Launchclamps crash into rocket and follow into space

[Hotblack Desiato]

Build-ID: 008302015.04.26 CESTBranch: master

(in other words, ksp 1.0)

OS: Win7 64 bit, AMD Athlon II X4 640, 6 gb ram, 1920x1080 (2x).

link to the craft-file (yes, it's large): https://www.dropbox.com/s/y9amtws5y80pg5g/heavy%20stock.craft?dl=0

problem: at approximately 6000m height, the launchclamps on the pad overheat and at least one of them gets destroyed in that process. a few others (6-10) snap up to the rocket and destroy a few engines/tanks (thankfully, this particular design can withstand the loss of a few parts). then the launchclamps stand still in mid air, until the distance between the rocket and the clamps is greater than 5-6km. they snap again, and then travel along with the rocket in a few hundred meters distance.

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if first happened in a modded install (USI-mods, with parts of Roverdudes FTT-mod built into the rocket), I "stockified" the rocket and ran it on an unmodded install to show, that is is in fact not mod-related.

This happened several times, so it's quite reproducable... and yes, I once dragged them all the way up into an orbit.

EDIT: from the arrangement of the flying launchclamps: I had an issue with symmetry in symmetry during construction. and we know that KSP always had problems with that issue. and there is no flying launchclamp in the center of the group, they just form a ring. the central rocket has no symmetry in symmetry, as the outer ones were first clones of the central one.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Hotblack Desiato

[sal_vager]

I'm not able to reproduce this, sorry, your craft file leaves all the launch clamps behind on the pad, do you still have addons installed but not used in that save? Just having them can still affect KSP.

Also, please see the support stickies and provide your game logs if this happens again

Edit:

It just happened, I think, something fell off the craft that looked like a launch clamp o.O

No errors, somethings up with your craft.

Edited May 1, 2015 by sal_vager

[Hotblack Desiato]

my guess is, that this bug already existed in previous versions of the game.

but since everything outside a 2.5 km bubble isn't allowed to do anything (and even if, it gets deleted) in versions prior to 1.0, it never showed up (they started flying after the rocket was in 6km distance. (although I've already seen orbiting launchclamps, but never the reason for them... and that was in modded installs, so I thought that a mod messed up).

here, someone experienced the same bug:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/117847-launch-stability-enhancer-following-my-craft-to-orbit (but his clamps don't crash into his rocket).

maybe there is something in common with our rockets?

regarding mods: I have 2 installs of KSP 1.0, one with mods, and one deliberately without mods. after I saw the bug, I removed all mod-parts and moved the rocket itself over to the non-modded install for further testing.

It just happened, I think, something fell off the craft that looked like a launch clamp o.O

yes, and that's the reason for picture number 4 in my list, to show, that no single launchclamp was stuck in between the rocket towers. because that was my first guess too, that something got stuck in between. but no, after the first launchclamp gets fried on the pad (with the craft 6km away), some of them decide to jump up to the rocket.

Edited May 1, 2015 by Hotblack Desiato

[Twurtz]

I have seen this 'phenomenon' before, both in recent and older versions of KSP and in modded and stock installs alike. Personally I refer to it as my ship having 'the clamps'.

It doesn't seem to happen with all craft, and it doesn't always result in collisions, sometimes the launch clamps just seem to become lonely and want to say 'hi'. It seems to happen more with the FASA clamps than with the stock ones.

A workaround I usually employ is sticking a couple of radial detachers on the vessel, then attach the clamps either to those or to something you place in between, such as a strut block, to provide a bit of clearance. You then launch as normal (in whatever fashion you like to release your clamps) and then drop the radial detachers afterwards. I have never observed any post-launch clamp-biting when applying this somewhat clumsy approach, and it always fixes the problem for the craft that has 'the clamps'.

[biohazard15]

I've experienced this bug with Tier 2 launchpad, but never with Tier 3.

[Twurtz]

I've experienced this bug with Tier 2 launchpad, but never with Tier 3.

It just now happened to me with a launch in career mode (which would be a tier 3 launchpad); removing all clamps from the core stack, and adding to the side boosters instead, made the clamps stay on the ground where they belong.

