Reorganize BDB parts for more historical progression

[bigyihsuan]

This issue is split off from #84, and requires it to be merged in first before I can work on this.

There are a few issues mentioning incorrect/missing part placements (#56, #81, #85, #87). #84 should at least fix those at minimum.

#84 implemented the following before this list was split off:

• Little Joe 2 parts have proper tech node assignments. They are placed on the same tier as the Apollo capsule.
• There are 4 engine upgrades for the Atlas D, E/F, and SLV3/G/H/I/1, and 2 variants. I've bunched the DEF and SLV3/GHI/12 upgrades together in pairs.
• The RD-180, and its 1.875m mount 1 tier earlier to get Atlas III earlier.

These are planned:

• Fix the Saturn progression so you go Saturn I > Saturn 1B > Saturn V > ETS Saturn IC and derivatives. The Saturn progression broke in many, many ways after the 1.13 update. Progression will be:
  • S-IV and S-I, unlocked together, for Saturn I
  • S-IVB, separately, for Saturn IB
  • S-II and S-IC, for Saturn V
  • S-IE, for ETS Saturn IC and Multibody
• All AARDV parts come after IRL Apollo. (This is probably already the case)
• All LM derivative parts come after the original LM.
• Adjust tiering for the following families:
  • OV-1, OV-10
  • X-15: from 1959, place in early tiers before Mercury. Around tier 3-4.
  • TACSAT
  • Mariner '69 (Mariner 6/7)
  • Mariner '71 (Mariner 9)
  • RCML
  • Rocketdyne G-1
  • Kepler: 2009 on a Delta II

I'm currently thinking about doing the following:

• Moving Mercury 1 tier earlier to unlock manned missions without needing to send probes to the Mun first.
• Moving Delta IV and Atlas V 1 or 2 tiers later to reflect them being a post-Saturn rocket, rather than coming out with Saturn.
• Adjusting the engine upgrades for Atlas to reflect historical progression:
  • Atlas A-D (–1963) remains the same: upgrade MA2
  • Atlas E-F (1968) should be unlocked around Saturn: upgrade MA3
  • Atlas 1 and 2 (1990, 1991) should be unlocked after Saturn, right before Atlas III and V: upgrades Atlas1/Atlas2

[Piuuc]

Hello, does this mean that you are working on the mod ? And are you still working on this mod as of today ? Thanks.

[bigyihsuan]

Hello, does this mean that you are working on the mod ? And are you still working on this mod as of today ? Thanks.

The MR #84, I work on it on and off when I have the time and motivation. The main issue is that splitting apart the mono-file is completely manual: I need to move over current parts, remove deprecated parts, and add tech nodes to any new parts I find.

The process is simple: For each series of parts in the BDB folder (using a list of parts I've generated with a script), I go through the mono-file and migrate over those parts. Each series is its own file. Any parts that are on the list but don't have a tech node definition are given one (usually they're added to the same tier as the rest of them). I have a second list of deprecated parts; if I encounter any of those, I remove them as well.

As I said, a very tediously manual process, and I'm only about halfway through the existing part lists right now.

Pretty much everything in the original post can't be worked on until the mono-file gets split up, so that it's easier to work on each part series separately.

If you would like to help out, the branch and MR is publicly available, and the list of parts as of BDB 1.14.x in the Gist linked in the MR.

[Piuuc]

Not sure If i'll really be useful. But could you explain how I can help exactly ? I took a look at the MR and the parts lists. I don't know exactly what I should do tho.

I got a lot of free time so I can help.

[bigyihsuan]

Not sure If i'll really be useful. But could you explain how I can help exactly ?

It's mainly grunt work:

• Look at the list of parts to be migrated in parts.txt, and compare to the existing CFGs and folders.
• Go through it by part family (Delta, Saturn, Apollo, Mariner, etc), and search through Bluedog.cfg for the parts in each part family.
• If you are working on a part family and there is no CFG for it yet, make one in the BDB folder.
• If you find a part in Bluedog.cfg that has not been migrated yet, add it to the respective part family's file.
• If you can't find it in Bluedog.cfg, then that means it is a part that needs a technology definition. Follow the existing format, and put it in a tech node that fits with the rest of part family.
• If you find a part in parts_old.txt in Bluedog.cfg, remove it entirely. These parts are deprecated and will be removed in a future BDB version.
• Repeat until all parts in parts.txt are migrated over.

[Piuuc]

I just want to make sure I understood correctly

I need to pick a part inside the parts.txt file, then look inside your BDB fork to see if the parts has already been placed somewhere in the tech tree ?