totm may 2024 [1.12.x] - Modular Kolonization System (MKS)

[Smurfalot]

13 minutes ago, Tokamak said:

I wonder if it would be helpful if there was a community-created wiki. It's a heck of a task to maintain and develop a complex mod like this, so it is understandable that Roverdude isn't also on top of up-to-date documentation, but it would still be nice to have documentation available. And it would save you 'old-timers' from answering the same questions over and over

There is a wiki, but it as you say, hard to keep it current.

Also, just because I have been here a while, does not mean I have all/any answers :p

Do not confuse age with experience, there are a lot of things I am still trying to fine tune or figure out myself.

Edited June 2, 2020 by Smurfalot

[Tokamak]

27 minutes ago, DStaal said:

Have at it:

https://github.com/UmbraSpaceIndustries/MKS/wiki

(That wiki is all community-created.)

Ah... that's the wiki that I was getting information from, that has a lot of huge gaps in it. I personally can't really add anything, because I'm still figuring out how any of this works.

[Cucco-Master]

Does anyone know if the bonuses to funds/research/reputation you collect from an upgraded kolony scale with the difficulty settings? i.e. if I set funds rewards to 200% will MKS also give twice as much as normal or is it unaffected? I've been looking for this for a while but didn't find anything.

[OrbitalMechanic]

Is this mod on CKAN? I don't trust myself to install mods manually, largely because i always mess them up lol.

[Tokamak]

Thanks for all of the help so far!  It's been letting me have fun with a mod that I've known about for years and never touched much.

Noob question one zillion and one...

I'm now playing with the Konstruction parts, and I can't get any of the magnetic parts to work. I can position the magnets (of say, the Magnetic Manipulator) next to a part I want to attach to, but "enable magnet" does nothing, even when I bring it near a magno-pad. I can't see any other possible options in the part's context menu, either when controlling the craft, or with a kerbal on EVA. Once again, I think I'm missing a key concept somewhere.

 

5 hours ago, OrbitalMechanic said:

Is this mod on CKAN? I don't trust myself to install mods manually, largely because i always mess them up lol.

 

Yup. Just search for "USI" and you'll see the whole suite of related mods.

[B-STRK]

11 hours ago, Tokamak said:

Thanks for all of the help so far!  It's been letting me have fun with a mod that I've known about for years and never touched much.

Noob question one zillion and one...

I'm now playing with the Konstruction parts, and I can't get any of the magnetic parts to work. I can position the magnets (of say, the Magnetic Manipulator) next to a part I want to attach to, but "enable magnet" does nothing, even when I bring it near a magno-pad. I can't see any other possible options in the part's context menu, either when controlling the craft, or with a kerbal on EVA. Once again, I think I'm missing a key concept somewhere.

Just to rule out some preliminary stuff, sorry, are you also seeing a Magnet Strength slider in the PAW, and is there juice in the batteries? 

[Tokamak]

3 hours ago, B-STRK said:

Just to rule out some preliminary stuff, sorry, are you also seeing a Magnet Strength slider in the PAW, and is there juice in the batteries? 

The electricity supply is ample, but there is no "magnet strength" slider. If it's relevant, it was like this before I installed KAS/KIS, but I've since also installed those mods, just in case, and still no dice.

[B-STRK]

7 hours ago, Tokamak said:

The electricity supply is ample, but there is no "magnet strength" slider. If it's relevant, it was like this before I installed KAS/KIS, but I've since also installed those mods, just in case, and still no dice.

 

Admittedly I'm running a mod heavy run, also KIS/KAS (but IIRC Rover never intended any integration between them and Konstruction), but this is what it looks like on my end. I also confirm it was this way back in 1.4, and in fact trying this out on Minmus led my insurer to jack up my insurance premiums on all Minmus operations faster than a Falcon Heavy can yeet a Ferrari into Pluto (translation: hilarity with momentum). As noted, there is the Magnet Strength slider in the PAW, and again I really don't think it would be the case that KIS/KAS is adding it, I believe it should be inherent in Konstruction. Can anyone else confirm if they've got the same PAW as here, just in case?

