KSP General + community project

[Kippershy]

So, here's a KSP thread! I feel we've been lacking it since I know at least a few of the members have played it / still play it, and now it's out on steam (and has been for a while) there's even more reason for a thread about it!
So, here it is. the KSP thread. Talk about your stories, your experiences and all sorts of things to do with KSP!

While I'm at it, I also have a proposition for anyone who may be interested -- is anyone feeling a community project, where we build a space station together?
Of course, the lack of co-op makes this a little annoying, but it can be done!
All it takes is uploading the savegame file and placing it into your folder to copy all of the data from one person to the next.
Hell, not even that... we could in theory simply make a post with the text file for the persistent data & quicksave data (the stuff that matters) into a spoiler post and do it that way!

If anyone is interested, I'd really like to do something like that.
The only thing is to figure out if we use MechJeb (a really, REALLY handy mod) or not. MechJeb is a lightweight addition that adds a lot of piloting assistance for things like prograde, retrograde, relative speeds, orbital operations to make circularising a damn breeze and so on.
Those functions don't have to be used, but they're so damn handy when you're trying to dock two units together. To not use MechJeb in any form at all is to play an FPS and say that you have to manually reload the gun bullet by bullet - it doesn't shoot the targets for you unless you specifically set it up to do so, it just helps you do things.



If anyone is interested, let me know!

Edit: Original state of the project (no attachments, the ship looks like pic related) folder is available for download here: https://www.box.com/s/iu86azo6qin3v2ari2w4

Starting state:


Designed with maximum accessibility in mind. There's nowhere you can't dock a ship to at the moment, and with ease too!
It doesn't have any SAS capabilities, but it works. It can rotate itself as needed mind you, so there's that much to it.
Each side contains one of my own design FeMale™ Docking ports each with 6 batteries for clear line of sight no matter time of day/side of the planet!

Additions since: (once they're added)

Spoiler:

[StoneSlinger88]

We could give it a try. I might have to wait until finals and classes are done with sometime next week, though.

[Kippershy]

That'd be cool.
Do you have/know of MechJeb?

I mean, my space stations rarely if ever actually have any MechJeb parts on them come the "finished" stage (of being in orbit/docked up) but I have no idea how the game would handle a save game that includes any parts that aren't on the other persons list.

I could do it to be a "smart bomb" so the debris destroys itself, but that only works when orbiting Kerbin or the Mun really.

[StoneSlinger88]

I have heard of it, but haven't downloaded it yet.

[Moodyman90]

Despite not having the game or have played it, I fully support this thread and the ideas in it.

[Kippershy]

What I'm going to do is set up a community project save game, won't need to use MechJeb on the first part and in theory, it shouldn't be essential for anyone else to have it either as long as there's no MechJeb (or other non stock) parts attached to the station, but we'll see.

For anyone considering joining in, I really cannot recommend MechJeb enough because it really does make a difference in how much you're capable of doing. I mean, it's not a case of doing it for you, but the additional information it gives you and the ASAS turning system is a godsend.

[Kippershy]

Anyone know of a good fileshare site? I can't think of any.

[Cptadder]

Anyone know of a good fileshare site? I can't think of any.

Box.net is good for small scale transfers (50megs or less)

[Kippershy]

Thanks dude!

[Kippershy]

So, to start the project, here is the link!
https://www.box.com/s/iu86azo6qin3v2ari2w4


I'll add it to the OP.

[StoneSlinger88]

I found our theme song.

[Kippershy]

This is my Mun space station.


This is the data feed of my 2nd Kerbin space station


And in the sunlight, without the UI.


...My plan?
You see all those engines on the Kerbin space station? The one with all the data feeds?

...They're newly attached.
The big question is do I think I need to refuel the fucker before I make that meet this:



By transporting it from Kerbin orbit (250k) to Mun orbit (30k)

[StoneSlinger88]

Just make sure you have enough for docking procedures. Don't want to run out of fuel attempting to dock two spacestations.

[Harmony Ltd.]

Are you preparing for some kind of deep space mission ?

[Kippershy]

That IS an idea, but probably not feasible when I attach the two space stations together.
I mean, it's possible that it'd work... I am using quantum struts to increase the likelyhood of survival, but still..

