KSP Weekly: A Titan’s flyby and making history!

[SQUAD]

Welcome to KSP Weekly, everyone. Today, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft will make its last flight near Saturn’s moon, Titan, which is the mission’s last opportunity to closely observe the lakes and seas of liquid hydrocarbons which extend throughout the northern polar region of the satellite and the final opportunity to use its powerful radar to pass through the mist and take detailed images of the lunar surface. According to NASA, the closest approach to Titan is scheduled for 11:08 pm PDT, today. During its flyby, Cassini will pass 979 kilometers (608 miles) from Titan’s surface at a speed of 21,000 kilometers per hour. This overflight also means the beginning to Cassini’s Grand Finale, a final set of 22 orbits between the planet and its rings, ending with a dive into Saturn on September 15th that will end the mission. But we’re here to talk about everything Kerbal and this week was full of advancements, so let’s switch to the topic you came here to read about.

Localization work continues and the relentless bughunt is bearing its fruits. The work is currently more structure related while the volunteers are in their element making suggestions on grammar and layout to refine the text. We’re working with them to ease some of their burdens by doing some language testing and improving in-game debug tools. The first pass of translation for the prerelease is almost complete now, so the teams are looking in the game to make sure the translations actually fit the context. The number of accidental English words that we are encountering in the non-English versions of the game drops by a huge fraction every week! We now have the time and the experience to look at improving the processes involved with localization.

There are other things being done for the final release of 1.3. We’ve localized and prepared Asteroid Day for integration to the release and will be getting the test team onto a balance pass for its contracts soon. Devs also spent some time localizing and fixing some bugs in the Part Upgrade functionality such as applying upgrade node costs correctly. Part Upgrades will now show all stats updates in the SPH/VAB and TechTree. We’ve also focused on polishing the final details for the Russian and Spanish contracts, as well as making sure that the kerbal Names in Japanese look like actual names. Similarly, we worked on fixing some textures that needed some corrections in every language.

Blitworks continues at a very rapid pace with the console builds and our testers are throwing everything at them with rigorous testing. There are important improvements in the control schemes, UI, and general gameplay that are all in focus while we test the achievement progress system on each platform. Save integrity continues to be at the forefront of our minds, and thankfully there’s nothing to report on this matter.

Let’s move on to Making History advancements, where we have not only been very busy on an Architecture/Design level,  we’ve also been working on several tasks for the upcoming expansion. Defining base behaviour and structure of the UI and connecting it with the core code. So you could say that there’s been lots of code reviews and reviewing design as we continue our agile delivery.  In addition, we continue to work on the ExpansionSystem, fleshing out the bundle pipeline, the developers interaction with it and how that feeds through the magical Jenkins system. This coupled with some work on testing how to get the game to work nicely with the same code base whether or not the expansion is installed. Something that is easy to say but not so easy to do. Luckily for us, we have a very talented development team that is working through all of these tough challenges.

The artists on the other hand continue modeling IVAs and this week they also finished up our new Vostok-inspired model, as well as wrapping up a few last details on the model for our first American-inspired engine. This Vostok-inspired model includes a blend of existing as well as new parts.  And since folks will ask - those are separate 0.38m monopropellant tanks you see attached at the base of our Vostok 1 replica!

In conjunction with the new parts, the QA team embrace the task of testing them. This work brings currently known issues that had been deferred into focus. Without getting into too much detail, some of the existing bugs that have already been reported but were unable to be fixed efficiently, are now being thoroughly researched because of the potential impact on the expansion. This of course brings benefits to KSP as a whole.

Finally, we encourage you to participate in our latest KSP Challenge - Have you found a green monolith yet? Share your encounters with these rare easter eggs with the whole community!

That’s it for this week. Be sure to join us on our official forums, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Stay tuned for more exciting and upcoming news and development updates!

Happy launchings!

[Just Jim]

7 minutes ago, SQUAD said:

The artists on the other hand continue modeling IVAs and this week they also finished up our new Vostok model,

Oh wow... that is neat! 

Edited April 21, 2017 by Just Jim

[Frozen_Heart]

18 minutes ago, SQUAD said:

Devs also spent some time localizing and fixing some bugs in the Part Upgrade functionality such as applying upgrade node costs correctly. Part Upgrades will now show all stats updates in the SPH/VAB and TechTree.

Wait is this system finally making it into the game? Or just keeping it up to date for mods to use?

[passinglurker]

48 minutes ago, SQUAD said:

In conjunction with the new parts, the QA team embrace the task of testing them. This work brings currently known issues that had been deferred into focus. Without getting into too much detail, some of the existing bugs that have already been reported but were unable to be fixed efficiently, are now being thoroughly researched because of the potential impact on the expansion. This of course brings benefits to KSP as a whole.

