Port Vandermier - progressive shipyard build

[Drybreeze]

Gday all,

Another update of the Port Vandermier build.
I've completed the spotlight arrays and the deep space scanner array, both fully functional.
Next up will be the factory modules within this first shipyard module, as well as beginning the two neighboring modules that are docked to this.

I have yet to discover if I'm able to make them solid connected units, or have to make them rail-docked units... I had a cut and paste fail when I tried to copy-paste this entire module but I suspect I can get around that by cutting and pasting smaller bits of it at a time and then wiring up the logic again manually... else I'll resort to making each shipyard module a separate ship entity and dock it like I have with the spotlight arrays in the upper and lower arms.

Recognise the red and white markings on the tip of the DSSA?
As with the Messis nav lights, I am trying to make all navigation symbols as realistic and recognisable as possible, with actual meaning.


All feedback welcome.

 

[Drumboy168]

Awesome work. How big overall do you expect your station to be?

 

[Drybreeze]

Awesome work. How big overall do you expect your station to be?

Thank you!

(Axis names shown in image below...)

The above image shows one module.
The overall shipyard will have 5 of the modules down each side, with those rings at the top of the upper spotlight arm connecting to a flatter set of modules that will form the top of the shipyard.

Per-module measurements:
Left Right Axis ( X )= 95m
Anteroposterior Axis ( Y ) = approx. 120m from inward facing blast doors to outward facing life boat docking clamps.
Anteroposterior Axis ( Y )= approx. 220m from tip of lower spotlight arm to outward facing life boat docking clamps.
Dorsoventral Axis ( Z ) = approx. 500m from top to bottom of all spotlight arms
Dorsoventral Axis ( Z ) on Deep Space Scanner Array module (shown above) = approx. 700m

So overall external dimensions for the entire shipyard will be about:

X475m x Y600m x Z700m

Not huge but not small either.
It will be both functional and aesthetically pleasing for all role playing purposes.
It is predicted at this point to have a shield of somewhere near 39M, fully charge from zero in around 80 seconds.

It will have about 50 small beam turrets and 50 small AMS turrets, 10 life boats (one per module), living quarters for approximately 720 people, several different sporting, exercise, and entertainment facilities, various eating facilities, and control decks and a bunch of other stuff all interlinked with teleportation stations.

It will also have two smaller force-fielded hangars in the two central modules facing inwards into the main shipyard void, with space to dock probably 6 medium fighters or gunships... I intend to build a compliment of gunships with it... (corvettes with mounted beam turrets).

I'd post a different picture but the latest update download has hung... so... yeah I'll wait till that sorts itself out then I can re-launch the game and continue the build... I was going to do a video today so I'm a bit annoyed that the update has caused my game to be unable to load... grrr.

 

[Drybreeze]

Gday folks,

Port Vandermier update:

cPho Corp has completed the main infrastructure of the outer-most module neighbouring the Deep Space Scanner module we've been following to date. Work has also begun on the opposite neighboring module, which is a much larger bulkier module that replaces the civilian facilities with an internal hangar facility.

While other modules' cylindrical feature is primarily filled with commercial and entertainment facilities, this larger module has a main hangar (with forcefield access) with an observation deck both directly below the hangar's entrance as well as directly above the hangar internally. This will give good vantage points for any ships entering or leaving the hangar.

The deck below will be a rapid maintenance deck (keeping all bulky maintenance equipment away from the main deck of the hangar, but allowing quick repairs to be undertaken if necessary).

A deck below that one will be a much larger deck serving as long-term repair and outfitting, and can also be used to construct new vessels before moving them into the main hangar bay for launch.

Decks are all served by two rails deck-elevators. I'm hoping to have an automated system that has rails come up blocking off the hole in the main hangar deck once the elevator has dropped below that deck but we'll see if I can figure that bit out or not...

The video also has a brief overview of how I cut and paste large chunks with minimal effort using marker points, plus a quick sneaky preview of the beam turrets being fitted to all modules.

As always I look forward to any feedback or comments you have.

Thanks guys!

 

[DeepspaceMechanic]

Looking good, great progress!

The copy-pasting technique you shared is a very useful piece of building knowledge, i myself have been using this method with the markers for a while. One additional thing i would like to mention for anyone using this method is that finding the right positions for the marker blocks is easiest with the symmetry planes: i usually set all 3 symmetry planes at the outer-most blocks of the structure meant to be copied, so the correct position for the first marker will be indicated be the intersection point of the 3 planes. Also, if one has to copy a structure with an odd block number for length, width and height, once the first marker point is set one can reset the symmetry planes to the midpoints on each axis, then remove-replace the first marker and all the rest will appear at the right spots.


