Gordon Fecyk

So I learned how to fly in stock KSP 1.0.5 and enough of it translated to 1.1.2 that I could limp along, wheel issues aside. To try to build smarter rockets and planes, I'm trying again with FAR 0.15.6.3 installed. Rockets are fine, but I'm having trouble getting a basic plane design that worked in 1.1.2 to behave with FAR. I figured I should learn how to fly planes that work well with FAR first. The Stock Aeris 3A so far is OK, but I need to learn to use flaps and air brakes so I can land, and none of the stock craft have those enabled by default. Rather than mess with the stock craft, is there a selection of planes with flaps and such made by others? I think that would help me learn to fly properly, using flaps and air brakes, then I can start building planes properly. (Edit: Found this afterward. Suggestions still wanted, but hey, this is a start.) --

You should tell that to Corel, whose VideoWave product still has memory leaks since v13. And that was in 2013. I deal with bad design on a daily basis. At least Squad's moderators and devs are a tad more sympathetic. By comparison, Corel's mods treat me like I'm from space. (insert ironic statement here) --

I'd be worried if KSP crashes the computer. This is supposed to be user-level code and not kernel-level code, or does KSP include some kernel drivers now? If KSP is crashing the computer as opposed to crashing itself, I'd start updating graphics drivers or even replacing graphics cards if fixes aren't available. Especially on Windows, where the majority of OS crashes are from non-MS drivers or other non-MS kernel-level code these days. (Why yes, I'm pedantic and sensitive about that sort of thing. Comes from 20+ years of IT and being told my systems suck when they don't.)

When this happens, does the calendar and notification center also stop responding? Does logging off from the security screen (ctrl-alt-del) and logging back on clear that up? This is what happens to me. Do you use GeForce Experience and Shadowplay? I'm trying to compare symptoms to see what's actually happening. It's interesting the shell goes funny but other things keep running. --

Way back in 2012 I took advantage of the cheap Windows 8 Pro offer to upgrade from 7 Home Premium. Did an in-place upgrade then, then to 8.1 (no charge), then to 10 (also no charge). Things held together as I expected them to, though I had to upgrade my network adapter drivers to maintain VLAN support. For some reason Intel hasn't fixed VLAN support for their NICs for Windows 10 yet, which is strange considering they were right on top of that on 8. Win10's installer uses stock drivers for your hardware when it has them, until it can get to Windows Update and put in updated drivers. The Build 1511 installer did the same thing as it was like an in-place upgrade too. It kept drivers for things it didn't, such as my AverMedia capture card, but the Win7 driver worked. It didn't uninstall anything on me except for Media Center, but it provided a DVD Player app to replace it, a $15.00 value, for no charge. Probably the codec licences expired or something. The old OS and Program Files folders are in WINDOWS.OLD and yes, you can browse it to find lost things. Speaking of 'apps,' thank Apple for that. Even GNOME 3 tries to do that and folks hate it there, too. At least one can run Store apps in separate windows and not just full screen now. I'm a bit gung-ho on updating these days, after Daylight Savings Time changes back in 2007 left Windows 2000 and attendant services unsupported. I wasn't going to let myself get caught out of date again. --

There are at least four responses referring to a Start Menu problem. By any chance are you using NVidia Shadowplay and trying to record KSP games using it? I'm finding leaving Shadowplay turned on makes the Windows 10 Start and Taskbar stop responding more than turning it off. It's at the point where I make sure I turn it off, then log off / log on to clear it from user space. If I leave it turned off, I have fewer problems with those. I'll turn it on only for recording. As for restarting vs logging off, The Windows Explorer shell and Shadowplay run as the currently logged-on user. Even a single user PC uses a user account. I'd like to know if logging off and logging back on clears things up. Even on Win10 Home you can press CTRL-ALT-DEL and pick "Sign Out." That can force-close any applications stuck, including the Windows Explorer shell, and let you jump back in without restarting. I've been doing this for twenty years and I'd like to think I know what I'm doing.

You can, but I think sal_vager tells us it isn't supported. Stock 1.1 64-bit seems OK though it appears to load models individually and tank the frame rate. Once models are cached the frame rate goes back up. I tried Scatterer (current release supporting 1.1) and it crashed on resuming a save. As a consequence of the laggy model loading and caching, I wouldn't use DX11 for regular play. Maybe for experimenting. My rig is a Core i7 i4771 with 32 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 760 graphics card, running Windows 10 Pro with pretty much every safety turned on. --

Does that Kerbal Kustomizaton mod or whatever it's called support custom decals? Let's see "ZERO-G HERO" on Jeb's back!

