[1.1.x] Speedy's Hex Truss System

[Apollo13]

Suggestion for the hex fuel part: Add an RCS tank.

Yes, I know I can add RCS Resource to HexTrussLongTank.cfg:

RESOURCE

{

name = MonoPropellant

amount = 250

maxAmount = 750

}

But, that would be "cheating", right? (Sidebar: I admit, I did that already)

The other option is attach a RCS supply to the truss while building it, which I also did.

[loppnessmonsta]

I loved the THSS pack... but my least favorite part were the textures. Any chance of a texture pack that looks like the stock girders and tanks? I also wasn't a huge fan of the built in pipes and whatnot on tankless trusses. Sometimes I just want a structural truss, and having pipes to nowhere seems silly.

anyway you've done an excellent job re-creating the THSS look. good job!

[Apollo13]

I loAny chance of a texture pack that looks like the stock girders and tanks? I also wasn't a huge fan of the built in pipes and whatnot on tankless trusses. Sometimes I just want a structural truss, and having pipes to nowhere seems silly.

I like the pipes in the trusses. Even though they're just a design/visual detail, they give the illusion that fuel can be transferred through the trusses.

[tg626]

Perhaps it could be a right click toggle option in the vab?

[Apollo13]

I just noticed the problem with the End Plate part. There is a connect node only one one side. Nodes need to be on both sides.

How should I change these two lines (in HexTrussEndcap.cfg) to permit that?

node_stack_bottom = 0.0, -0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 2

node_attach = 1.25, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1

EDIT:

I asked this question in another sub-forum, and I received this response:

add the line

node_stack_top = 0.0, 0.2, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 2

The 0.2 (second position) is a guess and it'll need to be more (or less) depending on the thickness of the part

[Edit] You may also need to have the node_stack_bottom/node_stack_top as the last two defined so

node_attach = 1.25, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1

node_stack_bottom = 0.0, -0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 2

node_stack_top = 0.0, 0.2, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 2

The solution worked perfectly.

So I now have two End Plate parts

-- HexTrussEndCap (standard part, no node on end)

-- HexTrussEndCapNode (part with the added node)

Edited August 16, 2014 by Apollo13

[AlciyaDragonash]

Any plans to do those big Octo Tanks/Trusses? loved having those for station fuelpods/fuelcores but really not liking the 'checkerboard' textures seeing on the other version of these...

[SpeedyB]

I'm back working on this.

Just made a wider hollow truss.

Not sure how to make the pipes toggle-able.

The end cap is not really meant to have a node. Its for surface mounting things on the end of a truss.

I will be doing the Octo Truss set after I've finished the main stuff.

[Apollo13]

The end cap is not really meant to have a node. Its for surface mounting things on the end of a truss.

Here's why you need the nodes at both sides of the part. In the following, I wish to deliver a truss (with endcap) to a station. Assume the probe at the bottom is attached to other rocket delivery parts, such as tanks, and engines.

The top of this construction is a Hex Docking Port which will attach to the station's hex docking port. In the first image (endcap with top and bottom nodes), I can place the endcap on top of a separator (blue/white ring). I then build the truss system on top of that. Upon docking with the station hex docking port, I would then activate the separator, leaving the truss system. The Endcap would be clean, i.e., nothing attached to it.

In the second image (standard endcap with only one node), upon placing the endcap on the separator, I cannot build on top of it. Note that the separator has come through the endcap.

In another situation, I wish to add a Clamp-a-tron port to the endcap that will be at the end of a truss I deliver to a station.:

Using an endcap with top and bottom nodes, I get this:

Using your standard endcap with a single node, I get:

Bottom line: you NEED endcaps with two nodes. As I mentioned, I have both endcap parts available to me.

Edited August 25, 2014 by Apollo13

[TMS]

Been using this quietly for the last few weeks/months. It's great!

Had a lot of fun building cruisers. This one's going to Duna.

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One potential feature requestion, which you indicated you might look at... in the album (fourth image from last), you can see I'm using the hollow truss as a 'cradle' for a lander.

Would be great if there could be a slightly expanded version to accommodate landers with karbonite drills, etc.

[GeckoOBac]

Bottom line: you NEED endcaps with two nodes. As I mentioned, I have both endcap parts available to me.

Beside not being really polite telling the mod maker that he NEEDS to do something (since he's not your employee), your problem is solved with a bare minimum of building. Just use a radial decoupler instead of a stack one. Problem solved.

[Apollo13]

Beside not being really polite telling the mod maker that he NEEDS to do something (since he's not your employee)

I'm not telling the mod maker that HE needs to add the part. I'm stating that that the ubiquitous "you", need the part. Secondly, I'm a supporter of the Hex Truss System, and he knows it. So, thank you, white knight...

your problem is solved with a bare minimum of building. Just use a radial decoupler instead of a stack one. Problem solved.

Show me how that works in the context of the examples I've provided. Especially, how does your solution resolve my second example whereby I'm using a docking port at the end of the truss?

@TMS: Thanks for showing me how to make best use of the open truss.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Apollo13

[GeckoOBac]

Show me how that works in the context of the examples I've provided.

The first example you gave uses a stack separator.

The second... I see no reason to use the end cap there... Use an adapter and stick the docking port there.

[Apollo13]

The second... I see no reason to use the end cap there... Use an adapter and stick the docking port there.

First, I want that "clean look". Secondly, you may "see no reason to use an end cap here". Your opinion is irrelevant in my builds. I wish to have an end cap with a docking port.

