Kerbart

Software development and the weekly dev notes are about managing expectations. What I read into it is that the goal is to have improved aerodynamics up to a point where it works mostly the way you expect it to work in real life but a "perfect" aerodynamic model. I interpret "keeping the fun" mainly as "KSP operating at +10 FPS on most computers." Realistic aerodynamic modeling would take up an awful amount of computing. How far does realism need to go? What is realistic for one is BS for the other. To me, what Squad is saying is "don't expect us to mirror reality, or even atmospheric behavior as modelled by MS Flightsim". I expect airplanes to continue to suck as even x-plane had a hard time matching a geometric model of your plane to atmospheric behaviour (MS Flightsim didn't even try to do that) and that is a full-blown flightsim. I don't expect hypersonic compression issues, shockwaves destroying your craft, etc, either. What I expect and hope for is: Metric size determines drag, not mass Higher speed = more drag Slim & Pointy = less drag than Flat & Wide Parts sticking out will be ripped off when going fast enough If we get that I'm already happy;.

On land you can afford to have a landing area of 1×1 km and given the accuracy displayed there would be no problem for the Falcon 9 to land, with reasonable deviation, in the middle of that.

What you didn't mention was the capacity of your outpost. The requirements will mention that your Outpost will need to be able to support x kerbals (you don't need to bring them... you just need to have the capacity). Also, the contract list will show green checkmarks for the requirements met. The ones without the checkmark... are missing. As Tsotha mentioned: on the launch pad you should meet all requirements (except the "landed at..." one of course). If you don't meet them there, you will certainly not do so after landing.

Consider the jet engine a device that takes atmospheric gas "A" and mixes it with a highly reactive agent "B". It wouldn't really matter which one of the two is the oxidizer. However, my limited knowledge of rocket fuels suggests that it's usually the oxidizer that you need in larger quantities. That might be a bit of a limitation for this idea.

Returned to KSC? That seems a lot of work that's not really the responsibility of company XYZ. I'd say "were escorted out of the airlock." Where do you think these rescue missions were coming from?

“We choose to go to Moho, Dres and Eeloo in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.†â€â€John F. Kerman

THIS. The FinePrint contracts are fun but, just as the original ones, become repetitive very quickly and leave you with a pile of junk (unless you delete it). It also encourages unmanned missions for those space stations and outposts, which I think is the opposite of what Squad has in mind. As Janos mentions, it would be much better if, after the initial creation (and as long as that station/outpost is in existence) there would be missions as: Transfer Bartfred, Blingbob and Zeefod to the Minmus Outpost Land a new power unit within 1500m of the Mun Outpost. The power unit needs to have at least two Gigantor XL Solar Arrays Return two Goo containers from the Duna space station to Kerbin Bring a new laboratory to within 500m of the Mun Outpost That would feel like you're doing something with a purpose (maintaining space stations/outposts) rather than placing empty stations/outposts all over the Kerbal system for the sake of fullfilling contracts.

For starters, can you show us how you got the 1740 m/s2?

I don't know what your definition of "good looking rocket" pertains. What I do know is that it's perfectly possible to design rockets that barely make it into orbit (or not) even for something is simple as a a Mk I capsule. It is easy to design a rocket that is way overpowered? Why yes, but unless you expect the oscar-b to be the only fuel tank in the game that will always be a problem. On the other hand, my standardized orbital stations can absolutely not be launched in one piece, so I doubt stock allows you to put anything into orbit with no effort. I'm not sure what the problem is.

Works fine with me. Some of my 20-something mods gave the standard "incompatible" disclaimer, and Ship Manifest had an annoyance (which was fixed within a few days) but that was about it. Then again, I also think that "just stock parts" doesn't completely blow, so maybe my expectations are just far less?

On the plus side, NASA is now going to get funds from the military to research the Alcubierre drive.

Call up the debug window (Alt F12) and then hold down the left ALT key for something like 5-10s. You can then, ehm, "adjust" all your resources.

Career mode. Use the money cheat to give yourself an unreasonable amount of money and convert income to science with strategies (I forgot which one). It'll take you one day to unlock everything and then you're exactly where you want to be.

Well that and apparently Kerbals take excessive dumps, of course.

