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Kerbal Space Program

Prime Junta

Guest
... okay so I've expanded from choppers into submarines, and the combined the two. I built the Kalypso, a BAK-68 fitted to carry, deploy, and recover an electric one-kerbal mini-submarine, the Navtilvs. This was one massive project as it turns out subs are harder than spaceships ... much harder, harder than SSTO spaceplanes or helicopters even.

d1OZZCI.jpg

tcpqbKd.jpg

8d9QIYC.jpg

o5rV5Kz.png
 

Prime Junta

Guest
All right, I further refined the Kosmokopter. Now she's able to operate on Duna -- and she'll fly you there from the KSC.

AC7zflg.jpg
 

Prime Junta

Guest
Switched to playing career. It's fun, the new Breaking Ground surface activities actually give rovers something to do which is rad. Career also really pushes your craft designs to be more practical -- I took a contract to scan a baobab and figured a small helicopter would be just the thing for locating and scanning one, so I built a more primitive version of my BAK-50. Attempting to actually use it for something rather than just buzzing around KSC quickly showed that it's annoyingly slow and requires an annoying amount of control input to fly less slowly. Moreover, I had to make a rotor out of more primitive parts, and it turned out it actually behaves better than the fancier one I had made in sandbox mode. So I added adjustable tilt to the rotor and now the chopper cruises at 30 m/s with minimal input. It's really perfect for scouting out surface features on Kerbin, much nicer than a rover which will crash a lot if attempting to drive it over 20 m/s, plus you have visibility from the air.

GCPqFMK.png


In my sandbox I made a solar-powered tilt rotor for Eve. It survives atmospheric entry, has unlimited daytime endurance, and cruises at 55 m/s (90 m/s on Kerbin). It'll carry a couple of kerbals and/or a probe/science payload. Once I unlock a few more nodes I fully intend to use that on a career mission.

MjIUtcX.png


Really this DLC has unlocked the full potential of the game. There's finally a point to going places, and to building rovers and aircraft.
 

Prime Junta

Guest
All right, I made a fully reusable -- in theory -- orbital shuttle for Eve, capable of carrying one kerbal to orbit from Eve sea level. Holyfuckingshit was this hard.

It's, you guessed it, a helicopter. It flies up to 26 km altitude on rotor power, then lights up its Vector to get onto a parabolic trajectory peaking at over 60 km. Then it releases the orbiter which flies to orbit. Do it quickly -- there is enough dV to waste a bit on a sub-optimal burn -- and you'll be able to switch back to the lifter, make a few adjustments, and watch it gently autorotate itself down to a soft landing.

Then all you need to do is figure out how to refuel it, lift the orbiter back onto its nose, and do a second round.

Going up:
IerOvED.png


Payload delivered to orbit:
IXVREFn.png


Coming down:
bHWehuZ.png


Landed:
E91mnBy.png
 

Riel

Arcane
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
1,357
Location
Itaca
How's the last expansion? Does it add a healthy amount of content to Campaign mode?
 

Prime Junta

Guest
How's the last expansion? Does it add a healthy amount of content to Campaign mode?

Hell yes. Surface features on every body, missions related to them, parts that make all kinds of wacky stuff possible. Rovers finally have real career uses, you can make aircraft that work on Eve plus have reasons to fly them, and so on. Bugs and various QoL warts and all, they hit it out of the park. I was pretty much done with KSP, but BG re-lit the fire.

I made an Eve sea-level to orbit lifter for one kerbal with a take-off mass of less than 6 tons. All it took was some 60 hours of experimentation and tuning.
 

Drax

Arcane
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Messages
10,986
Location
Silver City, Southern Lands
Kerbal Space Program 1.7.3 is live!

In this patch we focused on taking care of additional details of both 1.7 and the Breaking Ground Expansion. We’ve fixed nearly 40 bugs for this patch, and we added brand new features based on your feedback as well as some other elements to enhance the KSP experience. With substantial improvements to the KAL-1000 Track Editor, and the addition of new parts like true propellers, grip pads and turbine engines, we can't wait to see what crazy contraptions you will come up with!

Check out this patch's Changelog for further details:

1.7.3 Changelog - BaseGame ONLY (see below for Breaking Ground changelog)

+++ Improvements
* Added same vessel part collisions advanced tweakable.
* Adjusted KerbalEVA Action messages to be above center screen.
* Made KerbalEVA screen position configurable via Game Settings - EVA_SCREEN_MESSAGE_X,EVA_SCREEN_MESSAGE_Y
* Add ability to switch secondary docking ports (docked) to primary via the PAW.
* Add advanced tweakable to docking ports that allows the user to set the attraction force percentage as they are docking.
* Convert same vessel docking connections to real docked connections whenever the vessel undocks or decouples elsewhere on the vessel.
* Remove from symmetry functionality added to all parts.
* Add capability for text entry on float fields in the Part Action Window.
* Clear some references on returning to the main menu to release memory.
* Add ExternalCmdSeat Ejection Force (advanced tweakable).
* Add Leave Seat KSPAction.

