[1.12] Extraplanetary Launchpads v6.99.3

[DasSkelett]

9 minutes ago, taniwha said:

I sort of thought I had (or thought of it then forgot). Done now, though. Good for 1.8 through 1.12.99.

Update arrived, thanks a lot! It's possible that you did it for https://taniwha.org/~bill/EL.version, which is where CKAN apparently points to to get all the basic metadata like version number and download URL. I didn't check that one earlier, but at least now it has the updated compat range as well.

But then the version file included in the zip has https://taniwha.org/~bill/ExtraplanetaryLaunchpads.version set as "URL" property, which is what CKAN takes to look for updated compatibility data.

We could switch CKAN to point to the second one right away, so you only have to maintain a single file. Would this be helpful for you?

[taniwha]

It'll be fixed next time I upload a release, as I don't actually maintain the file at all: it's all automated (and when I do a release, the file that's in the zip gets uploaded with the zip, so they're always in sync (except now).

[darthgently]

Hello ELP'ers, Is there a way to disable staging of launch clamps used in base building?  I tried editing my savefile and setting stagingEnabled = False in ModuleRestockLaunchClamp and deleting the Action body of the action in that module also.  No joy so far

Update: Not sure, but I think I had reloaded the wrong copy of savefile for the test.  The above solution seemed to have worked.  Any further suggestion very welcome.  But crickets are ok also.  I've gotten used to them.  I like crickets

Edited October 29, 2021 by darthgently

[taniwha]

11 hours ago, darthgently said:

Hello ELP'ers, Is there a way to disable staging of launch clamps used in base building?  I tried editing my savefile and setting stagingEnabled = False in ModuleRestockLaunchClamp and deleting the Action body of the action in that module also.  No joy so far

Update: Not sure, but I think I had reloaded the wrong copy of savefile for the test.  The above solution seemed to have worked.  Any further suggestion very welcome.  But crickets are ok also.  I've gotten used to them.  I like crickets

You can use the NoLaunchClamps in my Diamond Grid parts mod.

[darthgently]

11 hours ago, taniwha said:

You can use the NoLaunchClamps in my Diamond Grid parts mod.

I think I must be missing something as it seems like the NoLauchClamps would fit in well in EL as opposed to a separate mod that is not on CKAN.  So unless there is a reason I'm not seeing I think something that can anchor a base would be a great addition to EL on CKAN.  I try to keep things simple by keeping as much as possible to things on CKAN.  Every time I don't do this I end up with too many loose ends and a very hard time tracking down what is causing what issue

[taniwha]

16 hours ago, darthgently said:

I think I must be missing something as it seems like the NoLauchClamps would fit in well in EL as opposed to a separate mod that is not on CKAN.  So unless there is a reason I'm not seeing I think something that can anchor a base would be a great addition to EL on CKAN.  I try to keep things simple by keeping as much as possible to things on CKAN.  Every time I don't do this I end up with too many loose ends and a very hard time tracking down what is causing what issue

 Diamond Grid is not done yet, and I don't do CKAN stuff anyway.

That said, The NoLaunchClamp uses EL's ELExtendingLaunchClamp (with which EL replaces the stock launch clamp module on the stock launch clamps) which has working support for disabling staging (the option is stock, but I seem to remember stock's not working properly). I suggested Diamond Grid because it would be a low-fuss setup.

[darthgently]

7 hours ago, taniwha said:

 Diamond Grid is not done yet, and I don't do CKAN stuff anyway.

That said, The NoLaunchClamp uses EL's ELExtendingLaunchClamp (with which EL replaces the stock launch clamp module on the stock launch clamps) which has working support for disabling staging (the option is stock, but I seem to remember stock's not working properly). I suggested Diamond Grid because it would be a low-fuss setup.

I'll just stick with modifying the savegame after instantiating clamps then.  It will be far easier in the long run.  Is there a drawback to my installing EL from CKAN given you don't do CKAN stuff?

[Botsamillion]

I'm having the same issue Lapeth had. ELP is installed, and I'm using it with Pathfinder. I have a launchpad set up, rocketparts production is successful, but all workshops show 0 productivity, except for one that shows -7.45058059692383E-08. I am trying to build a single part selected from ELP's part menu, and it is not progressing. I did try reinstalling everything, it did not help.

[panarchist]

21 hours ago, darthgently said:

I'll just stick with modifying the savegame after instantiating clamps then.  It will be far easier in the long run.  Is there a drawback to my installing EL from CKAN given you don't do CKAN stuff?

The main drawbacks are needing to find out who the maintainer is if there are any issues, and that the metadata files are going to lag behind the latest updates due to it going through a third party. I've used both CKAN and non-CKAN installs, and both work fine. 

Edited November 1, 2021 by panarchist

[darthgently]

36 minutes ago, panarchist said:

The main drawbacks are needing to find out who the maintainer is if there are any issues, and that the metadata files are going to lag behind the latest updates due to it going through a third party. I've used both CKAN and non-CKAN installs, and both work fine. 

