wasml

What kind of problems are you having? I have managed to get both of those working at one point but have only made a few.

I always end up going back and tweaking things - the apply on export allows me to change the modifier later if I get a better idea/want to try something different/realize it doesn't look right in game. That and saving backups of the Blender file before a big change.

I know there's an option when exporting to apply modifiers - my config has that set

In Blender 2.92 if you edit the object, select the faces you want to smooth and then got to Mesh | Shading | Smooth Faces it will look much better - Same thing can be done in older versions of Blender but different route to get there. Once you do this you'll notice some of the corners you want to remain sharp are now smoothed - you can use the "Mark Seam" or you can separate the meshes (ctrl-p I think) and then rejoin them (ctrl-j I think). Edit: When you import to Blender the faces are all be triangularized (OK - proper word is escaping me at the moment) - I don't know how the pro's do it but I leave the faces as quadsand check the triangularize option when exporting.

One of the dds formats that had been working in earlier versions (KSP?/Unity?) is no longer supported - I don't remember which one at the moment.

I think most people are using Blender and there are some tools for Blender that can write a .mu file directly: It is possible to use other tools but, as far as I know, you'll need to run them through Unity (a free download) to generate the .mu file. The current version of Unity is 2019.2.2f1 - you could use another version but would probably want to find the PartTools that goes with the Unity version your using (have not tried to mix PartTools and Unity versions myself). If you do go with the non-Blender 3D software you'll want to make sure it can export a format that Unity understands - I've used .dae and .fbx - don't know what other formats it accepts. And the short answer is: you'll need a 3d modeling program, Unity and Parttools.

Came across a link: https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/42591/how-to-approach-the-modeling-of-duct-work-piping-wiring I've used the vertex extrusion (answer with 4 votes) in an attempt at rocket engine plumbing.

Guess/experiment/examine mods that do something similar/ask here on the forum are the only ways I've found.

Check the normals on the exterior. Back faces aren't displayed so if the normals are backwards you won't see the the face.

Small details can be done with a normal map or with the model itself. One way do do pipes and wires with the model involves creating a curve and then changing it into a mesh. The few times I've tried this I started with an edge and extruded to the general shape I wanted, used beveling to round corners then (OK - memories a bit fuzzy here - was some time ago) change to a curve then back to a mesh with some settings to give it depth. Try Googling blender and curve to mesh.

One thing that will cause moving spots is z fighting - two meshes at the same or almost the same distance. If you open the model in Blender and delete the mesh that's flickering and there's still a mesh visible this might be your problem.

Some notes/project files I've made for myself for parts: Most are at least up to KSP 1.8.1 so should work (or work with a few tweaks) in 1.11.x

As there is only one ejection force parameter but two would be needed for this I'm thinking you would need a small plugin to perform the switch based on situation (maybe landed/splashed). Good idea by the way!

I would use a MM script to change the model used in the USI-LS cfg file to point to your own model. You could directly edit the USI-LS cfg file but then any USI-LS updates would wipe out your change and require re-implementing the change. If you use an MM script and keep it in a separate folder (GameData\MyMods\MM_patches for example) you can avoid this.

Unity 2019.2.2f1 is the version KSP has used since 1.8.0. Other than that nothing from that post jumped out at me as being wrong. A side note - there is a Blender add-on that will export .mu files, bypassing Unity, that some people swear by. I haven't used it myself so I can't comment on it.

Next week?

You mention Unity so I'm assuming your talking part mods. The information is scattered about - mostly its searching the forum for answers and experimenting. I eventually put together some "demo" projects for myself to cover the basic steps for the parts I had managed to get working - so when I forgot a step I would have a simplified sample project to look at. I put these together and posted them here: They're not beginner tutorials but there are notes on some of the pitfalls I ran into and they are working projects (or were in 1.8.1) with Blender and Unity projects included.

If you're just re-texturing you shouldn't need to touch the .mu file. You will need to change the .cfg file to substitute your new texture for the old - MM patch would be best for this.

I would think the AOA of the wing would be what KSP computes each frame based on the vessel orientation - if your trying to move the flaps I think you want to target the control surface.

Unfortunately the information is scattered - going from memory (its been awhile so don't take these as definitive - I may have forgotten some steps) 1) Export you model from blender - I think dae (may require enabling a plugin) or fbx are typical or just use the .blend file directly from blender. Things to watch for - fbx my scale your model by 100 (forget if it's bigger or smaller) unless you find the setting to change it and the blender export will as far as I know give you everything - I like to have a number of related models in one file so this doesn't work well for me. 2) import into Unity - I just drag and drop the exported file into the Unity assets pane. 3) Add an empty GameObject (you may want to rename) to your Unity project and when you select it the inspector pane should should see a "Add Component". Click this select KSP then parttools. This adds the parttools to the root object. 4) drag and drop the model onto this GameObject. 5) Open up the tree under the GameObject and select your collider(s) - in the inspector pane "Add Component | Physics | mesh collider" or add one or more Box, Capsule or Sphere colliders - these primitives are less expensive computationally. After you have the colliders setup you can remove the mesh filter and mesh renderer. 6) Select you meshes and add the textures. I make my textures in Gimp and export both a DDS and a png. Drag and drop the .png's into the Unity asset folder and the drag and drop a texture on each of the meshes. 7) Select the top GameObject from step three and you should see a parttools section in the inspector fill in a name and click "write" - at some point your ask to select a directory - maybe when setting up parttools?. You should now have a .mu file in your chosen directory - after you've finished tweaking the part you will want to replace the texture Unity spits out with the DDS you created earlier. 8) Setup your config file and you might have a working part in KSP - typo's in the config or any number of other things can prevent the part from showing up in KSP - in which case you look in the log and try to puzzle out what went wrong. Some random thoughts: If the part shows up in game but once you place the part you can't grab it again - you probably forgot or miss configured the collider(s). Small typo's in the config can cause the part not to load - sometimes case maters - sometimes not. Animations have some extra steps I haven't covered here. Good luck and happy modding!

Guessing here: the "Input string was not in the correct format" leads me to think it's an error in the config file. Looks like StringToNumber and ParseInt32 calls are complaining so I would look for either a typo in an integer or maybe a wrong parameter - giving it a string or a bool when it expects a integer.

Fengist had an online calculator but it's no longer there - the code for the calculator is listed though

A modder who's name I can't recall was working on a mod (never completed unfortunately) that would have had a surface part with an IVA that would have been extendable. The extensions would have been IVA only and extendable to make underground bases. The plan was to allow the player to move between rooms by clicking on hatches to change IVA's. If I find the link I'll add to this post. Found it:

@SJ Heo Try putting it directly under GameData Path should be: GameData\Missing_robotics.

You might consider using water as an alternate propellant and adding an intake that collects water - the ModuleResourceIntake even has a "underwaterOnly" field. Downside would be the need to either add the resource yourself or have a dependency on Community Resource Pack.