Kerbal Space Program.

CrinkElite

I've been playing this for a while now, I came across it on youtube
unlike any flight sim I've ever played.

WARNING: The video uploader is funny but he has a bit of a foul mouth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHbW5O_zDIA

andy_g

haha just downloaded it and love it. only had one fatal crash feel bad for my minions.

CrinkElite

I have a science satellite orbiting Kerbin and one orbiting the mun, I also managed to land a plane on the north polar ice sheet. Many kerbins have made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of progress. My next goal is a manned mun mission or a geostatic satellite for Kerbin. I have no idea how to get to minmus

andy_g

just realised im only on the demo still fun though

CrinkElite

Yeah I played the demo for about a month before actually buying the full game. It's not a bad way to get to grips with the game as it's not as complex. It's only €18 though so it's well worth it. No DRM either.

Mr Benevolent

andy_g wrote: »

just realised im only on the demo still fun though

No DRM... *cough*

I've a nasty cough, sorry.

CrinkElite

Yeah but the project is still in development, If you get a lot of use out of it you should support it.

andy_g

CrinkElite wrote: »

Yeah but the project is still in development, If you get a lot of use out of it you should support it.

Yeah gunna buy it monday week as then all exams are finished in the scuba diving course

Mr Benevolent

Good program, a cross between sim and game, I could waste hours testing and retesting rockets. I like the use of humour and fictionalised planets, saves whining about map details etc.

CrinkElite

Confab wrote: »

Good program, a cross between sim and game, I could waste hours testing and retesting rockets. I like the use of humour and fictionalised planets, saves whining about map details etc.

I'm really loving the atmospheric flight. Finding the right sweet spot in terms of altitude vs. available air intake and pushing a jet to four or five times the speed of what you originally thought was possible is very rewarding. It's a tinkerers wet dream.

Mr Benevolent

CrinkElite wrote: »

I'm really loving the atmospheric flight. Finding the right sweet spot in terms of altitude vs. available air intake and pushing a jet to four or five times the speed of what you originally thought was possible is very rewarding. It's a tinkerers wet dream.

Have a look at the mods, there's a realistic aerodynamics mod in there too.

Mr Benevolent

Still working on this, my current project is to get to the moon and back, Apollo style (CM/SM & LM ascent/descent stages). There are plenty of rockets on KSP that do this, but it's more fun to build it myself. So far I've got it built, but it's way too bendy and becomes uncontrollable after about a minute of flight as the rocket turns into a fiery banana. It's a single stack rocket with 4 SRBs for liftoff, including ASAS etc.

Any ideas on how to sort the bending?

CrinkElite

Confab wrote: »

Still working on this, my current project is to get to the moon and back, Apollo style (CM/SM & LM ascent/descent stages). There are plenty of rockets on KSP that do this, but it's more fun to build it myself. So far I've got it built, but it's way too bendy and becomes uncontrollable after about a minute of flight as the rocket turns into a fiery banana. It's a single stack rocket with 4 SRBs for liftoff, including ASAS etc.

Any ideas on how to sort the bending?

I'd suggest putting a very small/light object into a Lunar orbit to start with. One of the probe chassis with a solar panel and the tiny fuel-tank/engine will give you valuable yardstick to aid future missions. A smaller payload will greatly reduce the size and complexity of your lifter stages.
Once you've achieved that you can begin to balance greater payload mass against required thrust/fuel.
If you don't know what a Gravity Turn or an Asparagus Stalk System is I'd suggest you google them.
ASAS may be causing your vessel to convulse, manual flight is trickier but it eliminates the wobbles in some situations. Oh and there's always the strut thingies in the structural tab, they provide good rigidity at a low mass cost but they do create significant air resistance.

ps. Time acceleration will cause problems with physics calculations when flying within the atmosphere and should only be used outside the atmosphere.

andy_g

new demo is out and have to say, im well impressed

CrinkElite

Yeah the full version got a token update to coincide with the updated demo release.
Thankfully they fixed some very annoying bugs.

