What would YOU like to see out of expanded EVAs?

[Tex]

I was perusing through the Already Suggested list and came across "More EVA Activities." This got me thinking: What exactly would this entail?

Obviously, it should add more functionality to manned landings, and even possible repairing stuff in orbit. What I'd like to see:

DURING EVAs ON PLANETARY SURFACES

1. Animations for collecting surface samples
   
2. Animations for repairing certain broken parts
   NOTE: I also think it would be interesting to add a sort-of minigame that is required to complete a repair job or something like that. Possibly for harder difficulties, or able to be turned on/off in the Settings. Whatever these minigames contain is up to the imagination
   

DURING EVAs IN SPACE

1. Extra pointless, just-for-fun animations such as doing a quick frontflip or twirl
   
2. First person EVAs (Who wouldn't want this?!)
   

That's all I've got for now! What do you guys think?

[Dodgey]

Defeintly more precise control in space, I'm it complaining, it just would be nice to have, also to be able to pitch your kerbals in space. That I am complaining about.

[RatchetinSpace]

I think it's a good idea to have more advanced repair jobs. Maybe like what Kerbal attachment system has where you can carry spare parts around or grab spare parts as a kerbal. Then you don't have to worry about your takeoff engine falling off when you land on Eeloo or something similar.

[Atoning Unifex]

On planets how about the ability to build like a 'snowman' out of the local materials, or draw a funny face in surface, or a little dance they can do, or something equally stupid, pointless and fun!

[BLUESTREAK]

Zero G EVA:

Repairs, repairs, repairs. The ability to stick solar panels back together, repair damage from clumsy dockings, that sort of thing. I think that EVA packs should be something that needs to be researched too - prior to that, Kerbals go out of the door on the end of a lifeline anchoring them to the hatch which limits their ability to go floating off, in a 1960's sort of way. A tug on the cable would bring you floating back to the hatch. This way EVAs start off as fairly useless before slowly becoming a really useful thing to do. The ability to anchor yourself to things would also some in really handy too - I'm thinking asteroids with no gravity.

On a surface:

Place scientific instruments such as seismic measurers, laser returners, magnetometers, spectrographs, cosmic ray detectors, temperature gauge, barometric readers, gravity meters, etc - all of which have to be researched first. A portable telescope might be an idea too, depending on the final design of in game scopes, although I appreciate that this is in the 'what no to suggest' list. A small camera to take photos might be an idea too. The ability to put down portable lamps for doing all of this at night, with a limited battery life so after a while you'll need to go recharge them - just to give a bit more to do...

And sandcastles. Yeah, sandcastles.

[Tex]

Very nice! I agree with all of the above.

[Stratoroc]

in space:

High level functions that should not be automated ought to be done in EVA. Repairs were brought up more than once. I also suggest implementing a welding function for docking ports that will never be undocked again, like stations. Maybe also post-launch strutting, kinda like KAS.

on surface:

more advanced surface interaction such as intricate, and possibly multi-step, science experiments. Take sample, do field analysis, take a more interesting sample, and such. Also silly and more interactive actions like BLUESTREAK and Unifex suggested.

First person EVA's, if fps like movement in kerbal space is possible, will make hollow station structures so very extremely epic and awesome. A station composed of dozens of welded corridor and room sections, just saying.

[architeuthis]

Regarding spacewalks, I think it would be really neat if there were more things to do out there besides sightseeing. As suggested above it would be cool to use EVA for in-space repair and construction work.

In reality space is a harsh environment and things are constant failing and needing to be replaced. Solar panels degrade with time, pumps and plumbing for heat rejection systems fail regularly, and just in general parts wear out from extreme thermal cycling fatigue, constant exposure to sunlight and hard UV exposure, atomic oxygen corrosion and impacts of micrometeorites, vacuum cold welding, Paschen discharging etc. Random failures of propulsion, communication or attitude control parts could make a need for EVAs more regular. And hilarious unexpected failures add to the fun and excitement of a mission. Also on-orbit construction of space stations should need some EVAs, perhaps Kerbonauts can assemble trusses while on EVA (and obviate the need to put those ridiculous fully assembled trusses on launch vehicles).

