[0.23.5] StretchySRB: A StretchyTanks Continuation v9 Final Pre-PP edition 3/21/14

[NathanKell]

1. Make sure you set them ALL to 100. If it still doesn't work, weird.

2. Yes, for v4pre

Also, I just reuploaded v7pre. You can just rename tech.cfg to tech.bak to disable the radius limiting, now.

[jrandom]

Also, I just reuploaded v7pre. You can just rename tech.cfg to tech.bak to disable the radius limiting, now.

I like this solution better. Is it possible to use ModuleManager to remove the section contained within tech.cfg? I'd like to get this working 100% through .cfg files if possible.

Erm... where is the v7pre download available? Same link as the one on the previous page?

Edited December 14, 2013 by jrandom

[NathanKell]

Same link.

Yes, just erase the node with !NODENAME {}

[jrandom]

Same link.

Yes, just erase the node with !NODENAME {}

I just tried that and it... didn't work. But I realized my first attempt (to change the values) I had forgotten the '@' symbol to modify existing settings. I'm trying again with all tech levels (including 'start') set to '100'. Game's still loading, it'll be a few minutes before I know if this worked.

Edit: Nope, no luck. This is what I'm trying:

// ============================================================================
// Sandbox Science
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// This adds all parts to the starting node so that a sandbox-style game can
// be played while still being able to perform experiments.

// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- All Parts as Starting Tech
@PART[*]
{
    !TechRequired
    TechRequired = start
}

// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- StretchyTanks patch
@STRETCHYTANKMAXRAD
{
    start = 100
    @basicRocketry = 100
    @advRocketry = 100
    @heavyRocketry = 100
    @veryHeavyRocketry = 100
    @metaMaterials = 100
}

I also tried using:

!STRETCHYTANKMAXRAD {}

and

!STRETCHYTANKMAXRAD[*] {}

to no avail.

Edited December 14, 2013 by jrandom

[jrandom]

It appears that the only way to get this to work in this kludgy SandboxScience mode I want to play in, is to rename the tech.cfg file. I can live with that.

[ferram4]

Shouldn't "start" also have a "@" in front of it?

[jrandom]

Shouldn't "start" also have a "@" in front of it?

I initially had the '@' in front of 'start', but 'start' isn't actually an existing property of the node. I tried it both ways, just to be sure.

[ferram4]

What happens if you try the @ code with an "[]" right after it, since the StretchyTankMaxRad thing has no name?

Nathan, you have to give that a "name = default" like DeadlyReentry has for ReentryEffects, just in case this doesn't work.

[jrandom]

What happens if you try the @ code with an "[]" right after it, since the StretchyTankMaxRad thing has no name?

Nathan, you have to give that a "name = default" like DeadlyReentry has for ReentryEffects, just in case this doesn't work.

I'll try both of these out after I try this MFS patch (tech levels for engines aren't available, similar issue to StretchyTanks).

[jrandom]

Adding 'name = default' to STRETCHYTANKMAXRAD works. I can get rid of the SandboxScience issues with superstretchy tanks using this in my own .cfg:

!STRETCHYTANKMAXRAD[*] {}

Unforunately, this trick does not work with MFS/Realfuels. I gave the name 'default' to MFS_TECHLEVELS in MFSSETTINGS[MFSSettings] but the following fails to open up the different tech settings (1-7) for engines:

@MFSSETTINGS[*]:Final
{
    @MFS_TECHLEVELS[*]
    {
        @ENGINETYPE[*]
        {
            @TLTECH1 = start
            @TLTECH2 = start
            @TLTECH3 = start
            @TLTECH4 = start
            @TLTECH5 = start
            @TLTECH6 = start
            @TLTECH7 = start
        }
    }
}

[jrandom]

Well hell, I spoke too soon about StretchyTanks working. The super-stretchy tanks start at a good size, but are completely unresizeable. I think I'm going to have to abandon my 100%-.cfg-based SandboxScience approach and just edit/disable directly/manually. Time to actually play KSP for awhile, darn it!

[NathanKell]

ferram: nameless root nodes seem to work fine; that's how all techlevels stuff is added (RealSettings.cfg is actually a MM patch file). Dunno how that's different though.

jrandom: I'll try in career and see if I can duplicate that problem.

