SimpleConstruction! (SCON) Stock rocket building

[zer0Kerbal]

I want to add the 'disposable pad' to SimpleConstruction - but don't want to add a part; and don't want to use a docking port.

What little used part would be good to use for this? Maybe a Girder? Suggestions?

[zer0Kerbal]

am thinking the octagonal girder

[zer0Kerbal]

Version 4.0.2.3 - Spit and Polish

zer0Kerbal released this 2020 02 10

Version 4.0.2.3 Spit and Polish [KSP 1.8.1][2020 02 10]

• Do Not Download this from Curseforge - old and wrong license.
• added KS-COS Disposable Pad (micropad) via +PART; new part allows you to add to an existing station
• added KS-OSCR Control Reference (controlreference) via +PART; marks where something connects to building vessel Adds a 'control from here in this orientation' to a vessel. Can have multiple ones on a vessel.
• added automated build/release
• converted Changelog.md -> Kerbal Change Log format (Changelog.cfg)

---

Kerbal Space Program 1.8.1

Edited February 28, 2020 by zer0Kerbal

[scottadges]

Hey @zer0Kerbal thanks for picking up this mod - it's my favorite and I've been bandaid-ing it since the 1.4.5 version to work in 1.6.x and 1.7.x

Can you let me know, what version of EL are you running this with? I've just updated my local version of SimpleConstruction v3.4.6 using EL 6.6.2, but I believe EL is actually up to 6.7.0 for KSP 1.8.1. Anyway, just curious what updates you've made an are planning?

Also, since I don't use the full Extraplanetary Launchpads, can you explain what the KS-OSCR Control Reference is? and what is +PART for that matter?

Thank you!

Edited February 28, 2020 by scottadges

[zer0Kerbal]

5 hours ago, scottadges said:

Hey @zer0Kerbal thanks for picking up this mod - it's my favorite and I've been bandaid-ing it since the 1.4.5 version to work in 1.6.x and 1.7.x

@scottadges, you are most certainly welcome.

I too was using staples and cyanoacrylate to keep it working.

Finally just updated the entire thing, and pretty much adopted they entire Simplexxx series of mods.

(SimpleConstruction!, Not So SImpleConstruction!, SimpleLife, but not SimpleNuclear (@matterbeam is still wanting to do that one - really cool idea)(PS - which is the reason I've adopted MoarKerbals)

 

5 hours ago, scottadges said:

Can you let me know, what version of EL are you running this with? I've just updated my local version of SimpleConstruction v3.4.6 using EL 6.6.2, but I believe EL is actually up to 6.7.0 for KSP 1.8.1. Anyway, just curious what updates you've made an are planning?

The version that comes with SimpleConstruction! is 6.7.0.0; and I do plan on keeping it up-to-date in the mod.

Mostly it was just modernizing, well, everything.

Since this mod is mostly just patches, just cleaned them up, added :HAS:NEEDS:FOR where appropriate, updated the Ex -> EL in the patches, changed the dockingPort patch to now affect all docking ports (no matter who makes them or what size); B9tankswitches for the ore tanks; changed the ScienceLab patch to affect all science labs; and a whole bunch of QoL improvements - like added a small amount of storage in ISRU's.

Only planned change is to move the SurveySkill back into NSSC; and depreciate the controlPoint (including that was an accidental mistake )

Am open to any suggestions that adds value, without changing the design goal of SImpleXXX mods.

Future plans are not to involved at this moment; just keeping it up to date (including the includded LaunchPad.dll)(which was included with permission and includes the licenses) and KSP version updates.

5 hours ago, scottadges said:

KS-OSCR Control Reference is? and what is +PART for that matter?

accidentally included that because I too don't use the full Extraplanetary Launchpads and didn't understand it fully; heck, the description is totally wrong so until I read the manual I thought it was a way to mark which attach node on a sub-assembly/vessel would be attached when it was launched after building. Still it is very handy part since it adds a control point to any vessel - very much like the new pods being able to change control orientation or added an extra Okto2 to a rover so you can change control orientations. Hope that makes sense.

+PART just referred to copying a part using Module Manager. +PART is the syntax used instead of @PART which is used to modify a part.

