OHM Minbari Fleet Vessels 1.01

[Buck Rogers]

Buck Rogers submitted a new addon:

Minbari Fleet Vessels - Babylon5 addon

View attachment 37535
Minbari Fleet
Add-On for Orbiter 2016 (v.160828)

Minbari Fleet Vessels:

Morshin
Sharlin
Tinashi
Torotha
Troligan
Nial Fighter
Minbari Flyer

Morshin and Torotha have docking ports

Credits:
Original 3d: bcelestia for Celestia
Torotha original mod: Stevecast and Son
PDF, Stats/2010 support: Luke Reichelt
mesh rework, textures, cfg, etc.: Buck Rogers
Martin Schweiger & Orbiter Forum members

REQUIREMENTS

Optional:
D3d9 Client(tested with R4.25)...

Read more about this addon...

 

[misha.physics]

Hi, thank you.
I'm just wondering how, for example, the "Minbari Nial Fighter" can be controlable for the Orbiter 2016 version without any *.dll module? I mean an own *.dll module/Spacecraft4.dll/VesselBuilder1.dll, etc. But it really works. I mean the main engines and RCS.

 

[Buck Rogers]

I'm just wondering how

Very basic functions are supported in a simple .cfg file, as well as docks and attachments.
So if you don't need any "extras" it'll suffice (might be nice to extend it's functionality though).

 

[misha.physics]

Very basic functions are supported in a simple .cfg file

Thank you! I really didn't know that. I definitely should try this.

Maybe somethere is a list of these basic functions and attachments?

 

[Buck Rogers]

Doc/Orbiterconfig.pdf sec. 2.5 Vessel .cfgs

 

[misha.physics]

Oh, thanks so much! And I'm sorry for the offtopic.

 

[Buck Rogers]

Oh, thanks so much! And I'm sorry for the offtopic.

Absolutely no problem, It's all addon dev, happy to help

 

[misha.physics]

I tried all your scenarios. Is it expected that only two vessels (Nial Fighter and Flyer) are controable, whereas the others don't (they don't respond to main/retro/hover engines and RCS)?

 

[Buck Rogers]

They do move, just VERY slowly!- as in " the Norwegian Blue is not deceased". jokes aside

are controable, whereas the others don't

NO, defineately not, THANKYOU for the feedback
I adopted the .cfg data in faith they were at least functional, I hoped to do something less generic for each vessel but information is scarce and abstract (one would need to catagorise all known vessels and then weigh that up against something "realistic" in orbiter- maybe much further down the road)
Looking at the .cfgs the data is pretty "wild". I will correct so that they at least function, feel ok, also to reflect the recent changes in dimensions. But as far as an "accurate" reprentation of their "true nature" I am none the wiser- range, fuel source isp, agility?
I rushed this release (spread a little thin lately)- really need to test and double check everything. I also found a typo in a .scn file so all good!

Apologies to those who have downloaded, I will update asap

 

[misha.physics]

No problem. Thank you.

 

[francisdrake]

A nice futuristic fleet!

I made a short mass and power calculation based on the figures in the pdf-file, and a modified cfg-file for the NialFighter.
Tuned down some values for Orbiter, to keep it playable. If you like, you can have a look on the figures in the attached zip-file.

This may be a dumb question:
Where is the front of this vessel? Is the pointy end really in the back?

 

[Buck Rogers]

Is the pointy end really in the back?

Yes I think so?
But your flying upside down!

If you like, you can have a look on the figures in the attached zip-file.

Thanks for looking into it, I'm sure it's useful, if it's ok with you I'll include it in the next update (naturally with credits)

I've gone back to the drawing board and doing it "properly"
I'm currently running the meshes of the large vessels through shipedit, so I have volume and the correct PMI etc.
I've settled for an average wet mass of 350kg/m3 and 25% thereof propellant, alien technology
(also a good reason to read up on all things spaceship at Atomic Rockets)

 

[Buck Rogers]

That's interesting, your density calc. is pretty close to my guestamation
Judging by the DV 25% propellant is probably over optimistic (at least for the fighters), your not going to get much better than plasma core antimatter in any universe! I guess 1e6 ISP is already pretty much max?
and 2500m/s is a lot, maybe it needs gears
Flies nicely, I like
I thought the engine ref. were non visual, cool, I didn't see any way to adjust the visuals though?