[Tokamak]

1 hour ago, B-STRK said:

Admittedly I'm running a mod heavy run, also KIS/KAS (but IIRC Rover never intended any integration between them and Konstruction), but this is what it looks like on my end. I also confirm it was this way back in 1.4, and in fact trying this out on Minmus led my insurer to jack up my insurance premiums on all Minmus operations faster than a Falcon Heavy can yeet a Ferrari into Pluto (translation: hilarity with momentum). As noted, there is the Magnet Strength slider in the PAW, and again I really don't think it would be the case that KIS/KAS is adding it, I believe it should be inherent in Konstruction. Can anyone else confirm if they've got the same PAW as here, just in case?

Huh... yeah, that item is not present for me. I guess I ought to reinstall my USI mods to see if that helps.

Unrelated, but the "ground tether" functionality is amazingly useful. Is there perhaps some small part that would work to enable it on craft that are not otherwise built with MKS parts? I'm at least not seeing "ground tether" in my Filter Extensions list of modules in the VAB/SPH.

[B-STRK]

1 hour ago, Tokamak said:

Unrelated, but the "ground tether" functionality is amazingly useful. Is there perhaps some small part that would work to enable it on craft that are not otherwise built with MKS parts? I'm at least not seeing "ground tether" in my Filter Extensions list of modules in the VAB/SPH.

Don't we all appreciate a good function when we see it?

https://github.com/UmbraSpaceIndustries/MKS/wiki/Modules#weight-distribution The link should take you to the list of modules the MKS system uses. I think you're looking for USI_IntertialDampener. I think?

 

Further context: the module should be transplantable to a part by patching, maybe. I recall seeing ground tether in the Offworld Rocket Pad of Kerbal Hacks (the one with asphalt tiles).

Edited June 5, 2020 by B-STRK

[Smurfalot]

I cannot seem to find what the impact tolerance is for the Karibou lander legs, does anyone know which has more impact tolerance, the built in lander legs, or the karibou modular wheels?

[Tokamak]

13 hours ago, B-STRK said:

Don't we all appreciate a good function when we see it?

https://github.com/UmbraSpaceIndustries/MKS/wiki/Modules#weight-distribution The link should take you to the list of modules the MKS system uses. I think you're looking for USI_IntertialDampener. I think?

 

Further context: the module should be transplantable to a part by patching, maybe. I recall seeing ground tether in the Offworld Rocket Pad of Kerbal Hacks (the one with asphalt tiles).

I had hoped there just existed a part for that purpose already, but just adding a module is easy enough. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Tokamak]

Sorry for so many questions. If it's tiresome, I can lay off for a while.

I'm doing my first actual offworld construction. Hooray! There were a lot of fiddly things that I fixed by flailing about and often reloading, like getting the message "no ground contact" when deploying the kit, and it saying that I had no engineers in my workshop, even though I did. O.o 

But like I said, I got that sorted, somehow. I did have to change my plans in the field, though. I had assumed that since I had a MaterialKits container in the vessel with my workshop, and the vessel was right next to a massive container of MaterialKits, both with 'local warehouse' enabled, I would be able to use those material kits to build the construction kit, but it apparently wants me to have enough kits actually on the vessel with the workshop. Am I missing something?

I did manage to solve it with KAS resource hoses, though, which I'm glad that I brought, so it's all sorted right now, but I'd still love to know what is going on.

[B-STRK]

8 hours ago, Tokamak said:

Sorry for so many questions. If it's tiresome, I can lay off for a while.

I'm doing my first actual offworld construction. Hooray! There were a lot of fiddly things that I fixed by flailing about and often reloading, like getting the message "no ground contact" when deploying the kit, and it saying that I had no engineers in my workshop, even though I did. O.o 

But like I said, I got that sorted, somehow. I did have to change my plans in the field, though. I had assumed that since I had a MaterialKits container in the vessel with my workshop, and the vessel was right next to a massive container of MaterialKits, both with 'local warehouse' enabled, I would be able to use those material kits to build the construction kit, but it apparently wants me to have enough kits actually on the vessel with the workshop. Am I missing something?

