My wish list for KSP

[seinet]

Thank you for the .22 release and let's say I lost some hours of sleep because of that. But I think I have encountered some limitations to what I can do on my way to what I want to do. As I have focused a lot on atmospheric flight most of my suggestions relate to air breathing planes.

So here is a wish list that I think would improve gameplay greatly:

* ILS, Instrument Landing System

The ability to select a runway to land on and the game will provide with approach nodes. As it is now I have trouble to align myself correctly when trying to land at KSC. Also, some more runways on Kerbin perhaps?

* Data storage

With all the science going on there is a lot of data collected. Currently the only way to collect more data is to transmit the last readings and thus make memory available for new readings. How about a data bank which can store readings and free up the instruments memory space? Think of it as a reversed resource tank which in time get increases instead of the fuel being used up.

Maybe the command modules can have some data storage ability as they already have with electricity.

* Continuous data gathering

So, the thermometer, GRAVMAX, PresMat and Sensor Array all collect data now, that's great. But I feel such instruments would be even greater if they could collect continuously instead of momentarily. And the thermometer, GRAVMAX and PresMat all just collect a number, a number which now takes a lot of data space. Wouldn't it be better if they all just collected data while they're switched on and each reading takes less memory space. This could work great together with the "data storage"-suggestion.

* Simple flight programming

A new tech tree (or perhaps additional features to the science tree) which can be used to develop easily constructed flight programs like "Alt < 20000 m: Kill engines, deploy parachutes" and in time a bit more complicated programs like "Air pressure != IN VACUUM": Activate thermometer, activate sensor array, start log presmat, start log thermometer, start log sensor array".

Those programs could take up data storage if the "data storage"-suggestion is implemented.

* Data compression (together with "data storage" and "continuous gathering")

With loads of data the transmission of the data will take a lot of time and electricity. How about data compression, a relatively slow process which will reduce the number of Mits required to transmit the collected data. This could be combined with the "flight programming" suggestion and be in the same tech tree (called "computing" or something).

Those are my suggestion which are mostly related to the new features in .22. Here is some that I had earlier:

* Improved ASAS

The ability to let the ASAS control the throttle of some engines, also a ability to remove ASAS control of some control parts and just leave them to player control. The ASAS should also be given the ability to transfer fuel between different tanks.

When I fly my new and awesome Science RAM jet, I'd like to drop some science probes. Currently I have to science probes which drops from the tips of my wings which cause the craft to have a centre of gravity which is not aligned with the centre of thrust. My solution is manually reduce throttle and transfer fuel to the side of the plane which dropped the pod. It would be great of the ASAS could do that automatic.

* Remove parts from staging

It would be great if some parts could be removed from the staging (and perhaps some other parts could be added to staging). With my new Science RAM jet I've added emergency parachutes in case of mid air failure, with an accidental tap to the space bar this could activate without intention. Sure, you can lock the staging but it's not the same thing.

* A new ballast part

If the ASAS could transfer fuel to shift centre of gravity around it would be great to add tanks with a heavy liquid just for the weight to be shifted around the craft. I guess many people already have suggested the ability to fill a generic fuel tank with different types of fuel so what's really needed is a new type of "fuel".

Oh, the thought of generic fuel tanks made me think of a radial fuel tank.

* Small size jet engine

As the title suggest, a jet engine which will fit on the small contact surface. Perhaps together with a small jet fuel tank and small air intake.

* Drop down list for target selection in map mode

When there are a lot of crafts in orbit it can be hard to select the right one. A drop down list would be awesome to easily make the right selection. Also, ability to select Kerbin as a target.

* More detailed orbital data

What's my inclination to the body I'm orbiting? What's my period time? What's my eccentricity?

* Improved nav ball

The orbit as line on the nav ball please, and maybe perhaps a line for the orbit of my target.

I surely hope you didn't get discouraged by all the text above and feel free to comment if you're wondering about some of the ideas and I'll try to explain further. I also have some ideas about implementation for some of them. I cannot guarantee that I will answer every comment or within a certain time but I'll do my best.

/Seinet Wintermute

Edited October 26, 2013 by seinet

[Zorbeltuss]

* ILS, Instrument Landing System

The ability to select a runway to land on and the game will provide with approach nodes. As it is now I have trouble to align myself correctly when trying to land at KSC. Also, some more runways on Kerbin perhaps?

* Simple flight programming

A new tech tree (or perhaps additional features to the science tree) which can be used to develop easily constructed flight programs like "Alt < 20000 m: Kill engines, deploy parachutes" and in time a bit more complicated programs like "Air pressure != IN VACUUM": Activate thermometer, activate sensor array, start log presmat, start log thermometer, start log sensor array".

Those programs could take up data storage if the "data storage"-suggestion is implemented.

* Data compression (together with "data storage" and "continuous gathering")

With loads of data the transmission of the data will take a lot of time and electricity. How about data compression, a relatively slow process which will reduce the number of Mits required to transmit the collected data. This could be combined with the "flight programming" suggestion and be in the same tech tree (called "computing" or something).

