[1.1.2] Realism Overhaul v11.0.0 May 8

[Felger]

Realism Overhaul - NEW THREAD HERE

Legacy opening post:

=====================

If you want to discuss Realism Overhaul or how to use Realism Overhaul check out this thread here.

=====================

Contributors (In second-letter-alphabetical order):

A1Ch1, Raidernick, camlost, JandCandO, Sarbian, marcelocoelhorodrigues, NathanKell, hattivat, batuhan, Ravenchant, bax-, advice-dawgg, jean400, RedAV8R, MedievalNerd, regex, Felger, Replica17, ferram4, BevolJ, RezzyD, Agathorn, TheKosmonaut, TheVoid2, Phredward, ChrisPBacon, Kibbick, Niemand303, AjentK, pjf, rocketscience, John-Long-Silver, doktorjet, Ippo343, Dragon01, Probus, BryceSchroeder, Bsd0, asmi, Starman4308, stratochief66, StupidChris, OvidHamburg, awang, winged

Many people have contributed to Realism Overhaul, if you contributed and I missed you on this list, PM me and I'll add you.

=====================

Realism Overhaul is a mod that makes Kerbal Space Program behave more like real life. If you're interested in seeing what it's like to fly rockets in the real world, this is the mod for you! Realism Overhaul does this by modifying other mods and stock parts to perform as their real-life equivalents. You can expect things to be a little harder, and rockets to be a bit bigger, but the scenes far more epic, and the accomplishment that much greater.

Overview of the changes you can expect to see:

 

• Engine performance - Engines use real fuels, real sizes and real performance values. Check out the Wiki for guides on how to use engines!
• Modified ElectricCharge system - 1EC/s = 1kW.
• Solar Panels don't produce magical amounts of electricity, but they are much lighter.
• RTGs don't produce magical amounts of electricity, but many systems don't need as much electricity.
• Reaction wheels aren't magically powerful anymore, just like real life. (They still don't require momentum dumping though)

 

Some examples of what it's like to play in Realism Overhaul:

 

Help, Guides & Information

Wikis (including guides on contributing, old versions of Realism Overhaul, gameplay guides, and much more!):

• Realism Overhaul Wiki
• Commonly Asked Questions (with commonly answered answers)
• Building Your First RO Rocket
• Ferram's Launch Vehicle Tutorial
• Engine Choice and Stage Sizing
• Ferram on Ascent Profile and TWR
• How to use those Puny Ion Engines
• Getting Started Contributing

 

If you'd like to talk to us, contribute, or ask for help on a bug, you can always find someone online on the RealismOverhaul IRC Channel (irc.esper.net #RO (Webchat, or use a client like HexChat)

If you're experiencing a bug, please post an output_log.txt (This can be found in your /KerbalSpaceProgam/KSP_Data/ folder)

Career Mode Discussion and Career Mode Work is in progress, a release will be made here when we have something playable (IRC: irc.esper.net, #rp0 if you want to help out)

Now the fun STUFF!

Currently supported Mods (For a full list of mods and notes about how to use them, check out this sheet). Highly Recommended mods are highlighted in green underline, mods that add to realism, but may make things more difficult are highlighted in orange italics, part packs that add engines are highlighted in blue and followed by a ~, and parts followed by a * are not currently installable via CKAN (see links below for installation):

Dependencies: These mods are required for Realism Overhaul to function correctly. CKAN will automatically install all of these mods for you when you install Realism Overhaul. Advanced Jet Engine link Ferram Aerospace Research link Kerbal Joint Reinforcement link Module Manager link Real Chute link Real Fuels link Real Heat link Real Plume link SmokeScreen link Recommendations: These mods are recommended, and installed by default in CKAN. They are not required, and you can install all or none of them to your own liking. B9 Procedural Wings link Connected Living Space link Deadly Reentry link Filter Extensions link Hangar Extender link KSP Automatic Version Checker link MechJeb link Procedural Fairings link Procedural Fairings - For Everything! link Procedural Parts link RCS Build Aid link Real Solar System link Remote Tech link Saturatable Reaction Wheels link TAC Life Support link Test Flight link Texture Replacer link Toolbar link

