Part Troubleshooting Advice - Noob Modder Ahoy!

[EnterElysium]

Hey guys, just knocked up a quick attempt at my first part using Blender -> Unity. It's a simple one mesh object that acts as a solid fuel booster and a decoupler so that it can emulate a missile being detached and fired from a parallel surface... or at least that's the theory. Can anyone have a quick look and tell me why it hangs on load into KSP?

PART
{

// --- general parameters ---
name = SparrowMissile
module = Part
author = EnterElysium

// --- asset parameters ---
mesh = model.mu
scale = 1
rescaleFactor = 1

// definition format is Position X, Position Y, Position Z, Up X, Up Y, Up Z
node_rear = 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0
node_top = 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 1

// --- FX definitions ---

fx_exhaustFlame_blue_tiny = 0.0, -0.17, 0.163, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, running
fx_exhaustLight_blue_tiny = 0.0, -0.17, 0.163, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, running
fx_smokeTrail_light = 0.0, -0.17, 0.163, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, running
fx_gasBurst_white = 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, decouple

// --- Sound FX definition ---

sound_vent_medium = engage
sound_rocket_mini = running
sound_vent_soft = disengage
sound_decoupler_fire = decouple

// --- editor parameters ---
cost = 1000
category = Science
subcategory = 0
title = Sparrow I
manufacturer = Elysian Empire Advanced Weapons Division
description = To better defend the peace loving nation of the Elysian Empire against foreign aggressors the EEAWD were tasked to divise a light, short-ranged missile for use of soft targets.

// attachment rules: stack, srfAttach, allowStack, allowSrfAttach, allowCollision
attachRules = 1,1,0,0,0

// --- standard part parameters ---
mass = 0.1
dragModelType = default
maximum_drag = 0.1
minimum_drag = 0.1
angularDrag = 1
crashTolerance = 55
    breakingForce = 2546
    breakingTorque = 2546
    maxTemp = 3600
    fuelCrossFeed = False

stageOffset = 1
childStageOffset = 1

ActivatesEvenIfDisconnected = true

stagingIcon = SOLID_BOOSTER

MODULE
{
    name = ModuleDecouple
    ejectionForce = 2
	explosiveNodeID = top
}

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleEngines
	thrustVectorTransformName = thrustTransform
	throttleLocked = True
	exhaustDamage = True
	allowShutdown = False
	ignitionThreshold = 0.1
	minThrust = 8
	maxThrust = 24
	heatProduction = 500
	fxOffset = 0, 0, 0.05
	emptyExplosionPotential = 1
	fullExplosionPotential = 1

	PROPELLANT
	{
		name = SolidFuel
        ratio = 1.0
		DrawGauge = True
	}
	atmosphereCurve
 	{
   	 key = 0 100
  	 key = 1 100
 	}

}

MODULE
{
    name = ModuleDecouple
    ejectionForce = 5
	explosiveNodeID = bottom
}

RESOURCE
{
 name = SolidFuel
 amount = 8
 maxAmount = 8
}
}

Also, a quick query: I run my KSP off steam, is there a way to make duplicate installations so that I can run a dev version for mod tests, and two differently modded games?

Edited June 2, 2013 by EnterElysium
Extra question

[joedude69]

First of all long time fan.

Some snapshots of unity if your using it of corse, should help find out the problem.

[EnterElysium]

Haha, thanks man!

Unity worked fine, think I have that sussed (for static meshes at least, I have no idea how to go about animation). When I strip the cfg it loads fine, the issue is something in that cfg causing it to hang. The wiki is particularly odd with this, a lot of the stuff there seems so dated and has a lot of dead links. It mentions parameters much as "emptyExplosionPotential" for SRB which I cannot see on the stock parts, are these deprecated tags? The last version reference on that page is to .15... o.O

By removing firespitter from my mods I can get a much faster load so I might be able to actually just check by process of elimination. This'll be interesting...

Edit:

Right, it was the fx that were the problem. I had assume KSP would generate them dynamical from the fx name but I assume not that they are stock as changing them to clones of other part fx works.

Still having some issues though.

Firstly I assume that the combination decoupler + SRB code doesn't work? I think I saw that mentioned somewhere, I can't get it to decoupler at all when fired.

Secondly, I am getting no thrust or fx despite the sound playing and the fuel being used up.

Edited June 2, 2013 by EnterElysium

[EndlessWaves]

Firstly I assume that the combination decoupler + SRB code doesn't work? I think I saw that mentioned somewhere, I can't get it to decoupler at all when fired.

It should do. Your second decouple module isn't going to work because you haven't specified a node named bottom but the first one looks like it should be firing when you've connected it via the node named top.

Secondly, I am getting no thrust or fx despite the sound playing and the fuel being used up.

Generally this is an issue with the thrustVectorTransform, make sure the name you've specified in your config ('thrustTransform') matches the name of the object on the model exactly, it is case sensitive.

[SasquatchM]

Really, screenshots of the file open in blender and unity would help a lot. It sounds as if you may be missing the thrustTransform. Decoupler and SRB will work together, you just cannot activate them with staging without them both activating at the same time, but you can key up action groups

[EnterElysium]

Sas you nailed it, I was missed the empty of thrust transform! (I went off the beginner tutorials for the Blender->Unity workflow and that skips anything more complex than a standard structural part. Had assumed KSP made the thrust for you I guess.

Works as an SRB now, I'll have a go at adding the decoupler and see what happens. Intending to use this in a video that needs to go out tonight... so we'll see if I can actually implement it in time...

P.s. Thanks everyone!

Edit: Seems to work like a charm, thanks guys!

Edited June 2, 2013 by EnterElysium