XR2 Public Release Candidate Testing

[willy88]

I will see on a clean install.

PC:
Core 2 E6650
4Gb ram
Nvidia 8800GTS 640Mb
Driver:7.15.11.7516
Which is I think 175.19
The thing that gets me is that the other XR's don't do it

Weird. Very weird

No bug that I can see. It works fine now. (Clean and Main)
Some other third party must be to blame (on my PC)


-----Posted Added-----




Me->:chair:<-Doug

Are you running 64-bit Windows?

 

[tl8]

No, though some would ague that I should

 

[dbeachy1]

I will see on a clean install.

(...specs snipped...)

The thing that gets me is that the other XR's don't do it

Weird. Very weird

No bug that I can see. It works fine now. (Clean and Main)
Some other third party must be to blame (on my PC)

Yeah, that makes sense now. The thing to remember is that even one buggy third-party add-on can cause all kinds of weird problems (for example, cause Orbiter to CTD with one XR craft while other XR craft work). The reason is because when a buggy add-on writes to memory it doesn't "own," it can CTD Orbiter or cause all kinds of other bizarre behavior -- it all depends on what memory gets corrupted and when it gets corrupted by the buggy add-on. This also explains the weird loss of control problems you were seeing -- if internal Orbiter core memory gets overwritten all kinds of unpredictable things can occur.

In any case, I'm glad we figured out the problem.

-----Posted Added-----

Me->:chair:<-Doug

:lol: No worries, it's sorted out now.

Are you running 64-bit Windows?

No, though some would ague that I should

For what it's worth, I have been running 64-bit Vista on my main PC for quite a while now and it has never caused any problems with Orbiter except for the well-known framerate hit caused by DX7 emulation and ClearType font smoothing. The XR2 should fly just fine on XP, Vista x32, and Vista x64.

 

[willy88]

No, though some would ague that I should

From what I know, 32-bit Windows goes Joker when it has 4 GB or more RAM.

 

[tl8]

Not quite, it just allocates the last .75 GB to the Video card

 

[dbeachy1]

TL8 is correct: 32-bit XP/Vista works just fine with 4 GB of RAM installed but only about 3.2 GB is usable because, as TL8 said, the last 800 MB or so is reserved for expansion card address space (like video cards).

Anyway, back on topic: Beta-2 is packaged up and Steve and I are giving it a quick run-through before releasing it to the team. You guys can expect it later today sometime barring any gruesome last-minute issues.

 

[Tachyon]

Willie & tl8 - not to get too far off topic (google it later) but Windows 32bit OS can't really (effectively?) address more than 2gb. And before all the other engineer types jump up out of there seats ... I know the math and designs specs but the real world application (use) and motherboard resources you'll only ever see somewhere between 2gb & ~3gb. It varies from MB to MB. Easy rule of thumb is keep it at 2gb unless you're sporting a 64bit OS.

.... and Doug .... I'm doing the "potty dance" here ... is it ready yet?

 

[dbeachy1]

Willie & tl8 - not to get too far off topic (google it later) but Windows 32bit OS can't really (effectively?) address more than 2gb. And before all the other engineer types jump up out of there seats ... I know the math and designs specs but the real world application (use) and motherboard resources you'll only ever see somewhere between 2gb & ~3gb. It varies from MB to MB. Easy rule of thumb is keep it at 2gb unless you're sporting a 64bit OS.

With all due respect, that is incorrect: my 32-bit XP dev box here has 4 GB of RAM installed of which 3.2 GB is usable, and my 32-bit Vista laptop has 4 GB of RAM installed of which 3.0 GB is usable.

In any case, let's stay on-topic in the thread here, please. We can discuss 32-bit XP/Vista in a separate thread. Thanks, all.

 

[dbeachy1]

OK guys, Beta-2 is a go -- please check your inboxes for the download link. As of this release all major features are complete; the next beta will include custom scenario editor and vessel dialog support, as well as any other cleanup needed before work begins on the flight manual for Beta-4.

