Update Deepstar development

80mileshigh

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Donator
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Messages
365
Reaction score
258
Points
63
Location
Melbourne
Website
eightymileshigh.wordpress.com
One thing to ask : will it be possible to catch an astronaut somewhere ? I mean, having an astronaut as to "walk" on the visited planets ?

It's a bit of a hack, but we can implement an EVA feature via UCSO and General Vehicle. Just like the rover cargo that's included, an EVA cargo could unpack as a GV astronaut when released. Here's a proof of concept using the publicly available NASA z2 suit model:

eva.jpg

I'll get this to a passable state and upload it separately soon.

Thanks for the kind words :)
 

WolfAngriff

The NSEU (Never Satisfied End User)
Joined
Nov 9, 2013
Messages
149
Reaction score
99
Points
43
Location
Brest
... and this wonderful addon would become even better !!! :cheers:

Just a thing to report, but maybe not directly related to Deepstar : i've made a lunar mission. Everything ran fine, and when i undocked the lander from the Deepstar, i've saved the game. Of course, i've crashed the lander first, so i've reloaded the scn. In that one, when i try to use GlideSlope MFD, i get a crash. Not a simple CTD, but a Window's error ! GSMFD works fine with other addons, and works perfectly with a Deepstar's lander added via scn editor... I haven't tried in the orther provided scenarios. It's not realy embarrassing, because everything seems fine with Pursuit MFD... I don't know if it's realy important, i even don't know if it's relevant to Deepstar.

Thanx in advance if those guys could have a walk somewhere ! Looks nice ! :love:
 

80mileshigh

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Donator
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Messages
365
Reaction score
258
Points
63
Location
Melbourne
Website
eightymileshigh.wordpress.com
Ok, here's an attached zip (just removed the txt file extension) with the UCSO EVA. It's set up to extract to a Deepstar 3.1 installation.

Like I said, this is a bit of a hack. You can select and spawn an EVA vessel through the cargo menu on the VC HUD. You can't recapture the EVA however - once released it becomes a stand alone GeneralVehicle vessel.

Better than nothing, at least for the time being :)

Deepstar_EVA.jpg

This is the NASA z2 suit model from here: https://nasa3d.arc.nasa.gov/detail/nmss-z2 which I modified to pose a little less like a space-zombie.

NASA release their models under these terms: https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/guidelines/index.html

Please feel free to use the converted mesh and textures in any Orbiter project - I figure someone might find it handy.

Edit: File attached two posts down: https://www.orbiter-forum.com/threads/deepstar-development.26879/post-587905
 
Last edited:

WolfAngriff

The NSEU (Never Satisfied End User)
Joined
Nov 9, 2013
Messages
149
Reaction score
99
Points
43
Location
Brest
Hello ! Thanx a lot ! :cheers:

Edit : Everything seems to work, except there's no texture on the astronaut... It's totaly white. Maybe i did something wrong... ?
 
Last edited:

80mileshigh

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Donator
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Messages
365
Reaction score
258
Points
63
Location
Melbourne
Website
eightymileshigh.wordpress.com
Hello ! Thanx a lot ! :cheers:

Edit : Everything seems to work, except there's no texture on the astronaut... It's totaly white. Maybe i did something wrong... ?

Oops, file structure error. Try this file:
 

Attachments

  • Deepstar_EVA.zip.txt
    5.8 MB · Views: 20

WolfAngriff

The NSEU (Never Satisfied End User)
Joined
Nov 9, 2013
Messages
149
Reaction score
99
Points
43
Location
Brest
OK thanks again ! The idea to put it in a UCSO gargo is great, and simple to use. It could be a good way to add the passengers' mass in a vessel. Sadly, i don't have time enough to learn how to, but there are a lot of funny things to do with UCSO and this addon.

Let's play ! (y)
 

predattak

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
86
Reaction score
168
Points
48
So, even though my internet problem is still unresolved a few weeks ago i decided to put that mobile internet to good use and downloaded everything i needed to fly the new Deepstar on my phone and used the data cable to put those into a PC.
After 900 years and 28 outer solar system test flights here are my 2 cents.

The absolute insane gass guzzler Deepstar is gone, a very important issue that has been fixed, awesome job.
The New Deepstar uses decent (for it's size) ammounts of RCS and also moves very well (maybe too well?)
I've seen that you added some detail to the external model/texture, a very good idea since it reinforces the fact that this is an upgraded Deepstar.
The addition of clickable 3d cockpits and UCSO gives this mod a new layer of depth and immersion.
I'm also aware of the "secret" venus station that is awesome. Should be added in the manual if you ask me. :)
Also let's not forget the RCS modes, an interesting and very useful addition (needs a little tweak maybe?)

