Do you still use the old rotation keys?

[Superfluous J]

I don't know why, but for some reason deep down in my psyche I feel that the rotation gizmo is... not cheating... but... taking the easy road. I still find myself, most of the time, using the old rotation keys (and fiddling with them incessantly until I find the right one. Every time) and only resorting to the rotation gizmo when I simply can't get what I want.

Whenever I DO use the gizmo, it's simple, clean, and I wonder why I didn't go to it earlier. But the next time I need to rotate something, right back to the old method I go.

I don't have a similar issue with the translation gizmo. I go to it frequently and with fervor, excitedly sliding whatever piece I get my hands on exactly where I want it like never before.

Am I alone in this, or so others share my madness?

[sdj64]

I use the editor tool sometimes but not usually. The editor tool is useful for rotating stack mounted things or making things the perfect angle since it's capable of fine-tuning. The rotator keys are better for if you need a specific angle, say 90 degrees or 45 degrees, and for quick editing they are faster if you're already used to them. Also if you're making long wings or other structures that need multiple parts at the same angle, your editor tool rotations will be a bit off. Of course, this is with angle snap off since it glitches a lot with snap on.

I've been using the translation tool a lot now for times I've had to offset something without needing to use cubic struts. Saves a lot on part count! Also handy for aesthetic clipping of all kinds.

[Aragosnat]

Yes. I use the keys still too. Just trained to use them I guess.

[Rabada]

I find it a bit quicker if I use the old rotation keys for most things, and the gizmo for fine adjustments.

Also, I use 4x symmerty at a 45 degree angle a lot, and I know that pressing q or e 9 times will rotate a part exactly 45 degrees

[Merinsan]

The biggest problem with the gizmo is it only works for attached parts. Because of that I'll be trying to get the part right before attaching it, and that means rotating first. I do however find myself using the gizmo for fine rotations a lot.

[Captain Sierra]

I've stopped using SHIFT+WASDQE almost entirely. I'll still use them for major 90* rotations but any fine alterations (and when i can't get the orientation I want with the old keys) I go straight to tapping 3 over fighting with the keys.

[Frank_G]

Yes, for some tasks they are better than the gizmos. Usually i use the keys for basic setup of the craft and the Gizmos for tweaking and streamlining. And as Gizmos are stock KSP gameplay, they are by no means cheats. Now its a decision if you like to restrain yourself, by allowing yourself to only click parts together or use full gameplay mechanics.

[RocketPilot573]

I usually use WASDQE and shift WASDQE, however if I need to really fine tune something, or need to rotate something without detaching the part, then I'll use the gizmo.

[Norpo]

I'll admit, I forgot all about the gizmos.

I guess i'll need to use them more often, eh?

[Superfluous J]

Yes, for some tasks they are better than the gizmos. Usually i use the keys for basic setup of the craft and the Gizmos for tweaking and streamlining. And as Gizmos are stock KSP gameplay, they are by no means cheats. Now its a decision if you like to restrain yourself, by allowing yourself to only click parts together or use full gameplay mechanics.

Don't get me wrong: I agree with you here. Using the gizmo for ANYTHING is totally fine. Smart, in fact.

I just can't get my lizard brain to accept it

[WWEdeadman]

I am just so used to using the rotation keys, that I'm just not even thinking about using the rotation gizmo most of the time. Only when I want to turn something seamlessly I actually use it. I really only used it for the Engines on my Space Shuttle so far.

[vexx32]

I tend to reserve the gizmo for fine adjustments. It's a lot easier to use to adjust the rotation of a part once it's already placed with it, and it's considerably easier to align it correctly with already-placed parts using the gizmo.

But for a lot of things, like rotating a part so I can place it in a stack properly, or just changing the angle I'm building at, the rotation keys are more convenient.

[Taki117]

I too use the old rotator keys, and I don't generally use the translator thingy at all.

