Project Universal Car for Orbiter (UCO)

[jedidia]

Say, if I understood you correctly, you mentioned somewhere that the maximal size of the cargo-boxes is 1.3 m^3. Isn't that a bit small? besides a small probe there's not much vessels you can pack into such a box to use this awesome feature.

 

[dansteph]

Now that is cool.
Is it possible to have a version without a heatshield to save on mass when landing on an airless world?

Is the guidance just deorbit and land, or does does it target a specific point on the object?

Can other probes be made which use the same code base?

Heatshield, no, The Son of the almighty Probe™ is fun of course but mainly here as demonstration of one feature of the cargo SDK.

"other probes"
You mean if I open the source ? that is possible for those that want it but all the commentary are in french as I took my Vessel template as source:
http://orbiter.dansteph.com/forum/read.php?f=5&i=10241&t=10241

awesomely awesome man! cant wait for the release and will it land anywhere or can you specify where it will land?

Unfortunately for the allmighty Probe his son is a bit idiot, and so it only deorbit and land straight where he can. Such complex autopilot would take one month at least of work and I did this in two days including the model.

Does the Arrow's autoland only work with XPDR, or can it land at regular pads?

Anything that have a NAV or VOR frequency.

Say, if I understood you correctly, you mentioned somewhere that the maximal size of the cargo-boxes is 1.3 m^3. Isn't that a bit small? besides a small probe there's not much vessels you can pack into such a box to use this awesome feature.

"Vessel" in this case mean "active C++ module", spawning a Shuttle would look unrealistic of course but you can program a lot of active things: Probes, nuclear bomb , missiles, rescue module, explorator rover (You can spawn a UCGO small rover for example), base module, robots, everything active that would fit in 1.3 once packed in fact.

Dan

 

[Ghostrider]

Unfortunately for the allmighty Probe his son is a bit idiot, and so it only deorbit and land straight where he can. Such complex autopilot would take one month at least of work and I did this in two days including the model.

Well, I don't think it's much of a problem. If the SOTAP (Son Of The Almighty Probe) follows the same flight profile every time, we can either eyeball the separation or compute it via MFDs.

Or there could be a "Bombing MFD" or "Probe Release MFD": input landing point and store flight plan, then it would take ship altitude and speed, and body gravity, and give a countdown and cue to launch the device (probe/bomb retrofiring time after separation would be accounted for, of course). That would be a nice solution, because then we could have different type of packages that would only need their data stored in the MFD memory in order to be properly deployed.

 

[Nemoricus]

"other probes"
You mean if I open the source ? that is possible for those that want it but all the commentary are in french as I took my Vessel template as source:
http://orbiter.dansteph.com/forum/read.php?f=5&i=10241&t=10241

To clarify, I meant can other probes be made by interfacing with the UCGO SDK?

 

[ThatGuy]

-Ressources cargo (as fuel, oxygen etc. that can be "eaten" using the Vessel SDK

Just some English nit-picking here. "Consumed" is a better term for "eaten".

 

[dansteph]

To clarify, I meant can other probes be made by interfacing with the UCGO SDK?

UCGO SDK for cargo is only providing a "packed" cargo mesh and a config file. Once the cargo unpacked an Orbiter "vessel" is spawned and author can do whatewer Orbiter C++ SDK permit. It's a vessel as any other.

The UCGO SDK don't care at all what are in the "spawn" type cargo and there is no "Probe" lines of code into the UCGO SDK is this is what you mean !?

Mhh I'm not sure I get your point and if my reply is clear ?

But if one want to make a better or another probe I'm ready to give my probe's source. (not cleaned and commented, but it contain only few lines)

Dan

 

[Nemoricus]

UCGO SDK for cargo is only providing a "packed" cargo mesh and a config file. Once the cargo unpacked an Orbiter "vessel" is spawned and author can do whatewer Orbiter C++ SDK permit. It's a vessel as any other.

The UCGO SDK don't care at all what are in the "spawn" type cargo and there is no "Probe" lines of code into the UCGO SDK is this is what you mean !?

Mhh I'm not sure I get your point and if my reply is clear ?

But if one want to make a better or another probe I'm ready to give my probe's source. (not cleaned and commented, but it contain only few lines)

Dan

Oh, I see now. UCGO allows people to pack fully functional vessels as cargo. Neat!

I do know that people would like a self-landing cargo package. I remember seeing a discussion earlier about making a generic lander for Earth and Mars operations. The code from the Son of the Probe would be useful in that regard.

 

[Ghostrider]

Just some English nit-picking here. "Consumed" is a better term for "eaten".

What about "wolfed", "scoffed", "quaffed" and "nommed"?

 

[dansteph]

What about "wolfed", "scoffed", "quaffed" and "nommed"?

Just some English nit-picking here. "Consumed" is a better term for "eaten".

Thanks, the "eaten" word was always a problem for me, it have only one advantage: it's really clear for anyone including non-english speaker.

Now I'm not sure if I'll leave "eaten" (always with quote) in the SDK or replace it by "consumed", anyway I noted it.

