New stock parts - thoughts?

[Foxster]

KSP has a relatively limited set of stock parts and it hasn't changed greatly over the last few builds. That has some advantages in keeping things simple and introducing a challenging element of trying to do smart stuff with a limited number of parts.

Many of us use only stock for various reasons, such as sharing craft easily and taking part in Challenges, so I'm not thinking about mods here.

The devs could introduce a lot of new engines, tanks, etc if they wanted to but is that a bad or difficult thing to do?

It might just be difficult because of maintaining balance. For instance, a new engine has to fit in a narrow band of not being OP compared to the other engines but also not be useless. A new set of tanks might also make old ones redundant. It doesn't seem as though it would be difficult from a design and implementation perspective to release a lot of new parts though, or am I missing something?

However, we players just love shiny new stuff and I think most of us would like a regular drip-feed of new parts.

Thoughts?

[MalfunctionM1Ke]

Radial decouplers with build-in Sepatrons that blast PAST the Center Stack.

Nosecones with build-in Sepatrons for radial Boosters

Landing gear/RoverWheels that can lock the Suspension. For roverdocking in low gravity Environments

Nosecones and SizeAdapters(2m -> 3m) with Fuel inside

Inline Parachutes

Hinges and Motors (please please please)

Landing struts that fold out from beneath instead from a radial Position.

Most of the time I use a 2m Engine beneath a 3m tank and placing the landing struts radially would make the rocket/fairing even wider.

Placing the landing struts next to engine under the tank would Keep everything more streamlined.

Edited September 18, 2015 by MalfunctionM1Ke

[Norcalplanner]

There are a handful of mod parts which are stock-worthy, as far as I'm concerned, mainly from part packs by Necrobones and Nertea:

The quadnuke - 4x LV-N weight and thrust in a single stackable 2.5m part.

Fuel tanks that are 1.5x and 2x the length of standard stock tanks.

3.75m habitat parts, capsules, probe cores, SAS units, batteries, and monoprop tanks.

Fueled adapters and nosecones.

[Warzouz]

Hmmm. KSP has a very steep learning curve. There are not many build aids in the game (no dV, editor of more focused on "Squad-Tech" then beeing use friendly. Most parameter are not explained (ISP, heat management...)

The game doesn't need more parts, maybe marginaly (some missing adapters with or without fuel). But they could be more catergorized.

The game would need more user friendly tools and a better stack management. I can't imagine a game relying on mods to help new players getting into it.

[Xavven]

There aren't many more stock parts that I personally think are needed. My short list would include:

1. More adapters with fuel in them (seems to be a common request in this thread)
   
2. Single-use "satellite part" that performs no function but is a required payload on satellite contracts. Prevents the player from fulfilling multiple satellite contracts with one satellite by requiring the satellite part to be "activated" (and it can only be activated once) when the vessel is in the correct orbit.
   
3. Hinges, actuators, telescopic parts, and cables. Allows you to build ramps that raise/lower, connect bases together with telescopic tunnels, lower rovers on skycranes, etc.
   
4. Science parts to include a space telescope (bonus points if the player can look through the telescope and get science points for taking pictures of specified planets, stars, galaxies, and superclusters), a dust counter and analyzer, and a spectrometer.
   
5. a 5-way RCS block (basically, add in a thruster for the z-axis)
   

[Xeiki]

I agree, more RCS options are definitely needed. A complete set of 1, 2, 4 and 5-way parts for Monoprop als well as LF/Ox. It would also be nice if the RCS ports on the capsules and cockpits would be made functional instead of just cosmetic.

[Yukon0009]

Maybe there arent more stock parts because Squad can't remove them after an update adds them withought some form of outcry? Just my 2 cents.

[ZodiaK]

A lifting body style nosecone. I want lifting body parts.

[Frozen_Heart]

I can think of pretty much unlimited potential parts that could be added, but many I consider very low priority.

electric prop engines

Rocket overhaul

space station/base parts

nuclear reactors

nuclear rockets for all part sizes, as well as nuclear jets

rover overhaul

actual useful SRBs for space shuttles. not the tiny ones we have now. probe sized ones as well that can be inline or radial. Have it so we can adjust the thrust curve on them as well.

expand the part lines as many are missing parts. especially the 3.75m line

orbital modules, like on Soyuz

5m parts. super low priority as not actually need. would just be nice for Saturn V replicas.

robotic arm

centrifuge parts

Edited September 18, 2015 by Frozen_Heart

[Cairol]

- Parachutes with integrated drogue stage and adjustable deploy/cut altitudes for both chute stages. Also inline parachutes (good one, @MalfunctionM1Ke).

- More 1 and 2 seat control pods (inline and normal ones)

- More sizes for crew cabins

- Oxydizer-only aviation fuel tanks (Mk1, Mk2 and Mk3) or beeing able to distribute both fuel types freely for the total volume of a tank.

- Stack Bi- Tri and Quad couplers for 1,25, 2,5 and 3,125 m radial rocket parts in both directions.

- Stock nav lights with low power demand, just like the NavLight mod

- More height profiles for inline RCS tanks with respective capacities.

- more specific rover parts, especially for smaller rovers

- more sizes for structural parts (girders, panels, attachment points,...)

[xtoro]

As mentioned, larger nuke. And a larger more powerful RTG or reactor so I don't have to carry fuel and fuel cells past Jool (ie Sarnus and beyond) where solar panels become useless.