One of the main reasons I use CKAN is that it makes it easier to find the maintainers.  The metadata tab in the lower right of the window when EL is highlighted, for example, has a link to this forum.  Its my "Mod Forum Browser" as much as a way to install mods. 

[darthgently]

Can stakes be used in combination with the disposable pad to orient the build? 

 

Whinging: I can't seem to grok how the pads work when mounted on a vertical surface.  Inevitably I have to KAS them into a different rotation/position which is tedious as KIS on my system has a 15 to 20 seconds freeze every time I detach/attach something.  Other than the freeze it works fine, but placing something by trial and error on a high part count base can take a very, very long time.  The fact that KIS turns the part an even green jello during placement makes orientation particularly tricky as one has to remember how it attached last placement, then mentally apply the rotation.  Currently I'm having to rotate the pad to face the part that will be added onto instead of having the colored compass rose facing out toward the new build in order to keep the new build from appearing back into the pre-existing structure instead of projecting from it.  wtfrak am I missing here?  I tried rotating the new assembly in the editor to face the other direction, saving, and reloading in EL at the base and it made no difference

[zer0Kerbal]

On 10/30/2021 at 1:04 PM, darthgently said:

something that can anchor a base would be a great addition

try Foundations - it is on CurseForge. I've haven't received any bug reports yet.

Edited November 10, 2021 by zer0Kerbal

[taniwha]

On 11/5/2021 at 9:22 AM, darthgently said:

Can stakes be used in combination with the disposable pad to orient the build? 

No, they are completely separate.

Yes, the disposable pad is a little tricky to use, but that's what the colored arrows are for (and internal mesh, though I don't know if that still shows in recent KIS, I haven't played for a while).

[darthgently]

5 hours ago, taniwha said:

No, they are completely separate.

Yes, the disposable pad is a little tricky to use, but that's what the colored arrows are for (and internal mesh, though I don't know if that still shows in recent KIS, I haven't played for a while).

That clarifies a lot.  With current KIS, the pad being placed is just a green transparent thing with the colored arrows reduced to shades of green.  And the pad cannot be manipulated with stock construction so getting it right can be very tedious.  But the fact sometimes, but not always, I have to flip the pad so the "arrows" are on the reverse side from the new build is just random.  At least when I get the arrows right that aspect works (X,Z?) but the facing is (Y?) doesn't seem to have a rhyme or reason.  Probably an interaction between current versions of KIS and ELP and my mix of things

[edit]  If I were to presume a resolution I'd suggest making the pad (and other parts) work with stock construction as the most direct line of attack as rotation/translation and part colors during placement work better in stock construction.  But I'm backing off KSP for awhile, so, well, for what it is worth

Edited November 14, 2021 by darthgently

[warp_08]

i have a kraken attack when i'm trying to spawn a big ship in orbit, is there a way to fix this?

 https://imgur.com/a/sATYgSF

 

Edited November 16, 2021 by warp_08

[Axelord FTW]

Downloaded and started playing around EL today. After having gotten my first interstellar planet pack (Even Horizon), I wanted a way to create parts in-situ. EL was the obvious choice, and so far I haven't got much to say when it comes to function.

Didn't expect the recycler to just 'chomp' ships apart, but that's not actually an issue, unless I'm trying to feed it huge crafts. The models are a bit ehh, but mostly because they stick out so much from most stock parts. The drills and smelters and probably the worst 'offenders' of the lot, rest is okay. Haven't encountered any real bugs, but I haven't experimented much with it yet. Only put a small factory on the Mun for testing purposes, and added a shipyard section to an already existing (but defunct) station in orbit of the Mun. Also, having now become accustomed to SystemHeat, I gotta say I got a little scared when the surface factory started turning hot red. Thankfully, Nertea's radiators handle the stock heat system too so nothing melted down.

Now that I think about it, anybody know if the recycler will turn the resource 'rocket parts' into scraps or correctly transfer them to an appropriate container (if available)?  I could just feed the shipyard with unmanned payload rockets from the surface, rather than have a dedicated tanker crew play gopher. Solid rocket boosters can be created easily enough.

Edited November 24, 2021 by Axelord FTW

[zer0Kerbal]

10 minutes ago, Axelord FTW said:

models are a bit

@Axelord FTWI would suggest SMX and Keridian Dynamics

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by zer0Kerbal

[Axelord FTW]

You know that's quite nice. SME doesn't have much that I'd use, but the part pack is probably my best bet. Would you say all of the EL parts have their 1:1 equivalent in KD? If yes, I'd get that, and just remove the original from showing up in the build menu and everything would be nice.

Edited November 24, 2021 by Axelord FTW

[Szymex99]

Hello, i REALLY nedded some colony improvements and i stubled upon this famous mod. Mechanics are super cool, but my god, the textures are out od date. Can you please make the mod looking just a little bit better? 

