XR2 Public Release Candidate Testing

[yagni01]

What resolution and video card are you using? In any case, 16-bit color can look odd, so 32-bit color is recommened. With a fast video card and processor you should be getting 200+ fps on XP and about 80 on Vista with VistaBoost.

Its at 1600x1200. I have an Intel C2D 2.33GHz 2MB RAM running XP. Video is an NVidia 7950 256mb RAM. 16bit I get ~180fps and 60fps at 32bit. Pretty much all of the display and physics parameters are checked. Plus level umpteen scenery.

 

[dbeachy1]

OK guys, Beta-1b is a go! XR2 Beta Team: please check your inboxes for the download link. Here is a list of changes in this build;

* Added new XR2 at Olympus scenario from Steve.

* Increased aileron strength ~20% to compensate for roll resistance in the previous Beta. The ship should feel a little more responsive now but still feel precise. [Steve's request]

* Added gear compression: currently the gear compresses 0.4 meter, although I can easily tweak that if we need to. Here's something fun to try: switch to external view at Brighton Beach and press 'A'. After wheels-up, press NUMPAD-. to hover or NUMPAD-0 to auto-land. :speakcool:

* Updated the 'Red Skin' skin scenario. [Steve]

* Added new VC HUD geometry from Steve. Kudos to Steve for nailing the UV Map issues! I still need to tweak the code a little bit to decrease the HUD width slightly, but overall the new VC HUDs look good!

* Fixed door status text on VC and glass cockpit HUDs so it does not overwrite other graphics on the HUD. This fixed the XR1 and XR5 (glass cockpit) as well.

* Added 'Bay Doors' indicator to the HUD (this will also be in the next XR1 release since the ships share common code).

* Added new EVA meshes for Kara and Lee from Steve. You can EVA Kara and/or Lee to see the new meshes. [Note: turbopacks may be added later.]

* With gear compression in place, I moved the aft rotation points forward slightly. Therefore, I decreased the default elevator power and adjusted 'AFCtrlPerformanceModifier' settings to compensate as well. Testing shows the new rotation speeds as:

                      No Payload   Full Payload
"On" (low power)    : 155 m/s      175 m/s
Default             : 130 m/s      150 m/s
"Pitch" (high power): 115 m/s      130 m/s

* Tweaked "Rotate" callout to be 130 m/s.

* Integrated Steve's new 'ExhaustXR2.dds' texture and tweaked exhaust diameters for main engines, hover engines, and RCS jets. Steve modified the main/hover texture to fit just inside the engine bells. Steve plans to tweak the RCS texture as well. (Steve: the width of the RCS exhaust should be correct now, so you can try your RCS texture tweaks with this Beta.)

* Moved main and SCRAM exhaust a little more aft and tweaked them to be brighter, narrower, and to disperse more slowly. [Steve's request]

* Integrated Steve's new four-bit-alpha heating mesh and tweaked the code to go all the way to 100% opacity.

* Added code to hide/show Lee and Kara in the cockpit when the ingress/egress the ship. Here's something cool to try: egress Lee, then switch to Kara in the VC and lean left with CTRL-ALT-LEFT. Then look down at the uber-cool floormats on the Commander's side. :speakcool:

* Added new preference to optionally disable ship control if both the Commander and Pilot are not on board. If you want to try it out, set it to '1'. This enhancement will also be in the next XR1 and XR5 releases since the ships share common code.

#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
# If enabled, either the Commander or Pilot must be
# on board in order to control the ship; otherwise, the ship's controls will
# be disabled until either the Commander or Pilot reenter the ship. The
# Commander and Pilot are determined by the crew member's rank as defined
# in the PASSENGER sections.
#
# 0 = Any crew member on board can pilot the ship.
# 1 = Only the Commander or Pilot can pilot the ship.
#
# The default is 0, meaning that any crew member on board can pilot the ship.
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
RequirePilotForShipControl=0

That's it for now...all these late nights are killing me (and Steve, too, I'm sure!)

Its at 1600x1200. I have an Intel C2D 2.33GHz 2MB RAM running XP. Video is an NVidia 7950 256mb RAM. 16bit I get ~180fps and 60fps at 32bit. Pretty much all of the display and physics parameters are checked. Plus level umpteen scenery.

