[0.21.1] KAS v0.4.3 - Struts, pipes, part storage, containers, merged winches & more

[Toyotawolf]

I can't wait to see though what they are cooking up for the next installment, they alluded to it but now i'm eagerly awaiting.

[Senshi]

@Weatherman: To my knowledge Quantum struts also only work once vessels are docked. The problem in my case is that once a vessel is docked via KAS, it ignores collision with the rest of the vessel, so the cargo just drops through the floor of the plane. I can fix it in that location with Docking Struts (which work almost the same as quantum struts), but then it's already too late. The pictures show what happens the moment the cargo switches to "Docked" mode. Before that it drives up the ramp into the cargo bay just nicely. Once fully retracted or manually engaging "docked", it clips through completely.

[XoX]

It works on 0.21 for me, used it for my sky crane.

[Orphican]

@Weatherman: To my knowledge Quantum struts also only work once vessels are docked. The problem in my case is that once a vessel is docked via KAS, it ignores collision with the rest of the vessel, so the cargo just drops through the floor of the plane. I can fix it in that location with Docking Struts (which work almost the same as quantum struts), but then it's already too late. The pictures show what happens the moment the cargo switches to "Docked" mode. Before that it drives up the ramp into the cargo bay just nicely. Once fully retracted or manually engaging "docked", it clips through completely.

Why not disconnect KAS completely and use any other docking port? Do you need to have KAS connected the entire flight?

[RockyTV]

Is this up to date?

[Toyotawolf]

Is this up to date?

nein clause nein, but it still works

[Deathsoul097]

KAS 0.3.1 in KSP 21.1 seems to pretty much work ok for me. I've not tested it fully but I used it to tow some debris to deorbit it and I've used it as fuel lines just fine.

The only issue I had was with the movable connector. When Jeb picked it up he could not place it, but doing a quick save and reload sorted that out.

Thanks, haven't had much help from anyone else. Also, your vids are awesome, keep up the good work.

[Senshi]

@Orphican: What other docking method is there? Using the default docking nodes gives zero flexibility in height differences of cargo.

I just build a simple test apparatus by building a ramp and platform with stock parts and tried KAS-Docking the same truck on there. And it worked. I then tried to use stock docking nodes on the cargo plane. And even when preattached, cargo immediately drops through the floor. So apparently the B9 parts are at fault for improper collision with docked parts. Sorry for accusing KAS for this bug. I'll head over and nag B9 . Thanks for the help, guys!

@all doubters: KAS - while not specifically updated for 21.x still works fine aside the mentioned radial node relocating issues that can be worked around by switching scenery (go back to space center after grabbing the radial node. Then go back and voila, you can place the thingy.)

[Orphican]

@Orphican: What other docking method is there? Using the default docking nodes gives zero flexibility in height differences of cargo.

I just build a simple test apparatus by building a ramp and platform with stock parts and tried KAS-Docking the same truck on there. And it worked. I then tried to use stock docking nodes on the cargo plane. And even when preattached, cargo immediately drops through the floor. So apparently the B9 parts are at fault for improper collision with docked parts. Sorry for accusing KAS for this bug. I'll head over and nag B9 . Thanks for the help, guys!

@all doubters: KAS - while not specifically updated for 21.x still works fine aside the mentioned radial node relocating issues that can be worked around by switching scenery (go back to space center after grabbing the radial node. Then go back and voila, you can place the thingy.)

Maybe MSI Adjustable rail + Fustek CBM ports ?

[SkyRender]

Either I don't understand how to use removable attach points for KAS, or they don't work in 0.21.1 as of now. Not really sure which it is, to be honest. Can someone possibly guide me as to how to use these things? I know you press H to go into attach mode, but none of the on-screen instructions that it gives afterward seem to actually work at all.

[KhaosCorp]

Either I don't understand how to use removable attach points for KAS, or they don't work in 0.21.1 as of now. Not really sure which it is, to be honest. Can someone possibly guide me as to how to use these things? I know you press H to go into attach mode, but none of the on-screen instructions that it gives afterward seem to actually work at all.

You need to be very very close to the surface your trying to attach to...like kissing it close! Also the removeable connector gets bugged sometimes, reloading the flight fixes that in most cases

[Senshi]

@Orphican: Interesting mods, but they won't really solve my particular issue. I'll just have to scrap my plans for now and forget the heavy transport idea with the ramp. Or really train my precision planning skills to get the quantum struts to fire just at the right time...

