[1.12] Extraplanetary Launchpads v6.99.3

[taniwha]

Ok, progress update: first, bad news: not tonight, already 1am and I need to get up at 6am. Found an NRE I need to plug but I'm too tired.

And now the good news: subassembly support stays. Also, struts and fuel-lines appear to work (my code doesn't notice them and thus doesn't break), but will need further testing.

Everything is pushed to github, so the brave can mess with it (if they can build it).

[xRei]

Nice work Taniwha! It'll be great when you do get the mod running. I've got MKS bases ripe for EPL. Programming is always easier when you aren't tired, though. : p

[Wisq]

Ok, progress update: first, bad news: not tonight, already 1am and I need to get up at 6am. Found an NRE I need to plug but I'm too tired.

Realiy looking forward to using this in 0.90. Thanks for the late night efforts!

[lancejammer]

Just wanted to say how much I appreciate all of the work you are putting into updating this mod taniwha! This is one of my favorites, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how you will integrate engineers into the mix (whether in this update or the next). Working all night on something like this is incredibly kind of you, so just know that we all appreciate it

[DjS]

Ok, progress update: first, bad news: not tonight, already 1am and I need to get up at 6am.

Plenty of time to sleep when your dead The time of year doesn't help either I bet. As Wisq said Thanks heaps, its a great mod. I love using it!!!

[taniwha]

I have released version 4.5.0 of EL. Links in the first post.

64-bit Windows is NOT supported due to it being an unstable mess.

Nobody will stop you from modifying it to work, but you will get NO support. Anybody distributing a modified version of Extraplanetary Launchpads (for any reason, actually) must make it prominently clear that it is not Extraplanetary Launchpads as released by me. This is actually one of the requirements in the GPL.

Also, by releasing a modified version, you agree to accept all responsibility. This is the reason for the attribution rule in the GPL: so your victims come crying to you rather than to me.

Changes from 4.4.0:

• Update for 0.90. Along with the usual API tweaks, this involved reworking the vessel loading a little and also throwing out an entire file... the new strut and fuel-line code in KSP made life much easier.
  
• Background building thanks to Henry Bauer (hab136, it seems). Note that the exact mechanics of the implementation are subject to change in the future. Also, it is very likely that I will slow down builds in the future (the high build rates were a compromise).
  
• Timed/progressive builds and forced resource usage are now the defaults. I'm seriously considering removing the options entirely, however (ie, always progressive, always use resources).
  
• Fix a few lurking NREs.
  
• Loading of global settings now actually works (a certain GameDatabase function did not work the way I expected).
  
• Input locking done for all EL windows. This does have the mildly annoying effect of making keyboard input (eg, timewarp) not work if the mouse is over the window, but it's better than the alternative. I'll see if I can tweak it to be less annoying.
  

A note about the craft browser panel: because it's the stock panel, it now supports switching between VAB and SPH itself, but the only way to get to subassemblies is via EL's GUI. The browser seems to be fine with this, but should you accidentally hit VAB or SPH while browsing subassemblies, simply hit EL's "Select Craft" button again (no need to close the browser).

I've done a fair bit of playing with background builds, and wow, what a difference. I, too, wanted it from the beginning, but I was worried about game-play effects and I wanted to design it "right" before implementing anything so as to avoid thrashing around, but I realized the real game-play comes from ensuring enough required resources are on hand. So now it's just a matter of making it work the way I want it to (ie, truly in the background, not just a catch-up on load).

Oh, and according to Arsonide, his contracts check only the vessel's launch time for the "built after accepting the contract" clause, so there should not be any problems completing contracts using EL (I haven't gotten that far in my save, yet).

[RainDreamer]

Thank you~

The final piece of my mod collection!

[rabidninjawombat]

You ROCK Taniwha! Ran a few tests and everything appears to run.

[Dante Montana]

Thanks for your work to release this . So it´s time to build up new stuff in Kerbol system.

Edit: A filigree lighthouse on Eve at a height of 7540m. Plane with EPL survey station onboard. Nearly impossible to build the lighthouse on Kerbin and bring it here with stock parts only.

Edited December 23, 2014 by Dante Montana

[MontanaAg11]

Quick question - do you have plans to put this into CKAN (the mod manager)?

The only reason I ask is that if you are - then I was going to wait to install it in then, however if you aren't I'll just grab it now.

[silvermistshadow]

I have released version 4.5.0 of EL. Links in the first post.

<snip>

• Fix a few lurking NREs.
  

<more snipping>

You have just used a term that I've heard for a day and a half, and I feel I should know, but don't. My curiosity has finally overcome my guilt.

Or, to be more concise: what's an NRE?

[rabidninjawombat]

You have just used a term that I've heard for a day and a half, and I feel I should know, but don't. My curiosity has finally overcome my guilt.

Or, to be more concise: what's an NRE?

