[1.4] SpaceY Heavy-Lifter Parts Pack v1.17.1 (2018-04-02)

[mikegarrison]

... unless you install Kerbal Joint Reinforcement. I'd probably just do that.

I played for a long time without that mod, and now that I finally tried it, I would never play without it.

[NecroBones]

Does the engine without plate cover the fuel tank? Cause I'm using them as heatshield when reentry and would not be pleased to see my fuel tanks starting to melt and blow up

I haven't tested aerodynamic heating with it, so it's hard to say, since I'm not 100% clear on the new heating rules and stack occlusion. But technically speaking, the engine still has a 3.75m attachment node there, with the colliders and visual model switching based on configuration. So it depends on how KSP uses the visual model for heating occlusion in a stack, and how the mesh-switcher plugins influence that. It might be worth some experiments.

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Here's a new line-up. I'm trying to decide if it's worth shortening up the other two engines to match. They probably don't need mesh switching though, since the flexibility to have a "bare" engine and stick it anywhere is already provided by the single 3.75m engine.

[Vandros]

Wow, really great to see all this new stuff.

Regarding shortening of the other engines, I'd say it's not worth it for two reasons. 1. It makes sense that wider sized tanks need engines that are a bit taller. 2. Work.

On the other hand you could argue that the engines are actually identical and only the amount of engines changes. And they DO look pretty with all the fuel lines and stuff.

Dilemma's dilemma's

[NecroBones]

Probably not as exciting and useful at 7.5m, but here's a docking port:

Wow, really great to see all this new stuff.

Regarding shortening of the other engines, I'd say it's not worth it for two reasons. 1. It makes sense that wider sized tanks need engines that are a bit taller. 2. Work.

On the other hand you could argue that the engines are actually identical and only the amount of engines changes. And they DO look pretty with all the fuel lines and stuff.

Dilemma's dilemma's

Yeah, that's currently where my thinking is. My initial thought is to shorten them, but they're really pretty the way they are, so it's probably worth keeping it as is.

[SmashBrown]

Here's an idea NB. Although i think i know the answer, as i know you like to keep the memory usage down. But would you consider putting forward facing lights on the docking ports ala vens revamp? Not important at all, just an idea.

[Norcalplanner]

Love the new docking port. These huge ports (up to now, 5m was the biggest) are the best way to assemble large ships and stations in orbit.

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[NecroBones]

Here's an idea NB. Although i think i know the answer, as i know you like to keep the memory usage down. But would you consider putting forward facing lights on the docking ports ala vens revamp? Not important at all, just an idea.

Yep, that's a possibility. They have running lights now, but some small floods are a workable idea.

[rabidninjawombat]

Probably not as exciting and useful at 7.5m, but here's a docking port:

http://ksp.necrobones.com/screenshots/2015-08/KSP%202015-08-27%2012-04-58-34.jpg

Yeah, that's currently where my thinking is. My initial thought is to shorten them, but they're really pretty the way they are, so it's probably worth keeping it as is.

are you kidding me?! 7.5 meter is totally useful! AWESOME!

[billkerbinsky]

are you kidding me?! 7.5 meter is totally useful! AWESOME!

Just add 5m and 7.5m 6-way hubs for those really big stations..

[SmashBrown]

Yep, that's a possibility. They have running lights now, but some small floods are a workable idea.

Sweeeeeeeeeeeet

[Norcalplanner]

Yep, that's a possibility. They have running lights now, but some small floods are a workable idea.

If you decide to add them, please make it a tweakable. None of my recent stations have any lighting because of the FPS hit.

[NecroBones]

If you decide to add them, please make it a tweakable. None of my recent stations have any lighting because of the FPS hit.

I could do that. However, you'd have the choice to not turn them on. That's probably sufficient. (that is, I'd add them as controllable lights, not "always on")

[Norcalplanner]

I could do that. However, you'd have the choice to not turn them on. That's probably sufficient. (that is, I'd add them as controllable lights, not "always on")

That is precisely what I meant - I just said it poorly.

[NecroBones]

That is precisely what I meant - I just said it poorly.

LOL, OK. I had thought you meant mesh-switching them in and out of existence. Yeah, I think this is totally doable. I'll look at what Ven did as well.

Right now my thought is to add the lights as a pair of flood lights on either side of the internal port. They could be reasonably long-range, but also somewhat dim (not blinding like the stock spotlights).

[NecroBones]

Alrighty, next SpaceY update will have docking lights!

[martinezfg11]

Nice, I'll try that docking port if I ever make it out of Kerbin's atmosphere...

[Red Iron Crown]

Nice. Possible to add the same to the docking helpers in MRS? In a similar vein, think you might want to make these ports have one or two lights a different color for orientation purposes, like the helpers?

Totally not a demanding mod user.

[NecroBones]

Nice. Possible to add the same to the docking helpers in MRS? In a similar vein, think you might want to make these ports have one or two lights a different color for orientation purposes, like the helpers?

Totally not a demanding mod user.

Certainly possible. I was thinking about that too. I'm tempted to split out a smaller texture for those guide lights (on these docking ports) so that I don't need a large emissive map like we have now. That would also make it easier to put them in separate colors, at the cost of a few draw calls (which are nearly inevitable anyway when they're different colors).

[NecroBones]

OK, check this out. Colored alignment indicator added, with the same orientation as MRS. But, if you have one of the fuel/mesh switchers installed, it'll give you the option to switch it back to just green.

[NecroBones]

Some docking tests with the 7.5m port, with lights. The lights have a 40 degree spread, but can still look a little smallish up close with those huge diameters. A little further out, it lights up the whole ship (as below).

[smjjames]

Is the 7.5 meter stuff ready yet? Because I have a HEAVY thing I need to launch into orbit and get to Jool.

lol XD

[NecroBones]

Hehe, soon, soon. I still need to make the other heavy-lift engine, but otherwise it's looking pretty good. I'm also trying to solve a surface-attach issue on one of the parts, but it's not that important.

[Vahal]

I was thinking since this diameter is so huge having a LFO RCS 5 ways or 3 ways@45° (like the ones on MRS) sized for the monsters we could have would be a nice stuff. I can't imagine the amount of monoprop used at each pression on keyboard

"Ok Jebedieah yo are docked to Armaggedon mothership nice, this time you just spent 2883 units of monopropellant!"

"Still better than the Mechjeb that used ten time what I just did, Gene."

"Fair enough..."

[NecroBones]

Yeah, I was thinking about the idea of larger vernor/vernier thruster, but some 5-way LFO RCS blocks could be cool too. Those might come later though. I do want to get a copy of this out fairly soon. I might even go ahead and get a copy out in the next couple of days and worry about some of my other plans until after the first release too.

So far the #1 priority to add is the second set of heavy lift engines (the 3.75m single, and 7.5m quad cluster). But something else I'm tempted to do, is to redesign the M and R series engine bells to be a little prettier. It would be easier to do the R-series in both mods at the same time, before the new one's release, but it's not a huge deal. I can circle back on that later without too many worries.

[Michaelo90]

Can you make cargo bays for 3.75m, 5m and 7.5m? I want to build russian dolls with rockets