[WIP] KerbolQuest- Jetpacks Beta

[Cheebsta]

Due to popular demand, jetpacks have become a usable part that will come into play in accessing certain areas rather than a quest only item.

This "release" should be considered somewhat experimental. Compromises have been made intentionally between realism, fun, and functionality, and we want to see how we've been doing across a wider audience.

Important: Another few reasons we consider this release experimental:

- Sometimes you may not be able to save or leave the scene cleanly on a hard landing.

- If the Kerbal is knocked from the seat during a hard landing you may lose control of the Kerbal.

- If the jetpack is destroyed while throttled up the game will complain about the throttle being on when you try to leave the scene.

If you don't crash you should be okay, save before launching the pack itself, or throttle down and quicksave before attempting to crash...err, land... so not much progress is lost should one of these things occur.

Also, the lights are pretty new, not working quite as I expected them to, and may not have the best possible placement. The winged pack is also missing any physical indicator the lights are on there. The three powered packs do have them though. On the rocket pack it faces backwards.

That said, on to the Jetpacks:

Available on Spaceport: Kerbolquest Jetpacks

And Mediafire: KQJetpacks.zip

Use Notes

General

All packs have a built in decoupler on their surface attach point. You can right click on the pack to activate the engine or decoupler separately, using spacebar activates both at the same time. SAS is available on all packs, with reaction wheels to control, so they steer pretty easily. Keeping SAS on is highly recommended.

Select "Control From Here" in the packs right click menu to get the Navball oriented correctly.

Vertical and winged packs require oxygen to function.

The rocket pack is best used in space and low gravity. It is able to dock with Jr. Docking Ports with the clamp on its back side.

Velocity Controller

Once the pack is in flight holding spacebar also does... something... on each pack.

- For the glider it simulates air brakes.

- On the vertical pack, diverted exhaust is used to slow lateral velocity (requires running engine).

- The rocket pack uses the RCS system for 6 way stability control.

- The winged pack has thrusters to aid in slowing forward motion during vertical landings.

The amount of thrust used by this system is automatically calculated, up to a maximum amount that varies from pack to pack, to control velocity.

Hover System

Self powered packs also contain a hover control system. To use this system press [End] to activate. Once activated use [Page Up] and [Page Down], at full throttle, to dial in an exact vertical speed. [Home] sets vertical speed to zero. Combined with the lateral velocity controller landing these little things becomes a cinch, and you should be able to explore places you'd have much more trouble reaching with a full size vehicle.

Stay tuned for updates.

Contains "jetpacks.dll" which is a combination of:

https://github.com/HubsElectrical/KerbTownExtensions/blob/master/KerbTownExtension/KerbolQuestPack.cs

Author: Razchek

https://github.com/HubsElectrical/KerbTownExtensions/blob/master/KerbTownExtension/KerbTownModules/PartModules/KTengineHover.cs

https://github.com/HubsElectrical/KerbTownExtensions/blob/master/KerbTownExtension/KerbTownModules/PartModules/KTvelocityController.cs

Author: Snjo

Packaged for convenience during installation. Consult with their respective authors about licensing information in regards to this plugin as usage permissions may vary, and are subject to change after this posting.

Edited October 5, 2013 by Cheebsta

[HoY]

Update for 0.23 available here: (not updated on spaceport)

KerbolQuest.Jetpack.Beta.0.23.zip

For users with the Interstellar mod installed, use this version (no surface attach node on the 2 Jet packs, only stack nodes)

KerbolQuestKerbolQuest.Jetpack.Beta.0.23.Interstellar Compatible.zip Edited January 2, 2014 by HoY

[Sapphire]

Welp, I know what I'm sending on my next supply run to my Laythe base.

Also a bug: You can use the Kerbal's suit lights while using these, so on Kerbals without helmets, they have mysterious lights floating above their heads.

[M.Wolfy]

Yes!!! We may finally use this!

Thank you so much guys

[DisarmingBaton5]

I'm excited for this.

[HoY]

Welp, I know what I'm sending on my next supply run to my Laythe base.

Also a bug: You can use the Kerbal's suit lights while using these, so on Kerbals without helmets, they have mysterious lights floating above their heads.

Known bug. There are a few more, these are the reason this was delayed so long. Just couldn't keep it to ourselves any longer

[Tw1]

I saw a pic of a Kerbal without a helmet on. I can fit in another mod probably...

Edit: Now it's giving me this hot bar thing. Can I turn it off?

