OKTO2 Probe has no torque!

[X-SR71]

So I launch this new satellite to Duna and all is well, until I separate the satellite so it can adjust its orbit on its own LV-1 engine, only to realize the OKTO2 Probe (the flat one) has no embedded reaction wheels now!

Be mindful when building probes and using the OKTO2. It's a tad difficult to adjust orbits without being able to turn...

[Xavven]

Hope your engine gimbals!

[liweih]

Yeah, I made the same mistake too. The old experience did not work in new version. After that, I checked every part I unlocked carefully.

[SkyRender]

Yep, Stayputnik and OKTO2 are both what you could call "depreciated" cores now. Though for an auto-rover of some heft, the OKTO2 generally works just fine. For any sort of mission that requires control, stick to OKTO, HEKS, and the larger cores.

[Norpo]

Hm, didn't know about this; it makes sense though, the OKTO2 was really the best probe-core due to it's weight (or rather, severe lackthereof) before.

Edited December 23, 2014 by Norpo

[GigaG]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

R.I.P. OKTO2 2013-2014

(Seriously, though, the QBE got the same treatment. I actually just posted about the possibility of using it with a reaction wheel and battery instead of a normal OKTO.)

[OhioBob]

So I launch this new satellite to Duna and all is well, until I separate the satellite so it can adjust its orbit on its own LV-1 engine, only to realize the OKTO2 Probe (the flat one) has no embedded reaction wheels now!

I had that problem too, though it was a mission that was already in progress before updating to 0.90. Before starting a new career game I decided to finish up a game that was I already in the middle of. I've had at least one mission rendered inoperable because of this issue. I hope I don't find that more of my probes won't work when they get to their destinations.

[rabidninjawombat]

Just found this out myself after my probe arrived at Duna Makes sense...But no gimbleing engines.. poor thing.

[MalfunctionM1Ke]

Companion-QBE all the way

with a Reaction Wheel of course

[Brotoro]

I have OKTO2 probe cores on several dozen ships spread around the Kerbol system, so this change made me very sad.

Come on, Squad! Give the OKTO2 at least a small amount of torque so that all my smal probes can operate again. Pretty please.

[eddiew]

Assuming OCTO2 has SAS but not torque, it should have a niche for ferrying lone scientists/engineers around without a pilot. Admittedly the use of this varies on your style of play... I use Contract Science Modifier so field science is all I have. Seems worth rushing probe cores to be able to send Bill (or is it Bob?) out on his own to Mun and Minmus!

[Corw]

I have OKTO2 probe cores on several dozen ships spread around the Kerbol system, so this change made me very sad.

Come on, Squad! Give the OKTO2 at least a small amount of torque so that all my smal probes can operate again. Pretty please.

You could save your carrier by editing the config files.

[magnemoe]

Yep, Stayputnik and OKTO2 are both what you could call "depreciated" cores now. Though for an auto-rover of some heft, the OKTO2 generally works just fine. For any sort of mission that requires control, stick to OKTO, HEKS, and the larger cores.

Octo2 should also work nice as an autopilot on a pod also for ships who need additional reaction wheel modules so it kind of makes sense here. The Stayputnik is more pointless as it also misses sas.

[Joonatan1998]

It is the lightest probe core, I think it should be very basic.

[zarakon]

The basic reaction wheel is a probe-size part now, and is only 0.05 mass. Just throw one of those on there.

OKTO2 plus a wheel still weighs slightly less than an OKTO or HECS, with a lot more torque and more SAS options. The two parts together are also still smaller than the other probe cores

Edited December 23, 2014 by zarakon

[Red Iron Crown]

It is the lightest probe core, I think it should be very basic.

The QBE is lighter now.

Edited December 23, 2014 by Red Iron Crown

[LethalDose]

I haven't had the chance to play 0.90 much, but It sounds like there's no longer a one-size-fits-all probe core, or at least not to the degree there was before 0.90. I think this is a good change.

[Franklin]

i assumed this is why the small inline reaction wheel was moved up in the tech tree

[numerobis]

I haven't had the chance to play 0.90 much, but It sounds like there's no longer a one-size-fits-all probe core, or at least not to the degree there was before 0.90. I think this is a good change.

Agreed. I always wanted a reason to use other probe cores than the OKTO2. Career mode made the stayputnik useful (as the first probe core). Tradeoffs make for fun times.

[RocketPilot573]

Before the OKTO2 had more torque than the OKTO1... But I think 0 torque is a bit too much of a nerf.

[moogoob]

I'm fine with it being simple - it's absolutely tiny so it's got no room for wheels! I think of it more like a server bank - adds control and stability but needs other infrastructure (RCS, reaction wheel parts) to actually manouver.

What about the nerfing of battery on the OKTO2 to 1 unit?

[waterlubber]

IMHO, it needs a reaction wheel. I love making extremely low footprint probes.

Just enough torque to budge a couple of oscars, please squad.

[Odielthen]

I'm glad I saw this thread. I was about to send one on a mission to Eve!

[Renegrade]

I like the new division between full probe cores with reaction wheels and those without. I make great use of the reaction wheel-less ones for things like one-capsule rescue craft, or adding SAS to something piloted by an engineer or scientist. That even lets me simulate really simple life support. Also, now we have two probe cores that actually get used in the end game (HECS and QUBE) rather than just one (OCTO2).

The only real problem I see here is that the progression is kinda iffy. On the reaction wheel-less models, going from Stayputnik to QUBE is a nice upgrade (mass goes down, impact resistance goes up, SAS becomes available), but going to the OCTO2 is a letdown (it's heavier, and costlier, drains more power and the extra SAS features are kinda useless).

For ones with reaction wheels, going from OCTO to HECS is a minor upgrade (torque increases), but then going to the small RGU increases power drain, and greatly increases cost, and all you really get is maneuver hold.

Squad should really take another look at that and make the progression smoother. Making the torque-less modules mass in at 80kg, 40kg, and then 30kg would make more sense than 50-30-40 (Sputnik 1 was about 80 kilos). And then look at energy drains and such.

What about the nerfing of battery on the OKTO2 to 1 unit?

Not really significant (it's showing as 2 here btw); they were mostly like 10 before, which is irrelevant compared to the scale of batteries and power demands (Z-100s are almost free, and massless...)

I'd like to see better internal batteries across the board. I don't think it would kill Squad to start at 100 and go up from there.

[SlyReaper]

I found this out the hard way. Was using ion engines, so not only was it no gimbaling, it was also really expensive!