Kerbals being more petlike

[ceauke]

Hi guys

I was watching one of robbaz's youtube videos today and was wondering if there's any plans to 'automate' kerbals. Basically having them act more petlike.

Things that already work like this:

- We see the pictures of the kerbals in the capsules and how they are feeling

- Kerbal's speciality affect what bonus they give. e.g. pilots and SASS and scientists and science bonus etc.

So my proposal is:

1. How about when you dont control a kerbal for a while he can start wondering off a bit. Maybe he's outside the plane and start to look around or climb on top or inspect the wonderous ship.

2. Maybe have an option to indirectly control kerbals. e.g. point and click and they go where you want them to go. So you dont walk them 3rd person style if you dont want to

3. Kerbal interaction. e.g. if one kerbal bumps into another they may have a quick fight animation or the the other one may lose his balance etc.

4. After amazing survivals there may be a very lucky kerbal celebrating or running away from the wreckage until you get them under control again.

5. Maybe general commands that they forget. e.g. if they are doing eva, you may tell them to not use their RCS but later they forget and you have to tell them again to stop wasting fuel. (like PETS).

Basically, I think what make them cute is because we give personalities to them. So having them add more like your pets that you have to bring to order may make for even cooler events.

I needn't interrupt too much with your plans. I remember there was a comment that they wont make random failures etc. So I guess these kerbals always need to do what you tell them but after a while of not controlling them their actions may deviate a bit.

This opens up a lot of attributes for their personality:

- Obedience

- Focus

- Bravery (we have)

- Aggression

- Leadership

Thoughts?

[klgraham1013]

It may be interesting to set them on "free will", in which they would occasionally wander from there parent craft. It would add some life to those bases I've established.

Edited January 21, 2015 by klgraham1013

[RainDreamer]

I am not very sure how practical that would be, adding AI on top of this. I supposed something like more idle animation could be nice. But letting them free roam outside of player control can cause a lot of problems. Imagine what happen if you are landing multiple base modules and one of them just sort of wander under a 18 ton module when you drop it. Not gonna be pretty. The idea of having "Free Will" mode you can switch on sounds better. So players can still be in control when needed, but if they want to see the kerbal chilling around, they can just let them free.

[Wabbit]

I would love this! Kerbal personalities! Skill development! The idea of kerbals having relationships between each other, being able to have a sort of "chill out" mode, it's just awesome! SOMEONE GET THIS TO SQUAD!

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I would love this! Kerbal personalities! Skill development! The idea of kerbals having relationships between each other, being able to have a sort of "chill out" mode, it's just awesome! SOMEONE GET THIS TO SQUAD!

Also, a great thing would be moving them around inside ship modules. Maybe we can have a side view like the base in XCOM: Enemy Unknown, and you could, for example, have one kerbal in a cabin resting or doing recreational activities, one in the command pod keeping the ship in check and another processing science. This has much potential.

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This is so cool

[Slam_Jones]

I would LOVE to see Kerbals running away from crashed ships (possibly on fire xD)

[Thiagobs]

Imagine what happen if you are landing multiple base modules and one of them just sort of wander under a 18 ton module when you drop it. Not gonna be pretty.

Awwwwwwwwww man! While I understand and agree with your point, it does sound Kerbal and now I want to see that!

Idle animation would be nice.. Kerbals looking around (but not moving), somewhat loosing balance if bumped, etc. I would love to see that stock.

Maybe someone then could make a mod to give them more free will in addition of the stock idle animations, perhaps with a toggle somewhere to avoid accidents like RainDreamer stated... would be cool, but something this complex would be better as a mod.

[klgraham1013]

... being able to have a sort of "chill out" mode...

The button for this should totally be called "chill out".

[Sampa]

Squad? In the eternal words of Jean Luc Picard: "Make it so!"

[Wabbit]

The button for this should totally be called "chill out".

Yes! Chill out mode FTW!

[Wabbit]

For the idle movement, I have an idea..,

A script that executes every 30-45-60 seconds. It will consist of moving in a random direction, for a random distance (limited 5-20 meters). And they can also use ladders, will crawl around on crafts, and maybe be attracted to anomalies, interesting areas or other kerbals.

Another option would to be not making this automatic, but having an option under the kerbal's MOUSE2 menu, there could be an option for "chill out" This would mean that they are in free roam mode, and will kinda walk around, take stuff in, talk with other kerbals. Maybe, either in mission reports or in a seperate kerbal-specific menu there could be a log of what they did. (i.e. 13:04 Bill Kerman picked up a rather odd rock. He spent a while studying it, then tossed it away to go do something else.)

Tl:dr

Kerbals move around randomly every once in a while and go towards cool stuff

As for running from a near death escape or explosion/crash, maybe something where they throw their hands up in the air, make the "absolute terror" expression while waddling around in circles. Humorous, and KSP-like. If they have more courage, or BadS=true, they should walk away from the explosion slowly like an action hero.

Maybe IVA portraits will have changed since the last time you were controlling the craft. (I.E. The kerbal is checking screens and pushing buttons, but you leave for a while and come back and they're napping.)

Some of these may be a bit tall of an order, but they would bring so much more awesomeness and immersion to the game. As it is, I already imagine all my kerbals having certain personalities and traits. This would give the game so much more character.

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Squad? In the eternal words of Jean Luc Picard: "Make it so!"

Mind if I quote you on this? Because it is awesome

[klgraham1013]

Another option would to be not making this automatic, but having an option under the kerbal's MOUSE2 menu, there could be an option for "chill out" This would mean that they are in free roam mode, and will kinda walk around, take stuff in, talk with other kerbals. Maybe, either in mission reports or in a seperate kerbal-specific menu there could be a log of what they did. (i.e. 13:04 Bill Kerman picked up a rather odd rock. He spent a while studying it, then tossed it away to go do something else.)

