Project Carl Sagan Space Center (Banaba Island)

[Loru]

In the mean time I've built personel living quarters.

 

[Alfastar]

Loru, comes in the future a launch complex for manned rocket-launched spacecrafts or not?

 

[Mojave]

Stunning! *Searches for donation button*

Keep up the good work. :thumbup:

 

[Loru]

Loru, comes in the future a launch complex for manned rocket-launched spacecrafts or not?

Well - yeah

Small launch complex (with tower) suitable for 4 meter wide rockets

Main launch complex (here empty but I'm making few different towers for it)

 

[Loru]

Since it's Carl Sagan Space Center I'm thinking to adding this device near the island. Either static mesh or maybe a vessel.

What do you think??

 

[ED_4]

Since it's Carl Sagan Space Center I'm thinking to adding this device near the island. Either static mesh or maybe a vessel.

What do you think??

:rofl: What's that? A star gate?

 

[PhantomCruiser]

Of a sorts... It's the "Machine" from Contact, by Carl Sagan.

 

[Pablo49]

Since it's Carl Sagan Space Center I'm thinking to adding this device near the island. Either static mesh or maybe a vessel.

What do you think??

I believe the answer you are looking for is: DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT

 

[ED_4]

Of a sorts... It's the "Machine" from Contact, by Carl Sagan.

Yeah, I recognized it too. But even that contraption was indeed a form of a star gate. Just a different design.

 

[Loru]

I've made some calculations & experimentation regarding "Contact Machine":

I estimate height of the machine at around 380 - 400 meters. That's why I'm going for Japaneesee version of it (anchored to seabed - I'm thinking of oil platform solution).

Size determination experiment (one of few I performed for this):

The hardest part will be coding visal effects for it. Turning the rings is easy but machine has a lot of light effects and I'm not I can achieve sufficent effect in dx7 client. I need experiment on this one.

Hormhole forming (Movie clip screencap):

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As for in sim usage it will probably teleport sphere capsule with ummu inside to desired target (planet/moon)

 

[Pablo49]

A functional Contact machine? And here I was drooling over the idea of a static mesh.

Best base ever? I think so.

 

[Loru]

Most of the time last week I've been thinking how to implement thing into oOrbiter with DX7 client.

- Using parent/child animations we can spin rings pretty easy.
- Capsule drop and just teleporting it to different coordinates isn't hard at all in terms of coding.
- Selecting target via drop down menu or input box also isn't hard

The hardest are visual effects. Due to bulit-in client's limations I had to come up with some workarounds. And since I have no coding experience I had to create logic & routines using pseudocode.

Below there is part of development doc:

 

[Loru]

In the mean time I've started working on "multipad" - 1 vessel that handles few launch vehicles (you can switch between modes inside simulation).

Here is Energia mode (WIP):

 

[Dores]

Brilliant!!!

I cannot wait!

Dores

 

[Mojave]

I want to download this so badly! Keep up the fantastic work!

 

[eddievhfan1984]

D3D9 maybe?

Considering advanced lighting effects for the Machine, maybe you might consider building for the Direct3D 9 client being designed here at the forum?

 

[Loru]

Considering advanced lighting effects for the Machine, maybe you might consider building for the Direct3D 9 client being designed here at the forum?

I want it to work with clean 2010 install on dx7. You see, I'm an old guy who thinks compatibility matters. Up to date, as you can see all of my serious add-ons require only Payload Manager.

I want my add-ons be as independent of 3rd party add-ons as possible (however suited to work with them) and simple to use (most changes either via 1 config file or "in sim")

As for "Machine": I've investigated thing very carefully and to be honest d3d9 isn't nescessary for that project (however machine will be compatibile with it).

To sum it up: I'll switch to d3d9 as soon as it is part of base orbiter install archive.

 

[Loru]

"Early in the morning" - working on pad lights

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and sodium lamps version:

---------- Post added 04-27-12 at 12:24 AM ---------- Previous post was 04-26-12 at 10:41 PM ----------

and again ...

 

[Unstung]

Sorry for my ignorance of the thread, but I must add, was a building in the shape of a dodecahedron or a monument to the wonderful shape ever considered for the space center?

 

[Loru]

Sorry for my ignorance of the thread, but I must add, was a building in the shape of a dodecahedron or a monument to the wonderful shape ever considered for the space center?

Not planned but if you donate reasonable mesh I can include it.

Small pad and crane are almost working correctly - some minor issues to be solved tomorrow.

Only things left are: big multi-pad, some buildings on smaller pad and some edits in surface tile.

Estimated completion status: 80%