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

[lextacy]

Any reason for a collision box right at the elevator entrance so the crew is blocked from getting on the elevator using the Saturn Angled Base piece?

[AlphaMensae]

1 hour ago, lextacy said:

Any reason for a collision box right at the elevator entrance so the crew is blocked from getting on the elevator using the Saturn Angled Base piece?

Just rechecked, and there is access to the elevators in the current release and the v2 dev towers.

The v2 tower has two elevators, with a divider (collider) between them, as indicated by the cross braces that are the visual dividers. To enter the other elevator, Kerbals have to walk around the shaft to the other elevator.

Just a bit of realism on my part, they were separate on the real tower and so are on mine.

[smotheredrun]

@AlphaMensae I promised I'd tag you when my "something else you can use the Shuttle pad for" was ready.  Here it is!

 

 

Hope you like it!

[lextacy]

On 3/25/2019 at 9:30 PM, AlphaMensae said:

Just rechecked, and there is access to the elevators in the current release and the v2 dev towers.

The v2 tower has two elevators, with a divider (collider) between them, as indicated by the cross braces that are the visual dividers. To enter the other elevator, Kerbals have to walk around the shaft to the other elevator.

Just a bit of realism on my part, they were separate on the real tower and so are on mine.

ahhh LOL Ok glad to have that cleared up then! Carry on!

[AlphaMensae]

20 hours ago, smotheredrun said:

@AlphaMensae I promised I'd tag you when my "something else you can use the Shuttle pad for" was ready.  Here it is!

 

 

Hope you like it!

@smotheredrunThat's awesome!  I probably should have said any Mk 3-based shuttles or similar ones that fit the Mk 3 dimensions and that use a 5m ET would work with the shuttle pad. 

 

[smotheredrun]

7 minutes ago, AlphaMensae said:

@smotheredrunThat's awesome!  I probably should have said any Mk 3-based shuttles or similar ones that fit the Mk 3 dimensions and that use a 5m ET would work with the shuttle pad. 

 

Haha, in the craft file here I actually attached a decoupler on a stick to the ET and the pad.  I forgot how to edit the ET's config file to add an extended attachment node... 

Edited March 30, 2019 by smotheredrun

[AlphaMensae]

1 hour ago, smotheredrun said:

Haha, in the craft file here I actually attached a decoupler on a stick to the ET and the pad.  I forgot how to edit the ET's config file to add an extended attachment node... 

To do that with Module Manager, copy this into a text editor and save it with a .cfg extension:

@PART[partname]

{

     node_stack_bottom02 = 0.0, -5.0, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 3

}

"partname" is the internal name for the ET tank part, found in the .cfg (name = xxxxxxx)

"bottom02" is the name of the node (make sure it's not being used already   )

The first three numbers are the x, y, z positions of the node relative to the origin (usually in the center for tanks), the only one to change is the Y value.

The next three numbers are the attach vectors, leave those alone.

The last number is the size of the node: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.; change to what you want.
 

[smotheredrun]

4 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

To do that with Module Manager, copy this into a text editor and save it with a .cfg extension:

@PART[partname]

{

     node_stack_bottom02 = 0.0, -5.0, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 3

}

"partname" is the internal name for the ET tank part, found in the .cfg (name = xxxxxxx)

"bottom02" is the name of the node (make sure it's not being used already   )

The first three numbers are the x, y, z positions of the node relative to the origin (usually in the center for tanks), the only one to change is the Y value.

The next three numbers are the attach vectors, leave those alone.

The last number is the size of the node: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.; change to what you want.
 

Holy kraken thank you!!

[xD-FireStriker]

Hows the mod going? Haven't seen the update posts for a while and too lazy to read all the pages from when i last posted.

Im reinstalling my mods, maybe hoping to 1.6 and hoping to get my shuttle working without issues this time 

[Anders Kerman]

just wondering if there is a mm patch for ro

[AlphaMensae]

2 hours ago, Anders Kerman said:

just wondering if there is a mm patch for ro

I don't have TweakScale patches yet, if that's what you mean, so you would have to make your own until I can get to it....and it's a low priority right now.

 

11 hours ago, xD-FireStriker said:

Hows the mod going? Haven't seen the update posts for a while and too lazy to read all the pages from when i last posted.

Im reinstalling my mods, maybe hoping to 1.6 and hoping to get my shuttle working without issues this time 

Going great!  See my Youtube channel for the latest v2 additions.

 

[Anders Kerman]

16 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

I don't have TweakScale patches yet, if that's what you mean, so you would have to make your own until I can get to it....and it's a low priority right now.