In my opinion 99.5% of this improved over the old Deepstar and not by little.


However as all things in life .. there are some parts that in my opinion need a tweak here and there.

1. The Docking RCS Mode has no kill rotation button. Why? (It is true that you don't always need it but when you need it it's not there and you have to go back to normal mode, kill rot, go back to RCS Mode and so on)

2. The Translation RCS thrusters are way too powerful even in Docking Mode at the ultra minimum you can do.. If you try to do some sensitive maneuvers or maneuvers from long range by example putting one of the nodes over your future PeA, (a crucial maneuver in many techniques) you will quickly find that you will waste way more fuel by trying to do that and constantly overshooting than the whole maneuver itself.
Just to check you can do those with the standard gelta glider's translation.
I suggest maybe a special RCS Mode (just for those ultra sensitive maneuvers) with a low thrust, maybe 10% of what RCS Docking Mode has right now.

3. Maybe a more powerful engine is needed after all. If you go to Venus or Mars even Jupiter and Saturn .. you are Good.. however the problem starts to grow when you start doing the long flights like Neptune, Pluto ..Sedna .. (After all the Ship is called DeepStar not CloseEnoughStar)
it takes one hour to burn 9km/s .. If you add the time variable then you are really in deep problems because to reach those destinations in a kind of decent time frame say 10 or 15 years (cuz who wants to fly 50 or 60 years through space?) the burn times are insane.. so insane as a matter of fact that sometimes they ruin the maneuver because they take WAY too long to complete.
Again, perhaps a special Thrust Mode could help? ( I'm not sure how hard it is to code those additional Thrust modes so yeah ..)

4. Now that we can fly in 3d cockpits maybe a more eye friendly texture would be in need? The space is Black and the cockpits are screaming white, not an actual problem but something found myself thinking.

5. The bug you mentioned in the manual happened to me too, when switching between 3d and 2d cockpits the docking MFD lost the target. (only happened once in all my flights so i will pretend it never happened)

6. strange 3d cockpit shaking when ship is rotating or sometimes when the attitude autopilot is on. I've seen this in all 3d cockpits not only Deepstar.

One interesting thing that happened to me:
For this one i can't be 100% sure if it's a bug or not however it seems that IMFD hates when other ships are docked with the Deepstar.
This thing is more noticeable in long flights but it's present if you know where to look in short ones too
Example: With a fully docked Deepstar I make a plan for Neptune, Look at how much dV the maneuver will need and where it will put me after, burn it and every time IMDF seems to fail horribly. You need to "refine" the burn with hundreds of m/s worth of dV to bring it where the plan was.
Ok, load the save from before the plan burning, undock every ship from the Deepstar (Clean config as i like to call it) Burn same plan .. Perfect Result.
At first i thought it was the long burn time but no.. i think it's the mass. I'm not sure but i think something doesn't take into account the extra mass that the additional ships have.
I'm not sure if this happens in general with big ships and IMFD ( the only giant ship i piloted was the Arrow back in Orbiter 2010 and that had no such problems but in 2016 ..)

Also and this is just for the EyeCandy's Sake perhape you could add a docking port for Ships like the Ravenstar so that they don't stay in the weird position? I know that in space it doesn't matter but i don't know ... i'm just throwing the idea out there, if it's interesting who knows :)
5sGRu0f.png



Overall i would like to say that even with those things i mentioned .. i had an absolute BLAST flying this ship and my beloved Aerolander,(with the exception when i almost pulled my hair out trying to hit those very long range maneuvers and course corrections in a fuel efficient way and failed) and of course it goes to my Orbiter 2016 Essential Addons Folder.
Exploring the Outskirts of our solar system is now Doable, Fun AND immersive so no excuse for sticking to LEO only anymore :p
 
Last edited:

jedidia

shoemaker without legs
Addon Developer
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
10,842
Reaction score
2,105
Points
203
Location
between the planets
If you add the time variable then you are really in deep problems because to reach those destinations in a kind of decent time frame say 10 or 15 years (cuz who wants to fly 50 or 60 years through space?) the burn times are insane..
That's a bit of a common problem with Orbiter and realistic thrust performance for deep-space missions. We still don't have a navigation tool that can really handle long burn times, and any engine that can provide the necessary DV to make such a trip in reasonable time will inevitably have very modest thrust and therefore require rather long burn times, especially if there's a beast like the deepstar attached to it. For something like a fusion drive with performance parameters in the realistically expectable range, we're looking at weeks...
 

gattispilot

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Joined
Oct 17, 2007
Messages
8,636
Reaction score
2,613
Points
203
Location
Dallas, TX
I can help if you want a eva guy. The tether system seems to be good. All you need is a attachment point

I could n't out how to get your eva guy to appear?
 

