[1.12.x] [BG] Planetside Exploration Technologies | Surface bases, NASA MMSEV, wind turbines & more! | v1.0.2

[Z3R0_0NL1N3]

Exactly how is one supposed to launch and land these modules? I haven't found any information from design proposals on this. SLS, I presume, but how do I mount the MMSEV inside the fairing? Where do I attach the propulsive landing kit? I mean sure I can get creative with stock parts but I was hoping there was a more true-to-life plan

[Guest]

@benjee10 ok having done some proper testing I’ve got some feedback/queries/suggestions:

Sometimes in the editor, when you mouse over the right click menu for a part, the part disappears from view and the button (say extend staircase) toggles over to the other option but doesn’t actually trigger the action. When you remove the mouse from the right click menu, the part reappears. This is intermittent, possibly a conflict with something like Click Through Blocker maybe?

I love the extending stairs, however when extended, the feet are a different height to the other hydraulic legs meaning it’s difficult to use the 2 together (the stairs are longer than the hydraulic legs so can’t adjust deployment).

The crabbing rover wheels are also a brilliant concept but with the above in mind, there are a range of possible heights the rover would need to dock to but not reference as to where to mount the wheel turning mounts for each. Another mod (maybe MKS) got around this by having a moveable docking port that could lift up or down to suit.

Everything else works perfectly, use/discard the above as you see fit 

[benjee10]

On 4/13/2021 at 11:44 PM, golkaidakhaana said:

@benjee10 I think I may have asked about it before ... but is there anything I can do to fix the issue of the staircase part blocking EVA of kerbals ?

On which parts are you having this issue? I tested pretty extensively and found no trouble EVAing through the stairs. It's possible that colliders are incorrectly set up on some parts though which could cause bad interactions. Also are you EVAing via the button on the portrait camera, or by clicking on the hatch itself? 

On 4/13/2021 at 8:55 PM, KallangoVerde said:

The base that I set up yesterday was very cool ... but I was not able to remove the mobile chassis easily as it did in the mod trailer.

In the photo below I lifted the floor as much as possible but whenever I triggered the undocking ... KAAAABOOOOOMMMM !! 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dxWJaBHDzWN_UfZVX8g2Tst9P8lk7naw/view?usp=sharing

 

I only succeeded after I changed my tactics.

Undocking before supporting the entire base on the floor. That was the only way ... (so far)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gRjCNiHFr6TcdUkq33D9B9oEgW4rgxsi/view?usp=sharing

Am I doing something wrong in the process?

 

KSP.log

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12brFuTpPg_BYbQBJmAlb7O37nmHgg7ij/view?usp=sharing

That is a strange issue you're having - are you using the offset tool at all? Could any parts be clipping into each other when you undock? There's nothing in the screenshots that seem obviously wrong, so my best guess is either something clipping slightly or a mod conflict. 

11 hours ago, Z3R0_0NL1N3 said:

Exactly how is one supposed to launch and land these modules? I haven't found any information from design proposals on this. SLS, I presume, but how do I mount the MMSEV inside the fairing? Where do I attach the propulsive landing kit? I mean sure I can get creative with stock parts but I was hoping there was a more true-to-life plan

That's outside the scope of this mod  I've seen MMSEV depicted on top of an Altair lander and also in the cargo hold of that huge Constellation Mars lander, but I'm not aware of any actual studies or proposals of how to land it. The rest of the parts aren't based on any one proposal in particular (aside from roughly matching the size profile of the NASA Habitat Demonstration Unit) so there is no right or wrong way to do it. I've used a few different methods in testing but there's by a no means a definitive way. 

3 minutes ago, FruitGoose said:

@benjee10 ok having done some proper testing I’ve got some feedback/queries/suggestions:

Sometimes in the editor, when you mouse over the right click menu for a part, the part disappears from view and the button (say extend staircase) toggles over to the other option but doesn’t actually trigger the action. When you remove the mouse from the right click menu, the part reappears. This is intermittent, possibly a conflict with something like Click Through Blocker maybe?

