XR5 Vanguard 1.0c Released

[dbeachy1]

Hi guys, I just released a minor update to the XR5 Vanguard: version 1.0c. The main reason for this update is to fix a bug in 1.0b where custom Vanguard skins do not load correctly. If you want to use Marco's (aka 'dutchpirate') new USMC skin for the Vanguard you will need to install the new XR5 1.0c release first.

Changes include:

* Fixed bug that was causing custom XR5 skins to not load properly.
* Fixed bug where the pilot could not re-engage the Airspeed Hold autopilot after wheels-down until the ship came to a full stop.
* Fixed bug where the state of the hover doors would never change while playing back a recorded flight.
* Added some minor XRVesselCtrl API enhancements requested by Randy Stearns (aka 'yagni01').
* Fixed typo in the payload bay slot dimensions text on the payload dialog.
* Updated the flight manual and replaced all M6 references with references to the new Orbiter-Forum.com here.

You can get the new XR5 1.0c release as well as Marco's new USMC Vanguard skin on my Orbiter Page.

Happy flying!

 

[TSPenguin]

*fetchetyfetch*

Thanks for fixing!

 

[jedidia]

say, is there an update version, so I don't have to download the whole thing again?

on another note, I LOVE the Vanguard... best delivery ship for Orbiter ever! really only thing it lacks is a Canadarm.

 

[Ghostrider]

on another note, I LOVE the Vanguard... best delivery ship for Orbiter ever! really only thing it lacks is a Canadarm.

The Vanguard does not need a Canadarm. She just gives the cargo a stern look, and the cargo hops into the bay by itself.

 

[dbeachy1]

say, is there an update version, so I don't have to download the whole thing again?

Sorry, there is no patch version at this time. Note, however, that the DLL is 42 MB in size and so even if there was a patch you would still need to download a fairly large amount of data. No way around it...

Also, remember that you really only need the 1.0c version if you want to use one of the new Vanguard skins from Marco. All the other changes to 1.0c are minor.

on another note, I LOVE the Vanguard... best delivery ship for Orbiter ever! really only thing it lacks is a Canadarm.

Thanks for the feedback.

While I agree it would "look cool" to have an arm on the Vanguard, I wanted the Vanguard to be easy for anyone (including novice pilots) to use to transport cargo. Maneuvering an arm to grapple multiple cargo modules is a pain, and having an arm would also require defining a second attachment point on all Vanguard-compatible cargo. Yes, using a cargo arm can be fun for something like the shuttle when you're only loading/deploying one cargo module, but the Vanguard has thirty-six payload slots. It would take forever to load or unload cargo if you had to use an arm to do it. Also, it would be a lot of work to model and implement a fully-operational cargo arm, and since I want the Vanguard's payload system to be easy-to-use anyway, a cargo arm is not going to happen for the foreseeable future.

 

[Ghostrider]

Anyway, the Vanguard is big enough to carry an ancillary cargo-moving vessel in the the hold...

 

[jedidia]

Note, however, that the DLL is 42 MB in size

ooops...

I allways thought all this space is used up by sound. Must be a hell of a lot more coding in this thing than I actually thought. respect!

The Vanguard does not need a Canadarm. She just gives the cargo a stern look, and the cargo hops into the bay by itself.

one can also use the MMU's for the moving of most stuff, so it's not really a problem. I just imagined building stuff would have been a bit easier with an arm, but maybe I'm terribly mistaken with this :dry:

thanks for the new version anyways!

 

[dbeachy1]

Although there is a lot of code in the XR codebase, the vast majority of the space in the DLL is taken up by resource bitmaps such as instrument panels and panel graphics. The sound files are the second largest piece in the zip file, although they are outside the DLL.

BTW, I haven't advertised this before but I put a little easter egg sound clip in the XR series, which you can activate by clicking on an area on one of the 2D panels. :speakcool:

 

[Urwumpe]

Can I make two suggestions for improvements inside the XR line source base?

I just did a perfect manual reentry with it without reentry MFD as assist, but I noticed two small things, which are missing:

- A bank reversal button in the attitude hold autopilot, which would just invert the target bank angle.
- A connection or model for external cooling when landed - having to deploy the radiator after landing on KSC for being able to wait for the next launch window is feeling strange.
Earths atmosphere should give some better cooling as a vacuum.

 

[GXE3]

Is there a way to turn exhaust off in the Vanguard? The exhaust really is a framerate killer for me.

