TheCoolSideofthePillow

I want to build a probe, like Voyager, to go out and send back data on all the planets beyond Kerbin. I want to conserve power, though, because I am playing in Career mode and do not yet have solar panels (hence why I need the research data). I figure, the engines can recharge the batteries, and I have enough fuel for the course corrections I will need when passing by all the planets, but they only recharge while running. Most of the trip will be just drifting to the next course change, and since it's a probe, it uses up all the power before it can make those source changes past Mun. No power, means no control, no control means I can't recharge the batteries by thrusting. So what I was wondering is if I could, some how, have the engines and the instruments run on separate power lines. Like have my current battery array for my instruments and the stayputnik, and 1 battery for each engine, just to start them up when I need to?

Any ideas on how I might have a top head that swivels independently from the base support? I was constructing a simple crane after installing this for the first time, and I think I figured out the basics, but now I am wondering how I might move it around like an actual crane.

So I just figured out why MechJeb would make my rocket crash into the ground trying to keep a heading of 0 using the Freelancer Mk2 cockpit: The cockpit's "front" is actually the bottom of it. -.- EDIT: Maybe I should get the updated version... LOL

I hadn't even thought of using the launch clamps to hold it up to extend them... XD

The triangle docking ports are nice and tight, but damn are they difficult to get JUUUUUUST right to do so. Those pieces that fold might work better if when the port is unlocked they were folded back against the sides instead of slightly protruding. Unless you're pixel perfect, they tend to just collide and push the object you're docking with out of the way. Just have to use 1 tri-hex port and a vanilla one for now to make it simpler.

Is there a way to start on the launch pad/landing strip with STRUTS extended? A mod, perhaps? I'm working on some sci-fi type ships with VTOL and hovering, and it would be better if I could start them in their landed state rather than launch them like a rocket or plane.

I don't know why, but after re-installing the game using the same download of this I got the other day, I am missing a bunch of stuff from it. It's there in the right location, and the debug menu shows them loaded in the data base, but I am not seeing some of the parts in the tabs. Specifically the octo-tri splitters are just gone for some reason. I really need them right now, too... EDIT: I think maybe the zip is corrupt or something. I just kept unzipping it and reloading the part configs until the missing pieces came back. Is this the problem with the Spaceport I keep hearing about?

I am loving this set. However, I just noticed that there is no Tri-Hex to Octagonal strut adapters so I can seamlessly connect any of the tri-hex pieces to the octagonal pieces like the huge cargo containers or fuel tanks. I'd really like to see more stuff from you, man. I haven't made a ship that didn't use some of these pieces since I installed the pack and I was disappointed to see this is all you have made right now.

I figured it out now. I didn't realize that the orientation of the line on the laser model affected where the laser could actually shoot, so even though the visual effect of the laser showed them shooting into the ground, 2 of them were actually shooting sideways.

I was messing around with pretty much the same parts you're using in that video before I posted earlier. Just a square plate, 5 magenta lasers, the small octagonal probe and the laser control jr stack. It's center of mass was dead center, the lasers were pointed directly at the ground, but it just kept wanting to pitch the nose or tail (would change every time I restarted the flight) instead of being evenly distributing the thrust.

I'm having difficulty with the tractor beams for hovering. No matter how evenly distributed they are, how they are pointed, how much power I give them, or whether the "STABALIZOR" is on or off, they just want to push either the nose or the tail up and nothing else. I can't even get it to evenly hover a perfect square with 1 laser on each corner and a 5th dead center. It constantly wants to flip over and I don't know why.