Ideas for Official KSP App

[cantab]

I think a good thing on a phone would be craft telemetry. Basically something similar to telemachus, but with a bit more graphical flair.

In fact, perhaps if it targeted tablets primarily some sort of "glass cockpit" flight controls could work well. Basically IVA-view controls with MFD-like features on the tablet screen. Then as a player you can if you like put the main view in IVA mode looking out a window, prop the tablet below your monitor, and get a really immersive experience.

[Wjolcz]

My essay about the app idea is gone because my internet randomly disconnected ARRRGGHHHH!

Anyway, let me write the whole thing from the scratch again, eh...

So, first of all I like the whole graph/telemetry in real time idea by cantab.

Second of all, I feel like the Mobile Lab in the game could use a rework. The Lab could be used for science experiments-based minigames. Kind of how alchemy works in Minecraft. You sit in front of a plexi container (IVA style. And let's be honest, those IVAs are mostly useless.) with The Goo inside. Heat it up, add some of that soil sample you gathered earlier from Duna's surface, add some more from Ike, slap it and watch as it bounces around/changes the shape/colour and pops giving you science by doing so (of course a Goo canister would have limited amount of times you can do that to it/have limited Goo capacity). Now, you may ask: "Cool, and the app idea?" I say: Do the same with the app. You could perform the experiments on the go with unlimited supplies of different experiments. At the end of each experiment you would get a report of all the things you did to the sample and the final amount of potential Science points you got. Then, when you're back in front of your PC, you could do the same in the actual game with the exact same results.

Probably not easy to implement, but would be amazing to have. Also something to want you go back to playing the game.

[legoclone09]

8 hours ago, Benoit Hage said:

a minimal version for the RaspberryPi version would also be nice!

With only VAB and part textures all squashed to 256*256. I can see this happening.

[cantab]

I think I'd only like the science minigame concept if it was somewhat based on reality. Silly goo stuff, no.

Or give us a virtual petrographic microscope. Because a thin slice of rock viewed in a microscope with two polarising filters looks like THIS:

[pincushionman]

On January 24, 2016 at 1:51 PM, Play_LORD said:

I don't think we need the editor, just the ability to view the .craft files.

Why? Just to admire them? The ability to build and modify your ships is an integral part of the game.

[Snikersnee]

So you can send someone a craft and they can see it, notice something wrong, missing, etc. You would also be able to look up crafts to download later. Another feature that would be good with this is statistics, such as deltaV, T/W ratio, max resources, etc. I'm just thinking out loud here, while trying to make sure a phone could run it.

[Jeb Coleman]

The iPad pro and the other newest iPads can rid the full KSP at least according to geekbench 3 scores. Also the iPad pro is as fast as the the low end 2015 MacBook.

[Jeanjvs]

Nice replies! Didn't expect this thread to last this long. To address a few comments:

1) I'm pretty sure that the KSP editor could run on medium-end devices, especially considering how fast they are evolving and the relatively simple optimizations it can get (low-resolution textures may solve many performance issues).

2) I like those telemetry/minigames/delta-v ideas, but i think that making the app mod-friendly is a better idea, considering that those features aren't present on the stock game. Plus, that could allow us to use part mods on it.

[StarManta]

I want a companion app that's not standalone, but rather is directly linked to computer KSP. Example: I want to make it possible to show the orbital view on my iPad and all my ship's resources on my iPhone.

[Aperture Science Employee]

8 hours ago, StarManta said:

I want a companion app that's not standalone, but rather is directly linked to computer KSP. Example: I want to make it possible to show the orbital view on my iPad and all my ship's resources on my iPhone.

That was my idea, exactly actually. That's what I think we should do. ^

[Matt77]

Roccat Power-Grid is a useful remote control, it lets you create custom control layouts for any PC game. There are a couple of KSP grids on their website, but they aren't that good tbh. If you look at some of the Elite Dangerous grids, that's a better example of what can be done.

It can't display game data though, which is a shame. It's free on android and ios.

 

 

 

Edited January 30, 2016 by Matt77
excuse formatting, the editor is broken on android firefox

[Snikersnee]

On 1/28/2016 at 5:23 PM, StarManta said:

I want a companion app that's not standalone, but rather is directly linked to computer KSP. Example: I want to make it possible to show the orbital view on my iPad and all my ship's resources on my iPhone.

Actually this would be cool. Being able to view map view, or staging for active crafts is a good idea.

[Red Iron Crown]

On 1/24/2016 at 8:48 PM, cantab said:

I think a good thing on a phone would be craft telemetry. Basically something similar to telemachus, but with a bit more graphical flair.

In fact, perhaps if it targeted tablets primarily some sort of "glass cockpit" flight controls could work well. Basically IVA-view controls with MFD-like features on the tablet screen. Then as a player you can if you like put the main view in IVA mode looking out a window, prop the tablet below your monitor, and get a really immersive experience.

I like this idea. Leave F2 mode on all the time and have all the UI elements on the mobile device(s).

[Hummingbird Aerospace]

Make it so if you bought KSP on computer before you can have it on iPad for free, like if I bought KSP on Steam (which I did) then you will get an email with an access code or something to KSP mobile edition.

Squad will only have to develop something simple, like old beta KSP, just a few fuel tanks and engines and pods so that it would be comparable to an app like SimpleRockets or Spaceflight Simulator.

[quasarrgames]

I'm personally fine waiting for SimpleRockets 2 and Spaceflight Simulator to come out in full, as they should hopefully have most of the features of KSP, but actually built for mobile devices. 

[Mark Kerbin]

Features I needs; =P (Insert “incoming stream of consciousness” disclaimer here)

-Dv requirement calculator 

- Various maps of objects

-“Stupid” ksp or space fact of the day

-some sort of mission planner?

-this forum

-craft file reader that can calculate dv and stuff a la KER. Just like download a file from google drive or something... I’m not an app dev

- maybe incorporate or have a separate app for kerbalx so you can browse and subscribe to craft files. Just cos the mobile site doesn’t work to great.