[0.90] Magic Smoke Industries Infernal Robotics - 0.19.3

[ZodiusInfuser]

Thanks for the feedback! Keep it coming!

----------

- Parts should be as modular and unspecific as possible. Prebuilt or semi prebuilt parts can sometimes look nice, but it also limits their use. Most of us play KSP because of its freedom and I think that parts should allow for that, instead of restricting the users or uses. The best parts are parts that get used in ways the designers of those parts never envisioned.

This also means parts should be relatively simple. Although it is tempting to embellish, they are a means and not an end. They should not be show pieces, but functional and beautifully simple.

This is something i'm mindful of, as it should be the resulting craft created by the community that act as the show piece of this mod, similar to B9 and others.

- The look and feel should blend nicely with stock KSP and stock parts. I think it has been noted that the current look sometimes does not really match up with KSP parts. They generally look good on their own, but seem a bit out of place when combined with other parts to make a vehicle.

I am hoping to address this, but admit that the mod may end up with it's own style, as there are limited examples of actuated parts in stock KSP.

Also, some parts are hard to combine with stock parts while still looking good. A notable example it the powered hinge ("taller motorized hinge") - which is incredibly useful - but through its width makes it hard to build anything that looks good. No truss or beam will fit it right. Either the hinge is way too small, or its surface is so big that truss will only cover its surface partly, looking odd.

Agreed. A lot of the parts were initially created to replace those in Damned Robotics, so little thought was given to making them all work well together, and with stock items.

----------

I find myself most often using the docking washers, powered hinges, and hydraulic cylinders. Also nothke's DROMOMAN parts make for a very nice arm.

Could you show examples of the hydraulic cylinders in action? I always end up using the telescopic pistons instead.

[Galane]

I used a small hydraulic cylinder in the end segment of my DROMOMAN arm because it didn't need to be so compact when collapsed but did need adjustable length.

[Veribus]

I have a part idea. With the base facing down, rotated 0 degrees it points up, when it rotates 180 degrees it points to the side. To the side at possibly varying angles, but most likely just a 90 degree bend when rotated 180 degrees.

[ZodiusInfuser]

I think I know what you mean. Sort of like this:

[Veribus]

Yeah, that's it. I just didn't know what to search for.

[Jeebus_Quade]

I am having trouble with these parts. I am using the latest version but I still have two problems. When I load in the free-moving docking washers, they act like motorized ones. They are completely rigid and have motor controls which work. I really want to use the free-moving ones! I checked the files in GameData and they are all there and different. Also, the pistons and the rails only extend to about 1/8th of their intended length no matter what I do. The controls work and they make noise and everything but they just stop at about 1/8th of their intended extension. Are these known issues?

[sirkut]

Couple of things. Are you using an old version of Kerbal Joint Replacement? Second, be sure to select a free moving washer and not a standard washer. They both look the same and it's possible to pick one by accident. As for the travel that was only a known issue when using an older version of Kerbal Joint Replacement.

[XanderTek]

Could you show examples of the hydraulic cylinders in action? I always end up using the telescopic pistons instead.

Here's one of my favorites, my collapsable rover:

Javascript is disabled. View full album

I also often use them if I need more extension on a landing leg, or want to build an extendable crane arm. I guess they're not strictly better than the telescopic pistons, I just like parts that snap together nice and neatly. In the example above, the pistons would clip through the body in a really weird way. A part similar to the hydraulic cylinder that could extend to 3 or 4 times its original length certainly would be nice though (a single part, telescoping hydraulic cylinder).

Edit: After typing that, it occurs to me that there may be some benefit to standardizing the part names. For the purposes of the game, the "Adjustable Rail", "Hydraulic Cylinder", "Gantry Rail", and "Telescopic Piston" are all just linear actuators that mount in different ways. In the same way that all the hinge parts include the word "Hinge", it should be possible to group the others. Maybe something like "Gantry Slidertron", "Telescopic Slidertron", etc. The "Rotatrons" and "Docking Washers" could also be grouped with a common name.

Edited December 13, 2013 by XanderTek

[sirkut]

Nice rover. It's currently impossible to create a single part that extends 3/4 times its length. You are limited to just 2 times the length of the part. The reason behind that is a mesh isn't dynamic and doesn't expand which is why the telescoping pistons became a reality.

[Beowolf]

First, this is an awesome mod!

I have one annoying issue: The 'Servo Configuration' GUI in the VAB/SPH is not blocking. As a result, if I click on the GUI while part of my craft is behind it, I end up selecting (and moving) that part/tree. As KSP has no way to cancel a part selection, and tends to recalculate strut placement and mirrored components when dragging, this can become very frustrating and destructive.