I meant to ask before, are those docked lighting arrays rotated at 45 degrees? For some reason i see them as if they would curve with some other smaller angle, which isn't normally possible in starmade. Perhaps just an optical illusion, but anyway, they look really nice like that

 

[Drybreeze]

I meant to ask before, are those docked lighting arrays rotated at 45 degrees? For some reason i see them as if they would curve with some other smaller angle, which isn't normally possible in starmade. Perhaps just an optical illusion, but anyway, they look really nice like that

Thanks DSM!
The top spotlight arm has a 90 degree vertical which is actually part of the main module (ie: not docked). The spotlight array attached to that is a docked 45 degree rotated entity yes.

The bottom arms I wanted a much more gradual curve, so the directly docked spotlight array (ie: the one attached directly to the main module) is also a docked 45 degree module. The other two are attached with turret points which I manually rotated to the desired angle.

When you save an entity it also saves turret rotation angles... so when you spawn that entity in again it retains that angle information.

And since you can dock turret onto turret onto turret endlessly, you can literally produce any bunch of angles you want... combine that with isolated geometry (like blocks floating off way away from the ship core of the docked entity) and a huge number of possibilities open up!

Some of the coolest concept art for space craft for example has all these antennas hanging at odd angles out the back of it. Now with the new rail docking system, it's possible to do that in Starmade too. There's NO excuse for blocky ships any more :P

You can even connect them to rotating rails, so that you can use logic to rotate them.

 

[DeepspaceMechanic]

The bottom arms I wanted a much more gradual curve, so the directly docked spotlight array (ie: the one attached directly to the main module) is also a docked 45 degree module. The other two are attached with turret points which I manually rotated to the desired angle.

That is a very clever solution. I might try using turret axis blocks like this in future projects.

One thing that concerns me is the behavior of such turret-like structural parts when enemy entities are detected. I'm aware of the option in "Structure menu - Rail system collective" to deactivate turrets, but i guess the main station entity will have to have its AMS turrets active. I wonder whether things on turret axis blocks placed on docked ship-like entities inherit the "global setting" or follow the setting of the docked "ship" they're connected to.

I suppose one has to make sure that the 45-degree arm has its "turret" setting in Off state. Luckily, this setting is retained as well in blueprints

 

[Drybreeze]

Without a Bobby AI these spotlight arm turrets are completely inactive. The turret mounting point is just a hinge.

The only draw back on standard docking is that you can't use logic to move them but for this application that's fine.

 

[DeepspaceMechanic]

Without a Bobby AI these spotlight arm turrets are completely inactive. The turret mounting point is just a hinge.

The only draw back on standard docking is that you can't use logic to move them but for this application that's fine.

Oh, right, i totally forgot that the AI module is required too, not just the turret axis

Will experiment with these things myself. It really opens a lot of new possibilities.

 

[Drybreeze]

I have produced another prop for the build... a twin-turret gunship mounted with twin continuously firing turrets that can between them cover every angle of space.

For its size and cost it is not bad considering my lack of experience with the game... I'm reasonably happy with it.

You can download it from the Community Content section here.

Let me know your thoughts on it... I intend to release a bunch of other stuff, including all my drones and Messis... and obviously Port Vandermier itself once completed.

 

[Top 4ce]

I have produced another prop for the build... a twin-turret gunship mounted with twin continuously firing turrets that can between them cover every angle of space.

For its size and cost it is not bad considering my lack of experience with the game... I'm reasonably happy with it.

You can download it from the Community Content section here.

Let me know your thoughts on it... I intend to release a bunch of other stuff, including all my drones and Messis... and obviously Port Vandermier itself once completed.

Very Hiigarian!

 

[Drybreeze]

Yeah but it's ok I won't sue them for rotalties.

 

[Valck]

Loved your Dry Empire series, good to see you're back with another build!

 

[Drybreeze]

Loved your Dry Empire series, good to see you're back with another build!

Well thank you very much Valck! I'm having a great time with all the new stuff that's been added since.

I have created another prop... this one is a raider/scout (not belonging to cPho Corporation). You can find the new jump-capable raider drone in the Community Content section or directly by clicking here. I have done more work on Port Vandermier itself also, but not enough to warrant posting any vids or pics just yet... as I have spent most of my time on the above two ships instead.

Let me know what you think!

 

[DeepspaceMechanic]

I have created another prop... this one is a raider/scout (not belonging to cPho Corporation).

Wow, that is a fantastic design! It's really sci-fi-looking... Reminds me a little of the Nautilus sea creature. Very nice. I'll definitely test it sometime later this week

 

[Drybreeze]

Thanks DSM!
It's heavier and less manueverable than a normal fighter of is size due to the jump drive and associated power systems but it makes for a decent standalone raider.

I'll be including it in the Port Vandermier build series shortly. I have also released all my construction drone props as well as ready-to-place turrets. I haven't released Messis yet as there are a couple of things I wanted to fix up first.

 

[splatthecat]

I have posted comments on your YouTube videos but seeing this here I just had to say this is a gorgeous build and I cannot wait for the next installment.

