[WIP] THSS - Tri-Hexagonal Structural Strut

[Simplicity]

Hmmm, the new pack seems to be missing some parts.. I cannot load my ships anymore..

From comparing my fix to the official release the following parts do NOT seem to be in the new release:

JARFR_TriStrut250Dock

JARFR_TriStrutMiniPanel

JARFR_TriStrutPanel

JARFR_TriStrutShortPanel

JARFR_TriStrutSmall

Unfortunately, these are the parts that I use the most - can I just add them back in from the old pack?

[Greys]

First thing I noticed was the small strut being missing; it seems not super useful but I've found it invaluable for putting two regular struts next to each other in the same orientation, like this http://i.imgur.com/yBLdOfV.jpg

Very useful for rovers and aircraft

[Bluegobln]

JARFR_TriStrut250Dock

JARFR_TriStrutMiniPanel

JARFR_TriStrutPanel

JARFR_TriStrutShortPanel

JARFR_TriStrutSmall

Unfortunately, these are the parts that I use the most - can I just add them back in from the old pack?

The places THSS broke in 0.20 are as follows, and you can manually edit the CFG file to make them work:

- You need to go in and somewhere in the file (usually in the same place as "rescaleFactor = 2.57") add "scale = 1.0" if it is not already present.

- If you are placing the part in the GameData folder, you need to put "PART {" at the start of the file, and " } " at the very end.

Example, with the above highlighted:

[COLOR="#FF0000"]PART {[/COLOR]
name = GE_THSS_HalfMeterBay
module = Part
author = Bluegobln

mesh = model.mu
[COLOR="#FF0000"]scale = 1.0[/COLOR]
rescaleFactor = 1.01

node_stack_top = 0.0, 1.975, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 1
node_stack_bottom = 0.0, -2.025, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 1
node_stack_bottom = 0.0, 1.716, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 0
node_stack_top = 0.0, -1.772, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 0

cost = 150
category = Structural
subcategory = 0
title = GE-08 Half Meter Bay
manufacturer = Goblin Enterprises
description = A specialized Tri-Hexagonal bay for half meter probes or a fuel tank.

attachRules = 1,0,1,1,0

mass = 0.4
dragModelType = default
maximum_drag = 0.2
minimum_drag = 0.2
angularDrag = 2
crashTolerance = 8
maxTemp = 4000
[COLOR="#FF0000"]}[/COLOR]

[Simplicity]

The places THSS broke in 0.20 are as follows, and you can manually edit the CFG file to make them work:

Thank you for that, but I already know how to do that, I made up a temp THSS for people to download while waiting for the author to update

What I was pointing out, is that the above parts seem to be MISSING from the new release, they do not seem to exist any more.

[Simplicity]

First thing I noticed was the small strut being missing; it seems not super useful but I've found it invaluable for putting two regular struts next to each other in the same orientation, like this http://i.imgur.com/yBLdOfV.jpg

Very useful for rovers and aircraft

Yea, I know what you mean, I think I will just add them back in but put them in a separate folder inside damedata so I do not lose them in future updates.

[Semni]

Those parts were removed because there are other parts that have replaced their functionality. The Add-on panels I released and the new stock 2,5m docking port ( which is awesome by the way ). Hmm ... I'm thinking, I think I shall release a small add-on of depreciated parts for those of us who still want to use them.

[Simplicity]

Hmm ... I'm thinking, I think I shall release a small add-on of depreciated parts for those of us who still want to use them.

Now that is a good idea :)

One little thing I noticed tonight when I was starting out with a new ship, is that you cannot attach struts to the THSS-033-H and the THSS-033H Tipped... Is this by design?? - it making it real hard to stop things from exploding with not being able to strut this part (I have a 14,000L fuel tank attached below the THSS-033H with a JoolV main engine below that, and when this baby powers up if something is not strutted then things fail very spectacularly.)

[Semni]

Get the depreciated parts updated for .20 here.

I am not entirely sure why that doesn't work. Hmm, le-fixe.

[mushroomman]

I could use a proper tri to octo adapter. The current one is pretty useless because we don't have such a small octo.

[Raptor9]

Semni & Bluegoblin,

First of all, thanks for the parts. Every one of my space stations and interplanetary ships have your parts on them.

While I was updating my KSP to 0.20, I noticed that the plumbing on the new parts are different. I know the fuel lines are a small detail (awesome detail, I mean) but are the lines being reworked? For example, I notice that some of the tri-strut parts like the large Xenon tank have just 1 orange line, while the small Xenon tank tri-strut piece has 3. The tri-strut mono tank piece has 3 orange lines, while the normal-size LFO tri-strut has 1 beige line...was this intentional, or am I mixing and matching different THSS mod versions.

Either way, doesn't bother me, just curious.

[Semni]

It's a minor graphical issue that came about because of me being dumb, it's being fixed but since it has no functional impact I decided to release it as is rather than making you guys wait on the whole thing for a couple of days.

[Bluegobln]

Semni & Bluegoblin,

Whoa whoa whoa whoa.... whoa.... I'm just a hanger-on mate. ^^ This guy did all the work, I'm just shadowing him.

[Semni]

I'm sorry to break it to you dude, but the masses have spoken, you are part of the team now.

[Greys]

quick, assemble the megazord!

[MythicalXeon]

Loving some of the new sections, heres a pic of the first craft that I've (sucessfully) got into orbit using parts from this mod.

