Project Base Improvement Project: (Updated 4/1/11)

[Hlynkacg]

Greetings all!

The lack(or complete absense) of detail in many of Orbiter's default bases is a pet peeve of mine. It just doesn't feel right taking off from Wideawake only to land on a featurless plain.

My Objective is to build up several of the default bases (on Earth and beyond) to a WAI level of detail while providing a standardised set of building blocks for others to use in thier own bases.

This is my first project, (and attempt at mesh editting) so suggestions and feedback are not only welcome but encouraged.

Special Thanks to AR81, WHAP, Orb and all those who've been patient with my incecant questions in other threads.


***Brighton Beach***

With the advent of SSTO Space Planes and commercial spaceflight there was resurgence of interest in Lunar colonization/tourism. Established in 20XX Brighton Beach is the Moon's primary logistical hub. The base acts as a way-station for sight-seers and those traveling to the more remote bases on the "dark side". Minerals and Fuel, refined on the surface, are also launched for use by orbital industries.

Reactive thrusters make a mess, and FOD (foreign object damage) is a real threat. To protect the base and other vessels from the lunar dust and (sharp rocks) kicked up by engine back-blast, thick berms have been constructed out of lunar concrete around the primary landing pads.



(These pictures are a work in progress, textures and support equipment are pending)

Other Planned improvements to BB:
*large loading dock and Short Runway for XR5 and larger(Arrow) class Vessels
*Hab Area and Mineral processing facility at far end of tram-line.
*Lights, Billboards, and other fluff. (mainly around tram-line and hab area)
*3D terrain/Surftiles either my own or someone else's (if i can get permission).
*UCCGO scripted "Dance"

Other Bases Planned:
Olympus
China Lake (Part of my old stomping grounds)
Groom Lake :rofl:
Suggestions?

 

[Loru]

For Brighton Beach:
Some transparent tunnels and few more buildings connected to them would be nice addition

Keep up the good work.

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Liking what I'm seeing so far, keep up the good work.

My only general advice for this project would be to keep a strict tally of your polly counts. I would aim to keep the count as low as possible for such bases, since you mean to do more than one, and .cfg bases are always loaded.

Also, .cfg bases load their textures differently to vessels. You will see that the quality of a texture is higher when loaded on a vessel, than when that same texture is loaded in a .cfg base. It's no major thing, but just bear it in mind when you are considering signage and the like.

One last request, now that you have started this dev thread, put all your relevant questions here, rather than in separate issue threads... so stupid people like me can keep track and help out ;P)

 

[Carmen A]

I think this is lovely - will recommend this addon for OMP as we are doing lunar missions almost every night these days.

Aside from the XR5 runway, how about a hardstand and refuelling facility for an Arrow freighter? Some low poly habitation around the place would be great too, along with some warehouses for XR cargo.

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Just as an afterthought, feel free to take any useful meshes from WIN.

If they are any use, I put the generic hangar up on AH [ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3692"]here[/ame].

 

[Carmen A]

Just as an afterthought, feel free to take any useful meshes from WIN.

If they are any use, I put the generic hangar up on AH here.

Thanks, I will be building some multiplayer bases in the near future :3

 

[Hlynkacg]

My only general advice for this project would be to keep a strict tally of your polly counts. I would aim to keep the count as low as possible for such bases, since you mean to do more than one, and .cfg bases are always loaded.

I suppose that one advantage to having gotten into 3d modeling through CAD is that "conservation of geometry" is pretty much a habit. The launch berms are fairly simple structures, and I intend to use the basic objects (BLOCK, TANK, HANGAR etc.) to the max extent possible.

Just as an afterthought, feel free to take any useful meshes from WIN.

I was considering wether or not to steal your spherical fuel tanks from WIN or build my own. This makes it easy.

 

[wehaveaproblem]

I suppose that one advantage to having gotten into 3d modeling through CAD is that "conservation of geometry" is pretty much a habit. The launch berms are fairly simple structures, and I intend to use the basic objects (BLOCK, TANK, HANGAR etc.) to the max extent possible.

With custom 'generic' textures for blocks and such you can make them look quite good. The current WIN uses a bunch of additional 'generic list' textures. The good thing about them is they automatically flip to night textures if you include a night texture alpha version. The only draw-back is having to add the textures to the base.cfg file on installation. And you'd be amazed how many pics I've seen of WIN without them... despite writing a manual!

I was considering wether or not to steal your spherical fuel tanks from WIN or build my own. This makes it easy.

The only prob is the tanks come with the fuelling lanes attached, so maybe not suitable on low grav planets, as taxiing isn't that desirable..?
But steal away, whatever works!

