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[HELP] Parachute not deploying?


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Not sure what went wrong but here's an Imgur Gallery to illustrate: http://imgur.com/a/Ooaz4 my custom parachute is the white cylinder with the off-center red arrows. (I need to fix the texture later)

  1. Test Craft, Initial takeoff
  2. In-Flight
  3. Engines off, decoupler activated (nose cone flew off)
  4. XLI-SP1 Stack Parachute activated, the cap flew off but the canopy isn't visible. not sure why the stage icon is yellow.
  5. The stage icon turned green? canopy is still not visible.
  6. The craft lands and only the engine is destroyed. stage icon red?

Edited by Xyphos
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Here's a quick explanation of the parachute icon colors:

- white (default): parachute not yet activated / deployed

- cyan (predeployed): parachute activated, but not actually deployed until it reaches a low enough altitude

- yellow (semi-deployed): parachute risers come out, but the canopy is still scrunched up like a streamer; semi-deployed drag is applied

- green (fully deployed): parachute canopy inflates and expands to full diameter; fully-deployed drag is applied

- red (spent): vessel has landed and parachute has been auto-cut

To diagnose your specific problem, we're going to need the following pieces of information:

- A screenshot showing how your parachute is configured in Unity (specifically, a hierarchy of object names making up the parachute part)

- The name of the semi-deployment and full deployment animations

- The code for the CFG file for your parachute part (you can paste it directly on the forums using

 tags)
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My screenie resolution may break the forums so here's the links instead.

Blender: http://i.imgur.com/alc9WdU.png

Unity: http://i.imgur.com/Ij3CTjV.png

the cfg file is a direct copy of the stock MK25 "drouge" parachute but edited where needed. here's the pastebin link: http://pastebin.com/5VN27MNT

Edited by Xyphos
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Okay.

So your Unity model hierarchy is:

-PartTools
-XLI-SP1
-base
-canopy
-cap

And your ModuleParachute definition in your Part CFG file is:

MODULE
{
name = ModuleParachute
invertCanopy = true
autoCutSpeed = 0.5
capName = cap
canopyName = canopy
semiDeployedAnimation = semiDeploy
fullyDeployedAnimation = fullDeploy
stowedDrag = 0.22
semiDeployedDrag = 4
fullyDeployedDrag = 500
minAirPressureToOpen = 0.2
deployAltitude = 250
deploymentSpeed = 1
semiDeploymentSpeed = 1
}

So far, so good.

For the parachute animations, I strongly recommend making them in Unity instead of in Blender, because trying to import and configure the latter into the former after the fact adds complication to the process.

In Blender:

1) Completely remove your existing animation definitions

2) Make sure that the origin of the canopy mesh is located at the point where all the risers (strings) converge; this is where the parachute would pivot when deployed

3) Scale your canopy mesh up to its fully deployed and inflated state

4) With the canopy still selected, press Ctrl-A then choose to apply Scale

5) In the properties sidebar, set the X, Y, Z scales to 0.001; this effectively makes the canopy small enough to hide inside the parachute container part

6) Save your Blender model file

In Unity:

1) Make sure the Blender prefab has reloaded to the updated model

2) In the model hierarchy, selected the XLI-SP1 parent object and add an Animation component to it

3) In the Animation View window/pane, create and save a new animation called semiDeploy4) While still in Animation View, browse for the XLI-SP1 > canopy object and add the Scale property to the animation

5) At keyframe t=0, ensure that the scale of the canopy for all three dimensions is 0.001;

6) Create a new keyframe at t=4

7) At keyframe t=4, change the scale values so that the canopy is fully stretched out along its length (scale=1) while the width and depth of the canopy is only partially deployed (scale=0.2)

8) Preview this animation to see how it plays out

9) Create and save a new animation called fullDeploy

10) Again, browse for the XLI-SP1 > canopy object and add the Scale property to the animation

11) At keyframe t=0, ensure that the scale of the canopy is 1 for the length axis and 0.2 for the width/depth axes

12) Create a new keyframe at t=4

13) At keyframe t=4, change the scale values so that the canopy is fully stretched out along its length and the canopy is fully inflated (i.e. all three have scale=1)

14) Preview this animation to see how it plays out

15) Add the new semiDeploy and fullDeploy animations to the Animation component defined for the XLI-SP1 parent object; this is so that the animations will get written into the MU model file itself, where ModuleParachute will then be able to actually find them

16) Export the part using the PartTools script and test it in-game.

I'm currently at work, so I'm recalling these instructions off the top of my head. Do let me know how you get on, though.

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Thanks, I'll try it... I'm not sure how to remove animations so I've decided to start over from scratch just to be sure. after all, it'll be good practice anyhow. I'll post any updates later.

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Update: I got it to work!

but you forgot to mention a step.

in Unity, I had to set the root node to 'canopy' and it worked like a charm!

now I just gotta fine-tune the textures a bit and it'll be finished.

thanks for the help, +rep.

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Update: I got it to work!

but you forgot to mention a step.

in Unity, I had to set the root node to 'canopy' and it worked like a charm!

now I just gotta fine-tune the textures a bit and it'll be finished.

thanks for the help, +rep.

Good to hear that it worked - but I'm not sure what you mean by root node, though, since I don't recall any such step when making my own parachute models for SDHI and RealChutes.

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I'm not sure what you mean by root node, though, since I don't recall any such step when making my own parachute models for SDHI and RealChutes.

there's an "Rig" option in Unity when you import your model from Blender, but you're right, it's not nessessary. I accidentally stumbled on to it and figured it might be something important, like an attachment point or something.