 

[dutchpirate]

- A connection or model for external cooling when landed - having to deploy the radiator after landing on KSC for being able to wait for the next launch window is feeling strange.
Earths atmosphere should give some better cooling as a vacuum.

Lower control panel, right side, there is a switch for external cooling.

 

[Urwumpe]

Lower control panel, right side, there is a switch for external cooling.

In the XR1? My version does not have it...

 

[silent_protagonist]

In the XR1? My version does not have it...

I think it was a new feature with version 1.4.

on another note, I LOVE the Vanguard... best delivery ship for Orbiter ever! really only thing it lacks is a Canadarm.

Kulch is currently developing universal RMS which should make this a moot point. http://kulch.spb.ru/Eng/URMS_project.html :thumbsup:

 

[dbeachy1]

Is there a way to turn exhaust off in the Vanguard? The exhaust really is a framerate killer for me.

You can enable or disable specific visual effects, including Particle Streams, in the Visual effects tab in the Orbiter Launchpad. If the rocket and SCRAM exhaust is causing a framerate hit on your system, you can disable it in the launchpad by going to Visual Effects -> General Effects and unchecking the Particle Streams box.

Kulch is currently developing universal RMS which should make this a moot point. http://kulch.spb.ru/Eng/URMS_project.html :thumbsup:

That's cool! That would be perfect because then users who wanted an arm could use that to maneuver the cargo into the Vanguard's bay and then "latch it in place" using the Vanguard's payload controls.

My version does not have it...

I think it was a new feature with version 1.4.

That is correct: external cooling support was added to the XR1 1.4 release back in mid-December 2007. Version 1.4 also includes 250+ all-new voice callouts performed by actress Sally Beaumont, new center-of-gravity shifting in the Attitude Hold autopilot, and a bunch of other tweaks and features over version 1.3. If any of you are still running an old XR1 version I highly recommend upgrading to the 1.4 release, which is available on my Web Page.

 

[tl8]

BTW, I haven't advertised this before but I put a little easter egg sound clip in the XR series, which you can activate by clicking on an area on one of the 2D panels. :speakcool:

Nice, as soon as I read it I went looking for it, lol:lol:

 

[Urwumpe]

That is correct: external cooling support was added to the XR1 1.4 release back in mid-December 2007. Version 1.4 also includes 250+ all-new voice callouts performed by actress Sally Beaumont, new center-of-gravity shifting in the Attitude Hold autopilot, and a bunch of other tweaks and features over version 1.3. If any of you are still running an old XR1 version I highly recommend upgrading to the 1.4 release, which is available on my Web Page.

OK, update is getting installed. I have actually had downloaded the 1.4 version right after I got my DSL connection, but must have forgotten to install it, while I had been busy with studies.

I have tested it with the XR5 and it had the external cooling.

 

[markl316]

Sorry. Where on your website is the XR5 paint kit? I could only find the kit for the XR1.
Keep up the good work! :beach:

 

[dbeachy1]

Sorry. Where on your website is the XR5 paint kit? I could only find the kit for the XR1.
Keep up the good work! :beach:

No XR5 paint kit has been released yet -- Marco Jansen created his Vanguard skins from the Vanguard hull PSD files I sent him at his request. If you are interested in creating a custom Vanguard skin please drop me a PM or email and I'll send the PSD files to you.

 

[mrspacely]

Great addon!

I love this thing, it makes me excited to use orbiter again! One thing though.. the ladies voice is kind of loud and im restricted to only headphones because all people can hear in other rooms is her voice if i dont! Is there any way to disable or mute her announcements?

Other than that keep up the good work, its addons like these that draw in more orbiter enthusiasts!

 

[dbeachy1]

I love this thing, it makes me excited to use orbiter again! One thing though.. the ladies voice is kind of loud and im restricted to only headphones because all people can hear in other rooms is her voice if i dont! Is there any way to disable or mute her announcements?

Other than that keep up the good work, its addons like these that draw in more orbiter enthusiasts!

Well, beyond just turning down the volume, you can disable (or change) any callouts you want by modifying/moving the WAV files in your C:\Orbiter\Sound\XR5Vanguard directory. I will add a feature to the next version to make the callout volume configurable in the config file. In the meantime, if you want to get adventurous you could use a WAV editor to reduce the volume (amplitude) of the WAV callout files. However, due to the large number of voice callouts that would be a fair amount of work for you, so you may just want to turn down the volume or move all the callout WAV files out of the sound directory until the next Vanguard version is released.