HyperDart - A new spaceplane

[Woo482]

I still seem to be getting 5-10 FPS on the latest release

 

[foxtrot]

Stunningly desinged reminds me of a stealth bomber.
Very nice indeed can't wait until its release.

 

[CigDriver]

New Beta to try out.
http://www.animatedexistence.com/orbiter/HyperDart/HyperDart_PB6.zip

Changes:

1. Optimized the code more, I didn't really see any improvement in FPS though, perhaps 1-2 FPS.
2. Resized most VC textures to one half their original size.
3. Returned the Speed-brake keys to "V" and "B" to avoid the conflict with the core assignment for the "F" key.
4. Added a check for the bay doors being open before you an grapple or release cargo containers
5. Added a life support system, it provides oxygen for 14 days with a crew of 4. There is a display on the UMMU/UCGO panel below the crew section. It displays remaining days of oxygen. If it runs out the crew dies and you can not control the craft. Crew Receive a (DECEASED) tag on the display when they are dead. Currently there is not a way to refill it. There is a predefined amount of air in the code (14.XX days) so older scenario files (lacking the AIR = line) or adding a HyperDart from the scenario editor will not cause a CTD.
6. Changed the landed cargo unload position so it isn't under the HyperDart anymore.

Known issues

1. VC FPS performance is still lacking
2. Currently the only way to kill crew is to land to hard or run out of oxygen, both of which kill all the crew so the (DECEASED) tag is kind of pointless I'm going to look into adding some type of stress related death to the code in the future.
3. Scenario files are not updated with UCGO additions except Mission 4.

Enjoy and leave comments!

 

[clickypens]

One quick question: where in the world could you fit four people? I can see two, one pilot and maybe a navigator/scientist in the back in one of the locker-looking things, but four? It'd be a bit cramped wouldn't it. I always imagined the Hyperdart about like the Dyna-Soar carrying only the minimum crew needed so it could be light and quick.

 

[CigDriver]

Normal crew is two, four is only for special missions or emergencies. I invision them in stow-away seats in the aft part of the cockpit, all in a row:

Tight but doable. You definitely wouldn't want to spend 14 days that cramped though!

I could always lower the oxygen so you could only do two for 14 days. I wonder what the stress of being in such close quarters would do to respiration rates? Maybe I can write something that would use more oxygen as you pack more people on. Perhaps two crew gives you 14 days, but 4 crew only gives you 5 days or something like that. Anyone know of any studies that may help?

I love comments that get the mind going

 

[n72.75]

Just tested it, and I love it.

Quick question though; what's a nominal rotate velocity for the XB-70?

 

[willy88]

Would it be possible to program the engines to overheat and melt/explode after firing them for a certain time?

 

[clickypens]

I like the stowable seats idea. Those four people did seem really packed on in there. Deducting oxygen time for each additional crew is another good idea. Maybe you could use the same rates as in the DGIV?

 

[CigDriver]

The code does currently deduct for each person. Somewhere here I read the amount of air consumed by a person per day. I took that divided by the percent of oxygen in air, then figured it out in seconds. At each frame is gets the number of crew multiplies that by the oxygen per second then divides by the timestep. That number is then removed from my oxygen tank. So if you unload a crew member you will see the days of oxygen go up. Not perfect, but it works

What I was wondering is people consume more oxygen per day when they are stuffed in tight confines due to the stress.

This weekend I'm going to change the crew death when oxygen runs out. Currently when the oxygen tank reaches 0 all the crew die. I'm going to change it so once the oxygen is gone the air in the cockpit is consumed, I'll put in a function similar to my damage code where as time passes you have a higher and higher chance that each crew member will die, ending with 100% probability once all the oxygen is depleted from the craft. That should make running out of oxygen a little more exciting/imersive.

