Best Planet-Pack? Considering Kerbol+ and OuterPlanetMod

[Friend Bear]

Simple issue I wanted to address here since there seem to be no recent planet mod discussions and 1.0.4 has added a swath of new possibilities and updates to such mods.

Here are the two mods:

Kerbol + - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/118643-1-0-4-Kopernicus-KerbolPlus-v-2-3-5-a-planet-pack-that-ads-the-legendary-Gas-Planet-2-and-more

Outer Planet Mod - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/104280-0-90-Outer-Planet-Mods-Expands-the-Kerbol-system-with-new-planets-based-on-Saturn

I am trying to decide which of the two planet packs I should use, or if I should use both (I don't know what that would do to memory use with me using Novapunch, Near future tech, TAC lifesupport, USI Kolonization, and a bunch of monitoring mods). So...

1. Which planet pack do you prefer and why?

(Is there another planet pack you would like to suggest?)

2. Would I be able to use both without destroying my computer/crashes?

I like both so much, this second question is definitely more important to answer.

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Do NOT turn this into a competition between mods. Both mods, and prospectively all mods that will be suggested, have been made following lots of effort and both (all) are beautiful and very full and adding to the game. Yes, it is a comparison​, but just that and not a bash session. This is merely a "what is possible/worth it" discussion.

Edited July 23, 2015 by Friend Bear

[56464]

Kerbol +:):):):):sticktongue::sticktongue::sticktongue::sticktongue::sticktongue:

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KERBOL Plus is yours!

[Gad]

1. Which planet pack do you prefer and why?

I prefer Kerbal Galaxy 2 right now I'm not a huge fan of Kerbol planet packs really but out of those two I've tried I really liked OPM better. I felt Kerbol plus was too compact and crowded, though it did offer alot of new content and many new planets to explore. I like both, but more personal preference for realism(not that KSP is super realistic anyway) would be OPM.

2. Would I be able to use both without destroying my computer/crashes?

I'd say Kerbol Plus is perhaps more demanding, I would recommend if you're worried about memory to use Active Texture Management, it's worked fine for me but then again I use stockalike parts only, that means memory usage isn't as high because most stockalike parts mods use stock textures(i think).

Overall I'd recommend you try both, i've found using usi I've enjoyed kerbol plus alot since it gives a large variety of planets to occupy

[Kilmeister]

Well I know you can combine OPM and trans Keptunian to get the closest approximation of our own solar system including analogs to some dwarf planets like Eris and Makemake. Just know that to actually orbit these planets it's gonna take a lot more time and resources than it takes to get to Jool and it's moons. Sarnus(Saturn) isn't too bad, but Uranus and Neptune are quite the hike. (Only 5 more years to go on my Urlum probe I launched 9 years ago!). But you can do it New Horizon's style and do a flyby in reasonable time periods (Currently doing a approx 5 year transit to Putto).

Edit: This does end up creating 2 Pluto analogs (Plock/Putto) but that's fairly minor and they are in different orbits. OPM moves Eeloo into an orbit around Sarnus to work as an Enceledus analog.

Edited July 23, 2015 by Kilmeister

[Captain Sierra]

I personally prefer OPM because the OPM planets blend better with stock planets IMHO.

I do not believe they will work together as Sarvin and Sarnus sound like they share very similar orbits (and, at their close approach, it will break SoI and gravitation).

Another recommendation I have if you want to fully reinvent the experience is New Horizons, which I think is compatible with Kerbol+ and completely rearranges the system, including making Kerbin a moon of Jool (as well as graphically redoing everything to make it in a Kerbol+ like art style).

Also someone revived Alternis Kerbol, praise Kod.

[NJP]

I say create a couple new save files (If you know what you're doing) and try out both of them with totally different versions of the game. That way you save your current saves while trying out the new mods. Scott Manley has a few good videos on stuff like this.

[cantab]

Both are nice mods. In a new Science or Career save I think Kerbol Plus offers more because it has bodies across the system, whereas the Outer Planets will probably only become important in the late game so might be better suited to Sandbox or to adding to an established save. On the downside, Kerbol Plus I've found to be finicky - the supplied download is fine but don't try and use it with a different Kopernicus version and don't install it through CKAN.

As far as memory usage goes, if you're using the Windows 32-bit version of KSP, you will probably have memory trouble if you try and load up on planets. There are ways to reduce memory usage but there's only so much you can do, to really load up on the mods requires 64-bit KSP. The Linux 64-bit version is fully supported but performance does vary on your hardware (nVidia graphics good, AMD graphics bad on Linux); it works excellently for me and I have an install with just about every planet pack I can find at once. 64-bit on Windows is currently available by an unofficial hack and results vary, it's great for some people and hopeless for others and nobody really knows why.

As far as other planet packs go:

New Horizons combines a system reshuffle with a bunch of new worlds. It's a good choice if you want a new experience right from the start of a new save and you're up for a challenge. It also has configs to incorporate Kerbol Plus, OPM, and Tran-Keptunian. On the downside it's not going to work well when added to an existing save. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/114092

If you want wild, psychedelic worlds, the Boris pack fits the bill. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/70018

Asclepius is a one-off planet (plus a moon) orbiting between Kerbin and Duna. It's designed as a place to take spaceplanes to, with the not-uncommon idea of having the atmosphere mainly in deep canyons. Being just two worlds you can probably add it in alongside KerbolPlus, OPM, or another larger planet pack. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/126515

Chani is a very new one, I've not looked at it much. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/129073

And, of course, there's always Real Solar System.

[pozine]

And, of course, there's always Real Solar System.

+1 for RSS. If you want a realistic and tough challenge, install RSS with Realism Overhaul. Then cry...A lot.

[Friend Bear]

Woah! Thanks for all the responses guys. Looking into these now!

[Andem]

Are Kerbol+ and OPM compatible at all? I,ve been having difficulty with Kittopia files so I am unable to test it myself...