What parts do you rarely or never use?

[Majorjim!]

Just now, Dafni said:

Hey!

Yeah, I'll definitely do that. I'm thinking about offsetting the tanks together so that the small decoupler and struts are not even visible. Curious if this works.

Thanks for the tip

That is exactly what I do. As long as you use the TR-2C one that decouples on both sides it will release every time.

[Dafni]

1 minute ago, Majorjim said:

That is exactly what I do. As long as you use the TR-2C one that decouples on both sides it will release every time.

Thats definitely the decoupler of choice then. I never really understood the need for the ones that keep stuck to the tanks anyway.

I see you only mentioned the 2.5m decouplers as examples for parts that you dont use. How about the 3.75m stuff?? Same logic applies??

Sorry for derailing the thread, btw. If any mod or admin feels like cleaning up the thread I would not feel bad about it

 

Daf

[Majorjim!]

Just now, Dafni said:

Thats definitely the decoupler of choice then. I never really understood the need for the ones that keep stuck to the tanks anyway.

I see you only mentioned the 2.5m decouplers as examples for parts that you dont use. How about the 3.75m stuff?? Same logic applies??

Sorry for derailing the thread, btw. If any mod or admin feels like cleaning up the thread I would not feel bad about it

 

Daf

It's cool Daf,

 I sometimes use the

TR-XL Stack Separator

As it decouples both sides. I prefer not to though as it can be visible in some builds.

I have used the

TR-38-D for a few builds but not as a decoupler. It was majorly bugged when it was released (which might be fixed now) plus its huge! so I don't use it.

the

TR-2V Stack Decoupler is great for the release of rovers for landers or things like that as it does not drop and reduces the debris caused around the landing site. Plus the

TR-2C Stack Separator has a tendency to pop (explode) even when falling from a small height in low gravity which I find untidy. Sometimes it must be used though for its both side decoupling though.

[JoeNapalm]

1 hour ago, Dafni said:

Thats definitely the decoupler of choice then. I never really understood the need for the ones that keep stuck to the tanks anyway.

I see you only mentioned the 2.5m decouplers as examples for parts that you dont use. How about the 3.75m stuff?? Same logic applies??

Sorry for derailing the thread, btw. If any mod or admin feels like cleaning up the thread I would not feel bad about it

 

Daf

I use the ones that stay attached to cut down on debris floating around in my prime orbits.

 

-Jn-

 

[wumpus]

On 2/22/2016 at 2:00 AM, storm_soldier2377 said:

Mention all the parts that you rarely or never use and why you don't use them whether they have limited utility or simply don't fit the purposes of whatever you are doing, and maybe give others ideas how to use them. Here's my list:

• Mk1-2 Command Pod -  Too heavy, prefer to use the lander can instead I think we can safely say that this needs a buff.   I've seen a few forum posts pointing out to beginners not to use this thing.
• Mk3 passenger module - I don't think I will ever need to carry around 16 kerbals at a time.  Check the "schoolbus" challenge.  Seems better than 4 trips via spaceplane.
• 3x2 solar panels - 1x6 panels looks better and fit smaller spaces than the 3x2s.  If the "slap on" single solar panels aren't enough, you need a *lot* of panels.  Expect to need that space and forget about the 3x2s.
• Stayputnik - Flying without SAS is a pain in the poophole.  You might have to fill a contract or two with this, but it looks like Squad has had mercy on us by making it completely unnecessary to use this.  Last I checked, a stayputnik plus batteries ran out of electricity before the insertion burn on Mun, thus meaning that solar panels are required for any exploring probe (and such probes are critical to the early game).  Since octo-cores are unlocked together with solar panels, you never need stayputniks again.
• Flea and Hammer SRB's - Used them to get to suborbit, never again after I unlocked the Thumper.  I loved hammers before beta, now they are dead.  Best guess is that fleas might replace hammers for Wackjob style seperatrons, but I doubt I will be able to make another beast that doesn't come apart with seperatrons with the current (or better) aero model.
• Vector engine - Too powerful for 1.25m stacks and too expensive for anything else. I prefer to use a Mainsail instead.  It seems to have "SSME" written all over it.  I'm glad shuttles are now possible, but don't expect to really use the thing.
• Spark engine - I prefer using terriers instead until it's dinally rendered obsolete by the ion engine.  While I'm a big fan of terriers, don't underestimate the power of small probes with ultra-light engines.
• Ion engines: Come on, Squad.  Make the ion engines function in "on rails" acceleration mode.  The tiny little forces these exert are simply not going to affect the probe.  Note: I expect that this would take a major hack that breaks a lot of things, so don't expect it soon.
• Hitchhiker storage unit.  Requires a strong reason to 'waste' two tons for a wider, more compact, and much more often lethal hitchhiker storage unit over 2 mark 1 passenger modules.  I think the mark 1 parts are further along the tech tree, but by the time you can afford the extra tons you have unlocked the mark 1 parts.  Note that the mark 1 passenger module beats *everything* in kerbals/ton (unless you are going to LKO in command chairs), so it might be more of the "problem" than the hitchhiker unit.
• Mark 2 lander can.  The mark  1 is the lightest weight unit that can hold science, and it might even make re-entry (haven't tried it), and barely has any uses (typically a mark 1 capsule makes more sense).  Mark 2 simply has no redeeming features (see above mark 1 passenger module for reasons).
• Thud.  I may have used this once or twice on NERVA powered rockets that needed some TWR boost (for circularization/landing).  Only use if you haven't unlocked any other radial part and you can't find a good way to stick a terrier there.
• Wheels.  Actually, I do use them but their use should be limited to Jeb's joyrides and "docking" with specifically designed bases (especially mining bases).  Space is big, and you don't get there by driving (mainly to and from biomes).
• Fuel cells (ask me later when I do some career work around Jool and co.)  I'm guessing that RTGs are what you need when too far from Kerbol.
• LV-T30 Reliant: Not only is it inferior in every way to the LV-T45 (misprint? It used to have more thrust), before the swizzle is unlocked the thumper (BACC SRB) gets me to orbit much cheaper.

What parts do you find yourself not using? What parts do you use that others could use?

Comments in red

[Triop]

Comments in red are bad M'kay ?

[hoojiwana]

It's interesting that so many people dislike using the 3x2 solar panels, I never really thought about it before but I don't really use them either. What would you replace them with? Would you keep the stats the same or replace them with something between the 1x6 and Gigantors in output?

[Sir_Robert]

7 hours ago, Dafni said:

Thats definitely the decoupler of choice then. I never really understood the need for the ones that keep stuck to the tanks anyway.

I see you only mentioned the 2.5m decouplers as examples for parts that you dont use. How about the 3.75m stuff?? Same logic applies??

Sorry for derailing the thread, btw. If any mod or admin feels like cleaning up the thread I would not feel bad about it

 

Daf

Pretty sure decouplers are cheaper than seperators

[klesh]

On February 24, 2016 at 3:50 PM, hoojiwana said:

It's interesting that so many people dislike using the 3x2 solar panels

I like them in certain situations, purely for looks. However, my main gripe with them is that when they rotate to face the sun, they clip through their own open flap.