strider3

Here's 2 screens of my settings. I've been playing with them maxed out with no real issues...until now. Which of these settings might help in getting the station completed? I've heard that my open docking ports can also be a "drag" on my system. I'm hoping once these port are filled, things will return to normal.

I've gone to a backup save where no other ships but the station are in Kerbin orbit, and started the Window Performance Monitor. Flying the station, I'm getting regular flashes to yellow but I do not see CPU or Memory maxing out on the performance monitor?

I'm still at a loss. I get a few, short "yellows" but whenever I have them, I can't dock or even target a port on my station without it coming apart. There are no "moments of extreme physical stress"...unless you count targeting a docking port as such? I have no graphics mods installed...I prefer performance over "pretty pictures". So...anybody else have a suggestion on what is going on?

To try and eliminate possible resource "stealers" (viruses and such) I did do a scan of my system and found some items to quarantine and remove. Where these stealing resources while playing KSP...I don't know. But which "performance issue" are we talking about...what part of my rig is not able to keep up with the simulation...RAM, CPU, GPU? Will any of these cause the yellow flashes on the time indication...or does it come from only 1? The part count on this station is much smaller (at this point in it's construction) than previous stations I have built, so I don't get why this has suddenly become an issue.

I am having an issue with the time numbers, in the upper left of the KSP window, flashing to yellow. I'm told this indicates a problem that will start a "physics warp" issue, which is causing my orbital station to come apart when setting a port on the station as "target" or when actually docking with the port. What, exactly, is the time numbers turning to yellow momentarily telling me? Is it a RAM issue, a CPU issue? What exactly should I be looking at to troubleshoot and alleviate the problem?

Well, Ladies and Gentlemen...I give up. Now the station comes apart when setting one of it's docking ports as "Target" for the incoming tank hauler. Somebody will need to explain why that happens...no docking is occurring, I am simply selecting the port that I want to target. I don't understand why this "physics warp" issue has started. I have built large stations, with the weldable Konstruction ports...without any of these issues in previous versions of KSP. Is it a 1.7 thing? I have no idea. I'm going to fire up the Xbox and go shoot something.

Here's "plan C"...ongoing...so far, so good. I've reduced the amount of "open" docking ports by only putting them on 2 of the 4 arms. In hindsight my original design was overly complicated and the new design results in the same amount of fuel/LOx available. The other 2 arms are now used to store fuel (in the octo-girders they are made from) and as an attachment points for portable struts from the tanks mounted on the other 2 arms. The struts may not be necessary...but most times I've said that in the past, a Kraken visits...sooooo. I've also reduced the amount of "open" docking ports by only attaching one arm with them and then covering 4 of the ports with tanks, and welding them. In the screenshot below I've got 2 tank sets attached and will bring up 2 more before launching the other arm that has ports. The reduction of "open" docking ports seems to have been the single biggest help with the previous issues with the induced physics warp in previous station building attempts. (thanks to 5thHorseman for pointing this out, as I had NO idea). Thanks to all and I'll post an updated screenshot once (and "if" ) she's completed.

Plan "C". Start with a modified central stack, leaving the cupola as the Root and using only auto-strut Grandparent. Use only 2 arms with the docking ports as I didn't seem to start having issues until trying to attach the 4th (and final) arm. I want to keep the lights so I can see what I'm doing during construction on "night side". This begs a question, is there a way to turn certain banks of lights on and off while not affecting others? The other 2 arms will still be attached but will not have docking ports...I can use them as a place for portable struts if the tanks start to get "wobblies". As always keep the torque setting low on the stations reaction wheels, turn off RCS and SAS on the docking vessel just before docking. We'll see if that helps.

HMmm...I was under the impression that once you set the "Root" part in the VAB, it stays set? But, then again, when I bring the four station arms up to orbit, to attach them to the central hub, those crafts will also, by necessity, have a root part as they are separately constructed in the VAB. I never use "heaviest" part for a refueling station (or much else, for that matter) as that will change as I transfer fuel. Is there some way to stop this transfer of "Root" part? I'm guessing there is no way to turn off this docking port behavior, temporarily, until I'm ready to actually dock something? In truth, even if I could, if you can't turn it back on for only the one port you currently want to dock with, the results would be the same. Here's a screenshot of the "problem child" right after some parts come off, about a second after "welding" the last arm (this attempt made it past the docking stage but came apart during the weld), and also a screenshot of a previous version which did not have so many issues during docking and welding (obviously). The octo-girder, that the 4 arms attach to, was set as root in the VAB. As I said though, each of the individual arms launch as a separate craft, with it's own root. As mentioned, lots of empty docking ports (more and more as each arm is attached!). These are Konstruction weldable ports but I don't think it matters according to 5thHoreseman's statement (I did start this search for answers at the "Konstruction!" mod forum, but the more replies I got, the more it seems to be more than just a single cause). Each arm's "inner" octo-girder section (the one with the port on it) is set to auto-strut to root part, the other parts, including the other (outer) octo-girder, are all set to grandparent as is everything else on the central stack other than the previously mentioned "root" part. You'll also notice a smaller amount of lights on the previous version...the increased lighting on the new version is, I'm guessing another additive to the slow down? You'll notice how many tanks I had managed to attach on the previous version, possibly covering up "empty" ports and reducing the slowdown with each additional tank. I started over as the portable strutting on the old version was getting out of control and trying to attach a portable strut during EVA also resulted in parts coming off, at time, but not always. And besides...it was getting ugly as sin So, friends...any suggestions going forward? I've been using struts, of one type or the other to 1. keep these parts together during launch, which is a primary concern. Without struts, the various parts wobble like an earthworm during launch and orbit insertion...and sometimes with spectacularly disastrous result...very "kerbal like". 2. To try and fend off the Kraken once the station is built and very large ships dock for refueling. I'm open to trying anything, at this point. I've been trying to get my station "commissioned" for over a month and exasperation is setting in. And while I'm asking, would the "slow down" be helped with a higher performance computer, or is it a product of the game, no matter what? I ask because MS is getting back into the flight simulator game in 2020 and I would hazard a guess that my 6 year old box won't run it.

