Home ~ Mod Support - Kerbalism/Kerbalism GitHub Wiki
Most mods work together with Kerbalism, others don't. Such is life.
In addition to this list, you can have a look inside the support folder.
Things can go wrong with unsupported mods. Parts with...
- No custom plugin usage (*.dll file) will usually be fine.
- Crew capacity can be unbalanced (surface/volume, comforts bonuses...)
- Custom experiments may have issues and unbalanced experiment data sizes.
- Stock resource generators or converters can prevent you from timewarping faster than 1000x
- Custom resource generators or converters will get the same restriction, will not have any background processing and may cause other issues
Major incompatible mods
- All life support mods (TAC-LS, USI-LS, Snacks...)
- USI-MKS : Some USI parts sub-mods are supported, but the MKS features are removed. There is too much feature overlap, integration is not possible.
- DMP/LMP and any multiplayer mod : too many custom things going on in Kerbalism for support to be feasible.
- Realism Overhaul & RP-1 : Support is provided by ROKerbalism, a third-party configuration pack.
Warning: changing mods during gameplay
Installing, removing and to a lesser extent updating mods in an existing save can sometimes cause configurable parts (life support, convert-o-trons, and configurable science experiments) to revert to the default configuration. This can affect saved crafts and in flight vessels.
Alternate config packs
The Kerbalism official configuration pack is a feature set maintained by the Kerbalism contributors. It tries to provide a good balance between realism, difficulty and complexity, is primarily balanced against the stock game and has a "current space tech" scope. Mixing it with other mods that significantly change the stock scale, scope or gameplay isn't well supported and not recommended for a good experience. This notably include playing at vastly larger than stock planetary system scales, far future / interstellar scoped mods as well as "colonization" mods.
However, several alternate configuration packs have been created by third party modders :
- ROKerbalism : Official config pack for RO and RP1, maintained by the RP1 team.
- SIMPLEX : Stockalike simplified life support and ISRU designed to work well with the SIMPLEX tech tree and other mods by theJesuit.
- SkyhawkKerbalism : A BDB focused profile with revamped LS, science and ISRU going alongside a custom tech tree by CessnaSkyhawk.
- LessRealThanReal(ism) : A config pack part of a larger mod based on RP1 but made to played at stock scales without RO.
Compatibility list
List of supported, compatible and incompatible mods. The version is the one against which support configs were made or updated, or the last tested version.
If you encounter an issue with a mod, please let us know on the official Discord or report it on GitHub issues.
Tech trees
| Mod | Version | Compatibility | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Tech Tree | 3.3.7 | Supported | |
| Engineering Tech Tree | 1.4 | Supported | |
| UnkerballedStart | Apr 2019 | Supported | |
| Simplex Tech Tree | Apr 2019 | Unknown | |
| ProbesBeforeCrew | ? | Supported |
Post Kerbin Mining Corporation / Near Future / Nerteaverse
Post Kerbin Mining Corporation (PKMC) is a collection of popular mods by Nertea designed to work well together. This notably include :
- Near Future Solar (solar panels)
- CryoEngines / CryoTanks (cryogenic fuel engines and fuel boiloff)
- SystemHeat (vessel thermal management and simulation)
- Near Future Electrical (nuclear reactors and power storage)
- Near Future Propulsion (advanced high ISP electric engines)
- Far Future Technologies (hypothetical/scifi engines)
Currently, those mods can be used alongside Kerbalism, but there are several limitations and various glitches making the experience suboptimal :
- Several nuclear reactors from Near Future Electrical are stripped, including the whole thermal management and fuel management aspects.
- Badly integrated interactions between electrical systems from the two mods can lead to weird results and Kerbalism limiting max warp speed.
- Support for cryogenic fuel boiloff in the background is glitchy.
Alternatively to Kerbalism's native support, the KerbalismSystemHeat and KerbalismFFT mods provide an alternate compatibility layer that restore the original functionality of nuclear reactors and provides a better integration, but still not free of various limitations.
Part / Features mods
| Mod | Version | Compatibility | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirlineKuisine | Jul 2018 | Supported | Integration with CryoTanks, USI FTT and USI ReactorPack. |
| Airships | Nov 2019 | Incompatible | Due to it using the same "Atmosphere" resource with a different density. |
| ALCOR | Jun 2018 | Supported | Configs for habitat. |
| AtomicAge | Nov 2018 | Supported | Radiation emitter to engines. |
| B9 Aerospace | Jun 2018 | Supported | Configs for habitat. |
| Bluedog Design Bureau | Dec 2018 | Supported | Configs for habitat, laboratory, antennas. |
| Buffalo | Jun 2018 | Supported | Configs for habitat. |
| CxAerospace Station Parts | 1.6.2 | Supported | Configs for habitat. |
| DeepFreeze | 0.26 | Incompatible | DeepFreeze has a hard dependency on BackgroundResources, see related issue |
| Endurance (Interstellar) | 1.12 | Supported | Comforts; Fixes for science storage and ignition limits. Configs held in that mod. |
| Extraplanetary Launchpad | Nov 2018 | Supported | Config tweaks. |
| HabTech (legacy version) | 0.1.7.5 | Supported | Config tweaks. |
| KSP Interstellar Extended | 1.22.1 | Limited support | Some integration with the radiation system. Various compatibility issues with the ec/megajoule system. Overall, using the two mods together is not recommended. |
| JX2Antenna | 2.0.5 | Supported | Config tweaks. |
| Kerbal Atomics | 1.0.3 | Supported | Configs for radiation emitters. |
| Kerbalow Aerospace Inflatable | 1.4 | Supported | Habitat configs for inflatables. |
| Duna Direct | Nov 2018 | Supported | Config tweaks. |
| MOLE | Nov 2018 | Supported | Habitat configs, config hacks to make solar panels work. Dual-axis panel won't work with Kopernicus multi-star packs. |
| Near Future Solar | ? | Supported | Code support for curved panels trough the SolarPanelFixer module |
| Near Future Spacecraft | ? | Supported | Configs for habitat. |
| Orbital Tug | ? | Supported | Radiation emitter. |
| OPT Reconfig | 2.0 | Supported | Comforts; Fixes for science storage for OPT Spaceplane Parts. Configs held in that mod. |
| Rational Resources | 1.7 | Supported | Places resources relevant to Kerbalism; Expands ISRU options. Configs held in that mod. |
| RealBattery | 1.7 | Incompatible | Will work on loaded vessels, but not in the background. |
| RealChute | ? | Supported | Reliability configs. |
| RealFuels | ? | Supported | Config patch to EVA propellant. |
| RemoteTech | ? | Supported | Code integration with the science data system |
| RLA Recontinued | 14.1.0 | Supported | Config patches for resource converters, reliability and radiation emitters. |
| SCANsat | ? | Partially supported | Custom KerbalismScansat partmodule add support for background EC consumption, sensors are producing depending on EC availability. Various configs tweaks. Current support has several glitches, but nothing game-breaking |
| SMURFF | ? | Supported | Config fix. |
| Stockalike Station Parts Redux | 1.2.1 | Supported | Configs for Kerbalism-based habitat, laboratory, antennas, processes. |
| SSTU | 0.11.49.161 | Supported | Code support for solar panels (SolarPanelFIxer module). Configs for Kerbalism-based habitat, laboratory, antennas, processes. |
| SXT Continued | ? | Supported | Configs for habitat, radiation emitters. |
| Tantares | ? | Supported | Configs for experiments, habitats and cores should work as they are. |
| Universal Storage 2 | ? | Partially supported | Configs for processes (fuel cells, RTG). |
| USI-LS | Incompatible | Concurrent life support. | |
| USI-MKS | Incompatible | Too much feature overlap, no easy way to integrate the two mods. | |
| USI-FTT | ? | Limited support | Config patch to adapt the parts to kerbalism (require USI-ReactorPack), all USI-specific features are removed. |
| USI-Kontainers | ? | Limited support | Config patch to adapt the parts to kerbalism, all USI-specific features are removed. CryoTanks support patches. |
| USI-NukeStorage | ? | Limited support | Config patch to adapt the parts to kerbalism, all USI-specific features are removed. |
| USI-ReactorPack | ? | Limited support | Config patch to adapt the parts to kerbalism, all USI-specific features are removed. |
| Ven Stock Revamp | ? | Supported | Configs for habitat, radiation emitters, processes (fuel cells, RTG). |
Features only mods
| Mod | Version | Compatibility | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| B9 Part Switch | Jul 2018 | Supported | Plugin is compatible. Kerbalism containers will use it if present |
| Community Category Kit | Apr 2019 | Supported | Plugin is compatible. Kerbalism category added if present |
| Connected Living Space | Nov 2018 | Unsupported | Plugin was compatible, but support is reportedly broken in latest Kerbalism/KSP versions |
| ConfigurableContainers | Jul 2018 | Supported | Plugin is compatible. Tank definitions for Kerbalism resources are provided |
| ContractConfigurator | Nov 2018 | Supported | Small config tweak so Laboratory are recognized. Some Kerbalism events are exposed to the CC API and can be used in contract definitions. |
| CryoTanks | Feb 2019 | Supported | Code support for boiloff in the backgound. Config patches to use processes in place of the stock converters |
| BackgroundResources | All | Incompatible | Concurent background simulation plugin |
| GPOSpeedFuelPump | 1.8.14 | Supported | Plugin is compatible. Speed pumps added to Kerbalism containers |
| Kopernicus | ? | Supported | Code support for multi-star / reparented sun planet packs. SolarPanelFixer module has support for star selection/tracking, Kopernicus own module must be removed. |
| Kerbal Space Transport System | May 2020 | Incompatible | Compatibility would require a lot of special handling to handle KSTS creation of unloaded vessels, probably won't ever happen |
| ResearchBodies | 1.12 | Supported | |
| SimpleLogistics | 2.0.3 | Incompatible | Conflicts with Kerbalism resource processing / simulation |
| Texture Unlimited | ? | Supported | Plugin is compatible. Config tweaks to kerbalism parts |
| Tweakscale | ? | Known issues | Plugin is compatible, but scaling parts handled by Kerbalism won't work as expected (habitats, stock converters, harvesters...) |
| UbioWelding | ? | Incompatible | Changes and reloads the part database at runtime, which could lead to part modules (hard drives, process controllers) not being initialized properly. |
Planet packs
| Mod | Version | Compatibility | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beyond Home | Apr 2019 | Supported | Radiation definitions |
| Extrasolar | Jul 2018 | Supported | Radiation definitions |
| Gameslinx Planet Overhaul (GPO) | Nov 2018 | Supported | Radiation definitions |
| JNSQ | 0.8.6 | Supported | Radiation definitions, support is on their side |
| New Horizons | Nov 2018 | Supported | Radiation definitions |
| Outer Planets (OPM) | Jul 2018 | Supported | Radiation definitions |
| Quarter Sized Real Solar System | 1.0 | Supported | Radiation definitions |
| RSS (Real Solar System) | 16.2 | Supported | Radiation definitions |
| Stock Size Real Solar System | 0.0.3.1 | Supported | Radiation definitions |
Science mods
| Mod | Version | Compatibility | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMagic Orbital Science | 1.4.2 | Supported | Antenna configs |
| Surface Experiment Package | ? | Supported | Configs: experiment value rebalance |
| FieldResearch Contracts | any | Incompatible | AllScienceSubjects* functions broken |
Other supported mods
TODO : add those to the tables
- SoundingRockets
- DMagicOrbitalScience
- RestockPlus
- SampleReturnCapsule
- StationScience
Why is Kerbalism messing with mods and stock modules ?
Kerbalism introduce something that is absent from the base game : processing of unloaded vessels. Unloaded vessels in KSP are a placeholder object containing only saved data about the state of the parts and modules. The only thing that is processed on them is their position.
To allow our features to work on them we had to recreate everything from scratch, and in particular the vessel environment conditions evaluation and the resource processing system. They compute the resources consumption and production needed for life support and other features. This include ISRU, converters, fuel cells, RTGs, reactors...
For that background simulation to work, we can either use our own modules or hack at runtime stock and mods modules to recreate their behavior.
This last solution has major drawbacks :
- It isn't viable for complex modules and in case of mods, any change require us to update our support code.
- For loaded vessels, the original module code will be used. This lead to an inconsistency between the loaded and unloaded vessel behavior, magnified by the several major issues that the stock resource processing system has. The usual in-game consequence is random Kerbal death due to life support systems not being properly fed with the resources they need, like ElectricCharge.
- Some mods have their own fixes for the stock limitations, or even their own background processing. That usually conflicts with Kerbalism own resource processing.
To avoid all these issues and offer a non-broken game experience, we often use the first solution : replace stock and mods modules with our own. Depending on what the mod does, we can't always replicate all its features.
Creating support configs for mods
If your parts have crew capacity, resource converters, experiments or antennas, you will probably need to create some ModuleManager patches to tweak some values and replace some PartModules with the Kerbalism ones.
In addition to the mod support page, check the technical guide on the Github wiki, especially the pages on the profile and on the background simulation.
Using the Kerbalism API in my plugin
Have a look at the System/API.cs source code on GitHub. Raise an issue to request more functions.