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Friend Bear

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    Space plane help

    in KSP1 Gameplay Questions and Tutorials

    Posted

    It's probably also worthwhile swapping the lateral Mk 1's for small LFO tanks and running fuel lines both directions between the main fuselage and the nacelles.

    Not a bad idea, but I noticed that planes built like yours will drain from the sides, then the middle, starting from the front of the front tank and working back, without lines. You could do lines to maybe change that and help with COM management?

    Space plane help

    in KSP1 Gameplay Questions and Tutorials

    Posted

    In the real world the wing provides more lift than the aircraft weight, the CoM is forward of the wing CoL, and the tail provides downforce to balance it. Surely the same has to happen in KSP to cope with the CoM/CoL offset?

    No rudder but the cockpit torque seems to manage that bit ok so I didn't bother.

    I turned the ailerons to roll only but didn't change the tail or canards, I'll give that a go too.

    CoM>dryCoM doesn't seem to be be an issue, if I drain the fuel in the hanger the CoM is still ahead of the CoL

    That does become an issue with lots of planes, but with your COM/COL and how the fuel is used, it won't be a big one on yours. COULD be when you remove a fuel tank as suggested but just keep the COM and COL where they are.

    Space plane help

    in KSP1 Gameplay Questions and Tutorials

    Posted

    If it is the spin out I am thinking about, it is because the engines are running at all before the intake dies. While it says there is some intake, you need to manual disengage those jets with an action group at the same time. I do this and engage the rocket at the same time.

    Judging by the COM and weight of your jet, you would be completely fine to remove the back fuel and have only the middle and two sides. The jets won't get through the two sides in time and would even allow for a reentry/takeoff with enough fuel to enter orbit with the rocket and rendezvous.

    But yeah, just set an action group that turns on the rocket, turns off the jets. and turn them off at the altitude you have been having problems.

    Continuing a game running an old version with a new (.24 to .25) (simple question)

    in KSP1 Technical Support (PC, modded installs)

    Posted

    After the announcement...I almost want to wait until .26 before i start my big game but I have no idea what wait that is. Might just go ahead.

    Makes sense with the mods, I have seen them change to where it breaks the old version and therefore older games.

    What about KSP as a game? If I am stock, will I always be able to play an old game after an update with the new stuff?

    Continuing a game running an old version with a new (.24 to .25) (simple question)

    in KSP1 Technical Support (PC, modded installs)

    Posted · Edited by Friend Bear

    If I am, say, playing a modded game (I realize mods need to be updated, too) at .24...Once .25 is out, can you continue that game with the new features enabled or do you have to start a new game? I have looked all over for a clear answer so I apologize if it is obvious.

    This can apply to any updated version and an older game. I just use .24 and .25 because of their relevance.

    What are the most important things you've learned about playing KSP to pass on?

    in KSP1 Gameplay Questions and Tutorials

    Posted

    Docking is EASY as cheese that tastes good (assuming the cheese is easy in some way) if you pay attn to your direction of travel relative to the port you want to connect to. Stop movement altogether and move with the orbiting object. Turn to it, stop. Rotate to match it stop. Final turn to line up parallel to the dock, stop. Then use shift, w, s, etc to stay in that position but line up precisely with where you want to dock.

    Don't point at the dock and gun it. Makes you forget about direction of travel.

    Basic question on biig Space Plane Wings

    in KSP1 Gameplay Questions and Tutorials

    Posted

    Also keep in mind: once .25 drops, stock fuselages will have lifting body properties. This substantially decreases the amount of wing required.

    If you really want single-piece huge wings, Procedural Wings will do the job for you. But it's not necessary; you can make big jigsaw wings that work just fine.

    http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah120/craigmotbey/Kerbal/Kerbodyne%20Showroom/screenshot10_zpseeaec006.jpg

    I have to ask -

    How did you get the color? What mod? I'm too nervous to use textur mods since I am already running 25 mods.

    Basic question on biig Space Plane Wings

    in KSP1 Gameplay Questions and Tutorials

    Posted · Edited by Friend Bear

    Friend Bear,

    You might want to edit your post above so that it flows a little better. You had several posts in a row so I went ahead and merged them. If you have more info to add and it hasn't been that long, it's easier to read if you edit in new information, rather than posting many times in rapid succession.

    Thanks!

    ~Claw

    Yeah I have to stop treating forums like a chat. My bad (90s child). I also blame it being way past my bed time. :sticktongue:

    I will reorganize and add to it midday.

    -----

    Edited but it covers what I want. If you have questions, ask. Sorry if it is confusing.

    Basic question on biig Space Plane Wings

    in KSP1 Gameplay Questions and Tutorials

    Posted · Edited by Friend Bear
    multipost mayhem

    Yeah as they said, just add a wing to a wing. Rotate it, spin it, whatever you want. If it connects, it'll latch on no problem. Won't need struts either.

