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Settings explained


egoego

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A rise of forum questions about what all those settings in KSP do lead me to a little project on a lazy weekend. It is still work in progress but some questions might already be answered by this.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F7-CxJF06Rx43afrtSG7LyjI6M9xD3hYZaomzopOIvk/pub (external version)

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/158325-settings-explained/#comment-3045881 (in-forum version, thanks to @Cunjo Carl)

If anybody finds some errors or has other improvement ideas, please let me know.

There is no copyright on this, so feel free to share as you like or use it to make a better version yourself.

EDIT: If someone wants to make this into a Wiki entry or thinks it's better in the form of a forum post, feel free to do so.

EDIT2: Updated the link to the latest version.

EDIT3: Added link to @Cunjo Carl's in-forum version.

EDIT4: Found a thread on reddit explaining some of the graphics settings: https://www.reddit.com/r/KerbalSpaceProgram/comments/6cv7r8/optimise_your_ksp_experience/

 

Edited by egoego
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3 hours ago, Lunar Sea said:

If you switch from Kerbal time to Earth time (eg 24 hours) I assume then Kerbin rotates 4 times in a "day"? Correct? 

Yes. I hadn't thought of this but run a test and added the results to the document.

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This little documentation is almost done (I skipped audio and graphic settings) but a question remains:

  • Always Show Closest Approach for Target

I couldn't see a difference in behavior of the closest approach markers with this option turned on or off. Did I miss something or is this currently bugged?

Edited by egoego
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On 3/31/2017 at 0:08 PM, egoego said:

This little documentation is almost done (I skipped audio and graphic settings) but a question remains:

  • Always Show Closest Approach for Target

I couldn't see a difference in behavior of the closest approach markers with this option turned on or off. Did I miss something or is this currently bugged?

Oh, I always (always) always leave this one on! It's actually quite handy.

It's in regards to the little blue triangle markers in map mode that show where you and your target interstellar body will be when closest, and are used commonly when trying to line up an encounter.

With the setting off, the blue markers disappear when your inclination is too far out of alignment or when your closest approach is too far away from its orbit (I believe that's how it works anyways)

With this setting on, you always see the blue markers, even if you're going nowhere near the planet's trajectory. The blue markers have a tendency to be quite jumpy in some circumstances, but it's very handy to have the markers not disappear when trying to line up an unlikely encounter.

 

Like I mentioned, I really like the guide you've put together. I'd definitely encourage you to put it in the OP or make a post with it so it will be searchable from the forum's search bar. If the time spent reformatting this is an impediment, I'd be happy to take care of it once you're done.

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6 hours ago, Cunjo Carl said:

...

I made some more experiments regarding the "Always Show Closest Approach for Target" setting. It appears to only affect approachs to targets that are planets/moons. My previous test where with targeting other vessels, where I could not find a difference between this setting ON or OFF. The guide is now updated.

 

6 hours ago, Cunjo Carl said:

I'd definitely encourage you to put it in the OP or make a post with it so it will be searchable from the forum's search bar. If the time spent reformatting this is an impediment, I'd be happy to take care of it once you're done.

I really am bad at formating forum posts and I fear it wouldn't fit in one post, so it would need to be splitted, which might make formating more complicated. On the other hand spliting it will make linking to different sections possible. If you want to do that work, feel free to do it.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Alright, it's been a month so I'll go ahead and commit the google-doc to the forum. Searchability go! Beneath here, all text was written by @egoego except where noted and bracketed. Please send likes to the top post, though if you specifically like gentle reformatting, I won't say no :) .Thanks again for putting this together, Egoego!

 

Ksp Settings Explained
KerbalSpaceProgram Version 1.2.2

 

This explanation of all (gameplay related) settings in KSP doesn’t really have a high creative value, so no copyright on this. Feel free to use, share, build upon as you like.

I skipped the Audio and Graphics settings, as those are basically the same as any other game. (Make things louder/quieter, balance fancy looks with frames per seconds, …) Graphics settings don’t affect KSP performance alone, as the physics simulation is done on the CPU, so an expensive GPU doesn’t help you with lag when you fly big (high part count) ships.

