[1.7.x] MSP-3000 Material Science Pod

[Tyko]

What it does

Adds a new Material Science Pod part. The pod collects the same experiment as the larger Material Science Bay, but it's resized and weight balanced to be mounted opposite a Mystery Goo Container.

To game balance the smaller size and weight, the MSP-3000 unlocks later in the tech tree in the Miniaturization node.

 

 

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How to install

Install from CKAN or:

Download from SpaceDock

Download from GitHub

Unzip the contents of "GameData" to your GameData folder, same as with most mods. (Note, requires ModuleManager.)

 

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License info

Re-uses several parts from Ven's Stock Revamp - licensed under CC-BY 4.0 International by Ven.

Everything else is MIT License

Edited April 10, 2019 by Tyko

[Lindy]

Looks good, I'll give it a go! Thank you!

[Tyko]

Thanks! This is my first published mod and I'm open to suggestions and feedback.

[theJesuit]

Great idea! I used to use the darial attached one from SSTU but this is a much better solution. Good idea to n make it later in the tech tree.

[Chimichanga]

Finally I won't have to feel like a cheater for using TweakScale on the standard SciJr - great mod! Thanks!

[Quoniam Kerman]

Haha, super useful on a MEM lander, just put it on the other side compared to the Mystery Goo container for better symmetry.

[MaverickSawyer]

Noice.

Instant download, instant must-have.

[Tyko]

Added SpaceDock repository

[Chimichanga]

Hi Tyko!

Got back into KSP again, and remembered a question I wanted to ask you:  Is it possible to add some sort of ModuleManager script to let your Materials Bay complete contracts needing one?  I can do it in the save file by hand but have to do it for each contract.  Any tips?

 

Currently just changing the CONTRACT PARAM to "partNames = science_module|MSP3000" is how I'm managing it

Edited August 26, 2018 by Chimichanga

[Benjamin Kerman]

There should be a way to edit the Contracts.cfg file using MM, but I am not skilled enough with it to do anything besides basic part editing 

[Chimichanga]

25 minutes ago, Benjamin Kerman said:

There should be a way to edit the Contracts.cfg file using MM, but I am not skilled enough with it to do anything besides basic part editing 

I did some digging and I believe I can just add it under the Materials Bay PART as another PART in /Squad/Contracts/Contracts.cfg, like this:

            Part = science_module // A part ID that triggers this request 
            Part = MSP3000 // A part ID that triggers this request

Will give this a try now! Wish I knew how to do it with ModuleManager but it should work for now (until the next update at least!)

Thanks so much for your thoughts! 

Edited August 26, 2018 by Chimichanga

[Tyko]

16 minutes ago, Chimichanga said:

I did some digging and I believe I can just add it under the Materials Bay PART as another PART in /Squad/Contracts/Contracts.cfg, like this:

            Part = science_module // A part ID that triggers this request 
            Part = MSP3000 // A part ID that triggers this request

Will give this a try now! Wish I knew how to do it with ModuleManager but it should work for now (until the next update at least!)

Thanks so much for your thoughts! 

It's a good idea, but I'm not sure either. I don't play with Contracts so never caught this. If you discover a way to add it via MM I'm more than happy to add it to my config file.

Thanks!

[hypervelocity]

very cute, will give it a try on my next install once I migrate from 1.3

[JH4C]

I'm very interested in seeing if this works. SXT has another equivalent for this experiment, but in a 2.5m format; being able to use any of the three parts to achieve the same goal would really open up my options!

[Wyzard]

On 8/26/2018 at 7:39 PM, Tyko said:

If you discover a way to add it via MM I'm more than happy to add it to my config file.

This should work:

@Contracts:FOR[MSP3000]
{
	@Satellite
	{
		@PART_REQUEST:HAS[#Part[science_module]]
		{
			Part = MSP3000
		}
	}
}

I haven't tested with an actual contract, but it looks right in ModuleManager.ConfigCache, and it's the same way DMagic Orbital Science does it.

