Quality of Life improvements list

[Batz_10K]

Can we please have a 'toggle' option for the fuel cells?, so that we don't have to waste two precious action groups on starting and stopping the fuel cells?

[macdjord]

Can we please have a 'toggle' option for the fuel cells?, so that we don't have to waste two precious action groups on starting and stopping the fuel cells?

Actually, let's expand that: every action that switches between two states should have all 3 action group options: on, off, and toggle. The fuel cells have on and off but no toggle, while a number of other things, like opening and closing air intakes, have toggle but no on and off.

A couple new ones:

• Fix up ladder physics, so it obeys conservation of momentum, so you can timewarp with a kerbal on a ladder, etc.
  
• Save crew assignments with vessels; it's irritating to have to manually place Bob in the cockpit of my science-gathering plane every time I launch it, etc.
  
• Add a 'Derelict' or 'Defunct' vessel category for vessels which have reached the end of their mission (e.g. ground or orbital probes that have transmitted all the science they can and are not designed to return home; flyby probes that have finished their flyby and are headed off into nowhere; obsolete reusable exploration vessels which aren't capable of surviving reentry to be reclaimed) - useless, but still functional. Vessels would never be placed in the category automatically. This category, like Debris, would be hidden by default on the map, but unlike debris is never automatically deleted (in case you have ISEE-3/ICE moment and discover your 'defunct' vessel is useful again).
  
• Another new category: Satellite, for vessels which remain active and functional, but require no further human interaction (e.g. ScanSat mapping satellites, RemoteTech comms relays)
  

Edited May 13, 2015 by macdjord

[WinkAllKerb'']

great list,

one thing that to bug me: better fuel transfer

- ability to group container under a user group tag

- ability to target thoose container group

[mdg583]

Regarding career mode, it would be nice if there were some more options for custom difficulty when starting a career. The two I would try are:

- start with all techs discovered (ie disable science)

- start with all buildings upgraded fully (ie disable upgradable buildings)

- disable admin building strategies

It may also be nice to be able to choose which kinds of contracts become available. Ie, whether or not to have milestones, part tests, space tourists, flybys, etc.

I just realized you could do some of this by editing a save file and putting it in the scenarios folder. But it would be nice if there was an easier way.

[macdjord]

• Part test contracts for 'At Launch Site' and 'Kerbin - Landed' are currently free money. Accept contract, build craft consisting of command pod + test part, launch, run test, recover vessel for 100% refund. (This even works for SRBs, since you can just tweak them to 0 fuel so they don't go anywhere.) I propose changing it so that part test contracts never spawn for any of the KSC biomes, and that 'Kerbin - Landed' part tests require that you do them somewhere outside the KSC.
  
• Every time I get a new science part, the first thing I do is always collect science from every KSC biome with it. This requires no skill or resources, just time, which makes it very tedious. Either these experiments should have 0 science value, or they should be done automatically for you as soon as you unlock a new experiment.
  
  • In the later game, this applies to all of Kerbin. In the early game, getting science from the various biomes of Kerbin is a matter of repeatedly launching expensive, carefully targeted sounding rockets, or taking advantage of fortuitous reentry locations from space missions; later on its a matter of slapping the new instrument onto a plane and tediously flying to each biome before returning to the KSC (total cost: 200 Funds in fuel - and several hours playtime).
    
  • Maybe tie it to the tech tree? Start of the game, you automatically get EVA Reports and, once you've unlocked them, Surface Samples from all the KSC biomes. Once you unlock Aviation, this is expanded to Crew Reports and all science experiments you've unlocked (because Aviation gives you wheels and an engine, so you can drive around the KSC trivially (rather than having to awkwardly roll around in a reaction wheel-powered pseudo-rover)). Aeordynamics gives you Landed, Splashed, and Flying Low in every biome on Kerbin for every unlocked experiment. High Altitude Flight adds Flying High.
    

  [*]The barometer and atmospheric analysis should be be per-planet, not per-biome, when used on the surface of airless worlds.

  [*]Each asteroid should count as its own biome; doing samples of the same asteroid when its in orbit of different bodies should not give more results.

  [*]The biome/condition interaction should be more strictly defined and enforced. For instance, the KSC biomes are supposed to be surface-only, but by fiddling with launch clamps it's relatively easy to create a situation where, for an instant, you are 'Flying Low over the Launchpad', and then capture science for it. Similarly, the only thing that prevents your from running experiments 'While Splashed Down at Kerbin's Mountains' is the fact that there isn't (supposed to be) any water there; if you find a spot in the water that, due to the imprecision of the biome map, counts as mountainous, you can get science that isn't supposed to exist. The game should have a list of what situations are supposed to be possible for what biomes, and not return science results for impossible combinations.

  [*]There needs to be a better way to capture per-biome low-orbit EVA Reports than hanging off a ladder, hitting 'Take EVA Report' every few seconds and looking for a new biome.

  [*]Need a batter way to view and manage stored science results. Should be able to see results in a list rather than paging through them one-by-one every time. Should be able to filter on: repeatable/non-repeatable; current biome (i.e. 'if I transmit or discard this result, am I currently in the right place to capture it again?'); return value > 0; transmission value > 0; transmission value > 0 if analyzed in lab first.