Cool video here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0c-gx03DpM

Mr Benevolent

Is there any way to transfer the scenarios\rockets from 18.0 to 18.4?

CrinkElite

If you copy over the saves folder from the earlier install you seem to get the kerbal universe in it's current state.
Your orbiting ships and ongoing flights will be selectable/flyable from the tracking center.

This does not copy your previously saved designs though.

I'm sure they're there somewhere but I didn't need them so I didn't bother looking

Mr Benevolent

CrinkElite wrote: »

If you copy over the saves folder from the earlier install you seem to get the kerbal universe in it's current state.
Your orbiting ships and ongoing flights will be selectable/flyable from the tracking center.

This does not copy your previously saved designs though.

I'm sure they're there somewhere but I didn't need them so I didn't bother looking

Thanks. Got a very heavy space station into orbit in one go last night, very pleased! Just as well I put a backup propulsion system on it though, the thrust from the biggest engine broke the main system off when I lit it for circularisation! Now to get another two up there and dock the three of 'em...

BeardySi

Damn you all....




I can't stop playing this....

andy_g

Getting ready to place a tv satalite in kerbin orbit and my space station grrr addictive game.

And i wonder why people are saying im not active modding my forums :O

BeardySi

Woohoo! first Mun mission accomplished with no fatalities and (just enough fuel)

andy_g

there updating the game today so see what it is

Mr Benevolent

Tried a rescue mission last night. A lunar lander got stuck on the Mun (not enough fuel to get back into Munar orbit) Decided to build another lander with the docking port on the bottom of the lander, to dock with the crippled lander. Well, land on top of it.

Turns out that hovering on the Mun is hard, and docking in a hover is nearly impossible. Finally docked well after reaching min return fuel, got to 500m and ran out of fuel. Boom. Oh well. Switching to KSP 19 tonight anyway.

BeardySi

Aye downloaded the update last night but not had a chance to play it...

Apparently it's backwards compatible, so earlier saves (and kerbals needing rescuing) can cross over...

Looking forward to the rovers, I'd just stared designing one after spotting a one of the Mun's easter eggs from orbit, so that should make life easier!

andy_g

yay so some of the downloads on spaceport will work. Well Kerbal tv 1 on is on a outter solar obit after trying to correct it its going out by tyloo i think it is then spinning back on a crash course to kerbin in a few years

Im downloading the update now dont forget to get the updated patcher.

Also the new version has atmosphere effects too so will be interesting to see

Mr Benevolent

Gah, trying to send an LM/CSM combo to the moon and keep running out of fuel! Am even using the RCS to get me into lunar orbit, still running out!

Actually just had a thought - monopropellant rockets, will download the pack and use them with the spare RCS fuel to get me into Munar orbit, then use the abort package to get me out. Risky, but better than leaving Jeb & his mates stranded in orbit.

andy_g

Confab wrote: »

Gah, trying to send an LM/CSM combo to the moon and keep running out of fuel! Am even using the RCS to get me into lunar orbit, still running out!

Actually just had a thought - monopropellant rockets, will download the pack and use them with the spare RCS fuel to get me into Munar orbit, then use the abort package to get me out. Risky, but better than leaving Jeb & his mates stranded in orbit.

Then ya can mount a rescue mission

BeardySi

Have been experimenting with trying to lift 5 orange tanks into orbit at once...

Bang happened....

Vandekyrian

i used to play ksp, good game, must get back into it. 0.19 looks a lot better then 0.14

andy_g

Treadhead wrote: »

Have been experimenting with trying to lift 5 orange tanks into orbit at once...

Bang happened....