I'm also going to change code that disables control of the vessel from a check to make sure there is a UMMU onboard to one that makes sure there is a pilot aboard. More stress for the running out of oxygen scenario, if the pilot dies but everyone else is alive it is gonna suck :lol:

As for the engine damage, I thought about that. But (and there always is one!), I think in reality the mission profile of the craft really keeps that from being an issue. I think that would be a great addition to something that can run engines for a long time, like the XR series. I will put that in my next craft for sure though.

 

[Dambuster]

I'm also going to change code that disables control of the vessel from a check to make sure there is a UMMU onboard to one that makes sure there is a pilot aboard. More stress for the running out of oxygen scenario, if the pilot dies but everyone else is alive it is gonna suck :lol:

Can you make it so that the airlock doors will still be operable with a dead pilot? It would be quite annoying if your pilot died, hence trapping your other passengers inside

Also, would it be possible for the airlock and other such things to be designated as 'action areas' with UCGO, to be operated using the Enter key?

 

[CigDriver]

Currently the airlock is always open, so that isn't an issue. The dead pilot only disables engine, thruster and aero-surface controls, everything else still works.

I was wanting to put in some action areas though, maybe I'll add one that allows the bay doors to be operated externally and tie the airlock to the bay doors. That way you could close up a HyperDart in orbit and come get it later.

 

[mc_]

Problem: can't find fuel gauges in Xl-70 :-( Have to use F8 each time i need it.

 

[CigDriver]

In the center of the panel there is a digital display with the fuel on it. It has both a tape and digital style readout but the digital is too small to read from the pilot's seat. The fuel is the third section, between the trim readouts and the dynamic pressure readout.

 

[willy88]

As for the engine damage, I thought about that. But (and there always is one!), I think in reality the mission profile of the craft really keeps that from being an issue. I think that would be a great addition to something that can run engines for a long time, like the XR series. I will put that in my next craft for sure though.

The engines could also glow after firing for a while, but I think that's too much...

 

[mc_]

In the center of the panel there is a digital display with the fuel on it. It has both a tape and digital style readout but the digital is too small to read from the pilot's seat. The fuel is the third section, between the trim readouts and the dynamic pressure readout.

Ok, found it.

Some gauges are really difficult to read, have to use zoom each time.
Is it possible to do something with this? Or it's a final version ?

btw, fps is fine now (~130 in external view and 40-50 inside).

 

[CigDriver]

Unfortunately the VC is a bit of usability nightmare When I started this project I was using spacecraft3 so the VC only had the MFDs as interactive bits. Once I took the plunge and started teaching myself C++ to do a custome dll I started adding more and more to the VC. At some point in the future I will rebuild the VC to be easier to use, but it won't be too soon because I'll have to recode like half the ship. Not something I want to get into right now.

 

[Urwumpe]

Unfortunately the VC is a bit of usability nightmare When I started this project I was using spacecraft3 so the VC only had the MFDs as interactive bits. Once I took the plunge and started teaching myself C++ to do a custome dll I started adding more and more to the VC. At some point in the future I will rebuild the VC to be easier to use, but it won't be too soon because I'll have to recode like half the ship. Not something I want to get into right now.

If you need code examples, look at SSU, we have done some work on VCs there. You can't use the SSU code directly anyway, but maybe it is shortening the time if you don't need to reinvent the whole wheel again.

 

[Eccentrus]

well, just a suggestion from me, but there is like a helluva lot of accessory buttons in the VCs that have no use whatsoever, like the lights, computers, etc, of which you can remove to add usability, at the expense of immersion though, but this is kind of like engineering, you cut out unusable pieces and make things simple and usable, it's like building the real one, where you won't actually build accessory buttons just for the looks of it.

 

[garyw]

Any chance of making the XL70's gear a bit stronger? Even taxing around Overton island I end up with the gear collapsing.
cheers.

 

[halcyon]

Installing HyperDart_PB6.zip over a clean install results in a CTD.
I tried running scenerios 1-4, all terminated Orbiter.

