Gavin786

Context: I am building a network of relay satellites and want to know the criteria for how they relay science. I have looked for an answer to this question on forums and google for some time now but to no avail. Question: Let us assume I have a relay network, starting at KSP Tracking Station T, going through relay satellites A and B, with a final ship C. Let us assume also that T-A-B-C is the only communications pathway for C to transmit to T. T-----A-----B------C Now C wishes to transmit say 80 mits of data to T. It has enough electricity on board to comfortably do this. My question is about A and B. Do they also need to have sufficient power to transmit these 80 mits? How are they factored into the data transmission, is the fact that they have sufficient signal strength to relay enough, or does each have to re-transmit those 80 mits? Thank you to any who chooses to answer my question. - Gavin786

Re rooting your rocket so the root part is in the final stage will make this problem much less. This is also highly recommended if you are using tools like Kerbal Engineer as you wont get accurate information otherwise. There are some mods that erstwhile fix this, but I have used them and have had no success. Ultimately it is a problem that there is no absolute fix for, nor should there be, as how can KSP be expected to know your exact staging, especially if you ever want to do something unique or exotic. - Gavin786

Currently(v1.11) brake strength in KSP for rotors and wheels cannot be animated or assigned to an axis. Problem: Many people own joysticks with a brake lever. This brake lever is an analogue axis. Being able to choose brake strength is important. It is not currently implemented in KSP. Many designs would benefit from being able to animate brake strength whether one has a spare axis or not. Context: Currently designing a helicopter in which I would like to control bringing rotor blades to a stop. Went to animate the 'Brake' value(NOT binary brake on/off) and found it was not an option. There are times when it would have been advantageous to have analogue control of brakes on planes when binary on/off was not sufficient. Resolution: Add the ability to animate or assign to axis brake strength for all parts which expose it as an option. An even more perfect solution would be to add an additional axis for "brake" so that those with appropriate hardware(or a spare axis) can use it. - Gavin786

hi Guys, Been using KK and got a question. I am trying to launch from the stock island runway just off the coast from the KSC. I cant seem to figure out how. Other relevant mods installed : kerbin side remastered, water launches omega stockalike. Things I have tried: Searched all through the list in the SPH when I press the KK icon. Never found Island Runway no matter what options or filters I use. Switched KK difficulty options 'Launch from Any Site', 'Open Everything' and 'Show Hidden Bases' to off, and it did not seem to do anything whatsoever as I still had same list of bases in the VAB. I tried switching the filter Icons off in the tracking station. There just does not seem to be any option to restore the stock bases to the drop down list in the VAB or have them as a launch option in the KK Menu. Does anyone know of a way to get stock options back? Do I need to fly out there and try and make a new KK launch site? Also I did have some ideas about KK. For those who create and fly a lot of aircraft(like me), to have a map pack which guarantees a landing(and launch) site within 500km of any place on Kerbin. And another which guarantees within 250km(which is 4 times more than the 500 as it goes by square), so that is a lot but not too much as there are good filtering options in the Tracking Center with KK. There are so many cool sites on Kerbin and be great for near launch sites, especially for explore by helicopter. Are there any such map packs already around (or planned) ? - Gavin786

I actually am quite an experienced player, so am well aware of control authority limits, etc. Problem is no matter what I might set limit to, when the roll gets to about 1/3 the aileron will max out to that value. So if I set my authority limit to 20 degrees for example, when my joystick gets to 1/3 or so that aileron is at its 20 degrees. Behaviour I would expect and prefer is for the aileron only to max out to 20 when joystick gets to full +1 or -1. Good question 1 is : IS this normal behaviour for KSP ? That is if one makes a plane, puts ailerons on end of wings where they should be, then sets roll to 50% on their joystick, is it normal that those ailerons would be maxed out(at the maximum angle that authority limiter is set to? That would answer question if it is just me or it is normal for this to happen. I might double check with couple other designs to see if it is also happening, I think I have seen it before, however, it has just never "twigged" that it is a problem until now. *** Just confirmed its happening across all aircraft and also at about the same point in my roll input - screen shot attached ***

