There's remoteTech, which adds the need for a comms network of satellites for remote probes.
There's Infernal Robotics, which adds articulated parts (I should probably get this mod, but like I said, I don't like parts mods)
A big one people like is MechJeb, a kind of autopilot to help with maneuvers.
And a favourite of mine, but only for making videos: KerbCam
Cool, that's exactly what I was thinking of.
It is not NEARLY as cool in practise as it sounds.
Every time I see people talk about RemoteTech, it confirms I made the right decision in not installing it.
I love it, but I've also gotten really good at sending up a rocket with a payload of 10 or so CommSats, and I tend not to do anything with it until I've got the tech tree nearly maxed as another challenge. It makes building the network very easy. 5 CommSats in Keosynchronous orbit, 2 opposite of each other in polar orbits with dishes pointed at the active ship at a 2000km height orbit means you have constant contact. Then to guarantee system wide coverage I'll put another CommSat in the same orbit as Kerbin but on the other side of the Sun.
Plus, every launch is mannedkanned kerbal'd because why not?
I've also got over 350 hours of flight and building time since I got this on steam, which is a gross understatement of my true time spent with this game. Looking at the version history I've been playing since initial release since I remember not having SAS at first. My computer though can't handle much complexity in ships (a launch with 50 some parts will take me 10+ real world minutes to get into a stable LKO while the game timer says it only took 3 minutes), so I have to add complexity/difficulty in other ways than getting crazy ships to space
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Dhalphirdon't you open that trapdooryou're a fool if you dareRegistered Userregular
After the first time I spent two hours finetuning orbital periods, I disabled remotetech.
I actually still build commsats, but I build an abstract network that wouldn't necessarily work if RemoteTech WAS enabled, but is still enough of a time investment where I don't feel like unmanned missions with free connectivity are cheating. The fun part of building a commsat network is designing and launching the satellites - finetuning their orbits is tedious as fuck, and that's the only part that I skip by disabling RemoteTech.
Yeah... the game is sufficiently complex for me at the moment (this is rather and understatement). I just like space, and space infrastructure. I haven't even returned a dude from Mun yet, so I've got longgg way to go before I run out of stuff to do.
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Nova_CI have the needThe need for speedRegistered Userregular
edited May 2014
Welp, I removed a couple pieces from the Mun Lab since I was bringing up the refueling connection for the flying rover and built it so that it simplified the whole refueling process. And now docking ports stopped working.
So I can't attach anything to the Mun Lab anymore. Even after quitting and restarting.
And since the section that got removed was the liquid fuel converter and the science pod, the Mun Lab is now functionless.
EDIT: I should say docking ports on the Mun Lab stopped working.
I dunno if I can just rebuild the whole thing from scratch, but I really don't want to.
Have you tried driving the Mun lab more than 2.3km away from the other ship and then back? I could see exiting physics range and returning might reset something broken maybe
After the first time I spent two hours finetuning orbital periods, I disabled remotetech.
I wouldn't run RemoteTech without mechjeb as well. Setting an orbit to have an apoapsis and periapsis of 2868.7500km (Keosynchronous orbit) is pretty trivial for a small probe using mechjeb, and I haven't had any problem with orbits changing or CommSats drifting apart. To keep the same distance of objects in space they have to have the exact same orbit. Even a single meter difference in Apoapsis or periapsis will change their separations over time.
It absolutely isn't for everyone, but when you are able to get it working it feels great.
After the first time I spent two hours finetuning orbital periods, I disabled remotetech.
I wouldn't run RemoteTech without mechjeb as well. Setting an orbit to have an apoapsis and periapsis of 2868.7500km (Keosynchronous orbit) is pretty trivial for a small probe using mechjeb, and I haven't had any problem with orbits changing or CommSats drifting apart. To keep the same distance of objects in space they have to have the exact same orbit. Even a single meter difference in Apoapsis or periapsis will change their separations over time.
It absolutely isn't for everyone, but when you are able to get it working it feels great.
You don't have to be that precise about altitude, though. With Kerbal Engineer, as long as you get the orbital period to exactly 6 hours, you can be off by a large margin on inclination and apoapsis/periapsis and still not have the satellites drift significantly over time. And since burning radially doesn't alter your period, you can point like 85 degrees pitch to help fine-tune the orbital period.
After the first time I spent two hours finetuning orbital periods, I disabled remotetech.
I wouldn't run RemoteTech without mechjeb as well. Setting an orbit to have an apoapsis and periapsis of 2868.7500km (Keosynchronous orbit) is pretty trivial for a small probe using mechjeb, and I haven't had any problem with orbits changing or CommSats drifting apart. To keep the same distance of objects in space they have to have the exact same orbit. Even a single meter difference in Apoapsis or periapsis will change their separations over time.
It absolutely isn't for everyone, but when you are able to get it working it feels great.
You don't have to be that precise about altitude, though. With Kerbal Engineer, as long as you get the orbital period to exactly 6 hours, you can be off by a large margin on inclination and apoapsis/periapsis and still not have the satellites drift significantly over time. And since burning radially doesn't alter your period, you can point like 85 degrees pitch to help fine-tune the orbital period.
