Open Source Construction Techniques for Craft Aesthetics

[sgt_flyer]

@gusturbo yes, that kind of problem affected me too while i was working on several R-7 style boosters, it 'corrupted' the VAB, and i was unable to 'drop' what was selected on the cursor so i try to avoid making symmetry of something which already contain symmetry now

else, to give a new aesthetic trick, here's something i thought about, was to have a stock openable pod capable of containing a turbojet, for hiding your VTOL jets (like the VTOL fan on the F35-B )

so i thinkered with the Science pod - here's a nice looking result

science doors closed

science doors opened, circular air intake visible

science doors opened, Jet engine activated

in the VAB, the system 'unpacked' - to build the engine assembly, i used a docking port JR, radially attached on the back of the science pod, a small 0.625 battery under it, and the engine below the battery. above the docking port, i simply put the circular air intake. i attached the engine with struts to the back of the pod (you can see the position of the struts on the image) - once this pod is ready, i add a cubic strut on the 'inline' science pod, in order to attach the science pod with the engine roughly halfway down from the first pod. a second cubic strut on this first, allows me to add something else behind it (here, a tailcone to merge with the fuel tank) and i added an air intake in front of the science pod (but you can use other things, like NCS adapters, etc).

side note, i know that there are bits of the engine visible but if it was higher inside the pod, the science pods electronics would be visible inside the jet engine

for the Action groups, it's pretty simple - the science pods doors can be toggled without activating the science so i simply had : toggle basic jet engine, toggle circular air intake, and toggle the science pods doors.

here's the .craft file (SPH .craft) if you want to take it appart : http://www./view/yfs6joslc8lcg4y/test%20VTOL%20bay.craft

[astropapi1]

Hey Gus, could you put links to the new techniques in the OP? I'ts been a while since you did so.

[Rune]

Very nice. I'll have to give it a try.

As for the symmetry thing, that sounds like the same bug that has ruined several of my designs in the past.

Yup, I especially dread the "copy that part on top of itself n times letting the player think it isn't doing anything" situation that ruins the ship file completely. Sometimes a CTLR-Z in time can save you, but when you don't notice it's happened... its awful to spend hours messing with a design, then have to start form scratch because you saved it with 20 bugged tanks on top of each other that refuse to come out. I encounter it a lot too when trying to place clipped intake stacks with symmetry. If you explore the bug further, actually, you can even freeze the game! If Squad solved this, I would love them for it. I wonder when the building UI will get a polish!

Edit: BTW, I really need to contribute to this. But most of my trick involve editor tools, and even with those, most are already here!

Rune. It needs a name. Something to do with the white color the clipped parts get? The White Dwarf Matter Condensation Bug?

Edited February 3, 2014 by Rune

[GusTurbo]

Hey Gus, could you put links to the new techniques in the OP? I'ts been a while since you did so.

Sure thing. Sorry about that. I'll try to do that later today.

@gusturbo yes, that kind of problem affected me too while i was working on several R-7 style boosters, it 'corrupted' the VAB, and i was unable to 'drop' what was selected on the cursor so i try to avoid making symmetry of something which already contain symmetry now

else, to give a new aesthetic trick, here's something i thought about, was to have a stock openable pod capable of containing a turbojet, for hiding your VTOL jets (like the VTOL fan on the F35-B )

so i thinkered with the Science pod - here's a nice looking result

science doors closed

science doors opened, circular air intake visible

science doors opened, Jet engine activated

in the VAB, the system 'unpacked' - to build the engine assembly, i used a docking port JR, radially attached on the back of the science pod, a small 0.625 battery under it, and the engine below the battery. above the docking port, i simply put the circular air intake. i attached the engine with struts to the back of the pod (you can see the position of the struts on the image) - once this pod is ready, i add a cubic strut on the 'inline' science pod, in order to attach the science pod with the engine roughly halfway down from the first pod. a second cubic strut on this first, allows me to add something else behind it (here, a tailcone to merge with the fuel tank) and i added an air intake in front of the science pod (but you can use other things, like NCS adapters, etc).

side note, i know that there are bits of the engine visible but if it was higher inside the pod, the science pods electronics would be visible inside the jet engine

for the Action groups, it's pretty simple - the science pods doors can be toggled without activating the science so i simply had : toggle basic jet engine, toggle circular air intake, and toggle the science pods doors.

here's the .craft file (SPH .craft) if you want to take it appart : http://www./view/yfs6joslc8lcg4y/test%20VTOL%20bay.craft

That is awesome! I can definitely see myself using this technique.

[Blue]

here's the .craft file (SPH .craft) if you want to take it appart : http://www./view/yfs6joslc8lcg4y/test%20VTOL%20bay.craft

The next hard part will be getting the shapely underside.

[Rune]

So, here's something I haven't seen before (I think): How to make slick-looking side mounts for engines, with a minimum amount of wasted weight to non-fuel tanks structural stuff, and no ugly nipples (though the key part is an aerodynamic nosecone). This right here turns out a very compact lander with a wide base and more fuel than you will need for most places:

You just basically need what you see, and the weirdly rounded joint is actually an aerodynamic cone partially clipped. This is how things look if I grab the top tank and press space (undoing the tilt, which is twice "W", then more than a few taps of "SHIFT+S"), the reattach it to the same point on the surface of the central body:

Fuel flow would be done with fuel lines put as you see fit, no tank will drain from the others so you can set it up as you like. That might look like a downside, but sometimes that's just what you need so you can do it some specific way, and you can always hide the fuel lines inside the tanks. Oh, and this is like the maximum angle, but finagling things you can also make much more shallow angles with larger tanks:

Rune. So there. It's simple but it's something.

Edited February 3, 2014 by Rune

[GusTurbo]

Nothing wrong with simple. Nice technique!

