Automatic maneuver burn

[BeanX]

I would like a way to automatically do the burn following a maneuver node, this could be very useful for very precise burns

[zeekzeek22]

I think having this automatic tool makes sense, I think it's just a matter of game design...actually manning the throttle, and in some cases having to keep your ship on heading during a burn, might be a part of gameplay that IG feels is an integral part of the experience. That said, all their description of "interstellar trajectories are threading a needle" seems like they are going to give us more precision tools. The current throttle is way too jumpy too...needs a way to fine tune it. Or maybe it will come down to challenging the player to have a combination of thrust regimes...using an SEP engine to do hyper-fine tuning. And the automation of supply routes that they've described cuts into that argument...if you can automate that, what's the logic of not automating any single part of player flight control?

I think they want to avoid a pitfall of players "learning" KSP2 by just always hitting "automate" buttons...they want players to learn the nuance of flying a spaceship, and if you give a human a shortcut, most will take it. There is something special about having your manual drop into a 101x99km orbit and having to know how to correct it to 100x100. give a player a single button that guarantees a 100x100 every time removes some of the uniqueness of every flight? At the end of the day, that's all creative direction.

But I agree, we ned (and will certainly get) some tools to manage precision burns that isn't just "add a secondary low-thrust engine for fine maneuvers"

[The Aziz]

1 hour ago, zeekzeek22 said:

But I agree, we ned (and will certainly get) some tools to manage precision burns that isn't just "add a secondary low-thrust engine for fine maneuvers"

Right click on engine → lower thrust percentage for fine tuning. No need to have separate engines.

Or use RCS, it's even more precise.

1 hour ago, zeekzeek22 said:

the automation of supply routes that they've described cuts into that argument...if you can automate that, what's the logic of not automating any single part of player flight control?

Supply routes need the player to do the trip manually first. It's less automated, it's more repeated.

[HebaruSan]

This would be sensible if an automated background burn could consistently succeed/fail the same way that manual burns do.

If you've done a long burn with nuclear engines in KSP1, you have seen that burns can stop for reasons other than insufficient fuel. If engine shut-down due to overheating will still be a thing, then executing burns without the full physics sim running starts to look unlikely.

[Donkey32]

On 3/17/2023 at 8:47 AM, The Aziz said:

Supply routes need the player to do the trip manually first. It's less automated, it's more repeated.

Love this. Perhaps also something like KOS built in for the monsters among us, with hooks into that (for modders) to build things like Mecjeb.

Edit: Rethink - Perhaps to have a modular automation system with a KOS like system under the hood for the monsters among us!

Edited March 18, 2023 by Donkey32

[TiggerTailz]

There's a mod now on Spacedock called K2-D2 that automates precise maneuver burns