will ksp2 have position lock? like real satellites on an orbit using reaction wheels to stay on target.

[Stratennotblitz]

just like real satellites on an orbit using reaction wheels to stay on target, it'd be pretty cool to have a communication network mechanic where you can change spacecraft antenna positions to improve networking on a certain planet, per example if a relay is down it could either incapacitate the whole network or slow it down.

If there's not enough time a remote satellite control and more advanced communication mechanics would be cool!

[shdwlrd]

If you're asking if there will be persistent rotation, then yes. Well maybe. The devs have hinted for this, but they haven't said anything or have we seen anything to prove anything either way.

[mcwaffles2003]

On 7/25/2021 at 7:21 PM, Stratennotblitz said:

just like real satellites on an orbit using reaction wheels to stay on target, it'd be pretty cool to have a communication network mechanic where you can change spacecraft antenna positions to improve networking on a certain planet, per example if a relay is down it could either incapacitate the whole network or slow it down.

If there's not enough time a remote satellite control and more advanced communication mechanics would be cool!

I'd like something like this where satellite dish orientation mattered and could be autonomously maintained. More so though I would like to see a system where orbit itself can be maintained so satellites in resonant orbits could maintain their positions relative to one another but even asking for mechjeb gets a large portion of the community up in arms...

[Brofessional]

On 7/27/2021 at 3:22 AM, mcwaffles2003 said:

I'd like something like this where satellite dish orientation mattered and could be autonomously maintained. More so though I would like to see a system where orbit itself can be maintained so satellites in resonant orbits could maintain their positions relative to one another but even asking for mechjeb gets a large portion of the community up in arms...

Hopefully we'll see something like the StationKeeping mod made stock to help fix satellites into exact matching orbital periods so they stay in sync through long time warps. This will be even more important in KSP2 when dealing with long interstellar time warps.

I don't think you'll see anything in regards to keeping antennas pointed at specific targets. Doing so would require the game to track the orientation of all spacecraft at all times which would impact performance. Not to mention the added difficulty it would present to new players. It's something that would be better left to a mod.

[Stratennotblitz]

1 hour ago, Brofessional said:

Hopefully we'll see something like the StationKeeping mod made stock to help fix satellites into exact matching orbital periods so they stay in sync through long time warps. This will be even more important in KSP2 when dealing with long interstellar time warps.

I don't think you'll see anything in regards to keeping antennas pointed at specific targets. Doing so would require the game to track the orientation of all spacecraft at all times which would impact performance. Not to mention the added difficulty it would present to new players. It's something that would be better left to a mod.

id's be automatic but yeah I guess

[MKI]

On 7/25/2021 at 4:21 PM, Stratennotblitz said:

just like real satellites on an orbit using reaction wheels to stay on target, it'd be pretty cool to have a communication network mechanic where you can change spacecraft antenna positions to improve networking on a certain planet, per example if a relay is down it could either incapacitate the whole network or slow it down.

I personally like the current "satellites magically point the right direction" gameplay to a degree, even if there is a degree of "magic", while also leaving giant holes where I lack coverage during key moments as I didn't perfectly setup orbits of my relay to my probe and need to guess/wait for another time to perform my precise landing maneuver which can cramp my style.

 

I'm honestly not sure what level of "automation", if any there should/could be for this feature. It could be simpler/more forgiving where all communications around a given body just increase coverage regardless of sight lines, or it could get down to the nitty gritty forcing players either to do things perfectly for max coverage (similar to what we have now), or include some form of automation to keep things as realistic as possible.

 

Regardless, the "keep track of rotation while I'm not watching" feature is something I'd like to see, but I'm not sure if it needs to part of the potentially complex communications features. Something as simple as what if I orient my dishes all different directions, technically they are now all useless except the one(s) "facing correctly". Such could be included, but are completely ignored in the current game, and would need to be explained properly in the new game. 