Edited October 5, 2013 by Tw1

[HoY]

The DLL is All Rights Reserved belonging to the two coders RazChek and Snjo. I do believe you can use the DLL with proper credit, but not copy the code in any way shape or form. Further clarification on that will be made once both of them return from the strange realm which is "Real Life"

[M.Wolfy]

[HoY]

If you surface mount Any of the packs or the glider they have a built in decoupler on their back. Decoupler activates when you stage, at the same time as the engine unless you do it via right click easiest way to launch it from the ground.

PS: BE PREPARED TO KILL A LOT OF KERBALS!!

[HoY]

Edit: Now it's giving me this hot bar thing. Can In turn it off?

I didnt know that was added to this DLL, that was supposed to stay out of this release. Next time RazChek is online we will have it changed, until then it shouldnt be too obstructive

[HoY]

Anybody have any comments or suggestions? Any unreported bugs?

Anyone enjoying them?

[Sapphire]

I was having fun with them until my KSP started getting a memory leak from something. I suspect KAS. Until I sort it out, my jetpacking fun is on hold. I sorta don't like it though, how they can't be refuelled. I could send them to my Laythe base, but they'd become dead weight real quick.

[HoY]

I'll double check in a little bit but I'm quite sure you can refuel them with KAS. Plans for docking nodes on the two Jet packs are in the works already. Also the fuel pumps Snjo made for kerbtown work on them brilliantly, I'll double check with him to make sure that's released to the public as well.

Edit; you could also refuel them with hyperedit in a pinch. As long as you land at your refueling station before you ido it it doesn't hurt the realism until we get the docking nodes sorted out.

Edited October 10, 2013 by HoY

[HoY]

Refueling with the KAS magnet works. For docking nodes, the easiest way to dock the 2 jet packs will be to land on a JR port pointed upwards and have the bottom of the pack dock downwards on them. Not necessarily how its going to end up but that's what I'm thinking. There's also a chance of adding a KAS node onto the packs, so you can plug directly into the cable without a magnet.

[The Destroyer]

I discovered a major bug right now:

A: If you quicksave and quickload, the kerbal will put on his suit and will NOT be able to leave.

B: If you crash somehow in the right way that the kerbal pops out, the kerbal is uncontrollable.

[HoY]

Both of those are known, the main reason the release was pushed back so long. Ones listed in the OP, the other was discussed in another thread.

[Tw1]

They're great fun, plenty of opportunities to use and misuse the fact that they get kerbals to take their helmet off.

Also great for setting up scenes where it would make sense for them to not wear helmets. (To be revealed in time)

The rocket pack is extremely capable- I used one to land on the Mun from LKO. Had he had a full pack of EVA fuel, he might have got back to Mun orbit too, or maybe even home.

It's almost made other tiny one kerbal contraptions redundant, so not sure I'll keep it. Might just inspire better tiny one kerbal contraptions.

The jet engine pack flies best at 13000 meters, and got me my first landing on one of the islands south of Airstrip island. But I've yet to return, I always crash when landing. Parachutes are too heavy to fly with, yet EVA parachutes don't seem to slow you down enough, and the jetpack gets destroyed. But it should be possible with practice, and an EVA 'chute + powered landing.

I like the idea of having the KAS node built in.

Edited October 10, 2013 by Tw1

[The Destroyer]

Tw1, it's designed for vertical landing- even the wingpack.

[HoY]

Yeah point yourself straight up, press END then use the page up/down to control vertical speed. When you get close to the ground hold down the space bar and it will fire the ducted exhaust ports to kill horizontal speed. The vertical jet pack kills speed in 4 directions but the Wong pack only fires in the way the kerbal is facing.

[HoY]

plenty of opportunities to use and misuse the fact that they get kerbals to take their helmet off.

keep in mind that in a later update the kerbal will black out when you take him up past a certain altitude with his helmet off,, and then will die if you pass another altitude yet to be set

[Tw1]

keep in mind that in a later update the kerbal will black out when you take him up past a certain altitude with his helmet off,, and then will die if you pass another altitude yet to be set

Ah. Good. Realism.

And now I know what those buttons do, maybe I'll actually land, rather than just get frustratingly close.

[HoY]

Looks like the 2 jet packs will have docking nodes on the bottom, so if you land on a jr docking port it will pull you in

Another current bug to add to the list, at least so far as I've seen now. If you dock the rocket pack and presumably the other packs when the docking port is added) you lose the ability to Leave the seat.

Current work around: land beside the docking port, leave the seat, then dock the pack remotely. They have probe cores in them so fly like little drones.

[HoY]

Update for 0.22 available here: (not updated on spaceport)

KerbolQuest.Jetpack.Beta.0.2(0.22).zip

[Pigbear]

"Oh god I forgot my helmet" -That Poor Kerbal that decided to sit on the Jetpack.