Harry14

New member
Joined
Jan 27, 2022
Messages
13
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Earth
Hello,

Having issues getting this to work, even after a complete reinstall of Orbiter 2016 that took me 2 days with everything. Maybe someone can be of assistance to me as in the accompanying pdf with this vessel it is stated that I should ask for assistance here... I would post my log fle (deepstar modules not loading) here but not sure if anyone will react...

Greetings, Harry
 

predattak

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
86
Reaction score
168
Points
48
Hello,

Having issues getting this to work, even after a complete reinstall of Orbiter 2016 that took me 2 days with everything. Maybe someone can be of assistance to me as in the accompanying pdf with this vessel it is stated that I should ask for assistance here... I would post my log fle (deepstar modules not loading) here but not sure if anyone will react...

Greetings, Harry

In order for any of us to be able to help you must tell us what is going on as best as you can and with as much detail as you can.
Just a simple this is not working will not do it.
Do you get an error when you load the scenarios or is it something else.. lots of things that can go wrong.
 

Harry14

New member
Joined
Jan 27, 2022
Messages
13
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Earth
Hello,

Thank you for the reply. SO I reinstalled everything, and added the lines as in the manual. but when I start it seems to load then a CTD occurs. Orbiter itself runs with other craft. Here's my Orbiter log file with an excerpt of what I presume might be of interest:

============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/EarthStation
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/Deepstar
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/Probe1
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/Probe2
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/Aerolander
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/Spacehab
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/Aerolander
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/Spacehab
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/Lander
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/Lander
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/Depot1
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/Depot2
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/Depot3
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/Depot4
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/MarsStation
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/UranusStation
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
 

predattak

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
86
Reaction score
168
Points
48
============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: Deepstar/EarthStation
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================
I see two options, an easy one and a slightly harder one.

1.
Make sure you installed D3D9 client, UCSO and GeneralVehicle mods. They are essential.
I think most probably you messed up the cfg files.
Do the cfg part from the Manual again ( page 3 to page 5)

2.
If you still get an error, then it's the hard part.
You said that it took you 2 days with everything, that makes me think you have lots of other addons installed. One of them could be incompatible who knows.
Get a new zip copy of orbiter 2016 and only install the Deepstar. (Don't complicate things with sound and stuff, you don't need that to see if it works or not)
The instructions in the manual are excellent and you should have no problems following them.
However i will provide below a guide for this test just in case you need it.

HERE WE GO

So, for this you will need to download 5 things:
A zipped version of Orbiter 2016 (It's basic orbiter 2016 but already installed)EUROPE -> http://mirror.orbiter-radio.co.uk/orbiter/assets/packages/core2016/Orbiter2016.zip
USA -> http://alteaaerospace.com/ccount/click.php?id=47
D3D9 Client
Deepstar 3.1
UCSO
General Vehicle

Put them all in a work folder



PART ONE (base orbiter and d3d9 install)

1. Start with the extraction of Orbiter 2016 archive
orb extract.png

2. Extract the D3D9 Client the same way, copy the contents and paste them in your Orbiter 2016 folder, when it asks you to overwrite hit yes to all (or the equivalent button depending of your windows version)
d3d91.PNG
ded92.png
paste d3d9.jpg

3. After that Open Orbiter_ng.exe.
Go to Modules and enable the d3d9 client
Go to Visual Effects and change the cubic interpolation with linear interpolation
Go to Video - > Advanced and enable the Absolute animation handling and terrain flattening

enable d3d9.jpglinear interlop.jpg
adv d3d9.jpgadvancer enable.jpg

We are now Done with the d3d9 client, from now on we will only use the Blue Orbiter_ng.exe
Launch any scenario to see if the Game works fine.
If the Game works fine so far, we move on.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PART TWO ( UCSO and General Vehicle)


This part is really easy.

1. Just as before extract the UCSO archive
Copy the contents and paste them inside Orbiter 2016, allow it to overwrite when it asks you.
Open Orbiter and launch a scenario from UCSO in order to make sure it works.

2. Extract General Vehicle archive
Copy the contents and paste them inside Orbiter 2016, allow it to overwrite when it asks you.
Open Orbiter and launch a scenario from General Vehicle. (Try "Everybody at the Cape") in order to make sure it works.