 

<Glossary by Egoego, which links to the Googledoc -C.C.>

Spoiler

 

Main Menu > Settings > General        3

Gameplay        3

Show Vessel Labels        3

Show Space Center Crew        4

Display Kerbin Time / Display Earth Time        4

Contract Deadlines as Dates        4

Temperature Gauges        4

Thermal Highlights        4

Double Click Mouse Look        4

EVAs Auto-Rotate to Camera        5

Retain Control Point on Enter IVA        5

UI Scale        5

Camera Wobble External        5

Camera Wobble Internal        6

Advanced Tweakables        6

Default Throttle in Prelaunch        6

Autohide Navball in Map View        6

KerbNet Map Aligns with Orbit        6

System        6

Show Stats Tracking Dialog on Startup        6

Show Exit to Main Menu Confirmation        7

Show Wrong Vessel Type on Launch Confirmation        7

Simulate in Background        7

Don’t Show Game Launcher        7

Show Version Watermark in Game        7

Max Persistent Debris        7

Tidy up debris cluttering KSC        7

Max Physics Delta-Time per Frame        8

Orbital Drift Compensation        8

Ease in Gravity        8

Verbose Logging        8

Main Menu > Settings > Graphics        9

Rendering        9

Conic Patch Draw Mode        9

Conic Patch Limit        9

Orbit Line Fade Strength        10

Orbit Line Fade Reversed        10

Always Show Closest Approach for Target        10

Part Highlighter Enabled in Flight        10

Start New > Game Difficulty > Basic        10

General Options        11

Allow Reverting Flights        11

Allow Quickloading        11

Missing Crews Respawn        11

Auto-Hire Crewmembers before Flight        11

No Entry Purchase Required on Research        11

Indestructible Facilities        11

Include Stock Vessels        11

Game Systems        12

Re-Entry Heating        12

Resource Abundance        12

Enable Comm Network        12

Career Options        12

Starting X        12

X Rewards        12

X Penalties        12

Decline Penalty        12

Start New > Game Difficulty > Advanced        13

Advanced Options        13

Enable Kerbal Experience        13

Kerbels Level Up Immediately        13

Allow Negative Funds/Science        13

Part Pressure Limits        14

Part G-Force Limits        14

Kerbal G-Force Limits        14

Kerbal G-Force Tolerance        14

Resource Transfer Obeys Crossfeed Rules        14

Always Allow ActionGroups        14

Building Impact Damage Multiplier        14

Part Upgrades        15

CommNet Options        15

Require Signal for Control        15

Plasma Blackout        15

Range Modifier        15

DSN Modifier        15

Occlusion Modifier, Vac        15

Occlusion Modifier, Atm        15

Enable Extra Groundstations        16

ESC > Settings > FlightUI Elements        16

 

 

 

Main Menu > Settings > General
wfYjTmN.png

Spoiler

Gameplay

These settings usually take effect without a restart.

Show Vessel Labels

ON: Other vessels in space will be marked with brackets and distance as soon as you are in physics range of them. If you mouse over them their name will also be shown.

OFF: No labels will be shown on other vessels in staging view, not even when you mouse over them. Vessel labels will only be shown when you mouseover them in map view.

Show Space Center Crew

ON: Worker Kerbals wiggle around the inside of the VAB/SPH: http://i.imgur.com/M6jgXrm.jpg 

OFF: You will be very lonely in the VAB/SPH, but this can reduce lag and improve frames per second.

Display Kerbin Time / Display Earth Time

ON: Time displayed in the game will be in Kerbin Time where a day has 6 hours and a year has 426 days.

OFF: Time displayed in the game will be in this weird Earth time where a day has 24 hours (which means Kerbin will rotate four times a day) and a year has 365 days. (Who came up with those stupid numbers?)

Contract Deadlines as Dates

ON: Deadlines on contracts are shown as dates, e.g. Year 1, Day 7 - 0h, 0m, 0s You have to know how much time you have yourself. Be aware that a Kerbin day is 6h and a Kerbin year is 426d.

