KSP Loading... Breaking Ground under the spotlight!

[JPLRepo]

Yes there’s a science cap on the deployed science experiments, as there is on all experiments.

[Psycho_zs]

3 hours ago, JPLRepo said:

you seem to have mixed the two things together whereby one implies you can't do the other... But anyway, you can by setting robotic parts to have no motor.

@JPLRepo To clarify mechanical nuances, because phrases like "you seem to have mixed the two..." and "by setting ... to have no motor" being put together create a bit of ambiguity:

Are hinges motorized or free-moving or switchable?

Are hydraulic pistons complex parts (like struts/pipes)?

What I'm trying to ask is, is motorizing a hinge consists of changing hinge's parameter, or adding a piston between hinged parts? ...or any which way?

[Kryten 2X4B 523P]

Well, this looks awesome and no mistake.

But with giving us a reason to visit bodies outside of Kerbin space, are we going to get an in-game method of planning transfer windows rather than rely on mods or external websites? Ditto something like KAC.

Both could be tied in to a revised upgrade path for both mission control and the tracking station, having missions to put telescopes in orbit to discover other worlds before visiting them (alt use for the asteroid tracker?) or similar. 

 

Anyway, really looking forward to the DLC, quiite annoyed now that I wont be able to play for a few days after release as I have to go to a family wedding....

[Kerbart]

12 hours ago, Pthigrivi said:

How are we not talking about this?? This is amazing! Will proximity or impact force matter? Can we set up an array of these and slam something in the middle of it?

I also love the little suites of site-appropriate geologic features and that we'll be able to pick up the little ones. Can we claw the medium ones? Also... can the big ones be even bigger?
 

I don’t care about the proximity. Is the mass a factor?

[klgraham1013]

1 hour ago, Psycho_zs said:

Are hinges motorized or free-moving or switchable?

Hinges can be either motorized or free moving.  I bet dollars it's just a button in the right click menu.

4 hours ago, KerikBalm said:

Can normal power generating parts stand in ofr the deployable power parts

That would be reasonable to assume, adding consistency to gameplay.  ...but I'm betting no.

[linecrafter]

Can robotic parts clip inside other parts in-flight? 

Edited May 24, 2019 by linecrafter

[GoldForest]

Just now, linecrafter said:

Can robotic parts clip inside other parts? 

Any part can clip inside another part. 

Unless it's from another ship.

[linecrafter]

5 minutes ago, GoldForest said:

Any part can clip inside another part. 

Unless it's from another ship.

It would be cool to have it toggleable. Would be useful for a lot of stuff 

[klgraham1013]

27 minutes ago, linecrafter said:

It would be cool to have it toggleable. Would be useful for a lot of stuff 

It used to be like that.  Things exploded.

[Superfluous J]

35 minutes ago, GoldForest said:

Any part can clip inside another part. 

Unless it's from another ship.

Currently. The question is, will they in 6 days?

[sgt_flyer]

7 minutes ago, 5thHorseman said:

Currently. The question is, will they in 6 days?

in yargnit's ornithopter video, we can see the wings clipping into each other - so i guess for now the answer is yes

[Frozen_Heart]

10 hours ago, AngrybobH said:

no one said anything about krakenless.

the vids posted so far look like they are fairly solid though.

Challenge accepted...

[dr.phees]

First things first: Great stuff. I am so looking forward to the stock robotic parts and more surface features. Even if they look a bit tacked on, I guess this is the start to much more variation. Since so many parts have been retextured, I could imagine the planets/surface textures to be next in line.

Regarding one thing about the robotic arms: Too bad these seem to be purpose-bound. I would like them to be just the arm, instrument should be another part you can fix to whatever you want. The arm would be more versatile that way...

I don't like specialised parts. KSP is what it is because any part can be used in so many ways. What makes it great is not telling the user what to do with parts, but provoking creativity.

Don't get me wrong. I love all the robotics parts and this looks great! But I have so many ideas what to with such an arm if there was no instrument attached to it, but: A KIS/KAS refueling point, or a docking port, or a spot light, a command seat. A grappling hook or magnet (from KIS/KAS again), or a camera from that camera mod. Or attach four of these and attach wheels to have a cart with variable wheelbase base/ground clearence...

