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Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Tue May 07, 2013 3:16 am
by stitch626
So, I have completed what I consider my first truly successful probe launch.

I wanted a probe that would be right outside the planet's orbit. I used only SRBs other than for the probe itself. I exited the gravity of the planet at a mere 100m/s so my orbit around the sun is only about 350km beyond the planet's orbit.

However, I also managed to destroy my mapping probe. One of my other mission's orbit ended up overlapping, and when I switched to the mapping probe to map some, I got to see them very quickly (4x speed) smash into each other after about 30 minutes.
I have now learned the importance of orbit altitudes...

Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Tue May 07, 2013 2:15 pm
by Tyyr
First off, I have certain altitudes for certain missions. My space station is kept at 100km. Nothing else goes on an orbit between 95 ad 105 km that's not going to the station. My parking orbit for interplanetary missions is 90km. Most satellites orbit at at least 200km. I try to have certain layers for certain missions. Still, given the absolute enormity of space even in kerbal managing to accidentally smash two satellites together is impressive.

Part count for the MSL and Persephone was really high. The Rover itself is about 60 parts and the MSL is about 100. I think total part count of the all up rocket on the pad was about 320 parts. My computer wasn't happy. Chugged at about 15fps until I got down to just the core rocket.

I should remind you, my stuff looks like it does because I MASSIVELY overbuild. Of the rover's parts a dozen are just lights and only the headlights are really useful. All the science instruments are doubled. The antenna and radar dishes do nothing. I've got twice as many solar panels as I need. Neither of the cameras are actually needed (though it is fun to drive it just using them.) And so on and on. A Mun rover has barometric pressure sensors on it only because I'm going to send this class of rover to every major body I can and don't feel like rebuilding it each time. I could probably build a rover that would do just as much "science" with half the part count but I want my stuff to look like that. I don't like stripped down minimalistic stuff.

Same thing with the MSL. A good dozen lights, antennas and dishes that do nothing. I've got more RCS fuel than I really need, twice the stuts I need, twice the solar panels. I could use a single 2.5 meter battery instead of the packs, single long trusses instead of doubled up short ones. Again, I could rebuild this in maybe 60 parts if I stripped it down.

Even my rockets are overbuilt, with sepretrons to help stage that aren't really needed, strut designs that could be simplified, and on and on. They're not as overbuilt as the spacecraft by the 160 part rocket I used to put the MSL and Rover in orbit could likely be stripped down to about 110 to 120 parts. But I like the Hollywood style staging, I like the way the overbuilt rocket looks. I like nose cones on my boosters and so on.

Last night I put the finishing touches on my manned lander and it's rocket. I put it in orbit along with the transfer stage. Tonight I'm going to put up the command module but before I head for the Mun I have to pick up Jebediah from Ulysses station. That'll give me my A team for the Mun shot, Jeb, Bill, and Bob. I'm also going to be carrying a few "scientists" who will go along for the ride and stay behind on the MSL for science. The good news is that my paranoia about having enough delta V for the mun shot pays off and my transfer stage is a nearly full orange tank. Should be plenty to send these guys to the Mun and deorbit the lander. The real trick will be landing close to the MSL.

Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Tue May 07, 2013 7:26 pm
by stitch626
I overbuild as well, my stuff just tends to look like something out of a bad sci fi flick... I'll try to image my stuff at some point.

Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Wed May 08, 2013 5:49 pm
by Tyyr

Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Thu May 09, 2013 12:45 am
by LaughingCheese

Nice!


Gave in and bought it last night, finally got to orbit despite having massive lag(don't know if that's because my laptop is sort of old or because its alpha).

I used three of the big orange tanks and the large engine, and it got into orbit despite being wobbly lol.

Need to learn how to give it structural support, also I have a small command module on top of the big booster, should there be an adapter or is that ok?

Now, to land safely..:P (And solve this lag..)


Also didn't there used to be image attachments?

Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Thu May 09, 2013 12:18 pm
by Tyyr
Dunno, never used them. Since that was 38 images I put it elsewhere rather than load it up here.

Three orange tanks? Wow that's... WAY more than you need to orbit a small capsule. I know I post it a lot but this will get you to space easily and if you strip the capsule down some more you can do it without the boosters. The lag is probably your laptop. The game is VERY processor intensive but only can use a single core at the moment.

To make your rockets less wobbly go to the structural tab and look for the "strut" its a thin beam with an attachment point on either end. Turn on 4x symmetry and angle snap now go to each join between tanks and put one end of the strut on one tank and the other on the next tank. That should stiffen things up.

Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Thu May 09, 2013 3:29 pm
by IanKennedy
LaughingCheese wrote:Also didn't there used to be image attachments?
No, there has never been image attachments, but, you can host the images elsewhere and then use links to show them directly in your posts.

Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Thu May 09, 2013 7:17 pm
by LaughingCheese
Well I'm now playing it on my linux desktop and the lag is pretty much gone. The little there will probably clear up over time.