OFF: Deadlines on contracts are shown as remaining time, e.g. 5d, 5h, 59m, 59s

Temperature Gauges

ON: Temperature gauges are enabled at the start of each flight. Can be turned off in flight with F10.

OFF: Temperature gauges are disabled at the start of each flight. Can be turned on in flight with F10.

Gauges show up for a part that has heated up significantly (about 60% of its max temperature).

Example: http://i.imgur.com/cPgrjN6.png The red-brownish bar near the center of the screen.

Thermal Highlights

ON: Thermal highlights are enabled at the start of each flight. Can be turned off in flight with F10.

OFF: Thermal highlights are disabled at the start of each flight. Can be turned on in flight with F10.

Highlights show up for a part that has is very hot and color it from red to yellow to white.

Example: http://i.imgur.com/cPgrjN6.png The red colour surrounding the cockpit.

Double Click Mouse Look

“Mouse Look” is a feature where you turn your mouse to move the camera without the need to hold down a mouse key. In this mode you don’t see a mouse cursor. While in IVA (inside view) a simple right mouse click will always enter “Mouse Look” mode. When not in IVA (in space or on the map) you can enter the “Mouse Look” mode with a double right click, if this option is on. (I have no idea how to enter “Mouse Look” mode outside IVA when this option is off).

ON: Double right click enters the “Mouse Look” mode.

OFF: Double right click has no function.

EVAs Auto-Rotate to Camera

ON: When you start an EVA SAS will be on initially. It can be turned off by pressing T.

OFF: When you start an EVA SAS will be off initially. It can be turned on by pressing T.

While SAS (and RCS) is on pressing one of the WASD keys while on EVA with a Kerbal they will rotate so that they show you their back, roughly aligning with the camera, and their head towards the north of the camera plane (this is the point where you end when you turn the camera all the way up). Where the north of the camera plane is, depends on the camera mode (press V to change camera mode). Pressing QE Shift or Ctrl does not align the Kerbal with the camera. To rotate the Kerbal in a direction not available through auto rotate or Q and E, you can click and drag the Kerbal with your mouse (while RCS is on). Be aware that he will realign with the camera if you press a WASD while SAS is on.

Weirdly this options seems to reset to the state last used in game.

Retain Control Point on Enter IVA

The control point is the part of the ship that determines your direction relative to your reference frame (planet). Every part has an up and down direction as well as forward, backward, left and right. If you rotate a part before you place it, those directions will be different than your ship's direction. Placing multiple parts that can be used as control points (pods, probe cores, docking ports, …) will allow you to switch your directions as displayed on the NavBall. You can switch the control point on a ship by right clicking a part and selecting “Control from here” in the menu.

ON: When entering IVA while a part different from the module you are entering is the control point, the reference point will remain on that other part.

OFF: When entering IVA while a part different from the module you are entering is the control point, the reference point will switch to the pod you are entering. It will switch back if you leave IVA (pressing C).

UI Scale

How big the buttons and menus are. This is useful if you have a very small or big screen.

Note: In 1.2.2 this also affects the text in the ingame KSPedia, making parts of the text unreadable. This seems to be fixed in 1.2.9 preview.

Camera Wobble External

This setting controls how fast the camera wobbles in external views. If you have problems with motion sickness (feeling slightly sick when playing KSP) you should turn this to 0.0.

Camera Wobble Internal

This setting controls how fast the camera wobbles in internal views. If you have problems with motion sickness (feeling slightly sick when playing KSP) you should turn this to 0.0.

Advanced Tweakables

ON: Advanced Tweakables (additional options in the parts right click menu) are available. Example: http://i.imgur.com/uwG2Uwq.png Showing standard and advanced options on an engine in the VAB, including fuel flow overlay.

OFF: Fewer options in the part menus during build and flight. Example: http://i.imgur.com/otoqNHy.png Same engine as above, no fuel flow overlay available.

Advanced Tweakables include Autostrut feature, Rigid Attachments, Fuel flow control overlay, and more.