Ok, time for new problems: http://i.imgur.com/Io0SOT1.jpg

Blender Screenie: http://i.imgur.com/laa9Zte.png

Unity Screenie: http://i.imgur.com/2uNDNYD.png

CFG unchanged.

1) the base container is supposed to have an outside and inside wall, but some wierd kind of clipping is ocuring here.

2) the base container is 24-sided, as suggested, but it's too rigid-looking and doesn't match the 24-sided fuel tank below

3) the parachute deploys, semiDeploy is animated, fullDeploy never occurs, and the debug log shows a null reference exception.

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1) the base container is supposed to have an outside and inside wall, but some wierd kind of clipping is ocuring here.

You might need to recalculate normals on your mesh.

2) the base container is 24-sided, as suggested, but it's too rigid-looking and doesn't match the 24-sided fuel tank below

- Apply Shade Smooth to your mesh

- Add a Edge Split Modifier and set it to 30~45 degrees (but do not apply it)

- Select the top and bottom rings of the cylinder and Mark Sharp

This would make the curved surface of the container less faceted-looking

3) the parachute deploys, semiDeploy is animated, fullDeploy never occurs, and the debug log shows a null reference exception.

This is interesting...

Could you please grab a screenshot of your Animation component. How many items are in the animation array?

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You might need to recalculate normals on your mesh.

What? How?

- Apply Shade Smooth to your mesh

- Add a Edge Split Modifier and set it to 30~45 degrees (but do not apply it)

- Select the top and bottom rings of the cylinder and Mark Sharp

This would make the curved surface of the container less faceted-looking

- Smooth, ok...

- Edge Split Modifier? amplify? lost me here.

- What's the difference between mark seam and mark sharp?

This is interesting...

Could you please grab a screenshot of your Animation component. How many items are in the animation array?

This?

http://i.imgur.com/8ChMlXP.png

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You might need to recalculate normals on your mesh.
What? How?

- Select your mesh

- Go into Edit Mode

- Press A to select everything

- In the Tool Shelf on the left, go to the Shadings / UV tab and click on Normals: > Recalculate

- Apply Shade Smooth to your mesh

- Add a Edge Split Modifier and set it to 30~45 degrees (but do not apply it)

- Select the top and bottom rings of the cylinder and Mark Sharp

- Smooth, ok...

- Edge Split Modifier? amplify? lost me here.

- What's the difference between mark seam and mark sharp?

- Make sure that your container is still selected

- Find the Properties panel (bottom right-ish)

- In the Buttons (Properties) Window Header, click on the Modifiers icon (blue wrench)

- Add a Edge Split modifier using the drop-down menu

- Set the angle to anywhere between 30~45 degrees

- DO NOT press apply (or your'll be causing yourself grief later)

- Select the top and bottom rings of the cylinder and Mark Sharp

(Mark Sharp tells the Edge Split modifier and Mesh Smooth shader to not smooth these selected edges; Mark Seam is for UV mapping, which is not related)

This is interesting...

Could you please grab a screenshot of your Animation component. How many items are in the animation array?

No, this:

http://docs.unity3d.com/uploads/Main/AnimationInspector35.png

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that would be here, I think? http://i.imgur.com/NxiQ2H9.png

also, this "greif" you speak of, meaning that the part won't load in KSP and has to be remade from scratch? (oopsie, I had to find out the hard way...)

Edited by Xyphos
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that would be here, I think? http://i.imgur.com/NxiQ2H9.png

Hmm... semiDeploy and fullDeploy are both listed, so KSP should recognize them.

Try clearing the Animation field, but keep semiDeploy and fullDeploy in Element 0 and Element 1.

EDIT: Arrgh, get rid of the Animator controller - that doesn't work for KSP.

also, this "greif" you speak of, meaning that the part won't load in KSP and has to be remade from scratch? (oopsie, I had to find out the hard way...)

You you do apply the Split Edge modifier, it does exactly what it says - split a shared edge into two coinciding but separate edges, which simply makes it harder to edit the cylinder later because you'll need to manipulate twice as many vertices as before.

By adding the Split Edge modifier to the mesh but not permanently applying, you get the same edge sharpening effects while keeping the edges/vertices easily editable later down then line.

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Hmm... semiDeploy and fullDeploy are both listed, so KSP should recognize them.

Try clearing the Animation field, but keep semiDeploy and fullDeploy in Element 0 and Element 1.

EDIT: Arrgh, get rid of the Animator controller - that doesn't work for KSP.

You you do apply the Split Edge modifier, it does exactly what it says - split a shared edge into two coinciding but separate edges, which simply makes it harder to edit the cylinder later because you'll need to manipulate twice as many vertices as before.

By adding the Split Edge modifier to the mesh but not permanently applying, you get the same edge sharpening effects while keeping the edges/vertices easily editable later down then line.

Ooooooooohhhh thanks.

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  • 2 weeks later...


MODULE
{
name = ModuleParachute
invertCanopy = true
autoCutSpeed = 0.5
capName = cap
canopyName = canopy
semiDeployedAnimation = semiDeploy
fullyDeployedAnimation = fullyDeploy [B]<--------[/B]

stowedDrag = 0.22

semiDeployedDrag = 1
fullyDeployedDrag = 500
minAirPressureToOpen = 0.01
deployAltitude = 500
deploymentSpeed = 1
semiDeploymentSpeed = 1
}

Ah, a typo - in Unity, change the name of the full deployment animation from fullDeploy to fullyDeploy.

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