Deployable Aeroshield (HEAVY WIP) (PART)

[MaverickSawyer]

Hello, everyone. I've been a long-time user of KSP (coming up on 3 years now!), and I've decided it's time to make my own mod.

First item on my list: a deployable aeroshield for large-diameter landers or probes. I've already figured out how it will be shaped and what size it will be, but now it's time to make the actual part model.

I'm designing the part in Sketchup, and will then port it over to something else to finish the job. Awkward and time consuming? Sure. But I'm much more comfortable modelling in Sketchup, and it's worked before when I made something similar for Orbiter a few years back.

The development will undergo a few phases:

Phase 1: initial development and getting the part to work as intended.

Phase 2: refinement of the design (adding the little details like overlapping petals or hinges)

Phase 3: Final touchup (texture addition, adding Deadly Reentry compatibility, adding a shroud if needed)

Phase 4: Release.

I'll keep this up to date with new photos as development continues, and I'll be seeking help from other, more experienced mod-makers when I hit the inevitable snags.

Cheers,

MaverickSawyer

Edited October 12, 2014 by MaverickSawyer

[MaverickSawyer]

Ok, time for the first reveal:

The upper pair of pictures are the fully deployed aeroshield. The coloration on the lower surface is temporary. It'll probably be replaced with something else later, but it works for now.

The lower pair depict the shield in the launch configuration. The 18 petals of the outer part fold upward by 75 degrees to tuck inside of a launch fairing.

Basic Specs:

Attachment point: 1.25 meter

Main body diameter: 3 meter

Outer petals diameter: 3.74 meters (folded)/6 meters (deployed)

Mass: TBD

[DisarmingBaton5]

IIRC KSP parts are 24-sided, not 18. Otherwise, looks nice.

[blackheart612]

Gotta love sketchup users!

[MaverickSawyer]

IIRC KSP parts are 24-sided, not 18. Otherwise, looks nice.

Yes, but seeing as it's an otherwise simple part, I can afford to splurge on polys. Besides, it makes it smoother.

Gotta love sketchup users!

About that... What setup would I have to do before exporting it? And how do I add the collider mesh, as one here, or in Unity? SO much to learn...

[MaverickSawyer]

Okay, the business end is colored to my approval:

Now the question becomes, what do I put on the back side? Right now it's a blank white/gray color.

[BFGfreak]

Well realistically it would most likely be unpainted on the back, but I did have an idea should you do emissives: Have it where close to 100 percent the shield begins glowing on the other side in spots just as a visual cue that things are about to get really really bad, so I guess a dark grey to make such an effect stand out. Granted the only people who would get to see that effect would be those running deadly reentry, but I'm sure it's something to consider.

[MaverickSawyer]

I'll certainly take that into consideration once I get to adding eye candy bits like that. Right now, I'm trying to get it all set up and ready to go into Unity and begin working on a basic version.

[DisarmingBaton5]

Yes, but seeing as it's an otherwise simple part, I can afford to splurge on polys. Besides, it makes it smoother.

It might not blend too well with stock parts.

[Camacha]

Yes, but seeing as it's an otherwise simple part, I can afford to splurge on polys. Besides, it makes it smoother.

I think you got it the wrong way around. 24-sided would be smoother than the 18 sides you have now. Like someone already said, this might cause issues when trying to blend in with other parts.

[MaverickSawyer]

I think you got it the wrong way around. 24-sided would be smoother than the 18 sides you have now. Like someone already said, this might cause issues when trying to blend in with other parts.

Oh, now I understand what you're saying...

No, there are 18 petals, each of which is comprised of two wedges from a 36-point circle. I had to fuse petals together in order to prevent them from clipping into one another when folded.

Also, I can't be sure, but it seems like the faces are backwards after I converted it to .obj... I'll post a pic from Wings3d to show what I mean.

EDIT: Pic.

If you look at the petals around the rim, they seem to be inverted, especially where they meet.

Edited October 12, 2014 by MaverickSawyer

[blackheart612]

If you haven't figured out how to add colliders yet, I draw a relatively simple collider and make it a mesh collider in unity or use a unity collider at times. Be sure to tick convex if you are using mesh colliders or it will have problems when hitting the ground. (I only use non-convex on things that I don't care if it derps on the ground)