Default Throttle in Prelaunch

This is the throttle setting your rocket will have on the launchpad/runway. I recommend setting this to 100% because not launching with full power is for the weak.

Autohide Navball in Map View

ON: The Navball will minimize every time you switch to the map view. (Annoying as people who listen to music from their phone without earphones.)

OFF (recommended) : The Navball will always be visible when you switch to the map view.

KerbNet Map Aligns with Orbit

When on the KerbNet window will show the prograde direction on the top, otherwise north will be at the top.

OFF: http://i.imgur.com/bJf21Sm.jpg The bright area at the right of the KerbNet window is the mountain east of the flats. It is easier to understand which part of the planet KerbNet is currently showing.

ON: http://i.imgur.com/bzK9EvC.jpg The bright area at the top of the KerbNet window is the mountain east of the flats. It is easier to predict where the KerbNet cursor will go (always north).

System

These settings generally require a restart of the game to take effect.

Show Stats Tracking Dialog on Startup        

The Stats Tracking Dialog will show up on game start: http://i.imgur.com/HfIGOUY.png If you click continue it will disappear and this option turns off. To view the dialog again you need to enable this option and restart the game.

Show Exit to Main Menu Confirmation

ON: When you quit a running game from the ESC menu you will be asked to confirm this. In the confirmation dialog you can select to not ask again, which turns this option off.

OFF: When you quit a running game from the ESC menu you will not be asked for confirmation first. Don’t worry, the game will still save when you leave this way.

No matter if this option is on or off, you will always be asked if you want to leave a flight that is currently in atmosphere as the game will not save there.

Show Wrong Vessel Type on Launch Confirmation

When this is ON it is supposed to warn you when you land a vessel from the wrong type (an SPH build vessel on the launch pad or an VAB build vessel on the runway). It doesn’t seem to do anything in 1.2.2

Simulate in Background

ON: The game keeps on running if you tab out of it or minimize it. Really cool way to miss your maneuver node.

OFF: The game pauses if you tab out of it or minimize it.

Don’t Show Game Launcher

OFF: Shows the Game Launcher (see chapter Game Launcher) when starting from the Launcher.exe. The Launcher will not be shown when starting from KSP.exe or KSP_x64.exe directly.

ON: The game will start into KSP.exe or KSP_x64.exe directly, even if you start from Launcher.exe

When starting from Steam the Launcher will also be skipped.

Show Version Watermark in Game

ON: The game version is always displayed: http://i.imgur.com/jx37H5m.png

OFF: The game version is only shown in menus.

Max Persistent Debris

How many debris will remain in orbit. Debris in atmospheres will always be removed (after leaving the physics range of the player controlled vessel (>24 km away).

Tidy up debris cluttering KSC

Debris remaining on the launchpad or runway (like surviving boosters) will not just be deleted but “recovered” giving the player some money back. Launch clamps will always be recovered.

Max Physics Delta-Time per Frame

This slider allows the physics simulation to take more time. This can make flying high part count ships smoother. For more details check this forum thread: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/24497-max-physics-delta-time/

Orbital Drift Compensation

ON: Orbits that are completely out of atmosphere, (e.g. PE > 70 km around Kerbin) are stable (PE and AP don’t change).

OFF: Orbits that are completely out of atmosphere, drift slightly (PE and AP decrease). This can be used to simulate the very thin outer atmosphere (in contrast to the unrealistic atmosphere cutoff otherwise). But the orbit drift also appears around bodies that don’t have an atmosphere, because this behaviour is actually a game bug which the devs declared to be a feature instead :wink:http://i.imgur.com/bKGj4no.jpg

Ease in Gravity

ON: When loading/switching to a vessel on a planet/moon (like launching from KSC) the gravity starts lower and eases to full power so that heavy vessels don’t get ripped apart by sudden forces.

OFF: When loading/switching to a vessel on a planet/moon the gravity takes full effect from the start. Heavy vessels could get ripped apart by sudden those forces.

Verbose Logging

ON: Log files will contain more detailed information. Useful for bug hunting or mod development. Could slow down the game on weaker computers.

OFF: Normal logging.

