[0.22] Extraplanetary Launchpads Legacy Thread

[KhaosCorp]

I have yet to actually test it, but I think drills are 2 models and 3 game object (2 operating as transforms) if that helps...Im guessin you knew this already.

@Tw1, what issues did you have with moving resources between docked ships? I have always used multiple component mining operations and never ran into problems. Well, never problems with resource transfers...its kerbal, so lots of other problems of course...

And I agree 100% that no crew is an improvement, if I recall Skykooler said something about an attempt had been made to get it working like that.

Edited July 29, 2013 by KhaosCorp

[taniwha]

KhaosCorp: the auger has 3 visible mesh objects (the cylindrical housing, the rectangular prism mounting block, and the auger bit), one cylindrical collider mesh, and one "game object" transform (the root transform). All child transforms have their origin at the origin of the root transform.

The new Kethane code requires both a head transform (at the working end of the drill bit) and a tail transform (at the motor/housing end). I can probably get away with using any of the current transforms as the tail, but I'll need to add one for the head. Unfortunately, my blender .mu script isn't ready, but I might be able to make a tool that can add the transform. However, I won't be able to distribute the fixed model, though I think I can get away with distributing the script that fixes it.

[magnemoe]

Personally, I'd call that an improvement, rather than a side effect. I'd didn't seem right to just have them appear.

Is that fix something available to download?

I'm hoping that the issue of resources not transferring properly through docked sections can be fixed too, if possible.

Agree with you here, just set up passenger flights.

The only standard resource who don't transfer over docking is fuel. My latest launchpads had the smelter under and two orange tanks for fuel, this was also used for taking it from LKO to target.

If I needed more fuel for large ships I would use KAS and refuel after creating. As you will build large ships on low gravity worlds you can also just launch them to orbit an dock with an kethane miner.

However KAS is build for this, hook up the ore miner with the launchpad, then hook up the kethane miner to refuel fuel.

[GenaTrius]

I kinda wish you'd included a compiled plugin with that, but it gives me a reason to figure out how to do that myself!

[taniwha]

GenaTrius: I'd really like to, but even publishing the pull request is pushing things on the redistribution front. As for compiling it yourself, it's pretty easy, even in linux (only issue is tweaking some paths and the copy commands in the csproj file).

[kodemunkey]

Does this mod add ores to the game too?

[taniwha]

It does, using the Kethane mod.

[urablahblah]

Looks like Skykooler just committed your changes taniwha. Let's hope this means he is getting ready to push the update. I know I'm ready for it!

[skykooler]

Ok, here's the current status everyone: I have finally got a chance to download 0.21.1, and am testing with it. I have committed taniwha's changes; I'm glad that 0.21 allows me to basically sidestep the crew issue! Note that now you might want to build launch towers for Laythe bases, so your kerbals have a way to get into the capsule.

I have a few more changes I need to complete before I release version 2.1, including debug mode, and (hopefully) a fix for fuel tanks so you don't need fuel lines anymore. The augur won't be fixed in this release, because my Unity is still broken and so I can't export any models. Hopefully I can fix that this week.

[KhaosCorp]

Great news!

Just curious what version of Unity are you using? You could always go download the free version till you get yours sorted. Im using free version Unity and it still writes. Also you need part tools for 0.20 now. I don't think the 18tools will work anymore like they did in 0.19 and 0.20.

[hubbazoot]

Just out of curiosity, would it be possible to add a small launchpad, primarily for rovers, while you're doing unity things?

[skykooler]

Great news!

Just curious what version of Unity are you using? You could always go download the free version till you get yours sorted. Im using free version Unity and it still writes. Also you need part tools for 0.20 now. I don't think the 18tools will work anymore like they did in 0.19 and 0.20.

I do have the free version, and parttools 0.20. Interestingly, my models are loading in 0.21, although they still don't in 0.20, so this looks like it is no longer an issue.

Just out of curiosity, would it be possible to add a small launchpad, primarily for rovers, while you're doing unity things?

The current launchpad is a placeholder; I am working on a much better one, which includes such things as sloped sides, retrorockets for easy landing, and a shape that will fit on a rocket without looking insane.

[Benie]

I really want to ask this, skykooler, but I don't really want to be a bother.

So.. *cough* when this is updated, are you going to enable Debug Mode?

[KhaosCorp]

I really want to ask this, skykooler, but I don't really want to be a bother.

So.. *cough* when this is updated, are you going to enable Debug Mode?

Try reading the thread...that was answered just a few posts above...

[skykooler]

I really want to ask this, skykooler, but I don't really want to be a bother.

So.. *cough* when this is updated, are you going to enable Debug Mode?

Yes. And, yes, I did just say this. I just re-enabled debug mode in my testing branch, and hopefully I can release v2.1 with debug mode and 0.21 support tonight.

[Benie]

Awesome. Didn't know you said that before. Sorry.

[OdinYggd]

Sounds good then, I put a kethane scanner up last night in preparation for this and will probably follow it with a mapsat to determine the largest available flat site with kethane for locating a base.

By chance, will the new pad also have some type of auto-leveling capability? I found in 0.20 with the temporary pad that it is very difficult to get it to properly point straight up, failure to do so makes a lot of craft fall over.

[curufaukor]

Ok, here's the current status everyone: I have finally got a chance to download 0.21.1, and am testing with it. I have committed taniwha's changes; I'm glad that 0.21 allows me to basically sidestep the crew issue! Note that now you might want to build launch towers for Laythe bases, so your kerbals have a way to get into the capsule.

I have a few more changes I need to complete before I release version 2.1, including debug mode, and (hopefully) a fix for fuel tanks so you don't need fuel lines anymore. The augur won't be fixed in this release, because my Unity is still broken and so I can't export any models. Hopefully I can fix that this week.

I can't wait!!!

[BrutalRIP]

looking forward to this

[skykooler]

Extraplanetary Launchpads v2.1 patch released!

Download here.

Changelog:

• 0.21 support (thanks to taniwha)
  
• Don't "magically" spawn Kerbals (ditto)
  
• Added "Recycler" module
  
• Fixed SolidFuel mass so that you don't need 100 tons of rocketparts for one booster anymore
  
• Re-enabled debug mode!
  

This is just the .dll. Replace the .dll in v2 with this one and it should work. I will put together a proper release once I finish fixing the part-related problems.

What did not make it into this release:

• Augur fix - this will be added soon
  
• New launchpad - it's mostly working, but has a slight game-breaking bug in that it seems to detonate 9 out of 10 ships I load on it. I'm investigating this.
  
• Ore detectors - currently that functionality is bundled into the launchpad, but I am working on a short-range and a long-range detector part.
  
• Fixed fuel routing - because I forgot to get around to that by this release.
  

Sounds good then, I put a kethane scanner up last night in preparation for this and will probably follow it with a mapsat to determine the largest available flat site with kethane for locating a base.

By chance, will the new pad also have some type of auto-leveling capability? I found in 0.20 with the temporary pad that it is very difficult to get it to properly point straight up, failure to do so makes a lot of craft fall over.

I don't plan on adding auto-levelling, since that's a bit outside the scope of this mod. However, you can use launch clamps on your rockets to keep them from falling over, and then recycle them afterward.

How to add the Recycler module to your parts:

Add the following code:

MODULE
{
	name = Recycler
}

to any part that you want to be able to recycle debris with. To recycle debris, make sure you are within 50 meters, and then select "Recycle debris" in the right-click menu.

[hubbazoot]

How does the recycler work?

[KhaosCorp]

YAY!!

I can start cleaning up my messes now!

Thanks for update Sky! Hope it wasnt to much of a headache =)

[Zeroignite]

So if we spawn rockets on the portable pad, it's a good idea to have a colony of kerbals nearby and make sure they can get into the rocket?

[taniwha]

So, who will win in the race to fix the auger?

I'm currently working on getting my .mu read/write python module working for writing .mu. I should be able to write a little utility script to hack the auger into working shape.

[taniwha]

Zeroignite: yeah. Now space-planes are actually useful (as kerbal shuttles).