I do know that people would like a self-landing cargo package. I remember seeing a discussion earlier about making a generic lander for Earth and Mars operations. The code from the Son of the Probe would be useful in that regard.

Yes that's it. The ISOTAP's code is rough I'm not sure it would help on the autopilot side. Anyway it's open for those that want it.

Cheers, 11 am, time to sleep for me

Dan

---------- Post added at 11:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:31 AM ----------

Or there could be a "Bombing MFD" or "Probe Release MFD": input landing point and store flight plan

Would be maybe more simple to rework the ISOTAP's (Idiot Son Of The Amlighty Probe :lol: ) code with a better autopilot ? As said I can give the sources.

I did not checked if ISOTAP land always at the same place but appart for FPS or time acceleration variation that may change Orbiter's calculation I don't see any reason why it would not. (but FPS and warp might be a big problem true)



Dan

 

[the.punk]

Now this landable probe, is somewhat cool.
And I like the name: "The son of the almighty Probe":lol:

 

[garyw]

wow.. lots of options, parachute supplies to establish a Mars base, guide the arrow in, drop vehicles.... wow!

 

[orb]

What about "wolfed", "scoffed", "quaffed" and "nommed"?

Om nom nom nom nom... That's a tasty cargo you have here. :rofl:

 

[sunshine135]

I very much like the probe! I think it is neat that it has the ablative heat shield. I agree that the autopilot would have to be extensively written and may not always work exactly based on FPS. That gets into the old argument about an auto landing autopilot. Let the probe land where it will for the time being.

 

[Lucy]

Hail, Idiot Son Of The Almighty !! (We need a new smiley just for him...)

 

[Arrowstar]

"Vessel" in this case mean "active C++ module", spawning a Shuttle would look unrealistic of course but you can program a lot of active things: Probes, nuclear bomb , missiles, rescue module, explorator rover (You can spawn a UCGO small rover for example), base module, robots, everything active that would fit in 1.3 once packed in fact.

Does this mean that UCGO looks for a 1.3 m^3 size limit on active vessels that can be spawned, or just that it would look silly to have a Shuttle-A (or Arrow, haha) get spawned out of a cargo container that is only 1.3 m^3 in volume? I'm thinking the latter, but wanted to ask.

And out of curiosity, is the (Idiot) Son of the Probe a False Probe, or just a lesser Probe? :lol:

 

[jedidia]

it's the anti-probe!:headbang:

 

[Dig Gil]

And out of curiosity, is the (Idiot) Son of the Probe a False Probe, or just a lesser Probe? :lol:

I'd bet on "Lesser Probe".:tiphat:

 

[Messierhunter]

Is it possible to use the SDK to define the SOTP as cargo within cargo? In other words, deploy the SOTP cargo, poof there's the SOTP, SOTP lands, some pre-defined time later, poof there's something else spawned out of SOTP.

 

[dansteph]

Does this mean that UCGO looks for a 1.3 m^3 size limit on active vessels that can be spawned, or just that it would look silly to have a Shuttle-A (or Arrow, haha) get spawned out of a cargo container that is only 1.3 m^3 in volume? I'm thinking the latter, but wanted to ask.

The later of course. In general I avoided to put strict limit when it was not stricly necessary for the game's sanity. There is probably as much way of enjoying Orbiter as users and if someone enjoy to see a ShuttleA "pouffing" out of a cargo who I'm to forbid his joy ? :lol: (The mighty download counter might be the only judge?)

Don't moke the ISOTAP he just had no luck during birth... Lack of LOX during a few minutes...

Dan

---------- Post added at 08:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:38 PM ----------

Is it possible to use the SDK to define the SOTP as cargo within cargo? In other words, deploy the SOTP cargo, poof there's the SOTP, SOTP lands, some pre-defined time later, poof there's something else spawned out of SOTP.

Mhhh let me think about this !!?...

Aaah I think I get it, you mean that ISOTAP spawn something else when landed ? Like Spirit for example ? That's left to author of the "module" spawned by cargo, in other word ISOTAP will not do it but one can rewrite my code or make another code that do such thing.

ISOTAP can be seen either as a huygens probe or a simple XPDR balise for something else (eg: Arrow) . In anyway his motion role end when landed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huygens_probe

But the power of UCGO allow for earth to do a rover car packed in cargo that land with a chute and activate himslef without one line of C++ code. (For mars or moon it would miss the "engine slowdown" part)

One neat idea for "active cargo" would be nuke missiles but only for a precise purpose: destroying incoming and dangerous Asteroids. Packed the nuke would look like unassembled, UMmu would be required to unpack him (construct) and also activate him. (countdown ? target etc?)
Such addon would require to be released with exploding asteroids as target and somes good "hurry" scenarios to go with.

Unfortunately such scenario is realistic but it might be fun for Orbiter (I think this exist already maybe for a previous version of Orbiter?)

Dan

 

[Ghostrider]

Don't moke the ISOTAP he just had no luck during birth... Lack of LOX during a few minutes...

Life was like a box of freeze-dried rations. You never know what you're gonna get.