Suggestions: These mods are supported part packs that make it easier to build rockets. We suggest installing at least a few of these. 6S Service Cmpt link AIES Aerospace~ link ALCOR* link ATK Propulsion Pack Atomic Age link Community ISS* link Component Space Shuttle* link DMagic Orbital Science link FASA~ link KAS link KW Rocketry~ link LazTek SpaceX~* link LionHead Landers & Probes* link LionHead ESA (no Ariane 6)* link Near Future Tech~ link OLDD Apollo~* link Porkworks Habitation link Proton - OLDD~* link Real Scale Boosters RLA Stockalike~ link Rocketdyne F-1~ link SCANsat link Soviet Engines~ link RN Antares-Cygnus~ link RN Proton & Soyuz R7~ link RN Salyut/Soyuz/Vostok/Voskhod~ link RN Skylab link RN Solar Panels link RN Soviet Probes~ link RN US Probes Pack~ link Soyuz - BobCat link SpaceFactory Vostok/Voskhod~ link SXT~ link Taerobee~ link Tantares~ link Tantares LV~ link Universal Storage link Ven's Stock Revamp~ link

 

Other Recommendations:

If you're having RAM issues (game crashes unexpectedly, etc) there's a few things you can do:

• Use Procedural Parts for fuel tanks, and remove fuel tanks from your part packs.
• Use Procedural Fairings for fairings, and remove fairings from your part packs.
• Use B9 Procedural Wings for wings, and remove wings from your part packs.
• Use @rbray89's fantastic Dynamic Texture Loader

You can use the AutoPruner Script remove these items.

Follow these steps to set launch options for Kerbal Space Program to reduce RAM footprint and allow alt-tabbing while loading:

1. Edit settings.cfg in the root KSP install folder, change FULLSCREEN = True to FULLSCREEN = False
2. Create a desktop shortcut for KSP.exe
3. Right click on it, and open up the properties of that shortcut
4. Add -force-opengl -popupwindow following the path to your KSP.exe.
5. Launch the game, if you get graphical glitches (My text is glitchy with -force-opengl) try:
6. Replace with -force-d3d11 -popupwindow in the path to your KSP.exe.

    

   In the end, your Properties window should look like one of these:
    

   

    

 

Installation

Option A:

Pre-Packaged installation via CKAN!

CKAN is an excellent tool for installing mods in an orderly fashion. We have prepared a set of installation packages for the mods in Realism Overhaul, follows are instructions for how to install via CKAN (Or check out the CKAN User's Guide):

 

1. Start out by creating a clean installation of KSP. (If you don't, beware the dragons!)
2. Next, visit the forum thread here and download the latest release here. Note that at the time this guide was compiled, the version with enabled GUI is only available in pre-release format.
3. Place ckan.exe in your KSP installation directory.

 

Installing via the GUI:

Currently, we primarily support installation via the CKAN GUI. Other methods may be out of date.

Steps:

1. Launch the CKAN GUI by double-clicking the ckan.exe in your KSP directory
2. Use the Filter to find Realism Overhaul
3. Select Realism Overhaul to install
4. Click Go To Changes
5. Proceed through the menus to select your installation.
6. Watch CKAN install Realism Overhaul and all the other mods for you
7. Launch KSP. Enjoy!

 

Installing via Command Line:

The GUI has overtaken the command line, and is now more fully featured. But if you're more comfortable with command line interfaces, check out the CKAN user's guide for more information on the CLI.

Option B:

If you don't like automation, there's always the old 'by hand' way:

1. Start with a FRESH unadulterated install of KSP.

2. Download and install the required mods. Ensure you have the most up to date version and have followed their respective installation instructions. Links are provided below as well as some special installation notes/instructions for those mods.

3. Download and install Realism Overhaul itself (download zip archive, unzip all folders inside its GameData folder into your KSP/GameData folder).

4. Launch KSP. Enjoy!

========================================

Modlist removed, redundancy not required. See above for forum links.

IMPORTANT - DELETE YOUR OLD REALISM OVERHAUL FOLDER

Realism Overhaul Github Release Page (DOWNLOAD HERE)

Source

UNSUPPORTED / WIP (PATCHES WELCOME!):

Please see this Google Spreadsheet for the Current WIP or desired mod packs. Help updating and creating configs is always welcome! Just jump on the IRC channel (details above) and offer your help! If you fix something in one of these packs, please submit it to the Github Repo instructions here.]

Career Mode

Realistic Progression Zero

Realistic Progression Zero incorporates career mode into Realism Overhaul. Note that at this time not all modpacks are supported, see the RP-0 post for more details.

Visual Enhancements

TextureReplacer by shaw.

Texture Replacer allows you to replace many of the textures in the game (it's in the recommended list for its texture unloading abilities.) For visual effects, we recommend using one of the skyboxes linked in the Texture Replacer OP, especially one of the real life skyboxes.

NOTE: at this time, the following are still WIP, so there may be bugs.