I think the best option is a "chill out" button in the right click menu. This would prevent Kerbals from killing themselves by walking around in dangerous areas. It would still give players some agency in the matter. "Stay put Bill. You're on the edge of a cliff."

They would, of course, have an invisible tether to their parent ship. I like the idea of having them walk around, casually talking to other Kerbals who are "chilling out."

Maybe some of those forgotten animations can finally be used.

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I think a key to this feature is simplicity. Adding new traits may be beyond the scope of what would actually be needed to add more life to Kerbal-kind.

[CaptainKipard]

Squad? In the eternal words of Jean Luc Picard: "Make it so!"

Belay that order. Maybe after 1.0 Squad can think about AI. This is too big a task.

[Wabbit]

Well... If not squad...

Modding community! Do it! Please!

[klgraham1013]

Well... If not squad...

Modding community! Do it! Please!

This sounds all to familiar.

[Tuareg]

if they would have the resources to do such things i would like them to rather add valuable elements

[klgraham1013]

Belay that order. Maybe after 1.0 Squad can think about AI. This is too big a task.

if they would have the resources to do such things i would like them to rather add valuable elements

I think it's a fun idea, but understand both your points.

[KerBlam]

I like this idea... idle animations would be awesome, short of AI. Seeing them do some more interesting stuff in the IVA cam (whatever that box is called) would be good. Having them get wildly excited or scared in certain situations would be amusing, so long as they didn't do anything too stupid.

[CaLVin-K]

I really think idle animations would be a great place to start with this, as AI is a really big job.

[ceauke]

Maybe IVA portraits will have changed since the last time you were controlling the craft. (I.E. The kerbal is checking screens and pushing buttons, but you leave for a while and come back and they're napping.)

Legendary :-D

I know this can never be mission disrupting, but... even just for animation only, it will be fun to see one of them sleeping on the job and getting a fright when you click on his face - even if it does nothing mission or control-wise.

But like so many posters are saying, If it's just eye candy, then maybe squad can spend their time better. And if it's more than eye candy then we're talking about random events and random failures / incidents are for sure not in scope for the base game.

On how to implement it:

It will be cool to have it script-like. E.g. simulate key imputs. And have it trigger based. e.g. when capsule separates from vessel and altitude is 0, run 100 steps in random direction and fall down... or ... walk slowly away like a superhero. Of course it's much easier to write this in a chat window than programming it. Are the kerbal models moddable at all? e.g. can someone make a dancing animation with a kerbal if they wanted to?

[cicatrix]

Although it could be fun to watch I see no practical use for it. My main concern is EVA operations (which is kind of important with KAS). These operations require 100% 'obedience' LOL. And of course, if a Kerbal decides to wander off while on an unstable orbit this could end badly for him.

KSP is not The Sims, after all.

[prophet_01]

QUOTE=KerBlam;1672822]I like this idea... idle animations would be awesome, short of AI. Seeing them do some more interesting stuff in the IVA cam (whatever that box is called) would be good. Having them get wildly excited or scared in certain situations would be amusing, so long as they didn't do anything too stupid.

Edited January 16, 2015 by prophet_01

[Wabbit]

QUOTE=KerBlam;1672822]I like this idea... idle animations would be awesome, short of AI. Seeing them do some more interesting stuff in the IVA cam (whatever that box is called) would be good. Having them get wildly excited or scared in certain situations would be amusing, so long as they didn't do anything too stupid.

Agreed, this is what I would prefer aswell.

Oh, and there has to be a golf animation on the mun, I don't see a way around that

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Shepard

[lajoswinkler]

So my proposal is:

1. How about when you dont control a kerbal for a while he can start wondering off a bit. Maybe he's outside the plane and start to look around or climb on top or inspect the wonderous ship.

2. Maybe have an option to indirectly control kerbals. e.g. point and click and they go where you want them to go. So you dont walk them 3rd person style if you dont want to

3. Kerbal interaction. e.g. if one kerbal bumps into another they may have a quick fight animation or the the other one may lose his balance etc.

4. After amazing survivals there may be a very lucky kerbal celebrating or running away from the wreckage until you get them under control again.

5. Maybe general commands that they forget. e.g. if they are doing eva, you may tell them to not use their RCS but later they forget and you have to tell them again to stop wasting fuel. (like PETS).

Basically, I think what make them cute is because we give personalities to them. So having them add more like your pets that you have to bring to order may make for even cooler events.

1. Absolutely. KSP really lacks in this sector. The only thing we have is simple face expressions, mainly during IVA. Making characters lifelike gives birth to more complex game lore and thus magnifies PR efforts and in the end - actual sales. I don't understand the passivity regarding this problem.

2. I support it, partially. For example, you could order them to take samples by smacking a rock with a pickaxe, or to perform an experiment, etc. Important thing is to have that locally, and not to turn into typical annoying strategic game click orders and grinding of your Kerbal army.

3. I support it. We've already seen such behaviour in one of the trailers.

4. Good idea, but needs refining in order not to become tedious.

5. I don't agree because that would be against Squad's policy on random failures and would make most players miserable, as even the simplest things would become tedious.

[klgraham1013]

Although it could be fun to watch I see no practical use for it. My main concern is EVA operations (which is kind of important with KAS). These operations require 100% 'obedience' LOL. And of course, if a Kerbal decides to wander off while on an unstable orbit this could end badly for him.

KSP is not The Sims, after all.

That's why we suggested the "Chill Out" button. The player activates it.

[Wabbit]

Maybe also, if it actually comes to AI, we could do some kind of "be useful and do ****" mode, where they survey the surroundings, make some EVA reports and surface samples or get to work fixing solar panels.