Update Arrow Freighter version 2012 updated (screenshots)

[C3PO]

Tuesday.

 

[darkvoid]

Dan, when can we expect the release? A month? Is the documentation all that remains?
...
Seriously, though, I'm looking forward to it.

Dan hasn't post any news in the last 15 days, so probably he as paused this project and he's on vacation :tiphat:

 

[dansteph]

Dan, when can we expect the release? A month? Is the documentation all that remains?

Doing yet the SDK documentation, I had some trouble with the Captain's room bump mapping rendering (I know it's just for the look but it help me affine my render to texture technique for future work)
After the SDK's doc, beta test, doc correction and the delay depend of that. No prob, fast correction=fast release, otherwise...

I'll post the SDK doc once finished (before correction) so you can have a look.

So, would it make more sense to wait until the update & add the compatibility then? Im not sure whether I should start writing the UCGO code now, or whether the work will just end up wasted when the new UCGO makes it outdated. Ie, is the new UCGO likely to support code written for the previous versions, but will need a quick update of the libraries included in the project?

Well, you'll just need to copy the new library and replace the old one. No change at all needed.

One function was not needed anymore but the empty function is still there (for backward compatibility so no change needed in your code) and one more was added as well as some bugs where cleared.

In brief, copy lib, compile, done. It's almost the same for UMmu.

 

[BruceJohnJennerLawso]

Doing yet the SDK documentation, I had some trouble with the Captain's room bump mapping rendering (I know it's just for the look but it help me affine my render to texture technique for future work)
After the SDK's doc, beta test, doc correction and the delay depend of that. No prob, fast correction=fast release, otherwise...

I'll post the SDK doc once finished (before correction) so you can have a look.



Well, you'll just need to copy the new library and replace the old one. No change at all needed.

One function was not needed anymore but the empty function is still there (for backward compatibility so no change needed in your code) and one more was added as well as some bugs where cleared.

In brief, copy lib, compile, done. It's almost the same for UMmu.

Thanks for the response. I do think a bit of clarification for the UCGO SDK would be nice, as the documentation version doesnt look like the sample version. Although it wasnt absolutely terrible to integrate, it was a lot more frustrating than the UMMU SDK.

Aside note:

Is it possible for UCGO Cargo slots to release their cargo horizontally from the in slot perspective? My payload bay works okay, but when I set the mesh visuals to face the local "up" (ie 0,1,0 I think), the cargo goes up and through the bay roof when released in space. just a minor annoyance is all :tiphat:

 

[n122vu]

Dan, fantastic work you've done with the previous release and this upcoming release. I have but one small request regarding UCGO. I realize it is late in the game for this release, and if too late, I understand, possibly for a future release then.

Would it be possible to increase the maximum number of UCGO slots per vessel? I ask this because in a larger vessel, such as my EAS Cortez, 40 slots can be used up very quickly when populating the flight deck. Between this and the 1.3m x 1.3m cargo size recommendation, I excluded UCGO support from the final release. Would like to add it in the future, as it seems like the only solution for payload that will work for the Cortez, as there appears to be a bug (or built-in limitation) in Payload Manager that will not allow me to place payload further than 999m from the vessel center (Cortez is about 3000m in either direction).

Thanks for your consideration,
n122vu

 

[Izack]

A big second to n122vu, partly out of exactly the same problem with a ~2000m long vessel in (slugesque) development. I understand that the UCGO limit is in place to prevent hardware-unfriendly addons, but considering how easy it is to make a model/library a framekiller I'd like to think a stern warning in the developers' doc would be more 'fair'. There's no poly limit in Orbiter preventing meshes more complicated than Atlantis, after all.

 

[dansteph]

Would it be possible to increase the maximum number of UCGO slots per vessel? I ask this because in a larger vessel, such as my EAS Cortez, 40 slots can be used up very quickly

Mhhh.... *thinking out loud*

First several thousand cargoes it's completely unusuable. Who would click 2000 time on "release" or manage 2000 or 400 cargoes and enjoy that ?
Also if the guy don't know what he do you might of course end with 200'000 poly in 2000 groups=complete slideshow.

