[Techtree][WIP] Road to Kosmos (v0.0.3 preview)

[Niemand303]

There is quite a number of mods that overhaul stock career system. Some of them are made to increase the realism, some are, on the contrary, making life easier, but I haven't found yet a mod, that could represent some specific space program, national or multinational (ESA).

That's why I decided to start working on the mod called "Road to Kosmos".

DOWNLOAD THE PREVIEW/DEMO (0.0.3)

Overall requirements:

ModuleManager - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/55219

Tech Manager - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/98293

DMagic - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/64972

Fuels Tank Plus - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/108238

ProcFairings - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/39512

Not yet needed, but totally required in future (actually so I don't lose the link ):

Contract Configurator http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/101604

Kerbiet Union Reqs:

Tantares/TantaresLV - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/81537

AB Launchers - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/106687

Kerbal States Reqs:

OMSK - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/112419

SXT - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/79542

SpaceY - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/100408

SDHI - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/52362

What will it do? - It will represent different space programs in their efforts to reach space with their specialities. Ones, for instance, will be less "human rated" than the others. Some programs will have different approach to reach the same goal.

What programs will be represented? - Currently, I think, I will focus on two main players of the former space race: USSR and USA. After that, I will add some support for Europe and private companies. Possibly last touch will be

How will the programs be organized? - Well, let me think for a minute...

This is a really hard question. The first idea that comes to my mind is: every tier of tech tree represents an era of space exploration.

• Tier 0 "Start", 1945+: Postwar sounding rockets. Basically, it's a A-4, the rocket, from which many space programs have begun its way. Assemble, stick an experiment and let it fly for peace!
  
• Tier 1 "Splitting up" 1950+: First national rockets. Early attempts at reaching space: Redstone and R-5 will be the main players, without capability to reach orbit, but able to reach further and touch the edge of space.
  At that point, several branches form itself: USSR (which will split into three others later) and US (thanks to centralisation, it will be more "stable").
  
• Tier 2 "First satellite" 1956+: You may have guessed, it's R-7, and solid booster stages for your Redstone.
  
• Tier 3 "Man in space" 1960+: Vostok and Mercury hardware, including launchers and their alternatives.
  
• Tier 4 "Back in numbers" 1965+: Gemini and early Soyuz hardware.
  
• Tier 5 "Mun or bust" 1967+: Saturn and N-1. 'Nuff said, those monsters are well-known to anyone
  
• Tier 6 "New frontiers" 1970+: Space stations and alternative programs: fly me to the Duna or build mine ice on Minmus!
  
• Tier 7 "Reusable Space Program" 1980+: Space shuttles, basically, and Energia launcher.
  
• Tier 8 "Reach for the planets" 1990+: Angara, PPTS, Orion... So many opportunities!
  
• Tier 9 "Joining efforts" 2000+: Technologies, that enable cross-docking capabilities, and allow to make Kerbalkind united.
  
• Tier 10 "United we stand" 2015+: Finally merging branches and advancing into space as one: large orbital constructions, resource collection etc... NB, that part will be remade later for KAA-like stuff

Changelog:

v0.0.3 / 11.03.15
*fixed attachment nodes on UR-100 engine
*removed the old welded version of UR-100 lower stage engine

v0.0.2 / 10.03.15
*fixed electric charge in Pavonis Nosecone
*fixed the R-7 radial tank not available in techtree
*fixed the lack of Voskhod capsule
*added Object D (Sputnik-3)
*added 4 custom experiments (Telemetry Nosecone, Sputnik-1, Explorer, Sputnik-3)

v0.0.1 / 09.03.15
*initial preview release

Any help with this mod would be VERY welcome. It's a big one, guys.

Current Progress:

People, who contribute to the mod:

Beale, with his V2 and some other stuff, included in Tantares

SnowWhite, with the Atlas rocket models, presented in OMSK Ind. thread.

tjsnh for helping me with contracts

License: CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0

Edited April 15, 2015 by Niemand303
0.0.3

[OTmikhail]

Where can I get this Tech Tree? I would love to play it! this is exactly what I'm looking for!

[Niemand303]

Where can I get this Tech Tree? I would love to play it! this is exactly what I'm looking for!

I am currently developing it, so it will take quiet a lot of time to make it work properly and wash out all the possible bugs.

[Lucius]

OOOO let me get a word in here while you're in the early stages, utterly interested in the soviet side:

Take a good, long look at how realism overhaul approaches the early tiers of the career mode. HEAVY reliance and modification of the procedural parts to mean you're focused on sounding rockets in your "1940s" stage. If not PP and some custom engines, then really consider Roverdude's "sounding rockets" mod as the go-to early career necessity.