I've moved to the gameplay forum with this as it could be the Konstruction weldable ports...or auto-strutting or, as you say, something running in the background. It was mentioned there that lots of "open" docking ports can also cause the slowdown...something about them searching to "acquire" another port constantly? Anyway, thank you much for the suggestions!

What are some of the causes? I am having problems with a station I'm putting together in orbit...a second or two after docking the next part, I'd get a wiggle and other parts of the station would come off. DStaal pointed out that the upper left time indicator was yellow, indicating a slow down. My previous station was much larger with many more parts than the one I'm currently putting together and it never suffered from this issue and the time indicator was always green. So if not craft "complexity", what else might I look at as a cause?

I wonder whats causing that? That would explain why I didn't have the issues on the earlier build.

"full speed"? I'm not sure what you mean by that? Where are you seeing this?

This is actually very small...all those Konstruction ports you see will have (and have had) tanks attached eventually. I had the thing almost completed but the portable strut locations were out of control so I'm trying to start over (see screenshot of previous below). I did not have this particular issue in the previous build. Your reply brings up several questions: Can the "node strength" be manipulated? Is there a setting on these Konstruction ports that deals with the forces produced during the "Compress Parts" (weld) function? In the interest of helping the helpers when (not if ) future problems occur, how do I go about logging when an issue occurs? Thank you!

Now when I "weld" two parts together other parts fly off?? In the screenshot below I have just "welded" the highlighted octo-girder to the central hub...and 2 seconds later a "mini-kraken" happens and 2 other girders come off. These arms were assembled in the VAB, not in space. What the heck? I've been trying to build this station for a month and it's one problem after another.

Awesome! Thanks Kerbiloid!!!

I use stack separators because I don't want a decoupler hanging out on my parts...especially when station building...I need the part separated from both ends. It's rare that a debris part hits my station while constructing it so I think the best remedy, for me, is to just go to the Tracking Station and delete the debris as it's created.

Does anyone know at what altitude (in meters) the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules would deploy chutes after re-entry?

Is it possible to create a custom action group that will delete all debris? I'm not at all familiar with action groups, BRW. I ask because I've already lost one Gigantor solar array while building my Kerbin space station...due to a wayward stack separator.

I remember watching Apollo missions as a kid (yeah, I'm that old ) and listening to the commentators talk about the angle of re-entry. Too steep and the capsule could burn up, too shallow and it could bounce off the atmosphere and be thrown back out into space. Every time I come in too shallow, in KSP, I do bounce back into orbit...but it's not like I'm headed to Kerbol after that. My apo is reduced every time this happens, on subsequent orbits, until I have a successful re-entry. I do try and avoid all that, of course, but was the whole "bouncing off into space, lost forever" a myth?

This happens immediately upon docking, no wobble at all. I always disable SAS just before docking anything to the station (learned that the hard way on my firsts stations). I disabled auto-strut on the ports and only auto-strut after I've welded the ports, which, at least visually, makes them gone so I can auto-strut girder to girder. This has solved the breaking up on docking issue. The last issue I ran across was these weldable ports refusing to dock. Found that only one of the ports should have any torque in the "roll" setting (this attempts to align the 2 ports so that everything is "square"). If both have some roll torque...no bueno...they just bounce off. So far, so good. Flying the last arm up now. Thanks!

Sheesh...I apparently have no idea what the settings do? LOL! Can you point me to more info on the entire "snap" and "angle" thingies?

I use the "port roll" to make sure my parts are aligning, radially, before docking, that way my station arms aren't "rolled" a few degrees off. But it appears having both ports with "port roll" set is a no no. Now that you mention it the "port range" was set higher on the stations port...probably should set the "incoming", docking craft to a higher number...not the "receiving" (station) port? Thanks buddy!

I took the "port roll" on the station's port to "0" (the bottom screenshot) and it docked just fine. I'll have to remember that.

Can 2 PAW's be shown...or will it take 2 screenshots?