help me create my addon FIREFLY

[Star explorer]

Hi when i was a little kid i loved rockets and space just like a lot of people on the forum. there was one time when i made a drawing of a rocket called FIREFLY with my freinds. I called it FIREFLY because when I imagined the flames coming out the glow looked to me like a FIREFLYS glow. i of course new that the rocket would never be built. but me and my freinds were doing it for fun. when i discoverd orbiter it was cool. then i found out i could make addons. so i did tutorials to learn how im still a noob at it but I want to make FIREFLY in orbiter. I do need help making it though. can some one help me i have not started yet but i know how to make 3D models,turn them in to meshes, and how to create textures.

PS:when i create this addon it will be a proytotype i plan to keep making it better when i think it looks good enough i might put it orbiter hanger if i do i will post a link.

heres a picture made by memory and microsoft paint(yes i know it completly and utterly sucks but i was doing it in a rush)

 

[Eagle]

For 3d modeling you'll want to download Anim8or. Its free, has everything you need, and is only 5 MB.

http://www.anim8or.com/

For textures you can use Microsoft Paint.

There are some tutorials on Orbithangar about how to create Orbiter vessels. Check it out: http://www.orbithangar.com

 

[Star explorer]

i already have anim8or i know the basics on how to create 3D models and texturing what i need is help making firefly.

PS: I have found out theres another addon named firefly im going to have to use a different name or something

 

[Zatnikitelman]

You can keep "Firefly" as long as you add something. Such as "Firefly Orbital Shuttle" or something like that. It's still your Firefly, just differentiated from the other Firefly.

Looks like modeling'll be relatively simple. It's mostly cylinder stages on top of each other. About the only real challenge would be the rocket engines depending on how detailed you want it to be. For making truly detailed models, the real magic lies in texturing. Textures can be as simple as just the material in your 3d modeler, or as complex as a 2048x2048 spread mapping every last rivet on the ship. If you know C++ programming, then you're ahead of the game, but if not (don't feel bad, most of us here don't) you can use Vinka's multistage2 system. http://users.swing.be/vinka/
It comes with a manual, but the forum is always open!

 

[n0mad23]

I've got an article in Delta-V that might be useful advice for texturing. You can download it either at http://orbiter-forum.com/deltav/DV%202nd%20Qtr%202008.pdf or at [ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3294"]Delta V[/ame]

When playing with textures, it's really important to take your time and make the right decisions. The advantage is you can "fake" a lot thereby eliminating the need for extra polygons. I'm finding a combination of textures from stock photographs with a bit of digital paint work over the top is working well.

 

[Star explorer]

yes but how do make the SRB boosters at the bottom or do i just copy them from the space shuttles meshes and textures

 

[Star explorer]

merged post

ok ive started heres were i am.


now what im wondering is about how to make the stages and SRB rockets work i mean vinkas multistage maual helps a bit but im really stuck.

===========================

i was thinking is anyone one willing to help me work on this addon together im a noob at makeing addons oh am i supossed to put the SRB rockets on in anim8tor
or does vinkas multistage take care of that also when im creating this thing in anim8tor do i make it in different objects to create different stages and connect them cuse if i need to redo the 3D i will i aint that far into it

PS: what i mean by work together on the addon is say for example the config file i need alot of help with that from some one experianced they can explain to me on how to do it or do half of the config and tell me how to do the other half. im really trying my best create addons on my own but right now i need help.

PPS:for those who want to help with the addon im usally on the forum around 5:00 PM eastern time till 9:00 PM eastern time

===========================

REALLY!!!!!!!!! no one wants to help me. come on how long couuld this take to build a week tops. dosent any body on the forum have a little free time to help me. i want to become an addon developer but i cant if the 3D never actually leaves the program used to create it. ive got tons of questions on vinkas multistage how to make config and scenerio files to
so im gonna say this HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gattispilot]

I have not done any multistage vessels. But looking at The doc for multistage. it looks like to need to make each booster a seperate mesh. So you could just make your own boosters


[BOOSTER_x]
booster group definition section where x stands for 1, 2, 3 ... up to 10. There can be no hole in
the sequence. Booster section is not mandatory (as there exists some launcher without
boosters).
Mandatory parameters
• N : number of booster in the group
• MESHNAME : mesh name root , booster meshes must be <meshname>_1.msh,
<meshname>_2.msh, ..., <meshname>_N.msh. You must supply a mesh for each booster
with the proper orientation for each booster.
• OFF : (x,y,z) vector position of booster mesh offset in launcher (meters)
• HEIGHT : booster height in meter
• DIAMETER : booster diameter in meter
• THRUST: booster thrust in N
• EMPTYMASS : booster empty mass in kg
• FUELMASS : booster fuel mass in kg
• BURNTIME : booster burn time in sec
• ANGLE : the initial angle that the OFF vector will be turned around Z axis for effective
booster offset representation. All boosters in the group will be at the same distance from
the Z axis and will be equally spaced around the Z axis.
Unmandatory parameters
• BURNDELAY : booster delayed time in sec before booster

 

[n0mad23]

Star explorer,

You might want to read through this thread, as many of your questions have been discussed previously. The nice thing about a forum like this (and this one in particular, now that m6 is an archive) is that there's a wealth of information all ready at your disposal.

Mulit-stage rockets: http://orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=898

 

[Urwumpe]

Well, I also don't use multistage, though I must admit that it could be a nice toy for playing with rocket designs.

You also did the path for lathing wrong: You only need to make the cross section of one half of the shape.

Look here for how it should look like:
http://www.orbiterwiki.org/wiki/Image:J2S_nozzlepath_example.png

Orbiter renders also the meshes only one sided, so you should make sure that the normal vectors of your faces are correct, otherwise you don't see something.