This is good I would love to hear more about how work on dlc feeds back into the core game. A clear picture of what stock bugs are squashed, what systems are optimized, what placeholder art is redone, and what features are expanded to support the dlc would help me determine whether the improvements that would be made would outweigh my objections about the "lolzkerbalz" direction of the new art.

Confidence that buying DLC will benefit more than just the DLC buyers is what will sell DLC just look at paradox studio's and the prices they get away with under this model.  

 

58 minutes ago, SQUAD said:

Devs also spent some time localizing and fixing some bugs in the Part Upgrade functionality such as applying upgrade node costs correctly. Part Upgrades will now show all stats updates in the SPH/VAB and TechTree.

Oh thank goodness this is being worked on I would love to see this feature not be an utter pain in the UI to use without plugins.

[HafCoJoe]

I think I have a new favorite capsule

Edited April 22, 2017 by Avera9eJoe

[KraterKreator]

28 minutes ago, Avera9eJoe said:

I think I have a new favorite capsule though I'm a tad bit disappointed that the radial tanks are in the model by default. Makes it awful cookie-cutter if you as me.

Wut?

1 hour ago, SQUAD said:

And since folks will ask - those are separate 0.38m monopropellant tanks you see attached at the base of our Vostok 1 replica!

I think separate means they are not in the capsule model.

 

It's great to hear all this activity behind the next release. Thanks to everyone at Squad for their dedication to this great game. I'm feeling a bit of a hype-like sensation all of a sudden!

[klgraham1013]

1 hour ago, SQUAD said:

our new Vostok model

Yes, please.

[KerrMü]

As always thank you sooo much for that pic. That´s a really nice model.

(The rover pic from last week is the desktop background of my laptop now.)

Just out of interest, have you thought about including a spacelab module in line with the Apollo parts? I just thought that could be a nice living module for other missions as well.

And...erm...part upgrade system???

Thanks for all the good news.

[JPLRepo]

1 minute ago, KerrMü said:

As always thank you sooo much for that pic. That´s a really nice model.

(The rover pic from last week is the desktop background of my laptop now.)

Just out of interest, have you thought about including a spacelab module in line with the Apollo parts? I just thought that could be a nice living module for other missions as well.

And...erm...part upgrade system???

Thanks for all the good news.

From KSP 1.2.0 stock code has supported part upgrades (although no stock parts use it, some mods do).
 

[StrandedonEarth]

13 minutes ago, JPLRepo said:

From KSP 1.2.0 stock code has supported part upgrades (although no stock parts use it, some mods do).
 

Are there any plans, in 1.3 or MH, to have stock parts use the part upgrade system?

And that Vostok pic sure looks sweet!

And I noticed there is no more ado, as some people were getting saying they were getting tired of it.

Edited April 22, 2017 by StrandedonEarth

[qzgy]

Things look like they're coming along nicely. What I'd like to know is a projected release date.

Projected, cause who knows how long bug hunting can take. As much as I want to see it, it would probably be more enjoyable if everything worked smoothly and was of good quality.

[JPLRepo]

9 minutes ago, StrandedonEarth said:

Are there any plans, in 1.3 or MH, to have stock parts use the part upgrade system?

I can neither confirm, nor deny that. Sorry.

[StrandedonEarth]

5 minutes ago, qzgy said:

What I'd like to know is a projected release date.

When they're dang good and ready!

1 minute ago, JPLRepo said:

I can neither confirm, nor deny that. Sorry.

That's a much better response than the deafening silence I expected. Thanks!

[Just Jim]

10 minutes ago, qzgy said:

What I'd like to know is a projected release date.

As much as I want to see it, it would probably be more enjoyable if everything worked smoothly and was of good quality.

Unfortunately @SQUAD is notorious for not telling us until they're absolutely sure themselves, which means not until the last minute. It's best not to poke them...  

But I agree, I'd rather they took their time and got all the bugs instead of trying to rush things. Will make it much more enjoyable to play when it finally does come out.

Edited April 22, 2017 by Just Jim

[regex]

Vostok looks good, nice to see some specularity and subtler shading. Might just be the colors... vOv

[CoreI]

2 hours ago, SQUAD said:

new Vostok model

Judging judging by the relative size of those RCS thrusters, I'm guessing that the Vostok fits onto a 1.25 meter stack, correct?

Also, is that small black cylinder on the top right of the pod part of the capsule or a different part I never use?

 

Overal, good stuff! I'm glad to see development moving along at a nice pace. Can't wait for Asteroid Day to be integrated.

[Azimech]

Thanks for the update again, Squad (wish I'd know who is writing these posts).

I'm going to sound more blunt than you guys are used to.

