Overusing MechJeb

[A1catraz]

I want to get MechJeb, but I see myself using to much and taking the "piloting experience" out of the game.

What should and shouldn't I use MechJeb for?

Side question: Is it bad that I post so many questions on this forum?

[KvickFlygarn87]

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Well, use it for what you can't/are too lazy to do. Also, no, it isn't.

[BostLabs]

I want to get MechJeb, but I see myself using to much and taking the "piloting experience" out of the game.

What should and shouldn't I use MechJeb for?

Side question: Is it bad that I post so many questions on this forum?

I use MechJeb a lot. Sometimes I don't use it but it is there if I want to use it. It just depends on what I"m trying to achieve during the time I can play.

[arq]

If the info readouts are all you want, try Kerbal Engineer Redux instead. It doesn't have autopilot functionality.

[toomuchbrew]

The read outs and vessel info are great. I usemechjeb a lot because I am doing other things while ascending, transferring, ect. Like editing you tube videos or watching Scott manleys recent adds

[capi3101]

I want to get MechJeb, but I see myself using to much and taking the "piloting experience" out of the game.

What should and shouldn't I use MechJeb for?

Side question: Is it bad that I post so many questions on this forum?

I don't use MechJeb personally - but I plan to install it if I ever successfully return a Kerbal from Eve.

I'd suggest you use it for whatever parts of the game you find tedious to do by hand, and not use it for whatever parts of the game you find fun. I've also heard folks have had issues with its calculation of launch windows and that it occasionally botches landings; I wouldn't use it for stuff I know I could do better by hand.

I use KER for readouts already; some of the autopilots in MechJeb (like the ones that reorient your ship for radial and normal burns) look very attractive.

And don't be afraid to ask questions - the only dumb question is the one left unasked.

[Taki117]

I use MechJeb for build planning in the VAB, Maneuver node planning (Everything from circularizing to transferring interplanetary) but unless I'm in sandbox and don't really feel like actually doing the maneuver execution is all manual (I never use autopilot in career, takes all the fun out) I also use it for auto-landing (only because I'm horrible at it) Really you can use it as much or as little as you want. I've even changed the config files of some of the cockpits from my other mods to make them MechJeb compatible (It really helps with delta-v during construction)

[Technical Ben]

MechJeb only automates automatic things. You'll be surprised how much you still need to do. But it's like most automated things, you COULD send every phone txt or email by hand, as dots and dashes... but that's time consuming. So, I set up a few flights by hand, I set and wait for a few burns by hand. Others, I click "transfer to planet" and let MJ do it. When I've got 10 launches, I'll do 1 by hand, the rest automated, as.. well, I don't play for grind.

[Umlüx]

after all, its still a game and doing 10 similar launches or a 6 minute burn manually isn't really challenging or fun...

[Wallace]

You can blacklist modules so they aren't available: http://wiki.mechjeb.com/index.php?title=Manual/Blacklisting_modules I have it with just the info displays, smart ASS and a few other widgets like prevent overheat and jet flameout. I have all the autopilots turned off.

I used to always use mechjeb for landing, cos I was always messing that up, now I just have the landing info window so I can see time to impact and vertical velocity and I can land really well now.

[Spartwo]

-If you use if for something you cannot do yourself.

-No ask away.

[Psycix]

Experienced players can do most things better than Mechjeb can, but I used it for info (until I installed Engineer Redux), however I still like to use the autopilot to avoid grind.

[maltesh]

Mechjeb's "Closest Approach to Target" and "Time to closest approach" readouts are significantly more accurate than the in-game versions. As a result, my most commonly-used window in Mechjeb is a custom "Zee Rendezvous Info" window (So named so it autosorts to the bottom of the panel.)

"Zee Rendezvous Info" contains Distance to Target, Relative Velocity, Total Vacuum Delta-V, Max Acceleration, Time to Closest Approach, Closest Approach Distance, and Relative Velocity at Closest Approach lines. Makes it a /lot/ easier to fly the navball on a rendezvous.

My other most common window is "Maneuver Node Info", because I have gotten used to the in-game burn timer either lying to me, or forgetting how long a scheduled burn is going to be because I switched to another vessel since the last burn.

If I did more Aerobraking, I'd certainly use the "Landing Guidance" window more often, as its aerobrake caclulations are almost invariably spot-on. And when I really do need to set something down on top of a flag, I use Landing Guidance then as well.

I also use the Ascent Autopilot quite a bit as well. I know some players find every manual ascent exciting. After having done several hundred, the luster's a bit lacking for me. Personally, I significantly prefer the part of the game above Kerbin's atmosphere.

[Technical Ben]

Also, means I can go make a cup of tea during ascent. And it's been rather good with my custom SpaceX reusable. got one down with exactly 0 fuel left when it got back to the pad.

[Rhomphaia]

Experienced players can do most things better than Mechjeb can, but I used it for info (until I installed Engineer Redux), however I still like to use the autopilot to avoid grind.

Engineer doesn't have as much info as mechjeb though. and custom info windows FTW.

Mostly I only really use the autopilot for routine launches (if mechjeb can get it to space then I definitely can) and executing maneuver nodes where precision is required.

The first time I tried the docking autopilot was also the last, since it would waste a whole large mono-propellant tank and still not be docked.. Later versions may have improved but docking isn't hard anyway.

For interplanetary transfers mechjeb is too finicky about hitting the precise window so is best avoided unless you like to timewarp lots.

The landing autopilot is far better than me, esp for targeted landings (as long as they are on Kerbin or Mun, one time I tried letting mechjeb "land at target" on Duna and it tried to launch me out of the solar system) but landing is fun so mostly I do it myself though often I will use the landing predictions.

