Vermil

I will certainly buy merchandize, and I appreciate your point of view. I agree that a paid subscription would be awful. Actually, I think I said that. I don't really have anything to add, but I feel you have missed the spirit of my post. This is what typically happens to all my really favorite game: The game is purchased by a big publisher, often the developer as well. From then on, they proceed to utterly ruin the game. I don't know why, but big publishers absolutely insist on two things: Simplify them and make them into console action games. They're very determined about this. The fact that they don't have any success doesn't matter. They continue to slog along on the same path. They just kill off the now unsuccessful franchise and buy another. For me, for my tastes, good games are really very, very rare these days. To me, it's important that Squad stays independent.

A few "close by" other solar systems and interstellar spaceflight would make for a good add-on.

Buying extra copies is an excellent idea (and in fact one I've already employed for other games, so I definitely should for KSP as well). The problem is it won't really generate much income for SQUAD if only I do it, so it doesn't address my concerns. As for you not understanding my comments on subscription services, it's not the subscription fee - that I have to pay money - I resent, it's what is done to the games to make people do it. The content and nature of the game changes. But no, I'd hate to "not own" the game and have to pay to play it. That's a bad idea. It's a widely abhorred business idea anyway, among gamers.

One thing I've been thinking about recently, is how much I loathe MMO-games... I don't want to see KSP becoming a game that finances itself by becoming an online-game. I don't want to see KSP be sold to a major publisher that ruins everything they get their hands on, by remaking game-mechanics things to become subscription services. Also, I don't think we full-blown fans have paid enough. I would certainly pay some kind of subscription to have my game updated, as per currently. What I'm specifically thinking of is a KSP 2? This would force us to pay for the game over again, and generate income for continued development.

One thing I often find myself wanting or needing to do, is to remove just one or a few of parts, which have previously been mounted as symmetric parts of a group. For instance, I want to modify the way four engine complexes work, i.e. how they are mounted. I want to make two of them different. Currently, this means I have to tear down everything, fuel distribution lines and tanks, decouplers, radiators, struts, then rebuild everything again as pairs or even single complexes, and then re-organize everything in the staging-queue again. I want to tear down only two of them. Is there a method to do this already? (I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, when it comes to figuring out how a game works, I did my first Minmus landing without either SAS or navigation nodes, so call me Captain Clueless.) But if there isn't a such method, could we please have it?

There happened a few things back at the base. Cerly and Asdra approached Mission Control and pointed out that Tandan, Sigrid and Bilfal had actually never set foot on Duna. Their Duna mission landed on Ike. So, considering an Ikaros_H mission coming up soon, wouldn't it be most appropriate if?.. The situation exploded almost immediately as Bilfal, Tandan and Sigrid got wind of this. Mission Control had to work overtime convincing them no plans would be changed. There is the question of who takes the Ikaros_H, but Jeb, Bill and Bob haven't done much lately, so they might be up for it. Regardless, their Laythe mission is still on. Cerly, Eilla and Asdra have to wait for their turn. Meanwhile, Dr Horst had been busy. He had grown increasingly concerned about Kronos_C lacking air-braking capability. So he took steps to improve Kronos_C' fuel situation. 16 solid boosters will lift the whole fuel budget. Then a large number of additional separator-rockets were fitted. These would allow safer stage ejection during a much more aggressive ascent trajectory. Tandan got tasked with flying this, mostly manually, with SAS turned off. He got a bit pale when he realized what was asked from him. So this is the new Kronos_C MkII. 1088 parts, 8,812.5 t It was a tense, concentrated climb, but here the worst of it is done, most of the precarious engines and tanks successfully ejected. Soon Tandan should be be able to turn on SAS again. Done, he relaxes and celebrates. Dr Horst von Kermin's plan worked. The mighty rocket reached a circular 200km orbit with two full tanks left. They've never had so much chemical rocket fuel for the escape burn before. Kronos_C MkII did the escape directly, in one orbit. That's also a first for a heavy Kronos rocket. Kronos_B needed two orbits, Kronos_A four. So our intrepid Laythe voyagers went contently to sleep in their cabins, Kronos_C on an escape trajectory away from Kerbin. Then in the middle of the night, an alarmed, shouting Bilfal woke up the others. " - There's no power! The power is gone! " Their Kronos_C was horribly dead, dark and cold. All electricity was depleted. Thankfully, they did have a nuclear reactor that did produce charge no matter what. Taking advantage of those short spurts, Sigrid shut down all uncritical drains of power. It turned out that the deployed radiators actually consume power, even when they're not cooling. Then of course no SAS or inertia wheels. Having secured a positive energy balance, She then concerned herself with how to get the batteries charged. She got a very bright idea. Sigrid deployed the solar panels on the two rovers. Soon, everything returned to normal, minus the radiators. The ship is warm and alive again. And there we leave them to go back to sleep again.

