Manual Selection of Target to Swap to

[AlamoVampire]

Ok, we all know that using [ or ] takes us along the list of kerbals or ships or what ever it is that happens to be in the area. Its fine when is just 2 or 3 things to swap between, but, when you have a significant number of things? Its a right pain in the booster. My search fu is weak, so, I may be doubling up, if so, mods, merge? If not? Why am I the first to think this up? I would love for the ability to be on say Bob doing what ever it is that has me EVAd as Bob, and instead of hitting [ or ] a few dozen times to get to say Bill who is near by so I can bolt that light onto my ship or what ever. Its cool is hes the next jump to when those keys are hit, but more often than not, its a flag or a lander thats not needed at that time and the list goes on. 

What I envision is this. You are on your primary vessel or EVAd kerbal or what ever it is. And you need to make a jump to a specific thing. You should be able to click on that thing <yes, I know in map view this is possible, but once a good number of things are stacked in the same spot, its impossible to single out the one you want> and the option to "Switch To" is there waiting for use. I think, I honestly think this would be a major quality of life improvement.

Thoughts? Feelings? Did I just duplicate someone else? Happy exploring!

 

side note, building a base, which is why this idea hit me. But, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. As you see in the picture, I am in control of the base itself, I need to put Bill and his partner away, but, to reach them, I will need to hit [ or ] several times. Being able to directly click them, and hit "Switch To" would be a time saver.

Edited September 5, 2016 by AlamoVampire
added illustration

[Alshain]

I think I read they fixed the map in 1.2 so it won't stack things as badly that are close together.  That should be sufficient to solve this issue.

Using left and right mouse clicks outside of the map is already a control binding for other purposes and likely couldn't be re-used..

[AlamoVampire]

Not asking to remap. You know how if you click on say bill in my picture youd get a window that says EVA Report, Plant Flag etc? All I am asking for is a single addition to that window that shows up on what ever ship or kerbal you click on that you are not in current control of. Using my picture, I am in control of the base. I click Bill and a dialogue comes up with "Switch To" letting me skip the 5 taps it took of [ or the 6 of ] that it took. Yes i deliberately counted them for the thread. 

Its a quality of life and efficiency issue. it may save only seconds but, those seconds could save a kerbal or a ship that decides to go rogue because of something pushing it oddly into a leap or something. 

I think its a fair ask.

[Alshain]

Well they could do that as long as they make sure to add it as a control option, preferably defaulted off.  To me that would be irritating and next thing you know we have a repeat of the 'double click mouse look' disaster.  I have a suspicion most players would want it turned off.

[AlamoVampire]

@Alshain I think I am failing you some how. Why else would you suggest that it be defaulted off or imply that most would not want this?

I shall endeavor to clear what looks like my failure to be clear. Lets start.

For the sake of linear thought, my picture in the original post shall be our situation. On the Mun in that picture we have a base being slowly constructed. We also have the following things on the ground there. 3 rovers that are parked. 1 probe lander that preceded the base. 2 EVA kerbals. 1 flag. 1 base complex. 

The situation in the picture is, you just put an engineer into the base, which is why we are seeing the crew portraits. We now desire to place Bill into one of the modules in the base. To do this, as we have it now, MUST press either [ or ] several times. Between each press we must wait as physics change to our new location. Rinse and repeat until you arrive at your target, in this case Bill. We place Bill into a module and now must once again cycle our location from object to object until we arrive at our last EVA Kerbal.

The option I am asking for is not something that is attainable by double clicking like the mouse look thing was, nor would it be a key bind that could cause unwanted moves. This is an option that would REQUIRE A DELIBERATE PLAYER ACTION to make happen. It would require: selecting the desired object you wish to swap to. You would then left click said object. Upon left clicking, a box appears with a button and the words: Switch To. This dialogue box would be identical in nature to the ones that ask you to "Set as Target" or "Undock" or "Decouple" so, again, it would require an intentional choice on your behalf to select and then click with your mouse to activate. The same set of intentional clicks to decouple or undock or anything of that nature.

This would be a feature that would help us expedite our missions and every second we save by not having to tab our way to our target will add up over not only a single session but over the time span of your career save or sandbox. 

So, I ask you this, given my attempt at clearing this up, do you agree that defaulting to off is pointless as again to trigger such a swap would be as intentional as say undocking?

[SirJodelstein]

Have you tried the "Switch active vessel" mod?: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/78183

Lists all nearby vessels in a small window, with optional filter buttons. Hover over button to highlight, click to switch. Great little plugin for crowded bases!

