Coolhand
Addon Developer
Thats essentially the idea... I was thinking mission specific modules & payloads (spycamera/satellite, first aid packages, etc) but i like the idea of more mundane or even trading items.
Project XR2 Ravenstar - Mk II
- Thread starter Coolhand
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Just like the as with all XR vessels, you will be able to choose if and how quickly you burn APU fuel. If you choose APUFuelBurnRate = 0 in the config file, it will run forever. If you set it to 5, it will run out pretty quickly.
In reply to all the cargo ideas:
Woah, Woah, Woah! All this is contingent of Doug Beachy wanting to do that. And assuming he does like the cargo bay, then for version 1 at least, I would suggest a system very similar to the XR5. For future versions, I would support cargo modules that can provide extra stuff to the parent vessel (and also release an XR5 version with this feature).
Coolhand
Addon Developer
From what Doug has said to me, anything that has already been accomplished with the XR1 & 5 is fine. And yes he does like the Cargo bay.
I might build a few other items for the bay and perhaps we can fit missions around them or something, nothings really be discussed that far down the road though.
I might build a few other items for the bay and perhaps we can fit missions around them or something, nothings really be discussed that far down the road though.
Coolhand
Addon Developer
Yeah, See, furry dice... They're a bit like Tribbles that you can gamble with. They seem cute and not such a bad idea until it all goes horribly wrong. 
silent_protagonist
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Lol, I leave the forum for a couple of days and then there's a rash of updates. 
Now for the inevitable $0.02. I really like the idea of a payload bay, anything that can haul 1.2 mT of flesh into orbit is just begging to be a minisat launcher. The only thing that bugs me is that with the current arrangement the payload bay cuts significantly into the XR2's already limited fuel volume. (Of course it doesn't really matter in Orbiter, but IMHO the more "realisticish" you can make make an Orbiter craft the better.) Since there probably aren't too many missions where you'd need to transport both a large crew and a large payload, perhaps a more realistic solution would be to make a separate "cargo version" where the payload bay replaces most of the crew cabin, leaving enough room for, say, 3-4 crew (2 pilots and 1-2 payload specialists). Or maybe you could just have a crew module that drops into the payload bay, Titov V style (although that's always struck me as a rather inelegant solution). Or maybe...
Of course all of this would add a fair amount of complexity to what's already a very complicated craft, which means more work for you guys and a longer wait for us, so maybe it would be better to just say screw reality and let us have our fun. Either way this is almost certainly going to be my favorite ship when it comes out. (One of these days I'm going to have to learn to stop trying to tack all of my ideas onto other people's projects and just do one myself 
.)
P.S. As long as we don't have to euthanize the furry dice at the end of the mission I'm all for it. Hail the Furry Dice!
Now for the inevitable $0.02. I really like the idea of a payload bay, anything that can haul 1.2 mT of flesh into orbit is just begging to be a minisat launcher. The only thing that bugs me is that with the current arrangement the payload bay cuts significantly into the XR2's already limited fuel volume. (Of course it doesn't really matter in Orbiter, but IMHO the more "realisticish"
you can make make an Orbiter craft the better.) Since there probably aren't too many missions where you'd need to transport both a large crew and a large payload, perhaps a more realistic solution would be to make a separate "cargo version" where the payload bay replaces most of the crew cabin, leaving enough room for, say, 3-4 crew (2 pilots and 1-2 payload specialists). Or maybe you could just have a crew module that drops into the payload bay, Titov V style (although that's always struck me as a rather inelegant solution). Or maybe...Of course all of this would add a fair amount of complexity to what's already a very complicated craft, which means more work for you guys and a longer wait for us, so maybe it would be better to just say screw reality and let us have our fun.
Either way this is almost certainly going to be my favorite ship when it comes out. (One of these days I'm going to have to learn to stop trying to tack all of my ideas onto other people's projects and just do one myself .)P.S. As long as we don't have to euthanize the furry dice at the end of the mission I'm all for it. Hail the Furry Dice!
Coolhand
Addon Developer
Well, The default setup i would use to get to LEO is the mostly fuel and the passenger quarters modules, so about 2/3rds of the space is taken up with fuel. this is essentially the same as i've imagined the internal space being divided up all along anyway.
It would really complicate things to produce different geometry, if i was making a totally realistic as possible version a lot would go, including hover thrust and the airlock.
A long time ago i did mention a booster to doug and he said it was a possibility, so if you wanted to fly a payload from earth and make it more realistic there's perhaps that option. Aside from that, the DGIV seems to get away with a payload bay, so i don't see why it would be a big deal for this to have one.
At the end of the day a payload bay adds so much more scope for missions, & hopefully end user customisation, so i think it'll be better with it than without it.
It would really complicate things to produce different geometry, if i was making a totally realistic as possible version a lot would go, including hover thrust and the airlock.
A long time ago i did mention a booster to doug and he said it was a possibility, so if you wanted to fly a payload from earth and make it more realistic there's perhaps that option. Aside from that, the DGIV seems to get away with a payload bay, so i don't see why it would be a big deal for this to have one.
At the end of the day a payload bay adds so much more scope for missions, & hopefully end user customisation, so i think it'll be better with it than without it.
Lol, I leave the forum for a couple of days and then there's a rash of updates.
Now for the inevitable $0.02. I really like the idea of a payload bay, anything that can haul 1.2 mT of flesh into orbit is just begging to be a minisat launcher. The only thing that bugs me is that with the current arrangement the payload bay cuts significantly into the XR2's already limited fuel volume. (Of course it doesn't really matter in Orbiter, but IMHO the more "realisticish"
Of course all of this would add a fair amount of complexity to what's already a very complicated craft, which means more work for you guys and a longer wait for us, so maybe it would be better to just say screw reality and let us have our fun.
