[1.2.x] Kerbal Hacks (Procedural Parts textures, Asphalt Tiles, Unusual parts, other hacks)

[Deimos Rast]

1 hour ago, Enceos said:

I couldn't contain myself today and traded KSP time to make this toy

Grab Here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/nd6c4mn1wn6bes5/MicHeadset.zip?dl=0

neat! I'm kind of thinking it should have a very very weak antenna, for communicating while on EVA or something.

[Ruedii]

That drop-tank wrapper is really cool.  Could you add a matching slanted aerodynamic cap?  (Or add an Interstellar mesh-switch for it.)

Also, could you switch to zip from RAR.  The 7zip version of the zip compression algorithm usually gets better compression than RAR and every major desktop operating system ships with tools built into their file managers to decompress unencrypted zip files.  (Windows, OS X and Linux all have Zip decompression programs built into their file managers.  This is not so with RAR, which requires the installation of unrar utilities, which for OS X and Windows which use bloated utilities that have to be downloaded from web sites, often including various junkware along with it.)

Edited November 17, 2016 by Ruedii
Moar ideas

[Enceos]

@Ruedii I thought I changed all archives from .rar to .zip already. But after a second check found that the ScienceCrate still has the old link and some arrow images had an old link as well. Thanks for notifying.

Edited November 17, 2016 by Enceos

[Ruedii]

As a note, using the command line "P7zip" utility for compression with the command line "7z a -t -mx9 -mm=LZMA <archivename> <directory or file list>" will get you about 10-20% better compression while creating a standard zip archive that doesn't require a 7zip compatible reader.  (It might not read on old DOS zip versions, but almost all modern unzip programs support LZMA.)  This probably isn't a big deal with your current mod, but if you make bigger mods it will help. 

There are a few settings you can tune further to get better compression, but it doesn't really benefit to the point that it outweighs the time it takes.  (Still, it's a fun experiment.)

As a note, 7zip format gets about 5-20% better compression but it usually hangs around the 5% end on smaller archives, and not everyone has a 7zip decompressor installed.  It ships by default with OS X and most Linux distros (like zip).  However, it doesn't on Windows.  Microsoft seems resistant to new more-efficient community developed file formats.  Namely that community developed, (i.e. open-source) part.

Here is a quick comparison on compression on the contents of the Science Crate pack:
Utilizing standard zip utility (same algorithm as PKZip 4.x): 202.6KB
Utilizing 7zip deflate algorithm (similar to PKZip 4.x) 197.3KB
Utilizing 7zip LZMA algorithm at standard settings 168.6KB
Utilizing 7zip LZMA algorithm on ultra settings 168.5KB (Took less than a half second longer)
Utilizing 7zip LZMA algorithm on ultra settings w/ tuned fastbyte option 168.4KB (Took about 12 tries to find the right fastbyte setting.)
7zip file format (LZMA default) standard settings: 167.7KB
7zip file format (LZMA default) ultra settings: 167.5KB
7zip file format (LZMA default) ultra settings with tuned fastbyte option 167.4KB

As you can see, while the gain is small for ultra settings, it's probably worth it, considering that you might have to use command line anyway use LZMA type compression with zip.

Notably, the RAR algorithm on the package was 189.4KB, substantially higher than any of the LZMA compression methods.

Edited November 17, 2016 by Ruedii

[Ruedii]

On a completely different topic, I'd like to ask if you are having problems with KIS causing your asphalt tiles to blow up on attachment to the ground.  I know some people have had that issue with KIS in their mods.  I do know the (temporary) fix until the issue with KIS is resolved.

[Enceos]

4 hours ago, Ruedii said:

On a completely different topic, I'd like to ask if you are having problems with KIS causing your asphalt tiles to blow up on attachment to the ground.  I know some people have had that issue with KIS in their mods.  I do know the (temporary) fix until the issue with KIS is resolved.

I've never had my launchpads blow up, have you? Rule of thumb is don't connect it to a base with pipes. KIS ground attachment doesn't like wide structures connected to the ground, because when loading a big base or jumping with it from a timewarp it clips into terrain sometimes. KSP readjusts its position and then kaboom happens. But afaik in KSP 1.2 devs made all parts invulnerable for a second on load. Surface attached bases shouldn't blow up, just hop into the air.

Edited November 17, 2016 by Enceos

[Enceos]

@FreeThinker @Deimos Rast @Stone Blue @vardicd @hab136

The long awaited and highly sought aerodynamic nosecap for the Wrapper tanks.

Despite the simple shape it took me almost 10 hours to finish this. The juggling with grey shades and fiddling with attachment nodes ate half of it. I'm not a master of aircraft textures like Porkjet or K.Yeon.

Updated the droptank archive with new stuff.

 

Edited November 18, 2016 by Enceos

[Ruedii]

21 hours ago, Enceos said:

I've never had my launchpads blow up, have you? Rule of thumb is don't connect it to a base with pipes. KIS ground attachment doesn't like wide structures connected to the ground, because when loading a big base or jumping with it from a timewarp it clips into terrain sometimes. KSP readjusts its position and then kaboom happens. But afaik in KSP 1.2 devs made all parts invulnerable for a second on load. Surface attached bases shouldn't blow up, just hop into the air.

Good to know.  I had a bad problem with SEP parts blowing up on connection to the ground.

I wonder if that momentary invulnerability could be used to fix KIS issues with blowing up right on attachment too.

[FreeThinker]

4 hours ago, Enceos said:

Despite the simple shape it took me almost 10 hours to finish this. The juggling with grey shades and fiddling with attachment nodes ate half of it. I'm not a master of aircraft textures like Porkjet or K.Yeon.

