Custom tower problems

[Bloodbunny]

Here's the deal: I've been using launch clamps to make custom launch towers like Mulbin's stuff. The problem I have is that when I go to launch, my launch clamps decide to no longer stay stuck to the ground. This, as you might imagine, causes a problem, because the tower can now fall down and strike the rocket, or cause other kinds of havoc..

Here are pics to show what I'm talking about.

The FASA rocket stands on the pad. the tower uses two gravity mechanisms to swing the arms upward when stock radial decouplers fire.

The bottom of the rocket also has a radial decoupler, this is the starting point that I built the tower from.

A closer look at the arm swing mechanism

Testing only one of the swing arms, the problem crops up

TIIIIMMMM!

BERRRRRR!

Instead of standing tall on the pad after launch, the tower falls over, as seen during this launch.

So what is the deal here? How can I keep the unfire clamps cemented to the ground? Hopefully Mulbin or another expert with custom towers can help out here.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Bloodbunny
Answered

[KerbMav]

Do you "carry" the tower over from the VAB?

Have you tried anchoring it in the ground with KAS before launch?

[Smidge204]

Your launch clamps appear to be attached to something other than the launchpad. Hard to see from the low res images though.

Basically, the clamps are attached to those whatevers instead of the launchpad itself, and the whatevers are just clipping through the launchpad without being anchored to it.

At least that's what it looks like to me.

=Smidge=

[Nimelrian]

Your launch clamps appear to be attached to something other than the launchpad. Hard to see from the low res images though.

Basically, the clamps are attached to those whatevers instead of the launchpad itself, and the whatevers are just clipping through the launchpad without being anchored to it.

At least that's what it looks like to me.

=Smidge=

This was different some patches ago, though.

In earlier versions, clamps were fixed on the ground, I was able to "stack" multiple clamps above each other and launch just fine, every clamp stayed at it's place.

Now, when I do this and launch, the clamps just fly around.

Not sure what Squad changed, but it was a bad change.

[Smidge204]

This was different some patches ago, though. ... Not sure what Squad changed, but it was a bad change.

Not sure what you mean - unless they slipped 0.23 out while I wasn't looking, clamps still attach directly to the ground when you place them. I honestly don't know how you'd get them to attach to anything else, but my advice would be to not do "that."

=Smidge=

[Nimelrian]

No they don't, at least for me.

Let's say I have the Kerbal X on the launchpad, with each booster having it's launchclamp. Once I lift off, I could switch to a nearby rover and knock them down.

[rpayne88]

I've had that happen to me more than once. I actually had a launch clamp fall over, taking out an SRB, sending my rocket careening into the VAB. Just wondering, do you also have your payloads fall off your rocket before launch too?

[makinyashikino]

Maybe if you add a bigger counterweight? It looks like the weight of the rocket is pulling it, and I don't think one 360 litre tank will suffice.

[Galacticruler]

I know whats going on here.

when you decouple a launch-clamp in-directly, like you are here, it thinks its not attached to ANYTHING and procedes to say "I'm out.".

[Bloodbunny]

I know whats going on here.

when you decouple a launch-clamp in-directly, like you are here, it thinks its not attached to ANYTHING and procedes to say "I'm out.".

Seems right, I wonder if a plugin could be made to attach the clamps to the ground permanently (until clearing the pad for the next launch) so that this wouldn't happen. I tried using KAS to attach the tower to ground nodes, but it only helped very slightly, they still failed and the tower fell over.

There are sort of workarounds, such as attaching columns to the bottom of the platform so that the tower can stand on its own...but all this mess could be fixed with plugin to modify the launch clamps.. any ideas?

[Taki117]

Here's a thought, which may (read will) result in a few explosions. Why not put a seprotron or two n the top of you tower (Or anywhere it is convenient) to force your tower to fall in a very specific direction (In this case away from your rocket)

[Bloodbunny]

Here's a thought, which may (read will) result in a few explosions. Why not put a seprotron or two n the top of you tower (Or anywhere it is convenient) to force your tower to fall in a very specific direction (In this case away from your rocket)

I've done that before, but its not nearly as satisfying as being able to say "tower cleared." When its done right, its awesome.

[Smidge204]

No they don't, at least for me.

Let's say I have the Kerbal X on the launchpad, with each booster having it's launchclamp. Once I lift off, I could switch to a nearby rover and knock them down.

I know the post is a little stale, but I decided to try it for myself: Rammed a freestanding launch clamp with a ~10-ton rover going about 15 m/s. Rover exploded, clamp didn't budge.

What I did notice is the launch clamps have "footings" that are clipped into the launch pad. perhaps if the clamps are too far off the pad they don't attach? I dunno, but I've launched some behemoths and never seen a clamp do more than a little jiggle when physics kicked in.

=Smidge=