Project Lunar Module "Spider" (Updated 11/01/2012)

[Hlynkacg]

Every wanted to take an Apollo Spacecraft for a spin around Brighton Beach without having to read reams of documentation (NASSP) or deal with scrambled meshes (AMSO)? I know I have.

...and given the scarcity of realistic airless-body landers with UMMU support I decided to make my own.

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Now I know my projects have a tendancy to become vapor-ware (which is why I haven't this posted earlier) but this one is far enough along that I feel a developement thread is warranted. For those who've been following my numerous threads on the SDK forum, this is what all the fuss has been about

Spider is based on NASA's Extended Stay Lunar Module, aka the "Lunar Taxi" which incorporated Lessons Learned from the first production run of LMs and would have provided the manned portion of the Apollo Aplications Project's dual launch lunar missions.

The Idea of this project is to balance a historically accurate performance envelope with accessibility and ease of play.

Planned Features for initial release include...

• Two .DLLs one with UMMU Support, another without.
• Lighting and Particle Effects.
• Virtual cockpit with working gauges and controls.
• Landing and Ascent autopilots.

Possibilities for future developement

• Electrical and Eviromental Subsystems modeling.
• UMMU/UCCGO cargo and consumables.
• Other lunar module derivatives.

At this moment the only items remaining on the initial release checklist are the VC and debugging the Landing Autopilot.

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current state of the VC main panel (all items not drawn in pencil are up and running in the sim).

As always I'm looking for feedback, suggestions, concerns, and offers of assistance are greatly appreciated. :tiphat:

I'd also like to throw a major shout-out and tip of the hat to Moach, Jedia, Glider, Wishbone, and others who have graciously allowed me to exploit their knowledge and thier code samples.

Thank you all and !

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---------- Post added at 11:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:53 PM ----------



UPDATED: 11/01/2012

Download the latest version here...
Added parsing of vessel config file allowing thrust and DV to be adjusted by end user.

Placeholders for the CMD and LMP Ground-speed/Slip indicators have been added as well as a 2nd ADI for the commander's position. MFD has been relocated to panel 4.

At the moment the two ADIs are slaved to eachother but support for independant operation is in work.

Sound and Switching control logic has also been debugged.
Download latest files here
[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=5846"]Spider Lunar Lander *Beta v2.3*[/ame]

New in version 2:

• Lower and side control panels added
• Cockpit displays overhauled
• ADI ball and associated Attitude reference programs added
• Switches on panels 3, 4, & 5 now have in game effects
• Support for orbiter-sound added
• Thruster and propellant management code rewritten
• VC switch control logic rewritten
• Framework for future implimentation of Life-support and consumables added
• New exterior meshes
• New textures

Hotfix 1: Broken link was causing CTD on stage seperation (descent stage vessel wasn't loading properly) now fixed.

Hotfix 2: In the process of fixing #1 I accidently deleted the LEM's touchdown points :facepalm: it's fixed now.

Interim Update version 2.3:

• Added parsing of vessel config file allowing thrust and DV to be adjusted by end user.
• Placeholders for the CMD and LMP Ground-speed/Slip indicators (X-Pointers) added.
• 2nd ADI for the commander's position added.
• MFD relocated to panel 4.

Known issues (AKA why you see "Beta" in the title)

• Autopilots are unstable
• Landing Gear animation is glitched
• Yaw Rate needle is non functional

Planned Features

• ECS and thermal modeling
• Consumables and Life Support Management
• UMMU support
• An autopilot that wont get you killed

Source Code/Interim versions can be downloaded from my sourceforge repository here...
http://sourceforge.net/projects/spiderlem/?source=directory

Most recent commit was on 11/01/2012.

 

[John_L]

Lookin' great. Sort of an Eagle Lander 3D Orbiter add on... on steroids

 

[4throck]

I can photo texture that VC for you. I think is can be close to the original Apollo era panels, but perhaps with some Skylab/early shuttle feel thrown in? So that it is not mistaken with the original LEM?

Just post the texture you are using (is it the image you posted above?) and I'll see what I can do.

 

[Notebook]

Following your threads and project, vey usefull stuff, keep it coming!

n.

 

[Eli13]

This seems to be a promising project. Keep up the great work! :thumbup:

 

[Hlynkacg]

I can photo texture that VC for you. I think is can be close to the original Apollo era panels, but perhaps with some Skylab/early shuttle feel thrown in? So that it is not mistaken with the original LEM?

Just post the texture you are using (is it the image you posted above?) and I'll see what I can do.

I'd appreciate the that. :tiphat:

For the moment I've got the gauges under control but panel backgrounds and other textures (both internal and external) would be a great help (I'm not much of a 2d artist)

The pencil-style drawing that I'm using for the panel layout was copy-pasted from page 268 of the pdf I linked to. The drawings and diagrams in the back of that file show panel layouts, internal/eternal arrangement, vessel dimensions, and have been my primary design resource.

