XLjedi

@Electrocutor Ah, I see... thank you for these helpful comments once again! I hadn't really thought about or tested how it might function when dealing with multiple models. Good news is, I think most of those multi-model variants are related to engines and rocket parts that I'm probably less inclined to add skins for. Also, on your recommendation, I picked up @sarbian's DebugStuff mod and have since been able to identify the individual meshes that I am reskinning. This has been particularly helpful in dealing with parts (like ladders) where I only want to apply paint to the "Bay" and leave the default skin for the ladder alone. I will have to test now, but I think I 'might' be able to avoid the model variant pitfall if I add the specific materialName to the TEXTURE.

When I'm in the mood, I like to paint em... I have a couple livery Variants now and might add a few more. I don't typically build suff with mod parts though. So for me, it's just a way to liven-up my stock designs. The da vinci painting stuff looked a bit crude though (no offense). I like to paint over the stock parts with filtering in such a way that I can also maintain the original details of the stock parts.

I thought what I have listed only adds a ModulePartVariants if the module does NOT already exist? ...did I miscode it? I think it works. I read the "!" prequalifier as a logical NOT, correct? Otherwise, the point of the post was to get different opinions on how to do it more efficiently if you have a different idea. Edit: I just took a look at your guide, I think my only critique/suggestion would be... I don't think there's a need to ever write multiple (or overwrite previous) instances of ModulePartsVariants. I think the structure I have laid out here, should be the suggested form for Variant mods, as it only adds the modpartvariant module if it's needed. Otherwise, it skips the addition of a new instance, and just adds another Variant to the list. As for the internal names... I think the only risk might be stepping on someone else's names accidentally... possibly? Maybe good policy to put a unique prequalifier on them to minimize the risk.

Thanks for the feedback... interesting comment Assuming that I'm just adding variants to stock parts... The code seems to work fine when applied consecutively. Currently, I have two different livery mods, both using the same code and they seem to stack fine; both variants get applied to the same stock parts, and I plan to stack a few more like this. Why do you think it wouldn't work with other variant mods? Granted, if the other variant mods did not properly account for the possibility of another variant mod already adding ModulePartVariants, then those mods might cause something to fail; but I don't think this code would have any issues. ...possibly stepping on the same names for the Variants? Thus far, this code happily drops another Variant into the mix of whatever has already been done by any other variant mod. ...or at least that's how it seems to work in my testing so far? I'll look around for the Part Variant Guide thread, I may have scanned that one already, but will look again.

By the way @sarbian's DebugStuff mod is simply brilliant!

I've been working on custom liveries for use with the new Variant construct introduced with 1.4. I'm aware of certain issues regarding the command modules and how they break the flags and so forth. However, assuming those issues get sorted... I have the following Mod Manager script that seems to work quite well for adding my custom livery files as a Variant for each part that I want. ////////// avionicsNoseCone \\\\\\\\\\ @PART[avionicsNoseCone]:HAS[!MODULE[ModulePartVariants]] { MODULE { name = ModulePartVariants primaryColor = #ffffff secondaryColor = #4c4f47 baseDisplayName = White baseThemeName = White } } @PART[avionicsNoseCone] { @MODULE[ModulePartVariants] { VARIANT { name = Stealth displayName = Stealth themeName = Stealth primaryColor = #2c2c2c //dark gray secondaryColor = #000000 //black TEXTURE { mainTextureURL = Livery/Stealth/Skins/Airbrake } } } } This works fine, and if you notice, the first thing it does is adds a ModulePartVariants module to the part, but only if the module does not exist. Then, it adds the new Variant for the custom livery. Couple questions for you all... 1) given that this is the syntax for a single part, and it's rather lengthy... Do you see any way it could be streamlined and maintain functionality? 2) the "name", "displayName", and "themeName" seem a bit redundant... but it seems to work like this? Am I misnaming something here? ...or should they be different for some reason?

@Kronus_Aerospace I wish there was a way to do stock fowlers on big wings like that. I s'pose some small split flaps on top may suffice.

@Kronus_Aerospace Last time I saw a framerate like that... I believe it was 1974 and I was playing on a ViewMaster.

@hellblazer That was pretty impressive! I was in awe right up to the point where the muppets made an appearance in the command seat. LOL! ...otherwise, very nice video and modelling there. Not sure how you upgrade your astronauts for the next video.

There should be KSP Legos! ...the Kerbal head already pretty much looks like a Lego minifig head anyway.

Orbital Stealth Bomber - Sci-Operative Insertion Mission

Completed enough of my "Stealth Livery Variant" skins to properly outfit My SB-24 Banshee as a Stealth Bomber! I particularly like the new gold anodized shock tubes and red-lined gear and bay doors...

