Usability Suggestions (VAB, Staging, Nav Ball)

[EtherDragon]

I have several suggestions to improve usability in the assembly bays:

Action Groups:

There should be a "Default" action group added which represents the default state that any system is set to on the launch pad. This would allow us to start off with certain Gimbals locked, Gear Extended, and Torque disabled for example.

We should be able to test and toggle action groups in the VAB to see how parts are going to animate. Lights, Gear, and Solar Panels, for example.

Any action that can be Toggled should also have "Activate" and "Deactivate" entries in the available actions. For example, Gear can be Toggled, Raised and Lowered, but an Engine Gimbal can only be Toggled; there should be Lock and Unlock options for engine Gimbals as well.

Staging Interface / Screen

Add a right-click menu to the Staging Stack icons, that is the same as the part that it is associated with. If I right click on the Engine of my rocket model, I get a menu with stuff to look at, I want to be able to see that same menu from the Staging Icons.

Add a "Orbital" read-out that contains just a few vitals like Apoapsis and Periapsis heights and eta, next Ascending / Descending degree and eta. This could be another hover / toggle-able panel next to Resources. Alternately, the Flight instrument (altitude, rate of ascent, atmosphere) should be toggle-able between Surface (or Flight) mode, as the current mode, to Orbital mode that displays the basic orbit vitals.

Nav Ball (Staging, Docking, and Orbital modes)

The throttle should be click-able - allowing the user to set the throttle with a mouse click.

RCA and SAS buttons should be click-able.

Stage Light should be a clickable button to allow us to Lock / Unlock staging.

Orbit Screen

The Kerbal Space Center should be a permanent "Flag" location that's always an available target from the Orbit screen.

EVA

When we are controlling a Kerbal on EVA, give us a simple fuel read-out gauge in one of the corners of the screen.

Edited September 25, 2013 by EtherDragon
One additional suggestion