[Majiir]

KospY, could you please post a license for KAS, or point me to where you've indicated a license? Cheers!

[Tyren]

This is a really cool mod My brand new Mun Base ran out of Energy (forgot solar Panels and batteries m() and i ve been able to recharge it with a Generator base connecting with KAS, i love this mod

sry for caps, Auto correction of my home language randocapitalizes words.

[Beeman]

Waiting for infernal robotics to release all or most of the stuff they're working on before I give this a try but it's a really good looking mod. Lots of functionality for very few parts

[Montieth]

Senshi, can you connect in non-docked mode?

[strongest_2hu]

Senshi, can you connect in non-docked mode?

When the connector locks into the winch (full retraction), the ships dock. So it doesn't really matter if you connect docked or undocked, if the goal is to hold the cargo in place it's going to get docked one way or another, and then gravity pulls it down through the floor.

I had some luck with large payloads that were docked to the craft on one end by putting KAS radial attachment ports on the other end which I connected to winches installed in the cargo bay. Then I used the winches to haul the cargo up out of the floor and kept it (mostly) in place by leaving some tension on the cables. I was using it to airdrop large empty kethane tanks on Kerbin, and while the wobbling was significant it didn't cause any structural failures.

[Senshi]

I do already connect in non-docked mode to pull the cargo up the ramp into the cargo bay in the first place. But without docking, it is impossible to keep the cargo from disintegrating during flight. Using additional winches would help, yeah, but it's exhausting to do and more winches in the cargo bay mean a still higher number of parts and especially less cargo space...I will try how putting the Quantum struts on action groups and if hitting "Dock" and then activating the quantums in the cargo bay simultaneously will be quick enough to "catch" the cargo before falling through. I definitely want to avoid freakish non-docked solutions as they always will result in more or less intense wobbling. With my transport hitting almost Mach 4 on high altitude that will make for very awkward controls and again leads to a high risk of spontaneous disintegration.

In the end, I want a simple enough method to allow cargo operations far from any base even on somewhat rough terrain to support my planetary Kethane and exploration operations. Sending supplies by launching a rocket on a ballistic trajectory works much easier, but is not really immersive...and doesn't get cargo back to KSC from the field bases. And Kethane rigs usually are rather bulky and heavy.

[Ratzap]

I've tried this mod for the first time. It certainly seems useful but it's pretty buggy/temperamental. I landed some bits on the Mun and when connected together it drags ships all over the place, soon as I undock one again it flies off and explodes.

I'll try again without the removable connectors, I tried those first as they sounded most handy.

Edit: sent new ships, landed and tried the normal connectors. As soon as I go to dock mode it all gets pulled into a huge heap I only installed KAS and put it on my vehicles for this job, it sounded ideal to have things landed on the Mun connected via cables so it's pretty annoying that it doesn't work. I've tried extending, releasing, pressed just about everything and no difference. I tried undock mode, get the GUI up then switch - still everything dragged into a heap.

Edit 2: It only does it when I connect to a rover (big mining ones) so something different between things with engines and things without?

Edited August 6, 2013 by Ratzap

[Korb Biakustra]

I've gone through the whole thread searching for the keyword "yellow", and found that several people are experiencing the "yellow ghost syndrome", where you have a connector in EVA, you're touching the surface you want to plug it in, and it is still yellow and beeps when you try to connect it. Any solutions? There seem to be a lot of people concerned, but I've not seen any workaround in the thread.

It worked correctly on the Kerbin launchpad, but it doesn't in my Munar station in 1000 Km orbit.

In case it helps, I'm also using this mod which may conflict, but it didn't on the Kerbin launchpad: I successfully attached struts to my ship, on the same surfaces I'm trying to do so in orbit now, and it doesn't work either.

Edited August 6, 2013 by Korb Biakustra

[Orphican]

I do already connect in non-docked mode to pull the cargo up the ramp into the cargo bay in the first place. But without docking, it is impossible to keep the cargo from disintegrating during flight. Using additional winches would help, yeah, but it's exhausting to do and more winches in the cargo bay mean a still higher number of parts and especially less cargo space...I will try how putting the Quantum struts on action groups and if hitting "Dock" and then activating the quantums in the cargo bay simultaneously will be quick enough to "catch" the cargo before falling through. I definitely want to avoid freakish non-docked solutions as they always will result in more or less intense wobbling. With my transport hitting almost Mach 4 on high altitude that will make for very awkward controls and again leads to a high risk of spontaneous disintegration.

In the end, I want a simple enough method to allow cargo operations far from any base even on somewhat rough terrain to support my planetary Kethane and exploration operations. Sending supplies by launching a rocket on a ballistic trajectory works much easier, but is not really immersive...and doesn't get cargo back to KSC from the field bases. And Kethane rigs usually are rather bulky and heavy.

So this is the concept I was trying to convey. You could use KAS to winch the cargo into position.

[nhnifong]

I'm having trouble understanding the mechanics of the cables.

Usually I plug in a connecter from a winch (in docked mode) and it will cause the ships to become one craft, as you'd expect. But sometimes, they don't become one ship and still can be focused independently and cannot share resources, even though I used the docked plug mode.

It seems to be related to something on the ship holding the winch. Some ships can join to others properly, and some cannot. So far I haven't yet isolated the cause, so I'm asking here.

[Korb Biakustra]

I've gone through the whole thread searching for the keyword "yellow", and found that several people are experiencing the "yellow ghost syndrome", where you have a connector in EVA, you're touching the surface you want to plug it in, and it is still yellow and beeps when you try to connect it. Any solutions? There seem to be a lot of people concerned, but I've not seen any workaround in the thread.

It worked correctly on the Kerbin launchpad, but it doesn't in my Munar station in 1000 Km orbit.

In case it helps, I'm also using this mod which may conflict, but it didn't on the Kerbin launchpad: I successfully attached struts to my ship, on the same surfaces I'm trying to do so in orbit now, and it doesn't work either.

Ok so in case it's useful, here is what I've just done and I could successfully attach the connectors (and struts from the other mod):

- copied the exact same Mun station from the quicksave.sfs (i.e., assembled modules with docking ports);

- placed it onto the launchpad, high altitude, by tweaking a new ship in the quicksave.sfs;

- triggered debug menu and enabled: pause on vessel unpack, unbreakable joints, no crash damage, and hack gravity;

- for some reason, the station fall on the ground despite the gravity hack, but without exploding thanks to the aforementioned cheats;

- got Bill EVA, tried to attach connectors and struts. It worked.

There must be something wrong with orbit, right? Or Mun? Or velocity?

Of course this is not a workaround - unfortunately! I'd really hope to have one. This is just some tests I've been done to try to figure out what's wrong. I still don't know, but here's exactly what I've done to try to pinpoint the source of the issue. Just wanted to make sure that this was not a problem with the station itself, hence I wanted to try on the existing station, not a new ship. Noteworthy, on a brand new ship, it will always work on the launchpad, without tweaking the savefile, as mentioned in an earlier post. Is someone inspired?

[Edit] Putting the station 100 M Km away, outside of spheres of influence, doesn't help: attachments do not work. They appear to work only on/near (how much?) the Kerbin launchpad.

[Edit 2] I tried the same situation but with Gravity hack, I apparently was able to attach connectors (well sort of: they did not stick, but I could drop them thanks to the green indicator). After removing the gravity hack... Still working. Weird. Let's try with my orbit around the Mun in the genuine save file.

Edited August 6, 2013 by Korb Biakustra

[nhnifong]

Korb Biakustra: It couldn't hurt to point out the obvious, in case you don't know. You need to be within about 2 meters of a surface for the attachment indicator to turn green.

Edited August 6, 2013 by nhnifong

[Korb Biakustra]

Yep, I'm actually touching the surface I want to attach the connectors/struts to. Actually, based on the situations where it worked, I'm way closer than that. Even tried while grabbing a ladder to ensure my own velocity difference with the ship was not the issue. :[

(Just edited the previous post with another experiment.)

[Edit 2] I tried the same situation but with Gravity hack, I apparently was able to attach connectors (well sort of: they did not stick, but I could drop them thanks to the green indicator). After removing the gravity hack... Still working. Weird. Let's try with my orbit around the Mun in the genuine save file.

And that's a no. Too bad. :[

Edited August 6, 2013 by Korb Biakustra