[0.90] Regolith - an open ISRU and Resource framework [0.1.7 - 2015.02.26]

[RoverDude]

Introducing Regolith!

NOTE: AS OF KSP 0.90 REGOLITH IS NOW IN RELEASE - THE TECH PREVIEW PARTS HAVE BEEN MOVED OUT OF THE DOWNLOAD!

Regolith is an open and extensible ISRU and resource framework.

So what does that mean?

Well, consider it more foundational stuff. Regolith's real end goal is to provide modders with a framework for handling resource harvesting - both planetary as well as asteroidal - along with a handy replacement for the stock module generator (and one that will continue to process even if your ship is not focused, similar to TAC-LS). Reference implementations of Regolith can be found in all of the 0.90+ USI mods, and there will be API documentation forthcoming.

So why another resource system?

Originally I used ORS. Which rocks (and still rocks - there would be no Karbonite without ORS). Then I extended it. Then forked it. Then extended it some more. And with some of the plans I have, realized that it had hit a point where I needed a new foundation. Some examples of subsystems I want in a resource system that I did not have in ORS-X (my fork) and by extension ORS include:

- No reliance on PNGs (it was making support for stuff like StarSystems, etc. tough)

- Variable and depletable resources

- More player-resource interactivity (fracking, prospecting)

- More robust animation and particle effect support

- Support for dependent parts (asteroids) as well as drill bit orientation (ala Kethane)

Additionally, the design behind Regolith is all about extensibility and interoperability. So first and foremost on the list is how to deal cleanly with multiple mods who may have very different ideas on composition. etc. (i.e. is Jool a ball of Karbonite or a ball of Hydrogen?)

And finally, it brings together the actual converters that we use for resource acquisition (drilling and mining) and the converters used for transformation (ISRU modules). So there's a very consistent feel between these. At the end of the day, whether we're harvesting or converting, it's still all about taking stuff and making other stuff.

(Here's a quick demo showing a Regolith implementation for asteroids)

So go forth, find bees, and enjoy!

License: CC 4.0 BY-SA-NC

Github Repo (source): https://github.com/BobPalmer/Regolith

Download: https://github.com/BobPalmer/Regolith/releases

Edited February 27, 2015 by RoverDude

[endl]

awesome, so is this going to replace art?

edit: first!

Edited November 15, 2014 by endl

[Contagano]

Freaking awesome!!

[Kamuchi]

This sounds promising and just intime as I`m about to setup for a permanent vessel on an asteroid as a base, now it doesn`t needs big fuel delivers and top off when small planes come

Heck, this makes capturing E class abit easier aswell for my next project

[Helix935]

one word: DAYUMMM

also are you going to make asteroid habitats like what dtobi was doing with his asteroid cities mod before he discontinued all his stuff?

[RoverDude]

one word: DAYUMMM

also are you going to make asteroid habitats like what dtobi was doing with his asteroid cities mod before he discontinued all his stuff?

I'll be rebooting asteroid cities with Dtobi's blessing But I wanted to get a common foundation down first.

[Angelo Kerman]

This is very cool. How does this mod work with ART? Does it supplant it?

[JamesL86]

DUDE!!! When do you ever sleep?!?! Holy crap! This is awesome!

[RoverDude]

ART will be an implementation of Regolith (in the same way that Karbonite will be the reference implementation of the planetary resource features of Regolith).

ART = low resource efficiency, flexible storage.

Regolith demo = high resource efficiency, inflexible storage.

- - - Updated - - -

Also - as noted this is more of a technical demo of an implementation - Regolith is meant to be stand-alone. I will likely, down the road, separate the parts into a different mod away from the core resource and harvesting bits, which will just be a DLL and some config files.

[CaptRobau]

How do I add/remove the resources that are mined?

[RoverDude]

How do I add/remove the resources that are mined?

Module Manager.

There are two sets of configuration values:

ResourceSetup.cfg is used for the analysis module. This is the stuff you can detect. It will be used for both asteroids and planetary stuff.

Asteroid.cfg is where we actually set up asteroids. Just add/remove asteroid resource modules as needed.

presenceChance is the chance that it will be on an asteroid at all. If present, low and high range are relative weights. These are combined to determine the final percentage (along with randomized asteroid purity). So you can have things that are rare, but high abundance if they are present, or things that are common but in trace amounts, etc.