Note: there are still some new mesh tweaks coming soon from Steve (new hover engine and retro rocket nozzles), which will be added in the next beta.

The most significant new feature in Beta-2 is XR payload support. Here is a list of changes in this release:

* Updated skins from Steve, including new lower hull textures. There is a scenario to demo each skin in the XR2Ravenstar\Skins directory:

AngelBlack
AngelBlue
AngelRed
AngelSilver
AngelWhite
Falcon
Prototype
RavenRed
RavenSilver
Stealth

* Adjusted the angle for the payload bay camera to look down into the bay more.

* Added new CustomMainEngineSoundVolume config parameter to XR2RavenstarPrefs.cfg [C3PO’s request]. This will let those of you hearing audio callout distortion when the main engines are firing adjust the main engine volume to (hopefully) fix it:

#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Set the volume level for the custom main engine sound.
#
# Note: this option is only applicable if 'EnableCustomMainEngineSound=1'.
#
# Valid volume levels are 0 (mute) to 255 (loudest).  
#
# The default value is 255 (loudest).
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
CustomMainEngineSoundVolume=255

* Reduced the size of the NAV lights [Steve’s request]

* Added new main exhaust texture from Steve.

* Added new XR2 payload containers using Steve's meshes and textures:

XR2PayloadCHM – Crew Habitat Module; latches only in slot #1
XR2PayloadLOX – Full LOX container
XR2PayloadLOX_Half – 1/2-full LOX container
XR2PayloadMainFuel – Naquadah fuel (for main/hover/RCS)
XR2PayloadSCRAMFuel – Tyllium SCRAM fuel (SCRAM engines only)

Some payload notes:
- LOX and fuel payload tanks may be latched only in slots 2 and 3.
- Any consumables tanks (main fuel/SCRAM fuel/LOX) attached in the bay will automatically supplement your ship’s supply, and your gauges will reflect the additional consumables.
- Bay tanks are drained before internal tanks.
- If you attach a non-empty bay tank, fuel from the bay tank will fill the main tank.
- Each bay tank's fuel/LOX load is preserved in the scenario file.
- If you dump consumables from your ship with bay tanks attached, the bay tanks drain first.
- If you resupply consumables with bay tanks attached, the ship’s internal tanks fill first and then any bay tanks.
- The hotkey for the payload editor is ALT-B (vs. ALT-P in the XR5) to make room for the engine gimbaling hotkeys. Of course, you can also use the payload editor button on the payload panel.

* Increased roll response by another 10% [Steve’s request]

* Added new XR payload config parameter named ‘GroundDeploymentAdjustment’ [Ryan’s request]:

; (OPTIONAL) Defines a delta to be applied to this vessel when it is deployed on the ground. This is useful
; when the payload vessel defines touchdown points that are below the ground when the vessel is deployed.
; For example, '0.0 2.0 0.0' would deploy the vessel to 2.0 meters *higher* than normal when this payload
; is deployed while landed.
;GroundDeploymentAdjustment = 0 0 0

Note that this new payload config parameter is supported by all XR payload vessels, including XR5 payload. Support for this will be in the next XR5 release in addition to the XR2.

* Integrated new main engine nozzles, RCS jets, and fuel dump valves from Steve.

* Fixed angled RCS jet exhaust alignment on the nose.

* Added new ‘RequirePayloadBayFuelTanks’ config parameter [Steve’s request]:

