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Here you will find all the necessary tools as well as tutorials, guides and snippets of info relevant to KSP modding. If you come across any information that you think should be added to this thread please post a reply here. Before you start: 1. Please visit the General Add-on Affairs forum and check out member requests. It's better if you make something that people actually want. 2. Read all links marked as "Important" ================ Table of Contents ================ 1. List of Free and Open Source Tools 1.1 Modding Tools 1.2 Other Tools 2. Not-So-Free Tools 3. Modding Reference Material 4. Modding Information Links 4.1 Common Problems and Solutions 4.2 General Information 4.3 Modelling 4.4 Texturing 4.5 Licensing 4.6 Video Tutorials 4.7 Text Tutorials 4.8 Miscellaneous 4.9 Unity/Configs 4.10 Addons For Modders 4.11 Plugin Development =============================== List of Free and Open Source Tools =============================== MODDING TOOLS Unity - Game engine This is where you rig, animate, and otherwise set up and compile the part files. Important - YOU MUST USE UNITY 4.2.2 or earlier. Newer Unity versions do not support legacy animation which are still used by KSP.Part tools: 0.23 Part Tools thread Other FloatCurve Editor - A unity package for visualising and designing FloatCurves for your configuration files. Also read the KSP floatCurves guide MBM to PNG texture converter - Unity script. Can convert whole folders including subfolders I recommend you read the 0.23 and 0.20 Part Tools posts by Mu, they are very informative. If you're having trouble unzipping on a Mac, look here. Blender - Full featured 3D editor. Used for creating the 3D assets and animating. Can also be used for texturing, rendering stills and video. Blender Plugins: Taniwha's mu Import/Export MultiEdit - Allows you to edit a group of separate objects as a single object. Very useful for unwrapping multiple models on a single texture. KSPBlender - Blender addon for importing .craft files. Blender Bundled Plugins: You might need to enable these in Preferences. Print3D - Calculates volume (useful for judging resource capacity) and surface area of mesh objects, as well as does other things useful if you're making models for 3D printing. GIMP - Raster graphics editor The best free program for creating textures and other graphics. GIMP Plugins: NormalMap plugin - Generate normal maps from greyscale bump maps. Krita - Raster graphics editor Includes some very useful tools not found in GIMP. Check out the features page .MaPZone - Procedural texture generator Very powerful texture generator with a compositing interface DDS4KSP - KSP to DDS texture converter Use this to allow KSP to load textures faster. Inkscape - Vector graphics editor UV layouts exported from Blender can be edited with this. It's also useful as a secondary program for textures if you need to create precision curves. xNormal - Texture generator You can generate normals maps, and various masks for your textures. NVidia Melody - Normal map baking program Bake normal maps from high-poly models. NormalMap-Online Online tool for generating Normal, Displacement, Ambient Occlusion and Specular maps Meshlab - Mesh editor You can use this to convert various mesh types. Notepad++ - Text editor Use this for editing configuration files. Change language to python to identify bracket pairs and collapse/extend modules. Hexplorer - Hex editor You can use this to spec the components of compiled mu files. DO NOT EDIT FILES unless you know what you're doing. OTHER TOOLS Open Broadcaster Software- Video capture / Streaming Self explanatory. You can use it to showcase your mod. Lightworks - Full featured video editing program Edit and add effects to your videos. Requires registration, however it really is the best free editor out there. ================ Not-So-Free Tools ================ Quixel dDo - Procedural texture generator that adapts to the shape of your model. The old legacy version is free but it requires Photoshop, which is not free. Link is at the bottom. Direct link ======================== Modding Reference Material ======================== Blender Model Donation - Donate or download unused models started by other forum members. NASA 3D Resources - Copyright-free models and textures. Important. The models are too high poly to use directly. Linear aerospike MiG-105 Spiral photos Dragon RCS in action Kennedy Space Center - Lots of great photos of NASA vehicles. Shuttle flight deck and Shuttle lower deck interactive high-res 360 panoramas. Launch Photography - Various space- and spacehip-related photos. Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center Nasa audio - For sound editors. Scroll down for links to huge archives of mission transmissions, rocket and shuttle sounds, and "sounds" of space phenomena. ======================== Modding Information Links ======================== COMMON PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS Invisible mesh / Models not updating Invisible mesh / Models too small Stack nodes not attaching Part with animation not loading Empty Resource containers have negative cost Rescaled models revert to original size Cannot edit/create emissive animations - Unity downgrade tutorial Infinite resource usage Curved geometry boolean operations and shader issues / Vertex normals issues - Whole thread is very worth the read. GENERAL INFORMATION Stock Parts List Part Modelling Guidelines - Out of date / almost never updated. CFG File Documention on the wiki Modding information page from before the forum wipe - Download of the old page MODELLING Kerbal EVA model hierarchy - useful for people who want to modify the Kerbal EVA model / animation itself Part orientations in the VAB, SPH, and Unity - Image Part scaling with rescaleFactor A rough model of a Kerbal for modelling reference Basic Blender tutorial for making a propellent tank - by Technical ben Triangle count for parts snippet Cylinder face numbers Lots of snippets, read the entire thread Kerbal stair-climbing ability: staircase step height KSP vs. Blender coordinate systems - by orson / MKSheppard; in essence, Blender uses Z+/Z- for up/down, but Unity uses Y+ and Y- instead TEXTURING MBM to PNG texture converter - Unity script. Can convert whole folders including subfolders MBMUtilities - Standalone converter. For single or groups of files. MBM to PNG or TGA; TGA or PNG back to MBM Intermediate Texturing Guide Intermediate Texturing Guide - Panels and Edge Damage Texture Format Information - Worth giving the whole thread a read. Important DDS Quick Guide - Important Please use DDS! Fixing texture seams (gaps in the texture on the model) Memory usage of textures Creating a normal map Normal map file naming - Very important with relation to memory usage Importing models, Generating UV's, Editing and Exporting to .DDS in Photoshop CS6 ext LICENSING All addons posted on any official Squad website must have a license - Forum Rule 4.2 License Selection Guide VIDEO TUTORIALS Twitch Broadcasts by RoverDude - Lots of videos showing the workflow for part modding from start to finish: Model and Art concept, modelling, animating, UV unwrapping, map baking, texturing stockalike style. Good comments + voiced thoughts. Tutorial: Unity and Part Tools Setup + Model/Texture Import, Setup and Export to KSP - video by Tiberion Series by Nifty255 - This covers the very basics. Vol. 1 Ep. 2 - Game Models and Textures - This covers proper model and texture setup in Blender, setup and exporting through Unity, and even goes into setting up animations. and - These two cover things on the programming side: modules, plugins, .dlls, etc. - How KSP saves and loads its data, from part configs, to ship designs, to entire game saves. Tutorials by nli2work Discussion thread for the following tutorials. - Exterior/Interior Unity setup; export to KSP; slight config error near the end. ~1hr - Error corrected and explained; External/Internal basic function checks ~15min - Spawning IVA in Unity; populating IVA with Props and Light ~35m - Internal Props; ~16min - Basic Engine setup; with Emissive, Gimbal, and Fairing - Engine setup with EFFECT{} Plugin Tutorials by Cybutek TEXT TUTORIALS Making a simple engine in Wings 3D, from start to finish. MISCELLANEOUS Official Unity tutorials Unity Layers and Tags KSP floatCurves guide - Important for many Part Modules Important A snippet on ISP and fuel density Creating a new resource Stock Parts Costs and Balance Spreadsheet for 0.24 FlagDecal, Docking port IDs, PNG Unity import bug Unofficial 0.25 modding info UNITY/CONFIGS Getting started Unity to KSP: A Detail Tutorial - written by Kerbtrek Part Tools 0.20, Blender, Unity and KSP - written by Cheebsta Example Config file for loading a .Mu file into the game - written by Tiberion TUTORIAL: Getting Started With Unity - written by Nutt007, includes a video for 0.15 Tutorial:Making and asset from start to finish Air Intakes Intakes for jet engines Intake area explanation Airlock (Actually a hatch, but it's called an airlock