[1.2.2] Realistic Progression Zero (RP-0) - Lightweight RealismOverhaul career v0.53 June 12

[NathanKell]

1. MB-x (or MB-x-y for submodels) is the designation of the "propulsion system", an LR-79 and two LR-101 verniers. The same is true for Atlas, where MA-x is the designation of the propulsion system (2x LR-89, LR-105, 2x LR-101).

2. All Thors (and Deltas) ground-light the main engine. The only funky bit is that late Deltas (II 79xx) don't ground-light all their SRBs.

3. Alas no. I thought about it, and would love to, but doing that requires changing the tankage as well, and there's no easy way to say "swap to a different volume".

[mcirish3]

So.... You would think as someone who has been playing KSP for the last 2 years I could figure out how to build a sounding rocket that flies high enough for me to get enough science to unlock the first teck nod, but well.... nope I have made it up to 15km but that is the upper limit stumped as to how to get farther. By the way what is the new science high in RRS. Any tips would be appreciated. Did I not install enough mods? or does my design stink. I am using a linear profile with some wings for stabilit. I am running up against the part and high limits at this point so not sure how to change this for more altitude. I am using all the required and recommended mods for this addon but none of the RRS recommended mods. (only the required ones).

[Agathorn]

So.... You would think as someone who has been playing KSP for the last 2 years I could figure out how to build a sounding rocket that flies high enough for me to get enough science to unlock the first teck nod, but well.... nope I have made it up to 15km but that is the upper limit stumped as to how to get farther. By the way what is the new science high in RRS. Any tips would be appreciated. Did I not install enough mods? or does my design stink. I am using a linear profile with some wings for stabilit. I am running up against the part and high limits at this point so not sure how to change this for more altitude. I am using all the required and recommended mods for this addon but none of the RRS recommended mods. (only the required ones).

You shouldn't be even close to any limits for a sounding rocket. Your best starting point is to emulate the WAC-Corporal, the US's first sounding rocket. Tiny Tim with fins for your kick stage, then an Aerobee Sustainer for your sustainer stage. The kick stage is crucial as the very short, very high TWR essentially locks the craft onto its velocity vector to reduce or eliminate tipping as you ascend.

50km is upper atmosphere, 130km is space.

- - - Updated - - -

I'd love to see the contract system updated to use historical flights as contracts. There are probably hundreds of launches that were done for no other reason then to test out components or do early scientific research that isn't covered by KSP (thinking of the Pegasus satelites which researched micro-meteor impacts on spacecraft). Having many of these launches recreated as contracts would be extremely interesting.

While we don't have contracts to emulate this, if you use TestFlight you will find a reason to fly multiple flights to test out components.

[mcirish3]

You shouldn't be even close to any limits for a sounding rocket. Your best starting point is to emulate the WAC-Corporal, the US's first sounding rocket. Tiny Tim with fins for your kick stage, then an Aerobee Sustainer for your sustainer stage. The kick stage is crucial as the very short, very high TWR essentially locks the craft onto its velocity vector to reduce or eliminate tipping as you ascend.

50km is upper atmosphere, 130km is space.

I dont have the "Aerobee Sustainer" all I have is sounding rockets. what mod is this part in if you happen to know?

[Agathorn]

I dont have the "Aerobee Sustainer" all I have is sounding rockets. what mod is this part in if you happen to know.

That is the name of the engine, and it uses the stock Squad engines so you definitely have it

[mcirish3]

But it is not unlocked yet so no can do there and I can't get more science. I was thinking of taking a rover out to the beach to get more science at this point.

[Agathorn]

But it is not unlocked yet so no can do there and I can't get more science. I was thinking of taking a rover out to the beach to get more science at this point.

Ok if it isn't unlocked then you have a bad install. Did you install Tech Manager and Community Tech Tree? When you started the game did you enable both?

[NathanKell]

Also, did you install a release of this, rather than just downloading the repository?

[mcirish3]

Ok if it isn't unlocked then you have a bad install. Did you install Tech Manager and Community Tech Tree? When you started the game did you enable both?