    Also, consider putting them low on the plane:

    Take a wing;

    Hold the wing over the bottom end (not side but the very bottom, outside) of the plane's fuselage;

    The wing will be pointing down - so press the rotate key and make the wing tilt 90 degrees;

    Attach

    (Just re-read - sorry that someone suggested it but at least hope my instructions helped)

    It will look like a piper (although that is technically a mid-wing, but you get my drift). Sometimes this helps with lift when entering orbit from the atmosphere.

    Also, you don't always need that much lift. Remember, more wings are more drag. Maybe you need better air intake, less mass, more thrust, etc.? You can fly horizontally right at the top of the atmosphere where air intake is closer to .1 and gun it, getting you up to 1800m/s sometimes. That will force you out of the atmosphere, then engage your thruster when no more intake.

    Careful though. This method may require manual shutoff of the jet engines before one delivers more thrust than the other because of air intake loss; leading to spin out. Just set shutoff as an action group int he editor.

    So something like this...

    http://i.imgur.com/wus7u7q.png

    (in which case I can't really add a third wing because it will just be too long?)

    Or this...

    http://i.imgur.com/ioOehug.png

    [This isn't the full plane, just wings stuck on something I was playing around with...]

    I like this and the lift is fine. As for design:

    I personally like 2 jet 1 rocket. This will require less fuel and allow faster travel. With a spaceplane SSTO - the trick is to get speed in the atmo and not in orbit for the orbit to be obtained. (also, look below concerning center of mass and center of lift)

    Let me log on and make one quick to show what I mean so you can get an idea. I'm not saying mine is the right way but it works and you can bounce ideas off that.

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/2e16vfs907kdz1c/2014-10-01_00001.jpg?dl=0

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/wjlfiphsyttcd8i/2014-10-01_00002.jpg?dl=0

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/q9vyz22558vxrtt/2014-10-01_00003.jpg?dl=0

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/cv0vx5qdl74m64v/2014-10-01_00004.jpg?dl=0

    Check these out. Been a minute since I built a small one and I use a different rocket but its the same concept and will make it into orbit at about 90k round.

    This is a good example of less-lift = more payoff, assuming your plane can travel fast with air intake. Those front ram intakes work better than the radial and I don't know if its from a bug or what.

    The main thing is weight. If you don't have enough fuel, try replacing that rocket with a smaller one, like that small probe one. Its just to move the light plane higher into orbit, realistically. You are entering orbit speed with the jets at the high altitude since you don't enter orbit by going up, but instead by going horizontally.

    As for bigger - use the same concept.

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/pu9eu0qk0fixn9i/Untitled.png?dl=0

    This is a shuttle I made that can both take off SSTO AND be shot as a shuttle launch, saving on fuel.

    Ignore the protruding rocket pointing right at you and ignore unfamiliar parts. I used mod parts, but you can repeat the concept. There are two cargo bays, cockpit, and a liqui/oxy tank, followed by wings, solar and batteries (underneath) but still one or two engines. Here, there are two rockets because it is vertical take off. When I runway it from Kerb, I swap it the other way - 2 jets - 1 rocket. Look closely, its hard to see. There are two rockets and one jet nuzzled in-between.

    I still get the speed I need and don't overweight from fuel or excess engines.

    One extra note - I build faster planes. A lot of the larger ones you see have more engines to push that mass through the air. As you get bigger, expand. But I find it best to add more engines and no necessarily more fuel tanks. Apply an engine body radially rather than additional, radial tanks. Then decide if you need more fuel.

    -------------

    Another concern:

    Look at your center of mass and lift point. Judging by looking at the wings, I bet your lift point is far out in front of your COM. This does not help lift. You can consider placing the wings so the COM is in front or on top of the lift point. I put it behind because, as you use fuel, the COM changes over time.

    Too, you may want to try making your elevators horizontal and having a separate set of vertical stabilizers or hybrid elevator/stabilizers. But pay attention to wheel placement first, as was said. Very important to have the rear wheels directly behind/hugging the center of mass.

    Issues with Docking Ports - Again...

    in KSP1 Gameplay Questions and Tutorials

    Posted · Edited by Friend Bear

    I have to haul the strut up there with a container or grab it off another craft, right? I use KAS (those are KAS winches on the insides of the locks and I did a big spacewalk to add a series of radial connector ports to the hub), so this is an option for me. Still haven't used it all that much.

    Occurs to me that I added those winches and ports to assist with the docking procedure but I wound up not needing them...anybody foresee disaster if I try to hook 'em up and try to use them to reduce the gaps?

    Glad y'all like the design; Tex_NL really deserves the credit for it. I just followed a recipe.

    Yeah you have to haul it up there. That's why I attach a couple of containers with the generals to orbiters. You can also attach the item you want to use to the ship instead of putting it in a box and it can just be removed/replaced.

    I figure the cost is so low its not entirely unfounded.

    Might be worth it since you want fuel for the journey anyways? I don't know.

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