[sgt_flyer]

The next hard part will be getting the shapely underside.

Well, for those parts, creating a swivel mount would be neccessary we can't make in stock ksp compact and reliable enough pivots since they corrected the structural pylon elasticity

Edited February 4, 2014 by sgt_flyer

[GusTurbo]

Hey everyone, I've updated the main post so now everyone's techniques should be listed and linked under their name.

I also wanted to get some feedback on an idea. I'd like to have some sort of identifying mark like a badge or a patch to signify contributions to this thread that could be placed in signatures, kind of like the mission patches or K-Prize badges. I think it would be a good way to recognize the great designers around here, and a link back to this thread could help inspire others. What do you all think?

[astropapi1]

Hey everyone, I've updated the main post so now everyone's techniques should be listed and linked under their name.

I also wanted to get some feedback on an idea. I'd like to have some sort of identifying mark like a badge or a patch to signify contributions to this thread that could be placed in signatures, kind of like the mission patches or K-Prize badges. I think it would be a good way to recognize the great designers around here, and a link back to this thread could help inspire others. What do you all think?

+1 for that idea. As long as it's small and simple, I'd love it. Plus, it would give this thread much more of the attention it obviously deserves.

Oh, and thanks for the reputation.

EDIT: Just remembered about the Square and Compass symbol from the masons. Maybe a kerbalized version of that (without the G) would do.

Just to be clear, I don't have anything to do with masonry, I don't even know what that G means . It's the symbol that looks kinda cool.

Edited February 4, 2014 by astropapi1

[Rune]

+1 for that idea. As long as it's small and simple, I'd love it. Plus, it would give this thread much more of the attention it obviously deserves.

Oh, and thanks for the reputation.

EDIT: Just remembered about the Square and Compass symbol from the masons. Maybe a kerbalized version of that (without the G) would do.

Just to be clear, I don't have anything to do with masonry, I don't even know what that G means . It's the symbol that looks kinda cool.

Well, they call god the Great Architect. And probably because the word "engineer" wasn't invented yet when they started doing so. So yeah, that would work.

Rune. Perhaps with a slide rule instead of one of the tools?

[Majorjim!]

Hey everyone, I've updated the main post so now everyone's techniques should be listed and linked under their name.

I also wanted to get some feedback on an idea. I'd like to have some sort of identifying mark like a badge or a patch to signify contributions to this thread that could be placed in signatures, kind of like the mission patches or K-Prize badges. I think it would be a good way to recognize the great designers around here, and a link back to this thread could help inspire others. What do you all think?

Its a great idea Gus.

I saw that you posted that you use editor extensions. Is it really useful aside from the mega symmetry stuff?

Also that bug has befallen me on many occasions, where you select a part and it cannot be unselected, or has parts connected to it that are not actually connected.

But it has never ruined any of my VAB crafts. I would just load it in again and all would be well.

The SPH is another matter. I have many, many broken saves from that...

MJ

[GusTurbo]

Editor extensions is very handy. It feels a little cheaty sometimes, like when you surface attach things that can't so so stock (like rover bodies), but it saves parts and outputs stock craft files, so I don't mind it so much. I don't really use it that much anyway.

[astropapi1]

To me, editor extensions is like a godsend. If you're trying to stock something to an attachment point but it keeps attavhing radially to something behind it, simply disable radial attachment for that part. You can choose the launch site (runway or launchpad), etc. Most good designers use it.

[Rune]

To me, editor extensions is like a godsend. If you're trying to stock something to an attachment point but it keeps attavhing radially to something behind it, simply disable radial attachment for that part. You can choose the launch site (runway or launchpad), etc. Most good designers use it.

Yup, it saves a ton of time. Activating/deactivating surface attachment (ALT+R) is probably the single command I use the most while building.

[Majorjim!]

Yup, it saves a ton of time. Activating/deactivating surface attachment (ALT+R) is probably the single command I use the most while building.

Hmm.. You could save on part count not using the cubics. I'm tempted. I have no issues using these kinds of mods. I already use the primary part switching mod. The thing is I have encountered some bugs when using these types of mods.

Has anyone had stability issues with the editor extensions?

MJ

[astropapi1]

Hmm.. You could save on part count not using the cubics. I'm tempted. I have no issues using these kinds of mods. I already use the primary part switching mod. The thing is I have encountered some bugs when using these types of mods.

Has anyone had stability issues with the editor extensions?

MJ

Nope, not at all. EE and the root changer mod work like a charm.

[GusTurbo]

I found some badge inspiration.

This is a US Air Force Civil Engineer badge. I like the design elements, like the compass, gear, and wings, but I think I would get rid of the laurels. I don't want it to look too militaristic, as I don't think that fits with this game. Here's a line drawing of the same badge:

[astropapi1]

Gimme a minute...

EDIT: Well, scrap that. My design looked like a piece of poop.

Edited February 5, 2014 by astropapi1

[GusTurbo]

Here's an all-white version of a badge I've been working on. Final version will obviously be a lot smaller. Anyone want to try to colorize it, and make it look pretty?

Edited February 5, 2014 by GusTurbo

[GusTurbo]

And here's an attempt at making it look cool (and sig sized):

And with different lighting:

Edited February 5, 2014 by GusTurbo

[astropapi1]

Oh well, I'm supposed to spread around more reputation before giving it to you again. THANK YOU!

I'm already adding it to my sign.

[Blue]

I'm not sold on the bevel. Mind if I take a stab at doing the Patch?

[GusTurbo]

Sure thing! I'm not the best at photoshop, I just wanted to take a crack at it.

[Blue]

[Old Version Redacted]

I don't like the wings on your version, but I can't seem to find any suitable improvement.

Edited February 6, 2014 by Blue