Follow my reasonment: someone that is enough confident in programming have several workaround to still use UCGO with hundred of cargoes in a more practical manner, someone that isn't should not have such a simple system at disposal. First because it's not practical at all for this usage, second not enjoyable and third very easy to mess.

What you should do for your vessel is virtually managing your cargoes by "tank" of resources or subcargo zone. UCGO would only be used as "input/output". A queue of real cargo for virtual payload.

IE: Nothing forbid you of doing this:

UCGO	hCargoZone[50];

Or doing such things (pseudo code)

if(OneCargoReleased)
{
    Tank=Tank-OneCargoWeight;
    if(Tank>OneCargoWeight)
       AddOneCargoToUCGOQueue();
   Display("Number of cargo is:", Tank/OneCargoWeight);
}

---------- Post added at 01:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:33 PM ----------

Thanks for the response. I do think a bit of clarification for the UCGO SDK would be nice, as the documentation version doesnt look like the sample version. Although it wasnt absolutely terrible to integrate, it was a lot more frustrating than the UMMU SDK.

Can you point me the problem so I can solve or clarify it ?

Is it possible for UCGO Cargo slots to release their cargo horizontally from the in slot perspective? My payload bay works okay, but when I set the mesh visuals to face the local "up" (ie 0,1,0 I think), the cargo goes up and through the bay roof when released in space. just a minor annoyance is all :tiphat:

This should be solved in next version. (To check before release so you welcome as beta tester)

 

[Urwumpe]

Would it be possible to have maximal 40 visible cargo slots and n invisible? I think in most situations, the problem is reduced to cargo stored inside a spacecraft, with only a limited number of cargoes being actually visible.

 

[dansteph]

Would it be possible to have maximal 40 visible cargo slots and n invisible? I think in most situations, the problem is reduced to cargo stored inside a spacecraft, with only a limited number of cargoes being actually visible.

That was an idea but for noobs it would cause more problems than it solve.
The cargo display will still be a mess. (200 pages of cargoes ? 2000 click on "release" ?) The system will be more complicated etc. etc.

If someone is enough confident to group cargo of same type or by cargo area on the display (what should be done) or make a nice manager for hundred cargo he can also easily do something that I mentioned above.

I would personally use a virtual "tank" system of the mass ressources and use UCGO only as a queue for them and for the special item (sat,table, chairs)

Take it as a F1 car: only confirmed driver can use the full power. It's better that the other stay with 1HP engine.

 

[Urwumpe]

Well, I am terribly insane in that context already, I see trees everywhere. Trees of cargo, trees of cargo categories, trees of wood...

:lol:

 

[jedidia]

I have a question relating to that. It's possible it's already documented, if so, apologies for not checking, I'm somewhat in crunch-time with my own project currently, and it seemed a bit tedious to check unfinished documentation.

Is it possible to access the UCGO cargoes of another vessel via UCGO, or would the vessels have to be designed with this in mind (i.e. provide their own functions for this)?

 

[palebluevoice]

This is looking terrific, I'm excited to see the product of all your hard work! Thank you=)

 

[BruceJohnJennerLawso]

Mhhh.... *thinking out loud*

First several thousand cargoes it's completely unusuable. Who would click 2000 time on "release" or manage 2000 or 400 cargoes and enjoy that ?
Also if the guy don't know what he do you might of course end with 200'000 poly in 2000 groups=complete slideshow.

Follow my reasonment: someone that is enough confident in programming have several workaround to still use UCGO with hundred of cargoes in a more practical manner, someone that isn't should not have such a simple system at disposal. First because it's not practical at all for this usage, second not enjoyable and third very easy to mess.

What you should do for your vessel is virtually managing your cargoes by "tank" of resources or subcargo zone. UCGO would only be used as "input/output". A queue of real cargo for virtual payload.

