Ability to fix solar panels

[Bej Kerman]

This is something that IMHO should be implemented, because unlike all other parts that break but don't explode, solar panels can't be fixed by any kind of kerbal. I mainly made this thread because my Multipurpose Space Station (MSS) is now lopsided and I've been itching for a non-cheaty solution to fix the broken panel, and I'm annoyed by the inconsistency that I mentioned earlier.

[KerbolExplorer]

Yes please!!!!!!!!

I remember how my first rover died.

Did a flip and broke the solar panels.You can imagine what happened next.

But I think this should only be available for solar panels that you can't extend

[Bej Kerman]

47 minutes ago, KerbolExplorer said:

Yes please!!!!!!!!

I remember how my first rover died.

Did a flip and broke the solar panels.You can imagine what happened next.

But I think this should only be available for solar panels that you can't extend

I think small parts like radial panels and wheels should have infinite (or plenty of) repairs, whilst larger stuff like Gigantor panels only have 1-2 repairs depending on how many pods/repair containers there are in the craft.

[Chel]

I agree. If you lose your panels you're basically screwed, so being able to fix would be great

[klesh]

1 hour ago, The_Cat_In_Space said:

I agree. If you lose your panels you're basically screwed, so being able to fix would be great

Klaw+solarpannels=

 

[Tweeker]

I have fixed a great many problems with the KLAW

[Chel]

The KLAW is useful for a lot of things, but being able to repair solar panels should be in game

[Tweeker]

Along with a lot of other things,

a small solar panel that an engineer can unpack and erect,

being able to strut thing with an engineer, after docking for example.  

[ZooNamedGames]

3 hours ago, klesh said:

Klaw+solarpannels=

 

Are you saying that by grabbing a craft with the klaw that the solar panels suddenly start working again or is that a request?

[Gargamel]

2 minutes ago, ZooNamedGames said:

Are you saying that by grabbing a craft with the klaw that the solar panels suddenly start working again or is that a request?

I believe they are saying they attach a new solar panel to the Klaw, and "dock" it on the intended vessel.   Kinda kludgy, but it works.  Probably not so much for a small rover where the Klaw would tip the thing over.

Another option (yes, a mod, "There's a mod for that", forgive me) is to use KIS/KAS.   Send up a new panel, and attach it on EVA.  Which I think is more realistic than repairing a broken one.   If the crystals themselves of a panel are broken, then pretty much your only option is replacement.   Broken hinges and wiring can be fixed, but the game really only has a yes/no option.  The act of having to send a repair mission, or just an EVA if you really planned ahead, does add a lot of fun to the game. 

[Fraston]

Why ain't this stock folks?

Cmon.

[Aeroboi]

I always use extra fuel cells just in case. Furthermore I would like this. Still, it seems very kiddy that a engineer can fix a solar panel infinitely. For that matter, when one breaks he kind of needs to have another replacement set into his backpack. That would be infinite solar panels, can you imagine. With some tape to fix a tire I kind of still can.

[alien_wind]

honestly it's maybe cheaty but attaching new solarpanel would be such an hassle I just change the status of the solar panel in the save file under deployState =  from "BROKEN" to "EXTENDED"/"RETRACTED"

[Tyko]

On 3/25/2019 at 8:11 PM, Gargamel said:

I believe they are saying they attach a new solar panel to the Klaw, and "dock" it on the intended vessel.   Kinda kludgy, but it works.  Probably not so much for a small rover where the Klaw would tip the thing over.

Another option (yes, a mod, "There's a mod for that", forgive me) is to use KIS/KAS.   Send up a new panel, and attach it on EVA.  Which I think is more realistic than repairing a broken one.   If the crystals themselves of a panel are broken, then pretty much your only option is replacement.   Broken hinges and wiring can be fixed, but the game really only has a yes/no option.  The act of having to send a repair mission, or just an EVA if you really planned ahead, does add a lot of fun to the game. 

Agreed...this is a KIS/KAS job. Having to send up spares and replacing them feels a lot more "real". 

[linuxgurugamer]

15 hours ago, Fraston said:

Why ain't this stock folks?

Cmon.

Because it doesn't make sense.

[Kerbart]

37 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Because it doesn't make sense.

It’s a game, it always doesn’t have to make sense. We can repair tires, so why not solar panels. It makes the same kind of sense. I wouldn’t mind a generic “spares” part that can be filled with “units” (much the same like fuel/ore), and a repair requires x parts (based on size, mass, etc). An engineer can only perform a repair if enough spares are onboard. It seems a nice balance between complexity, realism and forgiveness for errors in the game.

[linuxgurugamer]

32 minutes ago, Kerbart said:

It’s a game, it always doesn’t have to make sense. We can repair tires, so why not solar panels. It makes the same kind of sense. I wouldn’t mind a generic “spares” part that can be filled with “units” (much the same like fuel/ore), and a repair requires x parts (based on size, mass, etc). An engineer can only perform a repair if enough spares are onboard. It seems a nice balance between complexity, realism and forgiveness for errors in the game.

Tires can be patched.  Solar cells are crystals, and when broken cannot be fixed.

There are mods which allow repair of things, but I disagree about it needing to be stock.

[Fraston]

2 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Because it doesn't make sense.

How doesn’t it make sense?

