[1.12.x] - Modular Kolonization System (MKS)

[vossiewulf]

A quick question, why does the USI-LS habitation-monitoring window almost always show me that my space stations are out of EC when they're nowhere close to being out of EC?

[SkiRich]

I'm not sure if this option is an MKS function or not, so I'll ask here and see if anyone knows.

I have noticed that all my parts on my crafts now have an option to "Disassemble Part"

Clicking it blows it up (no damage though to the attached parts.

I also saw a message scroll by on the screen saying something about Materials being created, but it went by so fast I didnt get a chance to read the whole thing.

Is this a feature of MKS?  and if so, where do the disassembled parts go if you dont have storage for them?

If not, no worries, I'm looking through all the "construction type" mods I have installed for this option.

Edited July 7, 2020 by SkiRich

[Cruesoe]

1 hour ago, SkiRich said:

I'm not sure if this option is an MKS function or not, so I'll ask here and see if anyone knows.

I have noticed that all my parts on my crafts now have an option to "Disassemble Part"

Clicking it blows it up (no damage though to the attached parts.

I also saw a message scroll by on the screen saying something about Materials being created, but it went by so fast I didnt get a chance to read the whole thing.

Is this a feature of MKS?  and if so, where do the disassembled parts go if you dont have storage for them?

If not, no worries, I'm looking through all the "construction type" mods I have installed for this option.

The disassembly of parts is an MKS thing and mention in those video tutorials you suggested I watch...

[RoverDude]

7 hours ago, vossiewulf said:

A quick question, why does the USI-LS habitation-monitoring window almost always show me that my space stations are out of EC when they're nowhere close to being out of EC?

 

I would not worry about this - it does not take into account EC generation, so it's more relevant for rescue missions, etc. 

[SkiRich]

8 hours ago, Cruesoe said:

The disassembly of parts is an MKS thing and mention in those video tutorials you suggested I watch...

I think its time for another round of those videos.

Geez it must be the 4th time I watched them.  Learning through osmosis I guess.

[Tokamak]

Thank you guys for being so helpful so far. Err... I have another question. Yes I've been looking around for an answer before posting here.

I'm pretty confused about lodes. I get that it's a rock that I need to use a klaw or KAS to hook up to, and then can pull out resources. The discussions I've found about them say either that the regolith sifter can process the lode, or that it will appear as a container full of recyclables. If I look in the VAB, the inputs that the sifter can accept are dirt, and "ResourceLode".

That all makes sense so far. But once I actually send a vehicle to the lode and hook up to it, the resource in it is "rock". There's no mention that I can find of rock in the MKS wiki, and as far as I can tell there are no MKS parts that can take rock as an input.

So what am I meant to do, exactly? O.o I'd appreciate a pointer in the right direction.

[SkiRich]

On 7/7/2020 at 4:38 AM, Cruesoe said:

The disassembly of parts is an MKS thing and mention in those video tutorials you suggested I watch...

Maybe I'm dense, but I rewatched the supplies and logistics videos again and I didnt hear anything about disassembly.

Which episode did you hear it in?

[Tokamak]

3 minutes ago, SkiRich said:

Maybe I'm dense, but I rewatched the supplies and logistics videos again and I didnt hear anything about disassembly.

Which episode did you hear it in?

I don't know about the videos, but if it helps, disassembly is pretty simple. When a kerbal is on EVA, the right-click menu for parts (I keep forgetting what it's called) contains a "disassemble" option. If you use that option on a part with no children, the part will go poof in a cloud of smoke, and some amount of MaterialKits and SpecializedParts will appear in nearby storage, if it is available.

Unrelated: Sorry if this is a silly question, but... I've just been experimenting with Planetary Logistics. I've mostly figured it out messing about in a sandbox. But as far as I can tell, if I want a remote mining rig to send its spoils back to my main base, I need to have the rig actually have or be attached to a logistics module, even if an unmanned one. That's fine, but am I missing some simpler (and lighter) way to do it?

[Brigadier]

2 hours ago, Tokamak said:

right-click menu for parts (I keep forgetting what it's called)

The Part Action Window = PAW

[SkiRich]

Any way to get lights in the various cupola modules?  They are all dark when I turn lights on.

