Is there a "simulator" in KSP?

[Krymson Skorpyon]

Yes, yes, I know - KSP is a simulator.

What I mean is this: is there a way to test in-game how a craft will behave in a given situation, other than to make a save, cheat the craft into that situation, and then run the game?  I have a science lander probe design for atmospheric bodies, and I want to make sure I have enough parachute for a soft landing.

[Magzimum]

No, there isn't any simulator. In career/science mode, you gotta save-cheat-reload. It would be a nice addition: A simulation center.

In order to avoid overwriting important saves, I prefer to open a new sandbox game, design my craft and cheat a whole lot, then copy the craft into the career game folder. My Sandbox is then the "simulation".

[The Aziz]

I for one like the fact that there isn't any. That feels like cheating (I know I know, singleplayer game, do what you want, whatever, you got cheater rank in gta San Andreas if you were using cheat codes).

But how the heck are you supposed to know the alien environment if you've never been there? Send something there, if it fails, it fails, you send improved one.

In stock game it's pretty easy, you test on Kerbin - once it works there, it is going to work on Eve - gravity is higher but so is atmosphere density, but you probably need a bit more for Laythe and Duna - maybe even try propulsive landing.

And timewarp button is your friend if you don't like waiting between transfer windows.

I just sent atmospheric probe lander to Duna, do I know if it's going to work? No, it's my first time on this save, so I packed a bit of fuel as well in case of chute failure. 

[Pds314]

Install KRASH and make a custom profile that makes simulations free.

[jimmymcgoochie]

There are some mods that let you ‘simulate’ a mission as you like e.g. KRASH, with configurable setups that can make it cost funds to run a simulation or do it all for free. It’s not something you’ll find in the stock game though.

[king of nowhere]

18 hours ago, The Aziz said:

I for one like the fact that there isn't any. That feels like cheating (I know I know, singleplayer game, do what you want, whatever, you got cheater rank in gta San Andreas if you were using cheat codes).

But how the heck are you supposed to know the alien environment if you've never been there? Send something there, if it fails, it fails, you send improved one.

actually, there are all kind of remote analysis that you can do from afar. when we send a spacecraft around a new planet, you already have a pretty good idea of what to expect. and we have all manners of facilities to simulate space conditions in testings; from gax mix simulating mars atmosphere, to vacuum testing chambers, to running your rovers in the desert.

plus you can do a whole host of mathematical simulations that you cannot do in ksp. when they sent cassini around saturn moons, they planned in advance something like 30 orbits, that were constantly changing with gravity assists at every flyby. i know no way to simulate that far in ksp without the game collapsing in some way.

what's unthinkable is to send a space mission, with all its huge costs, withOUT already having a very good idea of what to expect. and in every mission you get a few things you didn't anticipate that may compromise it, but you must keep those to a minimum. space is difficult enough already without going in unprepared.

[Bej Kerman]

19 hours ago, Magzimum said:

In order to avoid overwriting important saves

Pause menu's save button lets you have more than one quicksave.

[Krymson Skorpyon]

I broke down and created a sandbox game and alt-f12'd my stuff into place to test it.

Pro tip - the lander probe that works fine on Duna?  Eve chews it up and spits it out without even so much as a burp

[Corona688]

23 hours ago, Krymson Skorpyon said:

Yes, yes, I know - KSP is a simulator.

What I mean is this: is there a way to test in-game how a craft will behave in a given situation, other than to make a save, cheat the craft into that situation, and then run the game?  I have a science lander probe design for atmospheric bodies, and I want to make sure I have enough parachute for a soft landing.

Quicksave and alt-f12 it to where you want to go.  Test, load quicksave, then do it for real.

[Magzimum]

16 hours ago, Bej Kerman said:

Pause menu's save button lets you have more than one quicksave.

I know.

But there are a couple of reasons why I go into Sandbox anyway:

1. Mistakes are easy to make, and it wouldn't be the first time that I overwrite an important save. (I play KSP after a busy day, when I am already tired).
2. I usually need (quick)saves while in cheat-mode, like when testing an Eve landing and return - you really want to save after landing successfully.
3. At least in older versions of KSP, loading saves would become slower and slower as you get more save files. I try to not have an endless number of save files.

I admit that it's just a matter of preference. You can totally do this in the career mode too, if you pay attention.

[king of nowhere]

3 hours ago, Magzimum said:

1. At least in older versions of KSP, loading saves would become slower and slower as you get more save files. I try to not have an endless number of save files.

 

i delete mine periodically. i keep a few at key points (and i give them real names), otherwise i produce hundreds upon hundreds of saves

[pandaman]

I use the 'sandbox R&D' method.

Although I play sandbox anyway, I disable 'reverts' in my 'main' save.  The R&D save gets used for designing, testing and 'mucking about' all 'cheats' are on the menu for that.