[1.0.4] Endurance (from Interstellar) [DISCONTINUED]

[DAS JEB]

any tips/tricks on how to start putting rangers and landers on the ring in orbit? I cant get the Lander up without its docking ports melting off. Then there is the whole interception issue

[benjee10]

Boy... you leave a thread for a couple of days and a lot happens hahaha!

Done. Issue persists.

Looked through the logfile, the only errors associated with the IVA is this.

[LOG 18:39:13.709] PartLoader: Compiling Internal Space 'Endurance/Parts/Internals/commandIVA/enduranceCommandIVA'

[ERR 18:39:13.744] InternalCameraSwitch: cameraTransform 'camInt1' is null

[ERR 18:39:13.746] InternalCameraSwitch: colliderTransform 'intCam1' is null

[ERR 18:39:13.748] InternalCameraSwitch: cameraTransform 'camInt2' is null

[ERR 18:39:13.749] InternalCameraSwitch: colliderTransform 'intCam2' is null

[ERR 18:39:13.751] InternalCameraSwitch: cameraTransform 'camInt3' is null

[ERR 18:39:13.752] InternalCameraSwitch: colliderTransform 'intCam3' is null

[ERR 18:39:13.754] InternalCameraSwitch: cameraTransform 'camInt4' is null

[ERR 18:39:13.756] InternalCameraSwitch: colliderTransform 'intCam4' is null

[ERR 18:39:13.757] InternalCameraSwitch: cameraTransform 'camInt5' is null

[ERR 18:39:13.759] InternalCameraSwitch: colliderTransform 'intCam5' is null

Removing the offending InternalCameraSwitch modules from commandIVA config removed these errors but did not resolve the missing IVA props.

I worked out what was happening. Somehow an old (misoriented) version of the model got put in the release - no idea how I managed that - so the IVA props were present but rotated 180 degrees round so they were beneath the floor. Fixed for latest release!

So, i've played around with the part cfg's and the below file should contain all that is neccessary to use the Endurance with KIS instead of KAS.

For anyone who wants to give it a try:

http://1drv.ms/1KoRKif

The zip contains 3 modified files:

container.cfg

flag.cfg

inventoryBox.cfg

These Files go in GameData\Endurance\Parts\Colony.

For the changes to work properly, also the MM_KAS.cfg from that folder should be removed (or renamed to keep a backup).

Explanation of changes:

container.cfg: added module control for KIS to display an Inventory. Internal Volume set to 20.000L (based on the default KIS Inline container which has roughly the same external dimensions), also contains 64 slots for items inside and can be accessed only from EVA (meaning there needs to be a Kerbal next to the container to open it)

flag.cfg: added controls to allow the flagpost to be secured to the ground

inventoryBox.cfg: same as for container, internal volume set to 500L (roughly visually half the size of defaul KIS small container which has 1000L), external volume set to 600L (obviously takes up more space than the volume it provides), can be carried on the kerbal as a backpack, slots layout 6x4 (24 slots)

NEW FEATURES which are possible after changing it to KIS:

- ANY ITEM can be stored inside, even those which do not have any volume parameter assigned in their .cfg.

The game just calculates the volume needed based on the model mesh.

This means that as long as you have the Volume available, you can store the item.

- Container in Container is not a useless space hog anymore while transporting it up: you can store items in a Box and then store the Box inside the big container. This way you could organise items or add more slots if you need to carry a lot of different small items (Box takes up one slot and 600L in container and by itself adds 24 slots with 500L volume)

- Some items can be stacked, so they take only one slot, unfortunately this is controlled by the given item's .cfg

Using KIS instead of KAS gives a lot more fun stuff to play around and i really recommend it (Kerbal personal inventories, wrenches to attach stuff etc.)

CHEAT:

Viper fitting inside of the container (normally it wouldnt but i added an OverrideVolume parameter ):

http://1drv.ms/1KoRPmd

@benjee10: Feel free to include it in the pack if you should wish to

On a side note, i believe the RCS output of the Lander and possibly Ranger too should be pumped up to 3-4 (i've put mine even to 5) in order to be able to use the RCS system as maneuvering thrusters while in hover mode over a planet's surface - now when the power is set to 1 it is too weak for that, you have to turn the ship and use the main engine to move around which is not really ideal for a hovercraft

Thanks so much for that! Added configs to the release

Also upped the RCS power. Don't want to overdo it though so I left it at 3.

Anyone having problems with the docking ports on the lander getting too hot and exploding? While trying to get to orbit in a single stage?

That must be caused by the Lander engines having too much heat production. I lowered it a little. IRL plasma thrusters tend to actually be lower temperature than chemical so it makes sense! When the custom ports are in they will have a higher heat tolerance.

I seem to have an issue with attaching anything to the bottom of the ranger launch adapter, it seems i cant attach anything onto its attachment node, is there anything i can do?

Edit: turns out turning on the "non-strict part attachment orientation checks" cheat fixed this issue. hmm

Yeah I had some misaligned nodes in Unity. Fixed!

A huge thanks for this

The parts (much especially the habitation units) are so useful for giving a good adventure feeling.