Try to really remember just how early in the "game" some very advanced probes were landing. The soviets had the lunokchods going in the 60s, so dont neglect the probing/robotic side of the early game, if anything this game needs way more focus on probes exploring early game for huge science, and then late game human interaction.

Contemplate (and this would obviously be a reach goal) combining tantares modules with station science/kolonization(roverdude) to give our kerbals (especially those with life support) a real, strong reason to build their MIRs and salyuts etc. I've even been considering it myself, just using station science's modules and attaching them to the actual tantares blocks themselves to give them more use in space.

***Oh also: Good move on tantares. I think a lot of people enjoy the more lego-style mods than the realistic space factory recreations. Consider integrating the KW sidetanks with tweakscale modules so you can slap them on your early R7s for a more fun look, if you're not wholely using Tantares. And i found the soviet probe pack was just fantastic too, though the launchers again suffered too much realism. Maybe try Lack's SXT for his worthwhile little sputnik recreations?

Edited February 5, 2015 by Lucius
Babbled more

[Niemand303]

OOOO let me get a word in here while you're in the early stages, utterly interested in the soviet side:

Take a good, long look at how realism overhaul approaches the early tiers of the career mode. HEAVY reliance and modification of the procedural parts to mean you're focused on sounding rockets in your "1940s" stage. If not PP and some custom engines, then really consider Roverdude's "sounding rockets" mod as the go-to early career necessity.

Try to really remember just how early in the "game" some very advanced probes were landing. The soviets had the lunokchods going in the 60s, so dont neglect the probing/robotic side of the early game, if anything this game needs way more focus on probes exploring early game for huge science, and then late game human interaction.

Contemplate (and this would obviously be a reach goal) combining tantares modules with station science/kolonization(roverdude) to give our kerbals (especially those with life support) a real, strong reason to build their MIRs and salyuts etc. I've even been considering it myself, just using station science's modules and attaching them to the actual tantares blocks themselves to give them more use in space.

***Oh also: Good move on tantares. I think a lot of people enjoy the more lego-style mods than the realistic space factory recreations. Consider integrating the KW sidetanks with tweakscale modules so you can slap them on your early R7s for a more fun look, if you're not wholely using Tantares. And i found the soviet probe pack was just fantastic too, though the launchers again suffered too much realism. Maybe try Lack's SXT for his worthwhile little sputnik recreations?

Thanks for feedback!

First of all, for the sounding rockets: in this mod I consider having not very much sounding rockets (basically, two for each side: R-1 and R-5 for Russians, A-4 and Redstone for Americans), just for starting space exploration itself. They will have their custom experiments (something stock-alike in style, but unique for each side). First rocket is an A-4 since both countries have started their program with it. It has its own experiment or two, but then the split up appears. The second rocket has its own "instrumentation block", or, simply, a nosecone combined with probe core and stuffed with experiments. The other difference will be in their versatility. Redstone and R-5 both can become an orbiter launcher with the help of solid-fueled kick booster. For the R-5 it was even a backup plan in case the R-7 won't work with the Sputnik-1 (possibly rumours, I haven't found much proofs).

Secondly, the probe part:

Yes, probes will be an important part of the mod. Due to problems of having one node for one part there will be a "generic" science and electronics branch, while having unique satellites for each program. Object-D will be in Soviet branch, for example, but Stayputnik won't, since you can make a Telstar using it and fixed solar panels. The same goes with scientific instruments, batteries, landing legs etc.

KW rocketry support:

Really good chunk of work, so it won't be top priority.

SXT support:

It will be present for its Apollo/Saturn stuff and possibly N-1 (I'd stick with Tantares version, but I think I shouldn't enforce using one or another mod).

Soviet Probe pack support:

It may be optional, since I prefer lego-frame too, but heck, if people love it, why should I deny them? My mod is intended to be stock-ish in its style, just as Beale's and others work, but if someone wants more realism - I don't blame them.

[Sampa]

I like what I see. Can't wait until the you post the download.

[Niemand303]

I like what I see. Can't wait until the you post the download.

Thanks! I am only starting the process of creation, I need to figure out how to work with tech manager, also I'm creating some parts "placeholders", for instance, here is a Sputnik-1 propelled with welded solid upper stages for Redstone:

[Niemand303]

Eyeballed the Soviet branch of the techtree with Korolyov main branch and Chelomei's subbranch with UR-100, Proton, Salyut and TKS stuff, I'm open for suggestions:

[Niemand303]

another progress pic, what do you think about it?

