[1.8.1-1.12.x] Modular Launch Pads v2.6.1: Launch clamps evolved: Real-style launch bases and towers [03 July 2023]

[davidy12]

Out of curiosity @AlphaMensae, why'd you remove the catwalk on the side of the Saturn V tower? (The pathway that connects the crew access arm to the tower)

[AlphaMensae]

23 minutes ago, davidy12 said:

Out of curiosity @AlphaMensae, why'd you remove the catwalk on the side of the Saturn V tower? (The pathway that connects the crew access arm to the tower)

The crew access floor is now a separate part, and attaches to a node in the center of the crew access tower section.

Finer positioning can be done with the offset gizmo compared to a deploy limit slider, so now the crew arm and the floor can be aligned with each other

 

[davidy12]

7 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

The crew access floor is now a separate part, and attaches to a node in the center of the crew access tower section.

Finer positioning can be done with the offset gizmo compared to a deploy limit slider, so now the crew arm and the floor can be aligned with each other

 

I can't find the catwalk anywhere. 

[AlphaMensae]

1 hour ago, davidy12 said:

I can't find the catwalk anywhere. 

It's called the Saturn Tower Crew Access Floor

[davidy12]

 

Just now, AlphaMensae said:

It's called the Saturn Tower Crew Access Floor

Oh... Didn't see that

[Morphisor]

Thanks for that Atlas launch pad, it's so much better than the FASA clamp 

Atlas, rise!

[AlphaMensae]

I actually want to revise the Atlas stand, as the real one did not have a deck-like frame, nor was any part of it red, it was just a mess of pipes and tubes that were yellow or gray.  There does seem to be some kind of framework in that mess of tubes, though.

However, I am constrained by the KSP launch clamp requirements, so I need the four support legs, and they need to be in a square pattern so the stand can be rotated properly (the legs and feet do not rotate, so there is a mismatch if they are in a rectangle pattern). Also, I think people expect having a red variant.  

So, I'm thinking of a minimalist tubular square frame that supports the clamps and umbilicals like the real one. The tubes will be red as the default color.

[Hohmannson]

29 minutes ago, AlphaMensae said:

the legs and feet do not rotate

The real footing will not rotate, indeed. But you can make decorative fake legs tied to "cap", if rectangleness of the thing is crucial)

Or to make the launch stand assemblable from one platform(giant staged decoupler) and legs(unstaged clamps) as a separate parts. "Stock launch pad" was using that scheme.

Edited July 8, 2020 by Hohmannson

[AlphaMensae]

26 minutes ago, Hohmannson said:

The real footing will not rotate, indeed. But you can make decorative fake legs tied to "cap", if rectangleness of the thing is crucial)

Or to make the launch stand assemblable from one platform(giant staged decoupler) and legs(unstaged clamps) as a separate parts. "Stock launch pad" was using that scheme.

Actually, the solution was always there, I just forgot all about it: B9PartSwitch can also rotate transforms. Since all the launch clamp stuff and indeed everything for the stand is in a child transform to the root gameobject (needed to make ModuleLaunchClamp work), I can use B9PS to rotate the stand, legs and feet and all.   This makes rectangular frames and decks possible now too.  And no need for duplicate meshes.  

[Sampa]

Hey, quick bug i found.  The node to attach everything for space shuttle launch pad to the Space Shuttle System, now under DylanSemrau's custodianship, is not correct.  Where the node is presently puts the whole shuttle stack 5-10 feet inside the shuttle pad base.

[AlphaMensae]

17 hours ago, Sampa said:

Hey, quick bug i found.  The node to attach everything for space shuttle launch pad to the Space Shuttle System, now under DylanSemrau's custodianship, is not correct.  Where the node is presently puts the whole shuttle stack 5-10 feet inside the shuttle pad base.

Just checked it out, and seems the same to me:

The [NEEDS] does need a change to SPACE_SHUTTLE_SYSTEM, so I'll make a new patch for this updated version.

[Sampa]

ok, cool!  I did manage to tweak a little bit of it myself for the meantime, so managed to get this, but still not perfect:  

[KallangoVerde]

Hello @AlphaMensae

I installed your mod but some parts are missing, Saturn V Tower Crew Access Floor is one of the parts that don't appear. What did I do wrong?

I am using version 1.9.1.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D7Cm3o_VMntetsuWhC212zoY-M4EV9NQ/view?usp=sharing

[AlphaMensae]

8 minutes ago, KallangoVerde said:

Hello @AlphaMensae

I installed your mod but some parts are missing, Saturn V Tower Crew Access Floor is one of the parts that don't appear. What did I do wrong?

I am using version 1.9.1.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D7Cm3o_VMntetsuWhC212zoY-M4EV9NQ/view?usp=sharing

Thay part is from the v2.1 dev build on the AlphaDev branch of the GitHub. There have been changes made to the Saturn and Shuttle towers.

[alberro+]

Would it be possible to add something like this into the mod?

[AlphaMensae]

18 hours ago, alberro+ said:

Would it be possible to add something like this into the mod?

