If I could name Kerbals, I would! Thanks guys, I'll try to use both. I'm working through mods and tools so I have a good grip on stuff I can use and build before I begin this RP'ing LP!
I had my first successful orbit today! Top stage (after the module) was an advanced stabilization thing because i suck, 1 central fuel tank/liquid rocket, connected to 4 auxiliary fuel tanks. Bottom stage was a tri-coupler connected to 3 liquid rockets + fuel.
I bought this, and then, after dealing with the fact that the store email never made it to my account.... (through my own domain and to gmail...?), fired it up. I fire up the stock rockets and they don't all take off? Do I chalk this up to a beta or alpha or whatever?
Chalk it up to you not setting staging up properly on your rocket =) Yes, tutorials are in a state of flux. Do consider YouTube for some advice.
Here are my experiments with the Remote Control mod and deploying a geostationary communications satellite (basically, a box with antenna on it I will need to relay signal to remote controlled stuff). And yes, I'm not in radio coms right now (this was a test run of the principle). But I can, from the tracking station, switch between controlling either device (well, if I was in could), which is pretty choice.
I've never been a fan of simple rockets. I'll post pictures of my first orbiter later, but it comprises: 1st stage: six SRBs in two banks of three. 2nd stage: six SRBs in two banks of three, on tricoupers. 3rd stage: two SRBs 4th stage: two liquid fuel engines, six fuel tanks, on radial decouplers. 5th stage: one liquid fuel engine, two tanks, one SAS module. 6th stage: command capsule and parachute. Which is really massive overkill for Kerbin orbit. Poor flying on my first orbit put my apoapsis at 4.5 million kilometers*, and I'm pretty sure I could orbit the Mun without modifications, or carry a fairly hefty payload into orbit. * Which, by the way, meant that, after braking, my velocity at periapsis was so high that I ended up doing two extra orbits before I shed enough speed to actually land.
I orbited the Mun today! I used Orbiter II, a development of Orbiter I (and by 'development' I mean 'four banks of things instead of two, and throw in eight of the big SRBs for good measure'). My navigation is still pretty abysmal, and I nearly ran out of fuel getting back. My launch was much better, though--I didn't even empty the tanks on the four-liquid-fueled-engines stage getting stable at about 200km. I also just now realized I was doing my inclination burns wrong (I wasn't tilting, just pointing north/south). Is there a simple orbital telemetry mod that spits out the same data the orbit tutorial does? Edit: Ohhh. Inclination burns happen at the crossing point with the orbit one wants, not at the ends. That's good to know.
I was going to try to build a three-man rocket with better payload-to-orbit, but it kept exploding. The big parts are hard to use. It's also kind of disappointing that the three-man capsule is a big-size part, especially since the big SRBs are long instead of wide.
Sometimes I find I will build a rocket where a subsequent to first stage won't fire. Then I will build a new rocket which looks, to me, EXACLY THE SAME but now it works. I have no idea what's am doing wrong.
I've been messing around a lot with designs so that I am prepared for a "Let's Play" I'm going to put on my blog and post here. One thing I want to do is, kinda 2001 style, take a big ship somewhere and then launch probes and coms satellites and other bits off of it. It's kinda tricky to do, as it turns out, but thanks to mods and plugins it is possible! Here is a design I threw together for my "interplanetary class" launcher (yet to fly) that can take four very large probes/relay sats with it They are coupled in the middle-top of the craft and a gentle spin before decoupling sets them free of the main body, whereupon they can be deployed. I'm using "Utility Flower" for the solar panels and the robotics rotators to deploy my dishes. Obviously, this isn't a "proper" rocket, just something to mess with prior to one-day building a real one. And here is a new test rocket which does pretty much what I want. It can't hold my "interplanetary class" satellites, but for small probes, this would do the trick! In terms of mods.. where to begin: - ISA Map Sat - Remote Control (for coms relay stuff and remote-controlling rovers) - Probodyne - Utility Flower - Damned Robotics - Nova Punch Pack - A pack of "case" bits to pop off the body. Can't remember. (If stuff doesn't fire for people it's probably because your staging is wrong).