Here's the log:

**** Orbiter.log
Build Sep 29 2006 [v.060929]
Found 2 joystick(s)
Module AtlantisConfig.dll [API v.060425]
Module DGConfig.dll [API v.060425]
Module VistaBoost.dll [API v.060425]
VistaBoost 1.0: Warning: font smoothing already disabled; nothing to do.
Module ScnEditor.dll [API v.060425]
Module OrbiterSound.dll [API v.060425]
Module TrackIR.dll [API v.060425]
TrackIR module found: C:\Program Files\NaturalPoint\TrackIR5\
TrackIR initialised
NaturalPoint software version 5.00
Module CustomMFD.dll [API v.060425]
Module CameraMFD.dll [API v.060425]
Module MapMFD.dll [API v.050206]
Module Map3DMFD.dll [API v.060425]
Module LaunchMFD.dll [API v.060425]
Module transx.dll [API v.060425]
Module BaseSyncMFD.dll [API v.060425]
Module AeroBrakeMFD.dll [API v.060425]

**** Creating simulation session
DirectDraw interface OK
Direct3D interface OK
Zbuffer: 32 bit
Render device: Fullscreen 1680 x 1050
Device has hardware T&L capability
Joystick throttle: Z-AXIS
Joystick throttle control detected
Module Sun.dll [API v.050206]
VSOP87(E) Sun: Precision 1e-006, Terms 554/6634
Module Mercury.dll [API v.050206]
VSOP87(B) Mercury: Precision 1e-005, Terms 167/7123
Module Venus.dll [API v.050206]
VSOP87(B) Venus: Precision 1e-005, Terms 79/1710
Module Earth.dll [API v.050206]
VSOP87(B) Earth: Precision 1e-008, Terms 2564/2564
Module Moon.dll [API v.041022]
ELP82: Precision 1e-005, Terms 116/829
Module Mars.dll [API v.060425]
VSOP87(B) Mars: Precision 1e-005, Terms 405/6400
Module Phobos.dll [API v.060425]
Module Deimos.dll [API v.060425]
Module Galsat.dll [API v.041022]
Module Jupiter.dll [API v.050206]
VSOP87(B) Jupiter: Precision 1e-006, Terms 1624/3625
Module Io.dll [API v.041022]
Module Europa.dll [API v.041022]
Module Ganymede.dll [API v.041022]
Module Callisto.dll [API v.041022]
Module Satsat.dll [API v.050206]
Module Saturn.dll [API v.060425]
VSOP87(B) Saturn: Precision 1e-006, Terms 2904/6365
Module Mimas.dll [API v.050206]
SATSAT Mimas: Terms 113
Module Enceladus.dll [API v.050206]
SATSAT Enceladus: Terms 33
Module Tethys.dll [API v.050206]
SATSAT Tethys: Terms 101
Module Dione.dll [API v.050206]
SATSAT Dione: Terms 59
Module Rhea.dll [API v.050206]
SATSAT Rhea: Terms 68
Module Titan.dll [API v.050206]
SATSAT Titan: Terms 100
Module Hyperion.dll [API v.050206]
SATSAT Hyperion: Terms 595
Module Iapetus.dll [API v.050206]
SATSAT Iapetus: Terms 605
Module Uranus.dll [API v.050206]
VSOP87(B) Uranus: Precision 1e-006, Terms 1827/5269
Module Miranda.dll [API v.060425]
Module Ariel.dll [API v.060425]
Module Umbriel.dll [API v.060425]
Module Titania.dll [API v.060425]
Module Oberon.dll [API v.060425]
Module Neptune.dll [API v.050206]
VSOP87(B) Neptune: Precision 1e-006, Terms 391/2024
Module Triton.dll [API v.060425]
Finished initialising world
Module XL70.dll [API v.060425]
Module HyperDart.dll [API v.060425]
>>> ERROR: No vessel class configuration file found for:
>>> ERROR: URMS
>>> [C:\Source\Orbiter\Vessel.cpp / 248]
>>> TERMINATING <<<