IE: Nothing forbid you of doing this:

UCGO	hCargoZone[50];

Or doing such things (pseudo code)

if(OneCargoReleased)
{
    Tank=Tank-OneCargoWeight;
    if(Tank>OneCargoWeight)
       AddOneCargoToUCGOQueue();
   Display("Number of cargo is:", Tank/OneCargoWeight);
}

---------- Post added at 01:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:33 PM ----------



Can you point me the problem so I can solve or clarify it ?



This should be solved in next version. (To check before release so you welcome as beta tester)

The SDK problem is that the UCGO docs and the code example provided, describe adding the code in two different ways (sample PB project implements a UCGO code CPP, while Doc doesnt appear to.) I did manage to get things up and running, but It was much harder than integrating UMMU

I know, everyone else is always asking, but

When release?

My project is hopefully coming to a close, but I need an estimate on when new UCGO is going to be released. If its not before early Sept, I may not be able to include new UCGO features, due to a lack of time.

Also, a thought on the 40 slot limit mentioned above:

Maybe a future solution to this problem could be adding a UCGO2 cargo class separate from the original type, and specifically optimized towards carrying big payloads (size of car & bigger), to better support that end of the cargo spectrum.

 

[n122vu]

Mhhh.... *thinking out loud*

First several thousand cargoes it's completely unusuable. Who would click 2000 time on "release" or manage 2000 or 400 cargoes and enjoy that ?

I would, for one, if I was into the scenario. And besides, I'm not talking about hundreds or thousands of UCGO crates to manage. I'd personally be happy with 70 or 80 for my purposes.

Would it be possible to have maximal 40 visible cargo slots and n invisible? I think in most situations, the problem is reduced to cargo stored inside a spacecraft, with only a limited number of cargoes being actually visible.

In my case I'm not talking about resources that would be usable by the main ship. I'm talking about visible cargo in my shuttle bays, sitting on the deck next to the 'landed' vessel, similar to what I did in my preliminary testing here:

I have 24 docking ports divided between the 3 bays. I currently don't have the option to have just 2 UCGO cargos sitting on the deck at each landing location if I choose to fully load the ship. My goal here is to simulate shipboard operations on the Cortez, with a fully loaded flight deck. Not that I will load every ship at the same time, but I'd like the option, and I'd like my users to have the option also. I hated to even bug you about it honestly; I'd use Payload Manager and be done with it were it not for the issues I have run into.

Again, just a request, not a show stopper for me.

Thanks again,
n122vu

 

[jedidia]

My goal here is to simulate shipboard operations on the Cortez, with a fully loaded flight deck.

Then it would make most sense to not work with loaded cargoes, but with spawned cargoes

 

[Urwumpe]

Why don't you develop a special B5-Cargo handling framework? You could still have interfaces to UCGO there.

 

[Frost]

UCGO food water and o2 reserves number crunching

I've worked out some durations on UCGO provisions in kilograms even though NASA references the daily allowances in lbs. If your interested in this. I have posted my findings on Dan's forum http://orbiter.dansteph.com/forum/read.php?f=2&i=15417&t=15417. You might also notice my newbie approach at an external airlock for mooring purposes. After all, the only thing better then an Arrow is an other Arrow

 

[Mike9606]

I can't wait for the new Arrow to come out! But we might need a pirate DGIV skin to match to pirate Arrow skin .

 

[Timberwolf469]

dan, tuesdays gone when do we get to fly this arrow?
I check twice a day for updates
love the arrow thanx for the work :thumbup:

 

[BruceJohnJennerLawso]

dan, tuesdays gone when do we get to fly this arrow?
I check twice a day for updates
love the arrow thanx for the work :thumbup:

Honestly, I dont think any amount of prodding is going to get a response from Dan at this point. Im sure he will release it as soon as its release ready, but development takes a lot of spare time. Nothing left to do here but wait...

But Im sure he apppreciates the enthusiasm