I've started work on a successor to the Dragonfly. There were a few things about the Dragonfly that kind of irked me, so I decided it was time for an update.
Here's some test renders of what I have so far (Untextured, I'll be texturing it as well):
Aprox. 4000 polys with no crew.
I've raised the cockpit so you can see over your payload. That was one of my primary concerns. About a year ago, I was working on a rather large station (I'm going to continue work on it soon, been away from Orbiter for a while).
You've probably also noticed the third propellant tank. I plan on using a variable center of gravity similar to the XR series, where you can shift the balance by pumping fuel to the rear tank (the effects of which I plan to scale based on how much fuel you actually have left). On small loads, this may be sufficient to reset the total CoG to it's normal position. On larger loads, it should at least reduce the amount of fuel needed to compensate for the weight shift.
I haven't decided what I'm going to do with the radar yet. I'd like to find some way of getting it to display outlines instead of dots, as my station has gotten so convoluted that the normal radar display is useless for navigation around it. I had to do most of my maneuvers from an exterior view or through the use of CameraMFD, set up to pretend all the hab modules had cameras on them. I figured that wasn't much of a stretch. (I might try to implement that as a built-in display later on).
I'm not convinced I like the truss design I've used. I'd like any input you guys have on that.
Here's my todo list:
-More detail on the mesh.
-Active CoG control via relocation of fuel in the tanks.
-Same or improved CoG compensation for maneuvering payloads.
-Life support/power systems as detailed as the original, but more "transparent" if you will. This means it will typically be handled by computer control, with manual overrides available in the event of failure.
-Potential for failure: All systems will have a constant variable chance of failing. Some things may fail gradually like a pump, other may blow without warning. This should happen often enough that you see it, but not often enough to be annoying. Failures will require manipulation of panel/VC elements to effect a repair or override. The fuel cell management panel would still exist, for instance, but it would be "behind" another panel that you have to open.
-A proper "safe" mode, like the DG-IV. I had to manually edit my station scenario a few times because even with everything seemingly shut down, some value on the Dragonfly would continue to update while it was docked and I was de/reorbiting my XR5s (did I mention I was launching four of them at once?). The value would eventually grow so obscenely large that Orbiter crashed. I'm not even sure what it was. I also had the thing just flat out stop working (fuel cells refused to light, all gauges showed nominal values) after being docked a while and had to completely make a new one. Maybe I wasn't doing it right.
-Full UMMU support, and maybe UCGO? I don't see where it would be useful here except maybe for emergency equipment. I could make a spare parts cargo needed for certain failure recoveries, or could carry an ISRU or UMMU re-entry cone (after converting it to UCGO, of course). Maybe an engine module for orbital manuevers, I don't know.
-Self-destruct on reentry unless docked or attached to a larger vehicle/in safe mode.
-Airlock controls, maybe a fuel-consuming APU like the XR series needed for airlock and CoG shift.
-Virtual cockpit
-Built in RMS with a better IK solver than the one in URMS, to make it more useful for assembly. If I'm successful with it, I'll probably make an URMS-style verion as well as an SDK of sorts. An URMS comes in real handy when attaching those little fuel tanks on the space station building blocks. An URMS with an end-effector orientation aware IK solver would be even better. I'll probably make it able to automatically orient to and grapple at attachment points, since the SSBB modules already HAVE them.
One more thing, though: This thing needs a name. The new cockpit reminds me of a frog a bit, but Leapfrog may be a bit silly for an orbital tug.
Thoughts/comments/suggestions? What features would YOU add to a station assembler?
CURRENT VERSION: Alpha 1
Readme:
KNOWN BUGS:
-The CoG compensation computer doesn't seem to work for me in my addon or the original under Orbiter 2010. Have not tested other versions.
-Antennae don't function, not in my version and not in the original. I suspect something in here isn't kosher with 2010. If so, then it's a wonderful time to do an update.
Please do not re-distribute this addon until it's complete. Post any bugs you find.
Here's some test renders of what I have so far (Untextured, I'll be texturing it as well):
Aprox. 4000 polys with no crew.
I've raised the cockpit so you can see over your payload. That was one of my primary concerns. About a year ago, I was working on a rather large station (I'm going to continue work on it soon, been away from Orbiter for a while).
You've probably also noticed the third propellant tank. I plan on using a variable center of gravity similar to the XR series, where you can shift the balance by pumping fuel to the rear tank (the effects of which I plan to scale based on how much fuel you actually have left). On small loads, this may be sufficient to reset the total CoG to it's normal position. On larger loads, it should at least reduce the amount of fuel needed to compensate for the weight shift.
I haven't decided what I'm going to do with the radar yet. I'd like to find some way of getting it to display outlines instead of dots, as my station has gotten so convoluted that the normal radar display is useless for navigation around it. I had to do most of my maneuvers from an exterior view or through the use of CameraMFD, set up to pretend all the hab modules had cameras on them. I figured that wasn't much of a stretch. (I might try to implement that as a built-in display later on).