 

[Hlynkacg]

With custom 'generic' textures for blocks and such you can make them look quite good. The current WIN uses a bunch of additional 'generic list' textures. The good thing about them is they automatically flip to night textures if you include a night texture alpha version.

So I've noticed. :thumbup:

As mentioned above, WIN has been a big source of inspiration (and and by inspiration I mean loot, textures, meshs, etc.).

My current plan as far as custom meshes is to build up a library of "Accent pieces" that can be added to the basic building blocks to give them more flavor. Antennas, Cranes, Observation Decks, etc...

 

[wehaveaproblem]

As mentioned above, WIN has been a big source of inspiration (and and by inspiration I mean loot, textures, meshs, etc.).

lol! :thumbup:

And your plan sounds like a good one to me, look forward to seeing it progress.

 

[Hlynkacg]

Ok: Potentially silly question...

How do I go about adding taxiways? Orbiterconfig.pdf and AR81's tutorials only covered runways. I want to use the included Taxi01/Taxi01_N textures. The intent is to represent a series of roads for UCGO Rovers connecting the four major complexes.

Also:
What kind of accent objects would you like to see? Lets hear some requests.

Already Planned
*VTOL Pad Berm/Anti Back-blast*
*Observation/Control Tower*
Dome (Standard)
Dome (Green-House)
Quonset Hut (Essentially a HANGAR3 object with texture support)
Antenna Farm (Arials)
Antenna Farm (Dish)
Power Plant
Ore Prossesor/Generic industrial do-hickies

*Already Built

PS: if anyone knows texture mapping I could use some help/pointers.

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Ok: Potentially silly question...

How do I go about adding taxiways? Orbiterconfig.pdf and AR81's tutorials only covered runways. I want to use the included Taxi01/Taxi01_N textures. The intent is to represent a series of roads for UCGO Rovers connecting the four major complexes.

There are a number of ways you can do them.

A textured, thin long block can be used. Just arranging them as needed, although this does limit you somewhat to right angles (not that that is a bad thing necessarily).

You could look at how [ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3720"]this was done[/ame]. marcogavazzeni made additional taxiway addon for the current WIN. I've not actually looked at how it was done, but it's a reasonable effect.

Alternatively, you could just use a flat, one-sided custom mesh, pre-textured and loaded via the config - that's what the new WIN has.

There are probably other ways too. Do bear in mind though, that only meshes loaded in the config file will carry a vessel shadow.

Re:texture mapping. I use AC3D that has features built in, so I only know how to use that, so can't really help you there, beyond fundamentals.

Oh and all your proposed additions sound great,

 

[Jarvitä]

A runway on a body with low gravity and no atmosphere? Why? There's no point in landing with excess horizontal velocity and no obvious way to shed that excess velocity once landed that couldn't be done before landing.

 

[Fabri91]

Maybe a solar panel farm would be a good idea? Though I don't know if it would be a good idea to load so many meshes...otherwise, great idea! Really looking forward to this and Olympus.

Regarding further bases: how about a base on Europa?

 

[Izack]

A runway on a body with low gravity and no atmosphere? Why? There's no point in landing with excess horizontal velocity and no obvious way to shed that excess velocity once landed that couldn't be done before landing.

Um, friction? Touching down on a long runway could save a few litres of propellant, eh?

 

[Hlynkacg]

Um, friction? Touching down on a long runway could save a few litres of propellant, eh?

Give the man a cookie!

Retro thrusters use fuel. Hover thrusters use fuel. Wheel-brakes... not so much. Even without Atmospheric lift there are advantages to making a "Run-on" landing.

There is also the small issue of certain vessels (Dansteph's Arrow for instance) being too big to land on a standard pad.

 

[dumbo2007]

A mass driver would be a great addition.

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Give the man a cookie!

Retro thrusters use fuel. Hover thrusters use fuel. Wheel-brakes... not so much. Even without Atmospheric lift there are advantages to making a "Run-on" landing.

There is also the small issue of certain vessels (Dansteph's Arrow for instance) being too big to land on a standard pad.

For what it's worth, I like the idea of short runway style pads on low-grav bases. I have a thread somewhere on this forum with a discussion about a future AIA lunar base. The issue is discussed/debated/argued in there to some length I believe.

 

[Eccentrus]

WHAP, adjusted by the lower g in the moon and other celestial bodies, a longer runway would be needed since the friction force would be much smaller, otherwise, you might have to do other methods to remove the excess velocities such as using cables etc.

 

[C3PO]

Retro thrusters use fuel. Hover thrusters use fuel. Wheel-brakes... not so much. Even without Atmospheric lift there are advantages to making a "Run-on" landing.

If you're descending under power from orbital speed, the last 150-200 m/s don't cost that much fuel. I suspect that the extra mass of the wheels is going to cost more fuel.