As for the rest of you... Here's a WIP render of the Ascent Stage in blender.

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[BruceJohnJennerLawso]

From a flight ops perspective, Is it going to have seperate ascent & descent stages like the original lem?

 

[Hlynkacg]

From a flight ops perspective, Is it going to have seperate ascent & descent stages like the original lem?

Yes it will, and staging has already been implimented.

---------- Post added at 03:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:14 PM ----------

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Lift Off!

 

[4throck]

The pencil-style drawing that I'm using for the panel layout was copy-pasted from page 268 of the pdf I linked to.

Cool! :thumbup:

Ok, looks similar to the LEM, so not that much guesswork. I can do it, no problem.

Do you agree with this look ?

It still looks Apollo but there's a certain scy-fy look in Skylab era stuff that I'd like to recreate.

Do you prefer full bright panel or a more realistic back-lit darker version? Something like this:

 

[Hlynkacg]

It still looks Apollo but there's a certain scy-fy look in Skylab era stuff that I'd like to recreate.

Do you prefer full bright panel or a more realistic back-lit darker version? Something like this:

Seeing as the source material I'm using is a Skylab-era proposal I say go for it.

I also really like the atmosphere of that final image you posted.

 

[4throck]

Ok, I'll get started then. I'm a little unsure about the MFDs. They look out of place mixed with all those analog gauges.

The shuttle had CRTs from the start, so I'll try to go for this look:

 

[N_Molson]

Maybe with some color. Nowadays MFDs have excellent billion colors screens. :2cents:

Also, my feeling is that the "Apollo-like" gauges have lived, like the ones under the left MFD on the pic. Almost everything is digital nowadays, even some cars begin to use those displays.

 

[4throck]

With the help of some nice reference photos, I started work on the panel and got this (resolution lowered for posting online):

Next step is to "fill in" the left part with the elements from the right. Then general cleanup, then drawing all the lines and text... and finally adjusting colors and adding the backlit effect. This will take time but well worth the effort!

For now, is it usable like this (a JPG) or should I erase all moving parts (like switches) ? I can put them in different layers if that helps.

 

[Hlynkacg]

Thank you 4throck, that is looking excellent.

It's certainly usable in it's current form as it's already better than what I've been using but putting all the moving elements (switches/dials) in a seperate layer would be Ideal.

This is certainly a retro spacecraft design so a retro vibe to the panel is only appropriate. I've actually considerd rendering the MFDs in green-scale (via materials properties) to simulate an old-school CRT but I wasn't sure how well that would go over with others.

I have to ask though, do you have an apollo module parked in your garage or something? Where are you getting the photos for the textures?

 

[Notebook]

That looks excellent, I second the retro look, you can't have too many nixie tubes and pen recorders.

N.

 

[Hlynkacg]

As far as the progress is concerned attatched is an image of the panel as it currently appears in Orbiter.

The current target of my programing wrath is the RangeRate/Altimeter gauge and trying to get the transperancy on the needles to work.

I also need to debug the landing and ascent autopilots as they have a nasty habit of spazzing out and flying the module into the ground at incredible velocity if the LZ or Launch Azimuth is not due East/West. :suicide:

Edit: Do you guys prefer your fuel readouts in mass (lbs/kg remaining), or in % of a full tank?

 

[Grover]

both? how about something like

Fuel: 1052Lbs/78%

 

[4throck]

OK, I'll do a clean texture to serve as a background for movable elements (switches, dials, etc).

As for photo sources, Google is your friend
Try this (on my laptop the best image is at the end of the 3rd row):
http://www.google.com/search?num=10&hl=pt-PT&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&q=lunar+module+lem+panels&oq=lunar+module+lem+panels&gs_l=img.3...1927.10898.0.11101.25.10.1.14.14.0.100.726.9j1.10.0...0.0.nYoAxbtiRgI&biw=1366&bih=705&sei=ddH9T_6oF7SV0QW3iNijBw#q=lunar+module+lem+panels&num=10&hl=pt-BR&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=lnt&tbs=isz:l&sa=X&ei=ddH9T8LvHuay0QWyjpGEBw&ved=0CCUQpwUoAQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=96e3d97081d7a29b&biw=1366&bih=705

Although the photo will not be used directly (there's extensive processing and cut/paste) it'ss fair that it should be mentioned as source in the addon documentation.

 

[Hlynkacg]

both? how about something like

Fuel: 1052Lbs/78%

The HUD is already configured this way but it isn't really practical for the the VC's main panel.

PS: Should I set the MFDs to green-scale to simulate old-school CRTs?

 

[4throck]

If you can, go for green phosphor CRTs or simply black and white.
I think that in the 70's computer monitors were black and white. Green came latter, followed by amber and yellow...

Supposedly this is from the Apollo mission control: