1.2 CLS Features
CLS Features
CLS introduces the concept of Living Spaces. A living space is a group of parts that are all connected in a way that would allow a kerbal to travel between them without needing to go EVA. The ISS is an example of a vessel with a large living space... It consists of several parts connected together via multiple Shuttle missions, but you do not need to go EVA to travel to the different sections of the ISS.
It also introduces the concept of a Hatch. By default, KSP provides for a docking port, allowing you to dock vessels together. However, it does not account for the hatch that must be opened to allow travel between one docked vessel to another.
These new concepts provide mod makers with some new possibilities in adding a new dimension to the KSP gaming experience, and open the door to many possibilities for interesting things to happen.
CLS Window
The CLS window, shown below, provides a few usable features. First a vessel must be active in flight, or there must be a loaded vessel in the VAB or SPH for anything to appear in the CLS window.
A wiew of the CLS window in the VAB with a vessel loaded:
Each livable space is shown in the window as a button in the list. The Space is Identified using the name of the root part of the space.
The name of the space can be altered, and CLS will remember these space names. Clicking on a space button will generate a list of all parts contained within that space. The list of parts displays below the Space buttons.
CLS Space Highlighting Features
Additionally, when a space is selected, CLS will highlight all parts in a space using various colors denoting their function and state. The colors and functions are described as follows:
- Green: Livable part, where crew can reside (capsule for example)
- Yellow: Passable Part, or docking Port, Attached, Hatch Open
- Violet: Docking Port Docked, hatch Closed.
- Cyan: Docking Port Docked, Hatch Open
- Brown: Docking Port, Attached or unattached/undocked, Hatch Closed.
Image below (from Ship Manifest) shows many of the colors described above:
CLS and stock crew transfers
KSP provides for a means to transfer crew without EVA to another part on your vessel. Unfortunately it does not care if the parts are internally connected, so you can transfer crew "anywhere". For those that desire a more realistic experience, CLS overrides the stock transfer operation. If the source and target parts are NOT within the same "space", meaning they could not be reached internally according to CLS, then the transfer fails, and CLS notifies you that the parts are not in the same space.
If you do not want this behavior, you can disable it using the toggle at the top of the CLS window called: "Allow unrestricted crew transfers". Selecting this option will revert CLS to pure stock Crew transfer behavior.