Not really a fix, but a habit I've developed that helps: Whenever I accidentally grab a part off my rocket, I always immediately do DEL and CTRL-Z. DEL deletes the parts I'm holding, and ctrl-Z undoes the grab, reattaching those parts exactly as they were.

[Camacha]

Not really a fix, but a habit I've developed that helps: Whenever I accidentally grab a part off my rocket, I always immediately do DEL and CTRL-Z. DEL deletes the parts I'm holding, and ctrl-Z undoes the grab, reattaching those parts exactly as they were.

Sometimes struts do not reattach in all places, but yes, that prevents the worst of it.

[SasquatchM]

So I just spent an hour or so making a mobile crane to move Mun Hab parts about only to discover that the clamp-o-trons that I am using as a connection points bewtwen the crane and hab modules will not actually dock for some reason. They are the same size. I futzed with orientations for a looong time. Any suggestions?

[Camacha]

Make sure the angle is right (zero). Usually the docking ports will move about a bit until they dock, although sometimes it can be a bit of a pain.

[Galane]

On my kethane drilling rover I had to drive it into the lander pretty hard to get the docking ports to connect.

There needs to be something like KAS that doesn't require live Kerbals to move the connections.

[Camacha]

There needs to be something like KAS that doesn't require live Kerbals to move the connections.

What about using an Infernal Robotics arm with a KAS magnet? That pretty much works every time. Just consumes a bit of power.

[Vevonix]

Love the mod! Would be cool if you could set the turning speed in editing mode. This way I could unfold my structures with just one button.

Keep up the good work!

[sirkut]

Plugin/Source updated. Only change was a minor change to the code due to some methods being obsolete in the newer version of Unity. Let me know of any issues.

[ouch]

Is anyone else missing the controls window once on the launch pad? I see the settings in the editor but once on the pad I don't see any window anymore... I tried right clicking on the part and clicking the hide gui a few times but I still don't see it.

I started a new game and threw a hinge on a mk1 pod for reference.

(oh and this is for .23)

[Rayder]

Got a small issue with the hinges:

It seems the hinges join properly but pivot backwards. I don't think it's a placement issue as they still would have rotated properly. Maybe the mod thinks it's connected one way but it's connected the other way?

Also, in the configuration menu, is it possible to add a resize corner at the bottom? The scroll bars are nice for up and down but a bit cumbersome for left to right. It's only an issue when some of the names are too long and the icons get pushed to the side.

Third issue, the "Hide GUI" and "Lock" buttons don't seem to work for me. I'm unsure if they actually do anything because there's no response when I click on them. The rotation or movement doesn't change and the text stays the same as well.

Running Infernal Robotics v1.0 on KSP 0.23

Edited December 18, 2013 by Rayder

[ZodiusInfuser]

Got a small issue with the hinges:

It seems the hinges join properly but pivot backwards. I don't think it's a placement issue as they still would have rotated properly. Maybe the mod thinks it's connected one way but it's connected the other way?

I can't comment on the other issues, but the first is because you've placed the part back to front. If you notice it's in the reverse orientation to the other hinge that's working (the wider part should be attached to the piston). It's a fundamental limitation of the mod and KSP as it currently stands

[blizzy78]

Plugin/Source updated. Only change was a minor change to the code due to some methods being obsolete in the newer version of Unity. Let me know of any issues.

I think you missed updating the change log in the OP?

[sirkut]

Please update by downloading the updated release and see if you have any issues.

[TNM]

played around with it a bit, is it just me or does "Telescopic Piston - Segment C" not fit into "Segment B" as it should? The 1/2 version works fine, 1/4 versions has problems too. Is it just finicky or is that a basic problem?

Edited December 18, 2013 by TNM

[sirkut]

They fit, it's just a little challenging due to the node sizes and the size of the parts. I do provide a subassembly that contains all of the pistons stacked together. You can use that and just shear off what you need.

[SVoyager]

Hey quick question. First sorry if this was posted in this thread already. 165 pages long, I wish I had that much time to find an answer :-).

I was going thru my mods for a new .23 campaign and I remember that I had used this plugin and had alot of fun with it but had some rather outstanding issues that prevented me to use it on long term.

The issue I had was that sometimes parts were getting "disconnected" when reloading a save. I often was building a small crane to help assemble my mun base. Usually a hinge on bottom with 2 piston and another hinge on top with KAS magnet attached to it. Sometimes when I was reloading a save, I had the parts from this plugin just float in midair. It was still connected to the vehicle as I still had control over them but visually, there would often be big gaps between the parts which made things look rather strange.

The issue could probably be caused by my use of the plugin or maybe a bug, I don't know. Anyone know of this issue? Is it something that I can work around it or has it actually been fixed (assuming its coming from the mod)?

Thanks!