I'm not convinced I like the truss design I've used. I'd like any input you guys have on that.
Here's my todo list:
-More detail on the mesh.
-Active CoG control via relocation of fuel in the tanks.
-Same or improved CoG compensation for maneuvering payloads.
-Life support/power systems as detailed as the original, but more "transparent" if you will. This means it will typically be handled by computer control, with manual overrides available in the event of failure.
-Potential for failure: All systems will have a constant variable chance of failing. Some things may fail gradually like a pump, other may blow without warning. This should happen often enough that you see it, but not often enough to be annoying. Failures will require manipulation of panel/VC elements to effect a repair or override. The fuel cell management panel would still exist, for instance, but it would be "behind" another panel that you have to open.
-A proper "safe" mode, like the DG-IV. I had to manually edit my station scenario a few times because even with everything seemingly shut down, some value on the Dragonfly would continue to update while it was docked and I was de/reorbiting my XR5s (did I mention I was launching four of them at once?). The value would eventually grow so obscenely large that Orbiter crashed. I'm not even sure what it was. I also had the thing just flat out stop working (fuel cells refused to light, all gauges showed nominal values) after being docked a while and had to completely make a new one. Maybe I wasn't doing it right.
-Full UMMU support, and maybe UCGO? I don't see where it would be useful here except maybe for emergency equipment. I could make a spare parts cargo needed for certain failure recoveries, or could carry an ISRU or UMMU re-entry cone (after converting it to UCGO, of course). Maybe an engine module for orbital manuevers, I don't know.
-Self-destruct on reentry unless docked or attached to a larger vehicle/in safe mode.
-Airlock controls, maybe a fuel-consuming APU like the XR series needed for airlock and CoG shift.
-Virtual cockpit
-Built in RMS with a better IK solver than the one in URMS, to make it more useful for assembly. If I'm successful with it, I'll probably make an URMS-style verion as well as an SDK of sorts. An URMS comes in real handy when attaching those little fuel tanks on the space station building blocks. An URMS with an end-effector orientation aware IK solver would be even better. I'll probably make it able to automatically orient to and grapple at attachment points, since the SSBB modules already HAVE them.
One more thing, though: This thing needs a name. The new cockpit reminds me of a frog a bit, but Leapfrog may be a bit silly for an orbital tug.
Thoughts/comments/suggestions? What features would YOU add to a station assembler?
CURRENT VERSION: Alpha 1
Readme:
Code:
______ ______ _______ ______ _____ __ _ _______ __ __ ____
| \ |_____/ |_____| | ____ | | | \ | |______ | \_/ __/
|_____/ | \_ | | |_____| |_____| | \_| | |_____ | \/.|___
Alpha 1
Install: Extract folders to your Orbiter install directory. Press button. Receive bacon. Comes with a comparison scenario with a Dragonfly2 docked to a Dragonfly.
Dragonly 2 aims to bring the Apollo-era Dragonfly up to near-future levels, or at the very least to a level where it'll see more use.
___ _
| _ | \ _ .
|(_) |_/(_).
GOAL: STATUS:
-Mesh improvements (IN PROGRESS)
-simplification of life support and power controls while maintating simulated complexity (NOT STARTED)
-Damage and systems failure simulation (NOT STARTED)
-Adjustments to allow craft to be taken to orbit through standard payload lifting methods: shuttle, XR-series, rockets, DG-IV? (XR5 COMPATIBLE)
-UMMU/UCGO support (NOT STARTED)
-CoG shifting via fuel tank levels (NOT STARTED)
-Preservation/enhancement of stock Dragonfly CoG compensation computer (COMPLETE?)-unchanged
-Virtual Cockpit (NOT STARTED)
-RMS with better IK solver than URMS (End-effector orientation specific, auto dock alignment, direct trans/rot of TARGET, not ARM) (NOT STARTED)
-Airlock (NOT STARTED)
Included files:
Orbiter
Config
Vessels
Dragonfly2.cfg
Modules
Dragonfly_2.dll
Meshes
Dragonfly2.msh
Scenarios
Dragonfly2 Demonstration.scn
Changelog:
Alpha 1- First compile from Dragonfly source, start of new mesh. Camera raised to match mesh. Vessel is XR5 payload compatible, but has the wrong payload icon. (based off Countdown84's Dragonfly XR5 mod)
KNOWN BUGS:
-The CoG compensation computer doesn't seem to work for me in my addon or the original under Orbiter 2010. Have not tested other versions.
-Antennae don't function, not in my version and not in the original. I suspect something in here isn't kosher with 2010. If so, then it's a wonderful time to do an update.
Please do not re-distribute this addon until it's complete. Post any bugs you find.
Attachments
Last edited: