In-line Goo Cannister

[RailgunSpoon]

I find myself irking my minor OCD when building science ships that I need to add two goo canisters so that I'm sure it will be balanced. This "Forces" me to add a second material science module to make sense of having two goo canisters. If I was able to have an in-line goo canister, I would be able to know my ship is balanced and also only have one set of science modules.

It's not really necessary, per se, but it is rather inconvenient.

[Vanamonde]

This is a pet peeve of mine as well.

[rcp27]

I like the idea that the good is a bit awkward to mount. There are ways you can deal with it, for example if you mount one of the smaller radial mount monopropellant tanks opposite and adjust the initial fuel load in it, you can balance the mass of the goo.

[Tex_NL]

It's not an in-line goo but it might solve your symmetry problem: DMagic Orbital Science.

Among other things it features a small, lightweight goo that won't mess up your craft.

[Sampa]

I support the idea of inline goo canisters (even though I never do science or career mode)

[pincushionman]

The problem with the goo can isn't that it's radially mounted. The problem is there are literally NO radial parts that can effectively balance it.

The other experiments? Massless or in-line.

Batteries? Massless or in-line.

Solar panels? Have mass, but any craft that needs ten or more panels to work (all on one side, mind you) deserves more goo cans to start with, defeating the purpose.

Monoprop and small fuel tanks could do it, but since fuel drains, you have the opposite problem. And most of us try hard to *not* deliberately put unuseable weight in for its own sake.

If the science and utility parts were "massful," you could make a go at putting them all on the side opposite the can and maybe get close.

If we had some other fixed-mass radial items that weren't just dead weight it would greatly increase the possibilities. Probe cores (which may already be possible) and reaction wheels come to mind.

[regex]

What we need is a radial materials bay to balance the goo container, especially since the materials bay generally makes a craft hideous.

[Bill Phil]

RCS tanks aren't in the early game...

But otherwise they're good. You just click the thing that looks like a green arrow in the context menu to block flow off...

[basic.syntax]

This part is one of many, that could use alternate mounting. I wonder if gaps were left intentionally, to create design challenges?

• XL parachute: the small version offers both mounting styles. This is the most clear cut case for a 'missing part,' in my view.
  
• Z4K battery: need a radial step in between, because Z400 is the largest radial version.
  
• air intakes: no radial version for the three highest capacity intakes.
  
• adapters: bi / tri / quad in-line adapters could use a radial mount version.
  
• separators: I don't know why I would want this, but, stock has no radial separators (blue version.)
  
• RCS: inline version. This would turn four parts into one, in cases where you want to use four RCS in radial symmetry. Should also have monoprop capacity.
  
• following up the pincushionman: reaction wheels and probe cores, even command pods: radial mount version would be nice, sometimes I stick these on the sides of things, costing an extra part.
  

[regex]

I wonder if gaps were left intentionally, to create design challenges?

<trying my best not to guffaw too loudly>

No. They were just what was designed for the part.

[Whirligig Girl]

We have an inline goo canister. It's called the Materials Lab.

[pincushionman]

RCS tanks aren't in the early game...

But otherwise they're good. You just click the thing that looks like a green arrow in the context menu to block flow off...

Let me repeat: Dead weight. if you're worried about balancing a single goo can, instead of two or more, you're in a situation where kilograms count. If you have the kilograms to spare for an unused RCS tank, you might as well do it the easy way and put another goo can on. Bam, done.

[basic.syntax]

We have an inline goo canister. It's called the Materials Lab.

For its size and cost, it (mobile processing lab) should have those basic science options (goo and science Jr) built-in.

[RailgunSpoon]

We have an inline goo canister. It's called the Materials Lab.

That's a different experiment. If you replace your goo canisters with Mat Labs, you lose out on science.

[tater]

Or a cargo module/service module that treats the mass of any cargo within as centered. Then you could make a science module and be done.

[Bill Phil]

Let me repeat: Dead weight. if you're worried about balancing a single goo can, instead of two or more, you're in a situation where kilograms count. If you have the kilograms to spare for an unused RCS tank, you might as well do it the easy way and put another goo can on. Bam, done.

You said that RCS tanks drain. They don't have to in all cases.

[Nitrous Oxide]

Courtesy of Lack's SXT...

[jlo96]

<trying my best not to guffaw too loudly>

No. They were just what was designed for the part.

Well that was unhelpful.

[Renegrade]

Well, the goo thing does make for some.. interesting compromises. I used to balance 'em roughly against parachutes and small science doodads and batteries, until I discovered that everything but the parachutes were massless

One trick you can do now though is use the translation tool in "angle snap" mode to center it on the end of a craft, by the way. Just makes sure "angle snap" is on ("C" to toggle it on and off), and that the tool is in 'absolute' mode (uhhh.. F to toggle, I believe), and then the goo pod can be 'snapped' to the center of the craft with perfect accuracy (verified with RCS Build Aid in 'Engine' mode).

I often put them on the top OR bottom of a craft, and use radial engines (historically I put them on the top, and the docking port on the bottom, but nowadays I tend to do that in reverse).

Or a cargo module/service module that treats the mass of any cargo within as centered. Then you could make a science module and be done.

I was disappointed to discover that the Universal Storage mod stuff doesn't seem to follow that concept :/

Well that was unhelpful.

Hey now, the man might be gruff, but he's saying what we're all thinking.

In fact, if you strip out the bits about planetary scale, he's pretty much my internal voice.

[basic.syntax]

I think my point still stands: I've listed a bunch of parts on top of the goo container, that our stock craft designs could benefit from, if they were offered in both radial and in-line versions.

[Renegrade]

I think my point still stands: I've listed a bunch of parts on top of the goo container, that our stock craft designs could benefit from, if they were offered in both radial and in-line versions.

Actually, your inline RCS-quadset and radial-BIG-battery interest me a great deal. I'd love to see those.

[regex]

What would be really nice is a set procedural science parts: a radial can-style for any experiment, a radial small box for anything but goo, mat-bay, or atmospheric analyzer, and a stackable experiment can for any experiment. Add a nosecone too. Just switch textures for different experiments, same way Firespitter does it.

[basic.syntax]

regex: sounds reasonable to me I think upgradeable is a more appropriate term, in this case. As you advance in the tech tree, more capabilities would be unlocked.

[regex]

regex: sounds reasonable to me I think upgradeable is a more appropriate term, in this case. As you advance in the tech tree, more capabilities would be unlocked.

For career, obviously. What I basically mean is that three or four parts would suffice to handle these situations and you should be able to simply configure them as the instrument you need/have available through research.

[AbacusWizard]

Temporary workaround: put goo cannister directly on top or directly on bottom of the central stack.