dboi88

It used to but this was specifically fixed quite a few versions back.

Yes this would be great, furiously clicking around trying to find the malfunction is a bit annoying cos i always forget to note what that last warning was. @ShotgunNinja Absolutely great work here. This mod is so much better than having a mix and match of mods. Yes you lose some functionality but the balance of simplicity and function of it all is amazing. I'd also like to add that i'm mighty impressed with your attitude towards everyone. The way you've dealt with all the questions and constant requests for features you've already said are a No is commendable. Not many Mod developers are as reasonable and pleasant as yourself. I hope you'll be around for a long time to come. I have experience with Models and Textures so if you need any parts just hit me up i'd be happy to knock anything you need up for you.

I was just thinking of making it big enough for it to be realistic to have a decent amount of battery built in. If the RCS thrusters are built in I think it makes sense to put 5 way's on there, it'll make them a dream to control and it's basically nothing extra to have them. Do you ever stack multiple satellites to put up a constellation? A docking port on the top would make staking them and then releasing them really easy. I'm thinking i might as well build one in anyway, if someone doesn't want to use it they could just stick what ever they want on top? It could be a universal dock that connects with both the junior and the standard docks. This is what i've thrown together tonight. I've put the RCS blocks on, 3 external batteries, a stock like RTG, 4 toroid tanks and there is enough space inside the chassis for all the rest to reasonably fit. The model still needs work yet

I'll be insisting that all parts have their size, weight and costs, both monetary & resource costs reasonable. Ok i've got an idea, we'll make a tall toroid core(keep it looking like a satellite should) but that looks like 3 separate units, an RCS tank, an LF tank and a probe core, we'll fit the command core, sas, reaction wheels, battery and RTG in the middle section, and then appropriate amounts of LF and mono in the tanks. We'll put a set of 5 way RCS thrusters top and bottom. I'll put an appropriately sized mount at the bottom for a choice of engines and put in FSfuelswitch module to cover all fuel bases. I'll put a small range antenna in there for people running RemoteTech, Only a few km range to cover releasing the satellite (use the launch vehicle as a relay while you activate the main antennas). I'll have a play around in the VAB first to see how large the core needs to be to fit all that in. Then make a smaller one with appropriate reductions across the board. Any thoughts/objections? Do you want a docking port on the top?

This would be useful to know if anyone can confirm if this is possible?

Hi guys, Just wanted to introduce my second mod that is currently under development, I'm looking for any feedback and additional ideas so I can make something as geared towards what the community would like as possible. I know we already have a few low part count systems released/under development. However, I'm looking to fill a different niche with my own mod that allows for more flexibility with ship design. Rather than make complete parts that include everything needed built in (i.e. full landers or full lifters) I'm looking to combine some of the parts that are regularly (or exclusive) used together into one part. Planned Parts: - RCS thrusters & mono propellant tank - 1.25m & 2.5m monopropellant tanks with 4 x 5way RCS thruster blocks - Drone Core & RCS Thrusters - 1.25m & 2.5m probe cores including, Stabalization wheels, batteries, 4 x 5way RCS thruster blocks, antenna & Mechjeb - Contruction Drone - 1.25m MonoPropellant tank with 4 x 5way RCS thruster blocks, a decouple node and two SRB thrusters to eject. (to be mounted on loads for easy docking and can be staged and ejected once docking has been completed (think building space stations) - Radial Detachable Fuel Tanks (for fine tuning deltaV) - this would be a radially attached fuel tank with built in decoupler and sepratrons. Do ever just need a few extra deltaV and can't be bothered re designing your whole lifter? You can just stick a few of these around the outside, add a fuel line and then stage them to release once empty. Each one in it's current form add's between 250 and 650 deltaV depending on the lifter set up. Any other ideas? Are there any other parts that you always use together that could be combined into one part? Development pics will be uploaded later today. Ok so some example models i've been throwing around. From Left To Right - Drone Core - RCS Pod - Construction Drone The RCS Pod & Drone Core reduce this standard smaller Launcher from 40 parts to only 25. 40 Parts To 25 Parts The Construction Drone. http://gph.is/1TwnzKI (i don't know how to make it show here)

Cheers, it's for a part i'm making for my own MOD so i'll be putting it in the config file. Just a note to anyone else reading this in the future the module manager example above would make all Gimbals locked as default. Which is fine if that's what you want. If you wanted to add gimbal lock to only one part you'd need something like this. @PART[PARTNAME] { @MODULE[ModuleGimbal] { %gimbalLock = true } }

Cheers, i assumed it would be simple but couldn't find any notes for this.