Bottom line: I presented a method for those players who want two nodes. If you choose not to use it, then don't.

[PringleMan]

you know on the matter of the multiple fuel tanks, a nice feature to see that other mods have been doing is a tweakable in the VAB that changes what fuel is loaded and the texture applied to the tanks. So that one tank truss you have could actually be used for all of the different fuels.

As for what someone asked with regards to the pipes being toggle-able, that is also possible but it is more difficult than it is probably worth. Since the pipes are part of the geometry, the tweak has to alternate between two different loaded models instead of just switching a texture. If you want a good example of what this is like, look up the Universal Storage mod where it can toggle on and off the wedge's "shell."

[Apollo13]

As for what someone asked with regards to the pipes being toggle-able, that is also possible but it is more difficult than it is probably worth. Since the pipes are part of the geometry, the tweak has to alternate between two different loaded models instead of just switching a texture.

EDIT: Done programmatically. See post # 111. Very easy fix.

I was wondering that myself. I use Blender and Unity for 3D modeling, and I could see no way to put pipes in and out of the model geometry via a programmatic interface without creating two models for each truss: one with pipes, and one without.

Edited September 29, 2014 by Apollo13

[forsaken1111]

Take this with a grain of salt because I have no idea if its even feasible but couldn't you create a single step 'animation' which doesn't have the parts of the model you want to remove and have it only able to be toggled in the VAB? So you could right click it in VAB and 'deploy' to remove those model sections.

I know it can be done somehow as some of the KONQUEST models showcased by alexustas have a toggle-able outer skin so you can put parts inside them.

[SpeedyB]

I'll add a node on the end cap for the next release.

I like the idea of the tweak-able tanks and I can also do it for some of the other trusses. I'll have to look into how its done.

[Apollo13]

I like the idea of the tweak-able tanks and I can also do it for some of the other trusses. I'll have to look into how its done.

Suggestion: if a truss has pipes, then it can conduct resources (LF, Oxy, Monoprop, electricity, Kibble, etc). If no pipes, then no conduction. I know parts can be make non-conductive in the CFG file (fuelCrossFeed parameter); I just don't know if it can be a tweakable option in real-time.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Apollo13

[SpeedyB]

Suggestion: if a truss has pipes, then it can conduct resources (LF, Oxy, Monoprop, electricity, Kibble, etc). If no pipes, then no conduction. I know parts can be make non-conductive in the CFG file (fuelCrossFeed parameter); I just don't know if it can be a tweakable option in real-time.

I'll look into that. Not sure if I can make the pipes removable. If I have to do it with animations then I probably won't do it. I'm not sure how having animations for every part would impact the game's performance and it would be more work to make each part. (and I have very little time as it is, even less once school starts back up)

I will make tweakable parts. The tanks will be tweakable and the regular trusses will have versions with enclosed sides.

[Apollo13]

I'll look into that. Not sure if I can make the pipes removable. If I have to do it with animations then I probably won't do it.

I don't blame you. Something to think about in the future, whereby you have two versions of each truss: one with pipes, one without. As for me, I'm happy to have the pipes in all.

I will make tweakable parts. The tanks will be tweakable and the regular trusses will have versions with enclosed sides.

Looking forward to that. Once you put out the next version, I'll push Rowsdower again for Modding Mondays.

All my orbiting stations use Hex Trusses. Not a stock truss to be found in the lot.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Apollo13

[noonespecial]

I'll look into that. Not sure if I can make the pipes removable. If I have to do it with animations then I probably won't do it. I'm not sure how having animations for every part would impact the game's performance and it would be more work to make each part. (and I have very little time as it is, even less once school starts back up)

I will make tweakable parts. The tanks will be tweakable and the regular trusses will have versions with enclosed sides.

Mihara made a plugin, called JSIPartUtilities, that can make meshes togglable in the VAB. Just make the pipes a different mesh, then that mesh could be toggled on and off.

https://github.com/Mihara/PartUtilities/wiki/JSIPartComponentToggle-and-friends

[SpeedyB]

That looks like it would work.

The next version will have a command pod.

Still very work in progress and a lot of detail still to add.

This one is mainly for landers and cargo transports.

[Apollo13]

Command pod looks awesome. Will you have an IVA for it as well?

Sidebar: I've been using Blender to import your MU models and Unity to create new parts based on your models. Currently, working on Hex Truss parts for the simplified life support system, called Snacks; search the forum and Curse for details...it is not my mod, but I'm a supporter. Still working on the RCS tank (similar to noonespecial's, although I had no idea his existed until one minute ago) and a Hex Truss Fuel part which includes the RCS tank with LF and Oxy. I'll send those to you; won't release separately, because Hex Truss is YOUR mod, not mine. I'm just the beneficiary of your efforts.

Edited September 8, 2014 by Apollo13

[eygc]

Here's an idea: if KSP supports it, you could use one of the community .dlls to have your trusses come with part variants (see B9 for an example). Then, you might be able to control the visibility of the fuel lines with a texture, set to invisible with alpha channels, instead of needing custom models for non-fuel parts. Part idea: command pod is nice, how about an observation cupola? I've used the trusses as floodlights, think stadium floodlights. It would also cut down on your work if you had a couple of "tank" designs with part variants with different textures and MFT support. Thanks for the mod!

[SpeedyB]

I do plan on making an IVA.

I've been using Blender to import your MU models and Unity to create new parts based on your models.

I would love to see what you have.

I thought about using a transparent texture but I've already worked out how I'm going to do it.