Well, Kronos_C fixing and testing continued, and Mission Control is now satisfied that the vessel is in good condition. Later examination of a previous mishap concluded that the problem likely was not a missing engine, as was first assumed. Oh, I was missing an engine alright, even several, but it is now believed they were knocked off by ejected tanks when the rocket had already started to keel over. The real culprit: Missing fuel lines. So some engine ran out of fuel. That is what had the rocket to become unbalanced. Why were fuel lines missing? Beats me. There was missing plumbing on the later nuclear stages as well. Only explanation is they got inadvertently removed as the rocket went through its modification. That finished, attention returned to our brave gang on Duna. They had one scheduled rover mission left. Down into the basin. It was decided to keep one astronaut behind, that a Taxi operation could be conducted with the other rover, should there be a breakdown. Choosing who, turned out to be easy in the end. Lealian pretty much refused to drive the rover again. This meant that the principle of only female rover drivers on expeditions was broken. Danvey had to drive. Now, mind you, Danvey has proved to be cautious and smart. His landing was really well done. Anyway, Lindra and Danvey set out in the early morning. The drive then was surprisingly easy and fast. It was not so much that it was less steep. It was the matter of more smooth terrain, which made it safe to drive at a decent speed. Only one time was there an incident. For a long while they drove on both two and one wheel. In the end, Danvey managed to make it come down on all four wheels, right side up, no damages. So remarkably soon, they arrived in the basin and took their soil samples. The drive back was even easier, going mostly uphill, which makes the rover more stable. They were back at the rocket in time for lunch. And that actually concludes the job for Danvey, Lealian and Lindra. Now they have about a year of vacation on Duna, before the trip back home. I don't doubt that they will grow potatoes. Meanwhile, Tandan, Sigrid and Bilfal will start on their Laythe adventure. Kronos_C probably launches tomorrow.

Nah, seems a bit contrived, like when certain well payed scientists used to claim smoking is not addictive or dangerous. Besides, it's neither presumption nor speculation. I distinctly remember the creating powers saying that they're "females". But okay, okay, it's your own Kerbalverse, after all. Mine are females. ...and males.

The mere existence of two genders, both females and males, makes it pretty clear how it works.

See, this is why I insist on test, test, test, test like a lunatic paranoiac. So Kronos_B works flawlessly, then Kronos_C must also work properly since it's the same basis, right? So why the ... is one engine suddenly missing? As the stages dispatched tanks and rockets, the SAS eventually couldn't keep the balance, with the missing engine. And don't worry, the vehicle was unmanned. Of course.

Today I watched some awesome KSP-videos and was both very entertained indeed and feeling very inadequate. I finally decided to not aspire to anything like that and just continue and explore KSP in my own way. My team on Duna had yet another day off. Mission Control turned off the feed from their R&R lounge when it was discovered that everybody was in their underwear. So it was another day of development work for Dr Horst and Jebediah (who now holds the official title 'Chief Development Astronaut'). Since Ikaros_H was considered finished, attention switched to Kronos_C. A Kronos expedition to Laythe is planned to be the next major mission, so some work should be put in. Kronos_C received a lot of small sheduled fixes and planned improvements. A late-minute addition to that was equipping it with two rovers. The new long-wheelbase version, of course. But then it also got three new features, deviced and executed on the fly. First it got a similar surgery as Ikaros_H, replacing the Command-Habitat complex with a new one, assembled from spaceplane Mk3 components. It's quite similar, but not identical, to the one adopted for Ikaros_H. Then all the frontal, ejectable, heatshields were removed. This is controversial, since it means that Kronos_C will not be able to do any atmosphere-braking. Kronos_X13 and Kronos_A had to do that, as well as the forrunners, the two ancient Banshees. But Kronos_B performed its mission without having to resort to any aero-braking, so Mission Control believes that it's just a matter of getting the approach to Jool and Laythe right. And Mission Control also feels much have been learned, and doubts that Kronos will ever aero-brake again (even if it could). It's also not a matter of safety. If it fails to get into landing orbit around Laythe, it will still have more than enough fuel to abort and fly home again. So the tandem, cruciform stabilizators could also be removed. Finally, solar panels were removed and replaced by a nuclear isotope reactor. This change reflects the long times in shadow behind Jool as well as the distance from the sun. Ultimately, it converts into a weight reduction. The new Kronos_C weighs in at 8,425.1 t, representing a weight reduction of 21.5 t from Kronos_B, despite the rovers. The number of stages is also down. Now 48. I think Kronos_B had 51. Toggles are the same, 8. Parts count is up though, 1004 from previous 987. Jebediah spent like 3 hours climbing up and down the ladders, testing. There was in particular one section which proved a considerable problem. But testing of the Kronos_C is by no means considered finished. More work remains. I think it will have to fly as well, even if it's just a short ballistic loop.

