[1.12] Extraplanetary Launchpads v6.99.3

[Tex_NL]

Found another bug but it could use some confirmation. (I've got a lot of mods installed so it could also be on of those.)

In orbit you do NOT want to be time warping at the moment your build finishes!

If your new craft spawns during timewarp it will be ripped clean from your station/ship. Possibly destroying your construction yard/vessel in the process.

[BigD145]

Not a bug so much as a limit of the physics engine, probably rounding. It's a feature.

[Starstrider42]

1. You do not need to have 400000u of rocket parts on hand to build a 1000t rocket.
   

Awesome! One question, though: is progressive recycling possible, or would that require too much dangerous meddling with the parts list of the partially disassembled ship? (I ask because I had to design my current salvage ship with a rather low cargo capacity).

[Tex_NL]

Not a bug so much as a limit of the physics engine, probably rounding. It's a feature.

Whatever it is, there is a simple solution: Automatically kill time warp. Several other mods (Kerbal Alarm Clock and MechJeb to name just two) can do this. It should not be too hard to implement a similar feature to EPL.

[Superfluous J]

Or don't kill time warp. Instead, alert that the build is done and then you have to go to the pad and "complete" it (which does what before this update built the craft).

[Tex_NL]

That too will solve the issue.

[Andon]

Integration with Kerbal Alarm Clock would be fantastic

EDIT: I've found that you can't launch the workshop with Kerbals in it... and it's INCREDIBLY hard to get the thing to register that you want to click it (And thus confirm that there are/aren't Kerbals in it). I'm loving the more technical stuff, though, especially the progressive builds. I've added the B9 S2 crew cans into the MM file to be workshops, so I'm not too worried.

Edited March 10, 2014 by Andon

[taniwha]

Andon: indeed, it's difficult to get at the hatch. I don't know why (this is my first attempt at a crewed part). However, I had no trouble launching the workshop with Kerbals: just use the crew panel in the VAB/SPH or space center (when you click on the pad/runway).

Everyone: About time-warping through the build: I had done a fair but of testing that way, though with small ships, and saw no adverse effects and so I didn't do anything about it. I had expected problems when doing my dev testing, but never got any. Oh well, guess I was just lucky.

Also, as a side note about getting the workshop into orbit: I had almost no trouble launching one (with seven Kerbals in it (hmm, where's Snow White?)) to LKO. The ship was: workshop, 2x dockotron sr, 2x large ASAS, 2x THSS RCS units, 2x 2.5m probe cores, a 2.5m nose code, 8x solar panels, 1 X200-32, 1x poodle (arf!), 1x Jumbo-64, 1x X200-16, 1x mainsail (arr, matey), 4 fins (M, so they might have been TTp&p instead of stock, not sure), and about 20 struts. Oh, and FAR . The only trouble I had was I got to within about 3.5s of my apoapsis at about 60km, but in the end I rendezvoused with about 200m/s delta-v remaining.

[taniwha]

Tex_NL: I've created an issue about Kerbals boarding/EVAing not updating the productivity, but I can't reproduce the problem. Could you check your logs for exceptions? I've disabled RPM here because its log spam was driving me batty, but I do remember running into this issue myself.

[Superfluous J]

Andon: indeed, it's difficult to get at the hatch. I don't know why (this is my first attempt at a crewed part). However, I had no trouble launching the workshop with Kerbals: just use the crew panel in the VAB/SPH or space center (when you click on the pad/runway).

It's not just you. All non-Science-Lab modules have the problem since 0.23 came out. For some reason the Science Lab (the only module that doesn't have an IVA) has a nice big clickable area. I doubt it'll help but I'll suggest it anyway (Imagine I'm in a management role, or am perhaps a Client Liason or something), make your module be like the Science Lab.

[Seawolf]

This might just be me, but when I try and build a ship with the new version, I am unable to switch into the built craft (or any craft). If I try returning to the Space Centre and then back to my base, the pad says that my craft is there but it's disappeared, and am unable to use it.

This is the exact problem I'm having. I am also unable to reduce time warp, or change anything else.

[taniwha]

It's not just you. All non-Science-Lab modules have the problem since 0.23 came out. For some reason the Science Lab (the only module that doesn't have an IVA) has a nice big clickable area. I doubt it'll help but I'll suggest it anyway (Imagine I'm in a management role, or am perhaps a Client Liason or something), make your module be like the Science Lab.