Hmm...that is quite a framerate hit for just going to 32-bit color. Your video card is reasonably fast, so I wonder if the video RAM size is the culprit and it can't double- or triple-buffer the frames. That's just a guess, though... One question (hopefully not too obvious): if you are running full-screen, can you double-check that "Disable Vertical Sync" is still checked in the launchpad? If that is unchecked Orbiter will limit your framerate to your monitor's refresh rate because it only draws a frame when the "raster beam" (as it used to be called with CRT monitors) is off-screen.

 

[Coolhand]

btw guys, i know there are still some issues with the heat sheild, problems that became apparent when the mesh became 100% opaque. they will be fixed.


-----Posted Added-----


Also, there's a problem with the materials, that full brightness thing that i tweaked out and specular seems to have disappeared. did you run the .msh through that doohickey that sets the material values? I actually like what it's done to the window frames, given them a nice gold hue which contrasts nicely against the blue pit... but the rest, no spec on the hull, the rockets are too dark, the pilots look like they've got a deep tan...etc. If needed i can tweak them again.

 

[dbeachy1]

Argh! Good catch, Steve -- I forgot to set the modifier file when I converted the mesh. Stand by for new Beta link, guys. The current mesh is way too dull. I didn't notice this last night.

[EDIT] OK, I uploaded a new build file with the corrected mesh. Please re-download the build again. Thanks.

 

[yagni01]

I really like the new heating effect - much better. Seems like you may have dialed back on the engine exhaust diameter too much, though. Looks a little strange, particularly in an aft view.

Oh, and the sync video box was unchecked. Back up to 200+ fps. Duh.

 

[dbeachy1]

I really like the new heating effect - much better. Seems like you may have dialed back on the engine exhaust diameter too much, though. Looks a little strange, particularly in an aft view.

Yes, I agree the exhaust is a little too narrow (and it tapers a little too soon) right now. The tapering is a holdover from the stock texture, BTW. The actual diameter of the exhaust in the code now is exactly correct (it was too wide previously), so now all that's left is to tweak the alpha in the exhaust texture to widen the flames. Steve is tied up with RL work for a while, so I may have a crack at tweaking the alpha in the exhaust texture myself for the next build...

 

[yagni01]

Like the gear compression! Too bad it couldn't rebound some on landing; that would be really sweet. You're the best, Doug!

Steve, any good word on smoothing the tires? Edit: After reading Doug's previous, guess not.

 

[dbeachy1]

Actually I like the tire textures, so I'd rather Steve didn't change them much if at all.

Regarding gear compression, it is impossible for the ship to descend below its touchdown points without bouncing into space, so the only way to "rebound" on landing would be to somehow "bounce the ship" via hidden thrusters or something and then change the touchdown points on-the-fly. That would be a ridiculous amount of work just for some minor eye candy...plus I'm not sure that it would ever look right (coding bounce physics isn't easy)...and I'd much rather spend time getting the payload stuff coded, releasing the Mk I, and then working on the Mk II to get the VC activated. There's only so much scope creep I can handle...

Anyway, the XR2 and XR5 have cutting-edge shock technology that eliminates "bounce" during landings. :beach:

 

[willy88]

Anyway, the XR2 and XR5 have cutting-edge shock technology that eliminates "bounce" during landings. :beach:

You have to wonder where Altea Aerospace gets all that technology from...
... is AA really a front for dataDyne, Mr. Beachy? Is it?

 

[dbeachy1]

LOL! :lol: "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

Company-proprietary information, my friend.

 

[yagni01]

Actually I like the tire textures, so I'd rather Steve didn't change them much if at all.

Having spent so many years around aircraft, its just one of those things that are jarring enough to seem. . . incongruous with the rest of the ship. But there is plenty of other work to do, I'm sure.

Anyway, the XR2 and XR5 have cutting-edge shock technology that eliminates "bounce" during landings. :beach:

Not to worry; it was more wistful thinking than a request.

 

[Coolhand]

so I may have a crack at tweaking the alpha in the exhaust texture myself for the next build...

Noooooooooooo!:rofl: check your emails Doug.

