Project XR Facility and base

[PennyBlack]

Please note that this is a work in progress, but you get the current download here...

[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=6052"]XR Facility[/ame]

And read the history of the development from this point...

This is a surface base project. A work in progress and I've had many scraped meshes and restarts just getting this far and this design and size seems to be the best one for me to go with.
The Main block is temporarily placed at KCS for ease if viewing as the light is projected all the way around and reflected from the ground so I can see the underside of the doors ect.



The main facility is 290meters x 235meters x 40meters in dimension. With three access points, two vessel and one vericle. All the doors will slide into the mesh to hide them giveing access upon key press.

Base without the doors to show the interior...


Panelling will be added to the top when the gantry work is complete which will lead to ground level...


The inside with the gantry in view...


The crane and supports run both sides of the facility...




When useing a taxi way... Those doors will be animated so that's was just to test the width in comparison the XR5...


The crane and support pics...




The crane ans cross support textured...


Wouldn't it be great to animate it with a grapple...


As this is in early stages there is alot that can be changed on it. As it stands there is a whooping 25 meg of textures that go with the 3 megs of meshes and I am trying to utilise the dds files, cramming it all in. It shouldn't be any more than that when finished.
I cannot estimate completion but I'm determined to get this base done before the end of the world.

 

[dbeachy1]

Nice work, mate! :tiphat: I'm looking forward to this!

 

[Hlynkacg]

I'm not seeing any images.

 

[orb]

I'm not seeing any images.

That's because the album with these pictures is made: "Private - Only visible to contacts and moderators".

 

[PennyBlack]

I'm not seeing any images.

Oop's, sorry guys... it's been made public now. I didn't realise.

It's my first day.

 

[Spacethingy]

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiice...

Could you do a grapple thing using URMS? It can be strapped to a gantry that has a custom mesh, I guess like your great-looking gantry.

 

[Interceptor]

Hi Pennyblack, I know this sounds crazy,but it might give you an idea.I use the Eagle Winch crane module from the space 1999 addon ,and attach it too the top of my warehouse held by the UCD addon,and I use the UCD controls to move the crane around,and the winch to pick up cargo,it's crude,but it works really good,just for thoughts.The pics look really great.

 

[PennyBlack]

Thanks, I'll have a look at the Eagle winch module and the UCD, which is the universal cargo deck I suppose.
I'll concentrate on the mesh and tex's first and then backtrack for posts like this for the iceing. :thumbup:

 

[Columbia42]

So basically an OPF for the XR vessels? Sounds awesome!

 

[Shootingiron]

Wouldn't it be great to animate it with a grapple...

This is -amazing -.

I'm continually amazed by how many talented people frequent these forums.

 

[Cras]

So basically an OPF for the XR vessels? Sounds awesome!

It does indeed. A very cool idea!

 

[PennyBlack]

Please note that work is continuing on XR Facility​

It will be updated in a few weeks with new images. My appologies for my absence on this project as I was allowing a build up of work as well as other matters, related and non related to get on top of me. Space and a little humility on my part was required. This project is the only work I will allow myself until it's completion. I'm sorry if this has caused inconvienience to other developers.

I hope to finish this before the end of time by the way and thankyou.​

 

[garyw]

It happens to us all - Great to see that this is continuing PennyBlack!

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Hmmm... The grapple feature could be handled by the SC3 module, using the RMS section, could it not?

 

[gattispilot]

The eaglehangar has a crane. I thought about just making a winch vessel like on the Helicopters I am working on. Then you could attach to any vessel and lift away

 

[PennyBlack]

I have something in the pipeline guy's, and talking about pipes, I've added some to the facility.
The number count on total mesh was high so I took out every other support on the gantry system and deleted a level, reducing the mesh number's by 50%. I can now put more detail into the facility and base overall. I enjoy eye candy, but don't want to go over the top on it.
The new detail on the top of the facility is almost complete apart from very shallow tanks which the pipes will join onto. I've yet to decide on how to marry the ladder and external gantries to the other parts of the base, which I've yet to decide on section location and building type. The gantries are going to be lower so MMU drivers can duck their heads alittle when they drive around the completed base.

The detail of the facilities roof...







The gantry leading to the ladder section...

.

Overhead Pipes...

.

Pipe teminal and distribution...



I'm reorganising the UVmaps so I can maximise on DDS space. There's alot more going into this this and I have to think about the rest of the base too. But primary concern is to finish the Facility first and then release it. Updates can be added to the XR FACILITY download, when a new section of the base is completed and successfully added.

 

[PennyBlack]

U P D A T E

Since the last update post, much has happened... but alot still has be done and addressed.

Firstly, I would like to announce that Russ Hicks (Brighton Beach Logistics) has jumped aboard on this project. He will be handleing the codes, the programing side of it all and giveing life to an otherwise static object. I am very happy to be working with Russ and hope this facility sets a template for future developments. Thankyou Russ for your time, patience and commitment.

The Facility Update...