Ahm goin' to space Murf!

http://puu.sh/hGlwK/f5c04fbe33.jpg

I used this mod in a little video. It is an extremely accurate retelling of Interstellar, but from Dr. Mann's point of view.

I love it!

I just love the mod about how it looks and play, But... I can't find way to lunch the Endurance Ring to orbit Please Help

You can fly it straight up if you like, you just need to be careful with steering since it uses A LOT of electric charge in the atmosphere. Alternatively, HyperEdit or a big dumb booster!

Glad to hear it! I just installed KIS so I may give the whole Lazarus mission a go.

Any chance you could spill what features you have for the Lazarus pod? I'd be happy if I could just store Kerbals in it.

xxhansonmaxx has handed over Lazarus dev to me so I can answer that! Will likely have landing engines, crew capacity, a science lab and a built-in science experiment.

New version with bugfixes, DDS textures and KIS compatability:

Version 0.5.5

[jackal40]

Thanks for the updates!

[-ctn-]

xxhansonmaxx has handed over Lazarus dev to me so I can answer that! Will likely have landing engines, crew capacity, a science lab and a built-in science experiment.

Awesome! Thanks for the update!

[ElliottKitson]

Thanks for the update! great mod and even greater devs! (Y)

[Vitasalato]

The Ranger doesn't use control surfaces, because they create a lot of drag.

http://interstellarfilm.wikia.com/wiki/Ranger

Oh true! I've always though that two "wings" was moving parts.

Edited May 9, 2015 by Vitasalato

[RamirezCorp]

quote=benjee10;1923049]Boy... you leave a thread for a couple of days and a lot happens hahaha!

I worked out what was happening. Somehow an old (misoriented) version of the model got put in the release - no idea how I managed that - so the IVA props were present but rotated 180 degrees round so they were beneath the floor. Fixed for latest release!

thanks so much for that! Added configs to the release

Also upped the RCS power. Don't want to overdo it though so I left it at 3.

That must be caused by the Lander engines having too much heat production. I lowered it a little. IRL plasma thrusters tend to actually be lower temperature than chemical so it makes sense! When the custom ports are in they will have a higher heat tolerance.

Yeah I had some misaligned nodes in Unity. Fixed!

http://cdn.yourepeat.com/media/gif/000/831/761/4f99349fea26fd3b94273d1839d482f8.gif

I love it!

You can fly it straight up if you like, you just need to be careful with steering since it uses A LOT of electric charge in the atmosphere. Alternatively, HyperEdit or a big dumb booster!

xxhansonmaxx has handed over Lazarus dev to me so I can answer that! Will likely have landing engines, crew capacity, a science lab and a built-in science experiment.

New version with bugfixes, DDS textures and KIS compatability:

Version 0.5.5[ quote]

Hey Benjee im having a little issue, I can't attach the endurance plasma thruster on the engine pods nor can I attach the cargo boxes in their slots.

[Vitasalato]

The design of the Ranger is awesome, but simply it won't fly. With the new FAR .15 is simply not stable and aerodynamics.

Over mach 0.5 is very unstable, the ship just want to fly backward where is more aerodynamic, so it keep rolling in all directions.

I think that the major is the missing ruder, that make the ranger a spinning top, and there is nothing to compensate.

Another problem is the nose. It's like a wall, and i think it should be more narrow.

I've doubt even on the utility of the "wings".

Just thought, i know that the model is a perfect replica of the one in the film, and it's awesome, but it doesn't mean that it should fly nice. I think that the creator can create a better ship that can actually fly. It could become useful for real.

[xxhansonmaxx]

The design of the Ranger is awesome, but simply it won't fly. With the new FAR .15 is simply not stable and aerodynamics.

Over mach 0.5 is very unstable, the ship just want to fly backward where is more aerodynamic, so it keep rolling in all directions.

I think that the major is the missing ruder, that make the ranger a spinning top, and there is nothing to compensate.

Another problem is the nose. It's like a wall, and i think it should be more narrow.

I've doubt even on the utility of the "wings".

Just thought, i know that the model is a perfect replica of the one in the film, and it's awesome, but it doesn't mean that it should fly nice. I think that the creator can create a better ship that can actually fly. It could become useful for real.

It's not FAR compatible yet, it flies perfectly with stock aero.

[-ctn-]

The Ranger flies absolutely beautifully with the stock aero. Only problem I've had is learning how to pilot landing at a specific spot. >.<

[carter87]

think i am missing something i cant attach the endurance engines to the fuel tanks havent been able to since 1.0 any ideas

[Toyotawolf]

Where in the tech tree are the Rangers engines, I can't seem to locate them.

[aazo5]

I have a question regarding the base building parts. I flew all the way to Laythe, and was in orbit and was planning on detaching the base building modules, but can't find a way to do so. Was I supposed to add docking ports to the outside of it before I took off? Because I figured important things like that were already on the ship. And if I do need to add docking ports to be able to detach it from the Endurance ring, how do I take it off the ship. I know I need to use the lander to attach it and then bring it to the planet, but can I simply just pull it off of the endurance with the lander?

