Woomerang launch site

[klesh]

23 minutes ago, Bill Phil said:

It'd be great, but it's a mobile launch pad of the type used in the Mission Builder, meaning that it's going to be minimal.

 

Right, which makes it come off as really low-effort.

[surge]

"old ksc" as youre calling it, is actually called Baikerbanur, a play on Baikonur.

I find it... well, completely retarded that the "woomerang" site is in the northern hemisphere. In fact it's not very far from Baikerbanur, which begs the question, why put 2 potential launch sites (see KerbinSide) next to each other, and also insults us Australians, slightly.

What they should have done is stock enable the old Baikerbanur site, which as an easter egg already has some interesting structures (or "artwork" as you call it), and if they felt the need, put a Woomera-like site in the southern hemisphere. That way you can get the idea of what launches are possible from the different sites, and understand inclinations properly.

BTW, Woomera is military controlled; aside from the rogue chopper shots above, which are very old, you wont get much out of it. It's kinda like the australian version of americas area 51

Edited March 15, 2018 by surge

[StarStreak2109]

The question is, given the possibilities of KSP 1.4.1 (with the DLC installed) could "the old KSC" be enabled somehow?!?

[Streetwind]

@StarStreak2109 I heard that question asked somewhere - probably some stream on launch day, I forget. The answer was that the "old KSC"/"Baikerbanur" is supposed to remain an easter egg for players to find.

Mods have already provided the option to launch from there in the past, though.

Edited March 16, 2018 by Streetwind

[pizzaoverhead]

2 hours ago, StarStreak2109 said:

The question is, given the possibilities of KSP 1.4.1 (with the DLC installed) could "the old KSC" be enabled somehow?!?

With mods, all things are possible

[blspblackdeath]

I would make it so that you can launch from it after you discovered the old KSC.

[pizzaoverhead]

10 minutes ago, blspblackdeath said:

I would make it so that you can launch from it after you discovered the old KSC.

Plant a flag at it. "It's mine now!"

[surge]

I haven't tested if it still works this way in versions later than 0.90 or so, but it does look a bit like they were intending to enable launches from Baikerbanur at some point - If you parked something on the launchpad there, and tried to launch a new vessel from KSC, it gave you a dialogue box that indicated the launch pad was occupied (possibly the "recover the vessel and continue/cancel launch" one), even if the launch pad at KSC was empty.

Can someone confirm this still happens? I accidentally deleted my long standing save game recently that had stuff near Baikerbanur and had to start anew.

[severedsolo]

7 hours ago, surge said:

Can someone confirm this still happens? I accidentally deleted my long standing save game recently that had stuff near Baikerbanur and had to start anew.

One of the changelogs (1.2.1 maybe?) said they fixed this

[Kaa253]

I am overjoyed to have a second launch facility!
I now launch most of my stuff from Woomerang.

I agree it could use a little bit of art love. Putting it in a desert biome and in the southern hemisphere would please me greatly. Also activate old Baikerbanur for launches too! That would be awesome.

However, more than anything else I wish that you could set Woomerang as the default launch site until you decide to return to KSC. I constantly forget to fiddle out that little tab before every launch.

[James Kerman]

I was launching from Woomerang last night and one of my kids said "There's nothing there."

I said "It's only just been added to the game, it will probably get some love in the next updates."

Kid: "Why don't you just build your own stuff?"

Me:  "..................?!"

Kid: "Maybe they want you to build your own space center."

Me: "You get an extra serve of ice cream tonight, buddy."

I am in now the process of building a runway and expect much hilarity and explosions to follow.

[Captain Vlad]

1 hour ago, James Kerman said:

Kid: "Maybe they want you to build your own space center."

Me: "You get an extra serve of ice cream tonight, buddy."

Your kid just won KSP.

[klesh]

Popped over to Baikerbanur today, and man... I know they're old models and all, but a launch facility that has 6 buildings at it, and is unused is really quite alot cooler looking than empty, lonely Woomerang.

 

Edited March 18, 2018 by klesh

[severedsolo]

Sparse or not, it makes a good runway

 

[Kaa253]

16 hours ago, klesh said:

Popped over to Baikerbanur today, and man... I know they're old models and all, but a launch facility that has 6 buildings at it, and is unused is really quite alot cooler looking than empty, lonely Woomerang.

 

What's happened here? There was once a bank running all around it I think? Like some kind of iron age enclosure. 
The grass has grown a lot?
Or I am getting forgetful in my old age perhaps...

[samstarman5]

On 3/15/2018 at 7:54 AM, Bill Phil said:

It'd be great, but it's a mobile launch pad of the type used in the Mission Builder, meaning that it's going to be minimal.