[fatcargo]

I agree with above, but for EVAs requiring more complex operations and/or toolsets, players should have available adequate equipement/parts : player should build a small repair-tug from RCS thrusters, RCS fuel, solar panels/ RTGs, reaction wheels, lights etc and it should have a surface attached toolbox part used for manual manipulation/repair and a large magnetic claw-like clamp for capturing and manipulation of large components used to position a component into place before performing component repair or installation.

[JimmyAgent007]

what about walking around on a planet with a science detector (looks like a metal detector)

[Bobe]

Zero G EVA:

Repairs, repairs, repairs. The ability to stick solar panels back together, repair damage from clumsy dockings, that sort of thing. I think that EVA packs should be something that needs to be researched too - prior to that, Kerbals go out of the door on the end of a lifeline anchoring them to the hatch which limits their ability to go floating off, in a 1960's sort of way. A tug on the cable would bring you floating back to the hatch. This way EVAs start off as fairly useless before slowly becoming a really useful thing to do. The ability to anchor yourself to things would also some in really handy too - I'm thinking asteroids with no gravity.

On a surface:

Place scientific instruments such as seismic measurers, laser returners, magnetometers, spectrographs, cosmic ray detectors, temperature gauge, barometric readers, gravity meters, etc - all of which have to be researched first. A portable telescope might be an idea too, depending on the final design of in game scopes, although I appreciate that this is in the 'what no to suggest' list. A small camera to take photos might be an idea too. The ability to put down portable lamps for doing all of this at night, with a limited battery life so after a while you'll need to go recharge them - just to give a bit more to do...

And sandcastles. Yeah, sandcastles.

Basically this. All parts for repairs and experiments would have to be stored in a cargo compartment ala KAS.

[Serratus]

Does anyone still remember Moonbase Alpha? That's what I want in EVA. Surface and space.

[coolitic]

Although realistically this would cause kerbals to fly off the craft, I want kerbals to be able to stand in mid-air high-speed jets and start performing stunts. Someone please make a mod for this.

[BLUESTREAK]

That's just it. Spacewalks are damned dangerous things to do, and whilst it's very Kerbal to go out just to look at the view, I want there to be a reason to do so. Construction isn't something I'd considered, but in retrospect it's obvious. Perhaps some form of Canadaarm that can only be operated on EVA, in the manner of the rover seats - either for moving satellites out of payload bays, or sticking orbital constructions together - something that can only be done from outside the ship. Because otherwise you do one spacewalk in one SoI, get the science points for it... and that's it. There's never any need to go EVA there ever again. And frankly, that's not much fun. Fixing something that I've bumped into, or sticking a ship together, collecting munrocks, placing experiments - that's what makes KSP for me! What we have now with the science biospheres is a very promising start, but there's a whole wide vista of activities that we could get the little guys to do. It's just the beginning.

[BLUESTREAK]

Although, as 'construction' is on the WNTS list, I think we'd better leave that particular suggestion there...

[kBob]

I think first person EVA would be really nice...I'm no graphics person but I'd think it wouldn't be that hard to implement and we already have the in cockpit view so maybe this is something that's in the to-do list somewhere.

If we could just accelerate the Squad gang so we could have version 3.0 tomorrow...

[Deathsoul097]

I think first person EVA would be really nice...I'm no graphics person but I'd think it wouldn't be that hard to implement and we already have the in cockpit view so maybe this is something that's in the to-do list somewhere.

If we could just accelerate the Squad gang so we could have version 3.0 tomorrow...

Actually, it shouldnt be too hard to do. Romfarer's Lazor mod has a 1st person view from inside the kerbals helmet. The controls need a bit of hashing out, but it is certainly possible, especially if a modder who didn't have acces to the game's source could do it. Since Romfarer is on the Dev team now, I think we will almost certainly be seeing this in the future.