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Post by Julian Sharps on Jan 12, 2014 12:37:03 GMT -5
There's a north marker on the navball. There are also East, South, and West markers as well, they're just not labeled as such (they're marked in degrees from magnetic North).
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Post by Adkenpachi on Jan 12, 2014 19:51:34 GMT -5
I've just been guessing :/
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Post by jenburdoo on Jan 20, 2014 14:01:01 GMT -5
Just made a successful Apollo 8 flight (to the Mun, orbiting and return) with a stretched Kerbal X rocket. Now I'm redesigning it a bit to try a landing, with added RCS and lights. We'll see what happens when Mun II launches, carrying the same crew as the experienced Mun I (Bill, Bob and Jeb, of course).
Transitioning between spheres of influence is nerve-wracking, and apparently impossible in timewarp. It took a quicksave and half a dozen tries to get my kerbalnauts back on a ballistic trajectory instead of tossed out of the system, and then another half-dozen to get them back into the atmosphere instead of staying in a highly elliptical orbit. I was hoping to get back into low Kerbin orbit so I could try targeting a landing back at Kerbal Space Center, but in the end I just opted to bring them home already. They only survived due to the current lack of deadly reentry -- they pulled over 26 Gs on the way in. But they made it.
This is a freakin' awesome game.
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Post by Adkenpachi on Jan 21, 2014 2:40:01 GMT -5
Awwwww, quicksaves are cheating!! If you leave em then your open to rescue missions when you get more tech later on
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Post by Julian Sharps on Jan 21, 2014 17:19:13 GMT -5
No pics yet, but I've established my first permanent kethane mining installation on Minmus.
The plan is to use the Quantum Fuel Lines mod to build a pipeline from the rig to my Minbase in the Minmus Lowlands. I'm going to build a series of pipe segments spaced about two km apart, connected by QFLs. That way, it's only a matter of sending a kerbal out to connect the lines every time I want to pump fuel, rather than risk my not-yet-constructed tanker landing in the highlands.
Incidentally, the kethane rig is probably larger than my Minbase habitat module, making it my largest lander yet. I was surprised at how easily the thing got off the ground. I'm really testing the limits of my heavy lift vehicle.
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Post by jenburdoo on Jan 22, 2014 0:54:46 GMT -5
Just tried a Mun shot (landing this time) but fired my insertion burn far too long, wasted most of my Delta-V and had to go for a free return trajectory instead. Mun III will fly tomorrow and this time I'll do the Munar insertion manually instead of having MechJeb do it. Then, if I can fall into Mun orbit, I'll try for a landing. My ship is pretty top-heavy though, so dunno yet how successful it'll be. I can't wait to try.
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Post by Julian Sharps on Jan 22, 2014 1:47:12 GMT -5
Just tried a Mun shot (landing this time) but fired my insertion burn far too long, wasted most of my Delta-V and had to go for a free return trajectory instead. Mun III will fly tomorrow and this time I'll do the Munar insertion manually instead of having MechJeb do it. Then, if I can fall into Mun orbit, I'll try for a landing. My ship is pretty top-heavy though, so dunno yet how successful it'll be. I can't wait to try. Assuming that you're playing in sandbox mode, I've developed a ridiculously over-powered heavy lift vehicle that I'd be willing to share. Powered by twelve of the Rock-o-Max SRBs and six Mainsails asparagus-staged around a single Skipper, I frequently find that it has sufficient power to send large spacecraft out to Minmus from launch (if I had an interest in flying individual missions, I could probably send a capsule to Jool, visit all of its moons (and probably land on Vall, Pol, and Bop, while I'm at it), and return it safely to Kerbin, all from one launch).
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Post by Adkenpachi on Jan 22, 2014 3:42:55 GMT -5
Wow thats efficient! It took some designing just for me to get a return journey to the mun! Then this was before I knew you shouldn't go past 180kmph... I used to just full power the whole way screaming like Jeremy Clarkson "POWUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH"
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Post by Julian Sharps on Jan 22, 2014 12:12:26 GMT -5
No, it's not efficient at all. In order to fuel this monstrosity I need seven Rock-o-Max double tanks and seven Rock-o-Max orange tanks. There are a few more smaller tanks attached to the core stage for structural purposes, but on liftoff this thing burns ~150 liters of liquid fuel per second at half throttle.
On the other hand, it's designed to put a full orange tank and a control module into orbit. Imagine, if you will, the places you could go with two nuclear engines and a full orange tank of fuel.