[rabidninjawombat]

another progress pic, what do you think about it?

http://puu.sh/fxUyp/23383ef335.png

Looks good =) i find it split between Russian and US tech in the tree really interesting.

[Kartoffelkuchen]

Whew, nice! A giant piece of work, though. I think I could offer the stuff for the expendable rocketry,and also stuff for Atlases, if you like.

[Sampa]

Hey, take your time and do it right...you might want to also consider Bobcat's ISS Community and Mir packs as well as the CSS as parts of this tech tree!

[Niemand303]

Thanks for feedback, everyone!

Looks good =) i find it split between Russian and US tech in the tree really interesting.

That is the main point of the mod, have different style to solve same problems.

As you my have noticed, USSR has no solid-fueled boosters, while US relies heavy on them, to counter that USSR has a better choice of liquid fuel rockets, one from the Korolyov and ones from Chelomei (I might possibly add a "demilitarized" Yangel branch).

Whew, nice! A giant piece of work, though. I think I could offer the stuff for the expendable rocketry,and also stuff for Atlases, if you like.

Yeah, lots of work are to be done, I'm a little afraid even. And for the models, I'd like it, though I'm mostly into lego-framed stuff, not as detailed, but allowing to build different craft and launcher variants.

Hey, take your time and do it right...you might want to also consider Bobcat's ISS Community and Mir packs as well as the CSS as parts of this tech tree!

For me, they are too... solid, I might say. They come in one piece and really provide no flexibility.

The parts are awesome, but too much of a replica, so I'd stick with more stockalike ones.

The time is now to finish the "common" part of the techtree: electrics, science instruments, lander legs, fairings and rover wheels

After finishing the table, I'll make a techmanager config. Then, it should a whole lot of MM configs for existing parts and new configs for new parts.

Only then alpha version will appear. So, it's a beginning of a long journey.

[sp1989]

This is definitely something I am looking forward too. I have definitely reached a plateau in my gameplay for KSP. Especially career mode. You might want to consider scaling back the administration building. I find that because it is still extremely unbalanced you can get science really quickly and unrealistically buy outsourcing R&D. Better than starting manned has gotten rid of the administration building capabilities all together I assume because of that reason. It makes that tech tree much much harder to play through and as a result more fun. So long and short I recommend limiting the capabilities of the administration or disabling them entirely. Otherwise people will just take advantage of how unbalanced it is.

[Niemand303]

This is definitely something I am looking forward too. I have definitely reached a plateau in my gameplay for KSP. Especially career mode. You might want to consider scaling back the administration building. I find that because it is still extremely unbalanced you can get science really quickly and unrealistically buy outsourcing R&D. Better than starting manned has gotten rid of the administration building capabilities all together I assume because of that reason. It makes that tech tree much much harder to play through and as a result more fun. So long and short I recommend limiting the capabilities of the administration or disabling them entirely. Otherwise people will just take advantage of how unbalanced it is.

This a tricky problem, since I play in science-mode and it's the main focus. But I will see what I can do. Another problem is in making space stations useful, it was mentioned before by Lucius. I think about Station science and adding its modules to different parts, but it is quite a large mod and I'd prefer something like old Interstellar version's science labs, which generate science over time like a usual resource generator. I'm currently rearranging science nodes and instrumentation, so it will require several missions to unlock each node, but still be playable without heavy grinding.

[Sampa]

For me, they are too... solid, I might say. They come in one piece and really provide no flexibility.

The parts are awesome, but too much of a replica, so I'd stick with more stockalike ones.

The time is now to finish the "common" part of the techtree: electrics, science instruments, lander legs, fairings and rover wheels

After finishing the table, I'll make a techmanager config. Then, it should a whole lot of MM configs for existing parts and new configs for new parts.

Only then alpha version will appear. So, it's a beginning of a long journey.

Fair enough!

[sp1989]

This a tricky problem, since I play in science-mode and it's the main focus. But I will see what I can do. Another problem is in making space stations useful, it was mentioned before by Lucius. I think about Station science and adding its modules to different parts, but it is quite a large mod and I'd prefer something like old Interstellar version's science labs, which generate science over time like a usual resource generator. I'm currently rearranging science nodes and instrumentation, so it will require several missions to unlock each node, but still be playable without heavy grinding.

Im not saying limit science found. But if you set the outsource r&d in the admin building you can easily get like 400 science for just orbiting Kerbin. If you can do it definitely do it. If you can't it's just something to consider.

[Niemand303]

Eyeballing the "common" part of the tech tree.

I need invent purpose for construction nodes yet.