I am sure I probably did something not quite right at this point but I thought I selected "Community Tech Tree" when I first got into the game and yes I think I installed Tech Manager correctly (not that i did, maybe I only think I did.)

Also, did you install a release of this, rather than just downloading the repository?

Hmm... I installed from this link HERE Is it the correct 1?

[Agathorn]

I am sure I probably did something not quite right at this point but I thought I selected "Community Tech Tree" when I first got into the game and yes I think I installed Tech Manager correctly (not that i did, maybe I only think I did.)

Hmm... I installed from this link HERE Is it the correct 1?

No, that is the repo - IE the code, not the release.

https://github.com/KSP-RO/RP-0/releases

[mcirish3]

OK Thanks Guys for the help I will give it a go

[NathanKell]

OP clarified to hopefully avoid this problem in future.

[mcirish3]

Ok reinstalled and started new game if I select the comunity tech tree from the tech tree manager it give me the same options as before i.e. no sustainer engine. I am guessing that is the right choice.?

Edit: I think I will just reinstall the whole game and install from Ckan probably the smart thing to do.

Edited March 14, 2015 by mcirish3

[Agathorn]

Ok reinstalled and started new game if I select the comunity tech tree from the tech tree manager it give me the same options as before i.e. no sustainer engine. I am guessing that is the right choice.?

Edit: I think I will just reinstall the whole game and install from Ckan probably the smart thing to do.

Do you have a tree.cfg file in your RP-0 directory?

[mcirish3]

Sorry, too late, working on CKan install, deleted and over writing as I speak, sorry I gave you guys a run around. I know what a pain trouble shooting can be. On another note went out and launched some real rockets today with my children. We even had a KSP style incident when the parachute ejection system snapped the nose cone off the rocket. All parts now safely recovered however with only moderate damage.

[mcirish3]

Hi Guys, I got it figured out and is working correctly now. Thanks again for the help.

I did hit one snag with Ckan. The low rez DDS textures for the planets is bugged. Froze up when applying textures for MOHO. I guess technically I am posting the bug in the wrong place but I am guessing NathanKell you are involved with all the projects involved so... I kinda am in the right place.

I installed the regular low rez textures instead they worked just fine using ATM any way so not a big deal.

Any chance you guys would know if I need to install the ATM patch for STX when DLing from Ckan?

Edited March 15, 2015 by mcirish3

[pjf]

Avionics are coming.

This change means that a vessel cannot be guided if it exceeds the tonnage limit of the avionics parts installed, but you can still right-click parts, stage, do science, arm parachutes, and the like. This means that if you're starting a new game, then your sounding rockets will not be steerable until you progress up a few nodes. For those of you who are already part-way through the career, you'll need to think about how large your probes are, as heavy probes will needs lots of avionics to control, and at least the early avionics packs are heavy and power-hungry, although they become much lighter and more efficient as you advance up the tree. (This means that probe cores actually make a difference now, instead of using the octo2 for everything.) You may wish to set up some of your early probes for fly-by trajectories, and then jettison your power-hungry avionics modules for the long trip to wherever you're going.

Avionics are additive. If you have two cores that support 1 tonne of craft each, your craft can weigh a total of 2 tonnes.

Avionics will affect existing craft in flight.

This is a bummer if you're part-way through a mission, so if you've got an existing career you can completely disable avionics by coping the pasting the following into a .cfg file in your GameData directory (I use `zz_hackz.cfg`):

// Remove avionics on everything
@PART
[*]:HAS[@MODULE[ModuleAvionics]]:FINAL
{
    !MODULE[ModuleAvionics] { }
}

If you're like me, and all your existing cores are built on an octo2 base, you can use the following instead to *just* remove avionics from the octo2, allowing existing craft and designs to function as normal:

// Remove avionics on octo2 core.
@PART[probeCoreOcto2]:FINAL
{
    !MODULE[ModuleAvionics] { }
}

You can remove these when your missions are over, and the original avionics behaviour will be restored.

You can safely put this config in your GameData directory with the current version of RP-0, in which case it will take effect only when you upgrade to the release, whichâ€â€if NathanKell remains under my psychic controlâ€â€will be in the next day.