Note: The game launcher has an option to turn off all logging which could improve performance a bit.

 

 

 

Main Menu > Settings > Graphics
bf8Q7y5.png

Spoiler

 

(I will only explain those settings that affect gameplay, in my eyes they are in the wrong category here),

Rendering

Conic Patch Draw Mode

Conic patches are the drawings of the predicted orbits after SOI (sphere of influence) changes. They switch color with every SOI change: turquoise, yellow, light green, red and more.

LOCAL TO BODY: http://i.imgur.com/X9jlh76.png

LOCAL AT SOI ENTRY: http://i.imgur.com/fvUCnWv.png

LOCAL AT SOI EXIT: http://i.imgur.com/3wUSVUK.png

RELATIVE: http://i.imgur.com/MqykM8a.png

DYNAMIC: http://i.imgur.com/Jgf1MKn.png

Also see this forum discussion; http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/11297-different-conic-drawing-modes/#comment-167271 

Conic Patch Limit

How many orbits through different SOIs will be shown.

The default value of 3 is ok when planning an intercept with another celestial body. But higher values might be required if you want to plan complex maneuvers with gravity assists from other celestial bodies than your target.

Orbit Line Fade Strength

Orbit lines fade out to give you a sense for which direction your vessel is moving along the orbit. In the default direction you can imagine it as a trail your ship leaves.

Orbit Line Fade Reversed

If you are a bit weird, you can reverse the fading of the orbital lines. But you don’t have to. Really, no shame in leaving them as the god named SQUAD made them.

Always Show Closest Approach for Target

Target here means planet/moon, it shows no noticable difference if you target other vessels.

ON: Closest approach markers (white markers, in this screenshot one on Mun’s orbit line, and one on Minmus’s orbit line, taget is Minmus: http://i.imgur.com/Wu8hI4q.png ) are shown very early (still not always, but very early).

OFF: Closest approach markers show up if your orbit gets actually close-ish to your target. (Same scene as above, no approach markers are shown yet http://i.imgur.com/DG0G5va.png, same scene but closer approach, markers are now shown: http://i.imgur.com/qRiqqis.png )

Part Highlighter Enabled in Flight

Hovering your mouse over a part in the staging list will give it this healthy green glow on the actual model. ( http://i.imgur.com/dmdrGfm.png ) 

When this option is ON, you can give any part that healthy green glow by hovering your mouse over the model too. ( http://i.imgur.com/4cdFQux.png )

 

 

 

Start New > Game Difficulty > Basic
il6Th1l.png

Spoiler

 

Some of those options can be changed after the game has been started.

General Options

Allow Reverting Flights

ON: You can revert a flight to the launch or back to the building facility.

OFF: Reverting is not allowed. If you try to exit a running mission while the button texts are red ( http://i.imgur.com/pJckFvT.png ), indicating an unstable vessel situation (like flying in atmosphere) you can only abandon the mission. This means the vessel and all Kerbals on board are lost.

Allow Quickloading

Allows Quicksaving (holding F5) and loading this quicksave (F9).

Missing Crews Respawn

ON: When Kerbals explode they go missing and show up in your Astronaut Complex after the crew respawn timer.

OFF: When Kerbals explode they are killed and don’t return to you.

Auto-Hire Crewmembers before Flight

This will hire new crew members automatically while building your craft or when opening the launch options of the runway/launchpad if you don’t have enough crew members available and you have enough money (if money is needed). The crew member might not be of the profession you need. Message displayed when adding a command pod: http://i.imgur.com/fmpKNm3.png 

No Entry Purchase Required on Research

ON: All parts in the group you just researched are available in VAB/SPH. Getting new parts is cheaper this way.

OFF: Parts in newly researched tech groups need to be purchased before they can be used for construction. Purchase can be made for the whole group in the R&D window. Or part by part in R&D, VAB or SPH. ( http://i.imgur.com/uF059Br.png )

Indestructible Facilities

ON: The KSC is save from your unavoidable failures.

OFF: You can now build the biggest and coolest exploding rockets and unleash fire upon your ground crew. (In career mode you will need funds to repair your facilities.)

