KSP Modding Guide/Tutorial

[SkyeRangerDelta]

KSP Modding Guide & Tutorial

The new community source for mod development and discussion.

Current Thread Topic:

Hello there! Thanks for looking in.

I decided to start this thread because it seems that no where I look, I cannot find a standardized and up-to-date tutorial or guide to modding KSP. I have modded for Minecraft, Rimworld, and TF2. I wanted to go in depth with KSP and began with what I knew:

• Start with a Blender model at the scale of (1 Blender Unit = 1.25 KSP Units).
  
  
• Add a node_collider object to the Blender model
  
• Add a .cfg file to where your model is
  

Bam, you are done. I was lied to.

This topic's goal is to have the community engage in creating an understandable modding tutorial. Any help that you can afford and give to this topic will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks! And happy modding/flights!

-SkyeRangerDelta

[NathanKell]

Good start!

I'd say skip the 1.25 bit--it's always best to model at the exact size you want, and use rescaleFactor = 1.0, then to have an implicit 1.25x rescale.

[michaelhester07]

Tool chains: If you have your own tools all the better.

Models:

Gimp, Blender, Unity 4.2.2 (for animated textures), KSP Part Tools

Plugins:

Visual studio 2013 express for PC (free). MonoDevelop if you're used to that.

Setting up Visual Studio 2013 express for KSP plugins:

1. Start a new class project in c#.

2. under the references section in the solution explorer right click and choose "Add Reference".

3. Navigate to your KSP install, then to KSP_Data\Managed\

4. Select "Assembly-Csharp.dll" and "UnityEngine.dll", click OK.

5. Your visual studio is setup and ready to go.

[SkyeRangerDelta]

Thanks for your addition.

I will try this out. I appreciate your donations for 1.0.

[SkyeRangerDelta]

I actually use VS 2013 Professional, I had no idea that it tied into VS at all. I use Blender as well, however, my modelling skills are worth poop.

[SolidJuho]

You should add texturing guide for blender too.

[michaelhester07]

Blender + gimp Texture tutorial (cause i'm bored at work in the mornings )

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By the time you're done with this tutorial you'll have 3 textures:

warningStripes.png

PanelBump.png

PanelDiffuse.png

You can use gimp or parttools in unity to change them to a better format. The panel bump and diffuse go together and should be used with the KSP Bumped Diffuse shader. Once you mark the panelbump in unity as a bump map it will show you the final resulting look.

The best part about these textures is that since you made them you own the rights to em and could sell them. They have nothing to do with Kerbal Space Program or its licensing since you don't even touch those parts until the final model is done.

Edited May 7, 2015 by michaelhester07

[SkyeRangerDelta]

Thanks!

This will help me alot. I'm sure that this tutorial guide for modding will turn out OK. Now, do you know how to setup the proper workspace to mod? I understand that I need a separate instance for KSP with cut out parts(for reduced load time). How do I setup Unity, I know I need PartTools, but that is outdated by way far.

[michaelhester07]

A large amount of the material from here:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/94638-Mod-Development-Links-Compilation-START-HERE

Is still valid. At least the setting up of things is valid there.

[SkyeRangerDelta]

A large amount of the material from here:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/94638-Mod-Development-Links-Compilation-START-HERE

Is still valid. At least the setting up of things is valid there.

Thank You! This is exactly what I needed!

I hope that future thread visitors will find this and use it!