Angelo Kerman

Heck, I'd be interested in making some if that would help. This mod is fantastic!

That would be great! Firma is definitely the right approach for permanent dwellings. I noticed in your thread that you're not too familiar with Pathfinder, so I'm happy to help set things up. What I can do to start is look at your Pathfinder configs and offer tweaks if needed- the 2.5m cubic parts looks to be about the size of the Bison modules, so I can use the Bison module configs as a basis. One thing I want to do for Pathfinder is not only have parts that are printed on site, but also allow for a compact form that a kerbal can haul on his/her back. At that stage the assembled part is just a frame, and requires additional materials to fully outfit. For Heisenberg, the hab, lab, office, and garden parts accomplish that using a combination of animations and a plugin, but maybe I can build something that won't impact Firma. I know I can have multiple MODEL nodes in a part config, for instance, and can scale 3D meshes in code if need be. That would let me build the starter box that would be added to your part configs when Pathfinder is installed with Firma.

I've been working hard on Buffalo Wings for the past month and a half, and while a DSEV update is up next, I've also been thinking about Project Sandcastle, Pathfinder's 3D printed permanent dwellings. The idea being that you create the buildings in the VAB/SPH and then print them on site. Ideally, you'd use Extraplanetary Launchpads, but with robots instead of crewed modules, to print your buildings. Parts of Sandcastle are already in place: you've got the ability to turn Slag into Konkrete, for instance, and with the new S.A.F.E.R. reactor, you're good to go for running the construction operation well away from Kerbol. I've been pretty busy on other projects, but I'm getting to the point where I can finally circle back around to Sandcastle. I sort of have a prototype for Sandcastle with my Heisenberg mod; the GondOffice has the ability to be hauled to a site on the back of a kerbal, and then its empty shell can be set up and given straight edges like an office building. Once you've assembled the empty shell, simply turn on resource distribution and fill the module with Equipment to get the desired configuration. You can also clip the GondOffice modules together to form a large structure. Yesterday, I converted the Bison hab, lab, and garden modules over to have the same LEGO-like capability, and here is the end result (the external stairway is a separate part, there are three of them running up the side): I think this LEGO-like approach would work well for Sandcastle. While I originally had specific buildings in mind that would be permanent versions of the existing inflatable modules, having a modular approach would be much more versatile. Take LEGO-like parts and make it so they can be built on site using Konkrete or compacted down into a Buckboard-sized box for easy transport and assembly by a kerbal- just build the basic frame, and then add Konkrete to fully assemble them into the desired module. I could easily create hab, lab, and greenhouse cubes, corner pieces, rooftop solar panels, rooftop Extraplanetary Launchpads (like I'm doing with Heisenberg), and the like. Apparently the idea isn't new, @Sassenach recently created Firma, which has basic building blocks for permanent dwellings: I just found out about it this morning through @Kottabos's review. Rather than re-invent the wheel, I think it would be nice for Project Sandcastle to work with @Sassenach's mod, either bundled or downloaded separately. It looks like there are some Pathfinder configs created already.. All I need to do is make the 3D printer parts and find a way to let EL be run by robots. Heck, I might be persuaded to make IVAs for Firma, and you know how much I hate making IVAS...

Yeah I'd need both. The aircraft flies just fine for me.

This really helps, thanks! I will definitely bookmark your post and see what I come up with. I also didn't realize that open nodes slows down your craft! Gives me an idea for Wild Blue Tools... Thanks again for your help!

This might explain a few things. I've always been lousy at spaceplane design, and gave up on it entirely until this evening. The Mk2 designs I come up with just don't have the oomph to reach orbit, and I'm about ready to go back to flying rockets. I'll have to give this a try though. Also, if you know of a good SSTO tutorial for KSP 1.2, I'm all ears.

Yes I did, thank you. I'm sorting through my new part. I can select a rocket to build, but progress isn't being made and I instantly get an alarm telling me it's done. The test craft is just a 0.625m probe core and 0.625m mono fuel tank. I'm making sure I have everything set up properly before asking for more help.

Much appreciated, thanks! I'm making a ground-based launchpad for the first time. Are there any requirements for the part? Does it need to be oriented a specific way?

I'm having a little difficulty locating the PDF that @taniwha made for EL so that us mod developers don't shoot ourselves in the foot. Does somebody have a link to it?

Nope, definitely not seeing that. The Kestrel flies just fine for me.

Not yet. I've been hip deep in Buffalo Wings, and am working on some bug fixes. I'll be able to address it when KSP 1.3 drops, if it comes out next week.

In retrospect, Iron Man doesn't look kerbal enough. Here is the Thompberry Housing Mk3..

Thompberry Housing Mk2... Thompberry Housing Mk3...

I converted the remaining Bison hab/lab/garden modules to support office-style constructions: Now I just need a couple of rooftop panels so that you can make EL construction pads...

I found the problem and am testing a fix. I think I'll have a patch done by Sunday if all goes well.

To activate hover mode, press the "TOGL HOVR" button. The button text turns yellow. Press it again to turn off hover mode. The VSPD buttons control your vertical speed. 0 sets your vertical speed to 0, - decreases your vertical speed by 1-meter per second per click, and + increases vertical speed by the same amount. These are pretty much the same controls that the JetWing has used for some time now.

The tank sizes are identical, so you can regex replace Titan II tanks with DSEV tanks. Your existing craft are still safe, including ones designed in the editor. I won't drop the existing Titan II tanks when KSP 1.3 is released. It will be awhile after that.

Thanks, that gives me something to go on.

Virtual reality/augmented rality, just sayin.

I think Piper and Thompberry are going to, uh exchange protocols, if you catch my meaning.

How so? You tilt the rotors up for vertical flight, tilt them forward for horizontal flight. You can turn the engines on/off, and reverse thrust to slow down. You also have the fine tune controls to pivot the rotors.

Yeah I'd need to see a video. How reproducible is it?

I've said this before: With a couple of exceptions the mod is centered around 1.875m parts. I need to revise the 2.5m tanks in both MOLE and DSEV, and that's twice the work. So I've deprecated the Titan II tanks (your existing craft are safe for now, but you can't build new ones with the tanks) in favor of revamping DSEV's 2.5m tanks.

Thanks! I plan on updating the hab, lab, and greenhouse modules so they too can become part of a building.

You need to carefully balance your aircraft in the VAB/SPH before attempting to fly. The best way to do that is to install your tiltrotors, point them to maximum, and then turn on the center of mass and center of thrust indicators. Make sure those indicators line up. If you have the Heisenberg mod installed, I included a sample craft, the KV-8 Kestrel, which is a tilt-fan design that is balanced properly. An easier way to do it is to install two sets of tilt rotors, and use Thrust Controlled Avionics to control them.