Project XR2 Ravenstar - Mk II

[Biscuit]

I just hope the landing gear is easily replaceable to keep down turnaround time and labor costs.

Replacing the gear in the XR5 every time I crush it on a landing (probably about 3 out of 4 landings) is starting to get expensive.

Volume discounts on landing gear would work also.

:rofl:

Seriously, though ... if it lives up to the standards the rest of the "XR" family have set, then I can't wait to fly one.

 

[SlyCoopersButt]

*Salute* No problem! I must say Sally indeed made the ideal person to do voice callouts, Nothing wrong on that part as callouts can be handy at times I do imagine. A rare resource I imagine for an addon author to have a voice actress! Now would I be correct on guessing that what is meant by the Welsh callouts is that there is going to be both English and Welsh versions of the XR2? And what would the rough weight of the XR2 be in dry and wet mass? I haven't see such a figure around. I know that the weight is subject to change during development.

 

[TSPenguin]

Do you think you could add 1440-wide panels? I don't like how the 1280-wide panels get cut off on my 1440x900 monitor.

Besides this favor, could it be done (I imagine not...) in a way to have the panels as external files and specify them in the config with filename and dimensions?

In-post-edit: Even if it is technicaly possible you would either need a very complex config for button positions, or read from a (bit-)map the positions via color code, or apply a rather complicated mathematical matrix (don't slay me for the wrong term here) based on width for the positions, or some plug-in-ish way to kinda 'drag 'n drop' your panel together.
In any of the cases it would mean a massive amount of work dougs part.

Did I miss something?

 

[Master of Blades]

[..] As for changing skins on-the-fly in the scenario editor, I'll think about it.

I'd love it if you implemented that, that was one of my biggest issues with the XR5, wasn't really a fan of the red skin (yes, i DID download the others), It'd be wonderful if you could change the skin either by the scenario file or in the scenario editor... and perhaps make your own skins?

 

[dbeachy1]

Now would I be correct on guessing that what is meant by the Welsh callouts is that there is going to be both English and Welsh versions of the XR2?

Steve is thinking about getting some English callouts with a Welsh accent done as an optional voice pack for the XR2. Nothing is decided yet, though. Stay tuned for updates.

And what would the rough weight of the XR2 be in dry and wet mass? I haven't see such a figure around. I know that the weight is subject to change during development.

I'm still working out the exact figures (plus I haven't run anything by Steve yet, and he will have some say, too), but I am thinking it will be roughly 40-50% more massive than the XR1, wet and dry. It will, however, have a higher thrust-to-weight ratio than the XR1 and it will also have Altea Aerospace Generation II SCRAM engines, which should be good to mach 20 or so. It's still early, though, so this is subject to change. Steve and I see the Ravenstar as a high-performance "Luxury Learjet" type of spacecraft.

Do you think you could add 1440-wide panels? I don't like how the 1280-wide panels get cut off on my 1440x900 monitor.

In technical terms that is possible -- the issue is the amount of work involved to support each panel resolution. I might do a 1440 panel if there is sufficient demand for it (I'll put up a poll). Have you tried running with 1600 panels? That would require you to scroll a little bit to see the edges, but that would probably be better than seeing gaps on the sides.

It'd be wonderful if you could change the skin either by the scenario file or in the scenario editor... and perhaps make your own skins?

There will definitely be a skin pack for the XR2, both for the ship and for payload modules, so users will be able to create their own skins. As for switching on the fly in the screnario editor, I will try to get that into a late Beta if I can. Ah, so many tasks...

Besides this favor, could it be done (I imagine not...) in a way to have the panels as external files and specify them in the config with filename and dimensions?

In-post-edit: Even if it is technicaly possible you would either need a very complex config for button positions, or read from a (bit-)map the positions via color code, or apply a rather complicated mathematical matrix (don't slay me for the wrong term here) based on width for the positions, or some plug-in-ish way to kinda 'drag 'n drop' your panel together.
In any of the cases it would mean a massive amount of work dougs part.

Did I miss something?

You are quite correct: it would be a massive amount of work to make the panels be driven by config files. Every single button, light, and displayable area on each of the different panel resolutions has its own coordinates, and so the code must manage each. While it would be possible to make the panels be driven via config files, each panel would still require custom graphics to go with it (i.e., a new panel background that is the right width), so it still would be much more than just config file editing.

 

[James.Denholm]

Steve is thinking about getting some English callouts with a Welsh accent done as an optional voice pack for the XR2. Nothing is decided yet, though. Stay tuned for updates.