  [*]'Show biomes in map' shouldn't be a cheat option.

[TothAval]

thx for the input, i will update the list this weekend.

[Joonatan1998]

Being able to rename/re-classify objects without powered probe cores would be nice.

I get probes stuck without power, but can't make them debris, and sometimes the game decides the separator between the rover and the lander is a rover too...

There needs to be a better way to capture per-biome low-orbit EVA Reports than hanging off a ladder, hitting 'Take EVA Report' every few seconds and looking for a new biome.

The rover chair allows you to get EVA reports without leaving it. Then you can just transmit them at 100%.

Edited May 15, 2015 by Joonatan1998

[Sky_walker]

Every time I get a new science part, the first thing I do is always collect science from every KSC biome with it. This requires no skill or resources, just time, which makes it very tedious.

Then don't do it. I play KSP on Hard and never done something like that.

The barometer and atmospheric analysis should be be per-planet, not per-biome, when used on the surface of airless worlds.

(...)

The biome/condition interaction should be more strictly defined and enforced. For instance, the KSC biomes are supposed to be surface-only, but by fiddling with launch clamps it's relatively easy to create a situation where, for an instant, you are 'Flying Low over the Launchpad', and then capture science for it. Similarly, the only thing that prevents your from running experiments 'While Splashed Down at Kerbin's Mountains' is the fact that there isn't (supposed to be) any water there; if you find a spot in the water that, due to the imprecision of the biome map, counts as mountainous, you can get science that isn't supposed to exist. The game should have a list of what situations are supposed to be possible for what biomes, and not return science results for impossible combinations.

Oh yes, please!

[macdjord]

Being able to rename/re-classify objects without powered probe cores would be nice.

I get probes stuck without power, but can't make them debris, and sometimes the game decides the separator between the rover and the lander is a rover too...

Better yet: You should be able to rename/re-classify objects from the tracking station.

The rover chair allows you to get EVA reports without leaving it. Then you can just transmit them at 100%.

It shows up too late in the tech tree. Also, while it makes things a lot easier, since you can use timewarp, you're still stuck repeatedly rerunning it until you get a new biome - which is also a problem for the gravity scan experiment. There ought to be a way to tell what biome you're over other than running an experiment.

[Barking Sands]

It might be easier just to suggest that Squad implement as many "quality of life" mods as they have time to work in.

Flight

Improved inflight information

Flight data

• 
  [*=3]fuel/oxidizer/monopropellant/electric charge gauge (IVA)
  [*=3]G-meter (IVA)
  

Improved vessel control

Flight management

• 
  [*=3]Fuel should be drawn from the tanks nearest the engine first (not last)
  [*=3] Button to temporarily disable certain tanks and have them automatically reactivate when all other resources are spent
  

Map

Active flight

• 
  [*=2]Switch between staging and docking (LIN/ROT) controls while remaining in map view (Allow use of docking linear RCS control to fine-tune orbits in map view)
  

VAB/SPH

Staging

• 
  [*=2]Add new stage to separate parachutes from first stage by default even when no decouplers are installed
  

User Interface

Options

• 
  [*=2]Add input options to change keys for staging/docking modes
  [*=2] Add an input key to toggle between staging and docking modes
  

Edited May 17, 2015 by Barking Sands

[TothAval]

• part test contracts for 'at launch site' and 'kerbin - landed' are currently free money. Accept contract, build craft consisting of command pod + test part, launch, run test, recover vessel for 100% refund. (this even works for srbs, since you can just tweak them to 0 fuel so they don't go anywhere.) i propose changing it so that part test contracts never spawn for any of the ksc biomes, and that 'kerbin - landed' part tests require that you do them somewhere outside the ksc.
  
• ...
  

i didn't include some of your suggestions since they are to big of a change to be considered QoL in my opinion, i also didn't include the ladder thing, since this is a bug as far as i know, please suggest or report the things i left out elsewhere.

thanks everyone for all the suggestions, quite a list now

anyway:

list updated

integrated ideas from other posts in Suggestions and Development Discussion

[Drew Kerman]

Better yet: You should be able to rename/re-classify objects from the tracking station.

Already a stock feature, largely undocumented. In the tracking station, select a craft then click on the info box icon along the left oops I meant right. You can click on the craft name to re-name/re-designate it

Edited May 19, 2015 by Gaiiden

[Enceos]

Already a stock feature, largely undocumented. In the tracking station, select a craft then click on the info box icon along the left. You can click on the craft name to re-name/re-designate it

Yep, until I was told by Gaiiden how it's done I never knew or seen it:

Edited May 19, 2015 by Enceos

[rkman]

Don't know if this has been mentioned yet:

User configurable default camera view, to be able to avoid the annoying moving around of the "auto" camera view.

And another one:

Stabilize the part popup menus when the user tries to click them.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/119561

http://zippy.gfycat.com/UnfitJitteryHermitcrab.webm

Edited May 20, 2015 by rkman

[Red Iron Crown]

Stabilize the part popup menus when the user tries to click them.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/119561

http://zippy.gfycat.com/UnfitJitteryHermitcrab.webm

That's a good one, and that issue has gotten more annoying now that we have the camera shake effect.

