[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

I will face my torque. I will permit it to pass over me and through me...

Inspired by @DV-13's creation, ULL-2 Ladybug is basically just a lander with wheels. It's probably one of the simpler designs, but incredibly useful. It can land wherever and then drive to a base, a mining facility, an anomaly, another biome, a more favorable ascent starting point - you name it, the Ladybug's got you covered. 

This cute little thing packs 2200 m/s of dV, which sort of makes it Duna-capable, but it was designed to land and drive on lighter bodies. The low CoM and relatively high overall mass lend themselves nicely to making the Ladybug an exploration craft for low-g environments.

An interesting avenue to explore would be making it able to survive a reentry to Kerbin. One idea I might have is a heat-resistant hat...

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

Who ripped the nose off my spaceplane?

The newest universal landing vehicle dubbed Komochek is a bit of a diversion from my usual overengineered monstrosities — it's simple, reliable and efficient. Consisting of just one-segment Mk3 cargo bay, filled to the brim with mining equipment, crew quarters, science payload, main engines and a compact exploration rover, and a huge fuel tank on top crowned with a shielded docking port, Komochek may not look like much, but it can pull a Jool-5 in one piece (with enough patience, of course...) and return to Kerbin to land propulsively a la Falcon 9.

It may not be the lightest vehicle to do that — it's 70t in fact, when fully laden — but it sports some serious exploration capability (that is, a rover and an ability to fly to any point on any body), hassle-free operation and low part count, which makes it far more attractive in my eyes than a huge mothership assembled with multiple launches that then attempts to desintegrate itself every time it slightly touches the atmosphere...

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

Looks can be deceiving...

Despite its humble general-aviation-like apprearance, PX-03 can get some untrained pilots to pass out if they're not careful. If you spool up the propellers before increasing the collective, you'll be pushed into your seat some 2.3 gees of acceleration — on a propeller plane. Then, once you reach cruising speed, you better keep paying attention — a tiniest inflection of the control surfaces will hurl the plane in orthogonal direction within moments of you touching the controls. It is to be expected, of course, seeing as all lifting surfaces on the plane rotate whole, like on some sort of a fighter jet. If you feel like cosplaying the Space Shuttle, you can do that too — the plane really doesn't care which way it goes because of the insane TWR of the propellers...  

[[1.9.x - 1.12.x] Camera Tools continued v1.34.0 [2024-03-10]]

On 7/13/2021 at 11:28 PM, SpacePixel said:

Thanks a lot, especially for the code, I might have some ideas how I could make it work! I'll post the trick here if successful.

So, as promised, I figured out how to control the camera with a joystick — I simply switched from Joystick-to-Mouse to Joy-to-Key which did the trick. That and some Warp Stabilizer helped me created the following:

Spoiler

 

 

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

My very realistic Eve expedition with an air launch from under the unfolding electric propeller plane…

Well, maybe not that realistic, but cinematic nonetheless!

 

[[1.9.x - 1.12.x] Camera Tools continued v1.34.0 [2024-03-10]]

Just now, DocNappers said:

The keyboard and mouse input are independent, so if each are working separately, they ought to work together too. If they're not, then it's an issue with Joystick-to-Mouse doing something weird. (Note: I've tested using two mice in Linux and it works fine, so unless Windows handles them significantly differently, that shouldn't be an issue.)

The relevant section of code for mouse input is:

if (camTarget == null && Input.GetKey(KeyCode.Mouse1))
{
    flightCamera.transform.rotation *= Quaternion.AngleAxis(Input.GetAxis("Mouse X") * 1.7f, Vector3.up); //*(Mathf.Abs(Mouse.delta.x)/7)
	flightCamera.transform.rotation *= Quaternion.AngleAxis(-Input.GetAxis("Mouse Y") * 1.7f, Vector3.right);
	flightCamera.transform.rotation = Quaternion.LookRotation(flightCamera.transform.forward, cameraUp);
}
if (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.Mouse2))
{
    manualPosition += flightCamera.transform.right * Input.GetAxis("Mouse X") * 2;
	manualPosition += forwardLevelAxis * Input.GetAxis("Mouse Y") * 2;
}
manualPosition += cameraUp * 10 * Input.GetAxis("Mouse ScrollWheel");

So, right click and move mouse = rotate camera (if no target is selected), middle click and move mouse = translate camera, scroll mouse = up/down translation.

Thanks a lot, especially for the code, I might have some ideas how I could make it work! I'll post the trick here if successful.

[[1.9.x - 1.12.x] Camera Tools continued v1.34.0 [2024-03-10]]

Wow, I'm so glad to see someone maintaining CameraTools! DocNappers, you really are doing God's work!  