The floor has been carved up and I've experimented with cross boarder dds files. Fitting other ojects onto one dds in seperate mapping sessions. I still have a lot to learn about UVmapping with .obj's and it's limitations as a few textures have dissapeared from the model in Orbiters environment when I create the .msh for it. I will have to rework some dds files which I have found conflict with as well as improve the current texture art.
The floor has been tex'd, but marking for cargo drops have yet to be put into place. I chose a runway style floor pattern with a basic layout as shown in the following images...

At the centre cross, there will be a landing pad installed, with lights to help guide landing vessels.

This is a simple ramp (eyecandy) that drops to the lower storage levels.

These pads are statics (eyecandy). They are to park smaller vessels like the XR2 and DGIV and those in similar size.

These pads are also static and are used to park the smaller DG and those vessels similar in size.

Here's an environmental console and mock corridor into the inner Facility. Depending on further development, it may be extended to meet other features.

These tanks are storage and are housed on the inside of the facility. (non flamables of course)

The gantries have been texed as a solid colour with 3 dds at 128x128. A more realistic texture will be created at a later date.

There's still alot of work to be done on the art side and I'm having alot of trouble, as I mentioned with forming creadable dds files with mutliple .obj's. I think it's a case of keeping it simple moreover trying to use every part of the dds as possible.

The most recent addition is the new Spreader design, which has yet to be approved and will replace the yellow brick currently used to grapple the containers. You will be able to lift 40 and 20 foot containers and move them around in the facility. The codeing is in progess for this but at this stage, it is so much fun to move them around in it's current coded state. Floor markings and other accessories will be decided based on how the facility developes and what is introduced along the way.

Here's an image of the new spreader... And I wish the same level of textureing can be applied to the rest of the facility, but it's huge and diffusion will be required to reduce the obvious pixelation caused by such stetched textures.

There's still alot to be done and at first, the facility was going to be a stand alone with the main ground doors being open (static) as I couldn't code for animation. But with Russ on the case, it's going to be totally animated. Doors and an inbuilt operational crane. Russ will never know how much I will owe to him for helping me on this. I'm sure when I further develope my skills in mesh and texing, there's alot we can do.

As of right now, I need to correct the dds errors and continue experimenting with the art on the working tex's. There's also a few items being built to accomodate the interior of the facility, which also need mapping and texing but I cannot forsee any issues once I have delt with them.
However, with codeing, general problems and glitches do occure and as codeing is far more complex than simple mesh and maps, it is enevitable to have them and these need to be ironed out. Any problems will need to be detected, so we will require BETA testers to knock the facility about to find them. BETA testers will have the almost finished version of the XR Facility to test and feed back on. So please have a think about being a tester, we want this addon to be as successful as possible for all Orbinauts in tailoring their evironment to suit their needs. Your help would be a very big contribution to this and a BETA release should be available in the near future.

Thankyou. :tiphat:

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Looking nice PB... and as one procrastinating, easily destracted dev to another, I look forward to seeing this finished!

 

[PennyBlack]

I require a little assistance...

I would like to know what the colour codes are for pipes which carry the various gases and liquids. Preferably the main gases/liquids used in Orbiters Enviroment. I'm currently running pipes around the interior of the facility which will marry with the tank storages and the modules that cater for mixing ect, to add to the detail so any help in this matter would be of huge assistance.

Type of gas/liquid + pipe colour

I got the obvious ones...

Water - BLUE
Oxygen - WHITE


But the rest escapes me.

 

[PennyBlack]

U P D A T E

The main tanks and pipes are complete with improved textures. I remapped the tanks as sections of the old texture wasn't matching properly. The tanks that sit atop of the facility have yet to be textured, but will be done by the next update. The staircase to the top of the large tanks is my best mesh and skin to date and I'm proud of them. I plan to produce more of these in other bases as you can't go wrong with checker plate and hazzard tape, seriously. :thumbup:

The pipes and gas distribution nodes (if thats the name) will not be colour coded. I tried different colours and shades, but plain off white seemed the best way forward. Minor night textures give light to the dials and signage but I will be makeing a small mesh, like a lamp that'll angle over the face of the console and then I'll improve the area effect of the night texture. This will be done in several areas where lighting has difficulty in creating the effects.

Four floodlight style lights either side of the facility have been fitted which hang from the ceiling. They are static, but hopefully they will emit light once coded across the floor and oposeing walls. A night time dds has been produced to demotrate the "hoped for effects" below.
The inner gantries now marry to the new access doors and they just need trimming as well as the external gantry doors. They are the same size and although not accessable, are scaled to size. As displayed, night time textures have worked well on both interior and exterier doors.

Considering Earth has 50% night time (disputable in consideration to geological location) it seems alot of thinking has to go into this area to maintain it's function for the user. I don't know about you, but I get annoyed with the dark, as I can't see. Let there light and plentry of it.
Below, is an example of what's disired useing light at night. The tempary night textures double the graphical size of the addon, but these are just to showcase.

Apart from a few minor meshes to be made up and mapped, the main facility just has to be tidied up. But the futher builds incorperated into this addon to actually make it function as an actual facility still have to be finished and coded. So in that respect, there's still alot to be done.
My kids house is almost decorated so I'll have some more free time to do so. On the whole it's going well.

Thankyou :tiphat: