Hitting G twice to lower gear.

[BurnPrograde]

Quick question: why do you need to press G twice to lower landing gear on a newly launched craft?

[sal_vager]

Because the KSP gear module starts in the deployed state even if the gear starts retracted.

So the first press changes the module state to raised, as gear is already down by default it is raised, but because legs are already up by default they stay up.

Now the module state is retracted.

Second press lowers the landing leg or gear as normal, and further presses continue to toggle between states.

If you start with your gear retracted and your landing legs down, you'll see the legs come up on first press, and the gear, because it's already raised, does nothing until the second press when the module is again set to deployed.

[Alshain]

To further sal_valager's explanation, the reason for this behavior is that KSP is taking the minimalist approach to deciding which state is correct. There is the problem that landers for the Mun are usually high on the rocket and have legs retracted, but planes often have gear deployed on the launch pad and runway. You can't just decide based on the runway/SPH either because you can make craft launch on the pad with landing legs (as opposed to launch clamps or just sitting on the engine). They chose to have the button assume the the gear/legs were deployed, again, a minimalist approach.

I started a mod to more intelligently determine the state the button should be in. The idea was to find the first set of legs/gear and decide based on it's current state. So the first leg or gear part you place on the craft would be the deciding factor for whether the button is lit. In most cases it would be correct, the exceptions would be if you had a plane carrying a Mun lander, for example, and even that could be worked by carefully placing the gear and legs in the right order. Sadly, I'm having compiler/debugging issues with my setup. I'm not sure it will get out before the Unity 5 update (and who knows, Squad may obsolete it by then).

Edited August 14, 2015 by Alshain

[sal_vager]

Not just that but SSTO spaceplanes carrying landers would be destroyed if the legs deployed when the gear was raised.

It's not a big deal to press G twice when your rocket reaches the Mun compared to rapid unplanned disassembly on the pad/runway.

[Alshain]

Not just that but SSTO spaceplanes carrying landers would be destroyed if the legs deployed when the gear was raised.

It's not a big deal to press G twice when your rocket reaches the Mun compared to rapid unplanned disassembly on the pad/runway.

True, but that can be easily corrected. The Gear icon is an action group and can be split up.

Also, I think Squad fixed it so stowed gear would not deploy (I need to confirm that) EDIT: Apparently not, but it should be.

Edited August 14, 2015 by Alshain

[sal_vager]

In sandbox or with an fully upgraded VAB/SPH

And if the player remembers...

Edited August 14, 2015 by sal_vager

[Alshain]

In sandbox or with a fully upgraded VAB/SPH

And if the player remembers...

The gear group can be edited at tier 2. But yes. Prior to that I don't expect players to be building craft that complicated anyway. I may look into seeing if I can do the stowed gear thing for my mod.

[BurnPrograde]

Not just that but SSTO spaceplanes carrying landers would be destroyed if the legs deployed when the gear was raised.

It's not a big deal to press G twice when your rocket reaches the Mun compared to rapid unplanned disassembly on the pad/runway.

Totally not a big deal to press G twice. But I'm building a Mission Control Console with a back-lit annunciator panel showing when brakes, SAS, RCS, GEAR and LIGHTS

are selected. So far, the gear button makes the panel reversed. (Lit when stowed and dark when deployed). No big deal, its just for looks anyways

[cartman]

Not a big deal but annoying. I saw some people lose the craft due this..."minimalistic" solution approach.

I believe the state should be determined simply like this: If ALL gears are retracted or no gears present - indicator OFF otherwise ON. Should be rechecked with every staging, better yet any part separation.

[jwenting]

I just consider it to be a gear lock that needs to be removed before the gear can be lowered...

[Dafni]

I just consider it to be a gear lock that needs to be removed before the gear can be lowered...

This. Before I started reading the forums the game had much less bugs for me small things like that or mosty any kind of hiccup I would put down to user error or some feat that I don't get... now it's bugs wherever I look

[Kerbart]

I believe the state should be determined simply like this: If ALL gears are retracted or no gears present - indicator OFF otherwise ON. Should be rechecked with every staging, better yet any part separation.

I can see the performance issue with that. Not that this particular check would take so much time, but add a dozen other checks and the impact on performance might become measurable.