Pods small requests - a thread!

[nothingSpecial]

Based on my experince over the years of playing, I think I would like to start a free for anyone to suggest thread regarding the one of the crucial parts of any crewed ship - command pods, cockpits, lander cans etc.

 

My own set of suggestions, roughly in order of easiest and convinient to harder and more luxury, they are also kinda logically tied one into another. The larger the number, the more insane I become.

1. Smart airlocks.

Make a toggle in the editor for any part with airlock capacity to be a common airlock for the whole ship (of for connected habitable parts, if a CLS-like system is to be implemented). Or, possibly, make a place-anywhere airlock part with such a capacity, but this way is kinda tricky with regards to roleplay aesthetic side: you can place an airlock where IVA view shows a solid wall.

2. Smart crew capacity.

Make a settings that turns boarding algorithm somewhat smarter, and add an editor toggle that designates the part as a returning part. Or maybe have two keys, one is for boarding a return craft and other is to board any part player selects, with a highlight of available parts similar to crew transfer.

When a kerbal tries to board the craft the normal way, the game would check only if there are free seats in the parts with the returnable toggle on. If no seat there is present, the game warns player about that and shows the crew-transfer-like highlight.

If no parts on the craft are designated to be returnable, the game skips this check altogether and assumes it is dealing with the station, orbital only reusable non-staging craft etc etc.

You wouldn't believe how many kerbals got stranded in my Soyuzes' and Gemini-Ferries' orbital modules... Which is kinda kerbal thing but I would like it to be avoidable if the player so desires.

With such setting  the player can freely design complex return vehicles (think about an Mk1-3, Hitchhiker and a heat shield combo). Or make the toggle not only editor-only and a station with multiple escape pods is possible...

3. Crew management action groups.

Make it possible to place kerbals in the parts via action groups. I have three possible uses in mind:

 - Getting all kerbals back into return capsule (this can work with previous point or completely replace it, if I wrongly estimated the complexity of my ideas).

 - Placing kerbals from the mothership to its landers.

 - Starting the processing lab or its analogs.

 - Making sure that the pilot is controlling the vessel and not being a freeloader somewhere else.

4. Downgrading.

If the set of parts is similar in niches to the current one, it would be really nice if any of the part's functions could be stripped down  for a cut in price and mass.

Lowering heat tolerance to make a three-crewed landing can out of three-crewed command pod - that would still be worse than getting two landing can's together, but better than hauling excess mass around.

Getting rid of comand pod functions altogether to get a passenger pod - for tourists and rescuees.

Dropping the monoprop reserve, and then getting rig of the monoprop tank.

Of course this point will be moot if there are planned parts for such niches.

5. Crew pod extensions.

It's not a logically-heavy suggestion, instead a modelling- and texturing-intensive one, but the one that I really have craved a lot.

Basically, a set of parts that seamlessly connect to each of main crew pods, adding functionality to them. Think turning an Mk-1 pod into a 1.875-m pod with more propellant and energy, or adding a couple of seats to the Mk 1-3 pod with a 3.75 base. Just a normal parts that go well.

6. More modularity in crewed parts. Passenger can can be too long sometimes. Halving it to get a tin can for one lets us be more flexible.

Processing lab is very huge. Having it sliced in thirds with a dropped capacity, and adding other two thirds as a performancr-booster would be nice.

6.6. Procedural IVAs.

Make that Hitchhiker longer - and make it have multiple floors by the simple use of right-click menu.

Passenger aircraft for four kerbals and another one for fourty-four - based on the same parts, just longer. Okay, maybe not to this extreme, but you've got the idea.

6.66. CONSTRUCTABLE IVAS

Make an outline of your station's module in VAB/SPH, then hit the button and enter IVA designer.

Work in  volume constraints set by yourself, add chairs for the crew capacity, lockers for the cargo capacity, batteries and tanks for monoprop or fuel, and work stations for scientists.

Hit the button.

Get a monstrosity of a module.

Die laughing like a maniac.

...Okay, feel free to add your less outlandish suggestions.

Or maybe more outlandish, I dunno. Who am I to judge.