Can somebody explain kraken drives?

[The_Stinky_Broccoli]

i was wondering how many types of kraken drives there are ad how to use them.

[Zhetaan]

2 hours ago, epicfailure2020 said:

i was wondering how many types of kraken drives there are ad how to use them.

The simple explanation is that the number is variable; Kraken drives are, by definition, bug-powered, and so with each new release, the type and scope of Kraken power necessarily changes.

Generally speaking, however, they work by exploiting what are called 'phantom forces' that result from part clipping errors.  The basic idea is that when you force two parts to be in the same space, they try to push apart.  Since the pushing doesn't require any input, only that the parts be in contact (and be from two different vessels--that's important, too), you can get momentum from nothing.

Some of the other types--some of which remain outstanding bugs, and some of which have been fixed--include infiniglide, which used a quirk of control surfaces to fly forever; the physicsless parts bug, which exploited a setting used for some parts to consider their mass negligible to create inertialess vessels; the ladder bug, which allowed a Kerbal who climbed a ladder which dead-ended into another part to move a vessel (one person got to Eve orbit from sea level by climbing a ladder); and the rover wheel bug, which will almost always make you fly and which can sometimes get you to Eeloo in about six seconds if you want to try jumping on a wheel.

I'm sure that there are others, although I don't know how many or how many of them work.  So far as I know, there's no compiled list.

[The_Stinky_Broccoli]

26 minutes ago, Zhetaan said:

The simple explanation is that the number is variable; Kraken drives are, by definition, bug-powered, and so with each new release, the type and scope of Kraken power necessarily changes.

Generally speaking, however, they work by exploiting what are called 'phantom forces' that result from part clipping errors.  The basic idea is that when you force two parts to be in the same space, they try to push apart.  Since the pushing doesn't require any input, only that the parts be in contact (and be from two different vessels--that's important, too), you can get momentum from nothing.

Some of the other types--some of which remain outstanding bugs, and some of which have been fixed--include infiniglide, which used a quirk of control surfaces to fly forever; the physicsless parts bug, which exploited a setting used for some parts to consider their mass negligible to create inertialess vessels; the ladder bug, which allowed a Kerbal who climbed a ladder which dead-ended into another part to move a vessel (one person got to Eve orbit from sea level by climbing a ladder); and the rover wheel bug, which will almost always make you fly and which can sometimes get you to Eeloo in about six seconds if you want to try jumping on a wheel.

I'm sure that there are others, although I don't know how many or how many of them work.  So far as I know, there's no compiled list.

Which of those are still in the game and how do you do them?

[Zhetaan]

1 hour ago, epicfailure2020 said:

Which of those are still in the game and how do you do them?

Hmm.  I think that they fixed infiniglide with version 1.0.  The Klaw bug was fixed in 1.3 ... I think?  I think that the ladder bug is gone, too.  The wheel problem still exists, though I don't know whether it's controllable.

I am definitely not the right person to show you how to use the Kraken drives that still exist, but I can point you in at least one good direction:  look up the YouTube channel Danny2462.  He's tested (and in a lot of cases, invented) just about every Kraken drive that there is, and he does you the favour of giving the KSP version number.  He tends to focus on breaking the universe, but in the process, he does often go to interesting places at even more interesting velocities.

[Gargamel]

2 hours ago, Zhetaan said:

I am definitely not the right person to show you how to use the Kraken drives that still exist, but I can point you in at least one good direction:  look up the YouTube channel Danny2462.  He's tested (and in a lot of cases, invented) just about every Kraken drive that there is, and he does you the favour of giving the KSP version number.  He tends to focus on breaking the universe, but in the process, he does often go to interesting places at even more interesting velocities.

It may be the single most kerbal thing I have ever seen, using Danny as a reference source for research. 

I have also seen a docking port kraken drive, where 2 ports are on the same ship (initially at least), but held slightly apart, and adjust the magnetic force acts as a throttle.   I also think in the current version there is something to do with jet intakes being occluded or something, resulting in infinite fuel. 

[bewing]

The ladder bug is still there.