[afafsa]

On 7/27/2021 at 4:22 AM, mcwaffles2003 said:

I'd like something like this where satellite dish orientation mattered and could be autonomously maintained. More so though I would like to see a system where orbit itself can be maintained so satellites in resonant orbits could maintain their positions relative to one another but even asking for mechjeb gets a large portion of the community up in arms...

Personally something I hope that gets built on. There are some interesting engineering challenges in interplanetary comm networks if the devs are willing to risk a little extra complexity. The tradeoff between omni-directional vs. high-gain would be more interesting if high-gain had to maintain pointing accuracy. If we want to go crazy, whip antennas could maintain over-the-horizon comms using ionsphere reflection on some planets (you can do this on Mars, but not on the Moon).

[mcwaffles2003]

28 minutes ago, afafsa said:

Personally something I hope that gets built on. There are some interesting engineering challenges in interplanetary comm networks if the devs are willing to risk a little extra complexity. The tradeoff between omni-directional vs. high-gain would be more interesting if high-gain had to maintain pointing accuracy. If we want to go crazy, whip antennas could maintain over-the-horizon comms using ionsphere reflection on some planets (you can do this on Mars, but not on the Moon).

Not only this but if pointing axis orientation is already in the game then telescope mods will become much easier to build I'm assuming.

[Dman979]

Less talking about MechJeb and more talking about how the satellite network will work in KSP2, please.

The discussion about adding MechJeb into stock was split into its own thread, available here. Please continue to talk about the satellite network in KSP2 in this thread.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Dman979
Split posts into their own thread.

[Stratennotblitz]

2 hours ago, Dman979 said:

Less talking about MechJeb and more talking about how the satellite network will work in KSP2, please.

well I was thinking maybe we'd have space based gps so we could land and maneuver more precisely, per example your landing node will be off by 3 kilometres less everytime you upgrade your comms network, also more ground station building just like nasa's deep space network receivers 

[GKSP]

For one thing, I'm not a fan of the "everything magically gets better when you add another satellite" idea.  It could encourage players to just plop a bunch of sattelites into an orbit without any thought into it.

With the KSP1 CommNet, you need to pay attention to the type of relay you have as well as the position, so you can do things like prevent deadzones or put them in spots you know you won't be going e.g. the opposite side of Duna from where you're landing.  It's also why I've started experimenting with setting up surface-based relays as well. (I usually play with vac occlusion 1.0 and atmo about .95 or so).

While I'm not sure I'd like implementing directional antennas without an attitude-keeping mechanic, I do enjoy the (variable in settings) LoS occlusion that we currently have which still adds a challenge for setting up relays.

13 hours ago, MKI said:

It could be simpler/more forgiving where all communications around a given body just increase coverage regardless of sight lines

This idea seems a little too magic-y to me.  Just having a satellite enter high Duna orbit shouldn't be able to give my surface base enough signal range if it's occluded by the planet.

[Bej Kerman]

On 7/26/2021 at 12:21 AM, Stratennotblitz said:

just like real satellites on an orbit using reaction wheels to stay on target, it'd be pretty cool to have a communication network mechanic where you can change spacecraft antenna positions to improve networking on a certain planet, per example if a relay is down it could either incapacitate the whole network or slow it down. If there's not enough time a remote satellite control and more advanced communication mechanics would be cool!

Overcomplicating a trivial part of the game. Pass.

[Stratennotblitz]

22 minutes ago, Bej Kerman said:

Overcomplicating a trivial part of the game. Pass.

it could be on hard mode, just like relay is on the base game except with continual positional locking 

bruh do you even play ksp>?

[Bej Kerman]

33 minutes ago, Stratennotblitz said:

bruh do you even play ksp>?

Yes, and I can imagine how awkward aligning every satellite would be just to reach a little further to a distant vessel. Again, this idea just overcomplicates trivial things that do not need to be overcomplicated. If it isn't broken, don't fix it.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Bej Kerman