[WIP][1.3.1] SSTULabs - Low Part Count Solutions (Orbiters, Landers, Lifters) - Dev Thread [10-09-17]

Well, so far the feature set that I'm working on for the service modules (and by extension, probe-core/satellite buses) includes:

Switchable top/bottom adapters (e.g. the MFT tank adapter switching)

Switchable 'core' model -- switch between 'variants', as well as several length options for each variant (vertical scaling is not, and will not be, supported)

Each variant can have its own selection of adapters defined in the config file.

Supports animated core models -- so a service bay might be included in one or more of the variants

Supports varying top/bottom aspect ratios, for Orion-like SM setups (larger top diameter than bottom), or other less mundane uses. (no guarantees that I'll include such setups... but they will be possible from a plugin perspective)

Solar panel positioning is setup on a per-core-per-panel basis. So each core variant and length will require its own solar panel position specifications. Going to be a few thousand lines of config file... but no other way around it.

Standard texture set/texture switch/recoloring support (top/body/mount selections in recoloring GUI)

Diameter/scale control. Listed as 'diameter', but scales the entire model, just like on the other modular parts.

Integrated switchable solar panels.

What options are available depends on the currently selected 'core' and its current scale/size. Solar panels are not scaled with the core, so at very small core sizes, not all solar panels will fit.

If fuel cell or RTGs are desired it would require a completely separate part(s) due to limitations in the stock modules.

Integrated switchable RCS, with vertical-position control.

Several RCS block types will be available, including 'none' as a valid option. These will be taken from the current selection of SSTU RCS blocks.

RCS blocks (and rcs-thruster-power) scale with the SM diameter (square scaling).

RCS fuel type selection is supported, so you can match your RCS fuel to whatever you use for your main engine, or some other combination as RP demands.

Vertical offset allows for moving the RCS blocks up/down along the length of the SM body, to allow for some level of rcs balancing even with external payloads.

Integrated antenna functionality. There will not be any integrated/switchable antenna models or options because the stock ModuleDataTransmitter does not support run-time switching, and is limited to using the stock animation modules (which cannot be disabled). Likely that this will be a simple short-range antenna as are built into the command pods/probe cores. If you need longer range functionality, you will have to add a stand-alone antenna. (not even touching on the difficulties of dynamically positioning a non-scalable model onto the scalable SM body)

Integrated node-fairing support similar to that employed on the MUS -- where it will also extend the fairing to cover up whatever engine is attached to the part.

Integrated SAS and ASAS capability (probe core/reaction wheels)

Kerbnet... because... why not.

They will not have any of the following:

No integrated engine of any kind

No integrated docking port

No antenna models, and only a short-range internal transmitter (stock module limitations).

No fuel cell/rtg switching (stock module limitations)

So, at most, this should add 3 new parts for the 'Service Module' line -- one 'solar', one 'rtg', and one 'fuel cell' version. The 'rtg' and 'fuel cell' versions could -also- have solar panels if desired. Should allow for 2-piece service modules/satellite buses to be built for nearly any use with thousands of different variants/combinations available (SM + engine; payload+docking capabilities not included).

-- Just spending some downtime at work to prototype the module code and a couple config files to enable testing of it eventually. I really don't anticipate that any of it will be publicly available/usable for at least several weeks, however, I might make available to a few people some of the prototype test configs/parts to allow for functionality testing and pre-release bug-hunting (might be as early as this weekend, depending on how broken the module code currently is/how much is left to implement and/or fix)[WIP][1.3.1] SSTULabs - Low Part Count Solutions (Orbiters, Landers, Lifters) - Dev Thread [10-09-17]

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