[jrandom]

Success on the MFS front!

@MFSSETTINGS[MFSSettings]:Final
{
    @MFS_TECHLEVELS
    {
        @ENGINETYPE[O]
        {
            @TLTECH1 = start
            @TLTECH2 = start
            @TLTECH3 = start
            @TLTECH4 = start
            @TLTECH5 = start
            @TLTECH6 = start
            @TLTECH7 = start
        }

        @ENGINETYPE[U]
        {

^^ works!

Now if I can just get the StretchyTanks patch working I can distribute this config to the entire... three or four people who might want to use it.

[jrandom]

I absolutely love these new conical stretchy tanks!

[NathanKell]

Cool! Thank e-dog

Made v7 official, since I haven't heard anybody mention anything too bad with it yet. OP updated.

[jrandom]

Made v7 official, since I haven't heard anybody mention anything too bad with it yet. OP updated.

It's freakin' awesome is what it is. The joint fix is great!

Only two things I really want out of the next release:

1. A way to modify the tech levels purely through an MM config
   
2. A pop-up texture window with thumbnails so I can add textures for tanks and not have to worry about endlessly cycling through them to find just the right one for the tank at hand.
   

[NathanKell]

#1 I still don't see why it fails. I'll work on it.

#2 is very cool, but not something I have time to tackle right now. It would be VERY nice though, I'm annoyed at how long it takes too.

[Guest]

Not even thumbnails would be needed (though indeed nice). For the first release, I'd be content with a list of texture names.

[Galane]

Will replacing original stretchy tanks with this break my existing craft files with stretchy tank parts?

[Galane]

How delicate were the balloon tanks such as used by the original Atlas missiles? I found a PDF scan of a document on isogrids. It has sections about their use on tank walls in rockets.

http://femci.gsfc.nasa.gov/Isogrid/NASA-CR-124075_Isogrid_Design.pdf

I think it's page 42 from the start of the file with the grid dimensions used for Skylab. (Data I'd been searching for for years!) Page 7.0.009 has the dimensions of the grid on the machined from solid plate panels used to make the Thor-Delta tanks. It's much farther into the file than the Skylab dimensions.

Those are the two examples in it of isogrids used on actual rocket hardware. The rest is loads and loads of math and failure testing of panels and skinned and unskinned isogrid cylinders. The grid dimensions for the test cylinders are also in there but those pages were in bad shape when the photocopy was made. Would be nice to lay hands on an original copy of this document to do a greyscale scan of.

[Kass]

I absolutely love these new conical stretchy tanks!

How do you make the tanks conical? R changes length, t is for texture and f for width right? There's nothing in the readme to explain how to do it.

Oh and jrandom. You probably already know this but if you copy the service module .cfg that you're using there and change the names slightly, I use the suffix long on the title and name, with the modifications below, you get modules the same width but at twice the height. Reducing part count and giving doors twice the height, if that's the sort of thing you're looking for?

// --- asset parameters ---
scale = 1.0

	MODEL
	{
   		model = NothkeSerCom/Parts/SerCom2mt3
   		scale = 0.8, [SIZE=4][B]1.6[/B][/SIZE], 0.8
	}

// --- node definitions ---
node_stack_top = 0.0, [SIZE=4][B]0.374[/B][/SIZE], 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 2
node_stack_bottom = 0.0, [SIZE=4][B]-0.374[/B][/SIZE], 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 2

It's literally just the height scaled upwards x2 with the attachment nodes moved out the exact 2x distance. Changes are in bold and larger for clarity.

Edited December 15, 2013 by Kass

[DasBananenbrot]

The conical tanks are an extra part. Downloaded v7 already?

[Kass]

Yep, downloaded and I see the balloon tanks in my parts list. They work just like regular stretchy tanks with R, F and T. ie, straight and totally non-conical in anyway

[Guest]

There's no baloon conical tank (we could certainly use that, along with a cryo version). Baloon tanks are normal stretchies, just much lighter, weaker and with no provisions for surface attachment. Conical tank looks like a normal one until you pick it up.

[Kass]

Hmm. Seems I have a problem. A KI-7000 shows up in my research tree (and it clicked on and say's I own it but the tank doesn't appear in my career or sandbox mode VAB. The other tanks are there though. Wonder what's going on?