[sp1989]

I see yo have decided on SDHI but you should def consider this mod for the capsule. Its a wonderful new capsule called A.M.U.R.E even in its early stages its has great potential even as a standalone capsule. However the author has a lot more planned. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/107384-A-M-U-R-E-Pod Plus it looks like a stockalike Orion. Not an exact copy of orion and not too stock. Its a great balance. Take a look at it. Below is an album of a test Ares I flight I did with the capsule.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Edited February 7, 2015 by sp1989

[Niemand303]

I see yo have decided on SDHI but you should def consider this mod for the capsule. Its a wonderful new capsule called A.M.U.R.E even in its early stages its has great potential even as a standalone capsule. However the author has a lot more planned. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/107384-A-M-U-R-E-Pod Plus it looks like a stockalike Orion. Not an exact copy of orion and not too stock. Its a great balance. Take a look at it. Below is an album of a test Ares I flight I did with the capsule.

http://imgur.com/a/lN3Ur

Actually, I like the capsule. I will add support, but I'm thinking about another capsule because of one reason: 50Mb for one capsule is too much for making it primary choice. Tantares weights 120 Mb, but contains dozens of parts. So I'm looking for alternatives (there is one from OnionKermin in his small part pack), but I will add support for it.

And good news, I've started transferring the techtree in the game itself, upper nodes look not so perfectly but they work, it's the main point.

[sp1989]

Actually, I like the capsule. I will add support, but I'm thinking about another capsule because of one reason: 50Mb for one capsule is too much for making it primary choice. Tantares weights 120 Mb, but contains dozens of parts. So I'm looking for alternatives (there is one from OnionKermin in his small part pack), but I will add support for it.

And good news, I've started transferring the techtree in the game itself, upper nodes look not so perfectly but they work, it's the main point.

http://cs616618.vk.me/v616618511/1ea05/avzzOwtaaAI.jpg

Actually the low texture one I believe is only 9mb still big for one part but nice. However I trust whatever you choose. Are you talking about HGR rocketry? I love that mod. Good luck.

Edited February 7, 2015 by sp1989

[Niemand303]

Actually the low texture one I believe is only 9mb still big for one part but nice. However I trust whatever you choose. Are you talking about HGR rocketry? I love that mod. Good luck.

I will add support anyway, I just need to make the basic techtree anyway by now, only after that it would be the time to polish things.

And no, it's not part of HGR, it's from this thread: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/98063-Planning-to-start-a-collection-of-small-part-pack-mods-Dev-build-available-%28V0-1%29?p=1611054&viewfull=1#post1611054

I'm not really looking too deep into the late nodes, since I have lots of stuff to do for the previous. Awesome SnowWhite is modelling for me an Atlas rocket fuel tank and adapter.

Possibly, I will release later the parts by themselves, so that I don't force my tech tree to be used.

For the progress, I've made the second tier already and catching bugs and misplacing. I hope finishing the main tiers by tomorrow.

[sp1989]

I will add support anyway, I just need to make the basic techtree anyway by now, only after that it would be the time to polish things.

And no, it's not part of HGR, it's from this thread: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/98063-Planning-to-start-a-collection-of-small-part-pack-mods-Dev-build-available-%28V0-1%29?p=1611054&viewfull=1#post1611054

I'm not really looking too deep into the late nodes, since I have lots of stuff to do for the previous. Awesome SnowWhite is modelling for me an Atlas rocket fuel tank and adapter.

http://cs622625.vk.me/v622625782/1b7a2/4km8qLHsOhM.jpg

Possibly, I will release later the parts by themselves, so that I don't force my tech tree to be used.

For the progress, I've made the second tier already and catching bugs and misplacing. I hope finishing the main tiers by tomorrow.

Wow that is wonderful! OH OH I thought you were maybe considering HGR for the soyjuice. But you are gonna use Tantares. Like I said I trust your judgement, and I wait anxiously for how it turns out.

[Niemand303]

Wow that is wonderful! OH OH I thought you were maybe considering HGR for the soyjuice. But you are gonna use Tantares. Like I said I trust your judgement, and I wait anxiously for how it turns out.

It's going to be supported too! I was using HGR before, especially its R-7, but then Tantares got just all-incorporating and became one of those top-10 mods that take care of everything, which I usually don't like, but it still keeps Lego-frame in mind.

So, what is done:

What should be done:

[Whirligig Girl]

This should support a rescale mod. I mean, remember that Apollo Style doesn't even make sense on the Mun because of efficiency (I proved this in my science fair project, although it was previously proven anyway), and Mercury-Redstone rockets could make Kerbin orbit without too much fuss.