I love the extending stairs, however when extended, the feet are a different height to the other hydraulic legs meaning it’s difficult to use the 2 together (the stairs are longer than the hydraulic legs so can’t adjust deployment).

The crabbing rover wheels are also a brilliant concept but with the above in mind, there are a range of possible heights the rover would need to dock to but not reference as to where to mount the wheel turning mounts for each. Another mod (maybe MKS) got around this by having a moveable docking port that could lift up or down to suit.

Everything else works perfectly, use/discard the above as you see fit 

1st issue sounds like it could be a mod conflict as I've not experienced it myself. 

Could you post screenshots on what you mean on the other points? The rover chassis + wheels are designed so the docking port on the rover should be exactly inline with the height of a 1.875m module on the 1.875m adapter + base platform, so you shouldn't need to adjust the wheel position at all.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, benjee10 said:

Could you post screenshots on what you mean on the other points? The rover chassis + wheels are designed so the docking port on the rover should be exactly inline with the height of a 1.875m module on the 1.875m adapter + base platform, so you shouldn't need to adjust the wheel position at all.

No problem will do (although will be later tonight). I can confirm you’re right, if you use the steps and mount the wheels in the centre (height wise) of the rover structural platform thing, it does indeed line up. Also I wasn’t using the base platform, so it might be that as well!

[golkaidakhaana]

2 hours ago, benjee10 said:

On which parts are you having this issue? I tested pretty extensively and found no trouble EVAing through the stairs. It's possible that colliders are incorrectly set up on some parts though which could cause bad interactions. Also are you EVAing via the button on the portrait camera, or by clicking on the hatch itself?

I only tried with the laboratory module , and I ve tried the EVA button and the hatch itself

[Coyote21]

Patch for Kiwi Tech Tree, Logical but entirely personal choices for tree node placements. File should be easy enough to modify if my choices do not suit.

Spoiler

// Kiwi's Tech Tree Overhaul (Planetside Exploration Technologies by benjee10 Patch)
// Version 1.0
// Created: 15 April 2021 for KSP 1.11.2

// Tanks
//
@PART[MMSEV_monopropSled]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = advFlightControl
}

// Engines
//
@PART[DIRECT_KJ10]:NEEDS[Benjee10_sharedAssets]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = generalRocketry
}

// Structural
//
@PART[MMSEV_chassis]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = advConstruction
}
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_base_adapter_0-9375,Benjee10_MMSEV_base_endCapRound]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = generalConstruction
}
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_base_HDU_base,Benjee10_MMSEV_base_lifter,Benjee10_MMSEV_base_mount_1-875,Benjee10_MMSEV_base_platform]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = advConstruction
}
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_baseTurbineBoo*]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = advElectrics
}

// Robotics
//
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_baseTurbineMotor,Benjee10_MMSEV_wheelMount]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = advConstruction
}

// Coupling
//
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_baseDockLowProfile]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = docking
}
@PART[B10_APASv2]:NEEDS[Benjee10_sharedAssets]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = docking
}

// Wheel
//
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_wheelLinear]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = landing
}

// Payload
//
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_logistics*]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = earlyStations
}

// Heat Management
//
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_baseRadiator]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = basicScience
}

// Electrics
//
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_baseSolarArray]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = science201
}
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_baseTurbine*]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = advElectrics
}

// Science
//
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_baseLab,Benjee10_MMSEV_baseGreenhouse]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = hydroponics
}

// Utility
//
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_baseHab*,Benjee10_MMSEV_crewTube?]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = hydroponics
}
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_baseNode1-25,Benjee10_MMSEV_baseNode_vertical,Benjee10_MMSEV_base_TNode1-25]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = earlyStations
}
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_baseHDU_hab,Benjee10_base_HDU_attic]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = earlyStations
}
@PART[Benjee10_base_stairs,Benjee10_MMSEV_baseRailings]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = engineering101
}
@PART[Benjee10_MMSEV_headlight]:NEEDS[Benjee10_MMSEV]:FOR[KiwiTechTree]
{
	@TechRequired = spaceExploration
}

 

 

[Guest]

@benjee10

Ok as an update, done some further testing and taken some screenshots (below). 