Unfortunately, I'm here on some weird business. Could someone elaborate a bit about mouse behaviour when using keypad control with stationary camera mode? You see, I've hooked up a joystick via Joystick-to-Mouse to use it as a pointing device (wanted to make smoother hand movements with stationary camera). It's working, but not with CameraTools. Apparently, it only recognizes the mouse as a pointing device and not the joystick. I'd happy to provide any additional information, maybe there's some line I could add in the config to make it work?

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

Size isn't everything...

...but it sure does help

24-RAPIER behemoth carrying up to 200 tons of payload into LKO in D5x22 meters cargo bay, Blue Whale is by far the largest vessel by SPAS. Clocking at up to 600 tons fully laden, it is supported by 28 wheels when on the runway and way too overengineered wings when in the air. Upon reaching orbit the entire tail assembly swivels upwards to make way for cargo to egress from the payload bay. And all that is operated by one daredevil sitting in the cockpit with virtually zero visibility near the very tip of the nose of the spaceplane. 

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

Fly Cosmoflot!

A simple spaceplane based on the early experimental MiG-21 with a swept wing I built as a rehab from Cassandra. Designed to ferry three cosmonauts to and from Kir 2, this light spacecraft is an absolute joy to fly — it's based on a fighter jet, after all! Five minutes to orbit, easy docking from IVA (it's actually useful for once!) and rapid return with comfortable safety margins. I assure you, there's absolutely no way it could be converted into an orbital bomber with guided hypersonic missiles.

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

And it only took three people and half a year…

Enter Cassandra, infinite-range heavy multipurpose spaceplane boasting a cargo elevator, VTOL thrusters, scanning equipment and up 4 500 m/s of nuclear dV in a compact package. Initially conceived as a small rework of successful Galatea, Cassandra took quite some time to flesh out and would not be possible without the help of @Hotel26 and @swjr-swis. But now, after some hours of grueling labor of patching the design, it is one hell of a fine way to transport cargo (especially rovers!) all over the Kerbol system.

The fore cargo bay houses mining equipment: ISRU, two drills, fuel cells, radiators and a short-range scanning device, as well as some ore and fuel tanks and main docking port. It serves as a counterweight to four pairs of RAPIER engines located aft above the wing plane. The wing itself, it must be noted, is also not that simple, featuring mid-wing elevons and some very fancy curves if I dare say so myself.

Aft cargo bay is where the magic happens. The cargo area, spacious enough for a large scientific rover or a moderately-sized base element, is situated between two pairs of nuclear engines for vacuum propulsion. An elaborate elevator was designed to allow relatively large rovers and base elements to leave the cargo plate — the front of the cargo plate lowers more than the rear, leaving greater height clearance for vehicles egressing forward. 

Cassandra sure is not easy to operate, but as for me, the class is well worth it.

[Post Your Cinematics Here! (Cinematic Enthusiasts)]

It's been a while, but as summer break comes closer I'd like to get some actionable feedback on my latest cinematic:

 

I know there's a popping sound on cuts (and that won't happen again, that's an amateur mistake), also the volume seems to be too low and that won't happen again as well. However, I'd be super stoked to hear some feedback on everything else!

 

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

Reading the wind...

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

So what if you combined Thomas the Tank Engine and Firefly?

Boy, editing is hard. 

 

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

41 minutes ago, JorgeCS said:

Now seriously, what about the joints between the cars? How did you manage to make them work?

I tried a few options, ranging from the more realistic ones to those of the least part count and settled on something closer to the latter. Essentially the cars are linked by docking ports attached to unpowered and unlocked hinges with 200 damping. Not exactly replica-quality, but it does the job  

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

Rails?! Where we're going we don't need rails!

Introducing the Sandworm, retrofuturistic heavy-duty long-range land train, designed for operation on Duna. It excels at refueling the spaceplanes that can't land precisely; extracting ore from the very best deposits as well as hauling rovers, entire bases and even spaceplanes across long distances. Powered by fuel cells, the engine is capable of accelerating 200 tonnes of mass to 60 km/h, and with powered assist from the cars — up to 600 tonnes to the same speed. However, when underloaded, it is perfectly possible to reach 180 km/h. Even at this speed the train can't turn over thanks to the width of the wheel base and subtle winding of cars. 

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

But why not call it Korolev Hexagon?

This weird design is a little-known, but fairly serious proposal for an R-7-derived launch vehicle, weighing 2.5 times what a modern R-7 derivative Soyuz 2.1b does, but lifting almost 5 times of payload to LEO! This is achieved in a truly Soviet way — that is, by placing a nuclear engine with an appalingly radioactive exhaust on the core stage. On liftoff only the boosters with conventional engines fire, but once they separate you don't want to be anywhere near the rear end of the rocket (not that you want to be there in general). The next stage could come equipped with a similar nuclear engine to propel the spacecraft around the Moon and with two launches — to land there, which is exactly what this rocket was meant to do. 

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

There's no such thing as too much drag, there's only too little thrust...