Big One III and Big One 3.5
Tyyr wrote: Three orange tanks? Wow that's... WAY more than you need to orbit a small capsule.
Just overbuilding it man! :P :poke:
I know I post it a lot but this will get you to space easily and if you strip the capsule down some more you can do it without the boosters.

I did try that one last night; went through all the stock configs.
The lag is probably your laptop. The game is VERY processor intensive but only can use a single core at the moment.
So its mostly a cpu game.....interesting. I hope he adds multi-threaded support for it, then the AMD FX-8350 would be perfect. :P
To make your rockets less wobbly go to the structural tab and look for the "strut" its a thin beam with an attachment point on either end. Turn on 4x symmetry and angle snap now go to each join between tanks and put one end of the strut on one tank and the other on the next tank. That should stiffen things up.
Thanks, I'll try that!

Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Thu May 09, 2013 7:19 pm
by Tyyr
I meant more overbuilding in that it's got lots of pieces not because it flies better but just because, like extra antenna, decoupling secondary fuel tanks, fully functioning abort systems, etc.

Your images are set to private.

Multithreading is supposedly in the works but that could just be wishful thinking from the fans. Graphically it's not that intensive, it's all physics calculations.

****
Edit
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Apparently you can get around the private thing by clicking on your albums number. Anyways:

Ok, some initial thoughts. Waaaaaay too much fuel. You're wasting a lot of fuel just carrying all that fuel. Secondly, you don't need decouplers between the tanks unless you are actually going to drop them off. Otherwise just stack them atop one another.

The reason the boosters you made for the 3.5 don't work is you're using the nuclear ones. They have horrible total thrust. That said their vacuum Isp is like 800 compared to the low 300's of most engines. They're best used on interplanetary stages where you don't have to fight against gravity and an atmosphere and you can just afford to burn them all day. Replace those with LVT-30's and those boosters will help. Though the best help you can give that rocket is a massive diet.

Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Thu May 09, 2013 7:49 pm
by LaughingCheese
Tyyr wrote:I meant more overbuilding in that it's got lots of pieces not because it flies better but just because, like extra antenna, decoupling secondary fuel tanks, fully functioning abort systems, etc.
I see.
Your images are set to private.
Oops..:P
Multithreading is supposedly in the works but that could just be wishful thinking from the fans. Graphically it's not that intensive, it's all physics calculations.
We can only hope.
Apparently you can get around the private thing by clicking on your albums number. Anyways:
Ohh.. :P
Ok, some initial thoughts. Waaaaaay too much fuel. You're wasting a lot of fuel just carrying all that fuel.
:laughroll:

But I just love the shiny orangyness!! :lol:
Secondly, you don't need decouplers between the tanks unless you are actually going to drop them off. Otherwise just stack them atop one another.
Awesome! Thanks.
The reason the boosters you made for the 3.5 don't work is you're using the nuclear ones. They have horrible total thrust. That said their vacuum Isp is like 800 compared to the low 300's of most engines. They're best used on interplanetary stages where you don't have to fight against gravity and an atmosphere and you can just afford to burn them all day. Replace those with LVT-30's and those boosters will help. Though the best help you can give that rocket is a massive diet.
Oops, thats an old screenshot and I'm pretty sure I replaced them with liquid fuel ones last night (or maybe those don't work either, I'll try SRB's too).


Ah, so it just needs a labotomy! :lol:

Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Thu May 09, 2013 7:51 pm
by Tyyr
Liposuction but yeah. Try stripping it down to just one orange tank with those boosters. Use struts to hold the boosters steady and maybe even start experimenting with asparagus staging them. You should see some immediate improvements.

Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 12:09 pm
by Tyyr
My Full Trip to the Mun, all 84 images of it.

Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 1:41 pm
by Tsukiyumi
Awesome. :)

Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 1:49 pm
by Tyyr
The funny thing is, the more you do in this game, the more you need to do. Now that I have that base on the mun I need to send a hab module to them for better living quarters and a rover they can ride in. I also need to set up a Mun base on the Kerbin facing side.

Then of course I need to do it all on Minmus so that's a comms satellite to launch, another MSL (Odin Lander/Persephone Rover combo), another Achilles lander, and another Perseus CM. Then a follow on Hab module but given the Minmus terrain probably not a rover. Maybe some small RCS power puddle jumper. Ohh, I like that idea. A puddle jumper plus refueling station for it.

There's also a couple geo-sync comm sats for Kerbin orbit. That's before I even put up a new space station in a proper orbit. 100x100 Equatorial is to damn close. Probably going to put my next station at 120x120km inclined about 5 to 8 degrees. That'll put it clear of most of my manned traffic that's not specifically heading for it and the accompanying debris.

And after all that, Duna.

Re: Kerbal Space Program

Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 5:02 am
by LaughingCheese
Well......................achieved orbit today. Sort of.


Image


Yep, my first orbit is not of Kerbin, and totally accidental. lol

This was the result of my first experiment with asperagus staging, so at least I figured out staging. Wrong orbit, but an orbit nonetheless.


Now, to achieve Kerbin orbit, then Mun shot!