Universal Storage 1.4.0.0 (For KSP 1.4.x) 13th March 2018

[Fyrem]

odd, 40 min to download?

make that never. There is something amiss with the Download server.

Edited January 3, 2015 by Fyrem

[Paul Kingtiger]

odd, 40 min to download?

make that never. There is something amiss with the Download server.

I'm getting that as well. There seems to be an issue with Kerbal Stuff. I've uploaded a mirror at:

Universal Storage Download Mirror

As we're back to a single file I should be able to keep this mirror up to date with future versions.

Edited January 3, 2015 by Paul Kingtiger

[RainDreamer]

Have you ever considered a battery wedge? I took a lot of time trying to place my batteries in the empty wedge with them not clipping to each others, just to realized that they are clipping on to the walls of other wedges...

[Kobymaru]

I've been wondering about that myself. I can probably do it with module manager, I just need to sit down and play around with it.

You might want to read through this:

https://github.com/KSP-CKAN/CKAN-support/wiki/Adding-a-mod-to-the-CKAN#help-i-need-to-overwrite-another-mods-files

It even specifically mentions TAC-LS: you should provide a package TACLS-Config-US-HumanConsumption or something which in terms provides the TACLS-Config package.

Also, something about Module Manager is mentioned so maybe you can fix it this way too.

[Wisq]

Anyone know why this science bay isn't protecting the communotron inside it from FAR aerodynamic dissassembly?

It's the first and only component to fail. Log shows it disconnecting from the science bay and hitting the fuel tanks below.

I assumed that US wedges would protect in a similar way that fairings do?

[eightiesboi]

Hey all,

Been playing around with KSP for a while right now and truly love it. I'm in the process of playing a career and it's still early in my game. I'm trying to set up a satellite communications network (I use Remote Tech, among other mods), and I don't have access to a battery bigger than 400 units, nor anything to feed my hungry dish antennae other than solar panels and (wait for it!) fuel cells. I built a workable prototype sat, but in testing I noticed that even though my batteries are fully charged and my solar panels are deployed on the sunniest of days at the KSC, my fuel cell keeps producing electricity (and eating resources) whether or not there is any drain and whether or not there are any other power sources.

What I would like is to have a system in which the fuel cell is only active when the solar panels are not, either by detecting activity at a given flow rate or detecting that battery levels are below a certain percentage. I suspect that neither of these are possible, but I'd like to be told I'm completely wrong in my suspicions. Or if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. (BTW - The quote above is what gave me the idea to ask about this, so credit / blame marce for making me register here!)

Pauk Kingtiger and anyone else who has helped to develop this mod: thank you. KSP and the various mods that make it so delicious has taken the place that no game since Civ 4 has held in my heart. And mind. And fevered dreams.

Posted this about a week ago (it was actually my first post), and still hoping someone might have an answer. My fuel cells provide power and use resources even when batteries are full and there is no drain. I know I can shut them down, but I'd like to use them on a probe that will be mostly unmanned. Is this something than can be / could be done, or am I out of luck?

[Wisq]

Posted this about a week ago (it was actually my first post), and still hoping someone might have an answer. My fuel cells provide power and use resources even when batteries are full and there is no drain. I know I can shut them down, but I'd like to use them on a probe that will be mostly unmanned. Is this something than can be / could be done, or am I out of luck?

Might be a way to tweak the settings so they only operate when ElectricCharge isn't full, but an alternative might be to use the kOS mod and set up a simple program that turns them on only when ElectricCharge is below a certain value. Untested, I haven't delved into kOS yet.

[Paul Kingtiger]

Anyone know why this science bay isn't protecting the communotron inside it from FAR aerodynamic dissassembly?

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0053/2882/products/2015-01-03_00008-20150103-165606.jpg

It's the first and only component to fail. Log shows it disconnecting from the science bay and hitting the fuel tanks below.

I assumed that US wedges would protect in a similar way that fairings do?

US wedges aren't currently FAR compatible, in that they don't work as aerodynamic fairings. We'd have to rename the parts to make them work with FAR which would break saves, there might also be additional work that was needed.

I'll talk to Daishi and see what we can do with minimum effort (Daishi is busy working on the next project).

- - - Updated - - -

Posted this about a week ago (it was actually my first post), and still hoping someone might have an answer. My fuel cells provide power and use resources even when batteries are full and there is no drain. I know I can shut them down, but I'd like to use them on a probe that will be mostly unmanned. Is this something than can be / could be done, or am I out of luck?

The fuel cells keep working unless you turn them off. My understanding of the Apollo fuel cells (which the US ones are based on) is that they couldn't be easily turned on and off, and in fact once off couldn't be restarted.

But of you want you can change the part.cfg file so that they will automatically stop when there is no more room to store electric charge.

Browse to \GameData\UniversalStorage\Parts\US_1P110_Wedge_Fuelcell and edit part.cfg

Look for the code

RecipeOutputs = ElectricCharge, 16, True, Water, 0.0000520721, True

And change it to

RecipeOutputs = ElectricCharge, 16, False, Water, 0.0000520721, True

- - - Updated - - -

Have you ever considered a battery wedge? I took a lot of time trying to place my batteries in the empty wedge with them not clipping to each others, just to realized that they are clipping on to the walls of other wedges...

Yeah we've thought about it and it's often requested, but there are already so many battery options already that a wedge seemed redundant, especially when you can fit batteries in a science bay.

[RainDreamer]

I assumed that US wedges would protect in a similar way that fairings do?

It doesn't. The way FAR works is that it scans for part names that contain strings like, "cargo bay" or "bomb bay" or "service compartment". The science bay part name name, obviously, doesn't those strings. It is called a science bay, after all. It would be easier if you just modify FAR itself (poking the CustomFARPartClassification.cfg file to see) to work with simpler strings like, "bay", though that may runs to problems, since there could be many hits with different kinds of bays that are not intended to have things inside. You would be on your own for that.

Yeah we've thought about it and it's often requested, but there are already so many battery options already that a wedge seemed redundant, especially when you can fit batteries in a science bay.

Well, while you can fit batteries in a science bay, I think it could be a bit better:

If battery is still out of the question though, how about an RTG wedge? Pretty sure an RTG could be in any form, and eyeballing measurement telling me a volume of a stock RTG can fit inside a wedge. It would solve both the form factor and electrical problems for probes very well.

[NonWonderDog]

US wedges aren't currently FAR compatible, in that they don't work as aerodynamic fairings. We'd have to rename the parts to make them work with FAR which would break saves, there might also be additional work that was needed.

I'll talk to Daishi and see what we can do with minimum effort (Daishi is busy working on the next project).

FAR uses the part title, not its name.

This is configurable in-game, too:

Click on the FAR icon, go to Part Classification, and add "science bay" under the "Cargo Bay Title Contains:" section. The Science Bays will then be FAR compatible.

[WarrenSchultz]

NonWonderSog posted the technique that I use, and confirn it works well.

[eightiesboi]

The fuel cells keep working unless you turn them off. My understanding of the Apollo fuel cells (which the US ones are based on) is that they couldn't be easily turned on and off, and in fact once off couldn't be restarted.

But of you want you can change the part.cfg file so that they will automatically stop when there is no more room to store electric charge.

Browse to \GameData\UniversalStorage\Parts\US_1P110_Wedge_Fuelcell and edit part.cfg

Look for the code

RecipeOutputs = ElectricCharge, 16, True, Water, 0.0000520721, True

And change it to

RecipeOutputs = ElectricCharge, 16, False, Water, 0.0000520721, True

Exactly what I was looking for! Thank you!

And I had not been aware of actual fuel cell behavior, so I may not even change it after all... My satellites may come with a supply of drinking water. Come to think of it, since I have all these Kerbanuats in need of rescue zipping around, I can rest easy knowing they can grab a passing satellite should they need a refreshing drink.

[darloth]

I just config'ed up my own Battery wedge, using the KAS storage (with the animation removed) as the model. I've found it really useful, so I'd love to see an official battery wedge. An RTG would be useful as well, but the main benefit of universal storage is you can fit all sorts of things to a given space, so even 'redundant' options that there are already other possibilities for come in handy when you realize you need a bit of battery capacity and there's a wedge spare...

[steve_v]

I just config'ed up my own Battery wedge

Wanna share? This is exactly what I've been looking for, but I'm feeling particularly lazy today

Edited January 5, 2015 by steve_v

[darloth]

Sure: http://pastebin.com/G9QtDKZn

Just copypaste that into a .cfg file somewhere, I suggest battery.cfg in the UniversalStorage\Parts\US_1R110_Wedge_KASContainer folder, unless you feel like making a new folder for it.

I tried to guess at the mass/cost/size/capacity based on the size of the Z400 battery and generally how most universal storage items are slightly miniaturized, but at the end of the day it's just some numbers, change them if you think different.

(Paul Kingtiger / Daishi - if you don't like the config being linked let me know and I'll remove this post, but I didn't think it was a big deal as it is after all just a description edit and adding a resource block. I'm certainly not claiming anything is mine or particularly original.)

[steve_v]

Thanks muchly, have some rep.

It would be awesome to see something like this in the pack.

[Daishi]

(emerges)

It doesn't. The way FAR works is that it scans for part names that contain strings like, "cargo bay" or "bomb bay" or "service compartment". The science bay part name name, obviously, doesn't those strings. It is called a science bay, after all. It would be easier if you just modify FAR itself (poking the CustomFARPartClassification.cfg file to see) to work with simpler strings like, "bay", though that may runs to problems, since there could be many hits with different kinds of bays that are not intended to have things inside. You would be on your own for that...

FAR uses the part title, not its name.

This is configurable in-game, too:

Click on the FAR icon, go to Part Classification, and add "science bay" under the "Cargo Bay Title Contains:" section. The Science Bays will then be FAR compatible.