Reading the various discussions, I'm missing something. Most proposals are small fixes that target one issue at the cost of another. I say: let's go for a more radical approach. Which means it'll never make it into the real game, but one can always dream, right? Some observations about the current state of affairs Science and the tech tree were the first "game" additions to KSP. In the original introduction you unlocked the tree with science; there was nothing else to unlock it with. Invariably, unlocking the tech tree is either too easy or requires science spamming. I doubt there is a true balance; it depends a lot on your acquired skill levels at KSP With the latest versions we have funds, science, reputation... a lot of variables to play with Before strategies gaining science was too hard and required science grinding. Now with strategies it's too easy! (I'm at 30,000 science without even trying and I have yet to leave Kerbin SOI) Kerbart's Proposal To unlock the tech tree, use contracts. Want that LV-909? You'll have to earn it by fullfilling tests on it. On easy level it might be as easy as unlocking an entire group; on hard levels you'll have to unlock the group first, and then unlock the parts through contracts. Depending on the difficulty level a part might require multiple contracts to unlock. Science accumulates and doesn't get used up; bu it's required to get access to contracts. Those contracts to test the LV-909 will not be available until you have collected 3,000 science points. Obviously science gained through strategies needs to be toned done but that's not new This would remove the common problem of "test a parachute over Kerbin to get access to landing gear." Of course it would require tighter contracts for proper testing (not the BS of testing a take-off engine in orbit or those kind of things). It would remove the problem of science being an interchangeable currency to buy any technology, at the same time it would reflect a certain "technology level" that is required to access unlocking certain technology. Thoughts?

The big criticism of the game was that it starts manned. I think there's even a mod that modifies the tech tree to get you started on unmanned probes first. Now we're getting a game where it turns out that the Kerbals, in the earily phases of space flight, simply haven't figured out how to automate stabilization. Is that unrealistic? Before you answer that question, keep in mind that you're playing a space game with little green men with bulging eyes living on a planet with a 1200km diameter. What everyone seems to forget is that it's perfectly possible to put a stayputnik into orbit with a SAS operated rocket; do it the Kerbal way. Let Jeb fly your vehicle, release the probe when it's in public and return Jeb. When done smartly you can probably combine it with one or more manned missions as well. You don't need Jeb of course; these Stayputnik delivery runs can be done by any pilot who needs to build up some experience.

Unless he changed his mind, HarvesteR (Felipe) has stated in the past that he prefers the "eyeballing and hoping for the best" character of the stock game. But there's always mods

You could put a "dumb" station in orbit with no command unit attached to it. Just the storage containers, lab, thermometer, solar panels, etc. Then your "station" is a self propelled unit that docks to the existing station. Would that work? EDIT: No it doesn't.

Results of calculations (or entering) are pushed into the stack from top to bottom (the four cells in the stack are displayed in the calculator). You perform operations on the bottom to items on the stack. The advantage is that you don't need parenthesis, so you can't forget to enter them either. For instance, 5×7+3×39 is entered as 5, [enter], 7, [×] (multiplying 5 and 7), 3, [enter] (note how 35 is now pushed up on the stack), 39, [×] (multiplying 39 and 3), [+] (adding 117 and the previously calculated 35) Once you get used to it it's a lot easier to use than an algebraic calculator with parenthesis when you have calculations with fractions in it (as you do in orbital mechanics).

Beautiful! Can you add an ex button and a "x<->y" button? (EDIT: never mind, you titled it "swap") Pretty please with a cherry on top?

Not really an easter egg but the flag at the launch pad is waving again!

Remember the contracts are based on a mod called FINE PRINT.* It doesn't say "the station has to have twelve kerbals on board," it says "the stations has to be able to support twelve kerbals" I've launched a couple of stations now. All unmanned, and deorbited them as soon as the contract was fulfilled (what's the point in having dozens of stations in orbit?) * In addition, do you yourself a favor and check the contract requirements on the launch pad. The only unfullfilled item at that point should be "in orbit." It would be a shame to have orbited your station succesfully only to find out that you needed a thermometer or docking port on your station...

The "decoupler" would be a clampotron jr. Wait 10 seconds, dock again. Profit!

With the nature of the notification being that the mod is "incompatible" with the current version. Not "could be" or "might be" but "is"

I think Felipe stated that there would be no newer demo. I think that Squad is doing itself a disservice with that as the demo isn't really advertising the game in its current state. I absolutely agree with you on that. More interesting, to turn the current game into a demo version only a few adaptions need to be made: No mods allowed Only carreer mode Cannot upgrade buildings (or maybe only to 2nd tier) That will give you enough of a taste of the game, and definitely a desire to upgrade, I would think!