~ pjf

- - - Updated - - -

I did hit one snag with Ckan. The low rez DDS textures for the planets is bugged. Froze up when applying textures for MOHO. I guess technically I am posting the bug in the wrong place but I am guessing NathanKell you are involved with all the projects involved so... I kinda am in the right place.

I installed the regular low rez textures instead they worked just fine using ATM any way so not a big deal.

That sounds like it could be a memory issue, since ATM tends to ease memory pains.

Any chance you guys would know if I need to install the ATM patch for SXT when DLing from Ckan?

Today I learnt there's a patch!

Yes, you'll need it if you're seeing parts with funny white and red textures, and that bothers you. Otherwise you're fine without it.

~ pjf

[Acemcbean]

Avionics are coming? Well, that kinda sucks.. I liked launching to the Moon using a Jupiter-V replica controlled by an Explorer probe..

[chrisl]

While we don't have contracts to emulate this, if you use TestFlight you will find a reason to fly multiple flights to test out components.

Trouble there is you're forced to fly multiple rockets but you're not bringing in any extra funds for those test flights. I'm trying to save up over 6mil for the level 3 R&D Facility, while keeping enough funds around to purchase new parts as I open new research. I know I could remove some of that by adding in the No More Grind mod, but then rather then grinding contracts for funds, I'd just be grinding launches (without contracts) for Test Flight. Anyway, just saying having custom contracts that emulated the real life space programs would be interesting.

[pjf]

Avionics are coming? Well, that kinda sucks.. I liked launching to the Moon using a Jupiter-V replica controlled by an Explorer probe..

Which is why I made sure I posted the MM patches to turn the feature off. A lot of RP-0, and KSP in generally, is *very* configurable. It's just the user interface for configuring that (placing .cfg files in GameData) is not.

[Agathorn]

Trouble there is you're forced to fly multiple rockets but you're not bringing in any extra funds for those test flights. I'm trying to save up over 6mil for the level 3 R&D Facility, while keeping enough funds around to purchase new parts as I open new research. I know I could remove some of that by adding in the No More Grind mod, but then rather then grinding contracts for funds, I'd just be grinding launches (without contracts) for Test Flight. Anyway, just saying having custom contracts that emulated the real life space programs would be interesting.

Fair enough. I'm actually going to be integrating contracts into TestFlight, but waiting on a big new version of ContractConfigurator that is in development.

[nightingale]

Fair enough. I'm actually going to be integrating contracts into TestFlight, but waiting on a big new version of ContractConfigurator that is in development.

What, like this one?

By the way, been meaning to ask - do I need to do anything special to work well with TestFlight (ie. prevent contracts from progressing while in a test flight)? I'm hoping that you just handle it generically for all contracts (and if you don't, I have ideas on how it could be done...)

[NathanKell]

v0.26 Saturn Instrument Unit

REQUIRES Realism Overhaul 8.2.0

NOTE: This release adds avionics requirements. Existing launched craft may not have flight controls enabled (though right-clicking and staging will work).

It is suggested you use the patch pjf posted on our forum thread until you either start a new save or have landed all missions which have insufficient avionics and would be harmed by losing flight controls.

Flight

This release also features the first halting steps towards an alternate start (and midgame) strategy: X-Planes and later spaceplanes. The SXT Beechcraft Bonanza is added, as are jets from AJE, a new cockpit for X-planes, and the aero nodes are rearranged. Finally you can complete that stock altitude contract!

Avionics:

When you have insufficient avionics to control your craft, flight controls (pitch/yaw/roll, throttle, rcs toggle, etc) are locked and SAS is turned off. Various parts give a set allowable mass, and the mass limit is cumulative. Some parts (sounding rocket core, early probes), those with ModuleScienceCore, have zero allowable mass: they don't offer flight controls at all. Make sure you add enough avionics to your vessel for it to be controllable; the amount of allowable mass a given part offers is listed under the module info (in the editor tooltip list of modules). Various cloned parts allow sufficient avionics parts just in RP-0's basic stock/SXT environment, but in addition the various FASA replica parts (Atlas stages, Centaur stages, Titan upper stages, etc) have appropriate avionics added. Note that crewed craft are not exempt from these limitations! If you want to control more than five tons with Mercury or Gemini, you'll need to add avionics, for example.