Minimal is fine. But there is room for more detail, and the game already has the resources to add to it. A couple of trucks and the bomb shelter would be a huge step that would likely make the site look more of interest.

Edited March 19, 2018 by samstarman5
Fixing double post

[MR L A]

On 3/18/2018 at 1:03 AM, Kaa253 said:

I now launch most of my stuff from Woomerang.

Why?

I've only ever launched into polar orbits from there... might be cool to have a station on an inclined orbit though.

[severedsolo]

43 minutes ago, MR L A said:

Why?

I've only ever launched into polar orbits from there... might be cool to have a station on an inclined orbit though.

Can't speak for Kaa253, but for me, I use KCT, when you do a launch it puts the pad out of action for a bit while it's reconditioned, so if I don't NEED an equatorial orbit (say if a tourist just wants to go to orbit and back) launching from there keeps the main pad in use.

plus, you can hit about 2 or three "flying over" biomes in a single launch. (Highlands, mountains, possibly water too).

it's also pretty good for expeditions to the poles. That little basic plane I posted further up made it to the northern ice shelf from Woomerang. Might even be able to get to the badlands with a bit more fuel.

[MR L A]

@severedsolo I've actually been using KAC to set up a launch schedule... requires some role-play as there's nothing to force you to stick to it though.

Is this KCT mod up to date? What's its full name??

Just had a quick google... apparently not updated since 1.2.2? Also I only really want pad refurb time not rocket construction time =/

Edited March 19, 2018 by MR L A

[Kaa253]

1 hour ago, MR L A said:

Why?

I've only ever launched into polar orbits from there... might be cool to have a station on an inclined orbit though.

I have been playing KSP a long time and it gives a new challenging aspect to the game. That's probably the main reason. Sure it costs in dV a bit but that also forces me to redesign my craft somewhat and tinkering away in the VAB is probably where I spend most of my game time anyway  

If I am heading out to the Mun or Minmus I don't bother to change inclination to 0 degrees as it is too dV costly. I just aim for the Mun from the inclined orbit and then equatorialize economically as possible mid transit or upon SOI entry and only if it is required.  For any high angle orbit activity then I will likely also use Woomerang. If I am launching something high mass (I started a new 1.4.1 career so it hasn't happened yet) such as station parts I will probably go back to KSC. Indeed it "might be cool to have a station on an inclined orbit though" as you say. Add in some realism; ISS inclination = 51.6 degrees so Woomerang at 45.3 degrees is actually slightly easier. I once (KSP v1.2.2?) did a polar orbit Mun station in support of a South Pole located MKS Mun base exploiting water there. That worked out really well.

It is really quite good to have Woomerang help nudge me out of my boring addiction to Kerbin's equatorial plane.

Edited March 19, 2018 by Kaa253
Feeling inspired. Going to have to do a station at 45 degrees now. The launch windows aspect will be interesting.

[klgraham1013]

On 3/16/2018 at 4:20 AM, Streetwind said:

The answer was that the "old KSC"/"Baikerbanur" is supposed to remain an easter egg for players to find.

Easter egg over gameplay.  Good design.

[severedsolo]

1 hour ago, MR L A said:

Is this KCT mod up to date? What's its full name??

Just had a quick google... apparently not updated since 1.2.2? Also I only really want pad refurb time not rocket construction time =/

Kerbal Construction Time, its up to date but you have to use the dev version (would link but I'm on my phone).

You could probably adjust the build rates so your ship would build in seconds, but that's a discussion for another thread.

Back on topic: Why on earth do the devs like putting mountains around launch sites?

[GDJ]

A little off topic but in regards to alternative launch sites I'm glad the Island airport is getting a little love from SQUAD.

 

[MR L A]

2 hours ago, severedsolo said:

Kerbal Construction Time, its up to date but you have to use the dev version (would link but I'm on my phone).

You could probably adjust the build rates so your ship would build in seconds, but that's a discussion for another thread.

Back on topic: Why on earth do the devs like putting mountains around launch sites?

Thanks! I'll have a proper look at this when I'm home  

I guess, with regards to the mountains around launch sites, it makes it look a little nicer? Endless plain green fields would look a bit dull... though having said that I do like the idea of a desert site even though that would be endless plain yellow sands

[pizzaoverhead]

On 17/03/2018 at 1:17 PM, severedsolo said:

One of the changelogs (1.2.1 maybe?) said they fixed this

Close! It was version 1.2.2:

Quote

• Fix for vessel on the Launch pad at Baikerbanur (KSC 2) blocking ability to launch vessels from the KSC.