 

The best things in life take a little effort. Great work!

ps. it might be an idea to include some stretched variants as well

Edited November 18, 2016 by FreeThinker

[vardicd]

15 hours ago, Enceos said:

@FreeThinker @Deimos Rast @Stone Blue @vardicd @hab136

The long awaited and highly sought aerodynamic nosecap for the Wrapper tanks.

Despite the simple shape it took me almost 10 hours to finish this. The juggling with grey shades and fiddling with attachment nodes ate half of it. I'm not a master of aircraft textures like Porkjet or K.Yeon.

Updated the droptank archive with new stuff.

 

Yyyyyyyyyyyyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssssssssssssssssssss

[RoboRay]

I would suggest breaking the Wrapper droptanks out into a separate mod thread of their own.  They're kind of buried in here, and I think such a unique set of parts would be a lot more popular if they were more visible.  There's really nothing else like them.  I actually had trouble finding my way back to where I got them because the thread title doesn't refer to them.

Edited December 2, 2016 by RoboRay

[Enceos]

18 hours ago, RoboRay said:

I would suggest breaking the Wrapper droptanks out into a separate mod thread of their own.  They're kind of buried in here, and I think such a unique set of parts would be a lot more popular if they were more visible.  There's really nothing else like them.  I actually had trouble finding my way back to where I got them because the thread title doesn't refer to them.

You might be right, but it's a pack of 4 parts, too small for a separate thread. My bad for not finding time to get it on Spacedock and CKAN though. It definitely needs to be done.

[Stone Blue]

On 12/3/2016 at 8:27 AM, Enceos said:

You might be right, but it's a pack of 4 parts, too small for a separate thread. My bad for not finding time to get it on Spacedock and CKAN though. It definitely needs to be done.

The way I keep all the "hacks" packages together and organized, is i prefixed them all with "Kerbal Hacks- "  ie

Kerbal Hacks- Droptank Wrapper v16-11-17 (1.2.1)

Kerbal Hacks- Asphalt Tiles v1.1 (1.0.5)

Kerbal Hacks- Science Crate v16-04-01 (1.1.0)

(I always add the mod vers and KSP vers, but I'm not suggesting that)

I agree, these are all GREAT little parts mods, but yeah, the functions are not really similar enough that they should be grouped together in ONE... Yet they are also really too small to bother releasing under seperate threads....

So I would suggest ust pushing the "Kerbal Hacks" brand name more.... I would make sure to prefix the mod "names" on SpaceDock, as well as the file names...
But thats ust what "I" would do, so its ust a suggestion in case you hadnt already considered it...

Edited December 21, 2016 by Stone Blue

[linuxgurugamer]

On 12/3/2016 at 8:27 AM, Enceos said:

You might be right, but it's a pack of 4 parts, too small for a separate thread. My bad for not finding time to get it on Spacedock and CKAN though. It definitely needs to be done.

If you upload them to SpaceDock, I'll make sure the CKAN files get generated correctly.

These look (in the words of Tony the tiger) GRRRREEEAAAAAATTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!

 

Oh, and FYI, there are a number of single-part mods which do have their own thread.

Edited December 21, 2016 by linuxgurugamer

[Enceos]

@linuxgurugamer The only thing that stops me now is the lack of decent pictures and a lack of time to make them unfortunately.

And thanks for the compliment

[Enceos]

The Droptank "Wrapper" now has its own thread.

 

[linuxgurugamer]

@Enceos

Is the VensStylePPTextures 1.2.2 compatible?  If so, could you mark it as such in Spacedock?  And let me know, so I can update CKAN

Thanks

[Enceos]

@linuxgurugamer Don't worry, my CKAN files mark my mods compatible with all versions of KSP.

[linuxgurugamer]

1 hour ago, Enceos said:

@linuxgurugamer Don't worry, my CKAN files mark my mods compatible with all versions of KSP.

It's not your's thats the problem.  Your  VensStylePPTextures   is being referenced as a dependency by another mod, and that's failing because it's not listed as 1.2.2 

[Enceos]

@linuxgurugamer my .netkan file doesn't have a specific version dependency, it doesn't fetch the version compatibility from Spacedock and is hardcoded as compatible with all versions of KSP. If CKAN fails to install it as a dependency, then it's a bug.

[linuxgurugamer]

9 minutes ago, Enceos said:

@linuxgurugamer my .netkan file doesn't have a specific version dependency, it doesn't fetch the version compatibility from Spacedock and is hardcoded as compatible with all versions of KSP. If CKAN fails to install it as a dependency, then it's a bug.

Looks like it might be a bug in the Jenkins job, I'll contact someone else

@Enceos

Thanks for looking at the issue on CKAN

[SchrottBot]

Hey @Enceos,

I really love the asphalt tiles / pre-welded ground structures in conjunction with Ground Construction. Currently I set up a new career game in KSP 1.3 and as it seems, that Asphalt Tiles still work there, I wonder if it is possible to add some kind of ground anchor / tether to them. I've seen something like that with a lot of MKS/OKS parts. Especially when using the tile as base for a mine, the drills lift the base and move everything around.

Just an idea you might want to consider. =)

 

Cheers!   

[Enceos]

@SchrottBot You can add those modules into the config file yourself  I'm not responsible for any krakens it may summon.

Edited July 10, 2017 by Enceos

[SchrottBot]

Okay, thanks for the hint. I thought I'd to get into the depth of Unity eventually. =) Thanks for the great mods!

 

Cheers!

[Enceos]

My latest rendition of Asphalt Tiles which I use myself: https://www.dropbox.com/s/rsl9dsvsqzbdygq/AsphaltTiles2018.zip?dl=0

Has more welded pads, depends on USI MKS and EPL for Inertia Dampener and ExTarget modules.