Actually, thanks for that that advice. I'll take a look at the science lab's cfg and model.

[edit] I just took a look at the lab's model and the collider for the airlock is well and truly embedded in the lab's main collider.

[edit 2] Yup, that was it. The exact location of the mouse-over region is rather weird, but it is orders of magnitude easier to find. Thanks for the tip.

Edited March 10, 2014 by taniwha

[Andon]

As far as crewing it is concerned, this is the only part i have had issues with. Everything elde i can fill from vab/sph but this, i fill, and it launches empty

[taniwha]

Andon: I'm sorry, but that is completely unreproducible. I made a simple craft with just a 3-man pod and the workshop, filled it with 13 kerbals, launched and had 13 kerbals on board. Now, it is possible that you're getting confused by the lack of portraits (there's no IVA yet) or the difficulty in getting at the hatch (this has been fixed for the next update, thanks to 5thHorseman's tip). If in doubt, check the kerbal info tab

Hmm, I did think of another thing that might be causing confusion: the workshop is not a command module and thus cannot control a ship (just like the science lab, actually).

[Superfluous J]

.the difficulty in getting at the hatch (this has been fixed for the next update, thanks to 5thHorseman's tip).

I feel like Fezzik when he did something right.

Curious, was it a config change or something with the model? If it's a config change I'd love to make it to every capsule

[Gaius]

Hmm. When it loaded my save, I told it not to take time building things. Now, not only is it not taking any time, it's not taking any rocket parts, either. It requires that enough rocket parts be at hand, but it doesn't actually consume them when I build.

[Andon]

Taniwah: I doubt it's an issue with EL as others have said it has cropped up elsewhere. And i was checking the hatch - showed empty each time. Myissue was from using the workshop as the core piece and with a probe core attached. I'm not worried about it though if youcan get the hatch easily accessible

[taniwha]

Andon: well, I've just launched two workshops "full" of kerbals (one with 7, the other with 10), both with the workshop as root and two probe cores each (the ship I described earlier when talking about getting a workshop into orbit), so I suspect something weird is going on.

Anyway, the hatch works very well in my dev code and will I will release 4.0.1 quite soon (next day or three).

[1of6Billion]

Assuming you locate an area that has both Kethane and Ore. Has anyone figured out what the ABSOLUT MINIMUM is to put in place to be able to build a base as big as your PC can handle?

[Tex_NL]

Tex_NL: I've created an issue about Kerbals boarding/EVAing not updating the productivity, but I can't reproduce the problem. Could you check your logs for exceptions? I've disabled RPM here because its log spam was driving me batty, but I do remember running into this issue myself.

I still have to check but I might know where the problem originates. I did not ad/remove Kerbals through EVA, I moved them with Crew Manifest. As I said I still have to confirm my suspicion. I'll let you know later today. (Just got home from work, need food first.)

Edit:

Actually going EVA does update the productivity correctly. It's Crew manifest that's to blame for not updating.

Edited March 10, 2014 by Tex_NL

[taniwha]

Edit:

Actually going EVA does update the productivity correctly. It's Crew manifest that's to blame for not updating.

Ah hah! Thank you for your help. If Crew Manifest is still maintained, could you tell its maintainer that GameEvents.onCrewBoardVessel and GameEvents.onCrewOnEva need to be fired. I'm willing to help with the code.

[BigD145]

Assuming you locate an area that has both Kethane and Ore. Has anyone figured out what the ABSOLUT MINIMUM is to put in place to be able to build a base as big as your PC can handle?

Depends on how you build things you know how to control and mods and blah blah other things I'm probably missing.

[taniwha]

I started a base with a metal->parts converter, a pad, empty parts storage (just big enough for the next stage) and 8.1t of metal. I then built more parts storage until I had enough to build a small auger and smelter unit. I built that then I was able to build the rest of my base.

[BahamutoD]

I just finished a 5500 science mission to Duna in campaign with a ship built entirely on an EL station over Mun. It was greatly satisfying.

[Phoenix84]

This mod looks great.

I have one question:

If I manage to have parts safely land on the surface of a body that has the extra launchpad, can I recover it and reuse the ore? This would be great on Eve.