P.S. As long as we don't have to euthanize the furry dice at the end of the mission I'm all for it. Hail the Furry Dice!
silent_protagonist
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Good points. The XR series isn't particularly realistic to begin with, and what you've come up with is no worse than the XR5, so I think I agree with you about it just not being worth the extra complexity.Well, The default setup i would use to get to LEO is the mostly fuel and the passenger quarters modules, so about 2/3rds of the space is taken up with fuel. this is essentially the same as i've imagined the internal space being divided up all along anyway.
It would really complicate things to produce different geometry, if i was making a totally realistic as possible version a lot would go, including hover thrust and the airlock.
A long time ago i did mention a booster to doug and he said it was a possibility, so if you wanted to fly a payload from earth and make it more realistic there's perhaps that option. Aside from that, the DGIV seems to get away with a payload bay, so i don't see why it would be a big deal for this to have one.
At the end of the day a payload bay adds so much more scope for missions, & hopefully end user customisation, so i think it'll be better with it than without it.
Actually, I took another look at the model and compared it with the specs for the SR-71. The XR2 appears to be shorter and wider than the SR-71, as well as having larger, thicker and more blended wings, all of which means more internal volume. Plus the XR2 only needs to have a mass ratio of 2.0 to be on par with the XR1 and XR5, compared to the Sr-71's mass ratio of 2.5. So it looks like there might be enough room in there anyway, assuming your using something more dense than liquid hydrogen (maybe an advanced NTR using liquid methane or water).
Coolhand
Addon Developer
Maybe Altea have cracked the secret of Metallic Hydrogen...
If you want total hardcore simming then there's plenty of extremely detailed, amazing addons for that. All the DG's and XR's that i've flown take a little handwaving to appreciate. this should be great to fly (i'm sure it will if doug's got anything to do with it) great to look at, which will help with the immersion aspect (i mostly just want a fully featured VC) and give you plenty of oportunities for fun & exploration of the solar system.
I have considered a separate booster from the start, to perhaps make it more realistic... whether that will happen or not i don't know, or even if it's that good an idea, the whole shuttle booster & orbiter spaceplane concept seems to have gone out of fashion badly in the last decade and there's always separate launch vehicles like the TX anyway. this is roughly what i was thinking of:
http://www.scifi-meshes.com/coolhand/pics/deltaglider/glider_wip_98.jpg
it would launch vertically, but the booster would fly back to base on autopilot and has landing gear so it can be re-used.
If you want total hardcore simming then there's plenty of extremely detailed, amazing addons for that. All the DG's and XR's that i've flown take a little handwaving to appreciate. this should be great to fly (i'm sure it will if doug's got anything to do with it) great to look at, which will help with the immersion aspect (i mostly just want a fully featured VC) and give you plenty of oportunities for fun & exploration of the solar system.
I have considered a separate booster from the start, to perhaps make it more realistic... whether that will happen or not i don't know, or even if it's that good an idea, the whole shuttle booster & orbiter spaceplane concept seems to have gone out of fashion badly in the last decade and there's always separate launch vehicles like the TX anyway. this is roughly what i was thinking of:
http://www.scifi-meshes.com/coolhand/pics/deltaglider/glider_wip_98.jpg
it would launch vertically, but the booster would fly back to base on autopilot and has landing gear so it can be re-used.
Coolhand
Addon Developer
yeah, perhaps, it's been done before with in conventional aviation, Turkish F-16's have extra tanks mounted on the wingroots of their planes. and the x-15 had some underslung tanks... though that was of course launched from a carrier a/c. of course in terms of realism then you're increasing the weight an awful lot without increasing wing area or engine power... make them too big and it might not even look like it could get off the ground.
dutchpirate
XR Fleet Skin Designer
I personally enjoy the TX style launches. Aviation Week and Space Technology ran an artivle a while back about a classified XB-70 Valkyrie derivative lauch vehicle. The technology is already there, so I don't think the TX is that much of a stretch.
Coolhand
Addon Developer
neat. where can i dl em?
I personally think that Launching XR-2 will be great with both Energia or TX, but if you are planning a special flyback launcher i suggest to put also an ascent autopilot and it will make for sure a great impression.
What a great looking bird, I'm extremely excited!
Will there be any betas? (sorry if this has been asked before).
On a side note...what about ground support i.e. vehicles. I know this would be a seperate project but...was just wondering.
Keep up the good work, can't wait to fly her!
Will there be any betas? (sorry if this has been asked before).
On a side note...what about ground support i.e. vehicles. I know this would be a seperate project but...was just wondering.
Keep up the good work, can't wait to fly her!
willy88
Tinkerer
Dan was working on that a while ago, can't seem to find it on his forum though... :huh:
yagni01
Addon Developer
That's just wrong. :lol:
I'm awed by the details you're putting in - amazing. :speakcool:
Just one question. Why a nose and a ventral docking port?
Coolhand
Addon Developer
Just for fun really, it's nothing more than the port from the front copied, and wrapped in a tube. I don't know if it would work in the sim as a usable thing. would be neat for practising shuttle style docking though.
The only gound vehicle i'd thought of is something that drives out and connects with the docking collar to make it look easier to get in and out of. And something similar but pressurised that could ferry people from a landed ship to a nearby base.
The only gound vehicle i'd thought of is something that drives out and connects with the docking collar to make it look easier to get in and out of. And something similar but pressurised that could ferry people from a landed ship to a nearby base.
willy88
Tinkerer
You could put a retractable ladder on the docking collar, just like the XR1 or the default DG.
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