 

[francisdrake]

I played around and updated the calculation to 25% propellant and a density of 350 kg/m³.
Also looked at the Sharlin War Cruiser, a capital ship of enormous size!
Applied the same rules to this cfg file, so it can be flown and reacts to the RCS.
Added a docking port for fun.

I thought the engine ref. were non visual, cool, I didn't see any way to adjust the visuals though?

Yes, the engineref adds a default exhaust to its location. Unfortunately its size and texture are fixed and cannot be changed.

The Atomic Rockets page is really the best comprehensive source to bring some realism to SF.

 

[Luke Reichelt]

So, now that we've got those Minbari vessels out of the way, when are we going to start work on the Shadow vessels?

 

[Buck Rogers]

I played around and updated the calculation to 25% propellant and a density of 350 kg/m³.

ok, I was rounding down the others, but 350 is probably magical enough, and deciding what % of what is what (for an alien vessel) is probably not worth spending too much time on, as long as they have enough propellant for suitable range, thanks again, I'll take a look and round everything off.

Minbari vessels out of the way

Not quite done, doing an overhaul with "accurate" figures, ran the meshes through shipedit, now have volume and mass, thanks to francisdrake I now have a "verified" basis to work on. I'm giving this priority (to clear my blunder), so I am free to finish the other open projects
Also fixed a missing UV on the Thorota

Also you would know if the fighter/flyers should have visible exhaust? I was thinking they don't?

Was going to write in the other thread, downloaded the station but a lot of parts, when I can I'll see if it's worth putting together

 

[Buck Rogers]

Got a bit of a shock, crazy what a small typo can do- a 0 missing in the dock list.

How are you calculating volume? Your weighing in slightly lighter than the mass I'm getting with shipedit?
Dv on the fighter is down below 290km/s I think it was better with 50% propellant and ~700km/s? or more magical ISP?
700km/s is maybe x5 to Jupiter and back, ok for standard alien propulsion? Some of the mass be for jump drives.

fighter/flyers should have visible exhaust?

Does appear to have engine nacelles?

 

[Buck Rogers]

Buck Rogers updated Minbari Fleet Vessels with a new update entry:

Minbari Fleet Vessels update

Overhauled all the 2016 .cfgs, now all vessels have "realistic" stats, mass, PMI etc.
A few minor gfx, other fixes
Added exhaust visuals to the flyer/fighter- thanks Francisdrake

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

[Luke Reichelt]

ok, I was rounding down the others, but 350 is probably magical enough, and deciding what % of what is what (for an alien vessel) is probably not worth spending too much time on, as long as they have enough propellant for suitable range, thanks again, I'll take a look and round everything off.

Not quite done, doing an overhaul with "accurate" figures, ran the meshes through shipedit, now have volume and mass, thanks to francisdrake I now have a "verified" basis to work on. I'm giving this priority (to clear my blunder), so I am free to finish the other open projects
Also fixed a missing UV on the Thorota

Also you would know if the fighter/flyers should have visible exhaust? I was thinking they don't?

Was going to write in the other thread, downloaded the station but a lot of parts, when I can I'll see if it's worth putting together

As far as I know, the fighters and flyer don't have any visible exhaust.

 

[francisdrake]

How are you calculating volume? Your weighing in slightly lighter than the mass I'm getting with shipedit?

The mass of the Sharlin I took from the pdf, which says 44.4 million metric tons.
The shape is quite irregular, so my volume estimation may be way off ...

The dv of 290 km/s is not too bright. That is the advantage of TV script writers, who do not have to deal with such minor quibbles.
But 5 times to Jupiter and back sounds ok for me.

Sure, the ISP could be upped further, but the amount of magic will increase.
Here are assumed 1e6 m/s for a plasma core antimatter drive.
Next would an Epstein drive from The Expanse, with 1.1e7 m/s to 1.9e7 m/s.