Shadowplay behaves better on locked-down PCs, so I can see Pawelk wanting to use it compared to other recorders. I use it myself, and I use a non-admin account, UAC, SRP, DEP and a bunch of other safeties. Give me a few hours to head home and try to solve this. If I'm reading this right, did you just want to have KSP recordings go into their own folder besides 'Desktop?' Maybe this only happens when you have desktop recording enabled; try disabling desktop recording in Shadowplay. After investigating this, it appears Shadowplay can't record KSP play unless desktop recording is enabled. Does this make KSP, or Unity 5 in general, a desktop application that happens to support taking the full screen? Who knows. But this seems like a comparably small obstacle to making your own video series from its recordings. --

Like this? I don't know... what do you all think of it? I know the scaled (64 x 40) version of it needs work yet.

I was beginning to wonder about this. I'm looking for some Kanadian takes on agencies. Here are examples: And Agencies: OK maybe the CBC one isn't kerbalized. Any ideas?

I just started playing with Scatterer and SVE to see if I can get prettier videos out of my KSP playtime. I'm a bit surprised to see a visible reduction in performance on an otherwise decent PC. Consider a Core i7 (i4771) PC with 32 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 760 graphics card. Stock KSP using Direct3D v9 (-force-d3d9) seems OK delivering 60 FPS +/- 5 FPS consistently. Direct3D v11 (-force-d3d11) produced a sawtooth performance graph fluctuating wildly between 30 FPS and 160 FPS, and played fairly roughly that it was almost unplayable. OpenGL (-force-opengl) produced a different kind of sawtooth graph going between 30 and 60 FPS that ended up being quite unplayable. Now, I add Scatterer to this mix and no other mod. I find I can't even load the game without forcing one of either OpenGL or Direct3D 11. The FPS graphs were similar to the stock game, though I think D3D performed slightly better when near the KSC. I'm trying to balance performance with appearance while still playing the stock game, so it's appearance mods only. On top of that I'll be using Shadowplay to record games. Are there any combinations of stock settings, Scatterer settings, and renderer choice that seem to work better for this sort of thing? What are other SVE / Scatterer users using for a performance / appearance balance? Here's my config file minus the key bindings. The stock game is quite pretty on its own with these settings, though I really want the clouds that SVE will provide. Those lovely bits of mist I've seen on some Minmus missions would be nice too. I can provide portions of screen shots that show the FPS graphs if I can find a place to store them on my home server. -- SETTINGS_FILE_VERSION = 1.0.5 TUTORIALS_EDITOR_ENABLE = False TUTORIALS_FLIGHT_ENABLE = False VAB_USE_CLICK_PLACE = True VAB_USE_ANGLE_SNAP = False VAB_ANGLE_SNAP_INCLUDE_VERTICAL = False VAB_CAMERA_ORBIT_SENS = 0.04 VAB_CAMERA_ZOOM_SENS = 0.1 FLT_CAMERA_ORBIT_SENS = 0.04 FLT_CAMERA_ZOOM_SENS = 0.5 FLT_CAMERA_WOBBLE = 0.1 FLT_CAMERA_CHASE_SHARPNESS = 1.5 FLT_CAMERA_CHASE_USEVELOCITYVECTOR = True FLT_VESSEL_LABELS = True SPACENAV_CAMERA_SENS_ROT = 30 SPACENAV_CAMERA_SENS_LIN = 20 SPACENAV_CAMERA_SHARPNESS_LIN = 8 SPACENAV_CAMERA_SHARPNESS_ROT = 10 CAMERA_DOUBLECLICK_MOUSELOOK = True IVA_RESETS_CONTROL_POINT = True CAMERA_FX_EXTERNAL = 1 CAMERA_FX_INTERNAL = 1 SIMULATE_IN_BACKGROUND = True PHYSICS_FRAME_DT_LIMIT = 0.04 MAX_VESSELS_BUDGET = 250 CONIC_PATCH_DRAW_MODE = 3 CONIC_PATCH_LIMIT = 3 SHOW_PWARP_WARNING = False EVA_ROTATE_ON_MOVE = True SPACENAV_FLIGHT_SENS_ROT = 5 SPACENAV_FLIGHT_SENS_LIN = 1 KERBIN_TIME = True CALL_HOME = False DONT_SEND_IP = False SEND_PROGRESS_DATA = False CHECK_FOR_UPDATES = True VERBOSE_DEBUG_LOG = False SHOW_CONSOLE_ON_ERROR = False AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL = 300 AUTOSAVE_SHORT_INTERVAL = 30 SHOW_SPACE_CENTER_CREW = True UI_SIZE = 768 UI_OPACITY = 0.4509981 TEMPERATURE_GAUGES_MODE = 1 SHIP_VOLUME = 1 AMBIENCE_VOLUME = 1 MUSIC_VOLUME = 0.8045812 UI_VOLUME = 1 VOICE_VOLUME = 1 SOUND_NORMALIZER_ENABLED = True SOUND_NORMALIZER_THRESHOLD = 1 SOUND_NORMALIZER_RESPONSIVENESS = 16 SOUND_NORMALIZER_SKIPSAMPLES = 0 SCREEN_RESOLUTION_WIDTH = 1920 SCREEN_RESOLUTION_HEIGHT = 1080 FULLSCREEN = True QUALITY_PRESET = 5 ANTI_ALIASING = 8 TEXTURE_QUALITY = 0 SYNC_VBL = 1 LIGHT_QUALITY = 8 SHADOWS_QUALITY = 4 FRAMERATE_LIMIT = 60 FALLBACK_PART_SHADERS = True PLANET_FORCE_SHADER_MODEL_2_0 = False PLANET_SCATTER = True PLANET_SCATTER_FACTOR = 1 WATERLEVEL_BASE_OFFSET = 1.5 WATERLEVEL_MAXLEVEL_MULT = 0.1 AERO_FX_QUALITY = 3 SURFACE_FX = True FALLBACK_UNDERWATER_MODE = 1 EDGE_HIGHLIGHTING_PPFX = True SCREENSHOT_SUPERSIZE = 0 INPUT_KEYBOARD_SENSIVITITY = 2 dontShowLauncher = False TRACKIR_ENABLED = False FEMALE_EYE_OFFSET_X = 0 FEMALE_EYE_OFFSET_Y = 0.009083331 FEMALE_EYE_OFFSET_Z = 0.03378779 FEMALE_EYE_OFFSET_SCALE = 2.03 FI_LOG_TEMP_ERROR = False FI_LOG_OVERTEMP = False