Won't work, unfortunately. The science bay doesn't have hitboxes \ collision meshes on the doors, so nothing inside them is ever really enclosed. It's another requirement FAR needs to be able to shield things properly, and I totally overlooked it when i made that part. Fixing it would require save breaking updates, and potentially break Dmagic's parts in the process.

Paul and I will be starting work towards Universal Storage 2 soon, which is going to be built from the ground up and address most of the shortfalls this current mod has (part count, FAR stuff, micromanagement, an unsupported animation plugin, lack of user customization, etc); and in doing so will solve most issues in one big hit. US1 will be kept if people aren't keen on updating. It will eventually make the science bay obsolete, so i'm not too keen on fixing it right now, to avoid making extra work for myself

Well, while you can fit batteries in a science bay, I think it could be a bit better:

http://i.minus.com/i1V3Uc5Md49N6.png

I agree, its a little clunky. US2 is going to have a different approach to parts which may make a battery bank unique enough to justify building. Stay tuned!

Sure: http://pastebin.com/G9QtDKZnJust copypaste that into a .cfg file somewhere, I suggest battery.cfg in the UniversalStorage\Parts\US_1R110_Wedge_KASContainer folder, unless you feel like making a new folder for it.

I tried to guess at the mass/cost/size/capacity based on the size of the Z400 battery and generally how most universal storage items are slightly miniaturized, but at the end of the day it's just some numbers, change them if you think different.

(Paul Kingtiger / Daishi - if you don't like the config being linked let me know and I'll remove this post, but I didn't think it was a big deal as it is after all just a description edit and adding a resource block. I'm certainly not claiming anything is mine or particularly original.)

No worries, I'm only concerned about models and textures being taken\stolen and redistributed. Configs that rely on the mod to exist in its original form in the first place are totally fine

[RainDreamer]

Paul and I will be starting work towards Universal Storage 2 soon, which is going to be built from the ground up and address most of the shortfalls this current mod has (part count, FAR stuff, micromanagement, an unsupported animation plugin, lack of user customization, etc); and in doing so will solve most issues in one big hit. US1 will be kept if people aren't keen on updating. It will eventually make the science bay obsolete, so i'm not too keen on fixing it right now, to avoid making extra work for myself

Oh now I am excited to hear there will be US2!

Edited January 5, 2015 by RainDreamer

[Olympic1]

eh, what US2?

[Daishi]

Oh now I am excited to hear there will be US2!

eh, what US2?

Was mucking around with ideas at the start of November (before work got too intense), Paul and I agree its better to make a "sequel" rather than keep updating Universal Storage 1 with functions that older players may not want.

Doing it like this means we can make sweeping changes in one go without having to worry about breaking saves, from what we've learnt in the development of the mod so far. US2 will have a new approach to parts and customization, so it will end up as a slightly different mod anyway

[CarnageINC]

I have found a very strange bug with the quad core part. If the quad core is attached below any decoupler in the main stack, it treats all external decouplers as a launching clamp. The vehicle will not lift off with boosters attached. I've tested the quad core with US parts attached to it and without. Booster type doesn't matter, tested with both liquid and solid. I've tested it with every external decoupler for boosters. Same results being attached to all main stack decouplers. No other US part does this that I can find.

[Epoxide]

I have found a very strange bug with the quad core part. If the quad core is attached below any decoupler in the main stack, it treats all external decouplers as a launching clamp. The vehicle will not lift off with boosters attached. I've tested the quad core with US parts attached to it and without. Booster type doesn't matter, tested with both liquid and solid. I've tested it with every external decoupler for boosters. Same results being attached to all main stack decouplers. No other US part does this that I can find.

I've also found this.

I did some more testing and narrowed it down to an issue with the mod Universal Storage, when using the part Universal Storage Core: Quad and attaching RT-10 to it and then something radially to the RT-10 the radially attached object acts like it's completely stuck. As this isn't a stock issue I'll just post it in that mods thread instead.

[loppnessmonsta]

Was mucking around with ideas at the start of November (before work got too intense), Paul and I agree its better to make a "sequel" rather than keep updating Universal Storage 1 with functions that older players may not want.

Doing it like this means we can make sweeping changes in one go without having to worry about breaking saves, from what we've learnt in the development of the mod so far. US2 will have a new approach to parts and customization, so it will end up as a slightly different mod anyway

that's exciting!

[darloth]

For the quadcore bugs, are you also using KJR? There seems to be an issue with the latest release builds of that in how it deals with multi-attach nodes that hits the quadcores hard, and possibly the other cores. Rolling back the KJR version sortof works, but you lose the updated features and some other benefits and bug fixes. I think there's a dev build with a possible fix but if it IS that, you should go check the KJR thread for more details.

[Epoxide]

For the quadcore bugs, are you also using KJR? There seems to be an issue with the latest release builds of that in how it deals with multi-attach nodes that hits the quadcores hard, and possibly the other cores. Rolling back the KJR version sortof works, but you lose the updated features and some other benefits and bug fixes. I think there's a dev build with a possible fix but if it IS that, you should go check the KJR thread for more details.

Yes, it did work reverting to 2.4.5, thanks!