I'm not very busy with the 1.3 bug testing because frankly ... I don't care. I understand the perceived need for localization like there was a perceived need for porting to consoles.

...

*opinion* The intelligent people on Earth interested in physics already have an understanding of English. What do you think they teach at universities in China. And for the rest ... you're just making it easier for Chinese copycats who don't care about any copyright laws to sell "their" game.
/*opinion* .

...

 

So what does Squad want in the games industry? Give up or ... make sure the underlying structure becomes a platform for future products, based primarily on the excellent editor and the not-so-excellent physics simulation but still one of the best on the market?

I'd probably try to force the Unity guys to solve a few long standing faults or emissions in the physics department.

I'll name a few.

• Collider integrity seems to be based on part mass. When parts move against each other, the lighter the part, the more prone it is to "phase through", just move through the collider when a force is applied. This has got nothing to with reality.

• Joint flexibility is based on part mass.

• There's only one material.

• This material is way too dense.

• Max angular velocity is limited to 50 rad/s. It's an improvement over the past but ... it seriously limits stock engine development.

• No fluid dynamics ... I don't really mind yet because we'd need a supercomputer.

• Heat transfer is only within the same craft, no radiance or transfer through colliders to other craft. In my opinion ... major flaw.

• Many parts are buoyant to the absurd. Really.

• Light rays pass through models/colliders.

• No accurate light reflection/refraction.

And the list is far from complete because I'm no physics professor. I do have my strong points though, able to set the stock turboprop speed record, standing for 2+ years without calculating anything.

So ... when it comes down to improving physics and general optimization ... I'd probably choose to be involved a lot more.

Be ready for the future.

 

Edited April 22, 2017 by Azimech

[FullMetalMachinist]

51 minutes ago, Azimech said:

• This material is way too dense.

[snip]

• Many parts are buoyant to the absurd. Really.

These two points seem to contradict each other. Unless Kerbin's water is also unnaturally dense as well. 

[Azimech]

3 minutes ago, FullMetalMachinist said:

These two points seem to contradict each other. Unless Kerbin's water is also unnaturally dense as well. 

Test it and you'll know.
 

Okay ... I was a little short on that.

At the end of 2015 I was the first to create a mod with the ability to create ships that could sink due to battle damage. That's where my experience comes from.

Edited April 22, 2017 by Azimech

[0111narwhalz]

2 hours ago, StrandedonEarth said:

Are there any plans, in 1.3 or MH, to have stock parts use the part upgrade system?

Last time this was suggested, there was something of a riot. Dunno why; engines get upgraded in real life.

58 minutes ago, Azimech said:

Max angular velocity is limited to 50 rad/s.

Does this take into account modification of Physics.cfg line 91? Because I think you can turn that way up if you like.

[Azimech]

Just now, 0111narwhalz said:

Does this take into account modification of Physics.cfg line 91? Because I think you can turn that way up if you like.

Unfortunately, no. Physics go gaga beyond that. Joints turn into alien spaghetti.

[klgraham1013]

1 hour ago, Azimech said:

*opinion* The intelligent people on Earth interested in physics already have an understanding of English. What do you think they teach at universities in China. And for the rest ... you're just making it easier for Chinese copycats who don't care about any copyright laws to sell "their" game.
/*opinion* .

Do you happen to know anyone from China?  I do.

Yes.  They teach English.  Does that mean they're fluent, and wouldn't rather have KSP in Chinese?  No.

[disclaimer] This is just my understanding of things from the perspective of someone who came here from China to finish their Ph.D.

edit:  This may have come off harsher than intended.

Edited April 22, 2017 by klgraham1013

[passinglurker]

10 hours ago, 0111narwhalz said:

Last time this was suggested, there was something of a riot. Dunno why; engines get upgraded in real life.

This makes no sense (and I don't remember it happening >.>...) an upgrade system is exactly what we need to overhaul and refine the game's balance without breaking old crafts on load (not that people can't make new ones though. Really what's the big deal with these supposed rioting people?)

Edited April 22, 2017 by passinglurker

[0111narwhalz]

Just now, passinglurker said:

I don't remember it happening

Maybe it was the one relating to engineers boosting boosters? I dunno.

4 minutes ago, Azimech said:

Unfortunately, no. Physics go gaga beyond that. Joints turn into alien spaghetti.

Always the joints...

[passinglurker]

4 minutes ago, 0111narwhalz said:

Maybe it was the one relating to engineers boosting boosters? I dunno.

Ah that was pilots boosting engines and I still find how enthusiastically literal people were being about it to be quite silly. Its an effective abstraction of the kerbal being a more skilled pilot that you without haveing to resort to implementing a complex auto piloting system that has its own controversial and enthusiastic opposition.

Edited April 22, 2017 by passinglurker