I notice that ailerons on my aircraft max out long before my roll meter(or joystick) gets to the end. Like about half way, seriously short of the mark. I use analogue joystick and am used to fine control/movements which is why I havent noticed, it could well have always been this way I just now noticed it. I can increase to full fidelity if I use a KAL and assign to roll and aileron deploy angles. This is not a good solution for numerous reasons. It lets me confirm, however that there is indeed a problem. But I am thinking this cant be right. Surely there is a problem somewhere. My KSP install has grandfathered since couple years now, and I have had literally hundreds of mods installed and un installed. Could there be a setting somewhere that is adding a hidden multiplier to my roll? Would be VERY nice if I had full authority on roll. Pitch and Yaw are perfect, it is ONLY roll. Only roll is assigned to the offending control surfaces, pitch and yaw are disabled. Anyway question is there a multiplier or setting somewhere that might be wrong in my install, like for example making my roll 2x sensitive or such ? Or is this just standard behaviour I just havent noticed till now ? I have already went through my settings.cfg and found nothing. Thank you fellow KerboNauts, Gavin786

LOL. Yeah I call that continent "KerbAfrica" whenever I am flying towards it.

There are a few questions/comments/bugs about this Mod I would like to point out, given I use it regularly. Fuel efficiency numbers are off by a factor of 1000. No biggie as normally usage is to just compare changes to the aircraft and maximise fuel efficiency at cruising. Just remember if it says 0.7 Kg/ 100Km this is way too optimistic, actual value is 7.0Kg/Km. Not a real problem, it is just a scale factor error. I notice that there is a "Jump" after a calculation, when Wind Tunnel seems to re-calculate its results to get a more accurate table. Often this is several seconds after calculation is complete and when looking at the graph there is a "jump" of lines and figures. Is there any more info on what exactly is happening here, is it exactly what it looks like, that the initial calculation is done "fast", then a more in-depth one is done in the background, and results updated after completion? Would be good to know or have some indication about this. Something on-screen letting us know this is happening and giving a % complete would be great, especially if people are going in depth to the figures, they need to know they have the correct and fully computed set. Could be good when I manually adjust graph axis, Wind Tunnel remembers what I input and does not keep resetting to default unless I keep the tab open. Sometimes I forget to do it and keep needing to re input the figures. There are of course crashes and bugs, and great if they are fixed, I do need to regularly restart KSP when using Wind Tunnel, but totally worth it. Would also be great if it remembered the previous values so that we can compare right on the Wind Tunnel app and not record values on a note pad, so when we change the plane, then click on the graph we can see the previous set of figures and the new set and work out if/how much the changes we made improved the aircraft. Nice to have feature of course. Another nice option is if engines have dry and wet modes to click which mode is being used. Just an ergonomics and totally not necessary. I did note that had been done on the AOA and Velocity curves but not the main page. Anyway, there are my thoughts given I use this a lot what I think could be better. Of course general stability, accuracy and bug fixes got to be #1 priority. Gavin786

I just perfected and calibrated my wing angle and size to get the maximum fuel efficiency for my aircraft, it can now circumnavigate Kerbin and without adding any additional fuel. The number of different things this mod can do and how amazing it is just cant be overstated. If you create aircraft in KSP this is the Mod for you, and I seriously hope we get this in KSP2, it is one of the top-tier mods in my book. You NEED to use Precise Editor with this, of course, as one cant set exact angles of wings under a degree accuracy by hand, its not possible without Precise Editor. And that is something that aught be stock also. This mod is utterly amazing. Thanks to Boots for creating this. Said it before and say it again. Really love this mod.

@E_Torfbinder Create the file C:\<your kerbal space program>\GameData\PreciseEditor\PluginData\PreciseEditor.cfg and default values in PreciseEditor.cfg : ANCHOR = source DELTA_POSITION =0.2000 DELTA_ROTATION = 15.0000 REFERENCE_SPACE = absolute PreciseEditor.cfg seems not be included with current CKan release, causing the problem of editor not appearing as it cant load this file.

Since this is a Mod I use pretty much every day, I see there is a new maintainer now; there is one big problem with it, which I will explain: And it is to do with manually inputting of angles. Whenever an angle is partially inputted to a box, it is taken as a complete representation of the desired rotation angle, the whole angle is normalised, then updated, often changing the value just inputted. The mod can often get into "gimbal lock"/low precision floating point problems, and 2(or more) parts in symmetry can end up with different angles(and out of symmetry). Manually inputting of angles just does not work as the mod currently is. Using the +/- buttons works perfectly and that is how it is normally always used. Would be great to be able to actually input the desired angle, though. A solution to these problems is to have an option "require full angles", in which one can update angles in x, y, z and the change does not take effect until one presses a button. So it does not instantly take effect when an angle is changed, instead a button needs be pressed, so the angles can then be changed in x, y, and z simultaneously. Right now any manual change to an angle is instantly updated, often triggering the "gimbal lock" bug and putting 2 parts out of angular symmetry. I have learned to work around this problem, but am very aware it does exist. Often times when I want to manually put an angle, the only way is to zero the angle first(which takes a lot of time, as often multiple inputs of "0" are needed; a "zero" button would be amazing also, which zeroes the rotation in x, y, z). After it is zeroes, I rotate in the x, y, and z as I need to using the +/- buttons. So, requests, put a button "apply angle changes" or such, which can be optional, and requires a button to be pressed before manually input angles take effect. Then they are all normalised together and the rotation done, and any post-normalisation changes to the x, y, z values are then updated. And another "zero rotation" button would be grand also(but I guess not really needed if the first change is done). Gavin

Dear Mod Creator, Just want to say how grateful I am for this mod. I recently went through all the mods, and ranked them, and this is #1. The one mod I could not play the game without. How can anyone play without the numbers? Just shows how different my mind is from most "normal" humans. Anyway, thank you all so much this is the reason I play and keep playing this game, I would not if it did not exist. Many great mods out there; This is THE mod. Gavin

Having fuel transfer options, fuel switch on/off and so on as action groups, animateable is a good idea, was looking for that functionality in last build I did.

UPDATE(there is more to the story now): I used the COL from the Correct COL mod and when I switched my COL on, the bug came straight back. When I returned to stock COL the bug disappeared again. This bug is somehow related to lift/drag calculations being done somewhere? I have yet to fully pin the blame on Correct COL, I will try with it uninstalled and see what happens. UPDATE: Removing CorrectCOL did NOT fix it; problem still occurs when I switch on "Show Aero Data in Action Menus"

More fine-grained control is always welcome. Been thinking about your post, and previous one I just wrote about helicopter controls, very similar requests, we need more and finer-grained control options. Serious players bump against frustrating limitations to perfection, not because it is out of spec in the device but because we cant set the right limits, etc. Being able for any control actuation, and this also is true for helicopter blades, to be able to rather than having a single global limit "authority limit" to have individual limits for each axis. However, this gets hard for beginner players and very complex for KALs etc. I really think a proper stock scripting system, that can be used as an alternative/extension for KALs and also parts. When a part is right-clicked, simply have another tab, which introduces all the values as a script, then many more can be added for fine-grained control for advanced players while still having the basic set for newcomers. So there is when right clicked, still the standard set of options we know and love, and where the # is to turn to numeric, another value which turns to script mode, where all the values are just as as a script with : // hello i am a comment <setting> = value; function yes_we_need_the_power_for_those_who_can( v ) { return v * 2; } Deploy Angle : yes_we_need_the_power_for_those_who_can( input_roll ); gimal.yaw.minimum = what_jm_builder_needs; // set the individual limits on the gimbals gimal.yaw.maximum = also_what_jm_builder_needs; // and so on //////////////////////////// Can have the script be declarative in nature, very similar to the amazing and wonderful yet under appreciated QML(qt modelling language). We do need more options for advanced builders, yet still respect those who dont/cant. And 99% of time we just need basic options, even intially it can be a choice of script OR page, no parser is needed for first release. We also desperately need something like this for KALs, we truly need looping and decision making. kOS can do that but is more specialised to higher-level autopilot like functionality, rather than low-level actuation of control surfaces based upon conditions/input. One thing that cannot be build for now is true flying wings like B2 spirit because of lack of horizontal stability. This is compensated for IRL by flight control mechanisms, and can be also in KSP if we had KAL-script that could take angle of sideslip, yaw input, and make changes to breaks/engines as needed to stop frisbeeing. There are so many cool things we can do with more control, and extending it to a scripting system for those who can, is going to make it very easy to update/change compared to a UI-based system. GUIs just dont/wont cut it for what advanced players need, and there is no reason why there cannot be a graceful transition between GUI and script. Can even have it be like advanced tweekables that is hidden completely from newcomers unless they switch it on in the options menu. Anyway, we need something MOAR. Please, SQUAD!