[TheBackIsBAck]

3 hours ago, Tokamak said:

I don't know about the videos, but if it helps, disassembly is pretty simple. When a kerbal is on EVA, the right-click menu for parts (I keep forgetting what it's called) contains a "disassemble" option. If you use that option on a part with no children, the part will go poof in a cloud of smoke, and some amount of MaterialKits and SpecializedParts will appear in nearby storage, if it is available.

Unrelated: Sorry if this is a silly question, but... I've just been experimenting with Planetary Logistics. I've mostly figured it out messing about in a sandbox. But as far as I can tell, if I want a remote mining rig to send its spoils back to my main base, I need to have the rig actually have or be attached to a logistics module, even if an unmanned one. That's fine, but am I missing some simpler (and lighter) way to do it?

To your question: if i remember correctly just having an MPU allows you to send resources to planetary storage, but not to receive them  

[SkiRich]

I remember reading in one of the wikis, granted it was one of the older ones, there was a way to attach for purposes of power, all the modules with a wire.

I know you can connect them all together, I know about the wireless transceiver, I know there are tubes, but a wire?

Was that referring to the KAS pylon and subsequent docking pipe supply connector?  Or is the wire thing not exist, I mis-read something?

[Tokamak]

4 hours ago, TheBackIsBAck said:

To your question: if i remember correctly just having an MPU allows you to send resources to planetary storage, but not to receive them  

Ah, but not just a mining rig; I'd need to throw an mpu in there. Not the worst thing.

[SkiRich]

For the Duna Power Distro Unit Core reactor.

It says it will last 1 year.

After one year, I assume it will no longer function, but can it be fixed in place or will the whole Duna Power Distro unit require replacement?

[Terwin]

Just now, SkiRich said:

For the Duna Power Distro Unit Core reactor.

It says it will last 1 year.

After one year, I assume it will no longer function, but can it be fixed in place or will the whole Duna Power Distro unit require replacement?

Most of the nuclear power supplies have enriched uranium fuel which can be replenished if you have some on-hand(may require an engineer).  The expected life-span is generally an estimate based on the current usage(or max usage when in the VAB).

[SkiRich]

1 minute ago, Terwin said:

Most of the nuclear power supplies have enriched uranium fuel which can be replenished if you have some on-hand(may require an engineer).  The expected life-span is generally an estimate based on the current usage(or max usage when in the VAB).

But by max usage does that mean it is rendered useless.  Not depleated by fuel, but core no longer makes power

I'm looking at the Duna and Tundra PDUs for base development but if they are busted after one year, with no possible repair, that takes them out of the scenario for me

[Terwin]

1 minute ago, SkiRich said:

But by max usage does that mean it is rendered useless.  Not depleated by fuel, but core no longer makes power

I'm looking at the Duna and Tundra PDUs for base development but if they are busted after one year, with no possible repair, that takes them out of the scenario for me

max-usage = producing the max possible power.

Enriched uranium is fuel, and if you run out of fuel, it will stop working until you add more.

Just like a fuel cell, but much more efficient because it is using nuclear power instead.

If it has integrated enriched uranium and spent fuel containers, then you can refill it if you have fuel on-hand.

 

[SkiRich]

2 minutes ago, Terwin said:

max-usage = producing the max possible power.

Enriched uranium is fuel, and if you run out of fuel, it will stop working until you add more.

Just like a fuel cell, but much more efficient because it is using nuclear power instead.

If it has integrated enriched uranium and spent fuel containers, then you can refill it if you have fuel on-hand.

 

I may be asking the wrong question.  Let me rephrase.

In the module for Fission Reactor it says estimated core life 1Year.

In the stock Nuc Reactors, that means after one year the reactor is damaged and needs replacement or decommission.

Thats not the fuel wich is a consumable based on power output.

I assume the core life mechanic works the same for the Duna PDU Reactor.  But my question is, it is repairable in situ.

If I am misunderstanding Core Life, please let me know.

[SkiRich]

Sorry for all the questions.  These are the little misc things misc from all the tutorials and videos.