Done. At this point you should have a working Orbiter 2016 with d3d9client and USCO+General Vehicle all in working condition.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PART THREE ( Deepstar )

1. Extract the archive
Copy the contents and paste them inside Orbiter 2016

2. Go to Doc and open the Deepstar.pdf
Go to page 3

3. Go to Orbiter 2016/Config
You will see a list of folders and .cfg files
We are interested in the .cfg files, not the folders
1.jpgonly these.jpg






CONTINUE IN THE NEXT POST
 
Last edited:

predattak

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
86
Reaction score
168
Points
48
4. We will modify the .cfg files one by one

A. Open the base.cfg with notepad or notepad++
Copy the lines you have to add from the Deepstar Manual Page 3
Paste them at the end of the file right before END_TEXTURES
The modified base.cfg should look like this:
base.jpg

B. Open the ganymede.cfg with notepad or notepad++
Copy the lines you have to add from the Deepstar Manual Page 4
Paste them at the end of the file
The modified ganymede.cfg should look like this:
gan.jpg

Continue to add the rest of them, they are exactly the same as in the ganymede example.
MAKE SURE you copy all of the information from the pdf when you do this (sometimes if you hurry you can select badly and skip a small part of the code).

Once you are done with the .cfgs that's it.
Open Orbiter_ng.exe
Go to Scenarios -> Deepstar
Start All Vessels 1 scenario, it should work without problems.
After this if you want you can add the sound and extra HD textures etc.

Now that you know how to do it, all you have to do is to retry the install on you main Orbiter installation and if it still does not work then it's the mods you have.
The hard part is that you will have to install again every mod one by one and test the Deepstar after every mod to see if it works
In this way you can find what mod is at fault.

I really recommend you to use a program like JSGME for this even though it will complicate things at first if you never used it, in the long run you will never install mods on any games without it.:)
 
Last edited:

Harry14

New member
Joined
Jan 27, 2022
Messages
13
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Earth
Hello,

Thank you for the time and effort, appreciate it.

So as I am going through the steps:

- Simple fresh install Orbiter 2016, no add ons at all lest those recommended by you.
- Generic Vehicle installed and tested, works.
- UCSO installed, FLAGS & UCSO on the moon scenarios no CTD, but with >ShuttlePB in Orbit< scenario I have a CTD:

============================ ERROR: ===========================
Could not load vessel module: UCSO\ShuttlePB
[Vessel::LoadModule | .\Vessel.cpp | 5747]
===============================================================

So ignoring this, I installed Deepstar, added & checked the cfg's, created dynamic links, but again a CTD with same error log as first stated.
 
Last edited:

predattak

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
86
Reaction score
168
Points
48
So ignoring this, I installed Deepstar, added & checked the cfg's, created dynamic links, but again a CTD with same error log as first stated.

Damn. The fact that you couldn't get the UCSO shuttle to work is most probably linked to this so i strongly suggest that you go to the UCSO thread and post the UCSO problem there too.
Explain the detail and also the context plus provide the full log not only a few lines. copy it in a text file and add it as an attachment to your post or add the log file directly (i think you can do that)

I think the UCSO dev. thread is here -> https://www.orbiter-forum.com/threads/ucso-development-thread.37374/page-3#post-587938



Also try another thing.
This one will be fast.
I would have provided the whole sim but atm i have shitty internet and i can't upload 3+gb .. it would take a lot of time.
However i can give you this https://we.tl/t-jjw5JVG6bv

Download the archive.

Re-extract the base orbiter 2016
Extract the archive i gave you
go in the "inside" folder copy all it's content and paste it in the main orbiter you just extracted.

After that don't do anything else just open the Orbiter_ng.exe
enable the d3d9 from the modules tab
In Visual effects change cubic to linear interl.
In Video -> advanced and enable both absolute animation and terrain flattening
don't do anything else
go to scenarios and see if it works.

While you are there also test the dx7.exe (the red one) See what happens.


If you have antivirus, check if the program didn't delete some stuff without telling you .. some antivirus programs do that.
 

Harry14

New member
Joined
Jan 27, 2022
Messages
13
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Earth
Thanks again for the assistance.

I did as requested, the red just does a CTD practically immediately, the blue initially did not want to load, requested I make dynamic links so I did. After that it loads but then again a CTD. I wonder maybe I should take the windows installer instead of the zip version, but it always worked and works with all other add ons.

I posted the assistance question in the forum per your advice.

I have the "James Cook" in the meantime.
 

predattak

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
86
Reaction score
168
Points
48
I posted the assistance question in the forum per your advice.
Hope you posted the entire log for them to be able to see what's wrong.

While you wait for an answer from the UCSO dev, try and see if the previous version of the Deepstar works for you.
The previous version didn't have UCSO and a few other things so if the problem is the UCSO only you should be able to run this.

If you can't find the previous version online here it is -> https://we.tl/t-ms3y84lU1a
Install it the same way BUT make sure you follow the instructions from it's own readme pdf not from the 3.1 pdf.:)
 

Harry14

New member
Joined
Jan 27, 2022
Messages
13
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Earth
Hot damn! You did it, it works! Don't know if all the modules will work with it but time will tell. Seems UCSO is in some way the problem.

Thank you very much Sir.
 
Top