Include Stock Vessels

ON: Predefined vessel designs are available in VAB/SPH and for launch ( http://i.imgur.com/tenAhOz.png ). You still need to unlock the required parts to be able to fly them.

OFF: You have to design your own ships. Don’t be lazy, turn this option off! Off, I say!

Game Systems

Re-Entry Heating

This lets you decide how much your ship heats up during fast atmospheric flight (like a re-entry). If you turn that down to 0 your vessel won’t heat up at all, but you still get the shiny effects from the heated air.

Resource Abundance

This changes how much ore you can find on planets and moons.

This value can not be changed after the game started.

Enable Comm Network

ON: A communications connection is required to control probes, either to the KSC or a piloted vessel with remote control ability and to transmit experiment results home for some quick science points. See “CommNet Options” under “Start New > Game Difficulty > Advanced” for more details.

OFF: You can always control your vessels (unless they run out of power or you lost your pilot) and any antenna will be enough to transmit science data.

Career Options

Starting X

Your starting value for funds (money), science points (to invest in unlocking parts) and reputation (higher reputation gives you better paying contracts.

These values can not be changed after the game started. (I wonder why?)

X Rewards

The fund/science/reputation rewards you get from contracts. Science rewards includes science points you get from doing experiments (the only option to show for Science mode too).

X Penalties

The fund/science/reputation penalties you get from failing contracts. Fund penalties also increases prizes for upgrading buildings at the KSC, but not rocket parts.

Decline Penalty

The amount of reputation you lose when you decline or cancel a contract in the Mission control building.

 

 

 

Start New > Game Difficulty > Advanced

U4JoOCU.png

Spoiler

 

Advanced Options

Enable Kerbal Experience

ON: Your Kerbals start as newbies and you have to send them places to gather experience and level them up so they gain more abilities. (See http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Experience and http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Specialization for details.)

OFF: All your Kerbals are 5-star space veterans.

Kerbels Level Up Immediately

ON: As soon as a Kerbal does an activity that grants him enough XP to reach a new level, he will get that level, earning new abilities midflight.

OFF: For a Kerbal to learn new abilities through leveling up, he/she needs to return to the KSC (auto level up on mission finished) or a Mobile Lab MPL-LG-2 (Transfer the Kerbal into the lab, right click and select “Level up Crew”).

Allow Negative Funds/Science

ON: Through failing or canceling missions your science points and funds can become negative if you have to repay advances on those missions that you already spent.

OFF: Your funds and science points can’t go negative, but if you have to repay advances you will still drop to zero if your funds don’t cover what you must pay.

Part Pressure Limits

ON: When diving into the ocean parts may take damage, so you can replay the famous deep dive scene from “Das Boot”.

OFF: Pressure in deep water (or high pressure atmosphere) will not damage your vessel.

All Stock parts are listed with 4,000 kPA pressure resistance, so it hardly makes a difference.

Part G-Force Limits

ON: Your parts may break when you pull some very rapid maneuvers. As all Stock parts are listed with 50 Gees strength you have to work pretty hard to break anything this way.

OFF: G-Forces don’t hurt your parts. But atmospheric drag or re-entry heat still can.

Kerbal G-Force Limits

ON: Kerbals fade out if they experience to high G-Forces, which makes you lose control of manned vessels without probes when your pilot fade out. G-Force limits depend on the specialization and level of the Kerbal. Also you may get tourist contracts that require you to have your tourists fade out.

OFF: Kerbals become Terminators and are unaffected by G-Forces.

The warning displayed when G-Forces close in on the limit: http://i.imgur.com/gbUY54Y.png 

A fade out Kerbal and the G-Force tolerance bar: http://i.imgur.com/GC2ygPA.png 

Kerbal G-Force Tolerance

Increasing the tolerance makes them less likely to fade out, but those masochist tourist contracts become harder.

Resource Transfer Obeys Crossfeed Rules

ON: When your source part and your target part are separated by a part that can not transfer fuel (decoupler with crossfeed disabled for example, crossfeed is disabled when the button text says “Enable crossfeed” and vice versa) then you can’t transfer resources between those parts.

