Override Default Part Orientation

[Davidian1024]

When starting a new craft, each part seems to have a default orientation that switches the player's specified workspace orientation.  Some parts seem to be intended to be used in a rocket (vertical), while others seem to be intended to be used in a plane (horizontal).

This makes some sense to me.  But, quite often KSP players want to go outside the box, and build unconventional crafts.

I wish there was a way to force a part to conform to the workspace orientation, I've selected.  In KSP1 we essentially had this.  If we started a new vehicle with plane parts in the VAB they would be oriented vertically, for example.

[Sequence]

There's a button near the bottom left of the UI in the VAB that toggles between horizontal and vertical orientation. Pressing spacebar with a part clicked will reset its orientation to whatever is selected on the UI.

[Davidian1024]

On 3/20/2023 at 7:01 PM, Sequence said:

There's a button near the bottom left of the UI in the VAB that toggles between horizontal and vertical orientation. Pressing spacebar with a part clicked will reset its orientation to whatever is selected on the UI.

I said "when starting a new craft" as in no parts are yet in the VAB.  What you're describing sounds like a workaround.  Though it doesn't seem to work for me.

As of version 0.1.2 I'm still facing this issue.

I'm going to give a more detailed explanation because the way things currently work seem really counterintuitive.

Example 1: "Bulldog" Rocket

1. Start with a blank VAB
2. Select vertical VAB orientation
3. Click the "Bulldog" rover part from the part picker
4. Observe that the VAB orientation has changed to horizontal and the "Bulldog" rover part was inserted into the VAB horizontally.

Example 2: "Gumball" Space Plane

1. Start with a blank VAB
2. Select horizontal VAB orientation
3. Click the "Gumball" pod part from the part picker
4. Observe that the VAB orientation has changed to vertical and the "Gumball" pod part was inserted into the VAB vertically.

What I always end up having to do is start a blank VAB with a part that has the orientation I want.  Then attach the part I actually wanted to start with to that part.  Make that part the assembly anchor.  Then delete the first part.

Very annoying.

[Wetzelrad]

3 minutes ago, Davidian1024 said:

What I always end up having to do is start a blank VAB with a part that has the orientation I want.  Then attach the part I actually wanted to start with to that part.  Make that part the assembly anchor.  Then delete the first part.

Instead of that, I select the root part and rotate once with W or S.

[Davidian1024]

8 minutes ago, Wetzelrad said:

Instead of that, I select the root part and rotate once with W or S.

I guess I would call that a partial work around.  That still leaves the VAB orientation the other way.  Call me poophole, but I don't like moving my root part from the center of the VAB if I can avoid it.  This messes that up.

I think this actually shows how counter intuitive this situation is.

You select the orientation you want.  The root part overrides it.  Then you have to switch the orientation again.

I'm convinced that this is a usability bug.  I'm gonna submit a bug report.