Real Plume

RealPlume was started by Ferram4 for the Crotchety Old Modders mars mission, further work was put in by Dragon01, Felger, and NathanKell, and has been absorbed into Realism Overhaul. If you're installing via CKAN, it's an optional installation, and requires SmokeScreen. If you're installing manually, it's included in the Realism Overhaul folder, you just need to install SmokeScreen. RealPlume adds plume expansion to your rockets, and makes them look a lot more like real life.

RealPlume is now part of RealismOverhaul proper. RealPlume-stock standalone coming soon!

RSS Visual Enhancements by pingopete

RSS Visual Enhancements is improving the visual appearance of planets and clouds, and it's looking excellent so far!

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Changelog

More reading can be found in the old RO and RedAV8R Realism Patch threads located:

Old RealismOverhaul Thread

Older RealismOverhaul Thread

Old RedAV8R Realism Patch Thread

====================================

Other Things to help make RO/RSS more enjoyable:

Calc.xls by NathanKell

RSS/RO Repository Thread

This mod was created by NathanKell and RedAV8R. Currently maintained by NathanKell and Felger. (Contributions by many others).

License CC BY-SA

[pjf]

For those wondering about CKAN installs, we're in the final stages of preparing for our 1.0 release. There are pre-release clients available, and the same executable works on Windows, Mac, and Linux (.NET/Mono 4.0 required). RealismOverhaul has always been one of our goals for automated installation.

Being in pre-release, we're still sorting out a few kinks, but if you have a fresh KSP install, and you're feeling adventurous and technically minded, the following should install RealismOverhaul, all its dependencies, and as many of the recommended modules as we support:

ckan.exe update
ckan.exe install RSSTextures2048 RealismOverhaul

Substitute RSSTextures2048 with RSSTextures4096 or RSSTextures8192 if you love using more memory in RealSolarSystem.

If you don't have a fresh install, the CKAN will refuse to overwrite existing mods, so you'll either need to uninstall the existing ones by hand, or wait for our stable release (which will probably still ask you to remove them by hand, but will give you better error messages).

Please don't bother NathanKell or Felger with CKAN installation difficulties. If you have trouble, the best way is to join us on IRC, read the docs, or open a support ticket.

All the best!

~ Paul

[The Destroyer]

Awesome! Can't wait for automated installs, my last attempt at manual kinda.... failed.

[immelman]

Hello, I would like to add (or modify) the conical heat shields by LostOblivion: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/91920-0-25-Oblivion-Aerospace-Pack-New-heat-shields-for-DRE!-%28v0-1-3-2014-09-18%29 to work with Realism Overhaul.

Being a modding newbie how should I go about this, should I adapt the part and submit it for inclusion?

[Felger]

Hello, I would like to add (or modify) the conical heat shields by LostOblivion: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/91920-0-25-Oblivion-Aerospace-Pack-New-heat-shields-for-DRE!-%28v0-1-3-2014-09-18%29 to work with Realism Overhaul.

Being a modding newbie how should I go about this, should I adapt the part and submit it for inclusion?

Absolutely, those look pretty awesome!

There's some basic steps to get you started in the OP (under Contributions)

What I'd suggest you do is have a look at the file for the Deadly Re-entry heat shields in the Realism Overhaul pack and see if you can make heads or tails of what it's doing, then try to replicate it. (You know what they say, good programmers write code, great programmers steal!)

Some basics:

Anything starting with an '@' is modifying a value in the part.cfg (found in the mod's installation folder)

Anything starting with a '%' is either modifying a value or adding that value if it doesn't exist

Anything starting with a '!' is deleting a value

MODULEs are what do things on a part. Example for those parts:

@MODULE[ModuleHeatShield]
	{
		@reflective = 0.08
		@loss
		{
			@key,0 = 650 0 0 0
			@key,1 = 2000 120 0 0
			@key,2 = 6000 150 0 0
		}
		@dissipation
		{
			@key,0 = 300 0 0 0
			@key,1 = 800 720 0 0
		}
	}

Modifies the ModuleHeatShield MODULE to change how much of something it loses, and how much of something else it dissipates. Looking at the values here's my guess of what everything means:

@MODULE[ModuleHeatShield]
	{
		@reflective = 0.08 //No idea, perhaps reflective heat, or some interaction with the flow?
		@loss // sounds like how fast it loses AblativeShielding during re-entry
		{
			@key,0 = 650 0 0 0 //Guess: @key,(# to define a point, next one would be 3) = <speed in m/s> <loss rate> <no idea> <no idea>
			@key,1 = 2000 120 0 0
			@key,2 = 6000 150 0 0
		}
		@dissipation //sounds like how fast heat dissipates from the heat shield during re-entry at different temperatures.
		{
			@key,0 = 300 0 0 0
			@key,1 = 800 720 0 0
		}
	}

And I'm sure you could find better explanations if you look at the original part file, or at the Deadly Re-entry thread. What I'd recommend doing, though, is basically trying to replicate the configs exactly for the new parts, then tweaking them based on size (use similar sized deadly re-entry heat shields as a guide) and perhaps tweaking from there to make stuff work appropriately.

