What is the "Sun"?

[mpk10]

In the Tracking Station, as well as when you cycle through the "Focus View" options, Kerbol seems to be referred to as "Sun".  What is this "Sun" you speak of?  Neither Jeb nor Gene have ever heard of it.

 

 

[KerbonautInTraining]

It's referred to by Kerbol only in the community. According to the game's internal code it's called "Sun".

[Gaarst]

Kerbol is a non-official name. The star which Kerbin is orbiting is always refered to as The Sun in the game.

Edit: ninja'd

Edited May 16, 2016 by Gaarst

[mpk10]

Fair enough.  Although that is why I posted this in Suggestions rather than Questions.

 

 

[Alshain]

1 hour ago, mpk10 said:

Fair enough.  Although that is why I posted this in Suggestions rather than Questions.

If you are making a suggestion, you need to make it clear and obvious what that suggestion is.  Clever roleplay is not only against forum rules, but it is often open to interpretation which is not good for suggestions.

[The_Rocketeer]

17 minutes ago, Alshain said:

Clever roleplay is not only against forum rules, but it is often open to interpretation which is not good for suggestions.

I guess that's why your profile tag says you're a Flight Director, huh?

Edited May 16, 2016 by The_Rocketeer

[Superfluous J]

Just now, The_Rocketeer said:

I guess that's why your profile tag says your a Flight Director, huh?

I've never been led to believe that Alshain was actually a flight director (though I suppose it's possible. That is a profession after all) but there was no doubt in my mind that the OP was asking why the Sun was named the Sun in the game even though everybody calls it Kerbol.

A name that I really don't like, when it all comes down to it.

[Alshain]

7 minutes ago, The_Rocketeer said:

I guess that's why your profile tag says you're a Flight Director, huh?

That's a forum default.  I haven't assigned any title to my name.

[The_Rocketeer]

Personally, I think both names are fine. I mean, our Sun is generally called the Sun by everybody, but it's also technically named Sol (and referred to as such in astronomical publications), and at the same time is in fact undeniably a star, or even the star of our system of planets. Using any of those terms seems perfectly fine as long as it's clear which particular Sun, Sol, Star or Kerbol you're talking about.

Just now, Alshain said:

That's a forum default.  I haven't assigned any title to my name.

So what you mean is the forum is breaking it's own rules? I can't believe it...

(FWIW, I actually am a rocketpack superhero but don't tell!)

[Alshain]

Just now, The_Rocketeer said:

So what you mean is the forum is breaking it's own rules? I can't believe it...

(FWIW, I actually am a rocketpack superhero but don't tell!)

I guess?  I'm not sure a nickname qualifies as role play though.

[mpk10]

10 minutes ago, 5thHorseman said:

A name that I really don't like, when it all comes down to it.

Well.  Perhaps that is a better theme for a suggestion thread.  -  What would you name the star instead of "Sun" and "Kerbol"?

[r_rolo1]

Short awnser: the star in KSP planetary system it is called Sun . Not Kerbol, regardless of what people say to you  

Slightly longer awnser: Originally in KSP neither the planet or the star in KSP were named in game and so people in the the comunity, in  what would be the beginning of the quite ol' tradition of "adding K to the beginning of each word"  named the planet Kearth and the star Kerbol ( you can still find some 2011 youtube videos using that naming scheme, like "The Dark side of Kearth" by Scott Manley ). When the devs finaly decided to name both bodies , they went with Kerbin and Sun and , while people dropped Kearth quite fast, they continued to pretend that the star was named Kerbol. And here we are 4 years later still saying to people that "Kerbol" does not exist in game  ...

Edited May 16, 2016 by r_rolo1

[Alshain]

Our sun's name Sol, why do we call it the Sun?  I mean, I really don't care, if Squad want's to rename it, then go for it.  I just don't think it's that big of a deal.  "sun" is a generic term, "the Sun", to me, refers to the star of the system you are currently in.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Alshain

[r_rolo1]

3 minutes ago, Alshain said:

Our sun's name Sol, why do we call it the Sun?

Because you're speaking english  If you speak Spanish or Portuguese, we call Sol ... Sol

[The_Rocketeer]

Just now, Alshain said:

I guess?  I'm not sure a nickname qualifies as role play though.