#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Defines whether payload bay fuel tanks are necessary in order to
# reach normal fuel capacity. Options are:
#
# 0 = No bay fuel tanks necessary to reach normal fuel capacity. (default)
# 1 = One MAIN fuel bay tank and one bay SCRAM fuel bay tank required to reach normal fuel capacity.
# 2 = Two MAIN fuel bay tanks and one bay SCRAM fuel bay tank required to reach normal fuel capacity.
#
# Fuel tanks may only be attached in bay slots 2 and 3. Note that with
# setting '2' you will not be able to reach normal capacities for both MAIN and SCRAM fuel
# simultaneously; in that case, you will need to either:
# a) Use two main fuel bay tanks and no SCRAM bay tank, in which case you will have
# 100% main fuel capacity and 0% SCRAM fuel capacity.
# ...or...
# b) Use one main and one SCRAM fuel bay tank, in which case you will have 75% main fuel capacity
# and 100% SCRAM fuel capacity.
#
# This setting is designed for advanced pilots who want the added challenge of having to
# use payload bay fuel tanks in order to reach normal fuel capacity.
#
# Internally, here is what each setting does:
#
# 0 = Internal fuel tanks are sized at 100% of normal capacity. (default)
# 1 = There is no internal SCRAM tank, and main tanks are sized to only 75% of normal capacity.
# 2 = There is no internal SCRAM tank, and main tanks are sized to only 50% of normal capacity.
#
# The default value is 0 (no bay tanks required).
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
RequirePayloadBayFuelTanks=0

* The CHM (Crew Habitat Module) payload is now attached in all default XR2 scenarios.

* Added new ascent-to-ISS scenarios so users can practice every phase of an ISS rendezvous mission. Note: although takeoff is in daylight, the docking scenario is a night docking, so you may want to increase your ambient light level setting in the Orbiter Launchpad to 80 or so. If you want to see the XR2 and ISS in sunlight, load up the new In orbit, undocked from ISS scenario.

Happy flying! :beach:

 

[tl8]

I don't think this is meant to happen: (See attachment)

I haven't replicated it yet, or testing on my clean install.
Also there is a module that is causing CTD for view changes in the XR2, I will try and nail it down.

A nice Idea for Steve: A paint kit for the CHM and smaller cargo modules

 

[dbeachy1]

Can you please re-test that in a clean installation? Remember that even one buggy third-party add-on can cause lots of bizarre problems, like we saw with the loss-of-control and CTDs you were seeing in your main Orbiter installation with the previous build. Given the bizarre mesh corruption you are seeing there, it is highly likely that the same buggy third-party add-ons are at fault here.

 

[Woo482]

whats wrong with that ? the bay doors ?

 

[willy88]

whats wrong with that ? the bay doors ?

That big black "thing" under it.

 

[Woo482]

oh ok I must need some new glasses if I can miss that

 

[orwellkid]

A nice Idea for Steve: A paint kit for the CHM and smaller cargo modules

Hells yeah... I need to repaint an SHM (Slave Habitat Module); only for transport to the Altea factory from KSC, of course

Downloading Beta 2 now... I'm excited as hell (although my girlfriend is giving me a very angry look heheheh)

 

[dbeachy1]

A cargo paint kit is planned for a later beta. Also, remember that any Orbiter vessel may be converted into an XR payload just by editing the vessel's config file, so any payload mesh that will fit in the bay will work.

As for smaller payload modules, they would of course work, but there isn't much point to that since the size of the bay slots is fixed: there are three slots, with the forward slot being larger than the two aft slots.

And Blair, I don't want a breakup with your g/f on my conscience here, so try not to spend too much time with the XR2 at her expense...

 

[orwellkid]

And Blair, I don't want a breakup with your g/f on my conscience here, so try not to spend too much time with the XR2 at her expense...

Yeah, now you tell me this. Thanks.

It's ok bro... I will ship her off to some Rom-Com so I can beta test in piece. Maybe give her my credit card and send her off to the mall. If she goes too crazy I'll throw her in the SHM and you can have another set of hands pumping out XR2's It's all good brother-man.

 

[Woo482]

orwellkid: I will test it for you then you can go to the mall with here!

 

[orwellkid]

orwellkid: I will test it for you then you can go to the mall with here!

LMAO. It's ok... I can find time to burn her off so I can test this beautiful magnficient awesome awesome piece of awesomeness.

Who needs a girlfriend when you have Kara riding shotgun? :rofl:

 

[Countdown84]

I noticed than in the VC, if you switch camera positions to the right-hand pilot's view (Kara's view, CTRL+right arrow), the camera is quite a bit closer to the HUD than in the "default" pilot's seat and it's hard to see the rest of the cockpit. Was this intentional?