And I'm sure that NathanKell can probably comment on what exactly all the part parameters do for Deadly Re-entry, I'm sure if you sent him a PM he'd be more than willing to answer whatever questions you have.

[immelman]

Thank you for your advice, I will take a look and get back to you.

[Felger]

No problem!

I guess the biggest piece of advice I can give you is don't be afraid to screw up. Worst case scenario, you try something and it doesn't work. You cross that off the list, make a new guess, move on to the next thing to try until you get something that works.

[Hattivat]

Yay, glad to see a new thread. If all goes well, I should have time to contribute some configs over the weekend (Porkjet's inflatables will likely be first, since I'm the guy who originally provided RedAV8R with data on their real-life counterparts, so I already have that topic researched).

[jean400]

woah, i'm glad that there is a new thread, i couldnt find many instructions out there about what mods are supposed to be used with this. can't wait to use the automatic CKAN installer!

[Lilienthal]

1st bug report.

(lets hope I am not screwing up the first bug report on the new thread..)

I noticed a while ago that there are problems with steering by the RemoteTech flight computer and recently I realized similar behaviour with kOS. I think this bug can be a possible reason for that:

In RO, if you hold down "A", then press at the same time "D" and relase "A", the RCS is firing in both directions. The same thing happens when you use kOS to tell it first to pitch 1, and then to pitch -1.

This pic might illustrate this:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6HjnvCVlg4eeE9ueVJNUGRyRXM/view?usp=sharing

The log can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6HjnvCVlg4eLW5NWW9qenJJRlU/view?usp=sharing

I am using Ubuntu 12.04, KSPx64. I found this first with a complete RO install that includes some other stuff, then tested four times:

1. stock KSP: does not happen.

2. ModuleRCSFX: still not happening

3. RealFuels: not happening

4. RO: Bug appears for the first time.

The only other mod included is the toolbar.

It's be really great if someone could look at it, then I wouldn't have the problem anymore of my probes sending RCS-jet in opposite directions when directed by the flight computer or KOS.

Thanks,

Gustav.

[Woopert]

Glad to see the mod is still alive and well. I know you'll take good care of it.

[tofox]

I never can choose if i want to play rss or stock heavily moded its to hard

to many incompatibility to have both.

[jrandom]

I never can choose if i want to play rss or stock heavily moded its to hard

to many incompatibility to have both.

Why not both? Make a copy of your KSP folder and rename it to something like "KSP RSS" or something. That way you have both stock and RSS versions available simultaniously.

[Guest]

Are the old RO builds available anywhere? Specifically, pre-6.12. The latest "officially supported" FASA version seems to be missing some content from the old one (I seem to recall there being more fairing options, for example) and also has some pretty serious bugs regarding its aerodynamic bits (FAR configuration is completely gone, for instance). I've got a brief period of time I could spend fixing some of that, but I don't have pre-6.12 versions anymore in order to roll back the broken entries.

[NathanKell]

All prior RO releases are available from the Releases page on the repo.

[Felger]

1st bug report.

(lets hope I am not screwing up the first bug report on the new thread..)

I noticed a while ago that there are problems with steering by the RemoteTech flight computer and recently I realized similar behaviour with kOS. I think this bug can be a possible reason for that:

In RO, if you hold down "A", then press at the same time "D" and relase "A", the RCS is firing in both directions. The same thing happens when you use kOS to tell it first to pitch 1, and then to pitch -1.

This pic might illustrate this:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6HjnvCVlg4eeE9ueVJNUGRyRXM/view?usp=sharing

The log can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6HjnvCVlg4eLW5NWW9qenJJRlU/view?usp=sharing

I am using Ubuntu 12.04, KSPx64. I found this first with a complete RO install that includes some other stuff, then tested four times:

1. stock KSP: does not happen.

2. ModuleRCSFX: still not happening

3. RealFuels: not happening

4. RO: Bug appears for the first time.

The only other mod included is the toolbar.

It's be really great if someone could look at it, then I wouldn't have the problem anymore of my probes sending RCS-jet in opposite directions when directed by the flight computer or KOS.

Thanks,

Gustav.

