Zephram Kerman

I just discovered Open Resource System. This, combined with the kethane converter adapted to the various processes, might just be exactly what you need to introduce realistic resource processing.

Hey, that's a good idea. I've noticed really large welds take forever to process, load, and even just to move around in the editor. So doing it this way might be much more efficient.

Wow, this is good stuff. I'll be reading the linked resources. While KSP normally renames everything to keep itself distinctly "game-ey", it would be very nice to find a mod for playing around with real life ISRU techniques. While a mod like this does not exist as far as I know, the ever-popular Kethane mod does come close, and could be altered to address much of what you described. Kethane does allow users to create resource types and deposits of them in the ground. (Ok, drilling for air would be weird, but oh well!) It also allows the user to alter the ratios of things produced by the two Converter parts. (Be careful to not redistribute any of the parts. Distributing only your code alterations should be fine with them.) So I think it would be a relatively simple thing to adapt the Kethane mod for real life resource conversions.

I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't see that.

I've no idea. Never tried that mod, yet. But I don't see why not...

Yes! Quicksave, then open your persistent.sfs file. Search for "KethaneData". That'll take you to the first line of the kethane stuff for your save. You can tweak all sorts of things, like: how many deposits, their shapes, sizes, and quantity min/max. Then scroll down a little more to your body of interest, where you will find "seed = n" and the exact quantity of each deposit on that body. The seed is the location and shape of each deposit. If something goes wrong, just F9 to overwrite your changes with that quicksave you did at the beginning. You did quicksave, didn't you?

The only way I know to do this is to attach the docking clamp after welding. A welded part can only operate one of a thing; one engine, one clamp, one leg, one wheel, etc. In the image below, I attached four senior clamps this way. The clamps are attached to hitchhiker modules, which in turn are attached to nodes around the perimeter. I've no idea why the hitchhikers are flapping up and down like that. But, sadly, I suspect it's because the part is just way too big. When I attached engines to those docking clamps, they drooped down to the ground. Once a small amount of thrust was activated, all four engines slapped together overhead. Can anyone help fix this? Or do i need to build the thing in smaller chunks?

Yah, I know. It ought to be, but isn't. The two parts were made at different times, and haven't been balanced yet.It's pretty easy to edit the part.cfg, to change those values to something more sensible. But I just ignore the imbalance, and choose the large or small one based on role-playing purposes. A mobile refinery should have a small, lightweight converter, while a fixed base should have a big clunky thing.

From the part.cfg files:[TABLE=width: 500][TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]1m converter[/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]2m converter[/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]Kethane[/TD] [TD]ElectricCharge[/TD] [TD]Output[/TD] [TD]Kethane[/TD] [TD]ElectricCharge[/TD] [TD]Output[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]LiquidFuel[/TD] [TD]2.25[/TD] [TD]6[/TD] [TD]0.97[/TD] [TD]6.75[/TD] [TD]12[/TD] [TD]1.03[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Oxidizer[/TD] [TD]2.75[/TD] [TD]6[/TD] [TD]1.01[/TD] [TD]8.25[/TD] [TD]8[/TD] [TD]0.99[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]MonoPropellant[/TD] [TD]1.50[/TD] [TD]8[/TD] [TD]0.30[/TD] [TD]3.00[/TD] [TD]10[/TD] [TD]0.85[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]XenonGas[/TD] [TD]1.50[/TD] [TD]3[/TD] [TD]0.40[/TD] [TD]2.00[/TD] [TD]8[/TD] [TD]0.25[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]

Doesn't win for part count or size, but it sure does look cool. Glacierre posted this in reply to my similar challenge a few months ago. At the time, it was the smallest I had ever seen. It looks even better nowadays, with the even-smaller rocket engines. I added RCS and docking port for a fully-functional variant:

Sounds like two problems. If you welded a part without a pod, try starting the ship with the welded part, and then attaching a pod to it. So the welded part is your root part, and the command pod is attached second. If you can't see your ship in the map, all I can think of is to check that type of object is visible. Up on top of the map view is a selection tool that appears when the mouse is near that spot. Left click on something to select only that type. Right click on something to add or subtract that type from a list of things you can see. I often use this to find debris, or declutter the map. Hopefully that's it.