OFF: You can transfer resources from any part of the ship to any other part. (As long as source has resources and target can hold this resource.)

Always Allow ActionGroups

ON: ActionGroups will be available to you from the beginning.

OFF: You need to upgrade your VAB/SPH to add ActionGroups to your vessels.

Building Impact Damage Multiplier

If you went with the Michael Bay option in the basic difficulty settings, then this sliders lets you decide how much Michael Bay you want to go.

Part Upgrades

This option is only relevant for mods that may upgrade already researched parts when you unlock new parts of the science tree. Does nothing in Stock.

CommNet Options

Require Signal for Control

ON: You need a CommNet connection to even control your probe.

OFF: CommNet, when enabled, is only required to transmit science.

Plasma Blackout

When re-entering the atmosphere the impact causes the air to turn into plasma (or something like that, details here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_blackout#Spacecraft_reentry ) which can block communications.

ON: Plasma blackout is simulated and you can temporarily lose contact to your vessel during aerobraking or re-entering.

OFF: Your communication is not affected by this effect.

Range Modifier

Changes the range of your antennas. For more details about CommNet range see http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/CommNet#Range_Calculation

DSN Modifier

Changes the range of your ground stations. For more details about CommNet range see http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/CommNet#Range_Calculation

Occlusion Modifier, Vac

The strength of the occlusion around bodies without an atmosphere. With low enough settings your CommNet connection goes right through the planet/moon: http://i.imgur.com/vUjky4a.png 

Occlusion Modifier, Atm

The strength of the occlusion around bodies with an atmosphere. With low enough settings your CommNet connection goes right through the planet/moon. At 0 you don’t need the extra ground stations on Kerbin. The default value of 0.75 allows you to always be in range in LKO. If you go higher the spots in LKO where you are not in range of any ground station increases.

Enable Extra Groundstations

ON: You get multiple ground stations to connect your CommNet to (automatically chosen whichever is closest) around the klobe, no need for a satellite network in LKO.

OFF: You can only connect to the KSC, which eventually will force you to build a satellite network around Kerbin.

 

 

ESC > Settings > FlightUI Elements

KzgaFip.png

 

The ESC menu repeats some of the settings explained below, including game difficulty settings.

While in flight the ESC menu has additional settings for UI customization, including the position of the NavBall.

 

Edited by Cunjo Carl
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On 5.5.2017 at 4:57 PM, Cunjo Carl said:

 

Alright, it's been a month so I'll go ahead and commit the google-doc to the forum. Searchability go!

 

Nice job. Thanks for doing this. I didn't know forum posts are not limited in size on this board.

 

On 5.5.2017 at 4:57 PM, Cunjo Carl said:

Please send likes to the top post,

There is nothing wrong with liking @Cunjo Carl's post.

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On Thu Apr 06 2017 at 4:59 AM, Cunjo Carl said:

Oh, I always (always) always leave this one on! It's actually quite handy.

It's in regards to the little blue triangle markers in map mode that show where you and your target interstellar body will be when closest, and are used commonly when trying to line up an encounter.

With the setting off, the blue markers disappear when your inclination is too far out of alignment or when your closest approach is too far away from its orbit (I believe that's how it works anyways)

With this setting on, you always see the blue markers, even if you're going nowhere near the planet's trajectory. The blue markers have a tendency to be quite jumpy in some circumstances, but it's very handy to have the markers not disappear when trying to line up an unlikely encounter.

 

Like I mentioned, I really like the guide you've put together. I'd definitely encourage you to put it in the OP or make a post with it so it will be searchable from the forum's search bar. If the time spent reformatting this is an impediment, I'd be happy to take care of it once you're done.

 really??? i never knew this! this is such an eye opener! thank you sooooo much for sharing this! 

sorry for all the exclamation points but not seeing the closest approach can be such a pain when you want to get to a small body with a large inclination!

@egoego thank you for writing such a clear and thorough document. it was really insightful.  :D

Edited by xendelaar
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