+++ Localization
* Fix Contracts using Greek alphabet from failing to display when game set to Russian Language.
+++ Bug Fixes
* Fix maneuver node tabs being interactable in flight mode even when tabs are hidden.
* Fix temperature renderer messing with child part renderer parameters.
* Fix EVA portrait when launching a vessel with Kerbal in external command seat.
* Fix kerbal highlighting during mouse over.
* Fix radiator panels not rotating properly.
* Fix loss of axis and extended action group data when copying parts in the editor.
* Fix assigned action/axis bindings not highlighting in action group editor when action sets are enabled.
* Fix part positioning errors on vessel spawning far from Unity Origin.

+++ Mods
* Part class now has isVesselEVA property which handles when vessel is null.
* Add ability to override default flow mode on ModuleResource.
* Add activeEditor attribute to BaseAction to allow these to be disabled.
* Add GameEvent onPartActionNumericSlider when Numeric Slider button is pressed on a PAW.
* Add GameEvent onSceneConfirmExit, runs after user input to leave scene prior to FlightState saving.

1.7.3 Changelog - Breaking Ground 1.2.0 DLC ONLY

+++ Improvements
* Deployed Science Parts will appear under Deployed Science filter and have map nodes if not connected to a Control Station.
* Add Seismic Science Screen Message even if in sandbox game mode.
* Add grip pad Parts.
* Add Propeller Parts.
* Add LF/Air Rotors.
* Add Nose Cones.
* Changed compound part editor behavior to follow robotic parts.
* Changed Rotor Torque to now affect strength and not RPM.
* Re-balanced all rotors.
* Add Extra animations for interacting with Deployed Science.
* Add Surface Features VFX - apply forces.
* Add Kerbal taking rock sample animation.
* Add priority value to KAL - highest priority wins, equal priorities the values are averaged
* Add ability to assign axes controls to KAL.
* Add axis Functions to KAL: Move Up, Move Down, Copy/Paste Row, flip Axis vertical/horizontal, align ends, clamp values.
* Add resize/scale function to KAL.
* Add play speed slider.
* Add additional KSPActions for all servos - engage, disengage, lock, unlock, etc.
* Add shadows LOD settings on Surface Features.

+++ Localization
* Fix for piston showing variant names in English for all languages.
* Fix Action Groups KSPedia page in Japanese.

+++ Parts
New Parts with Variants
* GP-004 Grip Pad.
* GP-036 Grip Pad.
* GP-156 Grip Pad.
* GPS-025 Grip Strip.
* GPS-156 Grip Strip.
* EM-16S Light Duty Rotor.
* EM-32S Standard Rotor.
* EM-64S Heavy Duty Rotor.
* R121 Turboshaft Engine.
* R7000 Turboshaft Engine.
* Propeller Blade Type A.
* Propeller Blade Type B.
* Propeller Blade Type S.
* Helicopter Blade Type A.
* Helicopter Blade Type B.
* Helicopter Blade Type S.
* Tiny Nose Cone.
* Very Small Nose Cone.
* Fixed 36P Hydraulic Cylinder colliders.

+++ Bug Fixes
* Fix kerbal transfer being blocked by scanner arm.
* Fix input locks on EVA kerbals if they ragdoll whilst playing the deployed science part interaction animation.
* Fix EVA kerbals speed when they interact with a deployed science part whilst running or walking.
* Fix Science Completed percentage on deployed science experiment PAWs when they are deployed in an invalid situation.
* Fix Deployed Science experiments continuing to generate science after their Control Station is terminated in the tracking station.
* Fix pistons not starting in correct position at launch when locked in the editor.
* Fix collecting Surface Features failing due to kerbal movement caused by animation.
* Fix excessive EC draw by scanner arm when time warping.
* Fix hinge rotation when using mirror symmetry.
* Fix piston drag not changing as extension changes.
* Fix Deployed Science parts appearing too high above the surface in some situations.
* Fix WCoM math of parts with servo rigidbodies.
* Fix SAS cancelling angular velocity of rotors.
* Fix Robotic Parts Resource information in extended tooltips.
* Fix EVA kerbal speed when interacting with Deployed Science parts.
* Fix default science display in Deployed Science Experiments in invalid experiment situation.
* Fix default 3P6 Hydraulic Cylinder has a noticeable gap when attaching parts to it.
* Fix misspelled word in the description of the Grand Slam Passive Seismometer.
* Fix texture seams are present on Hydraulic Cylinders, Pistons and Servos.
* Fix an NRE is generated when pausing the title at the Space Center after crashing a vessel with a Deployed Seismometer.
* Fix keyboard keys still manipulate gameplay when changing the name of the Track Editor of the Kal-1000 in flight mode and the Editors.
* Fix Geyser and Cryovolcano force is not synced with audio and particles.
* Fix deployed science parts missing 3rd animation.
* Fix Kerbals lose their ROC-hammer after quick loading.
* Fix PQ celestial bodies shadow casting option is not enabled when "Celestial bodies cast shadows" setting is on.
* Fix Rotors not able to reach maximum RPM when un-motorized/motor disabled.
* Fix KAL controlling parts across vessel.
* Fix KAL controller being affected by space bar.
* Fix stage manager display having empty headers in Chinese.
* Fix kerbal Ragdoll with future suits when they stumble.
* Fix rotor joints when node attaching parts to rotors.