Edit: i just found keridian dynamics and it covers all of my needs.

Edited December 3, 2021 by Szymex99

[rmaine]

3 hours ago, Szymex99 said:

Hello, i REALLY nedded some colony improvements and i stubled upon this famous mod. Mechanics are super cool, but my god, the textures are ugly and sticking out of the rest. Especially if you are using some kind of textur mod like Restock. Can you please make the mod looking just a little bit better? And maybe integrate them with station parts expansion redux? Because there is a lot of part that could work as workshop. 

That seems a bit, um, demanding. Consider that this mod is done completely for free by a volunteer. And he explicitly noted that he was burned out on KSP stuff for quite a while. I'd guess that demands like this are more likely to fuel that burnout and make him stop bothering to maintain the mod at all. Oh, and textures are a *LOT* of work, as is integration with other mods. I suspect it is pointless to note that it would be more helpful to submit revised textures than to complain about them. :-(

[Szymex99]

4 hours ago, rmaine said:

That seems a bit, um, demanding. Consider that this mod is done completely for free by a volunteer. And he explicitly noted that he was burned out on KSP stuff for quite a while. I'd guess that demands like this are more likely to fuel that burnout and make him stop bothering to maintain the mod at all. Oh, and textures are a *LOT* of work, as is integration with other mods. I suspect it is pointless to note that it would be more helpful to submit revised textures than to complain about them. :-(

I know, you are right. I'm just proposing things. I know how hard it is to make mods. I'm not demanding anything. The mod is great by itself, i am not complaining about it, i am just asking if the creator is able to make some improvements. And i also just found the texture pack that i was looking for.  Good jow with the mod itself, taniwha. Goodnight, everyone.

[DasSkelett]

1 hour ago, Szymex99 said:

I'm just proposing things.

No you aren't. You are very much insulting the author with your word choice.

And even that aside...

9 hours ago, Szymex99 said:

Can you please make the mod looking just a little bit better?

This is absolutely useless. The mod author can't extract anything actionable from this – what is "better"? You should propose specific items instead: give part X (red, green, blue) stripes because..., add detail Y to part Z because..., move button B below button C in window to make it...

Explain what exactly you don't like and why you don't like it, and how you would do it instead and why you would do it like that. Do not just tell someone their work is ugly. It's not nice.

[WarriorSabe]

11 hours ago, Szymex99 said:

Hello, i REALLY nedded some colony improvements and i stubled upon this famous mod. Mechanics are super cool, but my god, the textures are ugly and sticking out of the rest. Especially if you are using some kind of textur mod like Restock. Can you please make the mod looking just a little bit better? And maybe integrate them with station parts expansion redux? Because there is a lot of part that could work as workshop. 

Ignoring how insulting that comes across, SSPXr does have all the container parts you need, and Kerbal Planetary Base Systems has its own version of all the functional EL parts you need except the survey station (which takes the appearance of a hitchhiker anyways)

[Axelord FTW]

All this aside, zer0kerbal's post above is absolutely the direction you want to look if you want Extraplanetary Launchpad stuff, but prettier. Keridian Dynamics is a fantastic expansion to EL, bundles better-looking parts that function the same, with few exceptions. Other mods also bundles EL functions, but the closest to 1:1 you can find is KD. Extraplanetary Launchpads is effectively 'feature complete' at this point, and any changes in the future will (probably) only be in function, not looks or models. I absolutely am grateful for the work that was put into making EL, but I can't say it's a pretty mod by any length of the imagination.

While I'm here, if anyone is still looking for a way to make anchor their base to the ground without risks, you can add a staging-toggle to launch clamps with an easy-to-make patch.
1. Create a new folder in Gamedata and give it a name. You technically don't need to, but compartmentalization is a good idea always. I have something that look like gamedata/personalpatches/.
2. Create a new .cfg file. It's a simple file extension, and the content is plaintext anyway. Any text editor will let you do this. Name the file accordingly, ideally, so you know what the patch does at a glance. (in this case I called this "launchclamp_stagestoggle.cfg")
3. paste the following bit of text inside:
 

Spoiler

@PART[*]:HAS[@MODULE[LaunchClamp]]:FINAL
{
@MODULE[LaunchClamp]
{
stagingEnableText = Clamp: Enable Staging
stagingDisableText = Clamp: Disable Staging
stagingToggleEnabledEditor = true
stagingToggleEnabledFlight = true
}
}

4. Save, and close. 
5. Open the game, and done!

The launchclamp should now come with an option to disable staging, both in the editor and in-flight. For the sake of balance, I also personally decreased the EC generation of the launchclamp since I'm using them offworld. You can find more info on this, and a hundred other possible patches, in THIS THREAD.

Edited November 26, 2021 by Axelord FTW

[zer0Kerbal]

@Axelord FTWI would also suggest Foundations (here) - even though it still is in beta - it works like magic.