Switching control between ships on Xbox console version of KSP

[scottadges]

Hello, I'm trying to understand why I can't seem to switch control of ships that are literally next to each other?

I've seen this question in various forms on KSP forums, Reddit, other gaming sites, and the short answer is "LB/RB+Dpad Right or Left". Great, except that only changes your focus, but doesn't change the control from one ship to another. 

On PC this is done with the "[ ]" keys. I don't have a PC, but every YouTube video I watch shows PC players easily switching control between ships.

For example, Docking or separating a Probe, Lander, etc. You can't effectively switch control, so this is almost impossible. The workaround is: go to Space Center, click on Tracking Station, find my ship or probe (in a big long list), click on "Fly" for the specific ship, wait through 3 different loading times, then I'm at the other ship.

Can someone from Squad confirm:

- Is this a know issue/bug/deficiency?

- Is this being addressed for a future update?

- Is there something I'm missing in the controls?

Really appreciate a response. With this issue, I'm basically at the point where I'm so frustrated I don't feel I can really play this game like this.

[bewing]

There is something you are missing in the controls. But I don't know what it is, since I've never played KSP on a console. The [ ] keys on a PC are vital to some aspects of the game, and it is completely impossible that they were not ported and/or fully tested on the xbox. That being said, the [ ] keys only work when you are within 2.2km of the other ship. So for some of your testing, you may not have been close enough. However, if you can find that correct set of keys, and you are out of range, you will get the message "No ships within range." So that may help you find the right set of keys. As I understand it, there is a question mark on your screen that gives you an almost full key mapping for your console gamepad. You may want to go through that list one-by-one and make sure you know what each key combo does.

But the folks on the KSP console gameplay forums will certainly be able to give you better advice than I can. So you may want to ask a mod to move this thread of yours into the Console section.

[scottadges]

23 minutes ago, bewing said:

The [ ] keys on a PC are vital to some aspects of the game, and it is completely impossible that they were not ported and/or fully tested on the xbox. 

Totally agree, I can't see how you can do many critical things in-game without being able to switch. So far, I've tried within 1Km in space, as well as literally less than 1m both in orbit (releasing a probe core vehicle, lander with a Kerbal, etc.) as well as actually on the ground, but all it gives me for the prescribed controller combo is "Focus: XYZ Ship".

It would help, what does the PC game actually call it when "switching" ships. Is it "cycling" or "changing focus" or actually "switching" that is the PC command names?

That would help me narrow this down a bit. People refer to this problem on console with many different words.

Thanks for your reply!

 

 

 

[bewing]

4 hours ago, scottadges said:

It would help, what does the PC game actually call it when "switching" ships. Is it "cycling" or "changing focus" or actually "switching" that is the PC command names?

In the settings, it says "Focus Next Vessel". Actually, do you understand that you cannot be in map mode when you use this function? So, precisely how do you know that you do not have control of the new ship that you have focused, once you click your buttons?

There is also a "Cycle focus in orbital map." (Tab) Which sounds like what is happening to you -- changing focus without changing control. But it only works in map mode.

Edited February 4, 2017 by bewing

[scottadges]

9 hours ago, bewing said:

So, precisely how do you know that you do not have control of the new ship that you have focused, once you click your buttons?

Thanks for your reply. Your question was a good one, so I decided to replicate what I was experiencing.

TL;DR: When 2 craft are right next to each other, using the Cycle Focus button combo (LB/RB + Dpad Left/Right) on Xbox only focuses on your current craft. Only way to change focus to control the other craft is from Space Center > Tracking Station (i.e. multiple loading screen workaround).

This seems like it's broken vs. the functionality on the PC which allows you to change control when cycling focus in Flight Mode.

Here's what I did to Test and verify:

- In SPH, created 2 small rovers mirrored on either side of a pair of Jr Docking ports, each side with an Octo2 probe core. This is saved as one craft named "Test Rover".

- Launched vehicle. Now I'm in flight mode/view, not map mode. On the runway, I see one craft that I can control. 

- Clicking the "Cycle focus" button combo (LB/RB Dpad Left/Right) onscreen says "No nearby objects to focus. Use Map View to select distant ones".

- Manually decouple node on the right side of the craft. Separation happens normally. Camera shifts focus to the now undocked rover (which I'll refer to as "Test Rover R").

- Select Probe core and rename as "Test Rover R". Move around a little bit to establish control.

- Select left side rover docking port and Set as Target. It says "Test Rover Probe" and is 4.9m away.

- Now hit button combo to cycle focus. Onscreen indicates "Focus: Test Rover R". Hitting right button or left button, nothing changes camera focus, screen continues to say "Focus: Test Rover R" plus "Camera: Auto" and "Target: Test Rover Probe Docking Port"

- At this point, I try different variations of pressure when hitting LB/RB, holding LB/RB before hitting Dpad L/R, hitting all buttons at the same time, hitting each with slight delay, etc. Try hitting button combo with cursor toggled (LS) on or off, still no effect.

- Cannot click anything on left side rover except the docking port with the option to "Unset target".

- Go to Space Center, then Tracking Station, I see "Test Rover Probe" and "Test Rover R" in the list.

- Select "Test Rover Probe" and load back into flight view on the runway. I can now control Test Rover Probe.

- Select probe core and rename as "Test Rover L". Jiggle the wheels to establish control.

- Now hit button combo to cycle focus between two separate craft that are less than 5m away. Onscreen says "Focus: Test Rover L" plus "Camera: Auto".

- Continue clicking the button combo, same variations, but camera doesn't change and only continue to see "Focus: Test Rover L" plus "Camera: Auto.

- Cannot click anything on Test Rover R except the docking port with the option to Set as Target.

- Clicking on Test Rover R and setting target, it shows small "Test Rover R" is now 1.2m away (after moving Test Rover L to establish control).

- Finally, back to Space Center, then Tracking Station and I see Test Rover R and Test Rover L in the list.

- At this point, I can select each of the separate rovers, but the results are the same for each. Can't cycle focus between them no matter what button variations I try and I only ever control whichever one was selected from the Tracking Station.

Edited February 4, 2017 by scottadges

[scottadges]

7 hours ago, bewing said:

There is also a "Cycle focus in orbital map." (Tab) Which sounds like what is happening to you -- changing focus without changing control. But it only works in map mode.

The functionality you indicate might work differently in Map Mode for Xbox.

When switching to Map Mode from Flight View (button combo is LB + RB) and viewing from space, I couldnt change focus between the rovers I tested because hitting RB or LB switches focus between celestial bodies, i.e. RB changes focus to Eeloo and LB changes focus to Sun.

I should also note, using the Cycle Focus buttons (LB/RB + Dpad L/R) from the orbital map also fails to change focus between my test rovers. Except in Map Mode (orbit) no onscreen message appears with "Focus: Test Rover" etc.

Finally, in the Tracking Station, using the RB/LB buttons also changes focus between celestial bodies. It doesn't change focus between craft. 

The only way to change focus between craft is to click on the icon (in orbit, or on the planet) or via the list of Tracked Objects on the left. In the case of my Test rovers, they were so close on the surface that I couldn't click separate icons in the Tracking Station.

Edited February 4, 2017 by scottadges
Edited additional secondary case

[AndyChilly]

I know this is an old thread but I believe there is a work around to this for anyone who wants to be able to ship between craft before they finally update this.

If you have a Kerbal in EVA you should be able to use the LB/RB d-pad LorR.

Its worked for me in the past anyway.

[BooCoo64]

this old but I'll answer just in case some dont know...

After switching focus using LB + right or left on dpad select control part(pod,probe,or docking port) and select control from here...

works for me everytime