Other mods used - KW Rocketry (launch motors and struts), B9 Aerospace Pack (adapters), MechJeb 2 (control), Lack Luster Labs (lights and cockpit), own modifications⁽¹⁾

Connection ports: 4xClamp-O-Tron Jr, 2x Clamp-O-Tron, 1xClamp-O-Tron Sr, 1xTHSS-3DS

MechJeb 2 estimated deltaV (vac) - 12098 once in orbit and fully refueled.

156 parts, 276 tons once in orbit and launch system disposed of; 325 parts, 640 tons on launch (including launch system).

Now to design and launch a Kethane mining vessel/Fuel Shuttle, probes, oh, and a tanker to top it back up (launching the ship currently uses approx 90% of the fuel it starts with,) and then to plan my grand tour.

---

⁽¹⁾ my part modifications :-

THSS-000-Ss - a stack seperator (ejects from both sides, no fuel cross feed) based on the THSS-000-De decoupler

Octagonal Structural Strut Cargo FuelTank - MX version, and OSS Short Cargo FuelTank - MX version: OctoStrut fuel tanks with capacities increased to be more representative of apparent volume (based on approx size vs THSS-101-Lf in game)

[Bluegobln]

That's a sweet ship mate. I'm curious what the engine cluster looks like (I can see at least one shape, maybe two, not sure what i'm looking at though). :D

[MythicalXeon]

The drive cluster at the rear currently looks a bit like this:-

As I took that screenshot i realised that I hadn't lit the back end up at all, I'm also thinking about changing the quartet of stock LV-N Atomic Rocket Motors with NE-800 Open Core Nuclear Engines from the Lack Luster Labs parts pack; ok, I convinced my self to do so whilst writing this post so here's a rear view of the MX-THSS Cruiser Core MK02-LLL

I'm still not totaly happy with the lighting at the rear, but I'll fiddle with that later.

MechJeb 2 estimated deltaV (vac) - 10613 once in orbit and fully refueled.

168 parts, 280 tons once in orbit and launch system disposed of; 345 parts, 644 tons on launch (including launch system.)

Oh, forgot to mention in my previous post I also have Tac Fuel Balancer for the cruiser so that I can fine tune the center of balance (and 'cos it's moar mods.)

I'll have to skip on the Kethane miner for now (waiting for the mod to be updated), so perhapse the next step would be to refuel the pair and see what they look like docked together (assuming my PC doesn't melt.)

[Moon Goddess]

Replace the .mbm file in the part folder with another generated with PartTools in Unity. Not totally ideal, I'll have to figure out if .mbm files have a great advantage over the other types and see if I cannot use a more commonly readable format.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong but I cannot get parttools to make an MBM file out of my pngs.

I even went a modeled a whole new model which successfully converts to .mu but the texture file doesn't write. I know I know total thread hijack, just thought maybe you or bluegoblin would have some insight, or even maybe bluegoblin could just make me some textures *tries to look cute, failing miserably*

[Bluegobln]

*tries to look cute, failing miserably*

*incoming guide w/ pics*

Edit: *pics of Unity...*

Lol

Mythical I really like how that ship turned out mate. I'm quite sure you should not wait for me or anything, maybe future ship, but I think this one is pretty cool. Preview of what I am working on right at this moment (almost done just have to set up a few more things for the Unity import)

Yes the door does animate to open. It slides along rails at the top and bottom.

The best part is the way I set up the sliding door allows us to re-texture it easily. Just slap on a new texture, and it goes right where you'd expect. Makes it easy to put custom logos on it or whatever you like. I'll release a blank texture slate with the part.

Edited May 27, 2013 by Bluegobln

[MythicalXeon]

Hmm, Octo-strut cargo pod with sliding door? me want, not sure how I'd use it yet though .

Is there any chance of an octoistrut hub being put into the pipeline, i see it as having normal nodes on the top/bottom (octo sides), 2.5m circular nodes front/back (large square sides), and tri-strut nodes on the sides (rectangles)?

Or if it's possible to export the models from Unity to a format that blender understands I might have to have a bit if a fiddle myself.

[Bluegobln]

Well... you can surface attach to the pieces already I think. If not that can be fixed. As far as making it into a hub, is the important part that there are nodes? You can actually add nodes to any part in the CFG file if you know how. Just need to understand how the 7 coordinate points work.

Xpos, Ypos, Zpos, Xdir, Ydir, Zdir, Nodesize

Basically, you set the XYZ, then you change where the node faces by the second XYZ, and then the size of the node with the final number (0 = 0.5m, 1 = 1.25m, 2 = 2.5m, 3 = ???, and so on bigger and bigger)

TBH I think a hub with all the connecting points actually modeled would be VERY significant poly count.

[MythicalXeon]

Cool, I'll have to have a look at config files then, cheers.

[Tex_NL]

I love the fact you're working hard to add more content but even in the new .20 version of THSS there are still 3 Kerbals in what is supposed to be an unmanned probe core.

[Bluegobln]

Seems to be a bug to me. I can't find any reason that part is any different from other probe cores. The CFG is basically identical. It just makes no sense.

It has to be something in the CFG but I can't figure out what.

[Moon Goddess]

It's definitely some bug, I've seen it happen with other probe cores.

I THINK, that it happens on probe cores with integrated mechjeb, but I could be misremembering.