My Ikaros_G team of astronauts on Duna have several days off. They need rest after that long rover drive. (And frankly, I dread driving that old rover design again. But I have to, since next Duna mission won't visit that canyon again.) Anyway, there have been some developments back on Kerbin. Dr Horst and Jebediah have been busy: This, hanging here under an Ikaros-lander fuel tank, is the new longer wheelbase rover! Theoretically, it is heavier, less maneuverable, and has less ground clearance. But it seems to drive a whole lot better, with much less risk of crashing. That is only tests on Kerbin with it's greater gravity, of course. But it will be interesting to try. And the Ikaros rocket is this: The spanking new Ikaros_H! I suppose I'm guilty of being proud of almost all my rockets, but this is a class act! A slick, well oiled piece of smooth working machinery. A few, small remaining glitches from previous Ikaros versions have been weeded out. But what makes it the biggest upgrade since version 'D', is the entirely new command module and habitation module. The old habitation module, built in the VAB and based on two welded together ADTP-2-3 adapters, was spacious, very comfortable and popular with the astronauts, but it didn't fit with the new command module. The new habitation module is also built in the VAB and constructed from an empty Mk3 fuel tank and an empty Mk3 monopropellant tank. The new command module is fashioned from the Mk3 Cockpit, there being nothing better available. This offer a completely new level of comfort, protection and space at the controls, as well as modern avionics and systems. A world apart from the old crude, primitive Mk1-2 pod. The astronauts have asked for this, ever since the Lensman went into service. It was planned to design a new Duna rocket, but eventually it was decided that it would offer no advantages over yet another version of the Ikaros. It has, of course, been extensively dry-tested on all functions. Here, Jebediah is trying out the peculiar ladder arrangement. And it has, of course, been test flown through all of it's staging, on Kerbin of course, and test landed. No problems at all. But of course it relies on the Ikaros' already proven stellar performance.

What I'm posting here is only "What I did in KSP today". I only started adding page info of other installments lately, as I thought it'd seem very out of context otherwise. But I've found "Mission Reports", and it might be a better venue. It'd be more work, more pictures, more writing,.. But yeah, I might move.

- Aah! Gawd! At last. Home sweet rocket. By nightfall they reach Ikaros_G. They're stiff and exhausted. The general feeling seems to be: "If I never see a rover again..." Alas, they will soon have to do another expedition. To the basin of the canyon. As far, but maybe easier terrain. So they climb up the ladder and into their warm and comfortable rocket. Notice the long shadow. Danvey secures the stuff and deploys the still functioning solar panel, that it may charge the batteries in the morning. Then he's the last to enter the rocket. Umm... Maybe someone should get up and turn off the lights? ...Danvey?... - DANVEY... Previous parts of this Duna mission are on 885, 886 (2 posts), 887, 888 (2 posts), 891.