To be fair, the forum 'guidelines' (as they're now called, apparently) don't say the roleplay itself is out, just 'staging for scenarios of roleplay', whatever that means (you can tell a lawyer wrote this).

I think we can take that with a grain or two of sodium chloride in most instances. As KasperVld said here:
 

Quote

It's a tough call to make really but usually I'd define this as people portraying themselves as a character vastly different from who they actually are. Usually this takes the form of holding some kind of imaginative power, for example leading a nation in a wargame.

[Alshain]

4 minutes ago, The_Rocketeer said:

To be fair, the forum 'guidelines' (as they're now called, apparently) don't say the roleplay itself is out, just 'staging for scenarios of roleplay', whatever that means (you can tell a lawyer wrote this).

I think we can take that with a grain or two of sodium chloride in most instances. As KasperVld said here:
 

 

I think you kinda missed the point though.  The point was his suggestion did not have a suggestion in it, and that is why it was misinterpreted as a question.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Alshain

[Superfluous J]

14 minutes ago, mpk10 said:

Well.  Perhaps that is a better theme for a suggestion thread.  -  What would you name the star instead of "Sun" and "Kerbol"?

I like "Sun" actually

[mpk10]

2 minutes ago, 5thHorseman said:

I like "Sun" actually

Boo!  Where is your esprit de nonsense?

[The_Rocketeer]

8 minutes ago, Alshain said:

I think you kinda missed the point though.  The point was his suggestion did not have a suggestion in it.

No, I see your point, I just don't think it's particularly valid point. Seems to me that @mpk10 is using a little-known literary technique called 'comic license' to suggest that maybe in the game should also refer to Kerbol, since it suits the Kerbal setting better than the human term 'Sun'. In some ways, I quite agree, tho I think I'd prefer the KSP devs to come up with an original name that isn't quite so blatantly derivative as 'Kerbol' or 'Sun'.

EDIT: then again, I guess it helps to have some sort of anchor to reality so that first-timers can understand what in the world they're looking at without reading this entire forum's content first (or even twice-through).

Edited May 16, 2016 by The_Rocketeer

[r_rolo1]

Yeah, I have to agree that "Sun" is a very flareless name, but well, "Mun",  "Eve", "Duna" , "Pol" or "Ike" are not exactly exotic or space-sounding , so it is not that Sun is somewhat not fitting with the theme ...

[mpk10]

6 minutes ago, The_Rocketeer said:

Seems to me that @mpk10 is using a little-known literary technique called 'comic license' to suggest that maybe in the game should also refer to Kerbol, since it suits the Kerbal setting better than the human term 'Sun'.

Indeed.

Even something as derivative as "Kapollo" or "Kelios" would be a bit more fun, no?

[The_Rocketeer]

I actually really approve of the direction most of KSP's objects have been named. Kerbin is a beautiful, original name. The names Jool and Eve are clearly channeling their RL counterparts, which is fine (the Eve/Venus mythological parallel is a particularly nice touch - the archetype woman). I much prefer these names to some of those from mods, such as Tekto or Slate, which don't seem to be using a similar naming process at all and are named for their features rather than something more subtle.

If there's one stock name that does disappoint me a little, it's Duna - it makes me think more of the Moon (Luna) than Mars, and speaks to me of rolling sand dunes (which perhaps is appropriate, but has the same issues as the mod planets above), whereas what I'd like to see or imagine of a Mars analog is a rockier, harsher landscape of jutting buttes and canyons (think of the landscapes in The Martian). It's not that I particularly dislike the planet per se, but I wish it's name spoke to something deeper than 'say what you see'.

[Superfluous J]

I'll seriously consider any name for the Sun that doesn't start with a "K". I'll just as seriously shun anything that does. Nonsense is fine. Konsense is tired and overused.

Same goes for most everything in the game.

[Pthigrivi]

I am actually a highly intelligent cat. I lost my anchor years ago though. 

[The_Rocketeer]

2 minutes ago, Pthigrivi said:

I am actually a highly intelligent cat. I lost my anchor years ago though. 

This is almost a really funny nautical joke, but I'm not sure you get it... if you do, hardyharhar shipmate!