Part recycling mod with KIS integration

[Hexicube]

It's fairly simple conceptually, should work like this:

* New part: Part Recombiner

* Part Recombiner will have a KIS inventory, preferably only capable of storing specific parts (which will be components from dismantled parts)

* These new component parts should all be stackable, similar to ground pylons and explosives

* Part Recombiner can dismantle any part in another KIS container on the vessel, if that container allows it (primarily the big cylinder one)

* All dismantle-able parts are made of multiple different components, for instance the small 'twitch' engine will give a low amount of thruster components, a bit of metal, and a gimbal unit

* Part Recombiner will be able to create any other part it has the components for, so I could dismantle a bunch of twitch engines and make a terrier engine from them

I would also like to be able to fabricate components from ore, but it should be very expensive in both ore and electricity. The mod is primarily intended for part recycling on my Mun base, so this is optional.

It would also be nice if there was an option per-part to only allow deconstruction. That would help to remove clutter on the "build a new part" screen, as some parts have no point being there (such as SRBs), but not prevent tearing those parts down if I happen to have them.

Preferably, all declarations for what part gives what components should either be a module added to that part (via ModuleManager), or a declaration similar to a RESOURCE listing. I want to be able to easily add my own component listings, so that every part I have would be able to be dismantled.

If you've played Space Engineers, imagine the mod gives capabilities similar to grinding down a ship or two to create a completely different ship. I would have the ability to grind down some wheels and docking ports to create an ION drive, some OX-STAT panels to make a folding-outwards panel (using the motors from the wheels), and some girders to make a Xenon tank and external command seat, and then just slap on a small reaction wheel I found lying around. Suddenly, I have a small ION exploration craft, despite never bringing those parts with me.

This is the list of components I would like to see parts made of (probably need more, and you do not need to follow this list anyway):

* Metal - Every part will have some amount of this, reaction wheels will have quite a bit

* Thruster - All engines, RCS ports

* Motor - Reaction wheels, powered wheels, most parts with moving bits

* Computer - Any reasonably 'intelligent' part, such as the large solar panel, cockpits, probe cores

* Electromagnet - Wheels (braking system), ION drive, docking ports

* Solar Panel - Self descriptive

If the mod is made to a sufficiently good standard (and functions how I want it to), I would be willing to pay you for your efforts since it would appear to be a fairly complex task overall. This will be negotiated after you demonstrate the mod is working, most likely via screen sharing (as giving me the mod before getting payment would be unfair to you).

[hab136]

Take a look at OSE Workshop - it produces and recycles KIS items using the "MaterialKits" resource.

Turning parts into specific resources (Metal, Thruster, etc) is what EPL is doing with "recipes". Both EPL and UKS will use that recipe system; after it's released OSE could be modified to use it as well.

[Hexicube]

I didn't even know OSE Workshop existed, probably due to it's nature of not being finished. It's close to what I want, but having everything clumped into 1 item for production is against what I'm after.

I've messaged the author of that mod to see if they're willing to use multiple resources for parts, if not my request is still open. I'd modify OSE to use multiple parts, but the issue is that I want those parts to share a common storage capacity, whereas the resource system caps per resource, so that's out of the question.

[edit] The author wanted to do what I was after in the past, but struggled to work out how to do recipes nicely. They seem to be open to discussion on the matter, so I'm trying to help find a good solution for the time being.

Edited July 28, 2015 by Hexicube

[hab136]

the issue is that I want those parts to share a common storage capacity, whereas the resource system caps per resource, so that's out of the question.

It's possible to change resource capacities on the fly; both ART and Station Science do that. A mod could shrink the max resource values in proportion to what's in the containers. For example if you start with:

0/5000 Metal

0/5000 Thrusters

0/5000 Motor

Add 100 Thrusters, so shrink Metal and Motor capacities:

0/4900 Metal

100/5000 Thrusters

0/4900 Motor

It's probably more sensible to use KIS though.

[Hexicube]

It's possible to change resource capacities on the fly; both ART and Station Science do that. A mod could shrink the max resource values in proportion to what's in the containers. For example if you start with:

0/5000 Metal

0/5000 Thrusters

0/5000 Motor

Add 100 Thrusters, so shrink Metal and Motor capacities:

0/4900 Metal

100/5000 Thrusters

0/4900 Motor

It's probably more sensible to use KIS though.

I'm having decent luck with making my own KIS integrated mod, so I'll probably stick with that. Progress is decent so far, I have a working implementation that can dismantle any part that has a HEXI_RECYCLE node, which looks like this:

HEXI_RECYCLE
{
	canCreate = true (all parts with the node can be dismantled, this toggles if it can be created again)
	timeToDismantle = 60 (time in seconds to dismantle)
	costToDismantle = 600 (ElectricCharge cost to dismantle, doubled for construction currently)
	metal = 100 (gives/costs 100 metal)
}

So far, all the components are stored on the "Part Reconstructinator" module, but I plan on making a KIS item for each item so that they can be stored inside KIS containers (with excess components blocking usage of the part until space is available in a container). One thing I need to account for is TweakScale, which would obviously multiply all the values in the node by a specific amount, but I need to also make integration with it work in a way that makes it optional.