If this helps, I'm running a stable 1.0.5 current build from Steam on Windows 10 Pro Build 1511, including all of its safeties enabled including User Account Control and Data Execution Prevention, under a non-administrator Microsoft account and with Software Restriction Policies enabled. Now you might say this is overkill for a home PC, but after too many legitimate advertising networks unwittingly serving scammy customers I'm tired of doing nothing about it. The Steam client deals with file system permissions problems that could raise UAC flags in KSP, so if anyone asks me I'm going to suggest they get a Steam account and buy KSP from there. The biggest UAC related problem is file system permissions; KSP writes in its installation folder and this will fail if installed in Program Files. Whatever folder you put it in, grant the group "BUILTIN\Users" Modify access to said folder. Steam does this automatically. Past that, I use a GTX 760 graphics card, which is reasonably priced for what it does. All other things being as locked down as they are, that's what I can check next. I do testing on a virtual machine all the time, and the VMware SVGA 3D emulated card is about as generic as it gets but can still play World of Warcraft. I'll update this post later today right now with a link. --

Win10 rolled back a driver only once on me: During the Build 1511 upgrade. Build 1511 was an in-place upgrade like the original in-place upgrades from 7-10 or 8.1-10, so (I suspect) for stability it puts stock drivers back. I'd expect vendors to have tweaked their drivers to match the release build and have different drivers depending on the build. So if I were MS, I'd put the stock driver in with the build, and let the vendor update the driver with a version that matched it. Neither the release build nor Build 1511 has rolled back a driver on me within the same build, and I've used GeForce Experience to update graphics drivers since. --