It is, however, struggling to put my pipeline modules into orbit. Then again, they are carrying the equivalent of two orange tanks' worth of fuel between them.
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Post by jenburdoo on Jan 24, 2014 10:08:03 GMT -5
My ship is a stretched Kerbal X. Even with extra fuel in both the launch and landing stages, I'm not sure it has enough to get home. I managed to land it yesterday... on the steep side of a crater: Then while getting back in, Jeb misjudged the jump and went "whee!" as he slid 300 meters down into the crater before he picked himself up, dusted himself off, and flew back in his AMU. This thing does have the capacity of launching, but I have no way to tell which way the WASD keys will point once it's firing its way up the crater wall. Last time I tried it tumbled. Closing the landing legs and firing RCS helped, but even though I got the nose pointed parallel with the surface and the ship was flying I couldn't make it diverge from the crater into the sky.
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Post by Julian Sharps on Jan 24, 2014 12:24:23 GMT -5
You want to get the nose pointed upwards (or close enough, given that you're on a hill). If you're having trouble with that, I suggest you try using a kerbal as a fulcrum.
As for which direction you need to point: skyward 45 degrees on the 90 degree vector, just like when launching from Kerbin. However, because the Mun lacks an atmosphere, you can attempt your gravity turn shortly after launch. Just try not to crash into any crater walls.
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Post by jenburdoo on Jan 24, 2014 21:13:19 GMT -5
I know what direction I need to point, but I'm spun to the point I don't know which of the WASD keys I need to use to get there.
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Post by Julian Sharps on Jan 24, 2014 23:31:00 GMT -5
Use your navball. The speceship models can deceive you; don't trust them. USE THE FORCE, JENBURDOO!
No, seriously. Don't rely on the spaceship models for positioning or orientation. Your navball's North indicator will give you a reference point, and your position indicator is always oriented to match WASD.
However, if you must use the models, the side with all the windows is the direction you turn when you pitch upward. Assuming that you haven't moved your lander since you took that screenshot, D is the direction you need to turn to in order to get upright again.
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Post by Julian Sharps on Jan 27, 2014 20:36:54 GMT -5
Anyway, progress report on the Kerbin Kethane Mining Company: Sent up some hardware to build the pipeline, but not sure that it's up to spec. Might require a redesign that involves returning my permanent kethane mining rig to space so that a proper quantum fuel line system may be installed. Sent a crew bus to transfer personnel between Thomomene Base and Macford Station; it's also carrying a docking array to help alleviate the docking situation up there.
Also, surveying the Mun for kethane. Lots of progress made on that front.
As my launch window to Duna is coming up, I have successfully assembled a 5-kerbal mission to the red planet, led by none other than "Captain" Kirk Kerman. I have a lander with a metric crapton of parachutes installed (it'll be my crew bus once I have a kethane mining base set up), and a space station core, all attached to a fully-fueled HLV core stage (this was not intentional; I kid you not when I say that thing is ridiculously overpowered), and I will send fuel storage tanks along with the space train on the next available launch window. Almost 15 days after my launch window, the kethane probe I sent to Duna a month ago will make its course correction burn that will slingshot it around Kerbin and off to Duna.
Additionally, some wag played a practical joke or something on Dudnard Station and fired the engines on all of the station's escape pods. While no one was harmed and it didn't change the station's orbit appreciably, it did render the entire 5-pod array non-functional. Mission Control is deciding whether or not to replace the module, or to send up another habitat module to expand the station's population capacity to 18 kerbals, including the station's command crew. With the successful testing and first mission of the Company's new surface-to-orbit crew shuttle (capable of sending seven kerbals up to the station and returning them safely to Kerbin), they might just go with the expanded population. Besides, it's not like much happens at Dudnard Station, anyway.
Finally, plans are afoot to return Bob, Jeb, and Bill from Minmus so that they can go back to being test pilots. Unless the Minmus space train crew get their act together, not one of them will be going to Duna.
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Post by Adkenpachi on Jan 28, 2014 3:36:22 GMT -5
How come you have so many kerbals out there?
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Post by Julian Sharps on Jan 28, 2014 11:57:53 GMT -5
I need to crew Dudnard Station (2), the Dudnard Station CTV (1), Macford Station (2), the Space Train (3), the kethane prospector (2), the crew bus (2), Thomemone Base (2), my permanent kethane rig (2), and now Milbree Station (2) and its crew bus (3). 21 kerbals needed to run my operation, and it's only going to get bigger when I finally get my pipeline assembled and running (because I'm going to need kerbals stationed at regular intervals along the pipeline in order to connect the quantum fuel lines when I'm ready to transfer. It'll be a long and tedious operation, but it's far safer than attempting to land my fuel tanker right next to the kethane rig.
