Open Source Construction Techniques for Craft Aesthetics

[Redrobin]

Not so much of a design thing, but if you click on all of your rocket (from the command pod or shift+click) you can hit q and your entire rocket will rotate, making takeoff easier IMO.

[astropapi1]

Hey guys, don't know if you have tried, but when I click the badge on some of your signatures, it does absolutely nothing. For example, on Woopert's and GusTurbo's sigs, I have to manually open it with right click. Not so intuitive to newcomers.

I don't really know why it happens, or how to fix it. I'm just telling you guys.

[GusTurbo]

That's weird. The links work fine for me when I click them.

[vidboi]

Alright, here's a bit post coming up with 8 different construction techniques and tricks that I've been using for a while. I doubt many of them are that unique though!

1. Quad chambered 2.5m engine - the LV-T180

A useful analogue for the RD-170 or similar, this engine uses 4 LV-T45s and provides a useful lift engine with a bit more power and efficiency than the Skipper.

To make it, simply attach an LV-T45 to the top of two cubic octagonal struts (as shown below) flip upside down and attach 4 to the top of 2.5m-1.25m adapter. Smoothing can be done using nosecones or similar, but then fuel lines are required.

2. Larger podded engine - the R96 vernier

Goes well with the T180 for a soyuz like look, the R96 uses two 48-77s in a covered pod. No fuel lines required!

Attach a cubic octagonal strut to the bottom/side of a fuel tank facing downwards, then add cubic octagonal struts on either side facing downwards with small fuel tanks and 48-77s at the ends.

Attach a rover body to the radial attachment end of a cubic octagonal strut then place said strut on the inside of the root cubic octagonal strut, angled 15 degrees upwards.

3. Standard docking port with navigation lights.

I now use this in place of all standard docking ports. Simply place 4 small batteries rotated inwards on the sides of a part beneath the docking port (e.g. a z-1000 battery) so that the lights on the top stick out. Highly visible without whitewashing everything nearby!

4. Size 1.5 parts

Handy for lots of places where 2.5m parts are too big and 1.25m parts too small. I use these mainly for adding decoration to space station modules.

First take one truss piece.

Take a 1.25m part and rotate it 180 degrees to it faces inwards when radially attaching.

And radially attach with 4x symmetry (or more for a smoother look, I find 4 is a good balance between aesthetics and part count).

5. Ring Structures

Purely aesthetic, these weight quite a lot and use plenty of parts, but they look awesome!

Start by building the support structure for the ring and the basic repeated section for the ring.

Copy the basic section and built outwards in a straight line before curling the ring inwards from the outside. For example here, each section in curled inwards by 30 degrees, so the half ring is made from 6 sections.

When finished rotate the whole lot inwards by half the rotation of each section (e.g. 15 degrees here). And then copy, flip, and place the duplicate on the ring support to form a whole ring.

This can be done in many sizes and shapes. Try multiple supports (e.g 2, building a quarter of the ring at a time) or non-circular rings.

6. Radar-Style comms dish

Looks pretty cool on large vessels or bases.

First, place a column of 5 cubic octagonal struts on top of the base of the dish.

Then attach a pair of medium antennas rotated inwards by 15 degrees at the top of the second cubic octagonal strut.

Rotate and reattach the column of cubic octagonal struts, add a 1.25-0.625m adapter at the base of the column and decorate to your hearts content!

7. Stubby 1.25m Nosecone - VAB/SPH

A 0.625m nosecone placed on top of a 1.25m-0.625m adapter looks really naff. By offsetting the nosecone, it can be made to look much smoother.

Simply clip an octagonal strut into the top of the adapter, then attach the nose cone to the bottom of that.

8. Non-heatproof mk2/3 fuselages - SPH

The mk2/3 heatproof tiles look a bit odd if, say, used on a transport aircraft... This technique covers them up and gives extra fuselage space to boot!

Base the fuselage around an I beam - this provides both strength and preserves the centre point. Attach a cubic octagonal strut either side using symmetry.

Attach a fuselage piece to the cubic octagonal struts with symmetry enabled, and rotate so that the underside is facing inwards. Then rotate the I beam 90 degrees to get the fuselages on the top and bottom.