Tonight, I mapped the Mun. This rocket, Ascender II (caution: DO NOT ASK Kerbal rocketry engineers about Ascender I), is much less complicated than Orbiter II was. Three stages to orbit: the six SRBs to start with (Ascender I had eight more powerful ones, which is why it usually exploded before it got very far off the ground), three more because I like solid-fueled rockets, thank you, and then a big liquid-fueled stage to carry it through the gravity turn and kick it most of the way into orbit. The payload is one of those fancy nuclear rockets and a big fuel tank, which should make it sufficient for exploration outside of Kerbal's immediate vicinity. I made it to the Mun uneventfully, burned myself into a proper nearly-polar orbit, and set about mapping. Lots of anomalies. I should probably learn how to do rovers eventually. I know how to de-incline my orbits now! I did that, then I burned for home. Not that I need to, since this is an unmanned wotcha, but I felt like it, and this rocket has tons of delta-v to spare thanks to the super-efficient nuclear engine. A circularization burn after this lovely space sunrise picture was taken, my nuclear rocket splashed down a few hundred kilometers west of Kerbal Space Center. Not bad. Except for the part where I dropped a nuclear reactor into an ocean without a parachute. That's probably pretty bad.
Check this out! Design a fairing in Chrome or whathaveyou and then push a button to have the mod part ready to download! http://t.co/cmDg3dnI
Deviant art has some decent Kerbal related art work. http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=§ion=&global=1&q=kerbal
My new multi-sat deployment system. Four satellites destined for geostationary orbits are on arms ready to be extended allowing easy deployment. The arms are in the stowed position at first and we aren't toying with farings yet.
So wait, when you map stuff is it preserved and/or memorized somehow? I'm weak on understanding how this game saves state.
Yes. All launches within a current 'save' are kept live for the next time you run the game. If you have the mapsat plugin and have a satellite up with a dish on it it can add to/make your sat map (slice at a time as it orbits (polar orbit ideally)). Any other device can then have a GPS put on it that will pull up the map. These are all objects which call back to the map plugin to do their thing.
Agreed. Though I know I would suck at actually flying to the Mun. So for me its one of the games I should just read about and never actually try.
It's actually a lot simpler than you would think: 1) Establish an eastward zero-inclination orbit. This is basically equivalent to 'take off', since zero-inclination to the east is the easiest way to get up. 2) Wait for the Mun to rise over Kerbin's limb. When it does, burn prograde. Cut your engines at ~3000m/s. 3) Check the map and adjust for an intercept.
I landed on the Mun! Well, actually, I sort of bounced on the Mun. The altimeter lies. Damn it. Then, I ran out of fuel. But, the brave sacrifice of Bob, Bill, and the third guy who isn't Jebediah will never be forgotten.
I shouldn't play tonight, but I'll probably end up either trying to do a rover or launching a mission to Minmus (since Mechjeb's orientation holder is handy for inclination burns). Actually, I think I'd recommend Mechjeb as an early pickup. Play the orbit tutorial, then use the easy method to go to the Mun, and then it's okay to start using some parts of it: 1. Ascent autopilot (if you're lazy or on a tight delta-v budget, but fly your rockets on your own at least once first). 2. Orbit information (time to and altitude of apo/periapsis are handy, and an inclination readout is almost critical for going to anywhere other than the Mun). 3. Vessel information (knowing staging and thrust/weight in the VAB is really useful). 4. Smart A.S.S. (having it hold orientations isn't cheaty at all). I don't often use the orbital operations pane, because it's a bit like it's playing the game for me, but I don't think that counts as cheating either.
I've been playing the demo today and I have one important question. So far I have had no luck getting a ship in stable orbit. Is this made easier in the full version in any way? I really like the concept of the game but so far I feel like there's a chance I'll just be continually frustrated by my lack of skill at piloting. What are the differences between the demo and the full version?
Well, you can install a ton of parts and plugins - an autopilot is one, more engines and options another. I would check a YouTube video or two. Once you get a feel for it it isn't too bad at all. Oh, my Let's Play is on in the LP forum.
So you guys launch Kerbals to the Mun and just leave them there in the name of Science? This is another horror game, isn't it?
I accidentally launched some Kerbals into orbit around the sun and they have no fuel to get back. I hope their suits come with suicide pills.
I bought the full version last night. This game is just too awesome for words. I'm pretty bad so far though. I'm bad at design and bad at flying. I am happy to report though that a lot of my earlier difficulty was due to not knowing about the M key and having even the remotest concept of how to get a stable orbit. The built in tutorials really helped that.
I can barely get my Mun lander into orbit, and never with enough fuel to make the Mun. High-speed grabs are probably out of the question for now.
Was going to do a LP update on my planned moon operation but spent 4 hours not managing to design a satisfactory lander!
That is a good point. I kind of hit an impasse where I was doing things in the wrong order so couldn't test anything properly. I will fix that tonight and let you see what I am up to. I also have some guidance on thrust-to-weight ratios now that mean I can hopefully build with educated guesses rather than total guesses.
I made it to the mun! All on my own totally manual flight! The landing was...um...a bit hard. I don't think Bill Kerman is going to get back to Kerbin :(