Regarding the right-click issue in editor, it seems to be when a part is placed first. Any subsequent parts behave correctly. Today, it created a little thumbnail version of the last part which followed the mouse around whilst moused over the menu. Very bizarre. The stairs were the only ones I could get to disappear but that created a thumbnail version of the last part in the part selection window. Even more bizarre! I have noticed another issue with another mod which I think needs updating so I'll do that and look into it further. 

Regarding the other issues, I was using the wrong parts with the wrong item. And not sure what I was taking about with the rover wheels, they fit correctly as well, so consider that part solved/not an issue!

Spoiler

Mouse is over the menu here. Little thumbnail follows it around!

When moused out, thumbnail disappears. When mouse back in, it reappears...

 

Stairs, behave correctly when right click on part...

 

Mouse into the menu and the part disappears and a thumbnail appeared in part selection window! If you mouse out, the stairs reappear.

 

This is what I was trying to do before... yes I'm an idiot

 

Edited April 15, 2021 by Guest

[Guest]

Ok after much testing and reloading, I think I've come up with a basic workaround for the stairs. I noticed that when first placed (as the first part), the stairs did their disappearing trick. However, if you grab the stairs and move them somewhere else, they work fine. So I changed the attachRules in the CFG to match the other 'ladders' in the game (0,1,0,0,1) which also means they now can't be placed first; and therefore can't bug out.  Trouble is it makes them a bit of a pain to attach/line up but a new node would probably sort that. I'm going to do some more tests with other ladders as I suspect it's a Unity-related bug.

The only other thing I noticed is the B9PartSwitcher you've bundled is for 1.9 but there is a newer version (1.11) now which works fine with these. Since updating that (and Janitor's Closet), I've not seen the weird thumbnail thing so that may have been related to one of those. 

 

[Kadermonkey]

On 4/4/2021 at 5:09 AM, benjee10 said:

Hmm, I will double check this. Don't think it should matter too much, but worth making sure the dependencies are up to date. 

Thanks very much Nert, your work really inspires me to keep pushing the quality of my work further.

Awesome screenshots!

Thanks very much! 

I don't think a Discord would really be my thing! A tutorial video might be useful though, I'll see what I can do. 

Could you give me some more info on this? 

I'll definitely look into it!

I'll take a look at this, thanks!

Resource processors might be useful for sure. 

Thanks very much for the support & kind words everyone! It has been about 6 months since I started this project so it is really satisfying to finally see out in the wild. If I haven't like your comment yet it's because I've exceeded the number of likes per day...

The rocket was just instantly starting to shake itself to death, but it seems to be working again

[ndiver]

While i'm not using (yet) this mod, if some of you have pictures of how you landed and assembled your base elements, I am really interested to see to learn

[Beccab]

1 hour ago, ndiver said:

While i'm not using (yet) this mod, if some of you have pictures of how you landed and assembled your base elements, I am really interested to see to learn

Personally, to transport them I used three ways:

- For the small modules, engines on the sides perpendicular to the module, ensuring the mass is always in the middle;

- alternatively, placing the thruster in the back and adding some fuel pods sideways to balance the mass, jettisoned just before landing;

- For the 3.75m modules, directly with engines placed on the sides, Jamestown style (the "fuel cupola" in this screenshot is jettisoned before landing as well).

To assemble them, I ended up with three ways as well:

- The intended way, as in using the robotic rover and wheels included in this mod and placing the modules above them for transport (didn't work too well in parallax with collisions enabled);

- A rover with moving arm, which proved useful but at the end of the day was just too light to carry full modules without tipping over;

- A skycrane with grabbing arm, with lots of fuel that on minmus was more than enough for all the modules I took there after its arrival.

the last two are shown in this screenshot:

 

Edited April 18, 2021 by Beccab
dumb me pressing enter too early

[Minmus Taster]

Where are you getting all these legs?

[alberro+]

Loving this mod, especially that docking port, but I've been having a pretty big issue with some of the parts that can be radially attached. They won't stick onto the part I want them to, and when I right click to open the menu, it doesn't open. Placing the part works only if you don't move your mouse away from your craft in the editor. Launching it, and going back to the VAB fixes this. 

Playing on 1.8.1.

[Tacombel]

On 4/18/2021 at 12:55 PM, ndiver said:

While i'm not using (yet) this mod, if some of you have pictures of how you landed and assembled your base elements, I am really interested to see to learn

While the parts that I use are from a different mod (if there are any questions regarding that mod, please take them to the relevant thread, not here) here you can see some base building action using EVA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-TNxrokhXA

 

[Jokpau Gaming]

Is this mod compatible with USI life support?

[Grimmas]

2 minutes ago, Jokpau Gaming said:

Is this mod compatible with USI life support?

It won't conflict but it does not have a patch for USI-LS yet.

[modus]

54 minutes ago, Grimmas said:

yet.

Who will be the knight in shining armor?

(Yes, I know, I could try. But don't know how. But many modders started like this! I know, I know, I'm sorry)

[Guest]

An apology to @benjee10 :

I’ve finally got to the bottom of the disappearing parts bug and it’s ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with this mod. It just so happened to show symptoms with the stairs but is nothing to do with the stairs. It’s actually a stock bug. Apologies if any link was inferred.

[Grimmas]

4 hours ago, modus said:

Who will be the knight in shining armor?

(Yes, I know, I could try. But don't know how. But many modders started like this! I know, I know, I'm sorry)

@modus You are in luck, you have just volunteered to test my MKS/USI-LS support patch. 

[modus]

Why, sir, you flatter me!

[DirtyFace83]

14 hours ago, Grimmas said:

@modus You are in luck, you have just volunteered to test my MKS/USI-LS support patch. 

Would this work with MKS+TAC-LS? Or is it primarily for USI-LS?

[Grimmas]

2 hours ago, DirtyFace83 said:

Would this work with MKS+TAC-LS? Or is it primarily for USI-LS?

The partches are independent of each other - the MKS patches add MKS modules (mainly logistics and colonization bonuses) and the USI-LS patches add USI-LS modules (mainly habitation and recyclers). The only "interaction" I added was for the hydroponics - if you use USI-LS without MKS you'll get the one-recipe version without machinery (straight mulch+fertilizer to supplies) and  if you use MKS you'll instead get the version that acts like the Tundra agriculture part (adds substrate/dirt to supplies converters, consumes machinery). In the case of MKS+TAC you should get the heavier version. 

That said, I've never played MKS with TAC before, as they are not really that compatible and aren't meant to be played together. So YMMV. If you find any bugs or balance issues in my patch, let me know. 

Edited April 20, 2021 by Grimmas

[DirtyFace83]

2 hours ago, Grimmas said:

The partches are independent of each other - the MKS patches add MKS modules (mainly logistics and colonization bonuses) and the USI-LS patches add USI-LS modules (mainly habitation and recyclers). The only "interaction" I added was for the hydroponics - if you use USI-LS without MKS you'll get the one-recipe version without machinery (straight mulch+fertilizer to supplies) and  if you use MKS you'll instead get the version that acts like the Tundra agriculture part (adds substrate/dirt to supplies converters, consumes machinery). In the case of MKS+TAC you should get the heavier version. 

That said, I've never played MKS with TAC before, as they are not really that compatible and aren't meant to be played together. So YMMV. If you find any bugs or balance issues in my patch, let me know. 

Cool, yea, MKS and TAC have difficulty playing nice, but I'll give your patch a playthrough and see what happens. Thanks for sharing it

[Grimmas]

19 minutes ago, DirtyFace83 said:

Cool, yea, MKS and TAC have difficulty playing nice, but I'll give your patch a playthrough and see what happens. Thanks for sharing it

You're welcome. I didn't really playtest it except for making sure it works, so the balance is almost certainly weird (copied from somewhat-equivalent MKS parts with some minor modifications). Comments on the balance are most welcome, and if you find bugs let me know too of course. 

[EndAllFilms]

Can you give us a Jamestown base craft file please