 

[dbeachy1]

LOL! :lol: Thanks Steve, I've got the new texture now. I didn't want to pull you away from paying work to play with the textures, but thanks for tweaking the exhaust texture -- I'll integrate it tonight.

That new texture looks sweet! :speakcool:

 

[Travis Reed]

Anyway, the XR2 and XR5 have cutting-edge shock technology that eliminates "bounce" during landings. :beach:

What he means here is that the shocks are very simple and don't even have a spring...

I'm envisioning landing gear set up in a similar way to a telescoping antenna. Main strut is composed of 2 or more tubes (top one is hollow, strong material, bottom may be solid) where at the top (closest part to the underside of the spacecraft) are several holes to allow air to enter/exit the tubes. These being engineered to allow enough air to escape as the craft is landing to avoid damaging the system, yet little enough to prevent shock damage to the spacecraft and the rest of the landing gear. On takeoff, the weight of the lower part of the strut forces air into the upper portion of the strut and allows it to extend to maximum extension. Likely there'd be some method of compressing the gear as it's pulled up for flight for safer storage.

Doug may have had something else in mind, but what I've thought of here would probably work as well, and be cheaper to implement. Hopefully some will be able to figure out what I mean...

Although...now that I think about it some more, this may not work so well on planets with a thinner atmosphere (e.g. Mars) as the air pressure on/near the ground may not be sufficient to provide the required shock absorption...though I suppose one could inject a gas into the strut to compensate (probably from the top)...

 

[dbeachy1]

What he means here is that the shocks are very simple and don't even have a spring...

"Very simple?" :huh: If you knew how much code and effort it took to even implement independent gear strut compresson at all, you wouldn't call it "simple." With all due respect, did you read my entire post? The reason I did not make the shocks "bounce" is due to the large amount of additional work involved in coding a "bouncing shock" vs. the payoff (eye-candy), not a ship design decision.

Ah, the joys of being an add-on developer...no matter how much effort you put into a vessel, it's never enough...

 

[willy88]

Those are some sexy exhaust textures!

 

[Travis Reed]

"Very simple?" :huh: If you knew how much code and effort it took to even implement independent gear strut compresson at all, you wouldn't call it "simple." With all due respect, did you read my entire post? The reason I did not make the shocks "bounce" is due to the large amount of additional work involved in coding a "bouncing shock" vs. the payoff (eye-candy), not a ship design decision.

Ah, the joys of being an add-on developer...no matter how much effort you put into a vessel, it's never enough...

I should have seen this coming...Doug, I'm fairly certain you misinterpreted my post.

I was not referring to the coding of the compression or coding at all. I was extrapolating what the shocks might be like if they were made using current or near technology in an attempt to explain the lack of bounce. It was supposed to be in jest (to a point) and yet be plausible.

While I don't have nearly as much coding experience as you, I do understand it's not easy, or simple in that regard. Please accept my humble apologies for any offense taken, as none was meant.

And...have a cookie.


-----Posted Added-----


Also, I think once it comes out I'll have to replace the replacement for the stock Orbiter exhaust textures...
Currently I'm using these (and have even replaced the XR1 and 5 exhaust with 'em): [ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=1494"]New Exhaust Textures 1.3[/ame]
+

 

[willy88]

Hey Doug, do you think you could add an option in the config file to enable or disable the particle effects?

 

[Coolhand]

What you're 'envisioning' there mate, is called a damper, they've been around for a while. An air device might work on earth, though you're probably always better off having these as sealed systems, then you're not going to get any moisture, dust or other crap in there.

Open mechanical systems = bad.

Additionally, air and open holes in the cylinder would not be very useful in space operations. Usually such devices are sealed and contain oil as as the damping medium, the piston moves through the oil and this resists the motion of the piston in the cylinder, its what stops cars from bouncing around uncontrollably.

Anyway this thread is about the discussion of the beta, not unlikely concepts for real life motion damping systems - its not surprising doug took it out of context. Please keep the thread OT from now on, thankyou.

 

[Cale]

Damn...have been out of town for work over the last few days...will get testing over the weekend. Sorry for my silence over the last week!

Cheers,

Cale