Nice idea. Does this mean that people will be able to release their own voice-packs and switch them on the fly? For example, a Scotish voice actor:

"Agh, ye've crashed again, ye young larikin!"

The upshot of this is that people will be able to release "trainer" soundpacks, that say, for example:

"50 meters, deploy gear."

"20 meters, pitch."

"Touchdown, deploy all brakes."

It will, however, have a higher thrust-to-weight ratio than the XR1 and it will also have Altea Aerospace Generation II SCRAM engines, which should be good to mach 20 or so.

Please, please, please tell me that this means I will be able to take off using the hover engines on Earth. It realy annoyed me to find that the XR1 can't do hover take-offs from Earth when full of fuel.

And a more trivial question: The voice acting for the XR1 and 5, did Sally choose to do that ex gratia or for a fee? Or are you not allowed to tell us?

 

[TSPenguin]

Nice idea. Does this mean that people will be able to release their own voice-packs and switch them on the fly?
...
And a more trivial question: The voice acting for the XR1 and 5, did Sally choose to do that ex gratia or for a fee? Or are you not allowed to tell us?

I don't see the need to switch soundpacks on the fly. As for 'off the fly', check your orbiter/sounds/ directory. All callouts are single wav files, so you can replace them anytime you like.

To my knowledge Doug paid Sally from his own money. :thankyou:

 

[dbeachy1]

I don't see the need to switch soundpacks on the fly. As for 'off the fly', check your orbiter/sounds/ directory. All callouts are single wav files, so you can replace them anytime you like.

That is correct; users can delete or replace any sound callout with whatever they want.

Please, please, please tell me that this means I will be able to take off using the hover engines on Earth. It realy annoyed me to find that the XR1 can't do hover take-offs from Earth when full of fuel.

Do you know about the extensive config file that each XR vessel has? It's mentioned all over the place in the docs and at the top of my Web page. All you have to do is open your Config\DeltaGliderXR1Prefs.cfg file and set HoverEngineThrust=0:

#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Maximum hover engine thrust, per engine (x2 for total):
#   0 = 168 kN (easy)
#   1 = 132 kN (realistic)
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HoverEngineThrust=0

There are a lot of other customizable items in the config file as well, including a [CHEATCODES] section at the bottom that allows you to set things like engine thrust, mass, fuel capacity, etc. to anything you want.

And a more trivial question: The voice acting for the XR1 and 5, did Sally choose to do that ex gratia or for a fee? Or are you not allowed to tell us?

Sally Beaumont is a professional voice actress, actress, and writer; she was one of 29 voice actresses who submitted auditions to be the voice of the XR Computer. Sally was paid for her work.

To my knowledge Doug paid Sally from his own money. :thankyou:

That would be correct. IMO she was worth every cent, too.

 

[Coolhand]

The callouts are awesome Doug, Sally did a great job, i really thought you'd post-processed to make her sound so 'computery'... As for new ones, I don't think she's (not sally, someone else, doug knows what i'm talking about) up for doing the other set but we'll see what happens. I'll make a few more engine and ambient noises to build a unique sound environment for the XR2 though, since you liked the new scram sound effect.

 

[James.Denholm]

Do you know about the extensive config file that each XR vessel has? It's mentioned all over the place in the docs and at the top of my Web page. All you have to do is open your ConfigDeltaGliderXR1Prefs.cfg file and set HoverEngineThrust=0:

#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Maximum hover engine thrust, per engine (x2 for total):
#   0 = 168 kN (easy)
#   1 = 132 kN (realistic)
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HoverEngineThrust=0

There are a lot of other customizable items in the config file as well, including a [CHEATCODES] section at the bottom that allows you to set things like engine thrust, mass, fuel capacity, etc. to anything you want.

Yeah, but doing that makes me feel to... cheaty. Scummy. Etc.

Sally Beaumont is a professional voice actress, actress, and writer; she was one of 29 voice actresses who submitted auditions to be the voice of the XR Computer. Sally was paid for her work.

29 voice actresses... You just had to have a female voice artist, didn't you.

Well, I don't know how much she cost, but as far as I know, she's worth every penny. I suppose it'd be funny if she found out about Orbiter from this work...

 

[C3PO]

Yeah, but doing that makes me feel to... cheaty. Scummy. Etc.

Funny. That's how I feel taking off using only hover engines.

 

[dbeachy1]

Yeah, but doing that makes me feel to... cheaty. Scummy. Etc.