Sorry if I can't help you much, I am usually deep inside my own add-on making.

 

[Star explorer]

ok i redid the mesh oh and remember at the top when i said i was gonna make a few prototypes well for my first proytotype im not gonna have stages on it nor booster rockets and no textures either. the reason being is thet im new to addon making and that no one told me if i needed to make the stages different meshes but i need some help with the config file and scenario file well mostly the config file can some one type one up or give me a tutorial on how to make a config file.


my new mesh

 

[Urwumpe]

please... don't use bmp for images in the internet. if you don't like losses by compression, use png...

 

[Star explorer]

Urwumpe told me he edits oringinal config files can someone recomend what config file i should use for my addon

 

[Star explorer]

how do you make a configuration settings type file


heres an image of the file type i want to make
View attachment cs.BMP

 

[Star explorer]

hi the addons coming great but when i test it, it crashes ive made the config file scenario file and meshes i dont know what to do. if you need them ill post the config and scenario files on the thread to check the problem

 

[Xantcha]

Post it, also post what is in orbiter.log after a crash.

 

[Star explorer]

heres the ini file

i edited the araine 6 addon ini file

[MISC]
cog=8.1
[TEXTURE_LIST]
TEX_1=Contrail1

[PARTICLESTREAM_1]
NAME=SRBsm
TEX=Contrail1
SRCSIZE=3
SRCRATE=150
V0=140.0
SRCSPREAD=0.3
LIFETIME=15
GROWTHRATE=5
ATMSLOWDOWN=1.0
LTYPE=DIFFUSE
LEVELMAP=LVL_PSQRT
LMIN=0
LMAX=1
ATMSMAP=ATM_PLOG
AMIN=1e-4
AMAX=2

[STAGE_1]
MeshName="Meshes\FIREFLY 1 stage mesh"
off=(0,0,2.8)
Height=60
Diameter=12
EmptyMass=300000.0
FuelMass=1400000.0
Thrust=20000000.0
BurnTime=295
ENG_1=(0,0,-24.5)
ENG_2=(3.5,0,-24.5)
ENG_3=(-3.5,0,-24.5)
ENG_4=(0,3.5,-24.5)
ENG_5=(0,-3.5,-24.5)
ROT_SPEED=0
[STAGE_2]
MeshName="Meshes\FIREFLY 2 stage mesh"
IGNITE_DELAY=5
off=(0,0,42.1)
Height=30.7
Diameter=7
EmptyMass=98000.0
FuelMass=700000.0
Thrust=8000000.0
BurnTime=340
ENG_1=(-2,0,-12.5)
ENG_2=(2,0,-12.5)
ENG_3=(0,-2,-12.5)
ENG_4=(0,2,-12.5)
ENG_TEX=WEx
ROT_SPEED=0
SPEED=2.5

[PAYLOAD_1]
off=(0.0,0,67)
MeshName="Meshes\FIREFLY payload"
Module="spacecraft/spacecraft3"
name="FIREFLY"
Diameter=11.
Height=15.
Mass=200000.

heres the scenario file (note i edited the habana space port scenario)

BEGIN_DESC
Launch firefly.
END_DESC
BEGIN_ENVIRONMENT
System Sol
Date MJD 51981.965
END_ENVIRONMENT
BEGIN_FOCUS
Ship FIREFLY
END_FOCUS
BEGIN_CAMERA
TARGET FIREFLY
MODE Cockpit
FOV 60.00
END_CAMERA
BEGIN_HUD
TYPE Surface
END_HUD
BEGIN_MFD Left
TYPE Surface
END_MFD
BEGIN_MFD Right
TYPE HSI
NAV 2 1
OBS 1.05 0.00
END_MFD
BEGIN_VC
END_VC
BEGIN_SHIPS
ISSrojectAlpha_ISS
STATUS Orbiting Earth
ELEMENTS 6734919 0.0009 74.513 169.034 328.305 143.239 51544.5
AROT 30.00 0.00 50.00
END
Mir
STATUS Orbiting Earth
ELEMENTS 6671000 0.0006 3.5 0 0 0 51544.5
AROT 0 -45 90
END
Luna-OB1:Wheel
STATUS Orbiting Moon
ELEMENTS 2238000.0 0.00000 90.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 51544.5
AROT 0.00 0.00 -72.91
VROT 0 0 10
END
GL-01S:FIREFLY
STATUS Landed Earth
BASE Habana:2
HEADING 5
PRPLEVEL 0:0.3 1:1 2:0.3
GEAR 1 1.0
NOSECONE 0 0.0000
NAVFREQ 562 162 50 0
TANKCONFIG 1
PSNGR 1 2
END
SH-03:ShuttleA
STATUS Landed Earth
BASE Habana:4
HEADING 70
FUEL 1.0
END
PB-01:ShuttlePB
STATUS Landed Earth
BASE Habana:1
HEADING 22
FUEL 1.0
END
GL-02eltaGlider
STATUS Landed Mars
BASE Olympus:3
FUEL 1.0
GEAR 1 1.0
NOSECONE 0 0.0000
END
SH-01:ShuttleA
STATUS Landed Moon
BASE Brighton Beach:1
FUEL 1.0
END
END_SHIPS

 

[Xantcha]

can you post your orbiter log?

 

[Star explorer]

the orbiter log dident say any thing when my game crashed i got a send error message to microsoft it dident say check orbiter log for details like it ussaly does

 

[Xantcha]

I'm not too familiar with multistage but probably this is the problem: are your meshes in <orbiterpath>\meshes\ directory? If so, then try to edit MeshName parameter for each stage.
Instead of MeshName="Meshes\FIREFLY 1 stage mesh" use MeshName="FIREFLY 1 stage mesh" . Specifying mesh directory is not needed as it is default directory for meshes.