That's very odd. To my knowledge, other than providing configs for RealFuels and ModuleRCSFX, RO doesn't touch the functionality of RCS. Prior to installing RO, were your RCS thrusters using Monopropellant (the stock resource) or one of the RealFuels propellants?

[JT2227]

Awesome to see the thread back up!!! Anyways, I know I keep posting stuff on here, but I keep having problems that just don't seem right...

http://imgur.com/a/lEfWp

Modlist:

*and infernal robotics

In previous versions, I never seemed to have these launch issues, now it seems every launch I have fails due to them. Is this normal?

[NathanKell]

Starwaster is aware, yeah.

[Lilienthal]

That's very odd. To my knowledge, other than providing configs for RealFuels and ModuleRCSFX, RO doesn't touch the functionality of RCS. Prior to installing RO, were your RCS thrusters using Monopropellant (the stock resource) or one of the RealFuels propellants?

I think prior to RO it was monopropellant. (I cannot check until this evening.) With RO it was one of the RealFuels.

[NathanKell]

That sounds like a bug in ModuleRCSFX then.

[Starwaster]

Awesome to see the thread back up!!! Anyways, I know I keep posting stuff on here, but I keep having problems that just don't seem right...

http://imgur.com/a/lEfWp

Modlist:

http://i.imgur.com/gUzPFh3.png

*and infernal robotics

In previous versions, I never seemed to have these launch issues, now it seems every launch I have fails due to them. Is this normal?

Said it before and I'll say it again, too much speed at too low an altitude.

But go get the Deadly Reentry beta 6.3.1

Set it to Hard mode. Although it results in more overall heating, it also cuts down atmospheric density in its calculations which will help you out in the lower atmosphere. I just launched a rocket with a starting TWR 3.6 (ASL), 'hydrolox', no payload, no heat shielded nosecone and maxTemp capped at 1250. (DRE 6.2.x has it at 2500)

Sole purpose was to see what it could take before burning up and it survived its launch without burning off anything. Granted it was stock Kerbin and not RSS but I didn't feel like taking the time to switch over. Anyway, give it a try.

[Guest]

OK, here's the list of changes I'm going to make (or already made) to FASA implementation. Feedback welcome.

-Fixed aerodynamic surfaces for both S-IB and S-IC.

-Fixed H1 gimbal (was disabled by a typo...).

-Welded-on fins on S-IC and S-IB removed.

-Retrorockets added to the S-IC fin/fairing assembly.

-Radial attachment re-enabled on Sergeant motor.

-XLR-99 model changed to Orbital Bertha.

-Mini LR-91 configured as LR-91-3 (for Titan I).

To do:

-Add Titan I fuel tanks.

-Re-add 300" fairings.

-Add Mercury separation motors.

-Re-add the (non-generic) S-IB version without the engine attachment plate (useful for re-engining Saturn I).

Also, RealEffects mod is now nearing completion. I'm currently overhauling kerolox engines, which are the hardest to do, especially without bogging KSP down. Depending on my RL workload, I might manage to finish it up soon.

Edited November 14, 2014 by Guest

[Hattivat]

Also, RealEffects mod is now nearing completion. I'm currently overhauling kerolox engines, which are the hardest to do, especially without bogging KSP down. Depending on my RL workload, I might manage to finish it up soon.

Does that mean there will finally be proper underexpansion effects in KSP? That would be awesome!

[Felger]

That sounds like a bug in ModuleRCSFX then.

Agreed, since you won't see the ModuleRCSFX behavior without the RO configs (assuming I understand it correctly)

[Felger]

OK, here's the list of changes I'm going to make (or already made) to FASA implementation. Feedback welcome.

-Fixed aerodynamic surfaces for both S-IB and S-IC.

-Fixed H1 gimbal (was disabled by a typo...).

-Welded-on fins on S-IC and S-IB removed.

-Retrorockets added to the S-IC fin/fairing assembly.

-Radial attachment re-enabled on Sergeant motor.

-XLR-99 model changed to Orbital Bertha.

-Mini LR-91 configured as LR-91-3 (for Titan I).

To do:

-Add Titan I fuel tanks.

-Re-add 300" fairings.

-Add Mercury separation motors.

-Re-add the (non-generic) S-IB version without the engine attachment plate (useful for re-engining Saturn I).

Also, RealEffects mod is now nearing completion. I'm currently overhauling kerolox engines, which are the hardest to do, especially without bogging KSP down. Depending on my RL workload, I might manage to finish it up soon.

Nifty! Thanks for taking that on, Dragon. Feel free to submit it as a pull to RO when you've got it done, I'll review it and include it in the next release.