KSP Weekly: We have a way with words

[PocketBrotector]

How about a picture from Wikipedia of what the real Vostok actually looked like?

[CoreI]

7 hours ago, RoverDude said:

 

7 hours ago, Spartwo said:

Oh wow, an expandable port. I can think of so many things to do with that. Cranes for one. Assuming it works that way. By the sounds of it it can be moved with things at both ends. Which could also open a lot of options for pistons and maybe a bearing someday(please)

Not sure where folks keep getting this idea, but no, that is not the case.  Its closest analogue would be the inline docking port.

If I extend the airlock, and a piece of debris not attached to the vessel is in front, does that debris get pushed away? Or does the Kraken attack?

Overall great news. I personally haven't downloaded the 1.3 prerelease yet, but I am excited to try out about the performance improvements when it is fully released.

[HebaruSan]

1 minute ago, CoreI said:

Overall great news. I personally haven't downloaded the 1.3 prerelease yet, but I am excited to try out about the performance improvements when it is fully released.

1.3 was fully released on Thursday.

 

[nothingSpecial]

Will airlock functionality be limited by extention (i.e. no EVA while retracted)? Also does it work like crewed part, or said new extra bits of code are for non-crewed airlock parts (attach and you can EVA from here)? 

 

[John FX]

8 hours ago, passinglurker said:

As people have been saying its like the inline docking port. Instead of referring to an attachment node in the config dockingports like this are pointed to separate node object in the parts mesh. This node object is then animated to move with the rest of the part and only activates when the part is in its deployed state

So you can't retract it with a pod attached then?

EDIT :

15 hours ago, RoverDude said:

Not sure where folks keep getting this idea,

From the weekly where it is described as `expandable`. Expansion relies on a changing shape so people assume the shape changes. It is a docking port so people know you can attach a part to both ends of those.

Now, in absence of any other information from the makers of the part, people then connect those two pieces of information and logically then think the part which has a node on both ends also changes shape. As it is designed to do so in the flight scene that is where they think this happens. So now in the minds of people who read the weekly there is a part, with nodes on both ends, that animates and moves in the flight scene. If you don't mention that the node is only active when extended. then that is where the confusion comes from.

Instead of, as in the past, problems caused by telling the users too much, @SQUAD is now at the other end of the spectrum and problems arise from too little information and the information in response to questions from the users is too cryptic.

For example just denying things users say rather than correcting them encourages this sort of speculation. Instead of `That is incorrect` you could have said `The node is not active and cannot have a part attached unless the tube is extended because of Unity reasons`. Which neatly explains the function of the part and stops discussion about robotics and moving parts/nodes.

Personally I think this is pretty basic stuff and should not need explaining but then again I am not good at figuring out the level normal people operate on, which at the end of the day is my problem.

Edited May 28, 2017 by John FX

[klgraham1013]

I'm pretty sure @RoverDude has made it clear how the docking port works.  It's not that hard to understand.  It's just the inline docking port, but extends farther.

9 hours ago, CoreI said:

If I extend the airlock, and a piece of debris not attached to the vessel is in front, does that debris get pushed away?

Possibly.  @EJ_SA has used the colliders on solar panels to make pistons before.

Edited May 28, 2017 by klgraham1013

[passinglurker]

4 hours ago, John FX said:

So you can't retract it with a pod attached then?

Nope and if you some how did then whatever you are attached to will not move with the port but would remain hanging in space.

[John FX]

Just now, passinglurker said:

Nope and if you some how did then whatever you are attached to will not move with the port but would remain hanging in space.

I would imagine they would just not have the `retract` option available if the node is in use.

[passinglurker]

1 minute ago, John FX said:

I would imagine they would just not have the `retract` option available if the node is in use.

exactly but if you some how modded or broke the game to do otherwise that is what it would happen parts would remain fixed relative to each other

[John FX]

3 hours ago, passinglurker said:

exactly but if you some how modded or broke the game to do otherwise that is what it would happen parts would remain fixed relative to each other

If you modded or broke the game many things might happen but that is not really relevant because it is so open ended.

[DMagic]

It think the reason for the confusion probably lies in the disconnect between the knowledge about how docking ports work for the people at Squad and the general players.

Just pointing to the in-line or shielded ports doesn't really help since those parts have an obvious reason for why that can't work as a docking port when closed or be retracted when attached (the port is literally shielded when closed ).

But for a port that appears open for docking both when retracted and extended there is no reason for the general player to look at that and think it would work in the same way as a shielded port, or to understand why it would work that way (it works that way because that's how the docking port module works, and my guess is that Squad wanted to keep their behavior consistent), or why it couldn't be retraced/extended while docked (it can't be because connected parts don't care about the position of an attachment or docking node, those are just there for reference when in the VAB or for when deciding when the opposing docking port is in the right position).

So my point is that a few brief sentences about how docking ports work probably would have avoided 30 posts of confusion on the topic. 

[nothingSpecial]

I'm honestly more interested in the behavior of it as an airlock, because expandable docking part wasn't something new - we have Claw that is basically the same thing.

[TopHeavy11]

Where's me celebratory cork-launcher? It was right here last update...

Lets do this in all the new languages:

1.3 has arrived!

1.3 ha llegado!

1.3が到着しました！

1.3已经到了！

1.3 прибыл!

Edited May 29, 2017 by TopHeavy11

[Waxing_Kibbous]

Just a weird observation, but the 1.3 zip is about 26MB smaller than 1.22, it could be a more compressed zip or a big code cleanup, either way it's nice to see things get better and smaller Seems to start up faster as well.

One minor bug: the spacing between the i and t in the main game menu makes me twitch a bit.

[Raven Industries]

3 hours ago, Waxing_Kibbous said:

Just a weird observation, but the 1.3 zip is about 26MB smaller than 1.22, it could be a more compressed zip or a big code cleanup, either way it's nice to see things get better and smaller Seems to start up faster as well.

One minor bug: the spacing between the i and t in the main game menu makes me twitch a bit.

As always, a related XKCD:

[maceemiller]

Well a quick input from me about the shadows.

As a pure PC player of KSP I have to admit the shadows on Xbox 1 before and after are a HUGE improvement. 

No, I'll never play on console as I've had playstations and x box's yada-yada (don't own any console now) but that is as good as PC and deserved for the console players.

Now, if the rest can be sorted then welcome to the (probably, but in my opinion ) best game your control pad fingers will work on

Great work by all... 

Edited May 30, 2017 by maceemiller