SOLVED MYSELF: This is due to the setting "Show Aero Data in Action Menus", setting in the Alt-F12 menu. And I guess why no matter how many mods(and I must have close on 100; 103 actually, just counted) I removed it was still happening(why do we always think to blame mods first?). When it is enabled and aero data is shown on right-click this bug happens. When it is disabled it does not. Only Nuclear Engines are effected as far as I can see. I was doing a lot of drag experiments before and did not switch off the option; this is clearly unintended behviour and a bug. This is how to work around it, just switch the drag info on when it is needed. I did not see this bug happening in flight, so I am assuming this happens in the designer only, but be careful if : NUCLEAR ENGINES + SHOW AERO DATA IN ACTION MENUS It causes this bug. Hope someone else is saved the trouble.

Dear SQUAD, Helicoptering is coming along great, there is one thing that I think can "perfect" it. Make every kind of helicopter possible, some just are not right now like true Chinooks for example. Drone yaw and other yaw often needs KALs to change engine RPMs(bad for true helicoptering) rather than swash plates used to create differential torq. Solution to this and all future helicoptering control options : There are only 6 possible helicopter control mechanisms : Cyclic Pitch + Cyclic Pitch - Cyclic Roll + Cyclic Roll - Collective + Collective - Solution: Allow manual assignment of control mechanisms to axis, and when there is a conflict, mix(add) them together, just as is done in Chinook manual where it talks about rotating round the front or back engine, yaw and roll are used together, and there is a mixing system. Right now, the options for a designer are : pitch : { active, inactive } yaw : { active, inactive } roll : { active, inactive } There is only a choice between : { active, inactive }. And if active, the logic will choose and automatically assign a cyclic or collective control based upon best guess as to what it should be(for horizontal blades, pitch = Cyclic Pitch, roll = Cyclic roll, yaw = does nothing, for vertical blades, pitch = does nothing, yaw = Collective, roll = Cyclic pitch. And these assignments are automatically chosen by KSP.). Instead : pitch : { off, auto, cyclic pitch+, cyclic pitch-, cyclic roll+, cyclic roll-, collective+, collective- } yaw: { off, auto, cyclic pitch+, cyclic pitch-, cyclic roll+, cyclic roll-, collective+, collective- } roll : { off, auto, cyclic pitch+, cyclic pitch-, cyclic roll+, cyclic roll-, collective+, collective- } And the helicopter designer can choose which input should correspond to which control mechanism. When there is a conflict, for example, in a true Chinook design, Cyclic roll would be assigned to both roll and yaw. Just add together the values and clip the maximum, same as happens according to Chinook manual. Very simple and easy, and allows full control of designers of how helicopters work, and opens up Chinooks and differential torq for quad copters using cyclic rather than RPM. Full options are there for those who need them and "auto" is there which does the same as is now for those who dont/cant learn how swash plates work and correctly choose what is needed. Thank you, Gavin786

This is happening. I went and tried removing most of mods I had and it still happened, I dont know what is going on here. Any light would be great. Thanks G

