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The COMPLETE KSP Blender Tutorial! [Video Back!]

Technical Ben
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Technical Ben

Technical Ben

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**** New Video Series Starts HERE

Thank you for your support and posts! ****

I\'ve uploaded a video of the Blender Tutorial here: http://youtu.be/9C_6B2r7Rpk

Feed back on the video is welcome. It\'s there to help the community, so I will change it to meet peoples needs. :)

There are a lot of things that need to be kept in mind when putting Blender created parts into KSP. So, I thought it would be best to put a tutorial together with all the info in one place. Not only that, but some example .blend files and parts would really help others out.

This is a first draft, so if I have missed anything, just say and I\'ll change the tutorial. It probably needs cleaning up, simplifying and more pictures added. There\'s so much to cover, I just could not do it in one sitting. Hope it still helps!

Tutorial 1. Getting started

[list type=decimal]

[li]Download and install the software

First you need a copy of Blender. It is free to use and has just about all the features you need to model a part for KSP. The latest version is available here: http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/

Follow the instillation instructions. You may need to install Python as this is required for the import and export function to work in Blender. (Python available here: http://www.python.org/download/)

[/li]

[li]Download and open the example .blend files

(For those wishing to set up a scene in Blender them selves, without the example files, skip to tutorial 2.)

Familiarise yourself with Blender or the requirement needed to export to KSP by checking out the wiki here: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/~kerbalsp/wiki/index.php?title=Part_Modelling_Guidelines

You can also use the example .blend files I\'ve provided. Either download from the attachment in the forum, or this link: http://benart.www.idnet.com/TBTestCube.zip

Unzip and move them to your desktop or documents folder to be found easily.

[/li]

[li]Open up Blender!

Run Blender, then select 'File:Open'. If you wish to use the example files, to the left is a list with 'Desktop' and 'Documents'. Select the relevant folders to load up the 'testCube.blend' example file. You should then see this:

Blenderexample1.gif

[/li]

Tutorial 2. Requirements for a Part

[list type=decimal]

[li]Set up the Scene

If you have downloaded the example files, you may wish to skip these instructions. However you may want to take note for when you make your own parts!

To set up the scene for your self, look to the tool box on the far right in Blender. There is an icon with a picture of a camera. To the right again is a 'scene' icon (the picture of a sun with a sphere and a cylinder). You should now have a list of options starting with 'Scene' then 'Audio' and 'Units'. We need to select 'Units' then 'Metric' and set the 'Scale' value to '1.0'. This should give us the correct measurements to match KSP when we export. 1 meter in Blender will be the same as 1 meter in KSP or it\'s config files.

[/li]

[li]Set up the Parts

Every part you export to KSP needs 3 things to work. Without all of the following settings or attributes the game will crash or the part will load corrupt, so it is very important to get it correct.

A material

On the toolbox to the right is an icon of a sphere with a black and white chequered pattern. It is named 'material'. Click this icon and then click 'new'. A picture of a sphere with a grey material will appear. As we will be making our own materials later, there is no need to worry about what colour or settings to use.

UV co-ordinates

This can be complicated at first. For now we will just select the part we have from the 'Outliner' menu, then change from 'object' mode to 'edit' mode. In edit mode press 'a' to select all. The toolbox on the left will now have the option 'UV Mapping: Unwrap'. We can select 'Smart UV Projection'. The part now has a UV co-ordinate to use.

A collision mesh

The collision mesh sets the shape the game uses to calculate collisions, and where parts are allowed to be connected. The game only uses one collision mesh per part, so only use one object in your model. Add a new object via 'Add:Mesh:' then selecting the shape of your choice (usually a cube or cylinder). Select the object (right mouse button by default) and then go to 'object' then rename it 'node_collider'. Remember to add a material and UV co-ordinates to this object also!

[/li]

[li]Know the Limits and measurements

Each meter in Blender is a meter in KSP however the rockets in KSP are only 2 meters high! So if you make a 50m high booster, it\'s not going to fit in game. You also have to keep in mind, that every extra bit of detail will add to the processing power needed to render it in game. So keep the model as simple as you can. The wiki suggests the following:

Standard Size 0 Diameter (cylindrical stack) 0.43m

orientation vertical (nose up)

main cylinder 18 sides

collider cylindrical, 12 sides

Standard Size 1 Diameter (cylindrical stack) 1.0m

orientation vertical (nose up)

main cylinder 24 sides

collider cylindrical, 12 sides

[/li]

Tutorial 3. Export to KSP

[list type=decimal]

[li]Export as Collada file

Go to 'File:Export:COLLADA' to export the model as a Collada file. This should be nice and easy if everything is set up correctly. Save it with your name or initials and the part name to make it easy to find and edit. For example, for me I would name a large rocket 'TBlargeRocket'. When exported this will be 'TBlargeRocket.DAE'.

