How can I save my rockets?

[KrisKelvin]

If I save a game, my rocket is saved with it in the VAB list. But if I start a new game, only the rockets pre-installed are available. Why is my rocket not there?

Can I save my rockets so they can be used in any game?

[Geonovast]

Not directly in a stock game, no.   But as long as your new save has a different name, your rockets from the first save still exist.

If you open up your KSP folder, go to Game->saves.  In there is a folder for each save with the name of the save.  Inside there is a folder called Ships.  In there is two folders, VAB and SPH.  Your ships will be in those two folders, depending on which building you built them in, and are stored as a single file with a .craft extension.  You can copy and move these .craft files around as you wish, from save to save.  You won't even need to re-load the game.  Just copy the ship over, then hit Open in the game VAB/SPH, and the craft will be there!

 

Another option is a mod called Craft Manager.  This will let you access ships across saves.  And it's super handy in other ways.  I really like it.

 

[bewing]

As Geonovast said, there are many fairly easy ways. Besides the methods he listed, you can also upload your ships to Steam, to save and use in other games.

 

[KrisKelvin]

14 minutes ago, Geonovast said:

Not directly in a stock game, no.   But as long as your new save has a different name, your rockets from the first save still exist.

If you open up your KSP folder, go to Game->saves.  In there is a folder for each save with the name of the save.  Inside there is a folder called Ships.  In there is two folders, VAB and SPH.  Your ships will be in those two folders, depending on which building you built them in, and are stored as a single file with a .craft extension.  You can copy and move these .craft files around as you wish, from save to save.  You won't even need to re-load the game.  Just copy the ship over, then hit Open in the game VAB/SPH, and the craft will be there!

 

Another option is a mod called Craft Manager.  This will let you access ships across saves.  And it's super handy in other ways.  I really like it.

 

Ok, so I found my ship in my Saves folder and copied it into the main Ships folder, but it seems to have crashed the program! OOps!

11 minutes ago, bewing said:

As Geonovast said, there are many fairly easy ways. Besides the methods he listed, you can also upload your ships to Steam, to save and use in other games.

 

Not sure what you mean by Steam

14 minutes ago, Geonovast said:

Not directly in a stock game, no.   But as long as your new save has a different name, your rockets from the first save still exist.

If you open up your KSP folder, go to Game->saves.  In there is a folder for each save with the name of the save.  Inside there is a folder called Ships.  In there is two folders, VAB and SPH.  Your ships will be in those two folders, depending on which building you built them in, and are stored as a single file with a .craft extension.  You can copy and move these .craft files around as you wish, from save to save.  You won't even need to re-load the game.  Just copy the ship over, then hit Open in the game VAB/SPH, and the craft will be there!

 

Another option is a mod called Craft Manager.  This will let you access ships across saves.  And it's super handy in other ways.  I really like it.

 

I am not sure what you mean by "as long as my new save has a different name" - I can't see a Save as.. button. Only a Save button (which presumably keeps the existing name). But this is only in the VAB. Sorry.. quite confused!

Edited May 25, 2020 by KrisKelvin

[bewing]

Steam is one of the online stores that sells the game. They provide some extra services.

Copying ships from one folder to another should never crash the game. That's very strange. The .craft files are made to be copied and shared that way.

Do you understand that each game you start has its own VAB and SPH directories that you can fill with .craft files?

 

 

[Geonovast]

6 minutes ago, KrisKelvin said:

Ok, so I found my ship in my Saves folder and copied it into the main Ships folder, but it seems to have crashed the program! OOps!

This is where it can be a little confusing.  The game has a master "Ships" folder where it keeps the stock crafts.  That's not where you want to put it.

Each game you create is also called a "Save".  Each one of those has a name, which you type in when you create the game.  So when you're transferring a ship from one game save to the other, you want it in the exact same location relative to its game save folder.

I have two saves:  My Old Save, and My New Save.  (Example done with a GoG Install on Linux.  Store install on Windows will look different, but the process is the same.)

 

So if I have a rocket called "Really Super Awesome Rocket" in My Old Save, I would need to find it in the game/saves/My Old Save/Ships/VAB folder

 

And copy it into My New Save, in the same location

 

After it's copied, you just go to the VAB, and click the Open button, and it'll be there.  The game looks in that folder for craft files when you click the Open button, so you can copy crafts in all you want without needing to reload the game.

27 minutes ago, KrisKelvin said:

I am not sure what you mean by "as long as my new save has a different name" - I can't see a Save as.. button. Only a Save button (which presumably keeps the existing name)

The "different name" aspect is when you create a game save.  If you create a new game save that has the same name as your old one, the old save will be overwritten and all of your crafts will be gone.