I will do a deep space mission with a station. Perhaps even around the sun?
Or around Eeloo.
But I'm thinking that putting a space station around an extremely far away planet would be a big challenge.

[Harmony Ltd.]

A deep space spaceship is just a space station with motors attached to it.

By the way, if you're afraid of dislocating your station with vibration and acceleration of big engines, maybe you could use ion / electric engines instead ? Or some other kind of low-thrust / long duration burns motors.

[Kippershy]

I'm actually using an XL version of the atomic motor.
It's still only 150ISP so there's little threat of it falling apart everywhere under that - while also remaining very efficient.

Nah, my issue is if I make a DSSS is the amount of fuel it would most likely take AND the ability to dock new craft onto it would be reduced.
Mind you, I've got a habit of not using the atomic motors so if I started doing that, I could probably continue to make attachments even in deep space.

[Kippershy]

After getting my ship to the mun, I realised I had a problem...
There was only one side to dock it on, and that would make things... close to impossible.

So what did I do? I did the only thing I could!



I made it into two different docking procedures, one with its own power, one without.
(Which ended up making things very complicated and frustrating in the end, but we'll move onto that later)

First up was the left hand segment. The one with engines.



As you'd expect, that was mostly easy, or, as easy as it gets putting two stations together when your FPS drops to 9.
Still, it worked without too much trouble.



There it is. After some fine tuning and a lot of work, we're about to get it on.
This stage took forever because I'm not used to flying such large objects in hoping to dock them to such small ones, especially not without my docking engine design that means I don't have to actually change what way I'm facing to decrease relative velocity when heading straight for it.
This was the hard part.



And eventually, it worked.
It docked immediately in the end because it was moving at a shockingly fast 1.7m/s The docks just zapped together and I didn't expect that, but they combined the second they touched.
So I have this left.

[Harmony Ltd.]

You know what would be cool to have in KSP ?

A Canadarm : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Servicing_System

[Kippershy]

You know what would be cool to have in KSP ?

A Canadarm : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Servicing_System

Damned Robotics pack adds that.

[Harmony Ltd.]

Could solve a number of docking issues.

[Kippershy]

Docking issues?
Unless you're docking side on, docking shouldn't be too hard.
Mind you, even docking side on can be pretty easy if you know what you're doing and you're using one of the two way docking engine designs I use so you can both thrust forward or back as required with little more than hitting a hotkey.

[Harmony Ltd.]

I was thinking about assembling pieces in orbit which don't have their own thrusters.

To build REALLY big structures.


... Imagine building a 250 meters long space station / deep space heavy cargo train.

[Harmony Ltd.]

A spaceplane with a cargo bay and the various pieces stored in said cargo bay.

An orbital pre-assembly facility.

A shuttle to move around stuff between Kerbin's and Mun's orbit.

Mun's spaceport.


And the few gigantic vessels sailing Kerbin's solar system.

[Kippershy]

I was thinking about assembling pieces in orbit which don't have their own thrusters.

To build REALLY big structures.


... Imagine building a 250 meters long space station / deep space heavy cargo train.

Dat lag.

You see the bottom picture of my space stations combined?
Like I say, 9fps with an i5 3550.
Even Scott Manley with an i5 3570k (only 0.1ghz more power, same architecture) has immense lag issues once he builds stations with many parts.
Mind you, recording doesn't help and probably explains why he drops down to 2-3fps.

[Kippershy]

So, with the release of 0.20, they've introduced... flags!
Flags have to be 256x160px in a .png filetype.
Here's my personal flag:



Because of this, I've deleted all my KSP data due to incomparability issues so I thought it'd be easiest just to start from scratch.
Thankfully they've apparently made quantum struts no longer essential for space stations because they've added a very large docking port type which is suitable for them.

So yeah! Really can't wait for the re-download to finish and try it out.

[Kippershy]

One small step for Bob... one.. giant leap for Kerbal kind.

[Kippershy]

and then Minimus

[Harmony Ltd.]

Heh. :D

[Kippershy]

I also went to Duna last night, ended up landing on Ike but the landing kept crashing and I accidently overwrote the quicksave, fucking myself over.
Ah well.
Flag on Ike too, but it looks like the moon visually.

[Sponsored content]