Meanwhile, the Duna rover missions continue. A rover definitely changes your relation to another planet. There was a discussion of what to do. There were worries about the descent back into the canyon. Also about the approaching night and how tiring a too long drive might eventually become. So it was decided that they would only take a short drive-about on the highlands, no attempt to reach a distant mountain top. Then they would try to find a way down. A curved path towards the West was chosen for the descent, since it seemed it would offer a less steep if longer route. Driving downhill with the rover is not easy. There is a distinct danger of crashing. If such a crash disables the rover, it will be a terribly long walk home. This was well known since testing on Kerbin. But it was felt it could be managed by careful driving. And Lealian drove carefully. No shadow falls on her. But still, during the very long and steep descent crashes couldn't be entirely avoided. Lealian, Danvey and Lindra crashed two times. This, the first, went very well. The rover was undamaged. It took a bit of wriggling with the steering and spinning the wheels to make it fall down on all wheels again. The second crash was more serious, and destroyed the front solar panel. Since it was downhill and they still had the aft panel, that was OK too. But crashes are too difficult to completely avoid and Mission Control promptly decided the rover will be redesigned in a close future. A good thing the decision was made to start the return drive so soon. Because the drive was really long and taxing. And the shadows grew longer and longer. But as sundown approached, they reached the lower slopes. Not too far to go now. They'll likely reach the rocket, Ikaros_G, before nightfall. Previous parts of this Duna mission on 885, 886 (2 posts), 887, 888 (2 posts).

That seems familiar. I run my KSP also on a $500 (approx) laptop, 4 years old, AMD-ASUS, A6/HD7670, widescreen, 17'' and numpad, win7-64. Works great. I did try to run it on my desktop early on but had crashes, so I focused on the laptop. Later, the game has become stable on the desktop as well, but it was weird that it originally ran better on the laptop. ...However: With my Eve mission plans it seems I've finally reached the limit. It involves maneuvering two close-to-1000-parts-rocket ships and it just doesn't work. Too many weird function deficits ruin my checklist. This program is currently on ice. The main reason, though, I don't use mods, is not stability, but rather that it sets a fixed standard for the challenge I have to overcome. Eventually, I will run mods. It will be when I judge the worthwhile challenge to have been met to saturation point. I'd really like better command pods and wider rocket parts. Also, I don't do many scene/location changes before restarting the game. I noticed the kraken may make an appearance at the fourth, so I only do three. VAB, Space-center etc don't count. I mean different rocket missions in different parts of space.

For some reasons - maybe I played too much with my sister and her friends when I was a kid, or maybe I've played too much rpgs - all my astronauts have developed distinct personalities over time. Inside my head. How I perceive them. It's a spontaneous thing. It just happens. So I know them fairly well. But I, in my roles as Mission Control, Dr Vermil and Dr Horst, don't really keep track of their romances. They keep that sort of stuff mostly private. There have certainly been a number of liaisons, but it doesn't really hurt operations. After breakups things seem to soon return to friendly enough. They're professionals. I may suspect things. I may even be convinced of some things, but I don't really know, and I'm not curious enough to find out. Finally and mainly: It's none of your business.

The tenacious struggle to climb up out of the canyon continues. I have to say it's ridiculously 'thin' at times, with hardly any traction at all. Steep slopes requires zigzagging, but even then it's dire. Clearly we need new rovers with better traction, ...or better wheel physics. Finally! At the top of the world! At least locally. 5375m altitude, a climb of more than 4km up from the Landing site. An average incline of 16 degrees. Well, remains to figure out where to go next.

Early morning on Duna. Deep in the canyon. Solar panels, ladders and rovers are deployed. Time for action and taking advantage of daylight. Long drive ahead. But first: The traditional flag planting and group portrait. But then it's time to mount one of the rovers. It'll be their home for a couple of days. The plan is to find a way to climb out of the canyon. The climb is laborious. Traction varies. It's impossible to find traction beyond 23-24 degrees, but sometimes traction fails even at 10 degrees. Lealian drives. Mission Control has mandated that only females drives rovers on missions. This decision is based on statistics of accidents and breakdowns during tests. After hours of climbing and pathfinding, the sun is high in the sky, and they've reached 4300m, having climbed more than 3 km. And here we leave Lealian, Danvey and Lindra (for today), as they're making a stop to charge the batteries. But it seems like this rover will be able to do it (reach the top).