Well I'm to stupid to find out how to use mm patches/don't want to have to input the long part names so edited the cfgs and rescaled all the Saturn parts to 2.2 scale just like the large base but that's to large, at least for fasa so I eyeballed 2 and that worked perfectly. The only other thing I had to tweak was the cranes toque so it would move fast enough.

Next step: what is the right rescaled for the other pads.

Looks beautiful btw just need unbreakable joints on and have to launch from runway but the buildings can be rescaled...

[AlphaMensae]

On 4/1/2019 at 1:58 AM, Anders Kerman said:

Well I'm to stupid to find out how to use mm patches/don't want to have to input the long part names so edited the cfgs and rescaled all the Saturn parts to 2.2 scale just like the large base but that's to large, at least for fasa so I eyeballed 2 and that worked perfectly. The only other thing I had to tweak was the cranes toque so it would move fast enough.

Next step: what is the right rescaled for the other pads.

Looks beautiful btw just need unbreakable joints on and have to launch from runway but the buildings can be rescaled...

Glad it worked out!  And yeah, don't make the Large Saturn base smaller, as it's at 2.2x scale so the support columns clear the various bridges and structures around the stock pad static...which have colliders.

=================================================================================

And I've been busy.

I had been planning a General Launch Base smaller than the current "Mini" (to be renamed the Small), but it turned into much more than that: the General Launch Plate. A simpler, slimline type of launch base clamp, with the idea to put the largest possible exhaust opening in the smallest size frame.

It's also going to have integrated simple hold-down clamps or pins, which will be able to be turned off; those hold-downs will be on adjustable support beams, which also can be turned off, so separate hold-down clamps/arms can be attached either directly to the deck or on the beams.

This is an early WIP demo, some features and sizes still need to be implemented, but do have the support beam switching working.

 

 

I'm also using some new techniques with this:

The deck around the exhaust opening is made out of modular tile-like sections of various sizes (so they all the have the same UV map scale);

Rather than have a given exhaust opening size with all three shapes in a single fixed-size launch base frame , there are five size-shape combos of different types for a given launch plate frame size, of which there multiple types;

The launch clamp-specific transforms are also switched for each frame size, and works fine;

There is only one master hold-down clamp and support beam transform, instead of having different versions for each frame size. Also, the support beams are (or will be ) deploy-limit adjustable, and not the fixed-type the General Launch Bases use. Supports for side-booster clamps/arm will be done the same way. Switching to surface-attach for the hold-down clamps/arms has opened up new ways to do things.

 

 

[Drew Kerman]

since these are clamps they are part of the ground and can't be mounted to a moving vehicle correct? I love the look I'm just trying to figure out how I would get a rocket out to them (given that I've already established on multiple occasions the KSA brings rockets out to the pad they don't just magically appear there )  - but I would also enjoy the challenge of designing a crawler to work around them...

[AlphaMensae]

7 hours ago, Drew Kerman said:

since these are clamps they are part of the ground and can't be mounted to a moving vehicle correct? I love the look I'm just trying to figure out how I would get a rocket out to them (given that I've already established on multiple occasions the KSA brings rockets out to the pad they don't just magically appear there )  - but I would also enjoy the challenge of designing a crawler to work around them...

The Saturn mobile launcher base, the Shuttle launch platform base and the big Soyuz pad are still free-standing...for now, at least.  The Soyuz pad will be converted to a launch clamp when I get to it.  While I've also had ideas of making a crawler for the Saturn base, converting it to a launch clamp would solve some problems, namely the incompatibility with World Stabilizer.

 

[Anders Kerman]

11 hours ago, AlphaMensae said:

Glad it worked out!  And yeah, don't make the Large Saturn base smaller, as it's at 2.2x scale so the support columns clear the various bridges and structures around the stock pad static...which have colliders.

=================================================================================

And I've been busy.

I had been planning a General Launch Base smaller than the current "Mini" (to be renamed the Small), but it turned into much more than that: the General Launch Plate. A simpler, slimline type of launch base clamp, with the idea to put the largest possible exhaust opening in the smallest size frame.

It's also going to have integrated simple hold-down clamps or pins, which will be able to be turned off; those hold-downs will be on adjustable support beams, which also can be turned off, so separate hold-down clamps/arms can be attached either directly to the deck or on the beams.

This is an early WIP demo, some features and sizes still need to be implemented, but do have the support beam switching working.

