Project Cargo Operations

[tl8]

From the feedback of the Cargo Trailers thread, I am proud to present my next project:

Cargo Operations

This will be a generic class that like UCGO, will allow cargo transportation with a mesh and a config file.

I went down this route so that many different mesh makers can participate. The cargo operations will be very similar to the XR series, so CO will use XR cargo as its standard.

FAQ:
What features will be included?
The vehicles will have much the same features as my tug. They will have semi-realistic drive trains, lights, UMMU, towing and vessel dynamics.

Will we have access to the source?
Yes

What things can we modify in each vehicle?
See this example config:

;Normal Vessel Things
;Classname
ClassName = ContainerTruck
;Module
Module= CargoOps
;Mesh
MeshName = CargoOps\ContainerTruck
;Size
Size = 3.867
;Touchdown Points
TouchdownPoints = 0 -1.296 3.024  -1.217 -1.296 -3.024    1.217 -1.296 -3.024

;Vehicle Type
;Type            Primary            Secondary        Comments
;truck        Cargo                Towing Hori    UMMU, Camera, Wheels, Driveline, Engine, Lights, Mass, Cargo
;tractor    Towing Vert    Towing Hori    UMMU, Camera, Wheels, Driveline, Engine, Lights, Mass, Cargo
;dolly        Towinf Vert                            Camera, Wheels, Lights, Mass, Cargo: Towing Hori to Towing Vert
;trailer    Cargo                Towing            Camera, Wheels, Lights, Mass, Cargo: Can tow Hori or Vert
Type = truck 


;UMMU
;Cabin Size
UMMUCrew = 2
;Doors            x    Y    Z    X    Y    Z
UMMUDoors = -2 0 3 2 2 5    

;Camera
;Location Dir
Camera = 0 1.5 4 0 0 1

;Wheels
;Location    Axle     X    Y        Z Meshgroups
Frontleft = 1     1    0.5    5    4 5 6 7 
Frontright = 1    -10.5    5    8 9 10


;Driveline
;Axle No.    Turning Circle
Axle =    1        13
;Tyre Dia (m)
Tyre = 1.03
;Gear No. Ratio
Gear = 1 3.4
Gear = 2 2.2
;Final Drive
FinalDrive = 0.9


;Engine
;RPM Min Max
RPM = 950 2500
;Torque Curve Function where x is RPM in and f(x) is torque in N.M
Torque = x*x+2*x+950
;Brake Force
Brakes = 300000

;Lights
;Headlights     ID    Colour    Size    Position 
Headlights = 1    0 0 0    0.5    -2 0.5 5.1
Headlights = 2    0 0 0    0.5    2 0.5 5.1
;DX light      Colour Sizes                 Position
HeadlightDX= 0 0 0  RAD*25 RAD*60 0 0.5 5.1
;Warning Lights ID    Colour    Size    Position 
Warnings = 1    200 200 0    0.5    -2 0.5 5.1
Warnings = 2    200 200 0    0.5    2 0.5 5.1
;Indicators Lights ID    Colour    Size    Position 
Indicators = 1    200 200 0    0.5    -2 0.5 5.1
Indicators = 2    200 200 0    0.5    2 0.5 5.1
;Reverse

;Brake

;Sounds

;Mass
;Empty Mass (kg)
EmptyMass = 40000
;Fuel Mass (kg) Fuel burn (kg) per RPM per second
FuelMass = 200                0.004


;Cargo
;Attachment Points
BEGIN_ATTACHMENT
P 0 0 0  0 1 0  0 0 1  XRCARGO
END_ATTACHMENT

Will there be limitations?
Yes. This is a balancing act between making it easy to use compared to making it comprehensive. However I hope to avoid putting limitations on the core functionality that make things difficult.
An example: A Horizontal towing point is not interchangeable with a vertical towing point. In one case the direction vector moves, in the other the rotation vector moves. There can only be 1 child trailer connected to any other part at any one time. There can only be one power unit in a trailer train (at the front).
Another: The dx headlight will point in the +Z direction. The mesh is expected to have the front of the vehicle in the +Z direction. UMMU options are limited.
At the other end, there is no limit on axles nor steerable axles. Crab steering might not be available but (permanent) multi wheel steer could be. There is going to be no limit to the number of cargo spots.

