Things I hate about the editor

[V8jester]

The fact that you can kludge your way around problems doesn't make them not problems.

Oh, here's one that started some time around 1.0 coming out:

Small parts (for me it seems the smallest decoupler and the okto 2 more than anything else) sometimes just refuse to attach to node points. They snap to the point, I drop them, and they're sitting there, greyed out, right exactly where they should be to be attached, but not attached. Mocking me.

Usually if I try to attach them 4-6 times, eventually it will work.

Something that helps with node attachment, is hold down "alt" while you are placing a part. This will only allow the part you are holding to attach via node.

[cantab]

For what it's worth, if you need to move your whole ship in the VAB/SPH I prefer to do it by selecting the offset tool then clicking the root part (the first one you placed) and moving that. It's much easier to move the ship how you want it that way without it flying off into some stupid place.

[Columbia]

Horray for useless "help"!

Majorjim's trying to help you, as the others have said. Why are you dismissing his attempts as "useless?"

And yes, they can be easily workable, although they still exist. It's not too tedious, is it?

[Cairol]

1) Removing a strut connector from an SRB, because you can only use the origin and not the target point to grab it.

But the origin is always invisibly sunken into the SRBs body, so it's pure guessing and try and error to catch that little spot.

2) Not beeing able to abort a grabbed item with ESC button.

3) Trying to place multiple aerodynamic cones on fuel tanks with symmetry when there are other nodes around.

They turn, they rotate, they stick to everything but not those darn fuel tanks.

4) trying to secure payload in an already placed, bigger fairing by struts coming or going to the outside.

Most of the time, only the struts on the side where the mouse made the fairing open stick correctly,

while the other side makes the struts stick to whatever piece of fairing it can get a hold of, because it's not opening completely

on that side far from the mouse cursor.

Edited August 28, 2015 by Cairol

[Majorjim!]

The fact that you can kludge your way around problems doesn't make them not problems.

Oh, here's one that started some time around 1.0 coming out:

Small parts (for me it seems the smallest decoupler and the okto 2 more than anything else) sometimes just refuse to attach to node points. They snap to the point, I drop them, and they're sitting there, greyed out, right exactly where they should be to be attached, but not attached. Mocking me.

Usually if I try to attach them 4-6 times, eventually it will work.

I know exactly why this is.

Some people may have noticed a new toggleable variable in the alt+12 menu after version 1.0 It is called Non-strict part attachment orientation checks. I noticed immediatly that parts would not attach as well as before. Ticking the check box on this fixes this issue.

- - - Updated - - -

For what it's worth, if you need to move your whole ship in the VAB/SPH I prefer to do it by selecting the offset tool then clicking the root part (the first one you placed) and moving that. It's much easier to move the ship how you want it that way without it flying off into some stupid place.

Agreed, a higher part ship or one that uses the 'editor lag fest' or 'fairings' will be much easier to move like that, good tip.

[Columbia]

The only thing I don't like about the editor is that it immensely lags, especially when coming from a revert.

[obsidian_x]

I know exactly why this is.

Some people may have noticed a new toggleable variable in the alt+12 menu after version 1.0 It is called Non-strict part attachment orientation checks. I noticed immediatly that parts would not attach as well as before. Ticking the check box on this fixes this issue.

That is awesome. I was having that exact issue last night. Except I didn't notice until the well after launch, and the extra battery I added didn't make it to the launch pad. Only way got them to attach was randomly changing orientation or grabbing a fresh one from the parts list. I will have to try that when I get back to game.

[wossname]

3) Trying to get a camera angle to see something in a tricky position? Good luck, you'll be moving the camera around all day long. Free move isn't possible on your camera.

Get a 3DConnexion SpaceNavigator. These are supported in the VAB and SPH, and let you use the mouse freely while you're moving the camera around at the same time. Also, they are quite usable for flying space planes and unbelievably great for docking RCS control and EVA control (proportional thruster control unlike the ON/OFF keyboard method).

[Red Iron Crown]

Alt-clicking a part doesn't retain rotation changes made with the rotation gizmo.

That thing where you're trying to attach a thin part to a stack and it flickers between green and red. It's like a coin toss will determine if it will attach.

Pods autofilling with crew.

The default rotation for rockets being northward rather than eastward.

Being unable to snap the second end of struts and fuel lines. Or offset them. Or interact meaningfully with them in any way.

Those of you with camera positioning issues (and no 3d mouse) will like this mod: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/122297

[Superfluous J]

Something that helps with node attachment, is hold down "alt" while you are placing a part. This will only allow the part you are holding to attach via node.

Doesn't help here. I should catch it on video some time, but I'm frequently not in my studio while building.

- - - Updated - - -

Some people may have noticed a new toggleable variable in the alt+12 menu after version 1.0 It is called Non-strict part attachment orientation checks. I noticed immediatly that parts would not attach as well as before. Ticking the check box on this fixes this issue.

Sweet I'll give that a try. Does it have any detrimental effects?

[Robotengineer]

The post 0.90 editor is a heck of a lot better than the pre 0.90 editor, just sayin'.

