[0.21] Physic Struts. Realistic Struts (Also Quantum Strut Fix)

[Llorx]

Some of you sure have noticed that Octogonal Struts don't have mass neither physics. That's because of the config "PhysicsSignificance = 1" that those struts have, as you can read here: http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Cubic_Octagonal_Strut

If you think that this is so unrealistic, with this mod you will add mass and physics to them. Also will fix the bug that Quantum Struts have when you stick from/to them (The rocket locks in space and is impossible to rotate).

This mod needs to have ModuleManager by ialdabaoth, the one that comes with the game don't works well.

The rar has included the version 1.3 (2013-06-15 12:30 UTC).

#### WARNING ####

As NovaSilisko says here: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/36933?p=467556&viewfull=1#post467556

Beware, restoring physical behaviour and mass also will increase drag and be an active physics object, and probably cause quite a performance hit with a lot of struts.

Download: https://www.dropbox.com/s/jwpw280gl3pybdr/PhysicsStruts.rar

PD: If you want me to add more parts to this fix, just ask me.

Edited August 3, 2013 by Llorx

[a.g.]

I'd worry more about terribble wobble causing them to be nearly useless for attaching anything of any significant mass if they become physical. The physics engine acts quite badly if very light and small parts are used between very heavy ones. I didn't test it though.

[Llorx]

I'd worry more about terribble wobble causing them to be nearly useless for attaching anything of any significant mass if they become physical. The physics engine acts quite badly if very light and small parts are used between very heavy ones. I didn't test it though.

Yes, that's because I added the warning. This mod was first intended to be a fix for the Quantum Struts. I've just created it and not tested how physics affects them definitely, but in the first tryouts seems that Quantum Struts are fixed and that was what I'm looking for.

If this mod fails, I'm going to do it another way; creating a copy part with physics enabled, so you can use them for Quantum Struts, and the physics-less one for construction.

Edited August 1, 2013 by Llorx

[rosenkranz]

Hmmm, if they (struts) are currently being ignored by the physics engine then I can't see any advantage (for realism or otherwise) to change that. Most struts are need to overcome the wobbles caused by limits of unity. For more realism magic struts (like those used in pFairings) to better simulate real world structural integrity would be better.

Not dis'ing you, just saying.

[Llorx]

Hmmm, if they (struts) are currently being ignored by the physics engine then I can't see any advantage (for realism or otherwise) to change that. Most struts are need to overcome the wobbles caused by limits of unity. For more realism magic struts (like those used in pFairings) to better simulate real world structural integrity would be better.

Not dis'ing you, just saying.

Only changes Octogonal Struts. The other struts have physics, only those 2 have them disabled surely for the reason a.g. told (I'm talking about struts with volume). There's a small group of people in this forum that don't likes that, so I made the mod public.

Edited August 1, 2013 by Llorx

[rosenkranz]

Oh, you're not talking about the stretchy struts. I'm sorry, I don't think of those as struts so I automatically read that to refer to the strut part we are so 'fond' of having to stitch our rockets together with.

[Blaylock1988]

I have a different issue with quantum struts and can't find the quantum strut thread anywhere. The quantum struts seem to disengage when I fire up any engines. They say they are enabled, but they just disappear and stop working. Anyone experience this?

EDIT: I narrowed it down to the hyperdrive mod, they only break with its engine is activated, I will take this issue up over there.

Edited August 7, 2013 by Blaylock1988

[Greys]

Any chance you'd be willing to refer to it as a truss instead of a strut, for clarity reasons? When you say strut everybody thinks of the space ducttape kind not the boxy kind.

[RoboRay]

Oh, he's talking about a truss... No wonder none of that seemed to make any sense. I was wondering "What mod are they from, and why would a strut even need to be octagonal anyway?"

I hope Squad fixes their inconsistent naming of truss parts at some point.

Edited August 7, 2013 by RoboRay

[Meetch]

After a recent issue I was going to start a thread on octagonal struts but found this one. I attempted to create a small needle nose adapter to dock with a clampotron junior docking port through a small gap, using 4 octagonal struts stacked, and managed the docking maneuver with the most delicate touch, coming in directly at less than 0.1m/s, only to have the joined structures whiplash around like on the end of an energised slinky. Quite a spectacular failure!

In another experiment I had a clampotron Jr on either end of the 4 octagonal struts (attached to the nose via another docking port) and undocked that assembly to give it a push into the target port. It was practically a bullseye, but after wobbling around in the target port for a second the docking completed, once again the docked ship whiplashed around in another catastrophic failure, despite having almost all of the mass. The addition of a few EAS-4 strut connectors to join the docking ports either end did nothing to fix the problem either.

Not a major deal but of course I'd like to see that corrected, even if that means the part needs to be a wee bit heavier.