For example, I made something that uses this technique. I made some bad photos and put it in this thread of spacecraft exchange. Basically, the descent module appears to be doughnut topology, because the parts are connected radially in a long horizontal chain. The two ends are strutted together.

If you made your welded part with lots of radial attachments, the new part will have too many leftover attachment nodes. KSP gets confused about this. What I do is open the part.cfg file and manually delete some of the nodes I know I won't want. Btw, your SpaceDock looks like something I would do.

Sure enough, there is a very nice flight data recorder mod. I suggest you check out Rich's Telemachus. It collects several types of data, automatically plotting and scaling them in an external browser window. It even integrates with MechJeb and KerbalMaps.

That's weird. I've been using previously welded parts from 0.22 without any trouble. The DLL thing is just to get the tool working in 0.23. On the other hand, I've been getting a few crashes at seemingly random times. None of them repeatable. Perhaps the offending part is very large? I notice near the top of your debug the page file is down to 0MB free. If you still have 0.22 installed, try creating a small part, then see if 0.23 still crashes in that case.

You can edit parts any time. The changes take effect when you start the game, while the parts are being loaded. So even if a converter is already in flight, you can change stuff.

From the part.cfg files:[TABLE=width: 500] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]1m converter [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]2m converter [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]Kethane [/TD] [TD]ElectricCharge [/TD] [TD]Output [/TD] [TD]Kethane [/TD] [TD]ElectricCharge [/TD] [TD]Output [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]LiquidFuel [/TD] [TD]2.25 [/TD] [TD]6 [/TD] [TD]0.97 [/TD] [TD]6.75 [/TD] [TD]12 [/TD] [TD]1.03 [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Oxidizer [/TD] [TD]2.75 [/TD] [TD]6 [/TD] [TD]1.01 [/TD] [TD]8.25 [/TD] [TD]8 [/TD] [TD]0.99 [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]MonoPropellant [/TD] [TD]1.50 [/TD] [TD]8 [/TD] [TD]0.30 [/TD] [TD]3.00 [/TD] [TD]10 [/TD] [TD]0.85 [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]XenonGas [/TD] [TD]1.50 [/TD] [TD]3 [/TD] [TD]0.40 [/TD] [TD]2.00 [/TD] [TD]8 [/TD] [TD]0.25 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] So, yes, it looks this way to me, too. But that's ok, because the 2m converter also helps to keep everyone warm.

Yes, that's the idea. By collecting all data into the command pod, we can leave behind a lot of dead weight.Sorry about the night time photo though. I couldn't advance the time of day.

I've designed a munar lander with an interesting feature: when the ascent module separates, the descent module does not crumble. It's hard to do, but by aligning everything without using symmetry, it is all one piece. Messenger III has these features: • descent module does not fall apart when separated; • action group 1 undocks and toggles the ascent engine; • two of each science instrument, divided into action groups 2 and 3; • munar module has plenty of fuel... it could probably fly home complete; • .craft file includes a simple asparagus launcher, which neatly deposits stages in destructive orbits, so no lingering debris; • the two parachutes fire at 500m and 550m, "just in case" ™; • just make sure you collect all data into the capsule before leaving! https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/78157466/forum%20posts/MessengerIII.craft The ascent module has four docking ports underneath the big rockomax adapter. Of the four descent module docking ports, only the one under the hatch is connected during construction. This is the root part for the rest of the descent module. The other three docking ports were tediously aligned so that they quickly dock on the launch pad.

How is this done? Is there a line in the config file, or must I simply spam detectors?

With a text editor, all things are possible. WeldedParts mod just helps a lot by doing the trigonometry and syntax for us.

How is this done? Is there a line in the config file, or must I simply spam detectors?

This happens whenever there are more than a few nodes in the welded part. I've been working around it by manually removing the unneeded nodes in the welded part.cfg file. Go back a few pages for more details.

LV-N for most interplanetary vessels, unless they are very small, then I use ions. In either case, my landers never have LV-N, mainly to avoid the dead weight. Thank you for saying it. What really bugs me is our historical disasters were more failures of incompetent leadership and government than technology.

I'm just a humble taylor.