[0.23.5] TreeLoader - Custom Career Tech-tree Loader 1.1.5

[r4m0n]

Once the career mode has been revealed, a lot of debate started about how best to organize the tech tree.

A lot of people, me included, weren't satisfied with the distribution of the parts and dependencies, and as the tree would be pretty hard to change drastically during the testing phase, I decided to start this mod.

This mod enables users to try different tech tree structures, and coupled with TreeEdit (currently not publicly available, more about it soon) allows modders to create new trees.

Right now, only one tree by Yargnit is available, but more will soon follow. Here is how his tree looks like:

This tree is a bit of a cross between a realistic space program and conventional KSP. While you do start out in a manned pod, you have access to both probes and planes much earlier than in the stock tree. While the different paths do maintain some degree of interconnectivity, it is done in a way that follows logical technology advancement, and allows greater individual choice on tech roots than the stock tree.

Overall progression requires a moderate amount more science than the version of R&D that went live, and is just slightly above the higher version that was in testing for some time. My tree was designed in an attempt to eliminate some of the silliness of the stock tree, such as the 3 mission full tree unlock, and the ability to hop out sample the ground and progress a ton, without causing a huge jump in difficulty.

The biggest changes you’ll notice early on are the requirement use SRB’s at first for heavier lifting, and that all early science must be returned to Kerbin. Larger liquid engines and transmission antenna come later, while fuel lines, docking, and wheels are actually slightly sooner. The order you receive the science instruments has been adjusted as well to delay the huge overload you receive with the Science Bay, and solar panels also come significantly later due to how game changing they are.

You can try out this tree by selecting “‘KSP-TV’ Yargnit’s Tree†from the drop down menu when starting a new campaign mode game with R4m0n’s TreeLoader mod installed. I look forward to hearing everyone’s feedback on it.

Download here Source code - code license is all rights reserved, for reference only. The compiled DLL can be freely distributed with any mods.

The code communicates through HTTP with a central server for downloading the available tree list and the selected tree configuration. No user information is sent (else than the information Unity's WWW class sends in the HTTP headers).

Edited August 16, 2014 by r4m0n

[EnteroTuna]

Thank you so very much

[Cooly568]

TreeEdit...

Okay yeah I'm now interested.

[regex]

This looks great, thanks!

[Glaucus]

Excellent job, hopefully someone will make a tree that follows pre nasa/nasa as closely as possible.

Only basic plane stuff should be unlocked to begin with. Or maybe unlock parts that resemble what nasa had in its first year, for the starting parts and go from there.

[NathanKell]

Oh good gracious yes!

EDIT: Ninja'd: what Glaucus said.

[dlrk]

Awesome! I'll give career mode a try as soon as a tree featuring KW, B9 et al is out.

[astropapi1]

We really need probes before manned pods. please.

[dlrk]

^ + 1, manned before probes makes laughably little sense.

[Yargnit]

I just feel like it's not 'Kerbal' if you don't start your 1st mission with Jeb in the cockpit. I did move the 1st probe core up fairly early in the tree however for those who want it. You can get the 1st probe core for 35 total science, just be careful with powering it that soon.

[HoneyFox]

Any possibility to support incremental tech tree nodes for 3rd parties mod packs?

therefore other modders can add sub trees onto it and set customized tech for their own parts.

Edited October 17, 2013 by HoneyFox

[Yargnit]

What do you mean by incremental tech tree nodes Honey?

[sirkut]

Nice work guys!

[HoneyFox]

What do you mean by incremental tech tree nodes Honey?

Some other guys can write a config file for his/her mod. Something like this i guess:

TECH_NODE
{
  name = ...
  parentNode = ...
  ADDITIONAL_PREREQUISITE { name = ... }  // I don't know if the current tech tree supports multiple prerequisites.
  ADDITIONAL_PREREQUISITE { name = ... }
  requiresSciencePoints = ...
  UNLOCK_PART{name = ...}
  UNLOCK_PART{name = ...}
}

And this sub-tree will be loaded and added into the entire tech tree.

Edited October 17, 2013 by HoneyFox

[MedievalNerd]

We really need probes before manned pods. please.

Made me sad too!

[r4m0n]

Some other guys can write a config file for his/her mod. Something like this i guess:

TECH_NODE
{
  name = ...
  parentNode = ...
  ADDITIONAL_PREREQUISITE { name = ... }  // I don't know if the current tech tree supports multiple prerequisites.
  ADDITIONAL_PREREQUISITE { name = ... }
  requiresSciencePoints = ...
  UNLOCK_PART{name = ...}
  UNLOCK_PART{name = ...}
}

And this sub-tree will be loaded and added into the entire tech tree.

Yes, I'm planning on allowing supplementary trees for mods, but that will still take a bit more work. I'll keep you guys updated :-)

[KhaosCorp]

YES!!! Thanks for this!! The stock tree is already so bothersome (and Im only into tier4)...I really dont understand how the stock parts were split into technodes, but it makes no sense at all...from a space race OR technology advancement standpoint. This looks so much better =)

Also wondering if the Yargnit tree covers just stock part, or were used mods included?

Edited October 17, 2013 by KhaosCorp

[B787_300]

wow that was some fast coding

[Simplicity]

This looks very interesting Thanks...

Quick question if I may, what if we already have edited a mod to go into the default tree, will this disappear if we load in the new tree? (eg: I have mechjeb setup in the default tree..)

[Yargnit]

I think it would show Simplicity, but not 100% certain.

Khaos, mod parts should go into it fine if they were made to fit into the stock tree, but some of their positions may be odd.

[Simplicity]

I think it would show Simplicity, but not 100% certain.

Yup, it shows up fine

One little query tho, do we have to start a fresh campaign if we want to change the tree? cause for the life of me I cannot see a way of choosing another tree after making the initial choice, and I really don't want to give up the science that I have saved up..(sure it only about 58, but it all mine)

[White Owl]

I was certain that something like this would show up immediately after .22 was released! No sense in wasting energy arguing about the tech tree; just fix it and carry on playing.

[Catullus]

pre nasa

That would be NACA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Advisory_Committee_for_Aeronautics

[r4m0n]

Yup, it shows up fine

One little query tho, do we have to start a fresh campaign if we want to change the tree? cause for the life of me I cannot see a way of choosing another tree after making the initial choice, and I really don't want to give up the science that I have saved up..(sure it only about 58, but it all mine)

If you want to change the tree, you can delete the tree.cfg file from your save folder. That said, changing the tree after starting from another may have odd effects, and if you unlocked any node, things may be unlocked where you aren't supposed to be on the other tree.

[Yargnit]

The tree is just selected once when you first start a career. Switching trees around can cause some weird things with differing prerequisites and such.

This version was made to keep it simple for people to avoid these glitches. If you really wanted to swap trees you can make a new save with the tree you want, and then drag that tree from that save folder into the one you want to play it on.

R4m0n wanted to get something public for launch, and the full editor still is a bit temperamental for people who don't know how to use it. But it'll come

Edit: or he'll beat me to it

Edited October 17, 2013 by Yargnit
R4m0n posted 1st