Mod Not Showing Up

[Scarecrow71]

Ok, so I am new to modding KSP.  I am a software jockey by trade, so I figured the leap into modding one of my favorite games shouldn't be all that difficult to figure out.  Boy, am I wrong.

I followed along with the modding tutorials EsvDefcon created all those years ago, and even though technology has advanced, they were still easy enough to follow.  I was able to use Blender to create a fuel tank model (first time ever using Blender), and I was able to give the model a collision mesh in Unity (first time ever using Unity).  I got to the 4th video in his series about creating the config file for the part, and I had to take some liberties because he was using I think 0.24 and I'm on 1.8.3, so the config files are a bit different.  Not so much so that I can't follow along, but enough to see the difference.  Anyhow, I crafted the config file, and I put the tutorial folder in the Parts folder in the game location like the video says, then I launched the game...and the part didn't show up.  So I thought "Hey, all the mods are in the GameData folder, so let's put it there and see what happens".  Again, the part doesn't show up in the game.  And I'm lost as to why.

When launching the game, I can see the folder I'm using for this part mod show up in the loading list, so I know the game "sees" it.  However, I'm just not sure why it isn't showing up in the game itself.  My guess is that the config file isn't entirely accurate due to having to follow along with something 8 years old, but I don't know what I should do to correct this.  So I'm asking for the community's help here with my very first mod.  What do I need to do to get this part to show up in-game?  Is the config file wrong?  Do I have the folder in the wrong location?  Have I missed something inadvertently?

Config File

It's short enough so that using a spoiler here shouldn't upset anyone too much.  It's pretty basic, really; just your average, ordinary fuel tank.  It's named part.cfg, and it's in TutorialMod/Parts/tutorialFuelTank.

Spoiler

PART
{
    name = tutorialFuelTank
    module = Part
    author = Scarecrow71
    MODEL
    {
        model = TutorialMod/Parts/tutorialFuelTank/model.mu
    }
    
    rescaleFactor = 1.25

    node_stack_top = 0.0, 2.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 1
    node_stack_bottom = 0.0, -2.0, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 1

    TechRequired = start
    entryCost = 0
    cost = 2000
    category = Propulsion
    subcategory = 0
    title = X9-AGM Fuel Tank
    manufacturer = Las Kerbas Rocketry
    description = The most basic of fuel tanks, for the most basic of missions.
    attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0
    mass = .5
    dragModelType = default
    maximum_drag = 0.2
    minimum_drag = 0.3
    angularDrag = 2
    crashTolerance = 6
    breakingForce = 50
    breakingTorque = 50
    maxTemp = 3600

    RESOURCE
    {
        name = LiquidFuel
        amount = 360
        maxAmount = 360
    }
    RESOURCE
    {
        name = Oxidizer
        amount = 440
        maxAmount = 440
    }
}
 

Screenshot

You can see the folder structure here for the tutorial fuel tank mod I crafted.  As far as I know, this should be the correct structure...but again, this is my first time, so I'm probably doing something wrong.

If someone could please take a look at this and let me know what I'm doing wrong, I would be most appreciative.  Thanks in advance!

[CarelessDoughnut]

The model string doesn't need the extension to be specified and the mass string being .5 instead of 0.5 (supposing you wanted it to wheigh 500 kg) . Also I haven't seen mbm textures inside stock, but i think that was like an older proprietary filetupe like .mu . I've only seen DDS and PNG textures. I haven't seen that done that way anywhere else, but I don't know if that can break anything but if you did follow older tutorials, then I guess some things could have change enough .

I'm new to this too, and been fiddling around with modding for like a year but I'd recommend these newer tutorials by KerboNerd.

 

 

Edited October 29, 2022 by CarelessDoughnut

[Scarecrow71]

@CarelessDoughnut

You are a righteous genius!  I did the following:

• Removed the .mu extension from the model call in the config file
• Updated the weight to be 0.5

The model shows up in KSP...and it works!  Simple fuel tank, holds the right amount of fuel and oxidizer based on what I put in the config file, and I can attach it to command pods and engines and everything.  That was exactly what I needed to help me figure out what the story was.

Now, there's still a few problems.  The biggest one being that part of the model simply doesn't show up.  It's supposed to be, in the simplest terms, a cylinder with 2 toroidal rings (one top and one bottom) with the rings connected to each other by support columns.  The top ring and the support columns don't display in KSP even though they are in Blender AND Unity...but this may be an issue with my limited understanding of modeling and rendering.  I need to go through and create some more stuff and see what happens.  Could also be that I went a bit fast on this one and simply botched the Write statement in Unity?  Who knows; practice will help here.

The other problem is that only 1 of the texture files is being applied - Black_Metal.png.  Oh, by the way, I tried this with both the .mbm and .png files with the same results - only the Black_Metal texture displays on the model.  I am wondering if this is because I have 3 texture files and it's simply picking the first one alphabetically?  Not sure, but I did check and I see that most parts have a few texture files...but their config files have code for alternate textures.  So this may be a result of not putting all the colors needed in one .png file.  Could also be, again, my botching something with the Write statement in Unity, or the Export statement in Blender.  Once again, practice will make...less imperfect?    I did right-click the tank just to be sure, and there are no alternate textures available in the context menu (which I expect; I don't have the code in the .cfg file); just putting that out here for posterity and to let you know everything I did.

Anyhow, I am pretty confident that I can replicate what I'm doing enough to craft some parts for KSP now.  I'm no artist, nor am I a 3-D modeler, but I can at least try!

Again, thank you so much for the help!  And I will check out the vids you posted above to see if I can pick up any tips/tricks!

[Scarecrow71]

@CarelessDoughnut

And I can't work through those videos.  Blender was installed on my machine through the Microsoft Store, and I don't have permissions to the WindowsApps folders for some odd reason.  It's my desktop, and I'm the admin on the machine.  But I have no clue how to give myself permissions on that folder so I can create the necessary folder in addons.

[ColdJ]

@Scarecrow71

Assuming you can actually see me. Since I have done things in other threads to help you but never heard anything back.

You need to have a good read through my thread. It has all you need to get Blender or preferably the fork Bforartists. And lots of help to cover various problems you encounter when getting started. You can make your entire model in Blender rather than relying on Unity.

You should download directly, not through any downloading service like the windows store or steam. And pop it directly on the main drive so Windows doesn't mess up your permissions.

As to your first problems. @CarelessDoughnut was right on the money, I would have said the same thing. Other things that can stop a model turning up are missplaced commas in the node configs or brackets out of place. As to the invisible sections, you may have the faces inside out. It is not obvious in blender unless you turn "Face Orientation" on to get the blue outside, red inside. If you are inside out you will need to flip the normals in editing mode for that section. That is under the Mesh dropdown, find Normals, then inside that Flip.

Instructions for finding face orientation are in the thread.

As for the missing textures. That depends on how you have set up your Materials. Like have you got the parts of the model that use the other textures on a different material set up that looks for those texture pics. I usually put everything on same texture pic in different areas. You can have multiple Material set ups that use the same pic but have different effects. I believe I can do half the possible shaders on a total of 3 pics. A main texture, An Emissive/Specular and a bump map.

Anyhow. If you can see this, go have a good read and you should be able to be confidently making mods and models in short order.

 

[Scarecrow71]

2 hours ago, ColdJ said:

Assuming you can actually see me. Since I have done things in other threads to help you but never heard anything back.

I generally, at a minimum, like posts that are direct responses to things I'm asking.  If I failed to do that, I sincerely apologize; I need all the help I can get, and if I forget to like a post or respond I need to be called out on that.  My bad!

2 hours ago, ColdJ said:

You should download directly, not through any downloading service like the windows store or steam. And pop it directly on the main drive so Windows doesn't mess up your permissions.

Took this advice and removed the Microsoft Store version, then downloaded and installed the Windows 64-bit version from Blender directly.  Not sure why I didn't think to do that myself.  Major brain fade!  But now that I've done that, I was able to add the add-on (Import-Export:  Mu model format (KSP)) to the add-on folder, and I was able to select it in the Add-Ons dropdown in Blender.  And that's as far as I got viewing the videos that @CarelessDoughnut gave me, so I'm not all that far!  I will be going through the videos today as time allows!

2 hours ago, ColdJ said:

You need to have a good read through my thread.

I plan on doing that.  I'm no 3-D artist, and this Blender stuff is all pretty new to me.  So I'll take all the hints I can get.  And I thank you for linking to it so I can find it easily enough!

EDIT:  And unfortunately, there isn't a lot of information in your thread or the above videos for those of us that don't know a darned thing about modeling; it's all geared towards intermediate users.  So I'm off to find a few blender tutorials and go through those first.  As with anything, one must first learn to crawl and then walk before they can fly.

Edited November 1, 2022 by Scarecrow71