dropbox will bust you for generating a lot of traffic, especially with such a large file. I would recommend MediaFire, their download speeds are twice as fast (for me at least).

[nli2work]

4+ gigs??? what could possibly make this 4 gigs?

[NathanKell]

Because it has a shedload of 8192x8192 textures, and *then* it has all the multiple-layer sources for them. Pixels ain't cheap.

[nli2work]

yeah just saw it now... map size overkill aside... 69 mesh colliders... I'm amazed this thing loaded in KSP at all

[CardBoardBoxProcessor]

I included ALL materials. including the raw renderings for the normals and such.