As above, is it possible to make the gimbal locked by default?

I'm just getting into modding too, have you got any good tutorials for making parachutes?

[quote name='artwhaley']That looks like it ought to work, and I find it easier to define the attach nodes in unity anyway because I hate doing the math... or wriggling them and reloading a dozen times. That said, I have no idea why it's not working for you as is.... I had it working from your file! The only things I did were - redrag all the things into the right hierarchy like the screenshot I sent you, then fiddle with the .cfg file a little. I'll post the cfg file as I had it working. I... cannot remember why it was recommended... but I'm using Unity 4.2.2 because someone a while back said that was the version to stick with? I know I HAVE used unity 4.5 and it worked fine but... I'm running short on theories as to why it worked for me but not for you! [CODE]PART{ // --- general parameters --- name = coyotedockingport module = Part author = --dboi-- // --- asset parameters --- MODEL { model = AxialAerospace/Parts/simplecargo/dockingport } scale = 1.0 rescaleFactor = 1.2 // --- node definitions --- node_stack_top = 0.0, 0.22, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 2 node_stack_bottom = 0.0, 0, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 2 // --- editor parameters --- TechRequired = metaMaterials entryCost = 16200 cost = 1400 category = Utility subcategory = 0 title = Coyote Senior Docking Module manufacturer = Kerbalmax Industries description = A large connection for constructing spacecraft and space stations. It is fully compatabile with Clamp-O-Tron Senior standard docking ports. bulkheadProfiles = size2 // attachment rules: stack, srfAttach, allowStack, allowSrfAttach, allowCollision attachRules = 1,0,1,1,0 // --- standard part parameters --- mass = 2.0 dragModelType = default maximum_drag = 0.2 minimum_drag = 0.2 angularDrag = 2 crashTolerance = 15 breakingForce = 50 breakingTorque = 50 maxTemp = 2000 fuelCrossFeed = True MODULE { name = ModuleDockingNode nodeType = size2 //nodeTransformName = dockingNode //controlTransformName = controlNode referenceAttachNode = top } MODULE { name = ModuleRCS thrusterTransformName = rcsthrust thrusterPower = 4 resourceName = MonoPropellant resourceFlowMode = STAGE_PRIORITY_FLOW atmosphereCurve { key = 0 240 key = 1 100 key = 4 0.001 } } } [/CODE][/QUOTE] cheers, this got it working for me but only once i uncommented the nodeTransformName and controlTransformName, until then i still didn't get the undock in menu. Thanks for all your help i really appreciate it.

Could i create two empty game objects called 'dockingport' and 'bottom' and then define the two nodes like this? followed by the docking port module? [CODE]PART { name = Dock module = Part author = --dboi-- MODEL { model = dockingport position = 0, 0 ,0 scale = 1, 1, 1 rotation = 0, 0, 0 } rescaleFactor = 1 NODE { name = bottom transform = bottom size = 1.0 method = FIXED_JOINT //FIXED_JOINT, HINGE_JOINT, LOCKED_JOINT, MERGED_PHYSICS or NO_PHYSICS } NODE { name = dockingport transform = dockingport size = 2.0 method = FIXED_JOINT //FIXED_JOINT, HINGE_JOINT, LOCKED_JOINT, MERGED_PHYSICS or NO_PHYSICS } MODULE { name = ModuleDockingNode referenceAttachNode = dockingport nodeType = size2 nodeTransformName = dockingport } }[/CODE]

[quote name='artwhaley']Ahhhh! The 'no decouple node' should have been the clue I needed if I wasn't so sure the weird Unity import was the problem. The reason it won't decouple is that it's not attaching by the docking node, it's attaching by the stack node. The two ways to fix it are either switching to gameobject 'node' based definitions for your stack attach points, or more simply, switching over to the old fashioned docking port code: is all you need in this case, because your control axis and the part axis happen to line up on this part! Swapping that out allowed me to get through a launch, decouple, and redocking![/QUOTE] Cheers. I'm pretty much back where I started then because just adding the above module didn't work for me. I'll give it another go tonight though. I probably when wrong somewhere else last time. It makes more sense to me to define all the nodes in unity though. So how would I go about that? I guess it would just need a top and bottom attach node to be defined in unity and then referred to in the config?