[KrisKelvin]

1 hour ago, Geonovast said:

This is where it can be a little confusing.  The game has a master "Ships" folder where it keeps the stock crafts.  That's not where you want to put it.

Each game you create is also called a "Save".  Each one of those has a name, which you type in when you create the game.  So when you're transferring a ship from one game save to the other, you want it in the exact same location relative to its game save folder.

I have two saves:  My Old Save, and My New Save.  (Example done with a GoG Install on Linux.  Store install on Windows will look different, but the process is the same.)

After it's copied, you just go to the VAB, and click the Open button, and it'll be there.  The game looks in that folder for craft files when you click the Open button, so you can copy crafts in all you want without needing to reload the game.

The "different name" aspect is when you create a game save.  If you create a new game save that has the same name as your old one, the old save will be overwritten and all of your crafts will be gone.

Thanks SO much! Great explanation. Seems a bit of a cumbersome way to do it tho. Wonder why they didn't just let you save a ship straight off. Oh well

 

1 hour ago, bewing said:

 

Copying ships from one folder to another should never crash the game. That's very strange. The .craft files are made to be copied and shared that way.

Actually. You are right! I have tried it again and now my ship is in the stock ships folder so I can access it every time I make a new game! Awesome!

[archiebald]

I saw Steam was mentioned - I would never advise anyone to purchase KSP through Steam - it adds so many glitches to the game such as corrupted files etc.  Don't believe me, just take a look over at the Steam forum where nearly every second problem is a Steam database related error as opposed to a KSP error.  If the OP purchased outside of Steam, then he is on the path to a smoother game experience.

Regarding putting ships in the main Ships folder, sure you can use it in other save games, but you'll find that you are unable to delete it in-game.  You will need to delete them manually from the folder.  You can only delete from in-game those ships that are in your savegame sub folder.

So why would you want to delete a ship?  Play for a while and when you have about 200 designs and variants filling up the folder and you can't remember the name you gave it, then believe me you WILL want to cull some old designs.

Also, a big thumbs up for Craft Manager mod - It is super awesome and takes the pain away when you have those 200 designs in your folder.

[Gargamel]

30 minutes ago, archiebald said:

I saw Steam was mentioned - I would never advise anyone to purchase KSP through Steam - it adds so many glitches to the game such as corrupted files etc. 

The vast majority of users here have purchased the game through steam.  If you only look at tech support issues to see reliability, then of course you'll see nothing but problems.   But that is not the topic of this conversation. 

 

[archiebald]

3 hours ago, Gargamel said:

The vast majority of users here have purchased the game through steam.  If you only look at tech support issues to see reliability, then of course you'll see nothing but problems.   But that is not the topic of this conversation.

I look at almost every section of this and the steam forum and in this case I was referring to this....

13 hours ago, bewing said:

As Geonovast said, there are many fairly easy ways. Besides the methods he listed, you can also upload your ships to Steam, to save and use in other games.

Steam was offered as a possible solution to the OP's question and it also introduces major problems for many people, how is that not relevant advice?

The bulk of my reply focused entirely on the OP's question, is it acceptable?

4 hours ago, archiebald said:

Regarding putting ships in the main Ships folder, sure you can use it in other save games, but you'll find that you are unable to delete it in-game.  You will need to delete them manually from the folder.  You can only delete from in-game those ships that are in your savegame sub folder.

So why would you want to delete a ship?  Play for a while and when you have about 200 designs and variants filling up the folder and you can't remember the name you gave it, then believe me you WILL want to cull some old designs.

Also, a big thumbs up for Craft Manager mod - It is super awesome and takes the pain away when you have those 200 designs in your folder.

I know you have a job to do but I was not being offensive or posting off topic, just trying to offer advice.  Of course if it's not welcome then fine.

[Superfluous J]

15 minutes ago, archiebald said:

Steam was offered as a possible solution to the OP's question and it also introduces major problems for many people, how is that not relevant advice?

Presumably the OP has already purchased the game seeing as their question was how to use it. Your advice is not relevant as they are not making a purchase decision. They either used Steam or did not.

I personally over the years have had one problem with KSP because of Steam and it was fixed in about 2 minutes. I wish I could say the same for the hundreds of non-Steam-related problems I've had in the same time.

Edited May 26, 2020 by Superfluous J
Swypeo

[KrisKelvin]

6 hours ago, Superfluous J said:

Presumably the OP has already purchased the game seeing as their question was how to use it. Your advice is not relevant as they are not making a purchase decision. They either used Steam or did not.

I personally over the years have had one problem with KSP because of Steam and it was fixed in about 2 minutes. I wish I could say the same for the hundreds of non-Steam-related problems I've had in the same time.

Thanks for your help everyone. This question is now solved. Just FYI I didn't purchase this through steam (I didn't even know what that was!). I bought it from the KSP website.