So it seems we're getting a Vernier and OMS engines.

[the_bT]

Currently you can do what the new vernier engines are doing with actiongroups, that is true. But for all rotations and translations you block 6 of your 10 action groups. I find that excessive. So just for their ability to use the RCS keys as input is enough demand for me. But that feature could be implemented a lot better then with new parts. Why cant I decide as the constructor of a vehicle to what input axis an engine is linked?

It could be a tab in the current action group editing mode or something. Each axis would have its own "axis action group" and parts would add themselves to the proper group automatically like they do already with the normal action groups.

Even better would obviously to be able to link things to one of several cockpits also. Just think about how much better something like an (infernal) robotic arm would be if you could hook it up to special cockpit or maybe command seat and move it with WASD when you "control from here".

[karolus10]

Currently you can do what the new vernier engines are doing with actiongroups, that is true. But for all rotations and translations you block 6 of your 10 action groups. I find that excessive. So just for their ability to use the RCS keys as input is enough demand for me. But that feature could be implemented a lot better then with new parts. Why cant I decide as the constructor of a vehicle to what input axis an engine is linked?

It could be a tab in the current action group editing mode or something. Each axis would have its own "axis action group" and parts would add themselves to the proper group automatically like they do already with the normal action groups.

I think that this may be solved by adding RCS axis settings toggle-able like winglets and control surfaces now, but unlike control surfaces it would need 6 axis settings as we had to add both rotation and translation.

[LethalDose]

With the addition of asteroid redirect missions, I think there's a big niche to be filled for power powerful attitude control thrusters, so I'm pleased to see the vernier engines added to the game.

I get the symmetry of adding MP engines controlled by the throttle. I Don't think there's as much of a niche for [the OMS] engine as there is for the vernier engines, but better support for small MP-only vehicles will be interesting.

I'm glad they're adding these parts, it just seems weird that the first place we hear about these engines is from the new intern's post.

Holy Ker-balls. You ever have one of those moments where you realized you missed something awesome and got to figure it out for yourself?! I just realized where the "niche" that the OMS engines lies: Spaceplane design.

If (and I acknowledge this is a big "if") the OMS is powerful enough, you could build spaceplanes without unbalanced fuel loads! You can get to near orbital velocities with air-breathing jet engines burning LF, then switch to the MP-fueled OMS engines to complete your orbital insertion. There's no reason this vessel would need oxidizer, so you wouldn't need rocket fuel tanks. It would be way easier to get your fuel balance right with fewer resources to manage and no resources shared between the atmospheric and vacuum propulsion systems.

To offset the ease of design, I would expect a trade off in engine efficiency (or other balance mechanism); I would expect the OMS engines to be less efficient than LF/Ox engines, so more fuel will be required for the same dV. But again, this is the trade off for not needing to carry any oxidizer.

Interesting game depth could be created if small space planes would be more efficient with Jets & OMS engines, while large spaceplanes would be more efficient with RAPIERs or other Jet/rocket combinations.

It also helps that (in my mind) the OMS engines can be radially mounted, like on the shuttle. This would make it easier to fit the OMS engines onto single-engine jets.

Anyway, just ideas about why this is awesome. Maybe I'm just figuring out now what others have realized since the announcement.

And, crap, this just makes me want stock support of different fuels more. /sigh.