Preferred vehicle and aerodynamics

[Guest]

Can we deduce that a very significant number of players enjoy the simplicity ( and the fact it """"works"""") of stock aerodynamics?

I didn't think that would be correct but after looking at these results, well, thats a chunk!

[Alshain]

Can we deduce that a very significant number of players enjoy the simplicity ( and the fact it """"works"""") of stock aerodynamics?

I didn't think that would be correct but after looking at these results, well, thats a chunk!

Well, no actually. That's exactly what LongHairedHuman was talking about. We don't know from this poll what the reason for using Stock aero is, just that they prefer it among the available options. They may not enjoy stock at all, just that they prefer it over using mods.

[Toastedbuns]

Stock and rockets. I am going to make the switch to FAR eventually, probably after a long time however since I'm soon planning my first interplanetary mission!

[Madrias]

Stock and Spaceplanes. I have nothing against FAR, actually, but I always forget to install it until I'm about halfway into a run. That, and I somewhat appreciate the simplicity of stock aerodynamics, despite it being like flying through pea-soup, and despite the obvious bugs (infinigliding, mostly) because it means I can just about grab anyone's craft and fly it if need be.

[spaceBrezel]

never tried FAR or NEAR. 50% mod options to vote.

guess my vote is invalid... keep it stock, it works

<3 planes

[LaytheAerospace]

Given my name, you'll probably be unsurprised to know that I'm FAR + Planes all the way. My goal is to run my entire space agency on spaceplanes alone. So far my efforts to build a true heavy lift plane have all failed. We need functional cargo bays!

[Levelord]

They really don't perform that differently.

Well the reason why I said it was because I've noticed that quite a few planes fly well in NEAR while the same designs can't fly at all in FAR and vice versa. So I thought that because FAR is simply a more complicated version of NEAR it's causing a marked difference in plane performance.

[Alshain]

Well the reason why I said it was because I've noticed that quite a few planes fly well in NEAR while the same designs can't fly at all in FAR and vice versa. So I thought that because FAR is simply a more complicated version of NEAR it's causing a marked difference in plane performance.

Yes, you can go from NEAR to FAR but you must right click on each wing and control surface and set the Wing Strength to approximately half the default value. That is the only reason you had trouble, the plane was too heavy after importing. NEAR has infinite wing strength so it doesn't calculate wing mass based on it.

[OhioBob]

As of right now, "Stock and Rockets" because that's all I've done. I'll probably eventually try out FAR/NEAR, but I've been holding out to see what Squad comes up with in their new aero model. I've also been holding out on playing around much with planes/spaceplanes until the new aero model is released. I'll probably always have a preference for rockets, however.

[cantab]

I'm not very good with planes, because I never really spent much time with them, because I knew how dodgy the stock aerodynamics were. I didn't want to put effort into building unrealistic planes, and I didn't want to break all my rockets by switching to FAR.

Now I have switched to FAR - a new update and a new main savefile made that a much easier step. I find it much more engaging for rocket launches, but I still haven't done that much with planes.

[Pecan]

Slightly off-topic, but I have started testing with DRE, just in case that becomes a thing in the new model. FAR/NEAR seem too specific though, since we know we aren't getting either.

[Bill Phil]

Stock and rockets.

I like the soup-o-sphere's thickness.

[RobotsAndSpaceships]

FAR+rockets, when I want planes, I'll go play War Thunder.

[Norpo]

Stock+Rockets, because i'm too lazy to get KIDS to bump the atmospheric ISP down to something reasonable for FAR in the stock system.

[RobotsAndSpaceships]

Stock+Rockets, because i'm too lazy to get KIDS to bump the atmospheric ISP down to something reasonable for FAR in the stock system.

Why? You literally just drag one folder into another. It's not that hard.

[gazzareth]

Have tried FAR & NEAR but ended up going back to stock, and will wait and see what Squad come up with in the next update. I want so much to enjoy spaceplanes, but in all honesty I find them a bit of a slog to get into orbit so at the moment it's all rockets for me.....

G

[Levelord]

Yes, you can go from NEAR to FAR but you must right click on each wing and control surface and set the Wing Strength to approximately half the default value. That is the only reason you had trouble, the plane was too heavy after importing. NEAR has infinite wing strength so it doesn't calculate wing mass based on it.

I didn't realise FAR and NEAR had tweakable wing lift values. That's nice to know. I'll give it a try!

[cantab]

I don't think it changes the lift, just the wing mass and strength.

[Renegrade]

I don't think it changes the lift, just the wing mass and strength.

That's right, it's just strength. Of course, a lighter plane has a better lift/weight ratio~

I hope some of that tweakability makes it in to stock though. The FAR/NEAR control surface tweakables would actually make a good standalone mod for stock all by themselves.

[Van Disaster]

One of the procedural wing mods + FAR -> tweakable lift!

FAR + spaceplanes for me, great satisfaction in building huge spaceplanes with low TWR.

[Janos1986]

NEAR, FAR, wherever you are, I believe that stock rockets will go on.

[Streetwind]

Rockets represent!

I'm just not a plane person, they don't come as natural to me. I am generally not patient enough to fiddle endlessly over a plane's balance in the SPH, then fly a long and uneventful ascent, then fly a long and uneventful descent, then screw the landing approach up four times, then get frustrated, make a mistake and lose the "reusable" craft and its payload and its pilots and all the science it gathered. I can fly three successful missions with rockets in the time it takes me to fail one with a spaceplane.

However that's not to say I don't ever use planes. Sometimes I do, for atmospheric science and contracts. I've even launched satellites with spaceplanes before (once...). They're just not my favorite.

I'm also one of those "weirdos" who runs FAR despite being a rocketeer. I've played entire saves with stock and didn't mind it too much, but given the choice, I ultimately prefer an atmospheric model that acts more believable. I want my arrow-shaped rockets to benefit from being arrow-shaped, and point in the right direction as a result of it. I like the concept of using fairings, and the challenge of stuffing payloads into them. It irks me if I have to fly up several kilometers before I can start to pitch over, or if I can essentially turn the rocket sideways mid-flight and it won't even do anything. Breaks my immersion, if you know what I mean.

[SkyRender]

Just for the interesting challenges, I build spaceplanes in FAR a lot nowadays. I've learned a great deal in the process about why various features are included on commercial airplanes, such as the iconic "cruciform tail" and "T-tail" configurations. Hint: they make it much easier to steer in thicker atmospheric conditions! Just... don't try to over-pitch. You will have a bad time.

[LordFjord]

Interesting poll results so far. I thought that people use FAR primarily for planes, but there's a lot more FAR rocket builders than I thought.

Also interesting that it's roughly half-half stock/FAR.

Currently stock souposphere pilot here. But that changes often.

I have tried both FAR and NEAR in the past but on each new KSP version I start stock again and begin the "add more and more mods" game again.

Soon it's FAR time again.

[prophet_01]

FAR rockets usually and once in a while a shuttle. I don't like the reduced delta-v requirements, but stock aero is just not my cup of tea. After trying out FAR there was no turning back for me

edit: thinking about it, flying planes in FAR was the decisive point. But in career I can't use em as much since they are unlocked rather late and I couldn't stop myself from starting a new career with every new release...

Edited January 21, 2015 by prophet_01