This can also be done with mk3 fuselages, one mk3 on top and a mk2 on the bottom or vice versa.

The whole reasoning behind this is to prevent the ugly clipping of textures that happens with the ends when clipped directly to the centreline of the fuselages.

Hope some of that helps!

[mellojoe]

3. Standard docking port with navigation lights.

I now use this in place of all standard docking ports. Simply place 4 small batteries rotated inwards on the sides of a part beneath the docking port (e.g. a z-1000 battery) so that the lights on the top stick out. Highly visible without whitewashing everything nearby!

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/vidboi/KerbalSpaceMania/Construction/screenshot577.png

Hope some of that helps!

First time I've ever seen this idea. I LOOOOOVE it. Can't wait to try it out. I mean, I end up hiding batteries in things anyway, might as well make them useful at the same time.

[Mesklin]

Let me show you my last LES (launch escape system)

1. Place rotated small decoupler on the top of temporary installed grinder for clear view

2. Set rotated cubic octagonal strut exactly in the middle of decoupler. For easy installation (with editor extension mod) make next action:

* set 2x symmetry

* installing cubic strut in the middle of decoupler, you should see 2 cubics like 1

* set 1x symmetry by keyboard and do not move mouse in this time, then left click

3. Set 8 sepatrons, move decoupler on the top of docking port (delete grinder)

4. Set 2 nose cones

4. Done

[9t3ndo]

The requested "RockoMax Turbine"

Step 1 an Oscar-B should also work

Step 2

Step 3

FINISH

Edited March 7, 2014 by 9t3ndo

[9t3ndo]

Alright, here's a bit post coming up with 8 different construction techniques and tricks that I've been using for a while. I doubt many of them are that unique though!

[.......]

6. Radar-Style comms dish

Looks pretty cool on large vessels or bases.

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/vidboi/KerbalSpaceMania/Construction/screenshot592.png

[.......]

Hope some of that helps!

can i have sub.craft for that

[GusTurbo]

I've updated the main page again!

9t3ndo -- amazing first entry!

[vidboi]

can i have sub.craft for that

sure, here you go!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6-QPW5ZXeYhUHNIX1lrRkFGNDA/edit?usp=sharing

I look forwards to seeing what you might use it for

[GusTurbo]

The requested "RockoMax Turbine"

Step 1 an Oscar-B should also work

Step 2

Step 3

FINISH

Does this work for any other engines?

[9t3ndo]

sure, here you go!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6-QPW5ZXeYhUHNIX1lrRkFGNDA/edit?usp=sharing

I look forwards to seeing what you might use it for

Thank you I think about an Ospray like SSTO with K-Drive and this awesome thing comes on top

Does this work for any other engines?

Hmm good question, i didnt try other constellations at the moment because i didn't have the time. I just did a fast tutorial because some users want to show how it's build

Edited March 8, 2014 by 9t3ndo

[Woopert]

@Woopert - i don't think you need your fuel lines cubic struts are fuel crossfeed capable, and will pump fuel from whatever they are radially attached to (given that the part they are connected to can get fuel from tanks) (although i hope you have enough struts ^^)

Cubic Struts are indeed crossfeed capable, but there is also a structural piece sharing the same node to make the transition "smoother."

[Rune]

Let me show you my last LES (launch escape system)

http://i.imgur.com/q1Mcjl2.png

1. Place rotated small decoupler on the top of temporary installed grinder for clear view

http://i.imgur.com/v8WC2JY.png

2. Set rotated cubic octagonal strut exactly in the middle of decoupler. For easy installation (with editor extension mod) make next action:

* set 2x symmetry

* installing cubic strut in the middle of decoupler, you should see 2 cubics like 1

* set 1x symmetry by keyboard and do not move mouse in this time, then left click

http://i.imgur.com/XLthpy4.png

http://i.imgur.com/6GKkPhE.png

3. Set 8 sepatrons, move decoupler on the top of docking port (delete grinder)

http://i.imgur.com/pLQjCoP.png

4. Set 2 nose cones

http://i.imgur.com/JDoJVf8.png

http://i.imgur.com/AoOkER6.png

4. Done

Dammit! I can't give you rep (again) but I'll have you know, I just used part of this technique in my Phoebus project. Thanks!