[quote name='artwhaley']I think I found the problem and it should be an easy fix... though I can't be certain, since I'm still on Unity 4.2.2, so it's possible that my importing the project screwed it up and you have it right in the original file.... but if not, it's an easy fix! When I imported it, it looks like you still need to drag all of the pieces that go into your part to be underneath (parented to) the dockingport game object in the hierarchy What i see when I import it is: [url]https://i.gyazo.com/00b23fcd3eeecaba1964840703d715a9.png[/url] And what it should look like is: [url]https://i.gyazo.com/0e65cfa4266d51c0b600ee3ba229e12f.png[/url] ((I just deleted the 'main camera' as it's not needed... but it doesn't hurt you by being there. Just wanted to show you an uncluttered pic to make the right hierarchy clear)) It also looks like your RCS thrusters might be in the wrong places... one is hanging sort of off into space, and remember that they will thrust out in the direction of the green arrow... with the force (and the visual effect) starting at the center of the object. You're very close![/QUOTE] That's the same way it was set up on my side too. Looks like it didn't load properly. I only put the rcs thrust vectors in there to see how they worked(and they do). Did you look at the part config? Maybe I'm going wrong there?

[quote name='artwhaley']I don't know Wings, but I just looked at Beale's tutorial and it LOOKS like 1.25m in Wings should be 1.25m in Kerbal, with both scale and rescale factor set to 1 in the cfg file. In his tutorial he right clicks on the part and selects 'absoulute commands' then 'scale' to view and set the absolute bounds of the model? That might be something to try if you're having weird scaling issues! And if you added the box in Unity you're almost in the right place! Empty game objects are in the same menu as the adding cubes! :) Here's a 'thrown together in 2 minutes gif' that shows what all the empty's for a docking port with four rcs jets should look like with placement and orientation.[/QUOTE] Cheers, this all makes sense to me and i'm sure i've followed all directions but i still don't get an undock option in flight and they don't dock if you bring two of them together. would you mind taking a look at my unity file? [url]https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_nRjcqonDoUSThOeUVKVmVRLUU/view?usp=sharing[/url]

[quote name='artwhaley']I tried to make myself learn blender a half dozen times before I succeeded at making myself learn blender! For the docking nodes, RCS thrusters and engines... the easiest way to do them instead of using a box from your modelling program is to do it in Unity. At the top of the Unity window under Game Objects, you just "Create Empty". An empty game object is just a point in space with the three axis's marked by arrows... You then rename these game objects and drag them to the right places for your docking nodes, rcs thrust transforms, etc. Example of an empty set up for a docking port : (Note that the blue arrow is facing out towards where the ship that's going to dock will be. Important!) Engines are set up the same way... but.... (typing from several month's old memory) the blue arrow of the empty needs to point out the back, where the exhaust would exit... and RCS thrusters you would put an empty game object with the same name into every 'port' (so a 5 way thruster block like the stock rcs part would have 5 empty game objects, all with the same name) with their GREEN arrows pointing out, the direction that the exhaust would 'push'. It's totally possible to place those empty objects in Blender, and I'm sure in Wings as well....but then you have to remember "In my 3D program, the Red arrow is the Green Arrow for Unity..." or something... so I just do it in Unity at the end. You CAN make that box disappear if you, for some reason, really want to insert boxes in your 3d Program then turn them into the transforms to use for docking ports, rcs thrusters, etc.... What you'd do is, once they're in the unity scene, delete the 'mesh renderer' component from the inspector panel. This will make it disappear. But... again... it's easy enough, once you get the hang of it, to do them in Unity and be able to tweak them without going all the way back to your 3D program in the chain.[/QUOTE] I had added the box in using unity rather than blender so I either didn't follow his instructions properly or he explained it wrong. I did do the whole blue arrow pointing out into space ect. but at one point he resorted to explaining things liek this, 'put the box where you would stick your chewing gum if you were stood between the two docking crafts' , , , , not exactly clear instructions! Your explanation seems pretty simple so i'll look at making a whole new capsule model tonight as I thought adding the vectors would be really difficult. Either that or load back in the original model and add all the engine/rcs thrust vectors myself, then adding a docking port should be easy enough. But it'd be nice to have the first release of my mod using all my own models. So one last question for you. How do i make the model the right size in Wings 3D? I managed to load the model into KSP last night and the docking port worked fine but i had to play around with the rescale to get it to be the right size. it ended up being something like 1.34 or some other equally as daft number. I'll have to take a look at some ladder/hatch and emmisive window tutorials now! I need a way to get these Kerbals in and out of the pods.