 

 

I'm also using some new techniques with this:

The deck around the exhaust opening is made out of modular tile-like sections of various sizes (so they all the have the same UV map scale);

Rather than have a given exhaust opening size with all three shapes in a single fixed-size launch base frame , there are five size-shape combos of different types for a given launch plate frame size, of which there multiple types;

The launch clamp-specific transforms are also switched for each frame size, and works fine;

There is only one master hold-down clamp and support beam transform, instead of having different versions for each frame size. Also, the support beams are (or will be ) deploy-limit adjustable, and not the fixed-type the General Launch Bases use. Supports for side-booster clamps/arm will be done the same way. Switching to surface-attach for the hold-down clamps/arms has opened up new ways to do things.

 

 

Yeah kinda found that out the hard way... But I remained stubborn and officially rename the runway to launchpad. Also the ksc can be rescaled so that could work

Might make a mm patch if I'm smart enough...

[AlphaMensae]

Whichever way I go with the Saturn and Shuttle bases, I'll keep the other version available, either in the .zip as a separate folder or on the Github.

[Drew Kerman]

On 4/3/2019 at 7:26 AM, AlphaMensae said:

The Saturn mobile launcher base, the Shuttle launch platform base and the big Soyuz pad are still free-standing...for now, at least.  The Soyuz pad will be converted to a launch clamp when I get to it.  While I've also had ideas of making a crawler for the Saturn base, converting it to a launch clamp would solve some problems, namely the incompatibility with World Stabilizer.

Just realized since I never plan to make a video of a crawler, I should be able to create a custom launch site, throw some big Kerbal Foundries treads on the sides of whatever pad clamps and just launch it to a point along the crawlerway for a photo

[AlphaMensae]

I just put on the Github the Community Category Kit (CCK) support files I was going to include later, but had to do it now, as I found out that if CCK is installed without the required .cfg file, the general launch bases (or maybe anything with a cck tag) won't show up in the Structural category. Whoops!

The files are in the new Category folder in AlphaDev.  There is also a support .cfg for the WildBlue Tools part categorizer (it has its own).  Includes some simple custom icons.  

The folder is also available separately on my Dropbox.

[That John]

Hello, just wanna ask: how do I install the Space Shuttle launch tower from Github, just found it, and I'm confused on how to install it.

[That John]

Hello, just wanna ask: how do I install the Space Shuttle launch tower from Github, just found it, and I'm confused on how to install it.

[AlphaMensae]

1 hour ago, That John said:

Hello, just wanna ask: how do I install the Space Shuttle launch tower from Github, just found it, and I'm confused on how to install it.

Do you mean just the Fixed Service Structure (the tower) or the whole shuttle launch platform assembly?

The tower itself was designed to attach to the Shuttle Launch Platform base, but it can be used with the General Launch Pads with some offset gizmo adjustment.

[AlphaMensae]

The General Launch Plate is completed, just needs a minor cosmetic change before it goes up on the Github.

 

It has multiple frame size and shape configurations, with integrated switchable hold-downs and support beams, both for the core and side boosters. The support beams can be adjusted in position using deploy limit sliders, and core and side ones are adjusted separately for more flexibility.

The hold downs themselves can be switched between side-clamp style and vertical-pin style; both have animated retraction.

The hold-downs and the beams can be both be independently switched off to allow the attachment of separate hold-downs, which are now surface-attached instead of using nodes.

And a test launch demo:

 

 

 

[AlphaMensae]

The General Launch Plate is now on the Github, in both the AlphaDev and v2_General_Pads branches!

Two new textures were added, and some of the other ones revised, so best thing is to download the v2_General_Pads branch.

Also, some other things were posted:

• The .cfgs for the now-renamed General Launch Bases were revised, giving them the new titles and proper surface attach orientation.
• In the Patches folder there is a now a patch .cfg for adding surface attach to the existing MLP hold-down arms, so they can be used that way with the General Bases.  A temporary fix until I redo all of them and add new ones for v2.

Heads Up Notice!!!

I am going to combine the three General Launch Bases into one General Launch Base part, and the two American Launch Stands into one General Launch Stand part.  I don't see the need to have them as separate parts anymore, and this will reduce the parts in v2.  The new General Launch Base will also have the Launch Plate-style adjustable hold-down supports, as well as some additional exhaust opening sizes in the three base sizes. The hold-down attach nodes will also be removed, surface-attach works so much better.

I will initially keep the original three bases in AlphaDev along with the new combined version, but the next update will have them removed, so this is early notice to change your craft files.

 

[Zorg]

Just wanted to say how much I am loving the Atlas tower! (which can also be a Titan tower).

Edited April 9, 2019 by Zorg