(Side note - this is the technical preview so it includes these MM files as samples. In the actual release, there will be no resources pre-established, that's up to the mods, and it's designed to combine multiple MM configs).

[Fraz86]

Looks great! Any idea how soon we might get to try out a Regolith-based version of Karbonite?

[endl]

so what your saying is that if i only play with the stock resources (and karbonite), i dont really need art anymore regolith should fit my needs?

[ExavierMacbeth]

Looks like it might depend on what you want to do with the asteroid. Hollow it out and turn it into a large configurable storage tank, use ART. Mine it out with a high mass:resource efficency, use Regolith.

Can't wait till its more refined, don't want to break my current save so not adding more mods to it atm.

[RoverDude]

Looks great! Any idea how soon we might get to try out a Regolith-based version of Karbonite?

soon

so what your saying is that if i only play with the stock resources (and karbonite), i dont really need art anymore regolith should fit my needs?

Depends. If you want dynamic storage, add in ART. If you want resource harvesting, use something that includes Regolith. FYI ART will move to Regolith in it's next release. Or, read below

Looks like it might depend on what you want to do with the asteroid. Hollow it out and turn it into a large configurable storage tank, use ART. Mine it out with a high mass:resource efficency, use Regolith.

Can't wait till its more refined, don't want to break my current save so not adding more mods to it atm.

[endl]

Looks like it might depend on what you want to do with the asteroid. Hollow it out and turn it into a large configurable storage tank, use ART. Mine it out with a high mass:resource efficiency, use Regolith.

Can't wait till its more refined, don't want to break my current save so not adding more mods to it atm.

ok i think i get the difference.

so art stores "finished" resource inside the asteroid processing it at a very low rate

regolith process at a faster rate but only stores the preprocessed resource inside the asteroid, so if you want to store finished fuel youll need to bring your own tanks?

i guess then for my purposes i would prefer regolith over art unless i decide i need to make a giant storage depo.

[plasmeus]

Very intriguing. If would be nice if some of the people working on the Interstellar mod looked at it. Some of this sites best mods are the results of collaborations between devs.

[RoverDude]

Very intriguing. If would be nice if some of the people working on the Interstellar mod looked at it. Some of this sites best mods are the results of collaborations between devs.

Agree 110%.

@Endl - less a matter of speed, and more a matter of useable stuff. Take 75% of an asteroid's mass with ART and you get about 0.1% of usable stuff, 99.99% rock. Use Regolith, you get (on average) 45% usable stuff, 55% rock. But that can go as high as 90% stuff/10% rock. So the difference is significant.

Edited November 16, 2014 by RoverDude

[Angelo Kerman]

Intriguing! I definitely want to use this to mine ore and water, then make a converter to turn water into LiquidHelium and oxygen. That, and FusionPellets!

[RoverDude]

I assume you meant Liquid Hydrogen

[Angelo Kerman]

That too. Actually, fusion pellets would need helium-3 and deuterium. Or Karborundrum. Hm...

[nli2work]

very cool!

[goldenpsp]

so what your saying is that if i only play with the stock resources (and karbonite), i dont really need art anymore regolith should fit my needs?

If i understand correctly, the key take away with Regolith is that it will eventually be a replacement for ORSX, ie it will the the resource foundation for karbonite, MKS resources, ART, and probably the new AMT (asteroid mining technology). The confusing part is that the demo is showing the asteroid part, likely because it was easier than trying to demo via karbonite etc since it is so tied with ORSX and MKS etc (more bits to break).

[RoverDude]

@goldenpsp - 100% correct.

[Deadpan110]

Installed and a few questions.

Will the modules covered in this be preferred and eventually replace USI_Tools? (making a MM config will be easy todo - something along the lines of: IF USI_Converter and !REGO_ModuleResourceConverter then use this config; IF REGO_ModuleResourceConverter then use that config).

And also, what (if any) differences do the modules have in comparison to USI_Tools and ones from ORSX? (is ORSX_ModuleResourceExtraction replaced with REGO_ModuleAnimationGroup but with activation and deployment done in a single UI click?)

Oh and finally, will these parts be permanent (maybe retired to legacy eventually) as I would really like to keep them in my current game (without having the craft eventually disappear when KSP does not find the parts)?