Do people still use mechjeb?

[JayKay]

I started using MechJeb fairly early on with my first sandbox install, so I didn't have a lot of experience with powered landings (crashes?) when I installed it. When I started my career install, I also added MechJeb, but found that it gave very little automation early on, so I had to learn how to land, which I did, and became proficient at it. I never really had any problem with rendezvous or launches or setting up encounters with Kerbin's moons. I also found Mechjeb's autodock to be painful and can do a much better job on my own.

Now I have all the Mechjeb features working again, and I do use some of them. I like using it to launch because I would rather watch the ship go up than have to steer it all the way. Mostly I use it for information and to avoid tedium, and when I can do it better, I usually do it myself. It's a tool, to save time and work. Then again, I'm the sort of person who can sit there and watch a ship orbit for 20 minutes without getting bored, so I don't find the challenge of doing everything manually very compelling.

JK

[Raven.]

I've started using MechJeb recently, mainly due to the same reasoning of avoiding tedium. However, I do think that before using the full feature set of MechJeb, that people do need to learn at the very least basic piloting skills.

[RuBisCO]

It should be pointed out that mechjeb in career mode is implemented in piecemeal, so that the player has to earn new autopilot capabilities roughly after achieving them manually.

[Wyseman76]

This topic is like the common cold it shows up every so often and the same information about the community demographic with respect to MechJeb is distilled.

Some people use it because they need it.

Some people use it for basic convenience but could go without it.

Some people like its information tabs but don't use the assisted features.

Some people don't use it.

Some people don't use it and express a negative attitude toward those that do.

Each group has its own reasons for being in its said group.

The last group on the other hand should just let it go, oh and it isn't without irony that sometimes it is someone from the last group that starts these threads. That is when the moderators step in to save the day.

Oh MechJeb you controversial mod you

Edited March 27, 2014 by Wyseman76

[MajorSystemError]

I have absolutely no words I could possibly use to describe how sick I am of these threads. Wyseman seems to have expressed it in the best possible way, and I think from now on I'll just cut and paste his response every time someone brings up this stupid topic. Thank you Wyseman.

Some people use it because they need it.

Some people use it for basic convenience but could go without it.

Some people like its information tabs but don't use the assisted features.

Some people don't use it.

Some people don't use it and express a negative attitude toward those that do.

Now everybody just get over yourselves and get back to topics with some actual relevance please, this one has been beaten to death too many times.

[regex]

Some people use it because they need it.

Some people use it for basic convenience but could go without it.

Some people like its information tabs but don't use the assisted features.

Some people don't use it.

Some people don't use it and express a negative attitude toward those that do.

You're missing one:

Some people use it and are incredibly touchy about how other people think about them using it.

This is why these sorts of threads are made, they're easy bait for touchy people.

[jwenting]

you forgot more: people that use it but claim they don't AND scream their heads off how others should not be allowed to use it.

Which if you ask me is likely the majority of the haters.

[JedTech]

Well put. He sounds like a very Wyseman. I think I will subscribe to his teachings.

[ScottyDoesKnow]

Forgot one: inclination changes when you you're on an escape orbit so the aN/dN don't show up.

[LawnDartLeo]

Were there a mod that would let me accurately burn (an input window that would let punch in burn parameters), I might surrender it. KOS is almost that kind of mod but it doesn't behave well with the mods I use under all circumstances.

[Wyseman76]

You're missing one:

Some people use it and are incredibly touchy about how other people think about them using it.

This is why these sorts of threads are made, they're easy bait for touchy people.

That is a matter of opinion, yours being that the DEV's intended us to play without it.

I don't really see a bunch of woe-is-me people in here crying that some Anti MechJeb user is sitting behind their desk raging that people have access to it. But it is clear there are plenty of people who feel that MechJeb is Cheating and/or Removes the spirit of the stock game, which, By all intensive purposes is a fair opinion, but an opinion none the less.

The sad thing is that instead of just playing how people wish they come here and let their opinions breach the threshold of fair discussion into the realm of sour banter.

[regex]

The sad thing is that instead of just playing how people wish they come here and let their opinions breach the threshold of fair discussion into the realm of sour banter.

I agree with that. It's pretty sad when people just can't play how they want and instead feel that any contrary opinion is somehow inflammatory or more than an opinion. This is what I mean by "touchy"; you can't state an opinion around here without someone thinking it reflects on how they play.

[dbreed]

I agree with that. It's pretty sad when people just can't play how they want and instead feel that any contrary opinion is somehow inflammatory or more than an opinion. This is what I mean by "touchy"; you can't state an opinion around here without someone thinking it reflects on how they play.

Because you're certainly not trying to rile anyone by saying you play the game "the way the devs intended".

[GreatWyrmGold]

I pretty much only use MechJeb for the convenient information and some with the smart A.S.S. for maneuver nodes (useful when I can't find them, or for longer burns) or sometimes when I'm landing. The maneuver node editor is also useful, although I've never remembered to use it when it's been available.

[regex]

Because you're certainly not trying to rile anyone by saying you play the game "the way the devs intended".

I'm actually not (and if it does rile you up I argue that it says more about your emotional state than about my intentions). If the devs intended you to play with an autopilot they would have included it or stated their desire to add such things. Since the devs have, on multiple occasions, stated that they don't want autopilotey sorts of things in the base game, I can feel confident saying that I am playing the game the way the devs intended.

... Well, at least from that angle; I mod the crap out of KSP otherwise.

[OdinYggd]

The last few pages look to me like people are getting a bit riled up, or at least presenting their opinions in a way that could make others assume they are being attacked. Just take it easy, perhaps that isn't the intention here.

All of the improvements to the stock SAS have really reduced how necessary mechjeb is for people relying on it to provide accurate steering for their craft. That was why I originally started using it way back in 0.14- I got annoyed by the SAS of the time being so strange and not maintaining set direction even with an absurd number of SAS pods onboard.

I still do use mechjeb though, as over time it has gone from being a simple autolaunch and steering aid to having some nice capabilities for data handling and planning.

Situations like this: http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/597032953638769045/2077A7733932FABD576D2EAE00EBA5FF65886FFE/

It is really nice to be able to get tonnage and dV on a per-stage basis in the VAB. Yes there are other mods that do this, but I already have everything set up using Mechjeb's custom window editor to make that nice overview of what the craft's capabilities are.

The other thing I really use mechjeb for is I have a window configured as a 'dashboard'. It shows current tonnage, TWR, dV in the current stage, RCS dV, and steering error. Using just that information on top of the stock displays, I can know at all times what condition my craft is in and if its performance is within expected values. Some of my designs have to have banks of reaction wheels switched on and off as tonnages and configurations change, the steering error figure helps when making that decision.

Here's an example of this dashboard- as seen in 0.21 on a craft that exceeded the speed of light.

So yes it has its uses, especially for the information gathering and calculation abilities moreso than the automation. And yes, the MET in that speed of light picture is without physwarp. I launched this straight up with mechjeb set to prograde and went to sleep. When I woke up, it was full of stars.

Edited April 4, 2014 by OdinYggd