* Remove parts from staging

It would be great if some parts could be removed from the staging (and perhaps some other parts could be added to staging). With my new Science RAM jet I've added emergency parachutes in case of mid air failure, with an accidental tap to the space bar this could activate without intention. Sure, you can lock the staging but it's not the same thing.

* Small size jet engine

As the title suggest, a jet engine which will fit on the small contact surface. Perhaps together with a small jet fuel tank and small air intake.

* Drop down list for target selection in map mode

When there are a lot of crafts in orbit it can be hard to select the right one. A drop down list would be awesome to easily make the right selection. Also, ability to select Kerbin as a target.

* More detailed orbital data

What's my inclination to the body I'm orbiting? What's my period time? What's my eccentricity?

* Improved nav ball

The orbit as line on the nav ball please, and maybe perhaps a line for the orbit of my target.

These are all great suggestions that I'd like, and although some are existant in mods, they should be available in the main game, some are maybe a bit complex for the main player and could be a part of an advanced mode, like the programming and the ILS could be stepped down a bit and still be a great help without being basically an autopilot.

* Improved ASAS

The ability to let the ASAS control the throttle of some engines, also a ability to remove ASAS control of some control parts and just leave them to player control. The ASAS should also be given the ability to transfer fuel between different tanks.

When I fly my new and awesome Science RAM jet, I'd like to drop some science probes. Currently I have to science probes which drops from the tips of my wings which cause the craft to have a centre of gravity which is not aligned with the centre of thrust. My solution is manually reduce throttle and transfer fuel to the side of the plane which dropped the pod. It would be great of the ASAS could do that automatic.

* A new ballast part

If the ASAS could transfer fuel to shift centre of gravity around it would be great to add tanks with a heavy liquid just for the weight to be shifted around the craft. I guess many people already have suggested the ability to fill a generic fuel tank with different types of fuel so what's really needed is a new type of "fuel".

Oh, the thought of generic fuel tanks made me think of a radial fuel tank.

These are just awesome, and we have spoken a bit about them before, I'd love to see them implemented, however, isn't the sas just an advanced reaction wheel currently? I would in any way want separate parts for these two things, for the ballast tanks it could however be included in the ballast tanks.

* Data storage

With all the science going on there is a lot of data collected. Currently the only way to collect more data is to transmit the last readings and thus make memory available for new readings. How about a data bank which can store readings and free up the instruments memory space? Think of it as a reversed resource tank which in time get increases instead of the fuel being used up.

Maybe the command modules can have some data storage ability as they already have with electricity.

* Continuous data gathering

So, the thermometer, GRAVMAX, PresMat and Sensor Array all collect data now, that's great. But I feel such instruments would be even greater if they could collect continuously instead of momentarily. And the thermometer, GRAVMAX and PresMat all just collect a number, a number which now takes a lot of data space. Wouldn't it be better if they all just collected data while they're switched on and each reading takes less memory space. This could work great together with the "data storage"-suggestion.

These are things I would presume to be making the game less of a game.

The data storage , could easily be solved by having specific data stores for the data types, having it rather late in the tree or having it store a finite amount of Mits.

The continuous data gathering, seems too much of a game changer though, that makes career almost like sandbox with limited parts, which might not be a bad option but I think most people want career to be more of a hands on experience.

All in all I'm happy that you took my advice and suggested it here.

/Zorbeltuss

[Roderik]

There are some good idea's

[seinet]

These are all great suggestions that I'd like, and although some are existant in mods, they should be available in the main game, some are maybe a bit complex for the main player and could be a part of an advanced mode, like the programming and the ILS could be stepped down a bit and still be a great help without being basically an autopilot.

Well, I imagine the ILS more like a series of "targets" which the player will have to fly to and pass to get a suggested landing approach. Like the first target node could be a couple of kilometres east (or west) from KSC at an altitude of 5 km or something. Then another somewhat closer and lower. If you have played the Birds of Prey flight simulator from '92 you might have an idea of exactly what I want.

These are things I would presume to be making the game less of a game.

The data storage , could easily be solved by having specific data stores for the data types, having it rather late in the tree or having it store a finite amount of Mits.

The continuous data gathering, seems too much of a game changer though, that makes career almost like sandbox with limited parts, which might not be a bad option but I think most people want career to be more of a hands on experience.

With my idea of continuous data gathering it would generate a lot of data which would fill up the proposed data storage fast if not very fast in some cases. The purpose of it would be, for example, probes sent down through a planet's atmosphere or during the EDL sequence of a craft. In short, during moments when the player might have more on it's mind than manually right click all the science parts of the craft (or press the assigned control group key with regular intervals).

/S. Wintermute

[seinet]

Removed a double posting.

/S. Wintermute

Edited November 1, 2013 by seinet
Double post