Just Starting Out: Seeking collaborators, tips, tricks, and misc. info

[zekew11]

First of all, Though I'm a first timer on the forum, I have been enjoying KSP since 0.15 and browsing the forums; primarily for add-ons, for several months. I also have worked with CAD and photo editing programs before.

For an initial KSP modding project, I figured that an SRB pack would be simple enough. I'd like to add variety to our current limited selection, and if possible, build in the decouples and parachutes to help with part counts. This brings me to my first batch of questions:

• is it possible to build a part which is a SRB, a parachute, and a decoupler?
  
• can I use multiple textures on one model?
  
• I have heard that 2000 polys is a good budget; since I'm aiming to optimize physics with all in one SRBs, should I reduce this budget as well?
  

and a wip picture; demonstrating that my modeling ability is far superior to my texturing ability: (more in later posts)

Lastly, I have no particular attachment to my SRB project, and I do have a slight aversion to figuring out how to go through the steps in unity to import these things into KSP. Therefore I'd be very interested in collaboration. We can discuss such arrangement via pm if interested.

Edited June 24, 2013 by zekew11

[BlazingAngel665]

To have the SRB decouple you will want to set the decouple node to node_attach and the parachute has some info in the addon link thread. I'm not sure however if you can make this work because of staging, which would tend to trigger the parachute, decoupler and engine all at once. . .

You can use as many textures as you have objects, setting the shaders to KSP/whatever in unity. Then select the appropriate texture in the menu

As far as tris counts I'm not sure what a good budget is, I make the model, reduce it as much as possible and then be happy with my result. That is my budget.

Welcome to modding. Enjoy your stay. If you want help with Unity shoot me a PM.

[GregoryOwen]

I think it is possible, but would require you write a custom plugin which i'm just starting to learn about now because of problems with my own model having multiple animations.

it might possible to write a script with rules that Arm the parachute once a certain altitude is achieved say 20-40,000m, then after detaching have another set of rules that activate the parachute at say 500-1000m.

or have it activate the parachute upon decoupling.

or

[frizzank]

I think it is possible, but would require you write a custom plugin which i'm just starting to learn about now because of problems with my own model having multiple animations.

it might possible to write a script with rules that Arm the parachute once a certain altitude is achieved say 20-40,000m, then after detaching have another set of rules that activate the parachute at say 500-1000m.

or have it activate the parachute upon decoupling.

or

It is possible to use an engine as a decoupler, look at the Mercury engines in the FASA mod. They are set up as both, but if you press the staging button they will fire and decouple at the same time so you would need an action group.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/24867-19-1-Gemini-and-Mercury-Pack-FASA-v1-3

[zekew11]

It is possible to use an engine as a decoupler, look at the Mercury engines in the FASA mod. They are set up as both, but if you press the staging button they will fire and decouple at the same time so you would need an action group.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/24867-19-1-Gemini-and-Mercury-Pack-FASA-v1-3

That's how I thought it would end up working. if i were to do the 3 in one system, i would throw "activate engine" in the stage group (because you'd light the

srbs with the first stage), and then plop its staging icon in the next stage up; for decoupling and parachute activation. The resulting question is, would people prefer this method, or would they rather just have a traditional setup?

my next I'm-way-too-new-to-modding question is: are part sizes (1 meter, 2 meter, ect.) given as radius or diameter?

and lastly, I've finished modeling the 5 basic SRBs for the pack; now I'm just wondering if I should try to implement these, or go on to modeling the 5 more out-of-the-box designs...

[zekew11]

new models:

[zekew11]

weird double post bug: please delete