How do you anchor Duna and Tundra containers and modules to the planet?

If I deploy a drill on one, it shakes the snot out of it and moves the unit around.

As a goof I put two oon it and left one turned off and that worked great, but damn thats an expensive anchor.

[Terwin]

39 minutes ago, SkiRich said:

I may be asking the wrong question.  Let me rephrase.

In the module for Fission Reactor it says estimated core life 1Year.

In the stock Nuc Reactors, that means after one year the reactor is damaged and needs replacement or decommission.

Thats not the fuel wich is a consumable based on power output.

I assume the core life mechanic works the same for the Duna PDU Reactor.  But my question is, it is repairable in situ.

If I am misunderstanding Core Life, please let me know.

The only stock nuclear reactor that I am aware of is the thermoelectric generator, which does not have a life-span.

MKS has nuclear reactors which use enriched uranium for fuel.  If MKS is the only mod you have installed, then those reactors will work until they run out of fuel, and then start working again once they get refueled with no other limit on life-span.

The PDU is a little different as it has replacement parts as well which also wear out and need replacement, but any PDU which is full on both replacement parts and enriched uranium will work regardless of previous usage or age.  (and replacement part usage is one of the game-wide settings in MKS that you can turn off if desired)

Other mods may put other limits on nuclear reactors, but that is from those mods, not MKS.

28 minutes ago, SkiRich said:

Sorry for all the questions.  These are the little misc things misc from all the tutorials and videos.

How do you anchor Duna and Tundra containers and modules to the planet?

If I deploy a drill on one, it shakes the snot out of it and moves the unit around.

As a goof I put two oon it and left one turned off and that worked great, but damn thats an expensive anchor.

A drill will move up and down when drilling so to avoid shaking your vessel, you need the arm to be a meter or two above the surface with just the drill bit extending down into the dirt.

MKS parts generally have an engage anchor option on the right-click menu that can help things be more stable on the ground(so long as you don't have the drill arm vibrating against the ground)

[SkiRich]

@Terwin Thank you for the replies.

I have a few more questions and I'm done asking for the night.

1. The drills and converters have "Bays" to configure for the recipe of whatever its churning out.  There are two parameters per bay and I dont quite understand the second option. 
So for example in the MEU 100 if I want Ore I set it for Ore and then the second option is another item looking like this Bay1: Ore -> Rock
Does that mean the left over from the whever it digs up is rock?  So if I tell it Ore -> RareMetals, will it also bring up rare metals?  The button says Next Separator that chooses that option and I'm not sure what it really does.

2. Is planetary logistics automatic if I have a Duna Logistics Module?  For a test I put a Duna LM and a Kontaniner a bit more than half full of RareMetals together and clicked Plantary Logistic on the container but it never says anything in the Dashboard and noting moves out of the kontainer.

It was automatic, it just took sometime.

3. Last one is the Kolony statistics tab of the dashboard.  What I built was nothing more than a test mining operation on my kerbin runway.  Nothing is under the Dhasboards Body name.  I assume one Duna LM and a Konmtainer and PDU should qualify as a "Kolony" but it doesnt show.  I guess I'm missing a part of something to qualify it as a kolony?  I dont know for sure.

4. When would I ever change the Governor parameter in any of the items.  I saw the video that exposes a complex formula for various things, so I'm not tempted at all to change this, but it intrigues me that it holds such a prominent location in the PAW, it must be somewhat important when you do need to change this.

Thanks for the help tonight.

 

Edited July 9, 2020 by SkiRich

[Tokamak]

4 hours ago, Terwin said:

Most of the nuclear power supplies have enriched uranium fuel which can be replenished if you have some on-hand(may require an engineer).  The expected life-span is generally an estimate based on the current usage(or max usage when in the VAB).

I also read that moving machinery around requires an engineer. In both cases they aren't available for transfer through local logistics. But I've not yet actually found out _how_, so I'm a little unclear. Having an engineer on the craft doesn't enable the resources in local logistics, and I haven't seen and relevant PAW items. Is there something I'm meant to do to replenish nuclear fuel and machinery other than just use KAS pipes?