Have you by chance already posted this one to the Squad Bug Tracker? ...if so, I will try to locate it to upvote, and maybe anyone else who stumbles upon this thread will do the same. It would be nice to be able to use Variants on all parts without breaking the flags! If not, I'll post it.

Thanks, I'll checkout that tool! ...and yeah, my limited tinkering this evening had the flag reverting back to white as soon as the part hit the runway. Guess I'll have to live with duplicate parts for those that have flags; at least for now.

@Electrocutor Thanks, I was kinda afraid that might be the case... Although, it would be nice to know what the "xxx" is for the various parts with flags. I guess we may just have to wait until Squad puts out a variant for each of the flag parts to find out. In the meantime, I s'pose I can live with toggling the flags on/off in the SPH at design time. Still better than creating a whole batch of duplicate parts. Assuming that once the flags are assigned they "stick" throughout the mission and save game files.

Part Variants introduced in 1.4 have inspired me to revisit custom liveries. Today Green Cherub Lead Solo Karon Kerman was out practicing for the 2018 Kerbal Beach Air Show with a fresh new coat of paint! I have a decent GIMP setup now for rapidly adding custom liveries to the stock skins. No tedious pixel editing or actual painting skills involved. Just basic vector shapes and solid color area bucket fills. The bi-view (sans alpha channel) below shows the before/after on the Green Cherub Livery cockpit. I think next, I'd like to see how my Sci-Bomber will look with radar absorbent coating... I'm pretty close now on the GIMP setup for converting the skins to Stealth Variants.

@Cavscout74 Nice SSTO, and good luck on the Jool flight! ...add some drills and a little refinery to it and you can just refuel along the way. I like the Jedi insignia!

Maybe... I have more important things documented in the bug tracker that I want them to fix first! ...and unfortunately, those are already hovering slightly above new witty sayings.

@Foxster Great... and I assume the priority on that bug fix is probably somewhere below adding new funny things to say on the load screen.

@Bottle Rocketeer 500 Thanks, I see that in a typical part that has a flag... they added a new module for FlagDecal as follows: MODULE { name = FlagDecal textureQuadName = FLAG } My issue is with the code below is that it overwrites all textures on the part, including the textureQuadName = FLAG assignment... TEXTURE { mainTextureURL = Livery/Livery Name/Skins/Mk1Cockpit } This evening, I will try a few variations on the following to see if it works... TEXTURE { mainTextureURL = Livery/Livery Name/Skins/Mk1Cockpit textureQuadName = FLAG } I didn't see any references to "making the flag white" in the mk2CockpitStandard.cfg file that I reviewed.

@SpannerMonkey(smce) ...thanks, were you pointing me to this because he/she has the same exact issue as noted above in a mod for tinting colors? Therefore suggesting there is an unresolved bug in KSP regarding this? Or possibly we are ahead of @SQUAD in the development process and they just haven't instituted the changes required yet for part variants that involve parts with flags? (and possibly good reason why we don't see any variants in these parts yet)

Shifted my attention over to custom liveries again... Using Module Manager to patch in the VARIANT module seems to be the best approach, I have encountered one minor snag however and wondering if anyone (or perhaps @SQUAD) might provide some guidance here. The issue involves adding a variant to a part that displays a mission flag. The following code applies the new texture to the part, the problem is... it applies it to the flag as well. I'd like to know how to specifically reference the part body and leave the flag as whatever is being displayed in the SPH/VAB. The snippet of code that sets both the part and the flag to the same texture looks like this: VARIANT { . . . TEXTURE { mainTextureURL = Livery/Livery Name/Skins/Mk1Cockpit } } After studying the structure of the Fairings part files, I know there are ways to specify that a texture be applied to an element of the object, such as the FairingIconShell noted below... TEXTURE { materialName=FairingIconShell mainTextureURL = Squad/Parts/Aero/fairings/fairings_diff } EXTRA_INFO { FairingsTextureURL=Squad/Parts/Aero/fairings/fairings_diff FairingsNormalURL=Squad/Parts/Aero/fairings/fairings_normals } I just don't know how to specifically reference the part for Mk1Cockpit and exclude the flag or specifically set the flag to Alpha or the default SPH/VAB flag? ...any assistance here with the correct object model code references would be much appreciated!

Am I imagining things? ...in previous versions, when I disabled "Show Space Center Crew" in game settings, didn't these things disappear?

@PB666 Mmmm... Okay?

@PB666 Mmmm... Okay? @Pawelk198604 Consider yourself in violation of FAA virtual airspace regulations. The Blue Angels will now be dispatched to troll your position. ...and in the future, please stay clear of Honolulu controlled airspace!