I plan on replacing the +PART with a full part.cfg in the next release. Still using the strutCube as the base part.

It is the microPad (the one which allows you to add to a vessel because it disappears when the new construction is finalized. - Think KonstructionPorts by USI). Design principle of SimpleConstruction! was simple, no new parts, and well, easy. I bent that a little with this, but only a little. No new models/textures, just another StrutCube with two sized nodes (hopefully people got the idea of that). The StutCube makes sense because, well, it is a frame/girder/scaffold/truss.

I hope this answered your questions. Please do ask more, and any suggestions, I will listen.

Edited February 28, 2020 by zer0Kerbal

[scottadges]

1 hour ago, zer0Kerbal said:

@scottadges, you are most certainly welcome.

[truly awesome info but snipped for space]

Thank you so much for the excellent explanation. It seems like you've really got it under control here and looking forward to any other updates you make.

I'm still working on a 1.7.3 Career Game, but I'm itching to upgrade to 1.8.1 with ReStock, Kopernicus, Scatterer, etc. all getting updated. Of course, 1.9 mods are mostly getting updated as well.

Anyway, I'll let you know if I have any suggestions! Again, awesome work and really appreciate it.

[Cynestal]

Will this work in 1.9? Or will we need to wait for the mod to be updated?

 

[leatherneck6017]

1 hour ago, Cynestal said:

Will this work in 1.9? Or will we need to wait for the mod to be updated?

 

Try it and let us know.

[zer0Kerbal]

considering it is *mostly* just patches and configs; the real question should be: does EL work in 1.9.1. If it does, this should.

It is in the pipeline, behind about three dozen others to be updated. maybe for 1.10.1

[JoeeoJ]

Hi there, is there a small desciption for this mod ? I have the problem that whatever vehicle I build with it, it's position is always wrong: Legs up, wheels up etc. I tried to put the construction port on an movable arm, so that I can define the position of the port: horizontal, upward , downward  ... did not help at all. 

Oh btw. in version 1.9.1 it seemed to work until I experienced that several time suddenly input from the keyboard and mouse was simply ignored by KSP.

Only solution was -> Task Manager -> End Process

TIA, Joe

Edited March 23, 2020 by JoeeoJ

[rmaine]

1 hour ago, JoeeoJ said:

Hi there, is there a small desciption for this mod ? I have the problem that whatever vehicle I build with it, it's position is always wrong: Legs up, wheels up etc. I tried to put the construction port on an movable arm, so that I can define the position of the port: horizontal, upward , downward  ... did not help at all.

I had big problems with that at first as well. What eventually worked for me was the stakes from KIS. Took me a while to figure those out as well, but I have it now. Have to bring a hammer and at least 3 stakes along in one of the KIS containers. Then have a Kerbal equip the hammer and then use the stake. Have to use the H key to hold the stake and then a mouse click to hammer it in; that's the part I had the hardest time figuring out. I put one stake with a -X and the other with a +X and then I can pretty consistently build a rover (or whatever craft) that ends up right-side-up and between them. I'm sure there are other ways, but that's what I finally got working for me. Was frustrating til I figured it out.

3 minutes ago, rmaine said:

I had big problems with that at first as well. What eventually worked for me was the stakes from KIS. Took me a while to figure those out as well, but I have it now. Have to bring a hammer and at least 3 stakes along in one of the KIS containers. Then have a Kerbal equip the hammer and then use the stake. Have to use the H key to hold the stake and then a mouse click to hammer it in; that's the part I had the hardest time figuring out. I put one stake with a -X and the other with a +X and then I can pretty consistently build a rover (or whatever craft) that ends up right-side-up and between them. I'm sure there are other ways, but that's what I finally got working for me. Was frustrating til I figured it out.

Oh. Oops. I forgot that the stakes are in the "Not So SImple Construction" add-on mod. Also, while I'm posting I should note that it is working for me in 1.9.1.

[zer0Kerbal]

9 hours ago, JoeeoJ said:

Hi there, is there a small desciption for this mod ? I have the problem that whatever vehicle I build with it, it's position is always wrong: Legs up, wheels up etc. I tried to put the construction port on an movable arm, so that I can define the position of the port: horizontal, upward , downward  ... did not help at all. 

