Am I Crazy?!

[OddFunction]

So I'm wondering if this is something other people experience or if I'm just screwing up somewhere.

Basically, if I go to the launch pad and launch a large rocket, sometimes it will just explode from top to bottom for absolutely no reason. At first I thought it was clipping but here's where it gets weird. The rockets never once explode if I first 'edit' them in the VAB. Loading the rocket in the VAB and then clicking the VAB launch button makes it so they are 100% safe... but take that same rocket and launch it from the launchpad and Kerbagheddon starts?

I don't wanna make a bugreport unless at least someone else confirms my hallucinations.

Edited May 29, 2015 by OddFunction

[smjjames]

Are you using Kerbal Joint Reinforcement? I've had large rockets collapse under their own wieght without it.

[worir4]

When you make massive rockets it can some times explode randomly. Try use more launch clamps and more struts.

[smjjames]

A screenshot of the rocket(s) that you're having problems with might be helpful though.

[mrklaw]

I've had fairly simple rockets and when the camera switches to the launchpad it is like a disaster movie - the rocket is sitting there on the pad with fire coming off it and a roaring wind - like it had suddenly reentered the atmosphere sideways at high speed. Reverting usually makes it go away

[OddFunction]

Are you using Kerbal Joint Reinforcement? I've had large rockets collapse under their own wieght without it.

I am not, but I will definately look into it.

The rocket in question, although this affects any big enough rocket:

and the explodey part:

No clipping though, I've manually replaced all the service bays really carefully.

[heng]

when you set a new vessel on the launchpad, it sometimes needs to 'swing in' first... meaning, it sets a little at load. kinda like a spring compressing itself by its own weight a little. when it springs back, the upper parts are still in a downward motion, the lower parts going upwards already. at on point the forces meet and obviously overload one of the parts...

my hypothesis would be, that the amount of 'setting' the rocket encounters is somehow different if you load it directly onto the pad vs. launching it from the VAB... could that be it?

[Vanamonde]

What does the F3 report say is failing first?

[adinfinitum]

Got anything attached to the ceilings of those service bays? That's pretty much an invitation to the kraken, not sure why it would happen in one situation and not the other though.

[FancyMouse]

Or rather clipping in the bay is the issue? I've been attaching science instruments to the ceiling for a long time but haven't seen issue once - I've been really careful not to clip my stuff, though.

[adinfinitum]

I haven't placed surface attached parts on the ceilings of the bays, but, at least in my experience, attaching a part to the ceiling attachment node is best avoided. I've actually never had problems if I clip into the service bay ceiling, as long as its attached from the floor up.