Animation Help? (Configuration/Modules)

[USB4]

I apologize ahead of time  if this is the wrong forum section, however I see nothing that would fit this better.

Im trying to get into modding so through very loosely following the wikipedia guide to parts and a few other video tutorials ive reached the point where I have a textured model made in blender (Its a single part count landing gear unit because its something ive always wanted and the only one ive seen was a helicopter skid), but now Im unsure of the steps between here and the game.

Small note: There are 3 simpler models over the main 3 wheels and body for collision models, which arent visible in the video. The scale is also reasonably sized for 1.25 parts though hopefully I can make this tweakscale compatible as well.

Following this guide I know how to export it into a fashion where it can be seen in game, but Im a bit lost past that with regards to getting the animations to work in game/setting up the configuration file to activate them, setting node locations and there really arent any start to finish guides that  explain this that ive found.

 

Any help would be appreciated, particularly if there is a video explaining this, or perhaps just an explanation of modules and their interactions with animations along with  what modules do perhaps.

Edited November 23, 2017 by USB4

[Mecripp]

You can try this for node https://github.com/linuxgurugamer/NodeHelper/releases 

And on the cfg  there are a couple of MODULE you can use the stock ones which her are harder to use and really IMO is junk and there is a plugin by shadowmage which a handful of mods use

 

There is also this thread 

but a lot is outdated

[steedcrugeon]

So, hopefully by mistake, you have chosen to create one of the most difficult types of parts for KSP; wheels.

Now it is possible to make wheels for KSP but using the stock modules is somewhat of a dark art and there are a few tutorials in the Add-on sub forums which can help, whilst they may be a bit older than others the general way in which KSP does wheel hasn't changed because of how borked it is.

However, there is a simpler, better documented way with one drawback; its reliant on another mod. This would be to make your wheels/landing gear using @Shadowmage's excellent KSPWheel mod. (see the link below)

I have used this for the integral landing gear on the REKT Mod's OTAV part (its a little orbit return capsule with aerodynamic controls) which is designed to be able to land on the KSC runway.

Shadowmage gave me some pointers on how best to implement his Modules after I got a bit stuck.

Edited November 24, 2017 by steedcrugeon

[Shadowmage]

@USB4

The stock modules that are used for wheels are limited to a single wheel per-part.  So, for your 'single part landing gear', they will not be usable unless it is split up into 3 parts (front wheel, rear wheel x2).

Thankfully, that is exactly what KSPWheel is designed for.

 

The second bit, is you will need 'suspension' rigging.  How does the wheel flex and compress under suspension?  This needs to be modeled, as all wheels need some amount of suspension movement in order to function (limitation of Unity Physics).

While doing the modeling on wheels/legs/etc, your transform/game object orientations are exremely important.  As in, it won't function at all unless its done correctly.  Z+ = 'forward', Y+ = 'up'  (relative to the part).

 

Third, there are specific transforms that are needed, in a fairly specific hierarchy/layout, in order to facilitate all of the various wheel related functions -- steering, suspension, basic wheel collision dynamics.

Fourth, there are special collider considerations that need to be adhered to, or the colliders that you've added to the part will actually get in the way of the wheel physics.

 

Most of the Unity-4 based wheel tutorials are fully applicable to the KSPWheel way of rigging.  You can use those as a good starting point, and of course, feel free to ask questions if you get stuck (tag me with an @ mention or reply directly, or I'll likely not see it)

 

 

 

@steedcrugeon is absolutely correct.  Wheels are the single most technically difficult sort of part to model and get working in KSP.  IVAs are the only thing even coming close, and those are a different sort of 'hard' (modeling vs. setup/technical).