If you reinforce them they should work i have managed to do it, Although i had pollution activists called Kerbal peace blockade my launch pad today ceasing all launch activities while we upgrade security

Vandekyrian

andy_g wrote: »

If you reinforce them they should work i have managed to do it, Although i had pollution activists called Kerbal peace blockade my launch pad today ceasing all launch activities while we upgrade security

accidentlly drop a fully fuelled rrocket on them, thatll learn em

andy_g

Vandekyrian wrote: »

accidentlly drop a fully fuelled rrocket on them, thatll learn em

Too tempting wait till i install a atomic reactor then they will riot :O

BeardySi

andy_g wrote: »

If you reinforce them they should work i have managed to do it, Although i had pollution activists called Kerbal peace blockade my launch pad today ceasing all launch activities while we upgrade security

Have just about got it up, I have to baby he throttles to keep it all from falling apart (decouplers seem to have gotten weaker in 0.19)... It picked up a spin as the outer stages came away (they were the ones with the winglets for the lower atmo) - probably due to unequal drag somewhere in the strutting, by the time I'd corrected with RCS (lot of mass for those wee thrusters) I was well past AP and coming back down :mad:

Will get there yet! Have added more inner winglets and RCS on the outmost stages to give it a bit more leverage if needed, just hop it doesn't tear it all apart!

andy_g

if you use the larger sas or asas it hould correct the spin other option is sort the spin out last and get your orbit set up

andy_g

Time to explore the mun and set up a space base

Mr Benevolent

andy_g wrote: »

Time to explore the mun and set up a space base

Did that yesterday, launched a space station with legs and landed it on the Mun. A LOT of Kerbals died in the process. Especially when I forgot they were in the other refueller spacecraft when I jettisoned it. Splat.

andy_g

Mr Benevolent wrote: »

Did that yesterday, launched a space station with legs and landed it on the Mun. A LOT of Kerbals died in the process. Especially when I forgot they were in the other refueller spacecraft when I jettisoned it. Splat.

Lol hey they knew what they signed up for im trying to fix my staging to get it right

BeardySi

Got it lifted and docked! replaced all the orange tanks in my boosters with 2 grey ones and it worked first time...

Unfortunately I managed to swipe one of my solar arrays in the process so I'm having to send up a new (and improved) version.

Still, live and learn I suppose, I've started fitting brakes on my heavy tugs for moving big bits (8 small radial engines facing forwards, toggled on and off with action groups) - took a wee bit of getting used to (mainly remembering to check which engines were active before applying throttle) but it works a dream!

Mr Benevolent

andy_g wrote: »

Lol hey they knew what they signed up for im trying to fix my staging to get it right

How are you building your base? One rocket at a time to the Mun, dock them all and land, or are you sending one really big rocket with everything on it?

andy_g

Mr Benevolent wrote: »

How are you building your base? One rocket at a time to the Mun, dock them all and land, or are you sending one really big rocket with everything on it?

Using the H.O.M.E add on from kerbal spaceport but one ship at a time first one is manned once that's in place i'll use unmanned to get there. plus i have the kethane mod so i can mine it

Mr Benevolent

That HOME addon seems interesting, I'll give it a try. Has anyone gone to Eve yet? Thinking of sending an unkerballed probe/rover there, but I really need to improve my planning to make sure I have everything on the probe/lander beforehand and have the feckin' delta V to get there in the first place. Think a test mission in Kerbin orbit is a good idea to test lander/rover separation & controllability, aerobraking into orbit, engine suitability etc. I want to avoid the nuclear rocket option and make it fairly realistic, although the ion engine is an option.

Any ideas/advice? I use MechJeb for Munar landings but don't think that will work for Eve.

CrinkElite

Mr Benevolent wrote: »

That HOME addon seems interesting, I'll give it a try. Has anyone gone to Eve yet? Thinking of sending an unkerballed probe/rover there, but I really need to improve my planning to make sure I have everything on the probe/lander beforehand and have the feckin' delta V to get there in the first place. Think a test mission in Kerbin orbit is a good idea to test lander/rover separation & controllability, aerobraking into orbit, engine suitability etc. I want to avoid the nuclear rocket option and make it fairly realistic, although the ion engine is an option.

Any ideas/advice? I use MechJeb for Munar landings but don't think that will work for Eve.

