How to Create Orbiter Addons?

Artlav

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Try by starting to do some add-ons.

If you know how to mesh model, try the modeling, and look in the orbitersdk/doc/3DModel.pdf for ways to put the model into Orbiter.

If you can make algorithms and know/wish to learn C++, think of something and look at orbitersdk/doc/API_*.pdf's for details on usage.

If you know both, so far the better.

If you know none, choose what you want to learn better or think of something else.

If you're not accustomed to finding solutions, here are some nice tutorials:
For both add-on making and flying around:
http://www.orbithangar.com/advsearc...uthor=default&category=default&subcat=default
http://www.orbithangar.com/searchre...subcat=tutorials&Submit=Browse&OrbVer=default
For modeling:
http://www.orbithangar.com/advsearc...ult&text=default&search=default&submit=Search
 

RisingFury

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A playback ain't much of an addon...

One more thing before you get started... OrbitHangar has been hit with quite a few... less then brilliant addons lately, if you know what I mean, so please refrain from uploading scenarios, playbacks or other stuff that isn't a real addon.
 

garyw

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What do you want to make? What do you feel is missing that would enhance the orbiter experience?
 

tblaxland

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A playback ain't much of an addon...

One more thing before you get started... OrbitHangar has been hit with quite a few... less then brilliant addons lately, if you know what I mean, so please refrain from uploading scenarios, playbacks or other stuff that isn't a real addon.
Well, a playback is OK IMHO if it is an educational tutorial:
iam_inorbit said:
For my first Addon, I think it should be a Playback tutorial...

For that, you will want to put annotations in your playback. See here for some helpful info:
http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=6620

Also, I recommend reading the following links. Not all the advice contained therein may apply to your particular addon but there is some good advice in there nonetheless:

An addon guide by Martin Schweiger:
http://orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/addon.html

And some guidelines from the old forums about creating addons:
http://orbit.m6.net/Forum/default.aspx?g=posts&t=3885
http://orbit.m6.net/Forum/default.aspx?g=posts&t=3643, particularly this post: http://orbit.m6.net/Forum/default.aspx?g=posts&t=3643#35107


-----Post Added-----


Well! I want to create something cool. But i do not have any softwares etc.

Tell me where i can get them, If you Know.
First decide what your "cool" thing is going to be, then you can figure out what tools are required to do the job.

To limit the range of possibilities of "cool" things, go back to Artlav's original question - what experience do you have (coding, modelling etc). If none, then what do you want to learn?
 

RisingFury

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Yea, a tutorial playback is ok, but if you're new to orbiter, how much info do you have to offer to people who have been flying it for years?


If you're looking to make something, make sure you're ready to put a lot of work into it. Hours and hours... nobody wants to see another flying ball with some incredible new propulsion system on OH again.
 

Urwumpe

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Yes! I have no experience.
I would like to learn everything

Don't release just a simple scenario or a playback, which even average Orbiter users can create in 10 Minutes. This will not be cool. Cool are things, which not everybody can do, which show that you have either skills or spent more time into making it as the average Orbiter user would.

I would recommend you, to make add-ons for yourself for the first time, most developers started just like that. The first add-on I released, was actually already number add-on number 8 for me, and only few of the earlier add-ons had been good enough to become released after serious work. My personal quota is roughly like that: For each add-on I released or each add-on where I contributed to, there are about four experiments and add-ons, which had not been good enough for release.

What would be considered cool by many people in the Orbiter world, would be somebody making the famous landmarks of Earth as bases or additions to bases. For example the great pyramids of Giza, which are even visible from LEO.

This is not a overly complex job, but requires creativity, basic skills with making good meshes with a small number of triangles and finally, a good eye for the essence of the object you model.

Usually, a base is a good start for newbie developers, as you don't need to learn physics or fiddle with physical parameters. If you release a base, don't forget putting one or two scenarios in to the add-on package.
 

iam_inorbit

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Don't release just a simple scenario or a playback, which even average Orbiter users can create in 10 Minutes. This will not be cool. Cool are things, which not everybody can do, which show that you have either skills or spent more time into making it as the average Orbiter user would.

I would recommend you, to make add-ons for yourself for the first time, most developers started just like that. The first add-on I released, was actually already number add-on number 8 for me, and only few of the earlier add-ons had been good enough to become released after serious work. My personal quota is roughly like that: For each add-on I released or each add-on where I contributed to, there are about four experiments and add-ons, which had not been good enough for release.

What would be considered cool by many people in the Orbiter world, would be somebody making the famous landmarks of Earth as bases or additions to bases. For example the great pyramids of Giza, which are even visible from LEO.

This is not a overly complex job, but requires creativity, basic skills with making good meshes with a small number of triangles and finally, a good eye for the essence of the object you model.

Usually, a base is a good start for newbie developers, as you don't need to learn physics or fiddle with physical parameters. If you release a base, don't forget putting one or two scenarios in to the add-on package.

Thanks Urwumpe,

This is a good idea, and very important thing its "COOL".

Which software is needed to create bases.
 

Urwumpe

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Which software is needed to create bases.

A text editor or the Surface Base Wizard. Also, you might need a 3D modeling software to create "meshes" for non-standard buildings, there are free ones like Blender or anim8or, which you can use for Orbiter by installing a plug-in into each.

A mesh is the official name of the 3D models you see in Orbiter. you can find information about how theses meshes work in the Orbiter SDK documentation, so first you should download and install the SDK, and go over all files inside the "OrbiterSDK/Doc" folder.

I recommend you as first training step, to just play with a fictional base, adding the basic base objects like runways, blocks, etc. Next step, would be learning to get your own mesh into it.
 

iam_inorbit

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A text editor or the Surface Base Wizard. Also, you might need a 3D modeling software to create "meshes" for non-standard buildings, there are free ones like Blender or anim8or, which you can use for Orbiter by installing a plug-in into each.

A mesh is the official name of the 3D models you see in Orbiter. you can find information about how theses meshes work in the Orbiter SDK documentation, so first you should download and install the SDK, and go over all files inside the "OrbiterSDK/Doc" folder.

I recommend you as first training step, to just play with a fictional base, adding the basic base objects like runways, blocks, etc. Next step, would be learning to get your own mesh into it.

where can i get these softwares.

1) blender or anim8or.
2) surf base editor.
 

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Pithecanthropu

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One thing I would find helpful is a couple of "Hello World" level tutorial projects. Obviously it would pointless to write an add-on to do that, but I think it would be much less so build the simplest possible sub-orbital rocket as a beginning, or to start by learning how to take an existing vehicle and change its mass or exhaust velocity, for experimentation.

I'm just beginning to explore what's around here myself so I don't know much. But if anyone knows of such a tutorial I'd appreciate hearing about it.
 
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Rathelm

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Yes! I have no experience.
I would like to learn everything

Just remember mesh and 3d modeling take years to get good at. So does programming for that matter. If you really are interested don't expect to knock anything out for a while. The guys that make pro looking addons are most likely in the industry already or have been doing this stuff since the 90s as a hobby.
 
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