[quote name='artwhaley']Congrats on taking that plunge! I didn't realize you were trying to do it config only before. It might be possible to do so, if you've opened the model in Blender and found the exact name of a transform (empty, in blender, game object in unity) that happens to face the right way.) That said... learning Blender and Unity and being able to actually make parts from scratch has been one of the absolute most rewarding things this game has driven me to, so if you've got the inclination, I'd stick with that! As you go... don't be afraid to run here and post for help BEFORE you get so frustrated you want to blast your laptop all the way to the Mun! It's not hard, but there are several little steps to the process that can go wrong and leave you banging your head against the desk! Art[/QUOTE] Ok so it just wouldn't go away and then i noticed some errors in the console window relating to loading errors of part configs as mentioned by Shadowmage. Then it occurred to me I had no reason to be loading game files into unity to create a new part so i thought maybe when it says chose your GAMEDATA folder it didn't mean your actual KSP gamedata folder. I guess that is probably a stupid mistake for you guys. Anyway i then created a fresh project and chose the folder for the part i was working on and it started working. I managed to add a new object to the model that i thought would be invisible to use as a docking node following a tutorial but once loaded into ksp it was just a white box sat on top of my capsule and it had lost all the thrust vector information for the inbuilt rcs and engines. So i just started to play around with blender instead. Didn't like it. Got 3d Wings. 2 hours later, , , , , ta daaa i will hopefully finish this off in unity and get it in game tomorrow for some testing. This will be a perfectly matching docking port instead of in built. Should be much easier to add a docking port to a new part! [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/nw47Cyn.jpg[/IMG]

[quote name='artwhaley']Congrats on taking that plunge! I didn't realize you were trying to do it config only before. It might be possible to do so, if you've opened the model in Blender and found the exact name of a transform (empty, in blender, game object in unity) that happens to face the right way.) That said... learning Blender and Unity and being able to actually make parts from scratch has been one of the absolute most rewarding things this game has driven me to, so if you've got the inclination, I'd stick with that! As you go... don't be afraid to run here and post for help BEFORE you get so frustrated you want to blast your laptop all the way to the Mun! It's not hard, but there are several little steps to the process that can go wrong and leave you banging your head against the desk! Art[/QUOTE] Cheers, i'm going for it. Ok so i've loaded the model in unity, applied the settings and materials/textures ect. as per the tutorials (not sure if i've done them all correctly yet) and added a new object to use as the docking port but i'm stuck on exporting. My part tools dialog box is just blank, it seems frozen i can't move it or close it and it is always on top of Unity. [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/9AuM7Zt.jpg[/IMG] Any ideas?

[quote name='artwhaley']I always add two nodes to every docking port, as outlined here: [URL]http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/94742[/URL] I know it's possible to do it without doing both... but... it always works for me when I do it that way... so I do! Feel free to upload unity screenshots and/or unity and ksp files and I'll take a look![/QUOTE] Ok i've never used unity or blender, I just got them installed last night and manged to import the .mu into blender (i'm not the original author of the model) and then exported the model into Unity so i'm going to have a play around tonight with the model I want to add the docking port to and some other peoples docking ports and see what i can come up with. I was hoping to do this with the .cfg only but i suppose i will need to take the plunge into model making at some point so might as well be now. If I'm not getting anywhere i'll take you up on your offer and i'll upload the files for you. Cheers

This. Why they'd allow settings to be changed to a game breaking level is beyond me.

Yep that's the same experience i'm getting.

[quote name='MeCripp']Will run a little test on a fuel tank and see.[/QUOTE] Cheers i appreciate it

[quote name='MeCripp']Did you add the node ? or are you using one already there ?[/QUOTE] Using one already there.

I can't really find any explanations as to how to do this. What i can find suggests it should be very simple but i just can't get it to work. I'm trying to add a docking port to the top of a command pod. I'm using this; MODULE { name = ModuleDockingNode referenceAttachNode = top nodeType = size2 undockEjectionForce = 0.25 minDistanceToReEngage = 3.5 acquireForce = 3.5 acquireTorque = 3.5 acquireRange = 3.0 captureRange = 1.5 } It shows as having a docking port in VAB but then i don't get the dock options in flight and bringing two together doesn't engage dock. ANyone know where i am going wrong?