[Majorjim!]

Sweet I'll give that a try. Does it have any detrimental effects?

None that I have seen and I have been pushing the game hard recently. I say its safe.

[Superfluous J]

Those of you with camera positioning issues (and no 3d mouse) will like this mod: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/122297

I loved that mod until I installed it. It kept being the default and there was no way to set it the way I wanted it to be: Something I toggled on to use during that 1% of the time I needed it. So I uninstalled it, never looked back. Just perusing the changelog on the first post seems to tell me that it has not changed.

[Majorjim!]

Pods autofilling with crew.

This is now a toggleable option in settings.

[Red Iron Crown]

I loved that mod until I installed it. It kept being the default and there was no way to set it the way I wanted it to be: Something I toggled on to use during that 1% of the time I needed it. So I uninstalled it, never looked back. Just perusing the changelog on the first post seems to tell me that it has not changed.

I hadn't tried it personally (3d mouse user), but it seemed to be a good solution. Have you left your feedback for the moddeer?

This is now a toggleable option in settings.

Thanks for the tip, hadn't noticed that.

[Majorjim!]

Thanks for the tip, hadn't noticed that.

No worries man. To be honest I only noticed last week!

[V8jester]

Doesn't help here. I should catch it on video some time, but I'm frequently not in my studio while building.

- - - Updated - - -

Sweet I'll give that a try. Does it have any detrimental effects?

The stuck greyed out thing is frustrating. I think I know exactly what you are talking about. you see the part snap to the node you click to connect the part. And its greyed out. It is super frustrating on some parts. You kind of need to snap the part to the node then move the mouse slowly probing in different directions to get the part you are placing to turn green once green it will attach properly. But absolutely it can be very frustrating at times.

[Azimech]

3) In the SPH hold the middle mouse button to pan the camera.

The VAB constrains the camera because it's supposed to focus on vertical builds.

As a result I never ever use the VAB anymore. I build everything in the SPH, including rockets, and launch from the runway. I removed the height limit with Hangar Extender.

In my opinion the limit in the VAB is bonkers, focus on vertical builds or not.

[Majorjim!]

As a result I never ever use the VAB anymore. I build everything in the SPH, including rockets, and launch from the runway. I removed the height limit with Hangar Extender.

In my opinion the limit in the VAB is bonkers, focus on vertical builds or not.

I feel the exact opposite. the camera in the SPH, for me is horrible, I only build in the VAB.

[NecroBones]

1) Want to attach an elevon to a wing segment? The elevon will attach vertically. You've got to attach it and then rotate it to fit. Why attach in a default way that is *exactly opposite* to how it should typically attach?

This one bugs me a lot. Back when they were doing save-breaking changes to the spaceplane parts, and made the comment that it was better to get through the pain up front rather than later, I had assumed this was one of the fixes they were referring to... and yet sadly, it still works this way.

One of my current VAB/SPH headaches now is the fact that the "snap-to" feature snaps to nodes that the part can't attach to, under the node-orientation enforcement rule that was added recently. This makes placing super-thin parts difficult, as they want to light up red and not attach. It also makes it very important to place open-ended cargo bays, and their contents, in a very precise order, or else you have problems.

Basically the attachment node list's order (in the part CFG) determines which nodes have precedence for the snap, and it doesn't ignore ones that are facing the wrong way.

[LordFerret]

I feel the exact opposite. the camera in the SPH, for me is horrible, I only build in the VAB.

Agreed. Likewise.

[Superfluous J]

I hadn't tried it personally (3d mouse user), but it seemed to be a good solution. Have you left your feedback for the moddeer?

I did not. I am sometimes a bad user. When I tried this (back in May) I did not have a lot of spare time to properly document my grievances with any mods, so those I didn't like I simply dropped. Back in May I actually did post comment about a problem I had in the mod's thread, and just today I went back to it and saw the modder had asked for more information. I felt a bit bad about not providing that information first, but seeing as the request for more info came 3 months later I can't feel THAT bad That right there is a man who keeps a similar work schedule to my own.

- - - Updated - - -

I feel the exact opposite. the camera in the SPH, for me is horrible, I only build in the VAB.

This. Working in the SPH is like drawing with my left hand.

[Azimech]

Funny ... after building in the VAB for a few years and having a lot of frustration with orientation (gearboxes, multi-cylinder piston engines) I discovered the power of the SPH. Never looked back since.

The camera is something to get used to. Since using the SPH I can build three times as fast. VAB is like limping when you could be running. But to each his own.

[Majorjim!]

The camera is something to get used to. Since using the SPH I can build three times as fast. VAB is like limping when you could be running. But to each his own.

Dude, for us who said so, it IS easier. Using your analogy, for us, the SPH is like limping and the VAB is like running.

Cheers.

[SpacedCowboy]

Building fairings tend to make me nuts. They can be so finicky. I spend 10-15 minutes getting it just right and,,,oops, I forgot what ever it was and the fairing has to be removed. I carefully set it aside and see that it's just fine, fully intact. Then go to put it back to the same position,,, and poof! No fairing.