Jump to content

Quick .20 question for you spaceplane runners...


Recommended Posts

I have a decent design for an SSTO spaceplane that has run up to orbit numerous times, but after .20 update, it isn't achieving orbit anymore. I can only hit about 1300m/s where I'm usually at 1500m/s. Did something change with the atmospheric conditions on kerbin with the new update? I am just going nuts trying to figure out if my piloting got worse overnight or if I have to make some modifications to the plane.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Downloaded ksp at work to read the changelog and it contained far fewer changes than I expected, and I know there were things changed that weren't in there. I may have to go through the parts and compare mass from .19 to .20 to see if something changed there causing more drag...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've just run into this, used to be able to get into orbit with a bit of fuel for a dock/mun landing. Now I struggle to reach orbital velocity and have yet to put a plane into a successful orbit. Thought it must have been just me

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not really seeing much difference. Nothing that can't be fixed with better piloting or dumping excess RCS fuel. These were flown much the same in .19 and .20...

Hit ~1398 m/s on Jets with ~76 units of fuel in jet tanks before switching to rockets...

8801725027_2df2f57e4d_z.jpg

Hit ~1385 m/s on Jets with ~76 units of fuel in jet tanks before switching to rockets...

8812312084_487c91fbf1_z.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After a few minutes with KDiff3 comparing the part.cfg's, nothing significant seems to have changed between existing parts that are in both 0.19.1 and 0.20.0. Every cfg added PART { } around the whole file, no big deal there.

The launch clamp now allows surface attachment (you can put ladders on them and climb on up!)

The SP and OX-4 solar panels have been renamed so now we don't have to guess which one is 1x6 vs 2x3.

The rover wheels had S, M, XL added to their names.

The manufacturer on the ladders messed up the Ö character.

Struts and fuel lines handle textures differently.

No part stat changes that I can see.

I feel like the changelog would've mentioned any more significant changes with the atmosphere model or intake/jet mechanics. Were you using FAR in 0.19 but not any more? You could also let MechJeb fly to partially rule out that it's just differences in piloting (as bsalis just showed above). A lot of people seem to be having noticeably different performance in terms of lag/FPS, so flying might feel more different than it really is.

Edited by tavert
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few eagle-eyed people noticed that in a picture Skunky posted a few days back. But yeah, a run through diffing the part.cfg's is something I try to do on every release, to find any balance tweaks besides new parts or otherwise documented changes. Next time I shouldn't have to deal with the changed file structure or all the irrelevant PART { } stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel like avionics is a lot closer to ASAS in this version... Maybe I've only built unwieldy planes since the update; the parts are identical.

It's odd how your mind wants to find differences in a case like this, even though usually there are none.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could also let MechJeb fly to partially rule out that it's just differences in piloting (as bsalis just showed above). A lot of people seem to be having noticeably different performance in terms of lag/FPS, so flying might feel more different than it really is.

I actually didn't use MJ to pilot it. Also the key value I think is the max-ish velocity you can get to on jets, which for me are also very similar.

For me personally, I would say a) my results are inconclusive, and within margin-of-error and B) IF there has been a change, i don't see it as a craft breaker for me, and well, for me that's what matters.

I also suspect you hit the nail on the head with the performance changes and many other tweaks causing small-to-medium changes in SSTO Spacelanes. Perhaps lagging from larger craft with many air intakes worked less accurately (and favourably) in .19, but more accurately in .20.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you all for for letting me know it was just me, it got me to browsing my computer and I found there was a screwed up part that I made my spaceplane with in .19 Not sure how it got messed up, maybe something I downloaded to play with that replaced a stock part. Either way, a few more tons of engines and boosters and we are back in orbit and to Minmus. This one was my fault for not paying attention to parts downloaded, but i did notice the behavior in turbo jet flameout is just a tad more predictable, although that could just be me too.

screenshot222_zps798c31ea.png

Mergel Kerman sends his thanks from Minmus

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...