I did manage to solve it with KAS resource hoses, though, which I'm glad that I brought, so it's all sorted right now, but I'd still love to know what is going on.

No worries on the question, if there's anything anyone can answer, we do try.

I think this one though can be asked as well to allista over at the Global Construction thread, to find out how far the Ground Construction (which he built up) and MKS modules interact. But my suspicion is that GC just isn't equipped to handle MKS's distributed logistics logic. It'll only read resources (and crew) in the vessel housing the Workshop for purposes of construction, although maybe (and I haven't tried it yet admittedly, plus I run GC independently without MKS so I'm speaking from this experience) you could team up other workshops in nearby vessels on a single kit project once it gets going (I had gotten it going with workshops in the same vessel, so that is a go). 

Edited June 6, 2020 by B-STRK

[KSPrynk]

@B-STRK, @Tokamak, I'm glad you unearthed the Ground Tether functionality.  I was actually wondering a few months ago if the associated module would be a useful band-aid for Squad Bug #24061, where objects landing on planets with atmosphere seem to dance on the terrain.  I haven't upgraded to 1.9.1 yet (Kopernicus-less), so I don't know if it eventually got sorted out.

I added the USI_InertialDampener module to an Octo core (actually, into the patch for ReStock, since my test install of KSP 1.8.1 was running with it) and de-orbited it onto Duna, as part of a tiny lander.  When I increase the physics warp, the dance on the ground becomes immediately noticeable.  What's interesting is that, when Ground Tether is enabled, the lander still dances - even a bit more precariously - but stays in the same location, like it's been harpooned to the ground.  When I turn off the ground tether, the lander will jitter its way along the terrain as it would without the patch.

I've been thinking about creating a dedicated "harpoon" part (maybe recycling the Micronode model for now) that could be attached to other craft, rather than applying the patch to multiple parts.  I'm trying to think of the disadvantages or limitations of this approach....

[almagnus1]

So I'm playing on 1.9 and the 2.5M hab ring won't expand in orbit (but was able to in the VAB).  All mods look updated according to CKAN (assuming you also let it use the 1.8 stuff).  What kind of troubleshooting steps should I take?

Edited June 6, 2020 by almagnus1

[Smurfalot]

1 hour ago, almagnus1 said:

So I'm playing on 1.9 and the 2.5M hab ring won't expand in orbit (but was able to in the VAB).  All mods look updated according to CKAN (assuming you also let it use the 1.8 stuff).  What kind of troubleshooting steps should I take?

Do you have enough material kits? They take a ton of material kits to deploy.

Along those same lines though, the inflatable storage tanks are not opening for me in the VAB (1.8.1)

Edited June 6, 2020 by Smurfalot
typo

[Tokamak]

11 hours ago, KSPrynk said:

@B-STRK, @Tokamak, I'm glad you unearthed the Ground Tether functionality.  I was actually wondering a few months ago if the associated module would be a useful band-aid for Squad Bug #24061, where objects landing on planets with atmosphere seem to dance on the terrain.  I haven't upgraded to 1.9.1 yet (Kopernicus-less), so I don't know if it eventually got sorted out.

I added the USI_InertialDampener module to an Octo core (actually, into the patch for ReStock, since my test install of KSP 1.8.1 was running with it) and de-orbited it onto Duna, as part of a tiny lander.  When I increase the physics warp, the dance on the ground becomes immediately noticeable.  What's interesting is that, when Ground Tether is enabled, the lander still dances - even a bit more precariously - but stays in the same location, like it's been harpooned to the ground.  When I turn off the ground tether, the lander will jitter its way along the terrain as it would without the patch.

I've been thinking about creating a dedicated "harpoon" part (maybe recycling the Micronode model for now) that could be attached to other craft, rather than applying the patch to multiple parts.  I'm trying to think of the disadvantages or limitations of this approach....