[Capt. Hunt]

I have this problem as well.

[jkool702]

I have a theory why this is happening....I think it has to do with a rocket being too wide for the launch pad and having a clamp hanging off the edge of the launch pad. This leads to the clamp being grounded in mid-air instead of in the ground. See example here: http://i.imgur.com/Hb9D8JP.jpg

The rocket shown in that picture experienced a similar problem (clamp was respawned and released several times during flight), and as far as I could tell it was always the clamp that was initially hanging that respawned. I haven't extensively tested this theory, so if anyone wants to give it a try go for it.

[Capt. Hunt]

I've had this happen with rockets that don't hang off the edge of the pad.

[jkool702]

I've had this happen with rockets that don't hang off the edge of the pad.

Ah....oh well for that theory.

[WyDavies]

I was just searching on the forums as I had a launch of a huge rocket go perfectly fine until I hit 50,000 metres and then suddenly a launch clamp appeared about 20 metres away from my ship, flying in formation.

Reverting to launch and it turned out to be the one clamp that was hanging off the edge of the launch pad and so was floating in the air before launch.

This seems slightly different from the cases mentioned above as the launch clamp only decided to join me at 50km altitude. I was recording in FRAPS and you can see the launch clamp suddenly pop into view. I've fixed it by moving the clamp slightly so it doesn't hang off the edge of the launch pad.

[WeirdCulture]

hmm i have this too. it happens to an unmodded and modded installs. very annoying bug the clamps are being spawned repeatedly during the whole ascent

[jkool702]

hmm i have this too. it happens to an unmodded and modded installs. very annoying bug the clamps are being spawned repeatedly during the whole ascent

Any chance on yours the clamps are hanging off the launchpad when you launch?

[pincushionman]

How exactly are the clamps implemented in game? I would think ideally they would be truly fixed to Kerbin's frame of reference, but when I was doing some horizontal engine tests, I was able to - very slowly - drag the clamped vessel down the runway on tests of the very-high-thrust engines like the Mainsail and some of the heavy KW (yes, modded) models, almost like the clamps were a huge mass you couldn't (normally) overcome.

[WeirdCulture]

Any chance on yours the clamps are hanging off the launchpad when you launch?

Dear jkook702. Thank you! After your comment I started to check this out a little bit. It seems that it has something to do with the position of the craft in the VAB and then on the launchpad.

I have played a little bit around and this is what I have found out that not every clamp is following me, just a few of them (2 of 3)

If the craft is centred in the VAB (the upper, green edged part of the picture) and the clamps are not off the grids at the launchpad (I've marked the area in yellow), the clamps doesn't appear nearly exact every 6000 meters.

If the craft is not centred and the clamps are of the grid like in the lower (red edged) part of the picture, the clamps are appearing every 6000m.

I am not sure if the grids on the launchpad are the borders or if other thresholds exists, but it works as a workaround and as a rule of thumb. Thank You!

PS: I've tried this in my heavy moddet install, so I think this will work on unmoddet installations too.

EDIT: oops... in the meantime SQUAD released 1.0.3

[blnk2007]

Dear jkook702. Thank you! After your comment I started to check this out a little bit. It seems that it has something to do with the position of the craft in the VAB and then on the launchpad.

I have played a little bit around and this is what I have found out that not every clamp is following me, just a few of them (2 of 3)

If the craft is centred in the VAB (the upper, green edged part of the picture) and the clamps are not off the grids at the launchpad (I've marked the area in yellow), the clamps doesn't appear nearly exact every 6000 meters.

If the craft is not centred and the clamps are of the grid like in the lower (red edged) part of the picture, the clamps are appearing every 6000m.

I am not sure if the grids on the launchpad are the borders or if other thresholds exists, but it works as a workaround and as a rule of thumb. Thank You!

PS: I've tried this in my heavy moddet install, so I think this will work on unmoddet installations too.

http://i.imgur.com/bUWYFej.jpg

EDIT: oops... in the meantime SQUAD released 1.0.3

This hasn't worked for me. Any other solutions?