Getting there is not the problem. Landing and returning however would require large scale planning and extra terrestrial infrastructure. Send the probe first so you know what you're dealing with.

andy_g

i dont use mechjeb but then i like to fly manually or with sas or send a probe with the isa mapsat

Mr Benevolent

andy_g wrote: »

i dont use mechjeb but then i like to fly manually or with sas or send a probe with the isa mapsat

Mechjeb does make things a lot easier. Astronauts never had to do the transfer calculations, point the spacecraft or fly the rocket into orbit themselves, Kerbonauts shouldn't have to do it either. My jobs are Grand Designer, Overseer, Mission Controller and Chief Explosives Expert.

Edit:

Anyone used this KSP app for Android yet? Seems to be good for transfer orbits.

BeardySi

Has anyone else noticed KSP demanding a LOT more memory after installing mechjeb? It peaked at a little over 2.2GB during my last launch (which was a fairly modest Duna probe)...

In other news MAPSAT-M II is currently mapping away to get me a luvverly map of Duna, MAPSAT-M I is currently a smoking heap in the middle of a new crater on Duna after running out of fuel at a very inopportune moment... (KSP obviously borrowed NASA boffins for that one)...

andy_g

Treadhead wrote: »

Has anyone else noticed KSP demanding a LOT more memory after installing mechjeb? It peaked at a little over 2.2GB during my last launch (which was a fairly modest Duna probe)...

In other news MAPSAT-M II is currently mapping away to get me a luvverly map of Duna, MAPSAT-M I is currently a smoking heap in the middle of a new crater on Duna after running out of fuel at a very inopportune moment... (KSP obviously borrowed NASA boffins for that one)...

Theres a new mapsat? oooohhhh me wanty is it in spaceport?

BeardySi

Nope, no new version, I'm still using the one for 0.18 - works lovely

Mr Benevolent

Treadhead wrote: »

Nope, no new version, I'm still using the one for 0.18 - works lovely

The comments for MapSat say that it's have a lot of problems with 19, have you seen any slowdowns? I want to get one each around Eve and Duna prior to a rover mission.

Speaking of rovers, has anyone got a rover design they like for landing on Duna? I've downloaded a few and they tend to fall over or the descent gets screwed up (all tested suborbitally on Kerbin).

How did your MapSat hit Duna? Ran out of fuel after the aerobrake manoeuvre?

BeardySi

Was heading for Duna with a periapsis set to burn up my interplanetary stage in the atmosphere, decoupled and realised I'd forgotten to turn off fuel crossfeed so the sat's tanks were dry, ran out of RCS trying to boost back up

One redesign later (more RCS and a stack separator rather than a docking port - to hell with recoverable satellites!) and I've got a sat in orbit...

Hmm, I've been getting slowdown on launches until I've dropped off the first couple of stages - have been thinking it was mechjeb related as I really only noticed it after I installed that (the day after mapsat) but it could be mapsat I suppose. Once in orbit I've had not problems at all...

Mr Benevolent

Treadhead wrote: »

Was heading for Duna with a periapsis set to burn up my interplanetary stage in the atmosphere, decoupled and realised I'd forgotten to turn off fuel crossfeed so the sat's tanks were dry, ran out of RCS trying to boost back up

One redesign later (more RCS and a stack separator rather than a docking port - to hell with recoverable satellites!) and I've got a sat in orbit...

Hmm, I've been getting slowdown on launches until I've dropped off the first couple of stages - have been thinking it was mechjeb related as I really only noticed it after I installed that (the day after mapsat) but it could be mapsat I suppose. Once in orbit I've had not problems at all...

Sounds like the slowdown is the MapSat problem alright. Never had any issues with Mechjeb other then when I accidentally turned off overclocking on my PC.

On the RCS issue there's a Salyut addon that has radial RCS mini engines - brilliant as a rocket engine backup as they use RCS fuel. It's saved Jeb on more than one occasion. I now take at least two big tanks of RCS fuel.

BeardySi

My problem with RCS is remembering to turn it off after use, on more than one occasion I've found that ASAS adjustments have drained me dry while I wasn't minding....

btw, I can't help but hear your posts in Anthony Head's voice in my head.... thanks for that! :P