Oh, are you saying you are the dev for that module?

It is _extremely_ useful, and if there were a dedicated part, I would use that quite a lot. It is kind of amazing.

I did encounter a bug, though. Should I go report it on the mod's github?

The "tethered to ground" property is persistent to a vessel, even if it no longer has any parts that support it. Example: I made basically a flying garage with a rover in it, connected with a decoupler. I landed the garage, used "tether to ground", and decoupled the rover. Now the rover is tethered to the ground as well, and I have no parts on the thing that can toggle the state of ground tethering. Whoops! That is what quicksave is for.  But it seems like a bug worth addressing.

[almagnus1]

7 hours ago, Smurfalot said:

Do you have enough material kits? They take a ton of material kits to deploy.

Along those same lines though, the inflatable storage tanks are not opening for me in the VAB (1.8.1)

It's sitting at 2500/2500 machinery, and no option to deploy the ring.  I'm wondering if this is an interaction between 1.9 and UKS as it's stating it's a 1.8 mod going by CKAN.

[Tokamak]

33 minutes ago, almagnus1 said:

It's sitting at 2500/2500 machinery, and no option to deploy the ring.  I'm wondering if this is an interaction between 1.9 and UKS as it's stating it's a 1.8 mod going by CKAN.

Just to be sure, you also have the Material Kits on the craft, with a kerbal on EVA using the part?

[Smurfalot]

1 hour ago, almagnus1 said:

It's sitting at 2500/2500 machinery, and no option to deploy the ring.  I'm wondering if this is an interaction between 1.9 and UKS as it's stating it's a 1.8 mod going by CKAN.

Just to be clear, you have to have 2500 machinery in the module and 46000 materialkits on your ship to inflate the big hab.

[almagnus1]

3 hours ago, Smurfalot said:

Just to be clear, you have to have 2500 machinery in the module and 46000 materialkits on your ship to inflate the big hab.

I didn't know about the material kits... i'll get a shipment of that up to the station and see if that fixes it >.>

[KSPrynk]

12 hours ago, Tokamak said:

Oh, are you saying you are the dev for that module?

It is _extremely_ useful, and if there were a dedicated part, I would use that quite a lot. It is kind of amazing.

I did encounter a bug, though. Should I go report it on the mod's github?

The "tethered to ground" property is persistent to a vessel, even if it no longer has any parts that support it. Example: I made basically a flying garage with a rover in it, connected with a decoupler. I landed the garage, used "tether to ground", and decoupled the rover. Now the rover is tethered to the ground as well, and I have no parts on the thing that can toggle the state of ground tethering. Whoops! That is what quicksave is for.  But it seems like a bug worth addressing.

No, I'm not the module dev!  I'm assuming that's @RoverDude.  I was just expressing gratitude for you guys locating it for me.  If you found a bug in MKS on this then, yes, put it on his GitHub.

As far as a new part, I wasn't planning on publishing anything, as I don't have any modeling software.  What I have developed is some rudimentary skill in recycling .cfg files to leverage existing part resources, which I change the parameters or modules on, and save as new part files for my own use.  I figured the Micronode would be unobtrusive, but I don't know enough about the code physics of both the tether functionality and the root cause of Bug #24061 to do more than just try it and see if it works well enough to keep my little probes from dancing away....

Edited June 7, 2020 by KSPrynk
fixed typos

[Smurfalot]

5 hours ago, almagnus1 said:

I didn't know about the material kits... i'll get a shipment of that up to the station and see if that fixes it >.>

If you look at the part in the VAB, you will see the materialkits requirement, I believe it is called "USI_Animation" or something like that.

Or you can look at the .cfg file for the part to see the specifics.

[Tokamak]

33 minutes ago, KSPrynk said:

As far as a new part, I wasn't planning on publishing anything, as I don't have any modeling software.  

I do a lot of 3d work. I keep meaning to go back to doing some stuff for Kerbal, especially since that's what got me started a few years ago anyway. I just hate wranglking the cfg files.