Oh btw. in version 1.9.1 it seemed to work until I experienced that several time suddenly input from the keyboard and mouse was simply ignored by KSP.

Only solution was -> Task Manager -> End Process

TIA, Joe

Same issue with the full blown Launchpads.

I am hoping that any issues like that will be resolved when it is recompiled for 1.9.1 soon™. I believe I saw @taniwha say will be releasing a new version of EL soon™er™is™ - so might wait until then.

sorry to hear that.

Thank you and welcome!

7 hours ago, rmaine said:

"Not So SImple Construction" add-on mod. Also, while I'm posting I should note that it is working for me in 1.9.1

*chuckle* and soon KD will join the crowd!

thank you.

 

[taniwha]

What's the trigger for KSP locking up? I thought I"d fixed all such issues in EL.

[JoeeoJ]

Hi there,

thanks for your comments.

taniwha & Zer0Kerbal, thanks both for your work.

I guess I have around 60+ mods in my game, so I can only say what happened in 1.9.1 while using Simple Construction and  whatever caused the break between keyboard/mouse and KSP can also be a combination of different factors.  If you would like to have any logs or any other further info,  just tell me what you need.

rmaine, thank you very much for your description, but I knew it already, but couldn't find the stakes. Seems that they aren't any longer in the inventory (1.8.1 and 1.9.1) Tried to use those KS-COS Control & Disposable Pad Cubic Family Strut units in the hope that they could be used to mark the point where the constructed vessel would conncet to the building port ... unfortunately it did not work.

Joe

 

 

 

[rmaine]

18 minutes ago, JoeeoJ said:

rmaine, thank you very much for your description, but I knew it already, but couldn't find the stakes. Seems that they aren't any longer in the inventory (1.8.1 and 1.9.1)

Hmm. I'm running 1.9.1 right now (literally - KSP is running on my Win10 game machine while I do other stuff like forum browsing on this iMac). As I noted, I have "not So Simple Construction" and KIS. The mallet and stakes are in the utility section of the VAB build menu. I also had to experiment to figure out how to get them to a kerbal at my base. There's probably another way, but what I ended up doing was putting them in a SC-62 portable container (payload menu in VAB) mounted on the outside of a craft. Then my kerbal could go EVA and get the tools from that container. At different times, I've used different ways of getting that container to my base. At first, I just launched it with the base in the first place. In my current game, I've been inclined to launch a much more compact base core instead of having awkward things hanging all out making launch and reentry hard (particularly reentry on Duna, where I had a lot of trouble if the "sticky out" bits weren't very well balanced). I have docking ports on my base core and bring along enough rocket parts to bootstrap building a workshop or small rocket parts factory (and also a cupola) from those docking ports. Then I just include the container (loaded with a mallet and stakes) in one of the sections I build on-site as a base add-on.

[JoeeoJ]

rmaine,

I have now reinstalled KIS/KAS with CKAN.  Though I can find the electric screwdriver, the utility wrench and the explosives etc.  there is no mallet and no stakes. Will reinstall KIS/KAS  tomorrow again and force CKAN to clean the cache first. May be that helps. Will report about the result tomorrow evening.

Joe

 

 

[rmaine]

30 minutes ago, JoeeoJ said:

rmaine,

I have now reinstalled KIS/KAS with CKAN.  Though I can find the electric screwdriver, the utility wrench and the explosives etc.  there is no mallet and no stakes. Will reinstall KIS/KAS  tomorrow again and force CKAN to clean the cache first. May be that helps. Will report about the result tomorrow evening.

Joe

 

 

Don't forget "Not So SImple Construction" in addition to plain "Simple Construction". The mallet and stakes are one of the main add-ons in "Not So Simple Construction." Sure sounds suspiciously like you might have omitted that (or it didn't get installed correctly).

[taniwha]

@JoeeoJ: For now, even just what you were doing at the time would help. eg, end of build or teardown? finalize? vessel switch? stage? dock/undock? recycling bin?