It did fit... Nice idea! This was the end result. --

I see this question's been asked a few times. Maybe there's a better solution. I built a RoveMate rover and service bay using Scott Manley's approach successfully. I even managed to cram four ruggedized wheels and four large batteries on its undercarriage, and I can drive the thing with success on Kerbin and expected success (as in severe traction problems) on Minmus. Now I have the wacky staring-into-space-backwards orientation to deal with, which I've read many posts on so far. I can imagine a real world compass sitting on top of the thing and that's what the navball resembles at that point, but I don't get why I can't somehow flip or rotate the navball orientation horizontally. I have to drive the thing either backwards (inverting the navigation keys) or 'away' from my intended direction. Even mounting everything upside-down just has it staring into the ground instead of into space, with the same backward orientation. There isn't enough room to cram another probe body on the front; even the smallest cube still clips through the service bay door. I can't exactly drive it on its nose without somehow landing the service bay on its edge suspended above ground. Perhaps it's enough to invert the rover forward - backward controls and then toggle the wheels to drive inverted? --

That's the tack Three Rings took with their Wiki, and it's a very good idea. Only then, how do you accommodate those who bought KSP on Steam or GOG? Authenticate against them? Sure, if they permit that sort of thing. --

Is it time to vet Wiki editors through some other means? For instance, through this forum? I had to do something similar when I started a Wiki for the Zeroshell community. The MediaWiki folks might not like it because it infringes on their philosophy of openness, but like anything else that gets abused frequently, it might be time to take that away. Three Rings Design authenticates access to the YPP Wiki using their main game's account domain. There are extensions to authenticate against LDAP (and thus Active Directory by extension). Is there a means to authenticate against this forum's user database? --

I've had good luck so far, in fact I've had fewer problems launching ksp.exe outside of Steam than I had within Steam's launcher. It behaves even with hardware DEP turned on (on top of non-admin, UAC and SRP), and I just noticed a moment ago it was turned off. Must've been turned off when I installed Win 10 build 1511. Things may change as I add mods and find said mods try to execute code within data memory spaces. What you and Steve are describing is a file system permissions problem (not a Registry thing) that is made worse by the permissions put on the Program Files folders especially. KSP writes things to the installation folder, and Win2K and later don't like that when that folder is in Program Files and you're a non-admin (or UAC) user. Steam's workaround of granting the BUILTIN\Users local group Modify access to folders in its care works around most of these problems, but I would have preferred that the game not do this, instead writing such things in the user's profile or maybe %allusersprofile% if it's machine-specific. There is a logic behind that, but that would be my sysadmin day job persona speaking, suited for some other forum. In any case it's all good here. If someone were to ask me the same question, I'd say get the Steam edition and let the Steam client handle the permissions problems.

That sounds like it'd be more of a problem with Software Restriction Policies or User Account Control than DEP. But OK, I can see what would go wrong here. I've experienced Win10 rolling back graphics drivers only once: When updating to the 1511 build where it put the stock GTX 760 driver back because, well, it was an in-place upgrade just like my original upgrade from 8.1 to 10 was and it put all stock drivers in. Windows Update put newer drivers back, and later GeForce Experience brought the GTX 760 up to date. I'll have further questions about those sorts of things later, but that can wait until after I've crashed my first few rockets. Thanks both of you. Good to know it doesn't really matter which edition I pick. --

So I could make modded installations, multiple installations with different mods, and so on as long as I don't violate the EULA really. Also, agreement on Origin especially; if I really want to play an EA game I use a virtual machine. Steam DRM seems to play nicely with my PC though, locked-down as it is. [Update three hours later] The Steam installation was flawless, even with UAC, non-admin, SRP, and so on. After reading that mods are fine and I can make instances of KSP to try out things, I figured it was fine to purchase the Steam edition and go with that. My previous experience was that Valve deals with file system permission changes needed in their packages, and that was the case here. For non-tech folks, that seems to work best. --

After watching all of Scott Manley's and Danny2462's KSP videos I'm getting KSP. I also joined this forum with my real name to show sincerity and keep any anger I might have in check. I have a bit of history ragging on developers for what I consider unsafe design on Windows. Consider that I run 64-bit Windows 10 Pro and I have both User Account Control and Software Restriction Policies enabled. Should I purchase the KSP Store edition or the Steam edition of KSP? I already run Steam games without much hassle, including Portal and Portal 2, Duke Nukem Forever and The Stanley Parable, but I'm not sure if the Steam edition would have problems with mods and game updates. My PC is surely capable of running Unity-based games, with a Core i7-4771 processor, 32 GB RAM and discrete graphics. I've read through the KSP Wiki already and know that 64-bit KSP for Windows is coming. I couldn't find any caveats related to UAC either here or on the Wiki, though, and usually there's some page or post describing problems with non-admin accounts, UAC, copy protection failing with SRP enabled, that sort of thing. --