[LordFerret]

Wait... are we talking about the gizmos in the VAB?... or the navball gizmos while out in flight?

I don't use gizmos in the VAB, except for the one which allows you to change the anchor(?)/base part(?) for dragging the whole assembly around.

Out in space, I only rely on the navball gizmos for fine tuning per say ... after I move manually, and if there's time for fine adjustment. Overall, I find they waste RCS, and overshoot a lot especially with large vessels. The one exception is the retrograde hold, which is helpful during descents. It would be nice if those buttons could be mapped to keys.

[tater]

I have yet to use the gizmo, I forgot it was there. I rarely rotate anything, though, and would not if it clipped, anyway.

[kujuman]

I really wish the gizmos didn't have the dang gui toolbar thing. Because I always end up clicking over to it rather than using 1-4. In short, my mouse hand gets quite a workout.

More seriously, the gizmos are still buggy enough (having to reselect parts sometimes when changing modes, having to click a few times before the part changes) that I try to avoid them for gross adjustments. Once I'm just tweaking for fashion (as dasvaldez would say) I do use the gizmos a bit more. Although TBH, the one part I could not use were it not for gizmos is the slanted elevon (Elevon 5 I think) because getting it oriented correctly is a nightmare. And even when it's close, it's still off.

I have a love-hate (mostly hate) relationship with that dang elevon.

[Superfluous J]

Wait... are we talking about the gizmos in the VAB?... or the navball gizmos while out in flight?

The one exception is the retrograde hold, which is helpful during descents.

'

I'm talking about VAB. I didn't know the ones in flight were also called gizmos I also like retrograde during descent but with newer pilots and probes I also like holding prograde on ejection burns where you set up a maneuver node to only go prograde. You have to watch it more but not having to keep it on the marker is nice.

I have a love-hate (mostly hate) relationship with that dang elevon.

[Engineer of Stuff]

I use the gizmo for the large movements.

[LordFerret]

' ... I didn't know the ones in flight were also called gizmos ...

In my book, anything I can't remember the name of is a 'gizmo', 'gadget', 'do-hicky', 'thing-a-ma-bob', etc. lol

[Kerano]

I use the old WASDQE hotkeys for almost everything. The new rotation gizmos are very handy when dealing with the finicky details of small stuff like rovers though. Adjusting ladder angles, wheel offsets, monoprop engine angles, and changing the root part to a docking port once the rover is done and I want to connect it to something else (e.g. a Mk3 cargo bay). Though I only use the new gizmos a small proportion of the time, they're invaluable when I do need them.

Edited January 9, 2015 by Kerano

[leopardenthusiast]

I tend to use the keys to flip things around to attach properly, and to make vertically symmetrical things in the SPH (count the steps). However, for anything that needs to be rotated on more than one axis, or anything that I don't want rotated by a specific number of steps, I use the rotation tool.

[SpenSpaceCorp]

I find that the gizmos take a lot of frustration and time out of what is essentially the same end result.

[SkyRender]

Honestly, the only gizmo I personally ever use is the re-root one. It's not that I dislike the gizmos; I think they're brilliant, actually. It's just that I've been using the (Shift +) WASDQE controls for part manipulation for around 3 years now. It's pretty much the definition of "old habits die hard"!

[Hannu]

I am used to adjust angle before attaching and use the keys. Sometimes I make fine adjustment with gizmo. In my opinion the gizmo is ruined by leaving angle display away. It is easier to count keypresses than mouse moves. I can not understand why Squad feels it so disgusting to give any technical information, which is absolutely essential in this kind of engineering game.

[merendel]

I use the keys because I've been useing them so long. mostly I just forget the gizomos are there untill I hit a tricky alignment that just does not want to line up properly. Gear bays in particular were always a problem before as they were mounted on odd angles more often than not and the rotations to get them lined up were not always intuitive. They are nice tools to have but alot of the stuff I need to rotate are the 90degree angles anyway and thats faster with keys if your used to them.