Gaming The Kerbal Space Program - Version 1.2.x

[Codz]

Loads of fun and an excellent job so far. I've picked up a couple addons to add more modules, but they seem overall lower quality/more difficult to use than the built-in stuff.

I have actually found the opposite to be true. Most of the higher quality addons make things much easier/interesting in my opinion.

 

[Hielor]

I have actually found the opposite to be true. Most of the higher quality addons make things much easier/interesting in my opinion.

Can you give an example? I was trying to maintain "realism" with respect to the default modules and not go for ridiculously overpowered things, so I grabbed Nova Punch and the kw Challennge Pack. One of them has an escape tower that gives zero thrust (apparently) if there's anything between it and the capsule, which means you have to parachute down with the tower still attached...

Maybe I just tried the bad stuff first, but overall I was fairly unimpressed.

 

[NovaSilisko]

Can you give an example? I was trying to maintain "realism" with respect to the default modules and not go for ridiculously overpowered things, so I grabbed Nova Punch and the kw Challennge Pack. One of them has an escape tower that gives zero thrust (apparently) if there's anything between it and the capsule, which means you have to parachute down with the tower still attached...

Maybe I just tried the bad stuff first, but overall I was fairly unimpressed.

Might I recommend my packs Silisko Edition and Probodobodyne? The former is an attempt at rebalancing and expanding the game to more realistic values and feel, while the latter is a satellite construction kit.

NovaPunch is a smushed together, somewhat-messy version of one of my old packs and someone else's. kw Challenger is balanced around stock parts, which is a huge problem in itself...

 

[Hielor]

Might I recommend my packs Silisko Edition and Probodobodyne? The former is an attempt at rebalancing and expanding the game to more realistic values and feel, while the latter is a satellite construction kit.

NovaPunch is a smushed together, somewhat-messy version of one of my old packs and someone else's. kw Challenger is balanced around stock parts, which is a huge problem in itself...

I'll give those a try tonight, thanks!

 

[astrosammy]

And KW is oversized. 3 MB per part, causing minutes of loading. Default parts have around 0.8 MB per part. Loading parts at game start isn't good IMHO.
Maybe use thumbnails and only load the parts when used? (And add a tool to create thumbnails to KSP? I just hate that FSX addons that have none or strange ones.)

I might try Silisko Edition and Probodobobodobodobodobododyne soon... :lol:

 

[Codz]

Can you give an example? I was trying to maintain "realism" with respect to the default modules and not go for ridiculously overpowered things, so I grabbed Nova Punch and the kw Challennge Pack. One of them has an escape tower that gives zero thrust (apparently) if there's anything between it and the capsule, which means you have to parachute down with the tower still attached...

Maybe I just tried the bad stuff first, but overall I was fairly unimpressed.

Have you tried Moach's escape tower? It works with the parachute in place under it so the tower can be jettisoned later.

http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=2552.msg24863#msg24863

 

[Hielor]

Have you tried Moach's escape tower? It works with the parachute in place under it so the tower can be jettisoned later.

http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=2552.msg24863#msg24863

Looks interesting--how does that work with Silisko?

 

[Codz]

Looks interesting--how does that work with Silisko?

I believe they're compatible. :thumbup:

 

[Hielor]

First Mun trip (okay, well, second, the first one missed by a long shot). No planned landing (haven't exactly put together a lander yet, and it would be rather difficult with stock parts anyway), but slotted into a very low orbit (Ap 3km, Pe 750m) for some mapping and topographical imaging for a future Munar landing mission.

Is it possible to return the map view to focus on my vessel instead of a celestial body? It seems that once I double-clicked the Mun, I can only go back and forth between the Mun and Kerbin and can't get back to my ship.

Kerbinrise (and also a total solar eclipse):

 

[HarvesteR]

Is it possible to return the map view to focus on my vessel instead of a celestial body? It seems that once I double-clicked the Mun, I can only go back and forth between the Mun and Kerbin and can't get back to my ship.

Yeah, use the Tab key to switch focus objects in the map.

That's kind of an unfinished feature there :shifty:

Cheers

 

[astrosammy]

(haven't exactly put together a lander yet, and it would be rather difficult with stock parts anyway)

If you want to get down with stock parts, fins attached to radial decouplers work great.

 

[Hielor]

Yeah, use the Tab key to switch focus objects in the map.

That's kind of an unfinished feature there :shifty:

Cheers

Perfect, thanks!

It would also be nice if it were possible to save and come back, or at least check the commands list while in game...

I can tell that a lot of hard work has gone into this so far. Well done!

---------- Post added at 16:51 ---------- Previous post was at 16:20 ----------

So much for that mission--the universe ran out of memory ("too many heap sections" dialog popped up and the game stopped responding) after a couple Mun orbits...

Hope HASA (the Hielor Aeronautics and Space Administration?) doesn't get a reputation for sending one-way missions

 

[NovaSilisko]

If you want to get down with stock parts, fins attached to radial decouplers work great.

My pack has lander legs! :shifty:

 

[astrosammy]

I know. It just seems so "unaerodynamic"... :lol:

I'm waiting for later versions of KSP to really get into addons.

 

[Scruce]

Munar Rover's Adventures!

A KSP Forum user (deadshot462) posted a great tutorial on how to have a rover on the Mun.

Tutorial

Craft File (contains a readme the required addons and how to perform it).

 

[mojoey]

Currently, Mojo Aerospace have been working with the Kerbal Space Program to develop a working munar lander, needless to say, its been an 'explosive' past few weeks :lol:

 

[Hielor]

I was using the Silisko Edition for a few hours last night. It does seem to be better overall than the other two packs I've tried, although:
- The fuel transfer part has the arrows facing the wrong way, even though there's a comment in the part about the arrows facing the right way
- I seem to really suck at adding structural reinforcement. Sometimes the rocket's a bit wobbly between stages, so I try to use the strut connector, but then the rocket just ends up exploding on the pad. Is there a trick to this?
- Thanks for the tip on Moach's LES--it does seem to work somewhat better than the one from kw, but it only seems to work if there's nothing other than Moach's coupler 'chute and Moach's blast shield decoupler between it and the pod. If I put anything else there, it doesn't work. It's kind of a moot point anyway since there's no way to detach the stage without firing under normal circumstances but also be able to fire it in case of emergency, so it's really just for show now anyway
- What's the difference between the S.A.S. module and the advanced one? In stock, the advanced one was bigger, but with Silisko Edition, the advanced one is the same size&mass and doesn't show how much torque it gives...

Thanks for pointing me to those, if nothing else it makes stuff look a lot nicer

 

[NovaSilisko]

- Fuel transfer lines are backwards because I (nor harvester) updated the texture for them.
- Struts are also kinda weird, I've noticed that too.
- Advanced SAS controls things like winglets and engine gimbal, usually resulting in the destruction of your rocket. Only use it for small upper stages, if at all.

 

[silent_protagonist]

- I seem to really suck at adding structural reinforcement. Sometimes the rocket's a bit wobbly between stages, so I try to use the strut connector, but then the rocket just ends up exploding on the pad. Is there a trick to this?

I've noticed that over constraining parts can make things very unstable very quickly. The trick is to be very minimalist with them, use just enough to triangulate the part and no more. The struts are also still relatively flexible, and as far as I know they have no rotational strength at the connections, so you really do have to get a good angle with them to triangulate.

Hope that helps.

 

[Hielor]

I've noticed that over constraining parts can make things very unstable very quickly. The trick is to be very minimalist with them, use just enough to triangulate the part and no more. The struts are also still relatively flexible, and as far as I know they have no rotational strength at the connections, so you really do have to get a good angle with them to triangulate.

Hope that helps.

I'll give this a try, thanks.

- Fuel transfer lines are backwards because I (nor harvester) updated the texture for them.

Figured it was something like this, I just found it odd that the description specifically stated that the arrows were correct when they weren't :lol:

Guess I shouldn't take the descriptions seriously...

- Advanced SAS controls things like winglets and engine gimbal, usually resulting in the destruction of your rocket. Only use it for small upper stages, if at all.

Interesting, thanks. If I put one in an upper stage, will it also be used during lower stages? Is there a way to disable SAS modules until a certain point?