[0.23.5] Spherical and Toroidal Tank Pack (Updated 05/02/14) (New download link)

[JewelShisen]

It should actually be much easier to do it this time, and I'm sure the memory savings will make it worth it

Excelent~ Going from 2 textures to 6 is FAR better than going from 7 to 21!!

[Talisar]

Hmhm... I'm wondering if there might be a "plugin-way" to select the type (lfo, full/empty) of tank after placing it in VAB. That way, we wouldn't need that crapton of tanks in the part lists

There are mods that let you adjust the fuel levels on the launchpad. You could use one of those and delete the empties. I had considered using a plugin to do just that, but decided to avoid them in order to keep game updates from breaking the pack.

-edit- Actually, upon thinking of what you suggested, it seems you are looking for a way to have just one size of each tank, and be able to choose the fuel type before placing it. I like that idea, but have no clue how to go about implementing it. I know I saw a part sorter that had tagging abilities (I'll have to go looking to see which it was, but it looked extremely useful) that would accomplish pretty much the same thing though...

could you do a white texture pack again? also white/silver radial connector thingies?

if you go to the /Gamedata/ModsByTal/Parts/FuelTank/Models directory and change all the textures in that folder to white, all the spherical parts of the tanks will be white. the caps, centerline band, and colored rings will remain the same unless you change them in the resource textures directories.

Edited September 5, 2013 by Talisar

[taniwha]

cy-one: what you're looking for is Module Fuel System. I don't have the url handy, though, sorry.

[JewelShisen]

Here you go: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/31706-0-20-Modular-Fuel-System-1-3-realistic-fuels-reconfigurable-fuel-tanks-and-engines

[HeadHunter67]

if you go to the /Gamedata/ModsByTal/Parts/FuelTank/Models directory and change all the textures in that folder to white, all the spherical parts of the tanks will be white. the caps, centerline band, and colored rings will remain the same unless you change them in the resource textures directories.

I'm not clear on exactly how you recommend one to do this (assume I'm not a modder). I did download your white textures but can't see how they would be added to this new release.

I'd love to use these tanks with my stations, but not if they don't match the existing look. If I can easily make them white, that'd do it.

Edited September 6, 2013 by HeadHunter67

[Talisar]

The white texture download won't work for this set of tanks, they are for the old (v1.6) version

To adjust the color of the current version you can do this. In your KSP Installation, go to the following directory: /Gamedata/ModsByTal/Parts/FuelTank/Models. In that directory are the following 6 image files:

TAL_Large_Spherical_Tank_Texture.png

TAL_Large_Spherical_Tank_V2_Texture.png

TAL_Medium_Spherical_Tank_Texture.png

TAL_Medium_Spherical_Tank_v2_Texture.png

TAL_Small_Spherical_Tank_Texture.png

TAL_Large_Spherical_Tank_V2_Texture.png

These image files control the texture of the spherical part of the tanks. If you open these with an image editor (photoshop, etc) you'll see that they look like a bunch of grey squares. Recolor those grey squares to whatever color you'd like the tanks to be and save them with the exact same name. Changing those 6 files will affect all of the tanks in the pack. The colors of the caps, centerline band, and identifying rings on the tanks will not be affected, as they are controlled by image files in the directories for each resource.

I hope that helps. If not, let me know.

[HeadHunter67]

Thank you - I will give it a try when time permits.

[Crater]

I think there's a bug in the resource type for one of your tank sets. In the LF/Ox mixed tanks, you have (correctly) "LiquidFuel" and "Oxidizer". But the separated out resources the tanks store "LiquidFuel" (still correct), and "Oxygen", which is great if you have life support and want enough air for a decade for your station, but it won't keep a rocket flying.

Is the separate Ox tank actually meant to be Oxidizer rather than Oxygen?

[Talisar]

The separate tank is supposed to be Oxygen. It is meant to be used with Ioncross Crew support mod. I didn't make a separate Oxidizer tank to go with the LiquidFuel tanks.

[Mihara]

If you open these with an image editor (photoshop, etc) you'll see that they look like a bunch of grey squares. Recolor those grey squares to whatever color you'd like the tanks to be and save them with the exact same name.

...I didn't know it was so complicated. I just replaced those files with 128x128 pixel white squares.

It worked, but was a bit too bright. I color picked the shade from the Karmony module texture and that still looks white but less blindingly so.

[cy-one]

Narf, reply with quote is broken again.

Yes Talisar, that was what I meant That way, users would only have one tank per mesh in their lists, and would chose the type when they place it in the VAB/SPH (maybe with a default to LFO(full)).

[Talisar]

I'd like a mod like this... If the resource definitions included densities and the tanks cfgs included storage volume, it could be automatic. Just right-click the part, choose the fuel type, and the game automatically set it up with the correct amount for that tank. Too bad I'd have no idea how to go about making doing that

[taniwha]

finding the (complete) volume of a part is actually pretty easy (so long as it's fully enclosed (many are not, eg mk1pod (it looks it, but the capsule, hatch, window and rungs are all separate mesh objects))

[Crater]

I'd like a mod like this... If the resource definitions included densities and the tanks cfgs included storage volume, it could be automatic. Just right-click the part, choose the fuel type, and the game automatically set it up with the correct amount for that tank. Too bad I'd have no idea how to go about making doing that

Take a look at the basic version of the Modular Fuels mod - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/31706-0-20-Modular-Fuel-System-1-3-realistic-fuels-reconfigurable-fuel-tanks-and-engines - that's more or less exactly what the basic one does. It is only the advanced version that adds all the real-world fuel types and engines in (as I understand it).

[HeadHunter67]

I color picked the shade from the Karmony module texture and that still looks white but less blindingly so.

That's exactly what I was planning to do.

[Stone Blue]

So is anyone else having issues with the 2.5m tank adapter not wanting to connect to stock 2.5m parts? Specifically the cupola, hitchhiker and 1.25-2.5m cone adapter...And even the spherical tanks themselves...(they'll attach to the tanks, but snap doesnt seem to work on them, so I have to center them as best I can by eye, which is quite difficult...)...and this is with parts clipping and vertical snap both on or off..makes no difference...??

Also, Talisar, (not that it will matter if you add in functionality to change a basic tanks' contents), but why no empty toroidals in this pack?...I'm thinking "station" part, for sure!!..

[oniontrain]

And I was just about to post the textures I did! Now I gotta redo them.

Would adding a normal map be as simple as making it and just naming it with a 001 suffix or would it have to be changed in Unity?

[taniwha]

Or blender (note, the usability does still need a lot of work)

[Talisar]

So is anyone else having issues with the 2.5m tank adapter not wanting to connect to stock 2.5m parts? Specifically the cupola, hitchhiker and 1.25-2.5m cone adapter...And even the spherical tanks themselves...(they'll attach to the tanks, but snap doesnt seem to work on them, so I have to center them as best I can by eye, which is quite difficult...)...and this is with parts clipping and vertical snap both on or off..makes no difference...??

Also, Talisar, (not that it will matter if you add in functionality to change a basic tanks' contents), but why no empty toroidals in this pack?...I'm thinking "station" part, for sure!!..

I'll look at the adapter and see what's up with it. I just copied it straight over from the old pack because there were requests for it, so I haven't messed with it recently or updated it at all.

The toroidal tank was pretty much included to see if people would be interested in them (and to see if I could make one ) It seems to be pretty well received, so I'm planning on doing a separate pack of toroidal tanks in various sizes. I've come up with a couple design adjustments for it to make it look a little better, and I also need to work on the collider to make surface attaching things to them less wonky. After I'm done playing around with the crew modules I'm making I'll get started on them.

And I was just about to post the textures I did! Now I gotta redo them.

Would adding a normal map be as simple as making it and just naming it with a 001 suffix or would it have to be changed in Unity?

Sorry about that! at least this time you won't have to change so many textures. As far as normal maps go, I'm pretty sure they'd have to be set up to use them in Unity (which I didn't do, because I failed horribly at making a decent normal map every time I tried)

[Starwaster]

I'll look at the adapter and see what's up with it. I just copied it straight over from the old pack because there were requests for it, so I haven't messed with it recently or updated it at all.

The toroidal tank was pretty much included to see if people would be interested in them (and to see if I could make one ) It seems to be pretty well received, so I'm planning on doing a separate pack of toroidal tanks in various sizes. I've come up with a couple design adjustments for it to make it look a little better, and I also need to work on the collider to make surface attaching things to them less wonky. After I'm done playing around with the crew modules I'm making I'll get started on them.

Sorry about that! at least this time you won't have to change so many textures. As far as normal maps go, I'm pretty sure they'd have to be set up to use them in Unity (which I didn't do, because I failed horribly at making a decent normal map every time I tried)

What software are you using to try to make them with? Do you have photoshop? If so have you tried the plugin released by nVidia that creates normal maps? (uses any image you supply it to create a normal map. Desaturated images work best)

[Talisar]

What software are you using to try to make them with? Do you have photoshop? If so have you tried the plugin released by nVidia that creates normal maps? (uses any image you supply it to create a normal map. Desaturated images work best)

I've figured out how to use a high poly model to make a detailed normal map for a low poly model, but when I try to convert the resulting normal map to one useable by Unity (using that photoshop plugin by nVidia you mentioned), the output is usually just a blue background with little or none of the detail of the original. I'm certain the issue is just my conversion settings, so I probably just need to play with it some more to figure it out... Or find some better tutorials

As you may have noticed if you read through my posts on this thread, this whole thing has been a continual learning process for me, but I think I've been steadily improving. If you have any tips on making normal maps or know of some good tutorials I could look at, I'd absolutely appreciate it!

[rottielover]

Request: Could you offer a TAC LifeSupport pack of tanks?

I've modified the CFG's for the IronCross tanks on my own, but I'm not so good at making sure the numbers are balanced (can the tank hold x amount of this or y amount?).

Resources would be oxygen_tac, water_tac, food_tac. I suppose if people wanted you could make the waste tanks (waste_tac, wastewater_tac, CO2_tac).

Anyone willing to help me accomplish this? Editing the cfg's is the part I understand, I have no idea where I would even start with textures. Is there a tutorial out there someplace?

[Talisar]

Do you need help actually changing the texture files, or the part in the cfg file that directs which texture is loaded?

[Rybec]

First off, congrats on the texture optimization!

I've figured out how to use a high poly model to make a detailed normal map for a low poly model, but when I try to convert the resulting normal map to one useable by Unity (using that photoshop plugin by nVidia you mentioned), the output is usually just a blue background with little or none of the detail of the original. I'm certain the issue is just my conversion settings, so I probably just need to play with it some more to figure it out... Or find some better tutorials As you may have noticed if you read through my posts on this thread, this whole thing has been a continual learning process for me, but I think I've been steadily improving. If you have any tips on making normal maps or know of some good tutorials I could look at, I'd absolutely appreciate it!

Blue background on the normal map you output, or in unity? Your normal map SHOULD have a blue "background" as Unity seems to want the full RGB style of normal map. If your bump is subtle you may not be able to easily discern the pattern in the finished map until you apply it to the model. You shouldn't need to use the nvidia plugin at all- your 3D software should be capable of baking a normal map directly to the RGB format in a variety of normal spaces. The image is in tangent-space normal coordinates, so full blue on the image means no change in the surface normal at that point. (R=x offset, G=y, B=z which is directly away from the surface-the default state for a surface normal). If you're using Blender, here's a reasonably decent tutorial for how to bake the normal map: http://cgcookie.com/blender/2010/06/30/normal_maps_blender_2_5/

[rottielover]

Do you need help actually changing the texture files, or the part in the cfg file that directs which texture is loaded?

I'd like to make textures for the TAC lifeSupport mod (similar to the IronCross tanks, but I was thinking about what it would take to get started in making textures and I have no idea. I'm doing some research now.