[AlamoVampire]

ive heard of it, but, theres a problem with it. its 2 mods, and as it is, with this outdated rig, I am pushing its limits with the mods I am currently running. Something like that mod as stock would be excellent, which, is what I am pushing for. See, the panel I am talking about, is this:

except, it would contain different options if you were in control of the command pod and not dear little Wildra there. It would have an option instead of say: Plant Flag it would say Switch To. Something like that. Just for clarity sake

[Alshain]

@AlamoVampire  I understood your meaning, but clicking in space is bound to other functions.  So imagine you are  flying a Kerbal in EVA, and you want to re-position him.  You click in space and drag in the direction you want him to rotate... but oops, he was in front of your space station and a menu popped up instead asking you if you want to switch to that craft.  This is exactly the same issue that caused the double click mouse look problems.  They overused the click binding and when you wanted to do one thing, something else would happen.  Like I said, they can add it, but it should be off by default (quite frankly so should that double click mouse look).

Edited September 6, 2016 by Alshain

[AlamoVampire]

<takes a deep breath, slowly lets it out> @Alshain What I am talking about is a direct, intentional set of clicks. Look at the picture immediately above your post. I had to INTENTIONALLY click on Wildra there to make that dialogue appear. I would then have to INTENTIONALLY CLICK ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS to make them happen. What you are suggesting is deliberately contrary to the method in which I propose this function occur. This is not a simple, oops I clicked on Bill and now I am in control of him situation as you are implying it would be. NO. This is a, I must make a conscious choice to interact with the kerbal or ship via multiple, conscious and deliberate clicks. This isnt a, oh i got click happy and accidentally did this, NO. This is a, I chose to take that surface sample, or I chose to undock or decouple, or, take direct command of that ship/kerbal/what ever. 

In no way is what I am suggesting functioning as you are implying. Far far far far far from it sir. As I have stated multiple times, multiple ways, with pictures no less, this function as suggested and envisioned by me, is NOT SOMETHING YOU COULD ACCIDENTALLY TRIGGER. This is something that you must make conscious choices to click and engage. Just like decoupling a node, or opening a solar panel <non action group activation, but direct click it> is. And you do not demand that THOSE functions be off by default. No. This again sir, for the optimal sake of clarity, is something I envision being something you, me, player xyz must make conscious and deliberate choices to make happen.

There is no room in my suggestion for you or anyone to accidentally take control of object XYZ while in control of object TUV with out making the CHOICE to do the following: Click on said object. Click on the DESIRED CHOICE in the dialogue. Just like, in the game now, there is no CHANCE at accidentally decoupling something via those self same dialogues because at each step, you are making the choice to click and proceed. This is, just for you Alshain, an addendum to my suggestion, just to make absolutely double dog sure there is 0 chance at dumb firing this option, absolutely 0 action group assignability. This way, it is ALWAYS the choice of the player to make this switch happen. 

 

EDIT/DISCLAIMER: I am sick of my words being misconstrued either by accident, or by deliberate hostile act. I have, in my opinion provided enough, clear and concise logic on how, this is not something someone can do by accident, but, by actual deliberate action to make such a swap of control happen, that it is clear that how it is envisioned that again, it will be a direct actionable choice, the same as planting a flag, taking an eva report, undocking/decoupling, and even suggested for his comfort that this not be allowable in an action group, to keep this, a solid, multiple click event.

Edited September 6, 2016 by AlamoVampire

[Alshain]

@AlamoVampire So you want it on the tweakable menu then?  You said click, I thought you meant left click (usually click and left click are synonymous, while right click is usually explicitly said) Anyway, just a communication issue.  The tweakable menu could be doable, but that menu is per-part.  I might be able to make a mod to do that, but if I made a mod it would require Module Manager, I know you don't like that.  Otherwise I'd have to edit every parts config file and I'm not doing that lol.

Edited September 6, 2016 by Alshain

[AlamoVampire]

@Alshain glad we have the communication thing cleared up. ya, coulda been a touch more clear on the clicks between right/left, but, now we are on same page  believe it or not, Red Iron Crown cleared up my issue with module manager, but, sadly OPM or Kopernicus <no clue which> was causing odd lag issues and it finally decided it didnt want to run as it was crashing my game consistently. But, in all honesty, this is something that should just be stock.

Edited September 6, 2016 by AlamoVampire

[Alshain]

2 minutes ago, AlamoVampire said:

@Alshain glad we have the communication thing cleared up. ya, coulda been a touch more clear on the clicks between right/left, but, now we are on same page  believe it or not, Red Iron Crown cleared up my issue with module manager, but, sadly OPM or Kopernicus <no clue which> was causing odd lag issues and it finally decided it didnt want to run as it was crashing my game consistently. But, in all honesty, this is something that should just be stock.

RIC was able to do this without a plugin?  That's beyond my knowledge lol.  I was talking about a plugin and module manager to apply it to the parts.  I didn't know you could add tweakables with just MM.

[AlamoVampire]

Derp on me. I meant he was able to explain MM to me in such a way that it calmed me.