How to make your first part from start to finish! - Video Tutorial Series

[Rureglathon]

Hey guys! I'm new here, as you can see, but I've been around KSP for a while now, and I make YouTube tutorials on KSP too.

Just thought that as I've just finished a tutorial series on making your own Part for 0.21, I'd post this here so people who don't just search YouTube can see it as I thought it might be a useful resource for people struggling at getting to terms with the basics. I could definitely have used this.

Just so you know, I'm not any kind of pro modder or anything, just have a fair amount of experience with modelling/texturing, so I picked up the basics of doing it for KSP quite quickly, so please tell me if there's any wrong info in these. Anyway, there's 6 Tutorials in this series, and they are as follows:

Part 1: What is a mod and what do you need

http://youtu.be/rf0kOFwCdOU

Part 2: How to set up Unity with PartTools, and what you need from your modelling program

http://youtu.be/P6NuLn2-gUQ

Part 3: How to create your model, and UV map it

http://youtu.be/9Yy4Y14Mnok

Part 4: How to create your texture

http://youtu.be/irUNsihVYyY

Part 5: How to rig these up in Unity and export them

http://youtu.be/pEzBfEp-v8A

Part 6: How to create(or adjust) a config file for your part

http://youtu.be/F1N11d_Vsho

Thanks for reading guys, I hope it's helpful, and I think most of it must be correct since the stuff I've made so far seems to function perfectly, but please tell me if otherwise.

Also, please don't release your first mod, or probably even your second or third, this guide is just to teach you the basics, not how to pull off a completely polished piece ready for the public. Feel free to give it to friends though, that's a good way of seeing how good it is.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Rureglathon

[Stevincent]

what I know what ill be doing this evening! but what I really need is part 5 and 6 lol. But ill watch and let you know whats up. Thanks for taking the time for making these. I'm sure the KSP community will appreciate this very much! Good on you!

[Rureglathon]

Thanks Let me know what you think, and sorry about the lack of last parts, but 0.4mbps internet doesnt like HD video...

[stubbles]

How indepth are you going into the config stuff? I'm interested in that part Lots of changes since I started my mod last August and I'm just coming back to it after being gone for like 6 months.

[Rureglathon]

How indepth are you going into the config stuff? I'm interested in that part Lots of changes since I started my mod last August and I'm just coming back to it after being gone for like 6 months.

Not too far, thats for a seperate tutorial. There's lots of good info on the wiki for that. Just far enough to make a basic part function properly, nothing fancy.

[henrik908]

The model didnt showed up in unity, and it didnt show up in KSP.... i gonna try to re-install Unity, if you know how to fix it, please tell me

//Henrik

[DisarmingBaton5]

Thanks! I haven't watched this yet, but I know I will be using it in the future.

Edit: I watched it. Holy profanity is it good.

Edited August 13, 2013 by DisarmingBaton5

[BlazingAngel665]

The model didnt showed up in unity, and it didnt show up in KSP.... i gonna try to re-install Unity, if you know how to fix it, please tell me

//Henrik

Did you drag it into the right place in your heriarchy after putting all the right importation options? Check the coordinates and see if it is at some crazy x,y,z value. Mine frequently do that to me.

[LeadMagnet]

Excellent video series!

I can do the coding and CFG files, but had no idea where to start with modelling programs. Just what I needed to get going!

Great job!

[henrik908]

Did you drag it into the right place in your heriarchy after putting all the right importation options? Check the coordinates and see if it is at some crazy x,y,z value. Mine frequently do that to me.

heriarchy? i dont see it, how do i get it

[Rureglathon]

heriarchy? i dont see it, how do i get it

It should be at the top left of your screen in Unity, and it works in a similar way to the bar at the left of your file browser window, at least in Windows 7. Also make sure the model has a texture, and that you haven't accidentally moved your camera about in the view window.

I can do the coding and CFG files, but had no idea where to start with modelling programs. Just what I needed to get going!

If you want to start modelling, Wings3D is good to learn the basics, but doesn't have some features that you might need, like animation. I used to use Milkshape 3D a while ago, and that has a .OBJ exporter, but it's paid for and I don't think it's been updated in a long time, so I suggest trying to learn Blender if you can. Good luck making parts though!