Does "Yaw" do anything at all on rotor blade controls? I have yet to find it do anything; just built a Chinook-style and did read the manual as suggested, should be for yaw that the rear rotor cyclic roll to one side, front rotor cyclic roll to the other to create yaw effect. Would be good if we had an option there for yaw to set it to be cyclic one way or the other on a per-rotor basis and let designer figure out what it should be; so yaw can function identically to roll or opposite of it(but bound to yaw axis). This is how the actual chinook works as the controls are mixed together and rotation can be around front or back axis by using the pedals(for yaw) as well as the cyclic for roll together. So would be great that for "Yaw" rather than it just do nothing full stop, it can work either same as roll or opposite of it, and for there just to be a switch there for the designer to choose what it does. Then proper chinooks(and I guess a bunch of other stuff too) can built and yaw is just not doing nothing. All that is needed is another binary option that if yaw is on, whether it acts same as roll or roll inverted(bound to yaw axis of course). And helicopter blades can start with "Yaw" disabled completely as a default state so as not to confuse beginners. Am I missing something here, does yaw actually work in some contexts ? To answer my own question: Yaw works for vertical blades only, in which they have collective control to counteract main blade torq and provide yaw. It would be great if for each input { pitch, roll, yaw }, that one could MANUALLY choose which action it did. Rather than there being just on/off. Option 0: Off Option 1 : Automatic -> KSP chooses as it does now, Option 2 : Cyclic Pitch + Option 3 : Cyclic Pitch - Option 4 : Cyclic Roll + Option 5 : Cyclic Roll - Option 6 : Collective + Option 7 : Collective - Then we can have true Chinooks with true yaw(as per manual). We can have drones that can rotate in yaw without having to use Kals to change RPM to create torq differential. Chinooks have a "mixer" that mixes the hydraulics so that both roll and yaw can be added together, same simple solution can be done when 2 axis control same cyclic, just add together. These are the only helicopter swash plate controls and any blade/rotor configuration can be made if they can be manually chosen like this. So I would humbly request SQUAD implements this in next update so we can finally have helicoptering perfected, and have real chinooks and drone-style yaw control with swash plates and not rpm altering.

An amazing tool is : Kerbal Wind Tunnel. You can actually get away with a lot less TWR than you think you can by flying the flight envelope of the aircraft. Often, especially for raper engines, there can be a "hump" that until one gets past the engine will work with low TWR. Kerbal Wind Tunnel lets you see where these transition points are, and what can actually be achieved by your space plane in its atmospheric flight mode. A lot of space planes need to be "flown right". That is held at a certain altitude until they are at the other side of the hump, only then will the TWR pick up and they can be put into their to-orbit trajectory. KWT lets you see where to transition, how hard it is going to be. Proper pro tool for any aircraft design. Use notes(another mod) to create a flight plan/manual for your space plane so you can remember what you want to do at what stage in flight from the KWT graph.

Just want to say what an amazing mod this is. Could not imagine flying without this. Should be stock for sure, need to see vector and AoA of aircraft, its a no-brainer, especially for landing when you want to have a high AOA, vector down, nose up to land on rear wheels. More modern version of this mod is : NavHud but that unfortunately does not show the horizon/orientation properly in the beautiful way this does, so this is what I use and recommend and could not play without. Anyway, 100% recommended mod, thank you. Should be a stock part of the UI.

Just like to say this is an awesome, way cool topic. Thanks for sharing all the great designs for Duna aircraft, guys.

IF they are going to update the drag model, one welcome change would be clipped parts no longer producing drag or for it to be reduced by proportion of drag cube face that is clipped. Also lift can be reduced. Current model with fairings/cargo bays just seems a little too miserly. Whatever goes inside the fairing/cargo bay needs to be protected from the air stream.

That sounds super suspicious to me. There is no "making history.exe" in the KSP install folder, never has been. Piracy(esp of company as lovely as SQUAD) is not ok, but getting your PC ruined by a malware program is also not. If you are looking at a "making history.exe" in KSP context, you certainly have been deceived at some point in the chain. My advice : DO NOT RUN THAT PROGRAM, and if you have done so already, download and run a quality anti virus program as soon as you can. It is very common place for malware of various sorts to masquerade as legitimate software. Both KSP expansions are super worthwhile(in fact imho KSP is not complete without them) and if they are not on sale on Steam, you can find legitimate game keys other places like ebay, g2a(BAD idea) it is 100x better than dl from a site you dont trust, even if worst happens(unlikely) and Steam ends up removing game from your library, at least your PC wont be ruined. Anyway, get your computer checked if you did try and run that, "making history.exe" does not come from SQUAD or KSP. MCExpert says there is a legit "making history.exe" if one downloads direct from SQUAD(see below).

I was told by a senior KSP expert who I respect a lot that closing air intakes reduces drag and one should do it once an engine stops breathing and your spaceplane enters the upper atmosphere. I have done some tests and am finding it difficult to come to this conclusion. Opening and closing air intakes seems to have no or negligible effect on drag in the AeroGUI menu from the Alt-F12, or on the part aerodynamics info itself. Can anyone shed light on this, does closing air intakes have any effect on drag? Have I been misinformed ? Thanks guys.