This game isn’t based around any kind of extreme realism

Edited May 1, 2019 by Fraston

[Guest]

I guess fixing solar panels would be great... yet NASA would have wanted that with their Phoenix Mars Lander

R.I.P 

[linuxgurugamer]

1 minute ago, Fraston said:

How doesn’t it make sense?

This game isn’t based around any kind of extreme realism

There is a low level of realism in the game, aka the physics, fuel, etc.

The stock game doesn't include any way to do repairs, mods add that capability.  

Adding a repair ability to the stock game will need careful review to be sure it doesn't overbalance things

[Fraston]

13 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

The stock game doesn't include any way to do repairs, mods add that capability.  

?

You can repair wheels, that is a way to do repairs.

[Tyko]

59 minutes ago, Fraston said:

?

You can repair wheels, that is a way to do repairs.

yea, but that's a bit of an anomaly compared to the rest of the game. All things being equal it doesn't really make sense that you can fix a wheel either. Realistically almost any repair takes special tools and parts. Just because Squad has allowed one anomalous thing doesn't mean that should be used as an excuse to make the whole game less realistic. 

If we're to justify wheel repair, which is questionable anyway, we can look to what @linuxgurugamer stated above - that it's supposed to represent something like patching a tire. This is a lot different from working on fragile electronics.

Consider that most people can change or patch a bicycle tire with just a palm sized patch kit. You can't replace a windshield or repair a radio without a lot more tools and parts

 

Edited May 1, 2019 by Tyko

[Superfluous J]

2 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Adding a repair ability to the stock game will need careful review to be sure it doesn't overbalance things

I agree with this, but think repairs is a great subject for a future version. It's IMO a pretty big hole in the game that KIS/KAS overfill.

I'm leery to suggest yet another resource without my other huge want (settable tank contents in - why not while I'm shooting for the Mun - procedural tanks) but repair kits with units of repairs being able to be used by an engineer to repair something seems like a great idea.

Engineer approaches a repair pack, takes all units from it and it becomes an empty/used repair pack. The engineer then has - say - 10 units of repairs. The Engineer can hold say 20 total points. The biggest objects (gigantors? Largest tires?) take 10 to fix. The smallest take 1. You could even then add part damage to things like engine bells and landing struts.

Something like this would allow for easy (as far as user interface and conceptually are concerned) repairs without all the overhead of KIS and KAS.

[linuxgurugamer]

19 minutes ago, 5thHorseman said:

think repairs is a great subject for a future version. It's IMO a pretty big hole in the game that KIS/KAS overfill.

Agreed

20 minutes ago, 5thHorseman said:

epair kits with units of repairs being able to be used by an engineer to repair something seems like a great idea.

Engineer approaches a repair pack, takes all units from it and it becomes an empty/used repair pack. The engineer then has - say - 10 units of repairs. The Engineer can hold say 20 total points. The biggest objects (gigantors? Largest tires?) take 10 to fix. The smallest take 1. You could even then add part damage to things like engine bells and landing struts.

Ok.  So now parts need to be damageable.  Taking a cue from D&D, assign a certain number of HP to each part.  There is already a mod which addresses this, called Kerbal Krash Systems.  It also includes the ability to repair damaged parts.  KKS repairs are based on an engineer's level, higher level engineers can repair more and faster.

I could go on, ...

 

[Aeroboi]

11 hours ago, 5thHorseman said:

I agree with this, but think repairs is a great subject for a future version. It's IMO a pretty big hole in the game that KIS/KAS overfill.

I'm leery to suggest yet another resource without my other huge want (settable tank contents in - why not while I'm shooting for the Mun - procedural tanks) but repair kits with units of repairs being able to be used by an engineer to repair something seems like a great idea.

Engineer approaches a repair pack, takes all units from it and it becomes an empty/used repair pack. The engineer then has - say - 10 units of repairs. The Engineer can hold say 20 total points. The biggest objects (gigantors? Largest tires?) take 10 to fix. The smallest take 1. You could even then add part damage to things like engine bells and landing struts.

Something like this would allow for easy (as far as user interface and conceptually are concerned) repairs without all the overhead of KIS and KAS.

This!

There are 2 things though I have a objection with, that is aside from the idea in general. The only objection is fixing engine bells. Does that seem reasonable? AFAIK, the alloy of a engine bell is specifically casted so it can withstand the pressures, besides, a engine bell has just the proper weight to impact the pressures it is designed for. In direct translation, the thickness and the alloy strength is as strong and sturdy to survive mission elapsed time, in some cases they're reusable, in other cases they're specifically made to last multiple flights as on spaceX rockets. Furthermore, if the contour of a engine bell isn't perfectly concave the gasses can over pressure causing ripture and explode as the combustion will travel internally.

For that matter, real engines and engine repairs are tested in facilities for months. So Bill taking a fix out of his backpack to repair a engine in good hopes he did it right with a wishful intention to departure from Eeloo to Kerbin seems like a very bad idea. For that matter, some engines are unreachable when they're up high, so if I require a repair on Tylo I need a seperate ladder just to reach the engine on one side, and then operate into it with no scaffolding or other ways of machining (forget tools or devices, engine repairs require machines and energy tools not lying around) On top of that Bill would do it in a click and that is that just because he has 10 points to his name.
But if you find this is within the cartoony style of KSP I don't have absolute objection but it would seem outside the scope either way IMO.