The measuring instrument would also be cool if you could allow it to be attached to other parts without the arm.

So much more potential!

Edited May 24, 2019 by dr.phees

[MechBFP]

8 minutes ago, dr.phees said:

Too bad these seem to be purpose-bound. I would like them to be just the arm, instrument should be another part you can fix to whatever you want. The arm would be more versatile that way...

I don't like specialised parts. KSP is what it is because any part can be used in so many ways. What makes it great is not telling the user what to do with parts, but provoking creativity.

Don't get me wrong. I love all the robotics parts and this looks great! But I have so many ideas what to with such an arm if there was no instrument attached to it, but: A KIS/KAS refueling point, or a docking port, or a spot light, a command seat. A grappling hook or magnet (from KIS/KAS again), or a camera from that camera mod. Or attach four of these and attach wheels to have a cart with variable wheelbase base/ground clearence...

The measuring instrument would also be cool if you could allow it to be attached to other parts without the arm.

So much more potential!

You can make your own arm to do the same thing. See one of the first “KSP Loading” articles in this forum that showcases a rover using a crane arm with a docking port. 

EDIT:  (Sorry I don’t know how to make it smaller)

 

Edited May 24, 2019 by MechBFP

[dr.phees]

38 minutes ago, MechBFP said:

You can make your own arm to do the same thing. See one of the first “KSP Loading” articles in this forum that showcases a rover using a crane arm with a docking port. 

EDIT:  (Sorry I don’t know how to make it smaller)

I know. But that would require 8 or so parts instead of 1. I always like the non-specialised parts more. They give me flexibility.

Edited May 24, 2019 by dr.phees

[MechBFP]

31 minutes ago, dr.phees said:

I know. But that would require 8 or so parts instead of 1. I always like the non-specialised parts more. They give me flexibility.

But you are literally asking for a specialized part then. These arms would all have predetermined range, flexibility, strength, etc.

Not that I disagree with you, the ability to reuse them for some other purpose that fits a similar role would be nice from a time-saving/complexity saving perspective.

[dr.phees]

1 minute ago, MechBFP said:

But you are literally asking for a specialized part then.

No, I am not. But since they will be there, it would be nice to have them de-specialised

My opinion is: Make one arm and integrate TweakScale

[RealKerbal3x]

Just now, dr.phees said:

My opinion is: Make one arm and integrate TweakScale

Meh. I like the differently sized arms looking different to each other. Having them all be rescaled versions of the same model would just break immersion for me.

[Samssonart]

6 hours ago, Psycho_zs said:

What I'm trying to ask is, is motorizing a hinge consists of changing hinge's parameter, or adding a piston between hinged parts? ...or any which way?

I'll try to answer this in the clearest way possible. All robotic parts can be motorized or not by themselves, so you can have a motorized hinge without having to use a piston in-between. 

[MechBFP]

For parts that have the motor enabled, will it be possible to disable it in flight in order to allow the part to start free-pivoting?

I am specifically thinking of the rotor as I am wondering if it is possible to be make a helicopter that can autorotate.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autorotation

[KerikBalm]

Yes, I don't know how they can make that clearer

[MechBFP]

4 minutes ago, KerikBalm said:

Yes, I don't know how they can make that clearer

I was thinking if the motor was disabled in flight the part might just get locked to its current position. 

Although wheels don’t do that, so I suppose these shouldn’t either. 

Edited May 24, 2019 by MechBFP

[KerikBalm]

Its already been said, as in the catapult video, with the trebuchet (gravity, not motor powered) example, and so on.

All the motorized parts can also be set to freely rotate.

[Kerbart]

9 minutes ago, KerikBalm said:

All the motorized parts can also be set to freely rotate.

And to clarify this, to be set by the user, not by the Kraken. Although, without doubt, He will set the motorized parts to free or freeze whenever He decides it maximizes mayhem.

[Phoenix84]

4 hours ago, klgraham1013 said:

It used to be like that.  Things exploded.

I remember those days.

Now though, with part clipping and offset tool, it feels like cheating. I have to restrain myself from using the offset tool, as it can easily make craft that shouldn't exist.

At least it hides Kracken.