Edited September 23, 2018 by Wyzard
Fixed capitalization of attribute ("Part", not "part")

[Benjamin Kerman]

@Wyzard thats kinda how I was looking at doing it, but was just missing the :FOR[part] node

[Wyzard]

1 hour ago, Benjamin Kerman said:

@Wyzard thats kinda how I was looking at doing it, but was just missing the :FOR[part] node

The :FOR[MSP3000] isn't actually needed; it's just common practice.  (All it does is enable :NEEDS[MSP3000] things in other patches, but the existence of the GameData/MSP3000 folder already does that, so it's redundant.)

[The-Grim-Sleeper]

A question, a comment and a permission.

That fix for contracts that Wyzard posted, I can just drop that code in the 'GameData/MSP3000/Models/MSP3000.cfg', right? No need to put that some place special?

I have mixed feelings about putting the MSP3000 on the 'miniaturization'-tech node. On one hand, it is literally on the next step up on the tree, which imho is a bit early for such a high convenience item. On the other hand, I skipped the node in my last career-mode game, because it had so few useful parts on it, and this mod fixes that.

And finally, I made a thing: a compatibility patch for MSP-3000 for the indicator lights mod by Snark. I am not sure what our CoC says about 'making a thing with another persons thing' and would like to formally request permission to make the thing I already made. That said, I assumed that if I made the patch, you would be ok with it's existence and distribution. If that is not the case, please let me know.

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

@PART[MSP3000]
{
	//-------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// INDICATOR MESHES
	//-------------------------------------------------------------------------
	MODEL
	{
		model = IndicatorLights/Meshes/squareLamp
		scale = 0.5, 0.19, 0.5
		position = 0, 0.1525, -0.104
		rotation = 0, 180, 0
	}

	MODEL
	{
		model = IndicatorLights/Meshes/squareLamp
		scale = 0.5, 0.19, 0.5
		position = 0, -0.1525, -0.104
		rotation = 0, 180, 0
	}
	
	//-------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// CONTROLLABLE EMISSIVES
	//-------------------------------------------------------------------------
	MODULE {
		name = ModuleControllableEmissive
		target = IndicatorLights/Meshes/squareLamp
		emissiveName = indicator
	}


	//-------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// CONTROLLERS
	//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

	MODULE {
		name = ModuleScienceDataIndicator
		emissiveName = indicator
		dataColor = $HighScience
		partialDataColor = $MediumScience
		lowDataColor = $LowScience
		emptyColor = ModuleScienceAvailabilityIndicator
		lowScienceThreshold = 0.25
		highScienceThreshold = 0.8
	}

	MODULE {
		name = ModuleScienceAvailabilityIndicator
		lowScienceThreshold = 0.25
		highScienceThreshold = 0.8
	}
}

 

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2018 by The-Grim-Sleeper

[Tyko]

1 hour ago, The-Grim-Sleeper said:

A question, a comment and a permission.

That fix for contracts that Wyzard posted, I can just drop that code in the 'GameData/MSP3000/Models/MSP3000.cfg', right? No need to put that some place special?

I have mixed feelings about putting the MSP3000 on the 'miniaturization'-tech node. On one hand, it is literally on the next step up on the tree, which imho is a bit early for such a high convenience item. On the other hand, I skipped the node in my last career-mode game, because it had so few useful parts on it, and this mod fixes that.

And finally, I made a thing: a compatibility patch for MSP-3000 for the indicator lights mod by Snark. I am not sure what our CoC says about 'making a thing with another persons thing' and would like to formally request permission to make the thing I already made. That said, I assumed that if I made the patch, you would be ok with it's existence and distribution. If that is not the case, please let me know.

 

Wow! that's really cool! Thanks for the work. I'll take a look a releasing a new version with fixes from you and @Wyzard over the weekend.

To answer your question -There's no problem at all sharing configs you've written, for this mod, or any other. Adding it to the mod will just make it easier for others.

Edited September 21, 2018 by Tyko

[Tyko]

1 hour ago, The-Grim-Sleeper said:

I have mixed feelings about putting the MSP3000 on the 'miniaturization'-tech node. On one hand, it is literally on the next step up on the tree, which imho is a bit early for such a high convenience item. On the other hand, I skipped the node in my last career-mode game, because it had so few useful parts on it, and this mod fixes that.

I'm open to ideas about this. Here were my thoughts:

1. While it's only one step up the tech tree, it's a big step and it comes at a critical time when you're shifting from early designs and near Kerbin missions to sophisticated manned missions and deep space probes. My head canon was that the big material bay was a prototype and never intended for more extensive missions. The MSP-3000 is the production version.
2. The Miniaturization Node wasn't really necessary before and I skipped it to. Adding the MSP-3000 made the node a must-have for me. Other techs in this tier might offer 3 or more useful parts for the same Science cost. Since you're spending hard-earned Science for just one part that makes it a lot more expensive from an opportunity cost perspective.

Edited September 21, 2018 by Tyko

[Snark]

Just a note that this nifty mod now has IndicatorLights support available, thanks to a contribution by @The-Grim-Sleeper to the IndicatorLights Community Extensions mod.

If there are any IndicatorLights users out there who happen to be running this mod, just install IndicatorLights Community Extensions and you'll get indicators on the MSP-3000 just like all the other science instruments. 

Spoiler

Thanks to @Tyko for a nifty mod!  I see it's been out for a while, just hadn't noticed it until now.

[Wyzard]

On 9/21/2018 at 5:49 PM, Tyko said:

I'll take a look a releasing a new version with fixes from you and @Wyzard over the weekend.

I'm glad I took another look just now, because I noticed a typo in my patch: the "part = MSP3000" line should actually be "Part = MSP3000" (capital 'P').  I don't know if that actually makes a difference to the game, but the attribute for the stock science_module is written that way, so the MSP3000 one should be too.  I've edited my post to fix it.

[Ruedii]

Any way you could make a few Science Senior parts that incorporate several experiments and a science storage.  Here's a quick list:

1. Science Sr.
   1.8m diameter (with top/bottom designed to look clean when attached to 1.25m parts)
   Materials Bay
   Mystery Goo
   Thermometer
   Barometer
   Science Storage Unit
   Some KIS storage (if KIS is installed)
   400 electric charge
   Ultra-Short range science transmitter (500K)
2. Science Sr. XL
   2.5m Diameter (Same nice top and bottom for fitting 1.8m and 1.25m parts cleanly)
   Everything in the Science Sr.
   Second Material Bay
   Second Mystery Goo
   Acceleratometer
   Fluid Spectro-Varometer
   More KIS Storage (if KIS is installed)
   1000 Units Electric Charge
   Medium Range science capable transmitter (50M)
3. Science Sr. XXL
   2.5m double height, or 3.5m single height variants available
   Everything in the Science Sr XL
   Lots of KIS storage (if KIS is installed)
   3000 units electric charge
   Long range transmitter (500M)

 

[DerekL1963]

46 minutes ago, Ruedii said:

Any way you could make a few Science Senior parts that incorporate several experiments and a science storage.  Here's a quick list:

Universal Storage II and DMagic's science parts will go a long ways towards providing what you're looking for.

[Tyko]

6 hours ago, Ruedii said:

Any way you could make a few Science Senior parts that incorporate several experiments and a science storage.  Here's a quick list:

1. Science Sr.
   1.8m diameter (with top/bottom designed to look clean when attached to 1.25m parts)
   Materials Bay
   Mystery Goo
   Thermometer
   Barometer
   Science Storage Unit
   Some KIS storage (if KIS is installed)
   400 electric charge
   Ultra-Short range science transmitter (500K)
2. Science Sr. XL
   2.5m Diameter (Same nice top and bottom for fitting 1.8m and 1.25m parts cleanly)
   Everything in the Science Sr.
   Second Material Bay
   Second Mystery Goo
   Acceleratometer
   Fluid Spectro-Varometer
   More KIS Storage (if KIS is installed)
   1000 Units Electric Charge
   Medium Range science capable transmitter (50M)
3. Science Sr. XXL
   2.5m double height, or 3.5m single height variants available
   Everything in the Science Sr XL
   Lots of KIS storage (if KIS is installed)
   3000 units electric charge
   Long range transmitter (500M)

 

Interesting ideas, not what I was going for though with this mod. I created this specifically so that people could attach a mystery goo to one side of a stack and attach the MSP 3000 to the other side. They are size and weight balanced to work together. Adding  a bunch of science experiments to one part isn't the direction I'm going, sorry. it wouldn't be difficult for you to create these yourself if that's what you wanted for your own game though.