[1.0.5] Kip Engineering: All Docking Ports updated for 1.0.5! (11th Nov 2015)

[CaptainKipard]

I don't really get what you're asking for.

[codepoet]

Can I safely use this mod in my main save, or do you anticipate future save breaking updates?

[CaptainKipard]

Yeah sorry about that. I can't really imagine anything save breaking any more. The collision mesh will stay the way it is, the centers of mass are in the right places, all the names inside the cgfs are finalised...

I'm pretty sure all other potential changes will only be cosmetic.

The one thing I'm still not too sure about are the masses. I just took a rough guess based on the existing stock hub, because I didn't think people will care that much. All the parts of the same diameter weigh the same, despite having slightly different volumes.

[Dimetime35c]

What I'm asking for is like maybe you create your own like hab modules to go with the hub. Like your own station parts.

[CaptainKipard]

Well I'm not really sure what I could do better than existing station parts. What's wrong with those?

Also @codepoet I'm pretty sure changing the mass will not be save breaking anyway since instances of the parts are saved separately in the persistence file and their variables do not get reloaded from the originals IIRC. Is that right?

[codepoet]

Yeah sorry about that. I can't really imagine anything save breaking any more. The collision mesh will stay the way it is, the centers of mass are in the right places, all the names inside the cgfs are finalised...

I'm pretty sure all other potential changes will only be cosmetic.

The one thing I'm still not too sure about are the masses. I just took a rough guess based on the existing stock hub, because I didn't think people will care that much. All the parts of the same diameter weigh the same, despite having slightly different volumes.

No need to appologise. I understand these things happen. I just wanted to check how settled things were before I start using it.

[Rivvik]

So I know this isn't exactly their intended purpose...and that the machine failed (not from your mod at all though), but I tried to make a rather large crane for utility purposes.

The failing is in the rotational servo parts. They obviously wobble horribly.

[CaptainKipard]

So I know this isn't exactly their intended purpose...and that the machine failed (not from your mod at all though), but I tried to make a rather large crane for utility purposes.

The failing is in the rotational servo parts. They obviously wobble horribly.

I was worried that those parts would look out of place because they're low poly, but that looks pretty good. That vehicle has a kind of military/pragmatic/functional quality to it.

[Rivvik]

I wouldn't say functional LOL

[CaptainKipard]

==== Universal Docking Port Set ====

A set of Universal Docking Ports for space tugs.

Version 0.9 Features:

- 1.25m Port can attach to 1.25m and 0.625m docking ports

- 2.5m Port can attach to 2.5m, 1.25m and 0.625m docking ports

- 3.75m Port can attach to 3.75, 2.5m, 1.25m and 0.625m docking ports

- "Connected Living Space" compatible. Impassable

See first post for more info and download link.

[Boamere]

==== Universal Docking Port Set ====

A set of Universal Docking Ports for space tugs.

Version 0.9 Features:

- 1.25m Port can attach to 1.25m and 0.625m docking ports

- 2.5m Port can attach to 2.5m, 1.25m and 0.625m docking ports

- 3.75m Port can attach to 3.75, 2.5m, 1.25m and 0.625m docking ports

- "Connected Living Space" compatible. Impassable

See first post for more info and download link.

Wow they look really nice!

[rottielover]

Quick question (hopefully). Are they universal with other mod docking ports as well, or just the stock squad ones? (FusTek, KSO's, etc)

[CaptainKipard]

Wow they look really nice!

Thanks.

Quick question (hopefully). Are they universal with other mod docking ports as well, or just the stock squad ones? (FusTek, KSO's, etc)

I'm sorry I'm not aware of any other docking ports except KW Rocketry. I made these parts to fit exactly with the stock docking ports and the 3.75m KW docking ring.

As long as the other docking ports have nodetype = size0, size1, size2, or size3 then it should work, but I cannot guarantee how well the models will fit together

[sidfu]

if u dock a 1.25 and a 3.7 would they be fine? im not wanting install something that every time i build a ship i have to remember that this can fuse my ships together if i forgot what type of docking port is on them.

these look awsome realy want to used but dont want a moments forgetfullnes to ruin say a space station or a base ive spent a ton of time on.

i cant for life of me remember the mod i had before that had a dockig port that would let any the same size or smaller dock with it even another of itself could dock with it.

[PringleMan]

if u dock a 1.25 and a 3.7 would they be fine? im not wanting install something that every time i build a ship i have to remember that this can fuse my ships together if i forgot what type of docking port is on them.

these look awsome realy want to used but dont want a moments forgetfullnes to ruin say a space station or a base ive spent a ton of time on.

i cant for life of me remember the mod i had before that had a dockig port that would let any the same size or smaller dock with it even another of itself could dock with it.

No, you will not be able to undock them. You CANNOT have two of the universal ports together.

This mod is more useful for having something like a universal docking boom on a station, or on mothership modules, so that it is easier to configure attachment. E.G. Instead of building a ship and realizing that everything is in the wrong arrangement and you have to send up an entirely new docking hub, you can instead build it with these and just RCS the modules around in space no mess no fuss.

So with these, you dock something like a clamp-o-tron to the universal dock or something like Fusty's CBMs to the universal, but NEVER universal to universal.

[CaptainKipard]

these look awsome realy want to used but dont want a moments forgetfullnes to ruin say a space station or a base ive spent a ton of time on.

i cant for life of me remember the mod i had before that had a dockig port that would let any the same size or smaller dock with it even another of itself could dock with it.

It would be hard to confuse my ports with the stock ones.

Anyway if I ever figure out how to get around this problem I will definitely fix it. And if you remember the name of that mod let me know, because I'd like to reverse engineer it.

This mod is more useful for having something like a universal docking boom on a station, or on mothership modules, so that it is easier to configure attachment. E.G. Instead of building a ship and realizing that everything is in the wrong arrangement and you have to send up an entirely new docking hub, you can instead build it with these and just RCS the modules around in space no mess no fuss.

That never occured to me. It's a good idea but I'll have to do some testing because I can forsee a little problem with that. Stay tuned.

EDIT

I did some testing. What PringleMan described works just fine, but I still found something interesting. Visit the dev thread for details if you'd like to help.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Cpt. Kipard

[sidfu]

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/63871-Multiple-docking-nodes-on-the-same-part/page2?highlight=docking

only thing that may help i for life of me cant remember that mod that had a docking port that could dock with any smaller dockin gports or itself

[CaptainKipard]

That thread taught me something, but unfortunately nothing in there actually resolves this problem. Thanks for trying though.

[StEligius]

Captain Sir, If I might suggest one more thing, an end cap for the structural components. A 9 facet geodesic dome like the elbow component. I was building structures today and found that I didn't have anything for the ends other than the SDHI Parachute Clamp-o-Tron and the shielded Clamp-o-Trons to decorate with.

[CaptainKipard]

I'm not a huge fan of dome shapes. I'm also not a fan of strictly aesthetic parts. KW and B9 have some parts that could be used as end caps. If you can't find anything you like then can you think of something else? I might be convinced if I like the idea.

[AntiMatter001]

I'm not a huge fan of dome shapes. I'm also not a fan of strictly aesthetic parts. KW and B9 have some parts that could be used as end caps. If you can't find anything you like then can you think of something else? I might be convinced if I like the idea.

wait doesn't nova punch or KW have multiple docking ports (i think it's 3m to 2.5m not sure) and they also work fine with docking and undocking with the same multi dockable port.

also why not make three docking nodes in the same place? wouldn't that work?

[CaptainKipard]

wait doesn't nova punch or KW have multiple docking ports (i think it's 3m to 2.5m not sure) and they also work fine with docking and undocking with the same multi dockable port.

I don't know if novapunch does, but KW definitely doesn't.

That KW docking port has only one ModuleDockingNode. It's nodeType is size2 meaning that, as you said, it'll dock to itself without hassle and to other 2.5 meter ports. It will not dock to a nodeType size3 docking port.

Basically it just looks big, but technically it's a 2.5m part.

also why not make three docking nodes in the same place? wouldn't that work?

Yes, that's how it works.

[woot]

KW Rocketry's "3.75m Dual Purpose Docking Ring" can dock with both 3.75 and 2.5m ports.

[CaptainKipard]

Yeah... No.....

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleDockingNode
	nodeType = size2
	referenceAttachNode = dockingNode
	nodeTransformName = dockingNode
}

[Neutrinovore]

Fwiw, everyone, if you really want to have truly 'Universal' docking ports (which these aren't, if they can't dock with each other), and if you don't mind doing some VERY simple config editing, then you don't have to download this mod or add any new parts at all if you don't want to.

All you need to do in the config is set the 'nodeType = x' to the same size. That's what I've done with all the stock ports as well as the ones from several mods, like B9 and Kosmos, etc. I make all my docking ports 'size1', but you can actually call it anything you want, as long as you make them all the same they'll dock with each other. You could use 'nodeType = size947', or 'nodeType = Sasquatch', or even 'nodeType = BoogerBrain', as long as they match, it doesn't matter what the physical appearance of the part is.

Just some info for everyone, I hope this helps.

Btw, I'm not advising anyone to NOT download this mod, I actually think the models look pretty cool. But I, like many others, I'm sure, have to be wary of the dreaded 'parts bloat' problem, so lately I've been looking long and hard when a new parts mod comes out to decide if I really 'need' these new (extra) parts. That's all.

Later.