+++ Miscellaneous
* Added colliders to the Communotron Ground HG-48 dish.
* Added unfocused capability to CtrlSurface PAW to reinstate easy access for KrakenTech.

+++ Modding
* Changed servo current values (extension/position/angle) to be float fields for mod support.
 

Riel

Arcane
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
1,357
Location
Itaca
Another question: Was something done about parts entering the atmosphere uncontrolled by player being destroyed automatically if the were to far from controlled ship? I.e. can you make reusable boosters etc.
 

Prime Junta

Guest
Another question: Was something done about parts entering the atmosphere uncontrolled by player being destroyed automatically if the were to far from controlled ship? I.e. can you make reusable boosters etc.

Nope, that's considered a feature not a bug as bloody annoying/limiting as it is. You still can't switch craft while flying in the atmosphere/moving across terrain either. I.e. you still need a mod for that, or to design your launch systems so the lower stages fly high enough you can switch back to them after the upper stages are safely in orbit.
 

Riel

Arcane
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
1,357
Location
Itaca
I think I have been just the target of a bad joke....


My mission was to position a satellite in geosynchronous orbit around Dunna. Ok, so I get a satellite there in a good interception orbit to get to my target orbit, everything seams to be going seamlessly until I realize a couple of things:

1: Ike is in geosynchronous orbit around Dunna
2: My target orbit is a geosynchronous orbit around Dunna only in reverse direction....

So that orbit is doomed to crash into Ike....



Unless I am missing something this mission is impossible...
 

Prime Junta

Guest
You only need to maintain stability for 10 seconds. So this isn’t impossible. Unlike, say, “Gather scientific information from the surface of the Sun” that someone apparently got...
 

Riel

Arcane
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
1,357
Location
Itaca
Yep you are right, I thought the orbit didn't count as stable because it was interrupted by IKE's impending encounter (CRASH) but the thing is that because Ikke's SOI encounter point prevented the full orbit to be displayed I had to go just with a tiny part of it drawn, and it did look like it was a match with target orbit but not quite, after a little bit more tweaking I actually managed to make it count as "stable", if you consider stable a crash doomed trajectory stable ofc, but I guess those Kerbals don't mind that....

Good news is I had enough fuel to to prevent the crash by going to a lower altitude orbit and leave the sat as a back up Com repeater around Dunna. That said it's not going to be a any good until I position another better Relay around Dunna since I did all that manoeuvring on a measly 4% signal strength, Antenna is a shitty RA-2.
 

Riel

Arcane
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
1,357
Location
Itaca
KSP 2 might have been announced but doesn't mean we can't play KSP any more! I took a break from KSP but I kept slowly planning my next step, now that I have two ComSats around Duna it's time to go back there, but this time we are not sending probes, we are sending a full manned expedition with the idea that we will be able to bring them back... hopefully. While for some of the pros in this thread this is nothing it is going to be a new mile stone for me so bow to me, or at least don't laugh too hard :P

This story starts around MinMus, more precisely at EE MinMus in orbit of said moon, originally it was a research station, now there's also a refinery that can make fuel from MinMus ores, obviously I plan to refuel here so the first step is to design and launch all the different ships of Duna expedition and dock them there to refuel and grouping up.


Yes with so many things attached to each other the thing looks like it can snap at any moment, very kerbal-like.

Appart from the old ships of MinMus mission you can see:
Duna Station: A lab, coms, fuel tank, docking ports and a Refinery(*)
Duna Lander: A big ship for three kerbals and a full assortment of science toys designed to be able to land and go back to Duna Stations... hopefully.
Ike Miner: Drills, solar panels, little refinery, ore tanks and even science stuff to get the ore and the science in one go (*)
Fuel Transport: An automated ship that is basically a self propelled fuel tank. You know I think I know what I am doing but... I don't want to get a ship stranded just short of a few hundred m/s dV so if that happens hopefully I can refuel it with this.
ComSat Ike II: This SAT has a huge RA-100 and Survey Scanner, it will act as supplementary COM and Scan Ikke. (Not in the picture it's so small it doesn't need to refuel.

(*) I'll go ahead and say it Ike Refinery is an steaming pile of extravaganza and barely functional. It weights a shit ton which makes it expensive but according to Flight Engineer it should have worked, only that FE doesn't take into account ORE WEIGHT!! After I tried the thing in MinMus it barely could lift off when fully loaded becuase the TWR rather than 6.5 was 1.6... Given that Ike has higher gravity it would need to fly at mid load to even lift off making the profitability of the trip doubtful, in the end I decided to use the old MinMus refinery and leave Ike Miner behind, at least this one is powered by a Poodle and boasts a higher TWR, you really have to wonder wtf I was thinking when designing that extravaganza putting on it a single Terrier and 8 tiny engines to reinforce it, with a Poodle it would have been just fine.

Just in case we try the Duna Lander, because you know sometimes I am stupid... besides planting 3 flags will level up some crew fresh from KS Centre and fulfil a minor contract to make some money.


This time there were no surprises and the ship worked and ended the mission with plenty spare fuel, good thing since landing on Duna is a lot more demanding.

With all possible test completed and with a sense of impending failure it was time to depart.


The three different main ships as they drift away of EE MinMus, Godspeed kerbals.

The plan is for the 4 ships to travel close to each other in the same transfer window, orbit at Duna, go to Ike, and rendezvous in Ike's orbit to begin refuelling operations. The Survey Satellite will hopefully avoid that last stage and instead park itself in its target polar orbit right away. I will save you the details of the trip since it was uneventful and more tedious than exciting, every node had to be place 4 times, all nodes had to be fine tuned afterwards to make sure we didn't end orbiting in an stupid orbit such as a polar orbit or reverse turning direction. The first two ships to arrive at Duna were Duna Lander and MinMus Refinery, these were the less problematic since they had a very generous fuel surplus, while Duna Station and ComSat Ike were OK, they had little room for mistakes, this time luck was with me and as I was creating the nodes for Duna Station to orbit Duna something strange happened. An Ike encounter appeared!! Yay! And the same Happened with ComSat close by. This wasn't necessary, and fine-tuning the nodes to ensure I didn't end in absurd orbit around Ike was laborious but I saved a couple hundred m/s dV by going directly to Ike's orbit with just a fly by past Duna.


Amazing no ship lost in outer space!! The hardest part is over. (Did I mention how my attempt at positioning a ComSat at Moho ended in a speed run by it??)

And finally: VICTORY:


Man what I love the most about KSP is that it forces me to pay attention and sometimes is even tiring, but that only means when you succeed it's worth something.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Feb 20, 2018
Messages
999
I love the spirit of experimentation KSP breeds. If you keep a positive mental attitude about things you end up accomplishing things you think are impossible. I ended up landing on the Mun. Which I thought I'd never be able to do. And then so on till you end up making bases and colonies. Really fun stuff.
 

Prime Junta

Guest
I'm mildly hyped about KSP2. Mostly because I did not see it coming, I expected KSP to slowly fade into dignified retirement as the publisher milks the fanbase for another DLC or two. My main hope is that they'll fix the stuff that couldn't be fixed in KSP 1, such as the garbage collection stuttering, poor physics scaling to large part counts, and impossibility to actually park something so that it doesn't drift. I dare to hope they will actually do this now that they're allowed to break back compatibility.

Anyone know if the new Unity is less shit than the old Unity, or the same with more shit added on top?
 

dbx

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
3,877
I'm mildly hyped about KSP2. Mostly because I did not see it coming, I expected KSP to slowly fade into dignified retirement as the publisher milks the fanbase for another DLC or two. My main hope is that they'll fix the stuff that couldn't be fixed in KSP 1, such as the garbage collection stuttering, poor physics scaling to large part counts, and impossibility to actually park something so that it doesn't drift. I dare to hope they will actually do this now that they're allowed to break back compatibility.

Anyone know if the new Unity is less shit than the old Unity, or the same with more shit added on top?

Resource management is better if you're good at using Unity. The default behavior should be similar to old Unity though.

There's some in game footage here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uqpdoFCOMM
 

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