Im assuming Null Ref Errors. But i could be wrong

[BaseDrifter]

NullReferenceException. They're the baddies.

Thanks for the update Taniwha!

[silvermistshadow]

Ah. All I could find was something about non-repeatable engineering. But yes, null reference exceptions are quite bad. Almost as bad as dangling pointers. Or are those the same thing? Welp, back to Wikipedia.

Thanks for the update though, I'm looking forward to using this.

[Cdr_Zeta]

Hi,

Kool thank you for updating !! I can now add it and work on my tree some more ! All I have left are a few more mods; I cant believe how fast MODDERS keep up; I am a programmer of sorts too; well done !

Zeta

[Hexicube]

You have just used a term that I've heard for a day and a half, and I feel I should know, but don't. My curiosity has finally overcome my guilt.

Or, to be more concise: what's an NRE?

Usually they're referred to as NPEs (Null Pointer Exceptions).

Nice to see this got updated for 0.90.0, I looked here a couple days ago and it was still on the previous version.

[Uburian]

First of all, taniwha, thanks for your amazing work

Now, i have an important notice to say regarding Extraplanetary launchpads and USI Kolonization Systems :

Some hours ago i installed Extraplanetary launchpads on my 0.90 KSP install, only to discover that almost none of the mod's parts were available either on the research center, the VAB or the SPH. I explored the problem, and in the end i found the culprit: A configuration file in the USI kolonization System's mod folder was forbidding EPL's parts from being researchable. Then, i looked both in the USI KS and EPL threads for an official statement regarding the file, but i was unable to find one.

This is the name of the file: EL_CONFIG.cfg

Any idea of which one is the purpose of that file? USI KS seems to have its own ship building and launching system (a system based on EPL) but why would it deactivate EPL's parts while not containing the core mod by it's own?

Thanks for your time

EDIT:

I found this note on USI KS 0.22.0 update:

- Logistics Hub and the EL parts moved to Orbital Megastructures

However, i have yet to find the Orbital Megastructures tech node

Edited December 24, 2014 by Uburian

[taniwha]

Ah, I saw mention somewhere (IRC? by RoverDue, I believe) of a community tech tree. Sounds like a goofed MM patch. It should have an appropriate "NEEDS" clause.

[edit] I think this might be it: Community Tech Tree

Edited December 24, 2014 by taniwha

[RoverDude]

@Uburian - I intentionally deactivate all core EL parts by design other than the survey stakes. I replace those with my own parts. That's pretty much it, core EL is not modified in any other way. But since MKS/OKS has alternate tanks, an alternate workflow, and alternate launchers, there's no need for the other bits.

There are three bits that are being finished up (looking to have you folks a Christmas release)

- The MKS C3 will act as a survey station.

- I just finished up the orbital launchpad analogue

- I have a recycler model, but it will not make it in this patch

Also for the thread in general - please move any questions asking about EL->MKS integration over to the MKS thread since I want to avoid causing Taniwha support issues if at all possible

[RainDreamer]

Well, we really need a new tutorial/wiki to help us noobie warp our heads around the new system >.<

[RoverDude]

No debate, but not in this thread

[Uburian]

@Uburian - I intentionally deactivate all core EL parts by design other than the survey stakes. I replace those with my own parts. That's pretty much it, core EL is not modified in any other way. But since MKS/OKS has alternate tanks, an alternate workflow, and alternate launchers, there's no need for the other bits.

There are three bits that are being finished up (looking to have you folks a Christmas release)

- The MKS C3 will act as a survey station.

- I just finished up the orbital launchpad analogue

- I have a recycler model, but it will not make it in this patch

Also for the thread in general - please move any questions asking about EL->MKS integration over to the MKS thread since I want to avoid causing Taniwha support issues if at all possible

Thanks a lot for the clarification, Rover Dude

[Mystique]

Is it normal that craft that had a pilot assigned by default in VAB spawns away from space dock with all parts rotated like 90 degree to what they should be? It's actually a total mess, because controls are also locking up and loading older save is the only exit.

It's not part-related, I tried it on a very simple ship and only thing that helped was removing pilot assignment in VAB and then saving vessel.

[taniwha]

Mystique: you have enough posts you should know the drill: get me some logs (though I have to admit my testing consisted merely of an empty KAS container).

[Mystique]

Mystique: you have enough posts you should know the drill: get me some logs (though I have to admit my testing consisted merely of an empty KAS container).

Yeah, I know. I'll surely provide them as soon as they occur. I even saved log and deleted it because thought that Science Alert caused the issue, so I gladly updated it and thought that logs are no longer needed=))

Anyway, launching test vessel without pilot saved in it solved problem for now, though I guessed for some reason that upon vessel creation a pilot should've been transferred from "mothership" to spawned vessel, don't know what gave me that idea=)