- - - Updated - - -

Edited May 10, 2015 by aazo5

[Jasseji]

I have a question regarding the base building parts. I flew all the way to Laythe, and was in orbit and was planning on detaching the base building modules, but can't find a way to do so. Was I supposed to add docking ports to the outside of it before I took off? Because I figured important things like that were already on the ship. And if I do need to add docking ports to be able to detach it from the Endurance ring, how do I take it off the ship. I know I need to use the lander to attach it and then bring it to the planet, but can I simply just pull it off of the endurance with the lander?

- - - Updated - - -

You need to zoom-rotate the camera so it clips inside the structures - then you can see the docking ports which are attached between the ring structures and the modules

The other way is to go IVA and on the MFD go into Target Management screen and "Undock" - the problem there is though, that the ports will have some generic names and you cant rename them so you never exactly know which module you detach

The IVA port names should be changed when the creator of RasterPropMonitor gets around to do it

[Toyotawolf]

So i just double checked and the ranger engine isn't in the tech tree so you can't unlock it in career mode.

[Jasseji]

So i just double checked and the ranger engine isn't in the tech tree so you can't unlock it in career mode.

There is a typo in the .cfg file for the ranger engine.

it should be:

TechRequired = experimentalAerodynamics

but says:

TechRequired = experimentalAerodynamic

[aazo5]

You need to zoom-rotate the camera so it clips inside the structures - then you can see the docking ports which are attached between the ring structures and the modules

The other way is to go IVA and on the MFD go into Target Management screen and "Undock" - the problem there is though, that the ports will have some generic names and you cant rename them so you never exactly know which module you detach

The IVA port names should be changed when the creator of RasterPropMonitor gets around to do it

Okay, so I didn't need to add any docking ports or anything in advance? Just don't want to have to start over my entire mission.

[Jasseji]

Okay, so I didn't need to add any docking ports or anything in advance? Just don't want to have to start over my entire mission.

the docking ports are already on the modules (hab, science, cargo, lab) but you cant see them because they are hidden from view.

I suggest you to look at the models separately in the VAB to see how each part looks without the rest

[aazo5]

the docking ports are already on the modules (hab, science, cargo, lab) but you cant see them because they are hidden from view.

I suggest you to look at the models separately in the VAB to see how each part looks without the rest

Yeah I did that but all I saw was one radial attachment point on the back of the modules. You can't connect those to docking ports though, right?

[Vitasalato]

It's not FAR compatible yet, it flies perfectly with stock aero.

It's just that i don't think that is a problem of compatibility.

Hope that I'm wrong

[fucojr]

For people having trouble landing the Lander and the Ranger in VTOL-manner, try these mods:

Landing Aid [http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/85838-1-0-2-(Apr30-15)-Landing-Aid-Kill-your-horizontal-velocity-to-land-(Now-optinally-using-RCS)] by Diazo

and

Throttle Controlled Avionics [http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/67270-Throttle-Controlled-Avionics-1-4-1-0-90-(5-January-15)] by qfeys.

The former helps you kill horizontal velocity at just a click, and also gives you an option to select a specific location on the surface and automatically fly to/hover over that location in a helicopter-like manner.

The latter is an automated dynamic throttle controller so that even if your vessel's center of thrust is not aligned with its center of mass, it automatically balances out the thrust output of each thrusters to prevent the ship from spinning. It is even possible to fly the Lander in horizontally(using its main thrusters, with its VTOL thrusters compensating for the downward torque) albeit with some fuel inefficiency.

[vistaero]

Hello benjee10. Sorry bad english. According to http://interstellarfilm.wikia.com/wiki/Ranger, the Ranger does not consume fuel in the atmosphere, because of its electrical aerospikes:

"The Ranger is also capable of cruising through a planetary atmosphere with its electrical air jets. High powered turbines draw air from slot-like intakes near its nose and on the corners of the wing structure. Air is accelerated and channeled out the trailing edges of its wing structure and through vents on its underbelly; which are covered by opening and closing louvers. Depending on the angle of its ventral louvers, airflow can be diverted downward for vertical-take-off-and-landing (VTOL) or rearward for forward flight."

So, I think that the engines of the Ranger in your mod, should not be like RAPIER engines. In air breathing mode, they should not have particle effects, they should sound as conventional jet engine, and no fuel consumption. In closed cycled, they should be like Lander engines. Blue light and also no particle effects.

Please, consider it. Thank you for your great mod.

Edited May 10, 2015 by vistaero

[Toyotawolf]

There is a typo in the .cfg file for the ranger engine.

it should be:

TechRequired = experimentalAerodynamics

but says:

TechRequired = experimentalAerodynamic

AWESOME! thank you, this had me so irked last night, i couldn't find the issue.

[Toyotawolf]

Benjee is there any chance on making the ranger engines more efficient like they used to be? was an awesome SSTO

[jarhead1145]

@vistaero

It consumes no oxidizer, but something needs to produce the extreme amount of electrical power. I'd say it would be an internal APU that does consume fuel(probably is a very efficient engine) and some of the intake air to create proper combustion.