- - - Updated - - -

I have seen this 'phenomenon' before, both in recent and older versions of KSP and in modded and stock installs alike. Personally I refer to it as my ship having 'the clamps'.

It doesn't seem to happen with all craft, and it doesn't always result in collisions, sometimes the launch clamps just seem to become lonely and want to say 'hi'. It seems to happen more with the FASA clamps than with the stock ones.

A workaround I usually employ is sticking a couple of radial detachers on the vessel, then attach the clamps either to those or to something you place in between, such as a strut block, to provide a bit of clearance. You then launch as normal (in whatever fashion you like to release your clamps) and then drop the radial detachers afterwards. I have never observed any post-launch clamp-biting when applying this somewhat clumsy approach, and it always fixes the problem for the craft that has 'the clamps'.

I'll try this.

[Hotblack Desiato]

interesting, so the bug is still in the game

(I found this nice thread http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/128122-Launch-Clamps-follow-me-into-space )

let's hope that this bug gets fixed sooner than later... launchclamps aren't supposed to fly.

[WeirdCulture]

interesting, so the bug is still in the game

(I found this nice thread http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/128122-Launch-Clamps-follow-me-into-space )

You have created an infinite loopthread

[Alchemist]

Here's what I had: clamps appearing in orbit (seemed to be orbiting properly). Unfortunately didn't think of checking logs, but here's the video. Note: the craft was centered on the pad, but there was an... accident with booster separation.

Launch

In orbit - with orbiting clamps!

Also, the unedited footage of the launch

KSP 1.0.4, Windows7 x64

Edited July 9, 2015 by Alchemist

[mythbusters844]

Wouldn't an easy fix be to destroy the launch clamps when you're far enough away from them? They're removed from the save file on save and load anyway.

[Claw]

Dear jkook702. Thank you! After your comment I started to check this out a little bit. It seems that it has something to do with the position of the craft in the VAB and then on the launchpad.

I have played a little bit around and this is what I have found out that not every clamp is following me, just a few of them (2 of 3)

This is the kind of work that helps me create fixes. I didn't notice the recent posts in this thread until today, but seeing this, I might know what the problem is...or at least I know where to dig in now.

Great job finding this!

Cheers,

~Claw

[WeirdCulture]

The thanks go to jkook702. he was the one who brings me to this.

There is also a confirmed bug in the tracker: http://bugs.kerbalspaceprogram.com/issues/4766

[yorshee]

I've been experiencing this too, I know the cause for some instances of the bug have already been found, but I'm not sure if all of them have.

I've consistently found this bug when:

• The launch clamps are outside the circle marked on the VAB's floor
  
• The launch clamps are damaged from rocket exhaust
  
• The launchpad is destroyed on liftoff
  

[zilfondel]

I've had this same issue starting in 1.0 (new game) and continuing through 1.04. Today I had a small rocket, launch clamps entirely within the pad, destroyed at ~6,000 meters due to a collision with a launch clamp that blew all of the rocket engines off of my rocket.

Additionally, every. single. rocket. launch. goes up with orbital launch clamps. I have to actually go into the tracking station and trash them, otherwise they will orbit forever.

Lastly, my launch clamps persist after a launch. I have to clean them up from the pad as well - they don't go away on their own, and I've heard they are supposed to following a launch?

I should note that I have never destroyed my launchpad, and I normally don't even move the rocket - its in the default centered position in the VAB when I build it.

[FungusForge]

I've been experiencing this too, I know the cause for some instances of the bug have already been found, but I'm not sure if all of them have.

I've consistently found this bug when:

• The launch clamps are outside the circle marked on the VAB's floor
  
• The launch clamps are damaged from rocket exhaust
  
• The launchpad is destroyed on liftoff
  

Pre-1.0 I had it happen while trying to launch a 300+ part rocket with BD armory installed (BDA can extend the physics range). I took BDA out and the problem was solved. So when they announce a physics range extension and the bug rears its ugly face in stock, I can only assume the root cause is the physics range extension and possibly lag since I only encounter it with my big builds.