The AMS turret is awesome and I am definitely going to give the raider a test flight sometime soon!

 

[Drybreeze]

Thank you very much splat. Nice avatar name btw. Which youtube user are you?
I have set my Port Vandermier batteries of AMS to target all, and I have found that their constant peppering fire really is fantastic in keeping shields down and enabling the heavy hitters to take down enemies faster. Shortly when I've installed more Incise turrets and a few of an as-yet unseen long-range weapon I will set the Aegis back to target missiles but might keep one or two set to target all for this shield-suspending support they provide.

I must admit I am very much enjoying this build - some of the bigger builds in Dry Empire became quite dull to produce towards the end, but Port Vandermier keeps bringing with it new and interesting challenges and I'm enjoying the result so far.

I'm experimenting with different camera angles and prop positioning to try to give a viewer the sense of "no way is up" as would happen in space... the current configuration of the port and Messis has really nailed this I think (as you'll see in the next pics). I'm also going to experiment with having rooms within the port have different directions of gravity modules... this may or may not work - we'll see.

 

[splatthecat]

Which youtube user are you?

Andy Patmore

We exchanged a few comments when you was doing the Derelict Beta work where you started to embed it into an asteroid! When I started watcjing thois series I thought I recognised the voice and it was only recently that I made the connection!

Loved the proprs too! I have made a few bits and bobs for Gary Kanes Starmade Adventures series especially from series one butI do feature a little in series two!

 

[Drybreeze]

Oh hi Andy.
I'm sorry I don't recall that exchange but it was a long time ago. I'm stoked you're reading about the build of Port Vandermier, that's cool.
I'll have to look up series two of Gary Kanes Starmade Adventures.

For now I've just finished the lower spotlight arm of the more heavily armour central module of the station, which encloses a reasonably large jump inhibitor... not large enough to stop the most determined of attacking vessels, but enough for most small ships up to and including destroyers. It is, afterall, a civilian installation... so chances are good you don't want to corner a battleship or cruiser into fighting to the death anyway... mostly it's to force raiders, corvettes, or detected stealth from jumping out before defensive fleets and turrets can engage and destroy them.

Here's a screenshot of where the build is at right now...

Spoiler: Port Vandermier progress pics - 9x large JPGs

CCV Messis has settled into position within the now functional shipyard to minimise "Excessive Movement" waste during the Lean Manufacturing of the Port Vandermier shipyard.

A "top-down" view (relatively speaking) of the current stage of the project.

CCV Messis has enough material left in the current shipment to outfit the rest of the Incise Class pulsar turrets and finish the main tower systems of the central shipyard module before having to leave the Myard't quadrant to collect the next shipment of materials.

Two Incise Class pulsar turrets currently being fitted to the inward-facing mounts of the existing shipyard modules.

A fully fitted and functional Incise Class pulsar turret patrols the horizon, overseeing two temporarily docked vessels from unrelated corporations taking advantage of the existing (but limited) functionality of Port Vandermier's shipyard facilities.

The now fully functional forcefield protects the hangar while final fit-outs to the Incise turrets are performed prior to being moved into position and mounted on the station.

The hangar is not yet air-tight and does not yet have functional elevators, but serves purely as a secure working environment. CCV Messis's close proximity allows for the shipped in turrets to be quickly dropped one at a time into the hangar for the final fit-out. Traveling with fully armed and fitted (but unmounted) turrets is against Corporate Policy as it poses too many risks to infrastructure and assets.

Technically Messis hovers sideways on the "true gravity" direction of the station, however in this configuration it is simply easier to refer to it as being above the hangar. The human mind in the absense of gravity needs to create and maintain an "upward" direction to cope with freefall. Neither augmented nor artificial minds need any such constraint, of course... only raw organic human minds.

While anchored above the hangar, CCV Messis is able to assist in the final fitout of the turrets by bringing the barrels and stocks together in her own aft dock area using her Agrav cranes. This dual manufacturing and cargo carrying capacity, in combination with Messis's own (now obsolete to the station's own) traffic and project control centre has made Messis invaluable in the production of Port Vandermier to date.

Hope you like where it's at. I'll make another flick giving some fly-throughs and narrative soon... I just want to finish off the main column tower structure on the back of the central module and begin a few adjoining wire-frames to give it more of an "in construction" feel... and to progress it just a little more since the last video.

Thanks all... don't forget to give me some comments. Feedback and especially suggestions... I haven't had any suggestions to date. I have a very specific plan that I'm following, but it is open to interpretation, and I would especially welcome suggestions as to what internal areas should be catered for as this is what I'll be moving to soon so that it doesn't end up being some mammoth arduous task at the end of the build.

I intend to have sporting facilities, leisure facilities, hangar support areas (like workshops, repair bays, etc) as well as of course medical areas, amenities, a detention area and control rooms, and some (yet to be determined) system of interlinking transporters. If you can think of other things to include please let me know!

That's it from me for now.