Will this feature a development cycle like your tug?
Most likely

What are some future vehicle types?
Boats probably. Tugs and Barges as well
Maybe trains and hopefully cranes.

I want to help!
I am open to ideas. I also need some vehicle meshes to test on.
If you want to help program, one of the first things I need to work on is parsing the config file

 

[gattispilot]

WOW sound great

Will you have a vessel with 2 attachment front and rear? Like a baggage cart

 

[Donamy]

Would you be able to add in the attachment position and direction ? How would you do cables and chains for cranes, or lifts ? Would you have premade extending booms or scissor jacks ?

 

[tl8]

Will you have a vessel with 2 attachment front and rear? Like a baggage cart

Yes, one will be a child (so passive) and one will be a parent

Would you be able to add in the attachment position and direction ?

Yes, that is done via the existing config attachment definition.

How would you do cables and chains for cranes, or lifts ? Would you have premade extending booms or scissor jacks ?

I have no idea. Cranes are a long way down the track for this reason.

 

[PennyBlack]

I want to help!
I am open to ideas. I also need some vehicle meshes to test on.

I'm glad to see this tl8. It would certainly expand userbility within orbiters base operations. I need one for the XRFacility. I can just about edit the cargo configs and the config you have illistrated is to annoying for me to toy with. But I have been tatting so mesh and texture work is underway already.
It's a bit of a "Scrap Heap Callenge" affair, but I like it. If you would to incorperate it into your tests, your welcome to it when I complete it. Just a few days off work will allow for it, so by the weekend.

If the model works out, and it can be used, it'll make transporting my hazzardous shipments way easier.

---------- Post added 16-10-13 at 00:44 ---------- Previous post was 15-10-13 at 22:38 ----------

Just to add, when ever I have made a successful landing at KSC carrying cargo, I enter the facility and park. I can grapple the XR5 cargo useing the SCC crane and place it. That's it unless I edit a scenario file placing that cargo onto a XR cargo trailer or lorry/transporter. I suppose to place cargo onto a generic Cargo Operations (CO) unit, you'd have to do this.?
That being the case, there's a popup on Loru's crane that can grapple a cargo by nameing it and it grapples. Could this type of capture be included, removing the need to edit stuff.

Could Woo's UCGO cargo adaptor be mounted on an CO to carry UCGO cargo's.?

 

[tl8]

Just to add, when ever I have made a successful landing at KSC carrying cargo, I enter the facility and park. I can grapple the XR5 cargo useing the SCC crane and place it. That's it unless I edit a scenario file placing that cargo onto a XR cargo trailer or lorry/transporter. I suppose to place cargo onto a generic Cargo Operations (CO) unit, you'd have to do this.?
That being the case, there's a popup on Loru's crane that can grapple a cargo by nameing it and it grapples. Could this type of capture be included, removing the need to edit stuff.

Could Woo's UCGO cargo adaptor be mounted on an CO to carry UCGO cargo's.?

CO will use the XR cargo system (To what extent I am not sure (EG Offsets)). So any XR cargo can be used.

You will be able to attach cargo from the vehicle, I am thinking a named list like selecting targets.

I was thinking of adding that to the FAQ, but yes, UCGO support would with Woo482's adapter.

 

[Pablo49]

no road trains?

 

[garyw]

No road trains, ascension island isn't big enough.... although add bigger wheels, drop it on Mars...

 

[orb]

although add bigger wheels, drop it on Mars...

I imagine that something along these lines:

 

[Donamy]

What are you trying to do, ...give Tl8 nightmares. :rofl:

 

[tl8]

Not at all

I figured someone would like that, so the code will recursively look down the train of trailers.

 

[Linguofreak]

What are you trying to do, ...give Tl8 nightmares. :rofl:

Are you kidding? As an Australian, he's the least likely among us to get nightmares from that.

 

[PennyBlack]

I just thought I'd show a little update of my current progress. I'm glad for the image Orb, thankyou.
I'm going to be a little longer than I thought, hopefully not to long. :thumbup:

 

[tl8]

Looks good. Depending on what happens else where. I hope to have some sort of code before the end of the year.

 

[PennyBlack]

No matter tl8, I always rush ahead of myself. I get distracted very easily. That's plenty of time to do other meshes and tex's while I have a break from other projects so hopefully there'll be more than one vehicle on offer when you require material. :thumbup: