[1.8.1-1.12.x] Modular Launch Pads v2.7.0: Launch clamps evolved: Real-style launch bases and towers [04 July 2024]

[AlphaMensae]

I also made a proper MM tech tree patch for AlphaDev. This one can coexist with the one in Modular Launch Pads, as it runs after MLP and just patches that tree .cfg.  It's on the Github as well.

I'll be resuming work on the v2 General Pads, with the General Swing Arm next to be done.  

 

[AlphaMensae]

A small update to the General Modular Multi Tower:  I reduced the height of the tallest large core version to 25m, now the tower can be used with the Tier 2 stock launch pad, even when mounted on the small general launch pad.

It's on the AlphaDev branch now.

[VoidCosmos]

@AlphaMensae can you please make a bigger variant for the fallback Strongback tower?

[AlphaMensae]

5 hours ago, Nigel Cardozo said:

@AlphaMensae can you please make a bigger variant for the fallback Strongback tower?

I designed it around the Tundra Exploration Falcon 9, and then made the animations, and now I don't want to mess with it now.  Maybe in a future update I'll add some variants, but basically it's a specialty part like the whole shuttle pad is designed for the Cormorant shuttle.

[VoidCosmos]

6 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

I designed it around the Tundra Exploration Falcon 9, and then made the animations, and now I don't want to mess with it now.  Maybe in a future update I'll add some variants, but basically it's a specialty part like the whole shuttle pad is designed for the Cormorant shuttle.

Ok. But can I tweakscale it? If yes ,then what is its actual name of the part?

Edited March 7, 2019 by Nigel Cardozo

[Cheesecake]

5 hours ago, Nigel Cardozo said:

Ok. But can I tweakscale it? If yes ,then what is its actual name of the part?

You can find the name in the config: GenStrongbackTower

[VoidCosmos]

Thanks! But I have uploaded a mod which does it. Here it is 

 

Edited March 7, 2019 by Nigel Cardozo

[AlphaMensae]

If I do make variants for it, they will only change the height taller, not the width.

I actually could add some taller versions for the 2.0 release, but I would also remove the 1-step retraction method and the umbilicals.

[AlphaMensae]

I have not been idle, but been busy working on the v2 General Swing Arm.  Drop hose-type umbilicals may be what's commonly used, but swing arms are much more dramatic.

Anyway, I had to do a lot of foundation work for the arm, as it got a little complicated.  Namely, there are now 12 types of arm pipe configurations and 5 types of umbilical connectors, in addition to the usual General Pads color options.  The arm can also be shortened by adjusting the deploy limit slider.

There's going to be multiple sizes of the arm, right now I just got the smallest one assembled:

 

 

[pTrevTrevs]

So uh, maybe this is a stupid question, and maybe it's already been answered, since I haven't been keeping up with this thread very well, but are the STS and small American launch towers released yet? I don't think I have them in my current save, and I'm *reasonably* sure I have a current copy of this mod.

[VoidCosmos]

1 hour ago, pTrevTrevs said:

So uh, maybe this is a stupid question, and maybe it's already been answered, since I haven't been keeping up with this thread very well, but are the STS and small American launch towers released yet? I don't think I have them in my current save, and I'm *reasonably* sure I have a current copy of this mod.

Yes they are released. Go and download it from the github dev builds

@AlphaMensae please make a falcon holdown clamp next.

[AlphaMensae]

1 hour ago, pTrevTrevs said:

So uh, maybe this is a stupid question, and maybe it's already been answered, since I haven't been keeping up with this thread very well, but are the STS and small American launch towers released yet? I don't think I have them in my current save, and I'm *reasonably* sure I have a current copy of this mod.

Yes, the version 2 parts are put on the Github's AlphaDev branch as I complete them (or revise them) for temporary holding:

https://github.com/AlphaMensae/Modular-Launch-Pads/tree/AlphaDev

@Nigel Cardozo  The hold-down arms are due for a revamp after the General Swing Arm is finished and some of the general pads are revised. The specialized types like the Saturn and angled bracket will remain separate, all the general ones (including some new ones, like Falcon-ish box types) will become variants of a new General Multi Hold-Down Arm.

[VoidCosmos]

5 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

Yes, the version 2 parts are put on the Github's AlphaDev branch as I complete them (or revise them) for temporary holding:

https://github.com/AlphaMensae/Modular-Launch-Pads/tree/AlphaDev

@Nigel Cardozo  The hold-down arms are due for a revamp after the General Swing Arm is finished and some of the general pads are revised. The specialized types like the Saturn and angled bracket will remain separate, all the general ones (including some new ones, like Falcon-ish box types) will become variants of a new General Multi Hold-Down Arm.

Ok @AlphaMensae. Got it thanks 

[smotheredrun]

On 3/6/2019 at 6:08 PM, AlphaMensae said:

...like the whole shuttle pad is designed for the Cormorant shuttle.

It works great for something else....  I'll tag you when I get the video uploaded

[AlphaMensae]

It's been a few days since I posted any info, but have been working on a side-mounted Delta IV-inspired umbilical for the general swing arm, in the 2-3 hours per night I can do mod work

Turned out to be more involved than I had thought, but finally have settled on a design and have completed the addition for the small and medium arm sizes; the large arm version will be next.

Three versions of the side umbilical are available: a full-height single one, a shorter single one, and the full-height triple variant with adjustable outer umbilicals (via deploy limit).

 

 

Also, a revised AlphaDev tech tree patch is now on the Github, this one has proper support for the Unkerballed Start Tech tree, i.e. puts the pad nodes in the proper spot around the start.  

[AlphaMensae]

The side-mount umbilicals for all the arm sizes are done, and have added a longer length variant for each arm size, mainly to provide more room for the triple side-mount umbilical.  Only thing left is to animate the umbilicals themselves in the swing amimation.

 

[AlphaMensae]

A quick demo of some of the general swing arm size, length, pipe and umbilical combos...but nowhere near all of them.

 

 

[AlphaMensae]

A longer demo-guide for the arm, showing the configuration in the VAB, followed by two example launches, one with the end-type umbilicals, the other with the side-mount type with a tri-core rocket (a Not Delta IV   ).

 

 

[AlphaMensae]

The v2 General Swing Arm is now on the Github, in both the AlphaDev and v2_General_Pads branches. 

[Sky The Heck]

Not sure if i'm installing correctly, But I haven't been able to get the V2 launchpad parts to show up. Was Hoping to mess with the Rotating service structure and the Stationary service structure

 

[AlphaMensae]

2 hours ago, Sky The Heck said:

Not sure if i'm installing correctly, But I haven't been able to get the V2 launchpad parts to show up. Was Hoping to mess with the Rotating service structure and the Stationary service structure

 

First download the AlphaDev repository from the Github as a .zip.

Then extract or copy the AlphaDev folder from inside that zip and put it in your KSP GameData folder, not in Modular Launch Pads.  For now it's a temporary standalone version, but the parent MLP mod is still needed for some of the parts that haven't yet been remade.

[Sky The Heck]

2 minutes ago, AlphaMensae said:

First download the AlphaDev repository from the Github as a .zip.

Then extract or copy the AlphaDev folder from inside that zip and put it in your KSP GameData folder, not in Modular Launch Pads.  For now it's a temporary standalone version, but the parent MLP mod is still needed for some of the parts that haven't yet been remade.

I've done that, though I did put the V2 general pad parts in the MLP folder

(KSP_win64\GameData\ModularLaunchPads\v2_General_Pads)

 

[AlphaMensae]

ROFIs!

That would be a standalone Radial Outward Firing Initiator part that I've made, useful to dress up any rocket launch.

 

 

It's multi-configurable, with switchable-adjustable heights and three nozzle configurations as shown in the video.

The sparker plume is by @JadeOfMaar, the sound effect is by @damonvv; same ones used in the shuttle pad's TSM sparkers.

It's now on the Github, in both the AlphaDev and v2_General_Pads branches.  The GenPadsDecks.dds texture was also revised.

7 minutes ago, Sky The Heck said:

I've done that, though I did put the V2 general pad parts in the MLP folder

(KSP_win64\GameData\ModularLaunchPads\v2_General_Pads)

 

Yep, that won't work, as it needs to be separate from Modular Launch Pads.  That will change soon, though.

 

Edited March 24, 2019 by AlphaMensae

[Sky The Heck]

2 minutes ago, AlphaMensae said:

-snip-

Yep, that won't work, as it needs to be separate from Modular Launch Pads.  That will change soon, though.

 

Thanks for the help! Cant wait to take some screenshots

[AlphaMensae]

And I just put a revised ROFI .cfg on the Github, it now has surface-attach enabled too.  The attach node is still there, but now the ROFI can be added without using a hold-down arm node.

I'm going to add surface-attach to all the new and existing hold-down arms, as using it with angle-snap on works fine.