With all due respect, you can't possibly be serious. It's a lot easier to edit the config file and fly along happily than it is to complain to the ship's author that "The hover thrust setting should default to 'Easy' so that I don't feely 'cheaty' even though I want to 'cheat'." If it makes you feel better, just think of it as "configuration" instead of "cheating."

Remember that the whole point of the configuration file is so that pilots can configure the ship to their liking. I realize that not everyone will like the default settings, which is why I created the preference file in the first place.

Funny. That's how I feel taking off using only hover engines.

Well-said.

 

[TSPenguin]

With all due respect, you can't possibly be serious. It's a lot easier to edit the config file and fly along happily than it is to complain to the ship's author that "The hover thrust setting should default to 'Easy' so that I don't feely 'cheaty' even though I want to 'cheat'." If it makes you feel better, just think of it as "configuration" instead of "cheating."

I bet he is thinking of the configuration file as an order form from Altea.
Consider your order submitted, the cheat will be transmitted to you shortly (yes, I too don't like taking off hovering...)

Isn't it amazing how one can read this thread and think Sally is a prostitute. Even more amazing how nobody makes that reference (well... until now). After all, we are on the internet!
She really is worth every cent btw.

 

[Coolhand]

err, anyway, swiftly changing the subject... lol. Here's a pic of some possible payloads, consumables and a hab module.

 

[Woo482]

is the hab module UMMU compatable ?

 

[Urwumpe]

I know that this would be more a question to Doug, but would it be possible to carry and release small payloads by the docking port airlock?

From the joke of the ARM (anti-ravenstar-missile), the idea of a test satellite for the missile launcher turned into a quite interesting shape for a satellite, which has the roughly dimensions of the Deltaglider docking port.

The storyline idea was to kick...errrm...deploy the satellite from the airlock, let it deploy radiators and power up, while the deploying spacecraft makes some distance to it, and then let a test target pass close to the satellite after it warmed up, testing launching the ARM missiles in orbit.

Of course, the payload must not be a weapon launcher... it could also be a communication relay, EVA tools or a small enduro-like bike for giving astronauts more range after landing.

 

[Woo482]

Thats an idea How about a small rover/Bike as a payload that UMMU's can use ?

 

[Coolhand]

I know that this would be more a question to Doug, but would it be possible to carry and release small payloads by the docking port airlock?

From the joke of the ARM (anti-ravenstar-missile), the idea of a test satellite for the missile launcher turned into a quite interesting shape for a satellite, which has the roughly dimensions of the Deltaglider docking port.

The storyline idea was to kick...errrm...deploy the satellite from the airlock, let it deploy radiators and power up, while the deploying spacecraft makes some distance to it, and then let a test target pass close to the satellite after it warmed up, testing launching the ARM missiles in orbit.

Of course, the payload must not be a weapon launcher... it could also be a communication relay, EVA tools or a small enduro-like bike for giving astronauts more range after landing.

well, if you wanted to do something like that there's plenty of unused space in the nosecone. Due to the large size of the docking collar, taper of the nosecone and the fact that i couldn't think of any hardware, other than a radar that should be in there. but it's probably best to wait until its released before developing anything for it, incase something changes with the design, which is unlikely but you never know.

 

[joiz]

*Salute* No problem! I must say Sally indeed made the ideal person to do voice callouts, Nothing wrong on that part as callouts can be handy at times I do imagine. A rare resource I imagine for an addon author to have a voice actress! Now would I be correct on guessing that what is meant by the Welsh callouts is that there is going to be both English and Welsh versions of the XR2? And what would the rough weight of the XR2 be in dry and wet mass? I haven't see such a figure around. I know that the weight is subject to change during development.

I'd rather have a houston accent
"Uh, looks like we all be dying if i cant get those, uh, APUs runnin' before we all hit the , uh, atmoshpere!"

 

[dbeachy1]

is the hab module UMMU compatable ?

Well, currently UMMu in the hab module would be moot because there is no airlock in it: it provides living space for the crew and opens directly into the main cabin.

Also, while the user could technically remove the Crew Habitat Module (CHM) from slot 1 in the bay as you can any other payload, that would leave the crew with zero living space for food, water, bathroom, etc., so realistically you could only remove the CHM and carry other payload in that slot for short flights. Of course, there's nothing that will prevent the pilot from removing the CHM permanently if that's what he wants to do. Out-of-the-box, however, all the default Ravanstar scenarios will have with the CHM latched into slot 1.

BTW Steve, those payload modules look awesome! :speakcool: