Some questions from a new ksp modder.

[Zombie_Striker]

Hey everyone. I've been playing KSP since, like, 2013. It is such a good game with lots of replay ability, thanks  to mods. I've always been a fan of realism, or near future science fiction, which is why most of the mods that I used to use revolved around managing real world phenomena, from radiation to food with kerbalism. When KSP2 was announced, I was excited to see what  additions and more customizability they would add to this game. Sadly, it seems that game has died, and there won't be any new updates to KSP1.

However, now that KSP1 is in its final state, I figured now would be the right time to figure out how to mod this game. I had an idea for an overhaul, focusing on the management of a space agency, working with kerbal governments, laws, social events, resource management for parts ect. Basically, realism with a larger scale. I'm currently using ChatGPT and articles I've found on modding to figure out how to do specific things, but I figure I should probably ask about this stuff, which I never seen done before in a mod. Here are my questions:

1) Is there a way to create my own menus, like the science/research tech tree menu, the contract menu, or the administrations menu? I would like to overhaul those visuals, but don't know how to do it, or if its possible.

2) Is there a way to add visual meshes to the world, like trees or those monuments, for the sake of buildings, infrastructure, ect? Basically, is there a way to show kerbal civilization in  the world?

3) I know there are ways to move the KSC to other planets, but it always looks weird in the mods I've seen. Is there a way to either edit the KSC view, or create a new menu system for navigating buildings for multiple stations/ multiple planets?

4) For stats regarding individual kerbals, is there a way to store more data for each of them? For example, physiological traits, radiation exposure, psychological traits, social traits, ect? Would I need to build a custom wrapper that logs each kerbal's name and apply my own system to them to store that extra data, or is there a system in place for adding custom data/tags to kerbal profiles?

5) Is there a way to procedurally/dynamically change variables  about planets? Atmospheric composition, height, density, ect? I know Kopernicus allows for editing plant stats at launch, but I don't know if you can edit it on the fly. This would be for terraforming.

6) Background automation, decision making, and planning? Is there an easy way to simulate vessels and what happens on them, allowing orbital dynamics and resource levels, to change while out of flight? Or would I also need to create a wrapper for each vehicle, and create my  own code for simulating those things, and apply that data when the vessel loads again?

[OhJebus]

answer for 2. You can get parallax for some nice nature, and kerbal konstructs for building

 

[KspNoobUsernameTaken]

On 9/30/2024 at 1:22 PM, Zombie_Striker said:

For stats regarding individual kerbals, is there a way to store more data for each of them? For example, physiological traits, radiation exposure, psychological traits, social traits, ect? Would I need to build a custom wrapper that logs each kerbal's name and apply my own system to them to store that extra data, or is there a system in place for adding custom data/tags to kerbal profiles?

Yes. Take a look at Stress/roster resources in the Snacks! mod.

On 9/30/2024 at 1:22 PM, Zombie_Striker said:

Is there a way to create my own menus, like the science/research tech tree menu, the contract menu, or the administrations menu? I would like to overhaul those visuals, but don't know how to do it, or if its possible.

Admin menu is done by Strategia I think 

On 9/30/2024 at 1:22 PM, Zombie_Striker said:

Background automation, decision making, and planning? Is there an easy way to simulate vessels and what happens on them, allowing orbital dynamics and resource levels, to change while out of flight? Or would I also need to create a wrapper for each vehicle, and create my  own code for simulating those things, and apply that data when the vessel loads again?

Yes, there's an easy way for most use cases. Check the FlightGlobals class. And VesselModules always run, even in background, so if you put your code in there it'll run while unloaded.

However, fully simulating all resource usage etc on a vessel is difficult. There's a plugin for it already, haven't tried it yet though.

FlightGlobals for orbital stuff 

[Iapetus7342]

On 9/30/2024 at 6:22 AM, Zombie_Striker said:

2) Is there a way to add visual meshes to the world, like trees or those monuments, for the sake of buildings, infrastructure, ect? Basically, is there a way to show kerbal civilization in  the world?

3) I know there are ways to move the KSC to other planets, but it always looks weird in the mods I've seen. Is there a way to either edit the KSC view, or create a new menu system for navigating buildings for multiple stations/ multiple planets?

4) For stats regarding individual kerbals, is there a way to store more data for each of them? For example, physiological traits, radiation exposure, psychological traits, social traits, ect? Would I need to build a custom wrapper that logs each kerbal's name and apply my own system to them to store that extra data, or is there a system in place for adding custom data/tags to kerbal profiles?

5) Is there a way to procedurally/dynamically change variables  about planets? Atmospheric composition, height, density, ect? I know Kopernicus allows for editing plant stats at launch, but I don't know if you can edit it on the fly. This would be for terraforming.

2) Kerbal Konstructs gives the ability to make your own launchsites using stock models, although this palette can be expanded with mods like Omega's Stockalike Structures. Parallax also adds scatters to all planets that are configured to have them.

3) Editing KSC view can't be done to my knowledge. The reason why KSC looks weird in planet mods is because of the way Kopernicus reparents Kerbin (Which must ALWAYS exist for the game to function), making the KSC view buggy and causing these effects:

• Comically fast passage of time (Visual)
• Timewarping to sunset simply turns on Timewarp forever unless aborted (Non-visual)
• Being inside or too close to the home star (Visual)
• Falling into the homeworld's parent body (Non-Kerbol objects, visual)

4) There was a mod for KSP that added relationships and the ability for kerbals to kill others if they went crazy, but said mod has since fallen out of the public eye and is no longer supported. Kerbalism adds a lot of life support related features like the psychological effects of long-term space travel (I.E the effects of being in a cramped MK1 capsule for 8133048 years) and radiation with solar storms. It doesn't provide data about physical ability, mental health or radiological resistance in the Astronaut Complex as most kerbonauts share the same levels. The Snacks mod provides Stress and Roster data in the AC though.

5) Hyperedit allows you to edit an object's atmosphere, day length and gravity and Kittopia allows you to edit everything about a planet.

Edited October 5 by Iapetus7342