Stack node problems

[CaptainKipard]

If I understand correctly only the last node definition in a config can be used as the first node to be attached in the game. Is that right? Is there no way to make all of my nodes attachable?

E.g. say I was making a set of hub parts. Can I make it so that I can attach them to the parent in any orientation?

I think most people have run into the issue of parts not attaching, and just staying transparent. that's the problem I'm running into right now.

Edited March 1, 2014 by Cpt. Kipard

[NoMrBond]

Two node_stack_xxx arguments can be attachable, if you have more than two defined then the last two nodes defined in the part.cfg will be the attachable ones

You can have a separate node_attach for the part being surface attachable on top of the node_stack arguments as well

The part orientation in Unity can have an effect as well, so make sure to set your X = 90 orientation in your modelling program before importing, not having the part appear in the 'upright' default position (i.e. a fuel tank looking like on it's side instead of upright after importing to Unity) can make things work strangely

[Alskari]

Yes this is a problem I've struggled with a great deal.

To be exact, your a can only be attached in the orientation of the first node. This means that if you have a cube with nodes on each face, then you will only be able to attach to two at any given time. (One being the last node in your .cfg, and one that is aligned with it on the other side)

[Alskari]

The part orientation in Unity can have an effect as well, so make sure to set your X = 90 orientation in your modelling program before importing, not having the part appear in the 'upright' default position (i.e. a fuel tank looking like on it's side instead of upright after importing to Unity) can make things work strangely

Specifically KSP forces symmetry on the original vertical axis when a part is loaded in the VAB. This can lead to many obnoxious problems.

[CaptainKipard]

Two node_stack_xxx arguments can be attachable, if you have more than two defined then the last two nodes defined in the part.cfg will be the attachable ones

Well that's the impression I got at first but my T-shaped hub looks like this:

node_stack_bottom = 0,-1.3, 0, 0, 1, 0, 2

node_stack_top = 0, 1.3, 0, 0,-1, 0, 2

node_stack_left = -1.3, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 2

and I can only attach the left node to other nodes in the VAB

Same goes for my cross-shaped one:

node_stack_right = 1.3, 0, 0, -1, 0, 0, 2

node_stack_top = 0, 1.3, 0, 0,-1, 0, 2

node_stack_bottom = 0,-1.3, 0, 0, 1, 0, 2

node_stack_left = -1.3, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 2

again only the left one is attachable.

Then the 6-way one looks like this:

node_stack_right = 1.3, 0, 0, -1, 0, 0, 2

node_stack_left = -1.3, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 2

node_stack_back = 0, 0, 1.3, 0, 0,-1, 2

node_stack_front = 0, 0,-1.3, 0, 0, 1, 2

node_stack_top = 0, 1.3, 0, 0,-1, 0, 2

node_stack_bottom = 0,-1.3, 0, 0, 1, 0, 2

And for no apparent reason both top and bottom are attachable in this one.

The part orientation in Unity can have an effect as well, so make sure to set your X = 90 orientation in your modelling program before importing, not having the part appear in the 'upright' default position (i.e. a fuel tank looking like on it's side instead of upright after importing to Unity) can make things work strangely

I rotated the mesh in edit mode in blender, but not the object in blender and I left the orientation in Unity as it is, because it looked right in Unity and in KSP. Is this ok or do I need to rotate the object itself?

Yes this is a problem I've struggled with a great deal.

To be exact, your a can only be attached in the orientation of the first node. This means that if you have a cube with nodes on each face, then you will only be able to attach to two at any given time. (One being the last node in your .cfg, and one that is aligned with it on the other side)

Well this is consistent with what I'm experiencing. I guess there's no way out.

Edited March 1, 2014 by Cpt. Kipard

[NoMrBond]

The X needs to be set (for blender) in object mode (global transform), easiest way is; tab to object mode, select all [a], rotate [r], X, -90, apply rotation (ctrl+a > rotation), rotate, x, 90

The transform>rotation>X should now be 90 (visible in the object mode information tab [n])

I've been having the same trouble with a T section for a while

Which makes it far more difficult to use in game that in should be :\

[Alskari]

My only solution has been to make multiple parts with reordered nodes. A horrendous solution, compounded by the node size not working with Unity transforms.

[Gaius]

Then the 6-way one looks like this:

node_stack_right = 1.3, 0, 0, -1, 0, 0, 2

node_stack_left = -1.3, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 2

node_stack_back = 0, 0, 1.3, 0, 0,-1, 2

node_stack_front = 0, 0,-1.3, 0, 0, 1, 2

node_stack_top = 0, 1.3, 0, 0,-1, 0, 2

node_stack_bottom = 0,-1.3, 0, 0, 1, 0, 2

And for no apparent reason both top and bottom are attachable in this one.

The reason is that you've defined the top and bottom as being attachable by parts in their upright position, and the other four nodes attachable by parts lying on their side, so you need to rotate the part on its side before attaching. Try this:

node_stack_right = 1.3, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 2
node_stack_left = -1.3, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 2

node_stack_back = 0, 0, 1.3, 0, 1, 0, 2
node_stack_front = 0, 0,-1.3, 0, 1, 0, 2

node_stack_top = 0, 1.3, 0, 0, 1, 0, 2
node_stack_bottom = 0,-1.3, 0, 0, 1, 0, 2

...and see if that doesn't do what you want. Also note that when defining the orientation of a node, <0,1,0> and <0,-1,0> work the same. The game just cares about the axis, not the direction along it.

It's definitely not the case that only two node_stack_xxx can be attachable, I've made parts with eight that were attachable before.

Edited March 2, 2014 by Gaius

[CaptainKipard]

... Try this ...

That's interesting but it causes other parts to attach to it in a weird way.