Eventually, I intend to expand my operation to the Mun and Duna, then I'll probably take a look at Jool's moons. Eeloo is too remote to make it an effective mining site, but do not worry; we will deal with the energy crisis soon enough. Continue the operation, you may mine when ready.
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Post by jenburdoo on Feb 3, 2014 8:16:44 GMT -5
Currently in career mode, in which I've retrieved almost all the science from Kerbin (got all the biome EVAs except Badlands by achieving my first polar orbit), and have done an unmanned flyby and return of the Mun. An improved version of this launcher is ready to do manned orbits of the Mun and Minmus. My first try, however, forgot the solar panels so ran out of electricity in midflight. I have all the tech tree up to tier four and half of tier five.
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Post by Adkenpachi on Feb 4, 2014 3:45:42 GMT -5
Wish there was somewhere that told you which biomes/altitudes youve researched or not researched... ive no idea.
Tbh im not gonna be anal about getting everything cause the kerbal biomes are only worth like 9 science each, im hoping just landing on the moon right away will get me tons.
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Post by jenburdoo on Feb 4, 2014 10:29:06 GMT -5
There is, look in the science building for your reports sorted by location, biome, height and instrument type. It doesn't tell you what's not done, though.
I just finished an Apollo 8-style flight to the Mun, carrying Jeb, two goo canisters and a ScienceJr. Went into polar orbit, did EVA reports on ten of the fifteen biomes and ended up with a whopping 410 science points. Next I'm gonna try Minmus. My ship is overdesigned with plenty of extra delta-v, so I can do lots of maneuvers once I arrive. Though I just unlocked the Skipper engine and Rockomax tanks, so I may completely rebuild the design to go even farther and store even more delta-v.
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Post by Adkenpachi on Feb 4, 2014 11:51:48 GMT -5
Awww I dont have the hang of gathering research, no tool tips and all.
I killed jeb and. . One of the other main ones in test flights, lol.
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Post by Julian Sharps on Feb 4, 2014 12:11:05 GMT -5
Awww I dont have the hang of gathering research, no tool tips and all. I killed jeb and. . One of the other main ones in test flights, lol. They'll be back. Believe me, slamming into the Mun at ~120 m/s didn't stop Jeb from inexplicably showing up at KSC.
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Post by Adkenpachi on Feb 4, 2014 13:36:15 GMT -5
Jeb tried so hard to survive! I accidently put him into EVA while reentering the atmosphere. .. waited till he was a few thousand feet off splashing into the ocean and put his rocket pack on overdrive! He only hit the water at 190 m/sec... Can't be that bad can it? Either way he liquidised
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Post by Julian Sharps on Feb 4, 2014 13:55:21 GMT -5
Jeb tried so hard to survive! I accidently put him into EVA while reentering the atmosphere. .. waited till he was a few thousand feet off splashing into the ocean and put his rocket pack on overdrive! He only hit the water at 190 m/sec... Can't be that bad can it? Either way he liquidised Jeb's not dead; he's just waiting for his spacesuit to come back from the cleaners.
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Post by Adkenpachi on Feb 4, 2014 20:40:30 GMT -5
Jebs dead baby, jebs dead.
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Post by Julian Sharps on Feb 6, 2014 21:47:08 GMT -5
Taking a break from KKMC, I decided to mess around with Interstellar mod in career mode. So far, I have had a total of five launches: A suborbital flight (Jeb basically rode an SRB all the way up), an orbital flight (Jeb again), a manned Munar flyby (Bill got within 16 km of zero elevation), an unmanned Munar landing (which was something of a bust, since I screwed up and used my one materials bay in high Kerbin orbit, so I only had the goo can), and a manned Minmus landing (which was ridiculously over-spec; Bob's two-stage lander didn't need the separatrons in order to return him and his 800+ science to Kerbin, and the descent stage still had a third of a tank left). I'll be sending manned Munar landings next, and I'll try to unlock clamp-o-trons as soon as I can, so that I can start building space stations.
If I can figure out how to get all of my plugins into career mode (and add TAC Life Support and something with fairings, just to make it harder for me), I might not look back at sandbox mode.
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