If you don't care about being perfectly geosynchronous and stay over the same spot on the ground at all times, sure. As long as all the probes have the same orbital period, regardless of apo/periapsis, they'll stay at the same distance. The easiest way to keep them where you want them though is just giving them the same Apo/periapsis regardless of height
One save I had 4 geosynchronous CommSats that couldn't see/reach each other, but then put 4 ground communication installations at points between the satellites to act as relays for the CommSats and as the deep space communications as well. Worked pretty good, just not as good as the 2 polar orbits working in concert.
Welp, I removed a couple pieces from the Mun Lab since I was bringing up the refueling connection for the flying rover and built it so that it simplified the whole refueling process. And now docking ports stopped working.
So I can't attach anything to the Mun Lab anymore. Even after quitting and restarting.
And since the section that got removed was the liquid fuel converter and the science pod, the Mun Lab is now functionless.
EDIT: I should say docking ports on the Mun Lab stopped working.
I dunno if I can just rebuild the whole thing from scratch, but I really don't want to.
Could it be that the new part you are trying to connect have their docking ports flipped? As in, installed in the wrong direction?
Frugus on
Frugus Eggbeater
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Dhalphirdon't you open that trapdooryou're a fool if you dareRegistered Userregular
After the first time I spent two hours finetuning orbital periods, I disabled remotetech.
I wouldn't run RemoteTech without mechjeb as well. Setting an orbit to have an apoapsis and periapsis of 2868.7500km (Keosynchronous orbit) is pretty trivial for a small probe using mechjeb, and I haven't had any problem with orbits changing or CommSats drifting apart. To keep the same distance of objects in space they have to have the exact same orbit. Even a single meter difference in Apoapsis or periapsis will change their separations over time.
It absolutely isn't for everyone, but when you are able to get it working it feels great.
I agree, a nicely built commsat network looks really nice. However, even with Mechjeb, you are still spending a non-trivial amount of time thrusting with RCS to finetune your orbital period. I would rather just put four satellites into orbit in roughly circular orbits, mentally pretend that they have the same orbital period and are a functional network, but not actually run the mod. That way I get all the fun of building the satellites, and launching them with a shuttle or spaceplane is always fun too. But I don't have to deal with
a) orbital periods
b) Potential bugs in the mod where things don't work
c) Guesstimating antenna ranges on interplanetary missions
What ends up happening when I have RT2 installed is that I patiently design and construct an elaborate commsat network around Kerbin. Then when it's time to go to the Mun, I construct a similar one around the Mun with a nice relay system, althoough it's not QUITE as precisely engineered as the first because I'm losing patience.
And then when I go to Duna, I lose patience entirely and just send a Kerbal.
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ShogunHair long; money long; me and broke wizards we don't get alongRegistered Userregular
KSP is the midweek madness on Steam. Currently $16.19 until friday. Best chance to get it on sale until the Summer Sale probably.
Also RT2 is the most tedious thing in the history of tedium.
I love RemoteTech, but it can certainly be a lot of tedium to set up. Especially when you're an idiot (like me) and design your comm sats without enough dishes to...actually "comm" effectively. My advice, if you use RT2, is to avoid geosynchronous orbit and just build 3-4 satellites around the equator that are at an altitude to a) ensure one always has LOS to KSC, and b) ensure they all have LOS to each other around Kerbin. Then, one polar satellite at a high altitude (1-2mkm) with lots of big, fat dishes to relay signal to interplanetary missions.
Match the equatorial satellites to the same orbital period, rather than altitude, since that's a hell of a lot easier. Fine-control RCS (with caps lock) is your friend. Or just HyperEdit in the network if you like the challenge of communication windows without stupid fiddly orbits.
Here's the first two stages of the Leviathan II, aka Project SPACETRAIN
The kethane scanner is just above the cockpit, so scanning a planet gives you a great view. The ship's belly is facing the camera.
I'm thinking I'll add a middle section with landers on the sides. Yes, that's a supergiant engine and six LV-30s. This spacetrain has no brakes.
So, like all great endeavors, my space program had a minor setback. While on a routine mission to put the basis of my space station, Argo II, in orbit, I encountered a minor staging snag. The snag consisted of decoupling from my fuel and thrusters, trapping Tom, Ed and Sigrim in orbit. Several rescue attempts failed. The boys in the lab said that we just needed a bit more science and we could come up with the necessary computing power to help guide us to the stranded capsule.
I needed to unlock the docking stuff on MechJeb. I tried doing it manually half a dozen times.
Up stepped brave, and appropriately named, Heroly Kerman. A Kerbal who bravely and stoically dozed in the meeting while everybody else called "Not it." He also had the great honor of being able to be the first to pilot the new Chaddus class of lander. Suffice to say, Heroly became not only the second Kerbal on Minmus, he also became the first to accomplish biome hopping.
I scrapped my previous 5 tank/engine design. It made for a smoother launch. It didn't look as cool, though.
After returning with a hefty load of over 1,000 science, the engineers were able to come up with the required computing power. Then, a daring rescue mission led by none other than Jebediah Kerman himself was successful in bringing poor Tom, Ed and Sigrim home safe and sound.
I think that the mental stories that I make up for the Kerbals while I'm playing are as much fun as the actual game.
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Every time I see people talk about RemoteTech, it confirms I made the right decision in not installing it.
It sounds goddamn tedious.
Plus, every launch is manned kanned kerbal'd because why not?
I've also got over 350 hours of flight and building time since I got this on steam, which is a gross understatement of my true time spent with this game. Looking at the version history I've been playing since initial release since I remember not having SAS at first. My computer though can't handle much complexity in ships (a launch with 50 some parts will take me 10+ real world minutes to get into a stable LKO while the game timer says it only took 3 minutes), so I have to add complexity/difficulty in other ways than getting crazy ships to space
I actually still build commsats, but I build an abstract network that wouldn't necessarily work if RemoteTech WAS enabled, but is still enough of a time investment where I don't feel like unmanned missions with free connectivity are cheating. The fun part of building a commsat network is designing and launching the satellites - finetuning their orbits is tedious as fuck, and that's the only part that I skip by disabling RemoteTech.
So I can't attach anything to the Mun Lab anymore. Even after quitting and restarting.
And since the section that got removed was the liquid fuel converter and the science pod, the Mun Lab is now functionless.
EDIT: I should say docking ports on the Mun Lab stopped working.
I dunno if I can just rebuild the whole thing from scratch, but I really don't want to.
I wouldn't run RemoteTech without mechjeb as well. Setting an orbit to have an apoapsis and periapsis of 2868.7500km (Keosynchronous orbit) is pretty trivial for a small probe using mechjeb, and I haven't had any problem with orbits changing or CommSats drifting apart. To keep the same distance of objects in space they have to have the exact same orbit. Even a single meter difference in Apoapsis or periapsis will change their separations over time.
It absolutely isn't for everyone, but when you are able to get it working it feels great.
You don't have to be that precise about altitude, though. With Kerbal Engineer, as long as you get the orbital period to exactly 6 hours, you can be off by a large margin on inclination and apoapsis/periapsis and still not have the satellites drift significantly over time. And since burning radially doesn't alter your period, you can point like 85 degrees pitch to help fine-tune the orbital period.
If you don't care about being perfectly geosynchronous and stay over the same spot on the ground at all times, sure. As long as all the probes have the same orbital period, regardless of apo/periapsis, they'll stay at the same distance. The easiest way to keep them where you want them though is just giving them the same Apo/periapsis regardless of height
One save I had 4 geosynchronous CommSats that couldn't see/reach each other, but then put 4 ground communication installations at points between the satellites to act as relays for the CommSats and as the deep space communications as well. Worked pretty good, just not as good as the 2 polar orbits working in concert.
Could it be that the new part you are trying to connect have their docking ports flipped? As in, installed in the wrong direction?
I agree, a nicely built commsat network looks really nice. However, even with Mechjeb, you are still spending a non-trivial amount of time thrusting with RCS to finetune your orbital period. I would rather just put four satellites into orbit in roughly circular orbits, mentally pretend that they have the same orbital period and are a functional network, but not actually run the mod. That way I get all the fun of building the satellites, and launching them with a shuttle or spaceplane is always fun too. But I don't have to deal with
a) orbital periods
b) Potential bugs in the mod where things don't work
c) Guesstimating antenna ranges on interplanetary missions
What ends up happening when I have RT2 installed is that I patiently design and construct an elaborate commsat network around Kerbin. Then when it's time to go to the Mun, I construct a similar one around the Mun with a nice relay system, althoough it's not QUITE as precisely engineered as the first because I'm losing patience.
And then when I go to Duna, I lose patience entirely and just send a Kerbal.
Also RT2 is the most tedious thing in the history of tedium.
Shogun Streams Vidya
Match the equatorial satellites to the same orbital period, rather than altitude, since that's a hell of a lot easier. Fine-control RCS (with caps lock) is your friend. Or just HyperEdit in the network if you like the challenge of communication windows without stupid fiddly orbits.
New thread! This one is old. Do not use this one.
The kethane scanner is just above the cockpit, so scanning a planet gives you a great view. The ship's belly is facing the camera.
I'm thinking I'll add a middle section with landers on the sides. Yes, that's a supergiant engine and six LV-30s. This spacetrain has no brakes.
Up stepped brave, and appropriately named, Heroly Kerman. A Kerbal who bravely and stoically dozed in the meeting while everybody else called "Not it." He also had the great honor of being able to be the first to pilot the new Chaddus class of lander. Suffice to say, Heroly became not only the second Kerbal on Minmus, he also became the first to accomplish biome hopping.
After returning with a hefty load of over 1,000 science, the engineers were able to come up with the required computing power. Then, a daring rescue mission led by none other than Jebediah Kerman himself was successful in bringing poor Tom, Ed and Sigrim home safe and sound.
I think that the mental stories that I make up for the Kerbals while I'm playing are as much fun as the actual game.
Geth, close the thread.