Rigid Joints

[Drachs]

So I've been using the Damned Robotics parts for a SSO design I have in mind that is really fun for me, but I can't make it work because the rototrons are under too much force and the joint isn't rigid enough, it deforms considerably and oscillates in a manner that's fairly unfortunate and destructive to my ship. I was amused for a while, but now I'd like it to work.

I need this part to have very rigid joints with the two parts it connects. I'm a very experienced programmer, so I was thinking it was time to get into Kerbal mod development. I'd like to develop a new part that not only rotates, but is rigid, and allows you to order it to rotate to predefined presets. For example, I want mine to toggle between 0 and 90 degrees.

Would anybody be kind enough to give me a clue on where I'd need to start in order to change the rigidity of a joint?

Edited June 7, 2013 by Drachs

[OrbitusII]

Take a look at the Unity Script Reference for all your Unity needs!

http://docs.unity3d.com/Documentation/ScriptReference/index.html

Well, most of them anyway. The Unity reference pages don't have API for KSP stuff– that's found on the KSP wiki and is largely incomplete.

http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Community_API_Documentation

The big thing you want to use is the Joint class (a native Unity thing).

http://docs.unity3d.com/Documentation/ScriptReference/Joint.html

The best two for rigid joints are Fixed Joints and Configurable Joints, although the latter has a bit too much configuration available for my taste.

If you need help with the Unity syntax, I've used it for several years and I should be able to help, so feel free to shoot me a PM anytime.

[Drachs]

Way to snipe like a boss! I found the joint stuff in the damned robotics code (http://svn.mumech.com/KSP/trunk/MuMechLib/Toggle.cs). So now to start with the printf debugging to see how this code is flowing. Thanks for the entry point bud.

[Garoad]

How did this go? I've always assumed the DR implementation is as good as it's going to get without some kind of undiscovered "hack".

[scottholio]

This would be great. The parts are to flimsy for most of my projects.

[Garoad]

The thing that worries me (about what research may discover) is... why didn't the original DR developer use a different joint type? Is there some huge downside or issue preventing it?

[pina_coladas]

There was an old plugin called KSSConect or something that played with connections to make them all more rigid. Pretty sure it made the damned robotics of the day explode everywhere though. It might have been lost in the forum purge but it could be worth looking for to give you ideas.

[Garoad]

A DR clone isn't something I could complete in a short period so I won't attempt that. Just sayin', in case someone IS thinking of doing so, don't let my uneducated questions & interest stop you.

Edited June 26, 2013 by Garoad

[EndlessWaves]

The thing that worries me (about what research may discover) is... why didn't the original DR developer use a different joint type? Is there some huge downside or issue preventing it?

Damned Robotics is very old now, I'm not sure if it was released the same version the plugin system came out but if was one of the ealier plugins. I would think at the time r4m0n had enough on his plate understanding the system to think about making a custom joint type.

A custom joint does raise the possibility of additional problems but I don't think they'd be insurmountable.

[sirkut]

I'm made a fork of the Damned Robotics called Infernal Robotics http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/37707-Magic-Smoke-Industries-Parts-Infernal-Robotics to add/fix a few things (empty hotkey bug, lock movement due to sync issues). I'm looking into rewriting the entire plugin (and include move X degrees for rotational items) to use the MODULENAME{} format but I'm taking it in baby steps first. Have you tried adding the two following lines to your CFG?

breakingForce = 999

breakingTorque = 999

Also when the new KSP update comes out we'll have the new attachMethod's (that they broke) for the nodes which should hopefully keep things glued together better at the attachment nodes. (hoping NO_PHYSICS will do this).

Edited July 1, 2013 by sirkut