Project Babylon 5 EAS Maintenance Fury/Forklift Fury - Spacecraft 3 Edition

[n122vu]

Here is my latest small project. Some of you may have seen the screenshots in a few threads. I wanted to get this uploaded and get some feedback.

Naturally, you must have a working Spacecraft3 installation for this to work. Make sure symbolic links are in place if using graphics clients (tested in D3D9 and inline client).

Features:
* Animated claws using standard Spacecraft3 animation (((NOTE))) Numlock must be disabled for claw animation keys to work
- LEFT SHIFT + NUM1 opens the left claw. LEFT SHIFT + NUM3 opens the right claw
(Press again before claws open fully to stop animation at that point)
- LEFT CTRL + LEFT SHIFT + NUM1 closes the left claw. LEFT CTRL + LEFT SHIFT + NUM3 closes the right claw
(As with opening, pressing the key combination again before claws are closed will stop animation).


* 4 Parent Attachment Points, which utilize standard Spacecraft3 attachment system functions and keys
1. Press A to bring up attachment list in the debug message area
2. Press LEFT SHIFT + NUM4 (previous) or NUM6 (next) to cycle through available attachment points
3. Press LEFT SHIFT + NUM0 to attach/detach items from the attachment points
Attahcment points included 'out-of-the-box':
- Left Claw
- Right Claw
(((Note))) - claw animations are pureley for aesthetics. They are in no way connected to these attachment points or attachment events
- Claw attachment locations currently optimized for UCGO containers. Can be moved around as needed.
- UMMU - Experimental/proof of concept. You can attach UMMU 2.0 or above to this point. Approach the Maintfury from the front with the UMMU facing the craft. Switch to the 'fury and attach - the attachment point actually connects to the front grapple point on the UMMU but rotates it 180 degrees on the Y axis.
- Spotlight - Also experimental. Was using BrianJ's Spotlight2 (not included) here for testing. Feel free to use this or any other spotlight addon that you may have installed.

* Generic, non-functional, no-feature virtual cockpit that currently serves only as a veiwpoint from within the craft.

So, here it is. Let me know what you think. Any and all feedback welcome.

**Known issue - if using the Christmas release of Dansteph's UMMU, the 'check for new version soon' UMMU message will interfere with the attachment list in the debug message area for a few seconds even after it disappears (5-10 seconds?). No workaround at this time (other than time accel) until I either make a DLL version or Dan updates the UMMU.

 

[n122vu]

Using UCD to see how she fits in the bay of the XR5:

Definitely need to add animation to bend the elbows upward for storage/transport. Will look wrong if someone bends them with payloads attached though, as the payload won't move with the arms (making more of a case for me to start on a DLL version very soon).

 

[n122vu]

**Update**

DLL version in the works. Not giving any timeframe for release or even testing, as I don't honestly know how long it will take me to get done given current workload and life schedule.

- Currently working on RCS thruster placement. Wrestling with the notion that since there's really no place for pitch thrusters as there are in the regular Starfury craft, would a user/pilot be able to get by without them?

Keep in mind the Maintfury is only for use in space or on low-G moons. I doubt if I will ever give it hover engines for example, but I may change my mind. (Already justifying it in my mind by using the bottom-facing exhaust ports on the pods - It's great when you can be your own devil's advocate).

 

[n122vu]

3 1/2 years later and I'm necro-posting in my own thread. Unfortunately I had to abandon this project in mid-2014 as my daughter's health situation began to change. As a result the .dll project I'd started was lost in time.

I'm thinking about picking this back up again, still using Spacecraft.dll for the time being, but with some improvements. I'd like add a more functional virtual cockpit eventually, but have no idea where to start.

First order of business would probably be removing the UMMU attach point until such time Dan creates a 2016-compatible version, if that ever happens.

Any thoughts? Suggestions? Comments? Criticisms? How's the weather where you are?

n122vu

 

[Urwumpe]

Any thoughts?

I hope your daughter is doing better now.

Suggestions? Comments? Criticisms?

Keep the add-on alive, even a spacecraft3 version is better than no add-on.

Still, I think a DLL could be easier to use since the arms require a lot more mental capability without inverse kinematics.

How's the weather where you are?

Sunny, with a tiny bit of rain. Been out of my girlfriend and the children, visiting the "Tag der Niedersachsen 2017" state festival in my town for the afternoon.

 

[n122vu]

I hope your daughter is doing better now.

Thanks, she's better in some ways, a lot of changes to her care, but overall she's in much better health and a happy kid.

Still, I think a DLL could be easier to use since the arms require a lot more mental capability without inverse kinematics.

I agree. As I think back, I believe I was just getting started with coding animation for the entire left arm, including getting the elbow moving and wrist pivoting, and moving the claw attachment point to correspond. I'm going to dig through both of my external drives next week. It's possible I have the files saved off somewhere.

Sunny, with a tiny bit of rain. Been out of my girlfriend and the children, visiting the "Tag der Niedersachsen 2017" state festival in my town for the afternoon.

Haha, thanks. Sounds like you all had a great time. Glad you were able to get out and enjoy it.

 

[4throck]

Second that an SC4 release is better than no release
If you have it working and if it's an improvement, release it.

(All the best with your personal situation)

 

[n122vu]

Second that an SC4 release is better than no release
If you have it working and if it's an improvement, release it.

(All the best with your personal situation)

Thanks. Will work on it a bit this weekend and clean some things up, then plan to release on the Hangar next week.

It dawned on me late last week, and I can't believe I forgot this, that I had another life-event of sorts that also started in mid-2014, which also took a lot of time - getting my PPL. Easy to remember now why this one fell into the background.