[pellinor]

When I click "warp to PE" in the low end of an eccentric orbit, it should use the higher warp speeds once they become available. At the moment it stays at the initial speed and has to be clicked again to speed up.

[TothAval]

I am not available until monday evening. i will update the list on tuesday.

[TheMoonRover]

A few things which bother me:

> Allow toggling of visible vessel types in map view even when the NavBall is closed (currently it only works when the NavBall is open)

> Allow use of the toolbar (in-flight) and the Kerbal Knowledge Base (section on the right of Map View) when TimeWarpTo is active (currently they don't respond)

> When you resize toolbar apps (contracts, engineer's report etc) the new size should be persistent. If you show/hide details of contracts, that should be persistent too.

> Show experience trait for stranded kerbals before accepting the rescue contract.

> Allow placing kerbals in external command seats in VAB/SPH prior to launch.

> Increase the EVA data collection range on Mystery Goo and Materials Bay. Particularly with the Materials Bay, you literally have to be on a ladder on the centre of it to collect data.

--- Updated ---

> Allow you to change strategy commitment level without having to cancel it and pay the whole thing again.

Edited May 22, 2015 by TheMoonRover

[macdjord]

> Allow you to change strategy commitment level without having to cancel it and pay the whole thing again.

Maybe tie it into the Admin building's level? At L1, you can't change strategies, only cancel them, just like now. At L2, reducing commitment is free, while increasing it costs as much per percent increase as setting up the strategy of that percentage commitment (e.g. upgrading a strategy from 25% commitment to 50% commitment costs as much as setting up the strategy at 25% did in the first place; since strategy costs are non-linear, this means the total cost is considerably more than just setting up the strategy at 50% would have). Then, at L3, upgrading costs only the price difference, while downgrading (or cancelling) gets you a partial refund.

• The toolbar controls are counterintutive; when I click the right arrow, I expect to move my view to the right, not move the toolbar contents to the right (thus effectively scrolling left). There's also no way to quickly scroll to the ends. Also, some way to quickly see the whole list of buttons available, and select one in order to make it visible (look at how Firefox handles tabs - look at the pulldown menu to the right of the tab bar).
  
• A quick way to look at the orbits for satellite contracts and the ground locations for 'take sensor readings at' contracts without leaving the Mission Control building
  
• Its absurd that you can complete satellite contracts by holding the right orbit for 10s, then fly that same craft off to do other things with it. Switch to a system like the old Mission Controller mod used: once you're in the right orbit, a button pops up; when you hit that button, you lose control of the probe (because you've handed off ownership to the contractee) and the contract completes.
  
  • You could keep the old-style contracts, too; just ditch the 'must be unmanned' requirement and rename them 'record orbital data' or 'study a particular orbit'
    

  [*]Satellite contracts that have a Mystery Goo or Materials Exposure Bay requirement should demand that the experiment in question be functional; presumably the contractee demands these items because they wish to use them, so you should not be able to complete the contract by supplying unusable ones.

  [*]Parts which are radially attached to the inside of an equipment bay should apply their mass at the bay's CoM, as if they were physics mode 0. This should only apply to parts which are inside the bay (i.e. they are shielded by it when the doors are closed), but it should work even when the doors are open. This only applies to parts which are attached directly to the bay (so if you are, say, using a large cargo bay to carry an entire probe into orbit in a spaceplane, you can't ignore the probe's CoM when balancing the aircraft); the idea is that pats inside an equipment bay represent 'internal systems', and the designers should be able to position them such that the overall CoM is in line.

[Spartwo]

Minuscule change not worthy of its own thread. Reduce the mass of the not-rockomax micronode to .075 at the least.

Not even sure if this would fit in here.

[Nothalogh]

Give us a bigger VAB for stupidly large rockets

[Spartwo]

Oh, not changing control point when going into IVA.

[falloutaddict]

Not sure if it's been suggested yet, but when you are flying your craft pressing capslock activates precision control. If we could have this same functionality while on EVA that would be really helpful.

[macdjord]

When moving in the atmosphere, if you hit 'Return to Space Center' in the mission, it tells you that it can't save right now and that you'll have to revert to the last autosave in order to exit the scene. There should also be the option to return to the KSC without reverting; the active vessel would be dealt with the same way as if it had left physics range (i.e. above a certain altitude it goes on rails and ignores the atmosphere entirely; below that altitude it simply despawns immediately).

Note: Do not remove the option to revert back to the last stable state; the player should always have the ability to exit the game quickly without permanent loss.

[TothAval]

thanks everyone for all the suggestions, quite a list now

anyway:

User Interface - gui action

*add a way to revert navball directions via a button or a right-click-menue option

Flight - improved vessel conrtol - flight management

*add a switch command module button if more than 1 command module or probe core is present on active vessel

list updated

integrated ideas from other posts in Suggestions and Development Discussion

hopefully squad will find something useful amongst this suggestions or bare some of it contents in mind while redesigning the ui for u5 *finges crossed on my part for this*