Thanks for the feedback guys, glad you like the tutorials

[henrik908]

It should be at the top left of your screen in Unity, and it works in a similar way to the bar at the left of your file browser window, at least in Windows 7. Also make sure the model has a texture, and that you haven't accidentally moved your camera about in the view window.

this is how it looks http://imgur.com/wwpTsvW

[Rureglathon]

If you look at the top left there is a tab that says hierarchy, I don't know why it isnt where it is on my screen, but if you click on that tab it should appear, then you can drag and drop your model into that area.

[henrik908]

If you look at the top left there is a tab that says hierarchy, I don't know why it isnt where it is on my screen, but if you click on that tab it should appear, then you can drag and drop your model into that area.

yeah, i know, but, the model isnt there, i have dragged it in there, but it wont show up

EDIT: also thanks for trying to help me

[Rureglathon]

yeah, i know, but, the model isnt there, i have dragged it in there, but it wont show up

EDIT: also thanks for trying to help me

Its fine, but in the screenshot it looks like you have it in, as it says in the top right. That suggests that it's there somewhere, all I can think of is that its drastically too big or too small, so you cant see it in the view window.

[Shoulders]

Just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to make these tutorials. I have finally made my first fuel tank, thanks to you

I was over the mun when it all worked.

[Rureglathon]

Just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to make these tutorials. I have finally made my first fuel tank, thanks to you

I was over the mun when it all worked.

Thanks

It's really awesome to hear that I'm helping people, and it makes me want to make more tutorials and stuff!

What would be really great is if someone who is an expert at this was to review what I've done and make sure everything is done right, don't want to be teaching people bad habits!

[henrik908]

Its fine, but in the screenshot it looks like you have it in, as it says in the top right. That suggests that it's there somewhere, all I can think of is that its drastically too big or too small, so you cant see it in the view window.

i find it! it was just small! thanks, i hope the rest of it works now

[Rureglathon]

i find it! it was just small! thanks, i hope the rest of it works now

Awesome, good luck!

[TheCardinal]

Thank you very much for the tutorials. I expect to be able to bring my own parts into KSP soon. I do have one remark, especially on tutorial 3. For you it is common practice to use Wings3d. Automatically you perform the modifications quite fast which makes it difficult to follow for someone who is new to Wings3d (like me). Explain more which keys or mouse buttons you press. I had to watch par 3 several times and still had to lookup some things to understand what you were doing. Yet, i now have the feeling i understand what is required to build a part. Thanks once again!

[Ohfive30]

Nice tutorials, good work.

Any chance that you'll be doing one on adding hatches and ladders to parts? I've had horrible trouble trying to get my hatches and boarding ladders to work.

[Rureglathon]

Thank you very much for the tutorials. I expect to be able to bring my own parts into KSP soon. I do have one remark, especially on tutorial 3. For you it is common practice to use Wings3d. Automatically you perform the modifications quite fast which makes it difficult to follow for someone who is new to Wings3d (like me). Explain more which keys or mouse buttons you press. I had to watch par 3 several times and still had to lookup some things to understand what you were doing. Yet, i now have the feeling i understand what is required to build a part. Thanks once again!

I'm considering making a beginners guide on Wings3D, but to be honest, the tutorials aren't really supposed to teach you how to use the programs. That wasn't why I made them. That said, I may well do a more detailed tutorial sometime.

Also, I'm not even sure how to add ladders and hatches, I was learning that kind of thing but was cut short a bit on time because of school, and I've had to prioritise a bit more. I do still plan on learning that kind of thing sometime though.

[TheCardinal]

I'm considering making a beginners guide on Wings3D, but to be honest, the tutorials aren't really supposed to teach you how to use the programs. That wasn't why I made them. That said, I may well do a more detailed tutorial sometime.

Also, I'm not even sure how to add ladders and hatches, I was learning that kind of thing but was cut short a bit on time because of school, and I've had to prioritise a bit more. I do still plan on learning that kind of thing sometime though.

I know the tutorial wasn't meant to teach using Wings3D, however being able to follow the tutorial step by step makes it easier to learn.