[Foxster]

A lot of good ideas here. A list of part wishes wasn't quite what I had in mind though.

I was kinda more interested in the concept of how hard it is to introduce new parts and whether we all think it would be a good idea to have a lot more, a few or none.

[legoclone09]

I think fueled adapters would be awesome, same withh nosecones. Stock tweakscale would be awesome so we can make Shuttle SRBs or tiny little ones. Maybe some vacuum-optimized kick motors, I use those in my NASA-overhaul career for cheap orbiters.

[xtoro]

A lot of good ideas here. A list of part wishes wasn't quite what I had in mind though.

I was kinda more interested in the concept of how hard it is to introduce new parts and whether we all think it would be a good idea to have a lot more, a few or none.

Less parts would be ideal, unless they change the game to load on demand, in which case the amount of parts wouldn't matter. But without LOD, less parts, or more precisely, less parts, but more useful/flexible parts would be best. For example, procedural tanks would eliminate all the tanks except for the procedural one. Same with wings, structural parts, RCS tanks, batteries etc. As well as the ability to swap out tank contents. I know all these things exist in mods, and I use them. My parts list is very very low because of this. In my fuel tanks part section for example, I have 3 tanks.

[Fiddlestyx]

Habitat modules that can be moved around in and science experiments that can be done in said modules (game in a game).

Proper tail piece (engine mount) for MK3, like the NASA shuttle.

[adsii1970]

While we are dreaming of new stock parts, may I throw in my wish list? (I've omitted anything that anyone else has already mentioned):

• The ability to select a flag as a decal part (independent of the mission flag). This way, if I wanted to made a designated science lab, or vessel dedicated to science, in addition to using a standard ensign, I could also have a vehicle specific flag on the same craft too.
  
• The ability to have the name of a vessel appear anywhere on the vessel by the use of a generic placard. Simply a flat piece of attachable cosmetic planking that's transparent (so the root part color shows through). Have it a fixed width, like 15 characters.
  
• Deploy-able slats on the wing surface to increase lift/drag.
  
• Smaller RCS/Mono-propellant tanks for Mk 2 and Mk 3 craft.
  
• Drop tanks for liquid fuel only.
  

[monstah]

The game doesn't need more parts, maybe marginaly (some missing adapters with or without fuel). But they could be more catergorized

For example, procedural tanks would eliminate all the tanks except for the procedural one

This is my opinion, too. I install as little parts as I can, and even on stock there are categories like "Utility" that, even on the bottom of the techtree, hurt my eyes to look at and browse through.

• The ability to select a flag as a decal part (independent of the mission flag). This way, if I wanted to made a designated science lab, or vessel dedicated to science, in addition to using a standard ensign, I could also have a vehicle specific flag on the same craft too.
  
• The ability to have the name of a vessel appear anywhere on the vessel by the use of a generic placard. Simply a flat piece of attachable cosmetic planking that's transparent (so the root part color shows through). Have it a fixed width, like 15 characters.

Oh, please!

[Endersmens]

Want. Parts.

Basically my thoughts.

[moogoob]

I just want an engine in between the Swivel and Reliant for medium-weight upper stages. Maybe some fixed landing legs so we don't have to use airplane landing gear in early career mode.

Of course, more fuel-filled adapters would be nice.

[Skorpychan]

Telescopic arms, for fitting things into cargo bays and fairings.

[Xavven]

I can think of pretty much unlimited potential parts that could be added, but many I consider very low priority.

electric prop engines

Oh yeah, I totally forgot about electric propellers. That should really be stock! Perfect way to explore Eve. That and airships!

[Thegamer211]

1.25m and 2.5m cargo bays.

[mellojoe]

Inline Parachutes.

Extending Docking Ports.

1.25m Jet Engine

Larger "Orion / Starliner" Capsule

Adapters and nosecones with fuel

Inline Landing Legs

Bi-, Tri-, and Quad- adapters with a central attachment node beneath and a single shroud fairing for the whole cluster.

Sepratrons that don't damage the core when pushing boosters away

A new nuclear engine that isn't so ugly

Alternate Mk2 and Mk3 cockpit / crewpod options.

[ps: several of these I've modified the stock parts to do what I want. For example, I scaled up the 3-man command pod by 1.6 to make it a 5-man version. I added fuel to a couple of the stock adapters, adding weight accordingly. etc]

[Spartwo]

Rotor, a propeller, and a version of the heat shields which act as decouplers.

3 of the 5 things on my wishlist, alongside GP2 and a limited form of autopilot which, as an example, simulates the holding down of the I key for use in rovers.

[xebx]

High ISP (450) Vacuum LFO (hydrolox) Engines (1.25m, 2.5m, 3.75m) with realistic volume ratio (LH2+Ox, 1:5 or 1:6)

1.25m Ion engine 5000 ISP (current ion is 0.625)

3.75m Reaction Wheel

5m Heat Shield

Bigger Sepratrons

50 m/s crash tolerance Landing Legs

Adapters and nosecones with fuel

Reworked 2.5m tank textures (orange is ok not the dirty white)

Increased weight and heat for nuke stuff (more realistic)

Longer lightweight strut (like the cubic octagonal strut)

Basic tools showing deltaV, etc

Edited October 2, 2015 by xebx