[/li]

[li]Put the part in KSP!

An example folder is given in the example files called 'TBTestCube'. Move this folder to your KSP 'Parts' folder. You can now rename the folder to what ever you want. Replace the 'testCube.dae' file with your own part. The texture is located in the'textures' folder and you can replace the 'testCubeTex.png' with your own texture too.

In the part.cfg file change the following lines to match the name of your part.

// --- general parameters ---

name = testCube

module = Strut

author = TB

// --- asset parameters ---

mesh = testCube.DAE

scale = 0.1

texture = testCubeTex.png

specPower = 0.1

rimFalloff = 3

alphaCutoff = 0.0

// --- editor parameters ---

cost = 1

category = 3

subcategory = 0

title = UV and Mesh Testcube

//manufacturer = You, Myself and I

description = For use in testing edits to config files, meshes, UV and textures. Take note of the markings and references.

If all goes well, when you load up the game, it should now load your part. The 'testCube' looks like this in game.

KSPtestcubepci.png

[/li]

Things I still need to add are:

More detailed images to make it easier to understand.

Details on Blenders axis/co-ordinate system, as it is different to KSP and rotates parts. It\'s no problem with static parts, but parachutes and gimbles will need another tutorial on how to rotate them.

Info on getting node/connector locations from Blender to KSP part files. It should be as easy as typing the vertex/cursor position down.

Add tutorial on making an actual part and texturing it. That may take some time. :(

Edited by Technical Ben
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Technical Ben

Technical Ben

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Ok. Thought that might happen, but as I\'m on my own PC, I was not able to test it on another. Blender does not know where the texture is located on your pc. So we will point it in the right direction. The UV editor at the top has a menu 'image'. Go to 'Image: Open image' and select the 'testCubeTex.png' file that is in the download.

Does that work?

I\'ve modified the example .blend file to keep the texture in the program, so it won\'t loose it now. You could try the download again if you cannot get the texture to load.

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JupiterII

JupiterII

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Ok. Thought that might happen, but as I\'m on my own PC, I was not able to test it on another. Blender does not know where the texture is located on your pc. So we will point it in the right direction. The UV editor at the top has a menu 'image'. Go to 'Image: Open image' and select the 'testCubeTex.png' file that is in the download.

Does that work?

I\'ve modified the example .blend file to keep the texture in the program, so it won\'t loose it now. You could try the download again if you cannot get the texture to load.

Yep it worked. I was also wondering how to rotate around the model? Thanks
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Technical Ben

Technical Ben

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You\'ll probably need to look at a Blender tutorial for all the modelling tools. I might get time to add those details here later. But feel free to ask.

Hold down middle mouse button to orbit your view. The toolbar to the left has object and mesh translation (movement) and rotation and scale options.

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Technical Ben

Technical Ben

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Yep. 100%. It\'s also got just about every tool imaginable. I\'ve got lite paid for versions (like 'home' edition etc) of some 3D software, and it has less tools than Blender.

You can even paint directly on the model. Although this is fiddly, it does mean you would not need to exit Blender to make a part from start to finish if you wanted to!

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Omnivore

Omnivore

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It\'s not quite as hard to learn as I thought it would be, a bit frustrating sometimes especially since most tutorials are for the older version UI, but it is no worse than Autodesk\'s Softimage Mod Tool overall as far as learning curve and seems to be much more capable. In all honesty though, that\'s the problem I\'ve found with most all the tools, either they\'re full featured to the point where the simple stuff is hard to find, or they are so simple they can\'t do anything but the simplest tasks.

I\'ve started off simple, first just modifying some other models, then creating simple models of my own, and gradually building up. Working on my third model of the day now and I\'m having more problems getting it to work as intended in KSP than I had with Blender making it.

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Technical Ben

Technical Ben

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I did not see yours till after I posted mine. Else I\'d probably have added to it instead of making a new tread. :)

I defiantly need the help with Blender though. This month (due to this game) is actually the first time I ever used it. I\'ve been using Cinema4D and Sketchup before that.

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Technical Ben

Technical Ben

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I\'m glad it\'s not too difficult to read. I\'d love to do a video instead really (got Fraps, but no Windows Screencap software) as it\'s really complicated to describe.

Might have a go at some simple UV/texture stuff next. I\'ll leave modelling parts for a moment, as well, I\'m use to other layouts, and this was not going to be a full modelling tutorial. However, it will probably be welcome for those totally new to modelling. :)

[edit]

*Sees Fraps has a 'monitor Windows 7 Aero Desktop' button*

Ohhh. THATS the desktop recorder... Ok. It will take some time, I\'ve not got much free at the moment. But I\'ll redo the current tutorial for Blender as a video in a week or so. :)

Ok, I gave it a go, as I figured I could do a recording in 3 mins, that\'s no time right? [1 hour passes editing the annotations later] Oh, well, at least it\'s done now.

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