Launch Window Planning

[Demordrah]

I'm sure this is a an oft-beaten path, but it would really be nice to have something like alexmoon's launch window planner implemented into the KSC.  It would make the Mission Control building a lot more useful outside of career contracts if you could go in there, punch in some numbers for a planned mission, and get a general idea of when you should launch, how much Delta-V will be required, etc.

Mission planning in the stock game is anemic, at best, and I feel that the lack of something like this in-game detracts from the immersion of running your own space program.

 

[OHara]

Just for reference, there is as you may know a mod that implements Alex Moon's calculations in the game, Transfer Window Planner (thread link)

When I started playing KSP,  I looked for the way to set maneuvers on craft in the Tracking Station, was surprised that there was no such ability.  (Actually I was surprised that this ability was not in Mission Control.)

If some variant of the Tracking Station did let us
1) set maneuver nodes, not just on craft but ...
2) also on dummy craft that we could place into orbit with some 'set orbit' dialog, and
3) advance the 'on-rails' orbits arbitrarily into the future without changing the game-clock, and
4) copy maneuver-nodes from the dummy craft onto our actual craft,
then we could do our transfer-window planning using the in-game maneuver nodes.

[Demordrah]

1 hour ago, OHara said:

Just for reference, there is as you may know a mod that implements Alex Moon's calculations in the game, Transfer Window Planner (thread link)

Unfortunately, that's not an option for me.  I play the Enhanced Edition on PS4.  I'm not surprised that it was modded into the game, but it really does make sense for that functionality to be stock.

[pandaman]

Couldn't agree more.  Basic mission planning tools like this really should be integrated in to the base game.

[manaiaK]

On 6/23/2020 at 6:51 PM, pandaman said:

Basic mission planning tools like this really should be integrated in to the base game.

Maybe, although it's perhaps not very Kerbal. The kerbal way was "stick some things together, launch the result, and laugh at what happens".  And the learning curve already goes way up high for noobs to orbital mechanics and rocketry...

Maybe Gus could have a "mission planning assistant" for this though. Not many players make it outside Kerbin's SOI, apparently.

[pandaman]

4 hours ago, manaiaK said:

 ... And the learning curve already goes way up high for noobs to orbital mechanics and rocketry...

Maybe Gus could have a "mission planning assistant" for this though. Not many players make it outside Kerbin's SOI, apparently.

This is exactly why IMO that the information, guides and 'tools' should be easily available in game.

How many of the players that never get beyond Kerbin SOI (or even LKO) want to, but just don't know what they need to do to reach other planets in anything like a way that enables them to 'do stuff' other just than fly past very quickly, because 'moar boosters' is all they know?

For those that don't want to, that's fine, and there's nothing wrong with pure 'trial and error' either, but to not provide the information can discourage those who want to do more, but don't know how.

[manaiaK]

12 hours ago, pandaman said:

This is exactly why IMO that the information, guides and 'tools' should be easily available in game.

How many of the players that never get beyond Kerbin SOI (or even LKO) want to, but just don't know what they need to do to reach other planets in anything like a way that enables them to 'do stuff' other just than fly past very quickly, because 'moar boosters' is all they know?

For those that don't want to, that's fine, and there's nothing wrong with pure 'trial and error' either, but to not provide the information can discourage those who want to do more, but don't know how.

That's a very good argument.  I hope the developers are monitoring this.