[JoeeoJ]

Hi all,

throwing 1.6 GB of CKAN cache away and reinstalling these  mods wa successful : Finally I got the hammer and the stake. :-)

Will try to use it tomorrow.

Joe

taniwha,

I willl test tomorrow the 1.9.1 and will tell you later what I did  before KSP lost control over keyboard and mouse.

Joe

[resathetus]

Hello,

I am trying to use this mod with the community resource pack but have run into an issue. the community resource pack uses "metals" rather than "metal". This seems to mean the base part added by this mod is the only part which can store resources for making rocket parts.

Is there any way to change metal to metals or add metal to the list of available resource options for containers.

edit: ah! i made a mistake when referring to part added since this doesn't add any parts. another mod adds a part that specifically uses metal. this is the only part that can be used.

edit2: I've answered part of my question by realizing I should be looking at fuel tanks. So that solves the main issue of where to store metal. However, I am wondering if there is any way to add metal to the list of resources in other mods containers. this is probably an issue that should be directed at configurable containers though.

Edited March 27, 2020 by resathetus

[zer0Kerbal]

11 hours ago, resathetus said:

Hello,

I am trying to use this mod with the community resource pack but have run into an issue. the community resource pack uses "metals" rather than "metal". This seems to mean the base part added by this mod is the only part which can store resources for making rocket parts.

Is there any way to change metal to metals or add metal to the list of available resource options for containers.

edit: ah! i made a mistake when referring to part added since this doesn't add any parts. another mod adds a part that specifically uses metal. this is the only part that can be used.

edit2: I've answered part of my question by realizing I should be looking at fuel tanks. So that solves the main issue of where to store metal. However, I am wondering if there is any way to add metal to the list of resources in other mods containers. this is probably an issue that should be directed at configurable containers though.

I was just about to say that.

If you have B9PartSwitcher (preferred) or IFS(works just fine) installed, the stock ore tanks will be switchable.

I had to do some research and you are correct, and I never had noticed it before - CRP is 'metals' and EL/SC are 'metal'. Wonder if @taniwha did that on purpose?

Yes, in order to not add parts, a small Metal reserve tank was added to all stock ISRU's (should be).

I might go so far as to suggest B9StockPatches (link below). Then most of the stock tanks will have ore/metal/rocketparts/combo available.

@HebaruSan, would you be so kind as to add an either/or Recommendation for B9PartSwtich(1st  choice) or IFS? what would be the best way to list it on the Readme (to make it easy on the automation)?

 

 

[HebaruSan]

2 hours ago, zer0Kerbal said:

 

@HebaruSan, would you be so kind as to add an either/or Recommendation for B9PartSwtich(1st  choice) or IFS?

Sure, done.

2 hours ago, zer0Kerbal said:

what would be the best way to list it on the Readme (to make it easy on the automation)?

There is no automation for recommends (or depends, suggests, etc.); we read the documentation and manually edit the metadata (for which your exceptionally clear readme format is still quite helpful!).

[zer0Kerbal]

2 hours ago, HebaruSan said:

Sure, done.

am still torn on this - don't actually need - can use the mod successfully without, just can't really store metal...

2 hours ago, HebaruSan said:

There is no automation for recommends (or depends, suggests, etc.); we read the documentation and manually edit the metadata (for which your exceptionally clear readme format is still quite helpful!).

takes a tad minute or two to get it there - but once there, easy to use everywhere. ounce of prevention is worth two Jebs.

[taniwha]

5 hours ago, zer0Kerbal said:

I had to do some research and you are correct, and I never had noticed it before - CRP is 'metals' and EL/SC are 'metal'. Wonder if @taniwha did that on purpose?

No, it would be the CRP people (assuming it was deliberate). EL had Metal long before CRP existed.

[zer0Kerbal]

2 minutes ago, taniwha said:

No, it would be the CRP people (assuming it was deliberate). EL had Metal long before CRP existed.

Hmm... thanks for the reply.

 

5 hours ago, zer0Kerbal said:

I had to do some research and you are correct, and I never had noticed it before - CRP is 'metals' and EL/SC are 'metal'. Wonder if @taniwha did that on purpose?

So lets ask @RoverDude!