I could add them to the Falcon/Ghidorah 9 launch plate, but they'd be cosmetic only with no FX, unless someone wants to make a rainbird water shower plume for me.  

[alberro+]

2 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

I could add them to the Falcon/Ghidorah 9 launch plate, but they'd be cosmetic only with no FX, unless someone wants to make a rainbird water shower plume for me.  

I wouldn't mind them being just cosmetic. 

[Cienty86]

Is there any way to rescale the pads so that their size is compatible with RN and FASA?

[AlphaMensae]

On 7/10/2020 at 1:59 PM, Cienty86 said:

Is there any way to rescale the pads so that their size is compatible with RN and FASA?

You'll have to get or make some TweakScale patches if you want to go that way.

Another way is to make Module Manager patches that change the rescaleFactor of whatever parts you want.

[AlphaMensae]

New Atlas-Agena Umbilical Arm and Atlas Mini Modular Tower are now on the AlphaDev branch of the GitHub!

 

The Atlas Mini Modular Tower is the 4th in the Mini Modular Tower series, but a little different. The tower section has 4 height variants (2, 4, 6 8m), and two truss styles, "Agena" and "Centaur". The front details (side truss, rail, top beam and center pipes) can be toggled off in different ways, to create space for the Agena Arm retraction. I'll add this feature to the General Towers at some point.

The Agena Umbilical Arm is a vertical retracting "swing arm" with umbilical lines on the end, used for Atlas-Agena launches. The arm umbilical section has three height variants, and each of the three umbilicals (the bottom one is a combned pair) can be separately adjusted vertically and horizontally.

[oniontrain]

If I copy and paste the alphadev version over the ckan installed version, will it cause problems when the ckan version gets updated to have the new stuff?

If I copy and paste the alphadev version over the ckan installed version, will it cause problems when the ckan version gets updated to have the new stuff?

[AlphaMensae]

31 minutes ago, oniontrain said:

If I copy and paste the alphadev version over the ckan installed version, will it cause problems when the ckan version gets updated to have the new stuff?

Do not copy it over the current version, it will indeed cause problems, as many file names have changed with v2.1.  It is a complete version of Modular Launch Pad, not a patch or partial one.

Delete the current ModularLaunchPads folder first, and then copy over the one from the AlphaDev download into your GameData.

Some of the v2.0 craft files included won't be the same; they will still load, but a lot of the parts have changed, and so the crafts won't look the same. Some v2.1-readt craft files are also included in the v2.1 AlphaDev; the rest will have to wait until I'm ready to update them.  

[Fredde104]

Downloaded the alpha-dev yesterday and I love the new additions! I'd like to request a yellow/ yellow-black version of the hanging pipes, like this: https://www.google.com/search?q=vandenberg+slc-2w&client=ms-android-samsung&prmd=misvn&sxsrf=ALeKk001r_hxmYN-8-_xt0CwZl0GXevu9Q:1595423001882&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjZp6zq9eDqAhXDrIsKHadUAZwQ_AUoAnoECAwQAg&biw=360&bih=560&dpr=1.5#imgrc=4HofAHJW8YN9rM

I've taken it as a project to recreate most of the real launch sites as subassemblies, if there's is interest I could post a download link later today

Edited July 22, 2020 by Fredde104

[DJ Reonic]

1 minute ago, Fredde104 said:

Downloaded the alpha-dev yesterday and I love the new additions! I'd like to request a yellow/ yellow-black version of the hanging pipes, like this: https://www.google.com/search?q=vandenberg+slc-2w&client=ms-android-samsung&prmd=misvn&sxsrf=ALeKk001r_hxmYN-8-_xt0CwZl0GXevu9Q:1595423001882&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjZp6zq9eDqAhXDrIsKHadUAZwQ_AUoAnoECAwQAg&biw=360&bih=560&dpr=1.5#imgrc=4HofAHJW8YN9rM

I've taken it as a project to recreate most of the real launch sites as subassemblies, if there's is interest I could post a download link later today

I would have significant interest in this, as I tend to run out of patience trying to set up launch pads when I play.

[AlphaMensae]

4 hours ago, Fredde104 said:

Downloaded the alpha-dev yesterday and I love the new additions! I'd like to request a yellow/ yellow-black version of the hanging pipes, like this: https://www.google.com/search?q=vandenberg+slc-2w&client=ms-android-samsung&prmd=misvn&sxsrf=ALeKk001r_hxmYN-8-_xt0CwZl0GXevu9Q:1595423001882&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjZp6zq9eDqAhXDrIsKHadUAZwQ_AUoAnoECAwQAg&biw=360&bih=560&dpr=1.5#imgrc=4HofAHJW8YN9rM

I've taken it as a project to recreate most of the real launch sites as subassemblies, if there's is interest I could post a download link later today

Great idea, thanks!  I'd hold off until dev work on v2.1 is done, as there will be some changes to how the general towers will be structured as well as other fine tuning fixes.

I can add more umbilical colors.