Build or assemble in orbit ?

[MirabelleBenou]

Hello !

With KSP1, it was quite easy to assemble big spaceships, or do some tweak or modification, directly in orbit in space. How can you achieve the same in KSP 2 ?

I saw some quite big spaceships, do you overuse docking ports ? Will there be same features as KSP 1 for building or modify in space ?

Thanks !

[The Aziz]

All the basics are there, except EVA construction and rotating ports.

[MirabelleBenou]

I think the main point I'm missing is EVA construction.

To build a spaceship directly in orbit with multiparts, I think currently the only solution is to dock those parts, right ?

[The Aziz]

Currently, yes. just like old times.

Or one could wait for3rd milestone on the roadmap which includes orbital construction with actual UI and stuff. But yeah that's a long time from now.

 

[Kerbin Launch Coalition]

On 7/1/2023 at 1:34 PM, MirabelleBenou said:

Hello !

With KSP1, it was quite easy to assemble big spaceships, or do some tweak or modification, directly in orbit in space. How can you achieve the same in KSP 2 ?

I saw some quite big spaceships, do you overuse docking ports ? Will there be same features as KSP 1 for building or modify in space ?

Thanks !

You can absolutely 'assemble' ships in orbit, this is pretty much my *go to* when it comes to going somewhere outside of Kerbin's immediate SOI.

 

The main issue with KSP2 is unfortunately the one that plagues the game and genuinely ruins the experience for a lot of people. Wobbliness!

 

Docking ports are TERRIBLE in terms of providing a rigid connection between two objects, that may or may not have been fixed in the latest patch (and hotfixes) but I honestly haven't had time to test it.

 

That said though, it can be mitigated through design choices, such as keeping thrust to weight on the low end (in vacuum) and minimising the turn/rotation rate of the vessel during manouvering.

 

The last thing I built in KSP2 was similar to the vessel seen in the menu screen but it suffered a lot of flexing.

[stephensmat]

Also, remember that the Roadmap had orbital VABs. Construction in orbit, (at least in mid-to-late game) was never going to be about assembling sections. When 1.0 finally happens, we'll have a whole different idea of what orbital Construction means.

Edited July 29, 2023 by stephensmat

[Heretic391]

I'd recommend building as much as your computer can handle in the VAB and send it up in one go.  It's better to avoid docking ports for spaceships as they currently act as an springs.  

However, if you must use docking ports,  as the person above mentioned design choices can help. I find 'pulling' the docked stages is safer than pushing them.

[MechBFP]

On 7/14/2023 at 5:44 AM, Kerbin Launch Coalition said:

You can absolutely 'assemble' ships in orbit, this is pretty much my *go to* when it comes to going somewhere outside of Kerbin's immediate SOI.

 

The main issue with KSP2 is unfortunately the one that plagues the game and genuinely ruins the experience for a lot of people. Wobbliness!

 

Docking ports are TERRIBLE in terms of providing a rigid connection between two objects, that may or may not have been fixed in the latest patch (and hotfixes) but I honestly haven't had time to test it.

 

That said though, it can be mitigated through design choices, such as keeping thrust to weight on the low end (in vacuum) and minimising the turn/rotation rate of the vessel during manouvering.

 

The last thing I built in KSP2 was similar to the vessel seen in the menu screen but it suffered a lot of flexing.

I haven't tried it yet, but I assume you can't dock multiple ports together at the same time right? So if you try to dock 3 together then 1 will attach and the others will just be floating there.

[Kerbin Launch Coalition]

3 hours ago, MechBFP said:

I haven't tried it yet, but I assume you can't dock multiple ports together at the same time right? So if you try to dock 3 together then 1 will attach and the others will just be floating there.

Never tried in KSP2, it however was never an issue in KSP1.