[1.9.1-1.11.0] RedKerbol: A mod envisioning the Kerbolar system as being a realistic physics scale.

[R-T-B]

What's that?  A planet pack from the Kopernicus Dev himself?

Yes, and it's presently what I am playing.  Though to be frank, this is probably because I suck at KSP.

Best thought of as a form of a "realistic physics Kerbolar system, easy mode edition" this mod does the following:

1.)  Resizes Kerbol/Suns mass to be more like a communist utopia red dwarf star, this means much more mass and gravity with the same radius.  Light output is also slightly tinted, but not too much, as my understanding is it would mostly diffuse out to a whiteish hue from aparent intensity (fun fact, Kerbin falls into the habitable zone on red dwarf modeling).

2.)  Scales the gravity and mass of all planets down by 0.1x.  Yes, this means 10% gravity and 10% mass on all bodies.

3.)  To prevent you from killing yourself with overpowered rocket engines in the new low gravity yet still same dense atmosphere style environment, every engines max thrust max is quartered.  Kerbals themselves have also had their jump reduced from 10 to 2 to prevent them from seeming superhuman and to represent growing up in low gravity.

4.) Fuel density has been kept the same.  There is absolutely no physical reason the kerbals couldn't still push the same fuel to orbit, and this mod is about realism in a red dwarf setting.

5.)  For Principia support (below) Minmus and Bop have had their orbits slightly tweaked, and been made retrograde.  The Mun and gilly have also been moved slightly, but the order of the orbits is still the same.

It obviously requires Kopernicus.  Bleeding edge or 1.9 stable will do.

Given all that, out of the box, it plays sort of like a "KSP Easy mode."  A stock flea engine and pod for example will get you to space, but not orbit.  There are still challenges, but they are fewer and farther between.  Support is offered for the following mods to spice up the challenge a bit (I play with these):

1.)  Principia (highly recommended, after much work and a lot of sim time I can safely say the system is stable!)

2.)  Kerbalism (ignition count and runtimes are buffed to represent the lower power engines being more reliable).

Some survival tips:

1.)  Use the thrust limiter.  Even with the engine power reduction, you can make some dangerously overpowered craft using the engines kerbals have.  You don't want to vaporize yourself on entering orbit.  Watch TWR!

2.)  You can lift much much more.  Take advantage of that.

3.)  If it seems too easy, add some challenge mods, or maybe this isn't for you.  It's meant for users who want a more laid back experience while still having realistic physics (the stock game scales physics down 10x, and scaling the bodies up 10x to make physics realistic is WAY HARDER gameplay wise).

4.)  Gravity wells of bodies are kind of hard to hit with Principia.  Consider that you have more fuel:  It balances out.

In addition, if you want to "Play like the chief Kopernicus Dev, I use/recommend the following mods:

1.) Parallax Stock Textures

2.) Scatterer + EVE

3.) Spectra

4.) RealPlume-Stock, Waterfall

5.) Restock

If you use that combo, you might get something that looks like this (provided for show only, and can ONLY can happen with all the mods above loaded, you select the level of your visual experience, this is mainly a gameplay mod):

Spoiler

I don't know whether I will maintain this longterm, but it's a fun experiment anyways.  Comments and screenshots welcome.  Please try not to shoot yourself too far into space, I hear there are Krakens out there.

DOWNLOAD HERE  (and be easy on me, first planet mod and all)

LICENSE: UNLICENSE, as on github.  Do whatever.

Edited January 23, 2021 by R-T-B

[L1L1TH]

Awesome, congrats on the release I guess. I will try it out definetly.

[R-T-B]

1 hour ago, TR_HyDra said:

Awesome, congrats on the release I guess. I will try it out definetly.

Honestly, it's a weird experience, but certainly more real for if they were born on a small body orbiting a red dwarf like seems most likely given the solar layout.  I'm curious if anyone finds it fun, as a side effect... 

Also, I've been told the atmos are totally not realistic.  Yes, I know.  But Kerbals gotta breathe.

Edited January 23, 2021 by R-T-B

[R-T-B]

0.2 update with more science, namely I added a proper star surface temp, and adjusted light output based on some actual fomulas rather than "eyeballing it."

Thank you @WarriorSabe

Tomorrow I'm going to figure out if I want to start tidally locking bodies to their moons, or if I just want to leave things alone.  Technically as the system is set up, everything duna-inward should be tidally locked to the Sun, which I'm not fond of.  Tidally locking to a moon on say, Kerbin-Mun, prevents that.  Duna is already good for a moon based tidal lock due to Ike's size, pretty sure.

Edited January 23, 2021 by R-T-B