[XyllyX]

Sorry, I'm new here, but how did you use the same node on the turbine?

[Woopert]

Sorry, I'm new here, but how did you use the same node on the turbine?

Alt+12 and Enable Part Clipping. With EditorExtensions mod (http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/38768-0-23-Editor-Extensions-v0-6-5-Aug-(EdTools-Editor-Tools-replacement)) Alt-Z also enables it.

[XyllyX]

Alt+12 and Enable Part Clipping. With EditorExtensions mod (http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/38768-0-23-Editor-Extensions-v0-6-5-Aug-(EdTools-Editor-Tools-replacement)) Alt-Z also enables it.

Sweet, thanks

[BLUAV8R]

The Service Propulsion System

:: An Orbital Docking Assistant Meant to Reduce Part Count ::

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-What does it do?

Have you ever had the problem of attempting to dock a module for your space station and having all these obsolete RCS thrusters and tanks afterwards? Well the SPS is an orbital docking assistant made to help with just that. It allows you to dock your module and ONLY your module while removing all other unneeded parts.

-How does it do this?

The SPS is a removable module you add to the bottom of your station (or whatever) piece you are trying to dock. On it are RCS tanks and thrusters to allow you to dock and then easily detach from afterwards so your once 20 part or so module becomes a 6 part one.

-How do I use it?

Using it is a simple process. This Imgur album shows exactly how to do so.

TUTORIAL

Javascript is disabled. View full album

-Is there anything else I need to know?

Yes, if you need to you can easily switch the solar panels and RCS if a diagonal layout is needed. I also have a version that uses the KW Rocketry Service Propulsion System engine if anyone prefers that (I do since it has an ISP of 400)

DOWNLOAD

Dropbox

Mediafire

(if dropbox for some reason doesn't work)

[Blue]

I actually built a system just like that for delivering some of the modules for my Project Unicorn. Though the application was for saving weight on parts which would never need rendezvous after being attached to the transport vehicle, not for aesthetics of a station.

This is Unicorn 1, which carries crew and some utilities for a Jool mission. The top-most module can see is docked and mated well to the main spacecraft, as well as the RCS Probe Array mounted on the large docking port nearest to the camera. You may also notice that both the Habitation Module and the Probe Array do not possess any RCS blocks, or in fact any RCS parts at all. (Obviously the RCS probes do but they were shut off.) This is because they were docked using a technique extremely similar to your own, SippyFrog.

[astropapi1]

Well, it really helps when you're building giant stations on a laptop.

[GusTurbo]

Design question that needs some study: are there any parts that can be placed over a hatch that do not obstruct it?

Initial Study: Ladders

Results: The ladder casing can cover the hatch and it will remain unobstructed so long as the ladder isn't centered over the hatch window.

Edited March 14, 2014 by GusTurbo

[Majorjim!]

Hi all,

I have discovered how to attach a stack separator to an engine and have it not apply a faring.

I think this will be great to use with the fairing release methods I have seen discussed in this thread.

Here is a video that shows how its done.

MJ

Me again,

I have been building my N1, which is now complete! I discovered that it is possible to remove the fairing using a small stack separator.

A variation of the technique I showed in the above post.

It is tricky to get it to do this but worth the tiny hassle.

Give it a go!

MJ

[problemecium]

I discovered yesterday that Radial Attachment Points are very forgiving about part clipping, and used this principle to create a heavy-duty 2-meter LV-N for my next mothership.

P.S. Forgot to mention - this works equally well when pointing the Radial thing down, so pick whatever looks best. On my mothership I have it pointing down so the engines look more flush with the tank.

Edited March 25, 2014 by parameciumkid

[GusTurbo]

Great stuff, as usual. I can't wait to see what we can do with the ARM update. New parts are always fun.

[Woopert]

I've known about the trick of building one, then attaching more with symmetry. It's useful with tail fins when making engine clusters.