in KSP) Adding airlocks and ladders to parts - Airlock collider must extend beyond the ladder collider to allow the click menu. Airlock positioning 1 Airlock positioning 2 Airlock positioning 3 Animation Blender to Unity animation tutorial - written by Xellith Exporting an Animation from Blender Looped animation Anim Switch details for repeating animation in reverse Repeating animation in reverse - Old Start point in animation for VAB snippet Attach nodes (Radial attachment) Transform-based NODE{} - New better way. Requires srFix .Radial attach coordinates - Old way Tweaking attach nodes snippets - Old way Collision meshes Collision Mesh snippets Normal mesh use Exploding Kerbals Cargo Bays NoAttach tag - Prevents surface attachment for specific colliders. Contract Testing ModuleTestSubject Control Surfaces Creating a control surface Decouplers Decoupler modules Docking Ports Adding a docking node in Unity Stock Docking Port in Unity - Image Docking port IDs "Control from here" for docking ports - Useful if your part alignment is different from your docking port direction. Emissive textures Emissive tutorial - new thread - written by CardBoardBoxProcessor Emissive tutorial - old thread - written by CardBoardBoxProcessor Setting up an emissive on a light - Big pictures Stopping toggleable emissives showing up lit in VAB/SPH thumbnails Looping an emissive Throttle-response emissive snippet If you have problems with the latest Unity version Engines See Video Tutorials above first. [HOWTO] Airbreathing Engines in KSP 1.0 Quick how-to on setting up a thrustTransform for an Engine Snippet on thrustTransforms Unity hierarchy for Gimballing nozzles ModuleGimbal and ModuleJettison - config settings. Trouble shooting why an engine might not work Multiple nozzles Example - Unity package and compiled part with config. Engine Fairings See Video Tutorials above first. To make fairings in VAB/SPH thumbnail invisible, set the fairing objects tag to Icon_Hidden. You will need to create a new tag to do this. Example image of the tag Removing the fairings from stock engines See above for an example engine. Flag Decal Flag decal module Positioning the decal GameDatabase 0.20+ specific config extras IVA See Video Tutorials above first. IVA Tutorial - written by TouhouTorpedo - old? 0.17 IVA tutorial - I have no idea if this is still relevant, I've not tried to do any IVA's Alternate camera for IVA portraits Stock IVA orientation reference Ladders Adding airlocks and ladders to parts Landing gear Discussion of a WIP landing gear. Lots of useful information Stock Landing Gear in Unity - Image Landing gear snippets - Spread out through the thread Landing legs Animated Landing leg w/ suspension tutorial 0.22 Landing Leg module in Unity - Image Launch stability enhancer / Launch tower Launch Clamp How-To (Tutorial) FASA Launch Tower tutorial Lights Some tips for setting up lights Model definition Replacing "mesh" with "MODEL{}" Scaling attach nodes with MODEL{} Parachutes Stock Parachute in Unity - Image Components of a parachute RCS RCS Tutorial Rover wheels Wheel rigging, setup and fault finding - Video tutorial. Guide with Unity scene example Stock Rover Wheel in Unity - Image Changing wheel torque Science Science and mods! Solar Panels Stock Folding Solar Panels in Unity- Image Setting up suntracking solar panels Powercurve explanation Sounds Using EFFECTS nodes to play custom sounds How to get custom sounds to play without a plugin - Pre-0.23 info Stack nodes Transform-based NODE{} - Allows you to easily add nodes with transforms. Makes angled nodes easier to implement. Temperature Quick guide to temperature rules Textures and Shaders Adding a normal map Faking detail with a normal map Fixing unwanted texture transparency Unwanted transparent faces Potential fixes for incorrect shading PNG versus TGA loading time Welding Example of using 0.20+ MODEL{} modules to combine parts MODEL{} tutorial - Learn How to Weld! - written by johnsonwax - GONE! MODEL{} tutorial - Intermediate Welding and Part Scaling - written by johnsonwax Wings Wing creation mini tutorial ADDONS FOR MODDERS These addons extend the functionality available for mod creators and help with mod development Tools DevHelper - Bypass main menu to automatically load any saved game LoadOnDemand - Important. Loads textures as needed, reducing the memory footprint and speeding up load times without loss of quality. Not actively developed but community fix is available. ModuleMirror - Mirror symmetry for asymmetrical parts Part Icon Fixer & Tweaks - Rescales part icons in the VAB and SPH to more appropriate sizes. RCS Build Aid - Provides visual clues about ship movement under thrust from RCS or engines. Great for if you're making replica ships srFix - Important. A fix for the currently non-functioning NODE{} HINGE_JOINTs. Mods Adaptive Docking Node - Create non-androgynous docking ports or ones that attach to more than one port size/type. BDArmoury - Includes a .50 cal turret unity package as an example if you want to make your own weapons Community Resource Pack - Community-defined resources. Check in here before defining a new resource. Connected Living Space / Config How-To - API for inhabitable areas and passable/impassable parts. DMagic Module Science Animate - versatile plugin for science experiments Ferram Aerospace Research / Deriving FAR values for a wing using Blender Firespitter / Firespitter Module Documentation - various aircraft-related modules as lots of others. HotRockets! - Particle FX Replacement Infernal Robotics / How to make robotic parts - Create controllable robotic parts that rotate or translate. JSIPartUtilities - Let's you toggle meshes and colliders on and off, and other things Kerbaloons / How to make your own balloon part using KerBalloons - Create baloons Kethane - Majir restricts the use of some modules Modular Fuel Tanks - Create user-configurable resource tanks. Module Manager - allows patching of configs at runtime without overwriting OpenParticleEmitter - Kethane-derived alternate particles module. Source code only Open Resource System - Karbonite (An open Kethane alternative) uses this. Also see Community Resource Pack Raster Prop Monitor - Configure aircraft and spaceship monitors in IVA Real Fuels - Makes resources and their measurements based on real science. SmokeScreen - Extended FX plugin Texture Animation Util - Scrolls textures on a mesh randomly or smoothly. Toolbar - Add a visible toollbar button to your plugin PLUGIN DEVELOPMENT I would love someone with Plugin experience to point out helpful threads for this Add-on Posting Rules CompatibilityChecker - Source code for plugin authors to implement a checker that shows a message if their mod is incompatible with the user's version of KSP and/or Unity KSP API Documentation Official PartModule Documentation Starting out on Plugins KSP Plugin Framework - Plugin Examples and Structure - by TriggerAu, very recent and up to date Example plugin projects to help you get started - by TaranisElsu The official unoffical help a fellow plugin developer thread Wiki page on Plugins Creating your first module - on the Wiki Info on spawning objects and applying gravity - Includes example code, links to more examples, and some useful hints. How to animate a part with multiple animations? Great info on Kerbal transforms, bones, rig, FSM, states (ragdoll, idle, sumble, run etc) Some really good info on writing Unity CG shaders. Even if you're not going to write a custom shader yourself, it still gives you a great insight into what the various bits of the KSP shaders actually control and output. Info on loading and using custom shaders into KSP Misc Plugin Information Kethane Code Snippet for an incorrect installation warning. Public domain license.

Insert Duna Reference Here I was planning a jool mission when I realized a Duna transfer window was opening soon. I'm decide going to duna instead would be a good test. I guess you could call it a reference mission. This is not story based at the moment, but it is being split up into Chapters. Chapter List: EDITOR PICS IN THE FUTURE The Cast and Contraptions - Part 1 I created a new LV for this mission. The NP-1H(NovaPunch-1 Heavy) NP-1(NovaPunch-1) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The first Module launched without a hitch. FOOTAGE NOT FOUND The second module also did it wonderfully. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The third one...well... TWR: 0.95 Yep. 1.5 hours and some coaxing of the persistance later... COMING SOON: Easter eggs and some obscure references.

Looking at a thread like this one, I get the impression that the content of KSPedia pages is rather static. Perhaps it is already planned, but wouldn't it be great if the KSPedia included dynamic content as well in the future? The most obvious thing that comes to mind are key-mappings (so you can look up in-game what the actual mappings are, not the default mappings), but also celestial body and part catalogs. "Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself," so I'm sure it can be done!