Big, fast, loud,  screw-the-economic-downturn "Crimson Stingray" space yacht (SX-33 V-3 for nerds) is SPAS' newest long-range vessel . With accomodations for four and an all-glass cockpit, it is a perfect sightseeing vessel*, boasting up to ~4000 dV in orbit** to take you where tax evasion investigators won't find you. Derived from "Duna Soar" project, it excels at gliding through even the thinnest of atmospheres***, providing ample time for you to enjoy your obscenely overpriced glass of champagne from the floating gardens of Eve without the roar of the engines.  Lacking in maneuverability and pointless for exploration, "Crimson Stingray" is mostly about waking up poor colonists of Duna and Laythe with its sonic boom to remind them how great new-money millionaires like yourself are. Exhibit a bespoke level of decadence by renouncing the petty notion of "fuel efficiency" and leaving the concerns of "lift-to-drag ratio" to hoi polloi — make this yacht yours today!

* — opinion of SPAS' chief engineer, ** — when following recommended ascent profile with 0.001 m/s deviation, *** — compared to other SPAS' spaceplanes  

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

2 hours ago, Kerminator K-100 said:

Also what mod are you using for the docking port?

It's just a retexture by Restock — I'm a wannabe stock purist these days  

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

Sometimes, less is more...

This is Hamster 2 — a 6-Kerbal crew rotation shuttle and a spiritual successor to Hamster 1 that featured similar design and equally unreasonable name that just kinda stuck. Unlike its predecessor, this craft has no control surfaces whatsoever, flying only on pure magic of SAS. Despite this, it has unbelievable landing success rate of 45%, compared to modest 15% of Hamster 1.

About that small landing problem... So you're just coming in on KSC like a dive bomber, pray to Kraken and eyeball when to start a flare. If you're too early — you'll eat dirt (or concrete) because you can't trade potential energy back, if you're too late — well, the end result is basically the same. Very interesting to fly, since even MechJeb refuses to guide this abomination to landing.

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

Excuse me, have I seen you before?

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

10 hours ago, SkyRender said:

Can't speak for this user, but when I do this sort of thing I use the Pencil Sketch rendering option in Paint.net and then use some color and thickness manipulation shenanigans to make it look like a blueprint drawing.  A simple blueprint background behind that, then an overlay texture filter to make it look a bit rumpled, and there you go.

EDIT: An example!  I added some coffee stains too.  Fonts are Sergoe Script and Sergoe Print.  Arrows are done with hand-adjusted bezier curve lines.

Thank you, it would seem we do things very similarly! I'd like to share some of the fancy pants stuff I did because I wasted far too much time on getting it right...  

I actually made the blueprint background layer myself — it's fairly simple, just make a rectangle filled with custom pattern. In my case the pattern is 30*30 px squares with 1-pixel thick edges with a slight blue tint. The table is assembed out of similar rectangles, but without the pattern. 

For projections I used KVV. I just remove the background, use "Find edges" filter or an alternative to get a blueprint-like look, invert the colors (as in a negative) and set the blend mode to "Screen" and boom — an awesome orthographic projection by hitting just fifteen keys in the right order  

Then I write inscriptions and draw arrows by hand. I'm told it's very pleasant to do on a graphics tablet, but I make do with a mouse with low DPI and a pencil-like brush. I dare say it is superior to using regular fonts, albeit more time-consuming. 

All that's left is smack a seal and write specifications in the table. Finally, in my overlay layers group, aside for rumpled paper texture I also added an almost transparent polar gradient to simulate lighting and do some vibrance adjustments. It takes ten mins per blueprint, tops, but initial time investment is fairly large. 

I hope it's been useful to you, @Rakete, and big thanks to @SkyRender for sharing their blueprint making process! Also, could someone here link the guide to blueprints in GIMP? I remember it was done as an album on Imgur, it's very thorough and I'd recommend it to anyone — it's the best place to get started on blueprint making.
 

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

What better way to spend the New Year's Eve than drawing blueprints of your ship? 

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

Kerball 12 approaching Kerberth 2 station to await the nuclear tug for transfer to Eeloo.

Kerberth 2 is the newest space station of United Kerbin, replacing the absolute mess of things that was Kerberth 1. With three modules of common architecture and a docking tug it clocks at just 119 parts, providing passive and active docking ports for any vessel in the fleet, accomodation for 12 kerbonauts and ample fuel storage. Also looks darn good if I dare say so myself.

[What did you do in KSP1 today?]

How overengineered is too overengineered?

[[1.12.3] Restock - Revamping KSP's art (Feb 25)]

On 12/24/2020 at 11:56 PM, Battou said:

Trying to load a save after adding Restock causes HighGainAntenna missing error along with some RCS. In case you have not stubbled apon it yet. 

Yes, I'm experiencing the same issue. However, I found that you still can copy HighGainAntenna from a subassembly or another vessel and use it perfectly well. Please let me know if you've been able to fix the issue! I tried messing around with configs, but failed.