[RoverDude]

5 hours ago, Tokamak said:

I also read that moving machinery around requires an engineer. In both cases they aren't available for transfer through local logistics. But I've not yet actually found out _how_, so I'm a little unclear. Having an engineer on the craft doesn't enable the resources in local logistics, and I haven't seen and relevant PAW items. Is there something I'm meant to do to replenish nuclear fuel and machinery other than just use KAS pipes?

You should see a perform maintenance function on EVA

[SkiRich]

The introduced concept of lodes is neat.

I havent come across one yet but have some questions.

1. Everything I read says to grapple it and use a sifter.  Is that the first and only thing I should do with a lode and then transport the result back to the base for further processing?  SHould I use something other than a sifter?

2. What does a lode look like.  I haven't seen one, or maybe I did and didnt think much of it.  Does it look like an Olivine Rock?  Someone please post a pic if you can.

 

[Terwin]

13 hours ago, SkiRich said:

@Terwin Thank you for the replies.

I have a few more questions and I'm done asking for the night.

1. The drills and converters have "Bays" to configure for the recipe of whatever its churning out.  There are two parameters per bay and I dont quite understand the second option. 
So for example in the MEU 100 if I want Ore I set it for Ore and then the second option is another item looking like this Bay1: Ore -> Rock
Does that mean the left over from the whever it digs up is rock?  So if I tell it Ore -> RareMetals, will it also bring up rare metals?  The button says Next Separator that chooses that option and I'm not sure what it really does.

The first value is what is currently configured, the second value is what will become configured when you change the configuration.  This matters because outside of the VAB it costs material kits to change the configuration.

13 hours ago, SkiRich said:

3. Last one is the Kolony statistics tab of the dashboard.  What I built was nothing more than a test mining operation on my kerbin runway.  Nothing is under the Dhasboards Body name.  I assume one Duna LM and a Konmtainer and PDU should qualify as a "Kolony" but it doesnt show.  I guess I'm missing a part of something to qualify it as a kolony?  I dont know for sure.

Kolonization rewards are based on kerbal residence but requires a pioneer module.  Each kerbal provides one type of bonus: engineer is mining/production, Scientist is farming and science, I forget the name of the one pilots give.  Kolonists give all three, but don't give any other bonuses(like the engineer boost to production or scientist boost to farming).

13 hours ago, SkiRich said:

4. When would I ever change the Governor parameter in any of the items.  I saw the video that exposes a complex formula for various things, so I'm not tempted at all to change this, but it intrigues me that it holds such a prominent location in the PAW, it must be somewhat important when you do need to change this.

Thanks for the help tonight.

 

The governor is used to scale back production when a process is using more power/resources than you want it to.  it will slow down a process, but may not have an immediate impact if it is already below max.

example:

module A can turn 100 metallic ore into metals per time unit at max.

If you set the moderator to 50%, it will not process more than 50 metallic ore per time unit

If you only have 40 metallic ore per time unit, then the moderator does not have any impact unless you put it below 40% because the inputs are already limiting it to 40% of max

On the other hand, if you are getting 60 metallic ore per time unit but you want to accumulate 10 per time unit and only process 50, then reducing the moderator to 50% will let you store that extra capacity for use elsewhere/later.

18 minutes ago, SkiRich said:

The introduced concept of lodes is neat.

I havent come across one yet but have some questions.

1. Everything I read says to grapple it and use a sifter.  Is that the first and only thing I should do with a lode and then transport the result back to the base for further processing?  SHould I use something other than a sifter?

2. What does a lode look like.  I haven't seen one, or maybe I did and didnt think much of it.  Does it look like an Olivine Rock?  Someone please post a pic if you can.

 

You need to scan for resource lodes before you can find them.  Big ones can be scanned for from orbit(it is added to the PAW for the stock ore scanner), smaller ones can be scanned for from the surface(is it the logistic moule with this?)

Lodes act like a container which hold a special 'extra rich dirt' which can then be processed by any attached processor that process dirt(such as the sifter)

Lodes look like a large rock sitting on the surface.  I believe you can select it just like any other uncontrolled part.