Tech changes:

• Landing now gets another parent, and a new cost and description
  
• Hydrolox nodes get non-uniform icons
  
• Space Exploration (3rd-gen capsules) cost increased from 200 to 300.
  
• Rework of construction nodes: now that Hydrolox doesn't use them, they represent "materials science" and are needed for various advancements like new spacecraft or engines.
  
• Rework of aero nodes: the aero subtree now branches off from start (first node is free to unlock!) and allows you to construct x-planes and later (when parts are placed and priced) spaceplanes.

Contracts changes:

• Human Spaceflight contract now actually requires crew. Oops.

Part changes:

• Placed RPWS and dmscope, priced later SCANszt equiprment.
  
• Added x-ray detection to the US/DMagic environmental wedge.
  
• FASA Geiger Counter experiment replaced by our X-Ray experiment (for balance).
  
• Sounding Rocket core and early should-be-uncontrollable probe cores are now right-click-only.
  
• Added avionics modules: The Able guidance unit (used on Vanguard, Thor-Able, Thor-Delta, Delta, etc), stock equivalents of Agena (a medium upper stage) guidance and Saturn Instrument Unit, added two generic stackmount guidance rings (one good for Atlas-sized rockets, one for R-7/Vostok-sized), and added a small 1m clone for Vanguard.
  
• Place and price SXT RCS parts.
  
• Place and price more probe cores (stock and SXT), including Ranger Block I / Mariner, Ranger Block III, Surveyor, and a generic modern satellite bus.
  
• Configure/place/price SXT 3.75m core as 3.9m early Saturn IU (used on some Saturn I launches).
  
• Add a conic cockpit for early X-planes (model courtesy carmics in AIES, used with permission by NathanKell, textures courtesy NathanKell's RftC mod).
  
• Place and price SXT Beechcraft Bonanza.
  
• Place and price various AJE jet engines.
  
• XLR11 and XLR99 moved to appropriate plane-related nodes.

---

Photo via ibiblio.org

Edited March 19, 2015 by NathanKell

[Agathorn]

What, like this one?

By the way, been meaning to ask - do I need to do anything special to work well with TestFlight (ie. prevent contracts from progressing while in a test flight)? I'm hoping that you just handle it generically for all contracts (and if you don't, I have ideas on how it could be done...)

Ah damn now I have work to do lol! Thanks for pointing out the releases though

Test Flights are still real flights so you can complete contracts just like normal if you complete the requirements of the contract. I'm not sure what you are asking, but feel free to stop by IRC, the TF thread or GitHub (Wouldn't wan to jam up the RP-0 thread with TF stuff).

[chrisl]

I'm a little confused by the avionics stuff. Some of the probe cores only seem to be able to handl a few hundred, to a few thousand, kg. Others can handle hundreds or thousands of tons. Is one meant for the launch vehicle and the other for the actual satelite?

EDIT: For the moment I'm assuming that I need multiple avionics packages for different stages. I'm prepping a 1t satelite that's currently made of 2x Ranger Block III Cores (don't have the funds for the Surveyor Core right now). The satellite will be launched on a Delta II 5925. I see that we've got a new "Able/Delta Avionics Package" which I'm assuming would be used on the upper stages of a Delta II. Trouble is that avionice package can only support 8t which is basically the weight of the Delta K 2nd stage. That would be fine except that I've got a Star 48/PAM-D third stage which is another 2.622t (my re-creation is a bit heavy). I'm under the impression that the PAM-D didn't have it's own avionics since it was normally spin stabilized. The issue I'm running into is the upper stages (Delta K + PAM-D + Satellite) weigh 10.752t but my avionics can only handle 9. I'd be find if not for the PAM-D. So if the PAM-D is normally spin stabilized, shouldn't the Delta Avionice Package be able to handle the Delta AND PAM-D stages?

Edited March 17, 2015 by chrisl