Multiple Attachments Per Part

[theend3r]

One thing that's been really bugging me is the inability to connect two parts at more locations. For example to make an adapter sandwich (easily divide and then reunite the ship - this is possible by using docking ports, but that's a stupid workaround) or to hold together two parts with multiple decouplers. This prevents me from building some more advanced rockets I have in mind.

It could be done by allowing players to directly set the hierarchy of parts in some way, for example by holding a key and click-and-dragging a part to the part it should be connected to. I imagine that this isn't something easily doable but as construction is a major part of KSP, more than aerodynamics, resources... etc., it should be perfected before anything else.

[KvickFlygarn87]

Yes. Yes. And all my yes.

[vexx32]

Connections are arrayed as a tree layout in KSP. In a tree, each connection can have only one parent node. Theoretically you could botch a way to connect something in a circular manner the way you describe, but that's only likely to cause more problems, not less. Glitches are a pain. No, to get something like this working, you'd need to re-code the entire connection logic and ship saving code, ideally in some kind of a 3-D matrix. Trouble is, then you have to re-code fuel logic, because it also relies on the tree system, and I have no idea whether or not struts would break as well. You'd basically break every single craft file that ever existed, and save compatibility would have to break also.

It's a good idea, but everything I've heard on the implementation side of things makes me shudder. There was a topic on this not long ago, and a few programmers chimed in with some interesting ideas on how to manage it, but the general consensus was that it was going to be a lot of work. Nowhere near impossible, mark you, but it's a lot of work nonetheless. Let's see... ah yes, this here was a good post on the matter: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/43369-Multi-connecting-in-editor-%28especially-for-multi-couplers%29?p=849532&viewfull=1#post849532

[Kasuha]

One thing that's been really bugging me is the inability to connect two parts at more locations.

Of course you can. Put a strut in place of the attach point which won't attach and it will hold together. Just the fuel will not flow there, but you can help that with fuel pipes, too.

[theend3r]

Connections are arrayed as a tree layout in KSP. In a tree, each connection can have only one parent node. Theoretically you could botch a way to connect something in a circular manner the way you describe, but that's only likely to cause more problems, not less. Glitches are a pain. No, to get something like this working, you'd need to re-code the entire connection logic and ship saving code, ideally in some kind of a 3-D matrix. Trouble is, then you have to re-code fuel logic, because it also relies on the tree system, and I have no idea whether or not struts would break as well. You'd basically break every single craft file that ever existed, and save compatibility would have to break also.

It's a good idea, but everything I've heard on the implementation side of things makes me shudder. There was a topic on this not long ago, and a few programmers chimed in with some interesting ideas on how to manage it, but the general consensus was that it was going to be a lot of work. Nowhere near impossible, mark you, but it's a lot of work nonetheless. Let's see... ah yes, this here was a good post on the matter: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/43369-Multi-connecting-in-editor-%28especially-for-multi-couplers%29?p=849532&viewfull=1#post849532

Yeah, I imagined it would be near impossible to keep any compatibility and make it work , thanks for the answer.

[vexx32]

Well, I'm sure if there are people who get annoyed by compatibility breaking, there will be at least one or two who manage to cobble together a rudimentary tool to convert the craft files, at least... but yeah, wouldn't be easy at all.

[Kasuha]

Here is illustrated guide how to do the same as with docking ports (which don't work quite all the time), but without docking ports (and it works all the time).

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[theend3r]

Here is illustrated guide how to do the same as with docking ports (which don't work quite all the time), but without docking ports (and it works all the time).

No, it isn't. Only one of those three parts is actually connected. Yes, you can hold it together with struts but then there's a problem with decoupling (it doesn't launch the parts away).

[Kasuha]

No, it isn't. Only one of those three parts is actually connected. Yes, you can hold it together with struts but then there's a problem with decoupling (it doesn't launch the parts away).

Even if you use docking ports, only one of them provides full connection. The remaining docking ports act like struts. For instance, fuel does not flow through them.

Of course if you need to take the thing apart, you can use docking ports. But if you just want them to hold together, you don't have to go through the trouble of having extra weight and parts, you can just place a single strut where the connection would otherwise be.