[Moon Goddess]

I want to get MechJeb, but I see myself using to much and taking the "piloting experience" out of the game.

What should and shouldn't I use MechJeb for?

To me, the "piloting experience" is absolutely the least fun part of the game. Theres so much better things to do that drive spaceships, so in my opinion, use MechJeb for anything you want to.

[regex]

I want to get MechJeb, but I see myself using to much and taking the "piloting experience" out of the game.

What should and shouldn't I use MechJeb for?

Use it for whatever you want to use it for. It's not foolproof, it's doesn't fly your ships for you, it's just a damn good assistant. I used it throughout 0.21 because of the crappy SAS and it's not as bad as the detractors make it out to be. Now that the SAS is fixed I've gone back to flying my own ships because I find that to be a big part of the game. Nowadays I keep MJ around for planning those odd part-clipped ships that Engineer can't make heads or tails of. In fact, I might go back to using MJ anyway because the GUI is much tighter than Engineer's, and just blacklist everything I don't use. Or just recompile Engineer so it looks better... I can't decide.

Anyway, MechJeb is a decent plugin; you're the one who has to make the decision whether and how much to use it. You'll also get a lot more out of it if you already know what you're doing.

[engraverwilliam]

Manually get to Mun, Minmus, Duna, and eve. Once you have done that imagine your Kerbals inventing the flight computer. Not all of the maneuvers MJ does are DV efficient. Thus requiring you to plot your course manually anyway or adjust what it has done. Also get Protractor mod. I like MJ because I can launch my workhorse rocket and go do something else while it gets to orbit. I know it works, I have flown it manually 100's of times now, I will let the computer do it.

[KhaosCorp]

I want to get MechJeb, but I see myself using to much and taking the "piloting experience" out of the game.

What should and shouldn't I use MechJeb for?

Side question: Is it bad that I post so many questions on this forum?

This is really easy...just dont use any of the auto pilots....even then its still a great tool. I was like this when I first started KSP and found MechJeb too. Now...well, ya launch well made rockets enough and it gets a little old... Now I usually only fly assents from KSC if its an iffy or experimental craft.

Even if you do 100% of the flying yourself its still a great tool for building and planing manuvs....I like to fly...I dont like mucking about on map screen trying to get nodes right =)

Also I very much agree with the above post...dont use MJ to plan interplanetary transfers...get protractor!

[Der Kosmos]

I started with stock, then got Mechjeb when I couldn't figure out how to land without smearing my lander across the surface of the mun (I had not figured out you need to be coming straight down)

Eventually when career mode came out I learned how to land manually. Now I'm glad I know how to do it and will probably not touch the landing module again in the future because it's finicky and often gives bad results.

That said I will at some point go back to Mechjeb for a few things,

1) Rover autopilot: Cruise control is good

2) Spaceplane autopilot: My fingers get tired

3) Ascent guidance: **** launching by hand. I know how to do it, but it's boring and the computer always does it better. I'm sorry I learned how to get into orbit before Mechjeb, and I still do launches without it, but it's probably the least fun part of a mission.

4) Warp helper. Messing around with time acceleration is annoying.

5) Interplanetary transfers: Okay this one I will admit I can't do by hand. It's hard okay!

I will however say that right now mechjeb has a few problems. Landing as I said before is kinda iffy, and mechjeb does not play well with the new SAS. Docking Autopilot is also buggy right now unless they made another update recently.

[smilingmonkey]

I love my Mechjeb.

When I am building a new vehicle he tells me all the info I need.

When I am ascending, he shows me a path, then I choose to refine or ignore it.

When I am a little lost in a planetary transfer, he shows me how he would accomplish it, then I can tweak the details personally for more efficiency, or fancier maneuver.

He showed me how to rendezvous in the beginning, when I had no clue how to do it.

With landing, he showed me how not to do it, but pointed me in the general direction.

Mechjeb is a tool, how you use it is very much like seasoning your food. Add to taste.

Sometimes I just use him when playing long missions so that I am more engrossed in the cinema of the game rather than counting numbers.

Edited November 9, 2013 by smilingmonkey

[Brofessional]

I mostly just use it for the custom info panels and SmartASS. Though since the SAS got updated I don't use SmartASS nearly as much.

I also use the landing guidance, but only for the prediction, I still do the maneuvers manually. Occasionally I'll use the auto-circularize, but if I'm setting up satellites or stations I do it manually for greater accuracy.

The auto-pilots can be helpful for learning if you're a beginner, but you should use them to learn how to do it manually, not as a crutch because you can't do something.

Edited November 9, 2013 by Brofessional

[0x7be]

Actually I use MechJeb for any activity that doesn't bring me fun. This is mostly launches and rendezvous maneuvers - I've performed hundreds of them and they became boring.

BTW, IRL cosmonauts rarely pilot spacecraft at all. Automatics do it better.

[Aghanim]

What I use Mechjeb for:

1. Autoland (landing guidance): No need to worry about your ship getting destroyed because of improper throttle

2. Maneuver planner: Increase apoapsis then circularize, and maneuver node autoburn button (execute all nodes)

3. Ascent guidance: Display ascent guidance, do a manual gravity turn then when the ship is stable change into auto mode

4. SmartASS

5. Surface and orbit panel

[HeadHunter67]

Use it to make the game more enjoyable for yourself. That should be the criterion for any plugin or mod.

If you find the game more enjoyable because MJ makes rendezvous easier, then more power to you. If you don't want to use it for rendezvous because you have the hang of it and relish the challenge, that's good too. Likewise with docking, ascent, Hohmann transfers or whatever other features you use it for.

Sometimes you might want to let the robot drive, and other times you don't. That's the beauty of it. How you play and enjoy the game is all up to you.