Poor Danvey's landing on Duna was quite scary. He did rather good though. Honoring the principle of rather braking too much than too little. There will always be a rescue mission if they run out of fuel. So that option is much preferable to fatal crashes. We aimed for a deep canyon with - in places - steep walls. Due to planet rotation they drifted a bit too close for comfort to the left wall. But if they could get far enough, the slope wouldn't be too steep to land on. This meant the most had to be squeezed out of the horizontal movement, which delayed conversion and made the altitude situation uncomfortable. It wasn't the only thing that made the landing scary. Mission Control didn't quite recognize Duna's atmosphere. It hardly contributed to braking at all. Very thin. Danvey was good on being early and resolute on the burning. That is close to Mach 1, despite the drag-chutes, at 30 degrees angle against the ground, and already below the altitude of the canyon wall. That's how scary this landing was. Danvey wisely relighted the rocket engine for another long burn, the moment after this picture was taken. As it turned out, I think they have enough fuel to get back into orbit again. There will be no need for any rescue operation. But it's nightfall on Duna, so we leave our astronauts to rest and sleep. Tomorrow, there will be a drive in a rover.

...Meanwhile: My astronauts have arrived at Duna. Lealian and Lindra are reveling in the sight of the famous red planet. While Danvey is focusing on his job and is contorting himself and Ikaros_G to maneuver into a nice approach to a counterclockwise orbit. He did a splendid job of course. Some time later and much, much closer, it's time to brake into a close orbit.

Well, my stalwart Danvey, Lealian and Lindra had escaped Kerbin and were ready for the transfer. ...We thought. Unfortunately, turning up the time acceleration caused different granularity and precision in the physics simulation. Kerbin recaptured my rocket. Yes, an unfortunate property in KSP tried to kill my astronauts. Luckily, Danvey and Mission Control were on their toes and observed that something was wrong before Ikaros_G was flung straight into Kerbin again. Danvey immediately took action to figure out a suitable direction to burn in. Both he and Mission Control were stressed out because of the transfer window. Unfortunately, as Bob soon pointed out to Mission Control, we had already effectively missed it. It would have been more economical to steer for a slingshot off Kerbin to a new escape. As it is, it doesn't matter. Ikaros_G is so awesome it copes anyway. Here a concerned Danvey is burning away from Kerbin. It all went well, of course. They had to stay in space for a bit longer, but a new opportunity to burn for a trajectory to Duna emerged eventually. A bit overheating at the end of the long burn, but in control and normal. The team is much happier and more optimistic now.

Well, me and some others were discussing EA one day, and, as usual, wondering why EA absolutely insists on destroying every game franchise and developer they acquire. That baffling mystery wasn't solved this time either - why don't EA's shareholders want to earn money? Why not? Anyway, suddenly one guy said - very tentatively, whispering, almost looking over his shoulder - "errm, uh, have you seen this game, Kerbal Space Program?", furtively, ashamed, like he was mentioning some German porn video where some Domina gives it to some poor bound and gagged guy with a two-feet strap-on. "- I'm totally hooked! G'dam I'm having an experience!" Well, we didn't say much and didn't seem to think much either, and he, having said his piece, fell silent. Nevertheless, I saw it on Steam some time later and though what the h*, and bought it. So I started a sandbox game and had in my head to build some superior and very fancy rocket-ship... Brrrreep! I got nowhere. of course. Confused and realizing this was maybe complex stuff, I left it for later. Almost a year later I had nothing better to do than having a look at it again. This time, I started a 'Science Sandbox' game, and found myself staring at only a pod and a booster rocket. Okay, I thought, I'll put them together - better put in that parachute as well - and launch it. So this rocket and Jebediah blasts off into the sky. The rocket burns out, but continues climbing for a good while before falling. I pop the chute. The rocket lands and a message comes up that I've earned 500 science points. - That's when I get it! - I'm Robert Goddard! - I'm Werner von Braun! I'll do it from the ground up, from scratch. Every step of the way. Going farther and farther!

Well, there was a few things I was gonna try with the Nomad/Orpheus docking, before terminating the vessels. Unfortunately, I screwed up again, making them useless. So I terminated them. - So, onwards instead! It's really high time that someone took a Rover to Duna. My most junior astronaut team haven't been to Duna yet, so it fell to them. I packed Danvey, Lealian and Liandra into a fabulous Ikaros_G. 'G' is the latest subtype of this famous Duna-rocket. Ikaros is always a pure delight to fly. Stable, easy to land, easy to fly. Safe. It has steadily been enhanced. It has grown a good deal heavier, but that's not a problem because already the 'D'-version saw a substantial fuel reserve. I don't expect the added payload of two rovers to pose any problem. And there they go. On to Kerbin escape, and on to Duna. At last some fun action again. Eve will have to wait.

I'm an engineer, and that is how I manage my RL job.