Kerbal Space Program

[Submerged]

Recently stumbled over this indie game about developing a space ship to "direct" three "astronauts" of Kerbal nationality (game nationality basically).

You build your own spacecraft with some limited tools, but there are already some user files that other people have created for the game. Additionally, as it is an alpha release, there is a lot of development happening to it, as it has just reached 0.8.5 version number.

Additionally... who doesn't like SPACE EXPLOSIONS?!

Apart from creating your own spacecraft (in a limited way) and flying it with three green men in it, it is interesting game to experiment with how gravity can work in space. For example, why NASA and other space agencies always slingshot around planets and the speed vs. strength of gravity problem.

The website to download the program is as follows: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/

Post your results of your spacecraft and see if you can make it go around the fantasy world! I would post up pictures, but I first need to figure that out (for now)

 

[bergauk]

What are the requirements for it? I cannot find a single thing regarding that.

 

[Sharky.]

I've made it to 1189km with a very simple rocket

@bergauk: not much, the game isn't graphically intensive whatsoever so pretty much anything should be capable of running it.

 

[Submerged]

More or less. I have a dual core processor (AMD 250 @ 3.2GHz) and a graphics card that is an ATI R4850.

But it hardly uses any of it. It is a relatively simple program so I am guessing most dual core processors should be able to play it and a relatively average graphics card as well.

@ Sharky..... Now, see if you can orbit around the game planet.... that is pretty tricky to do! Are you able to upload that simple rocket you had to show how you achieved the height?

 

[Sharky.]

I think it was this rocket... I forgot to put a parachute on the command module though, so the Kerbalnauts all died

The trick is to get beyond 30km in altitude as that's where the atmosphere stops, beyond that height you don't need much in terms of thrust.

 

[Submerged]

Ah, you start off without a Solid fuel rocket?

Interesting.

Yes, it is well known that about 30 kilometres the atmosphere just seems to stop and allows your rocket to gain immense speed. One thing that I am having some difficulty, is judging the orbit itself. Apparently, you need to get to roughly about 2,000 m/s speed (this is ground speed) to get an orbital speed required.

Its not the speed that's the problem, its the damn craft being a bit difficult to control! Even with the SAS activated gadget thingy (which is a godsend).

Any major explosions yet?

Had quite a few explosions and quite a few bizarre liftoffs before..... With regards to rockets, when you jettison them, make sure they're still not firing before you activate the rockets as I had noticed that it does tend to make the rockets that is being fired, go boom in a impressive, fireworks-style way.

And then the Kerbals just die. Jeb is a strange customer...

Below is my latest spacecraft.... only thing is, there's a bug in the game that kinda allows you to affix as many fuel tanks on the second decoupler and it'll be relatively light. Hence why I have five. I wanted to affix the Solid Rockets below that one, but then it kinda got a bit tricky at midnight to put them in the right places....

 

[Sharky.]

I've used solids before, but I find they can be rather unpredictable - it's a bit of a tossup as to whether you'll get a successful launch or if they'll break free of their decouplers (I usually use radial decouplers with solids) and blow your rocket into several pieces.

Jeb's the pilot btw, which is why he doesn't start screaming when you're several kilometres up in the air... unlike Bob, who craps his pants pretty much the instant you leave the launchpad

 

[Submerged]

Yeah, I noticed that with Bob! I have seen all three of them go: "oooooh, look at the stars, they look so pretty!!!" and stop screaming. Its rare, but it does happen!

Oh, I hated using the radial decouplers. So difficult to put on and they often seem to snap like twigs. Although I guess I shouldn't use solid boosters on those.... As liquid rockets can be controlled with their thrust.

Although, solid boosters are more for getting off the ground while the liquid is used for everything else. Hm, maybe I'll change it soon. I have noticed that if you have a stack of rockets that is too tall or too "heavy", once you get past the first stage and embark on the second stage, the whole rocket kinda just slows down and either hangs there or very very very slowly, starts to fall down.... Its really weird when that happens!

There is extra items to get, from the creators of the game. If you register onto their forums, you should be able to get some extra downloaded contents to expand on your game playing experience!

A tip with the solid boosters, it seems that if you think about where to put them and set them in a way that each rocket supports one another, they all stay together and won't go flying out of control and hit the liquid tanks, which would then create a MASSIVE boom and then the Kerbals all die. Or survive, due to some weird way that the module just survives as it falls 30 or 40 metres to the ground.

I wonder if it is possible to stack solids on top of one another and get extra boost?

 

[Sharky.]

I wonder if it is possible to stack solids on top of one another and get extra boost?

Nope. If you fire stacked solids, thrust from the upper rockets destroy the lower ones.

You can make your own/edit the existing solids relatively easily though, find the folder for the solid rockets in the parts\ folder in your installation directory, open the .cfg and change the thrust = xyz line as required. I found a link to a parts pack on Facepunch a while ago that has a Shuttle-esque huge orange fuel tank, a 5-in-1 liquid engine, solids that are a lot larger and some extra stuff - so far I've found that those extra parts are all I've needed to design some zany rockets

 

[Submerged]

Ah, nice one!

 

[Grayfox]

Well i crashed the game at the lowest video settings.

I used this crazy ship and when it crrashed the game crashed with it.

 

[DQuaN]

This is fun!

How do you get it full screen? I can only seem to get it in a window.

Also, there are markers on the ball but they don't seem to take me anywhere. I tried following one and it just kept moving until I was pointed back to earth.

Oh, 228km up and still slowly climbing!! I want to acheive orbit!

 

[Submerged]

DQuan... are you going sideways? Not vertical? And are you achieving speed in excess of 1,000 m/s (apparently you need to achieve that speed to maintain an orbit). Also, 228 kilometres high... you're basically at orbital level, just have to maintain it! Show the craft in use?

The drop down box should allow you to get full screen, if possible. But if it is not, then I would advise dropping in at the Kerbal website and looking at the forum there.

Its still in development though.

The big blue and orange ball, that is a gyroscopic thing, to tell you whether you are heading away from Planet Kerbal or to it. If you see all blue, you're generally going up. If it starts to show a bit of orange, you're going straight down to the planet. The markers on the ball is actually your spacecraft orientation. If you look at it, one bit shows the front of the craft while a different market shows the bottom of the craft. I guess it is a way of showing if the craft is at an angle from vertical at any one time.

One marker may be the lift-off platform.

Additionally, if you read the flight information afterwards, there's some interesting facts that it throws up. One thing I really like is the way they tell you what happened with the spent rockets and the length of time it takes for it to fall to Kerbal terrain...

And Jeb just doesn't seem to have a care when he's piloting the craft even though his co-flight team is going craaaaaaaaaaazy.

 

[Joey D]

I recommend joining the KSP forums and downloading mods people are making, you can make some pretty awesome crafts.

 

[DQuaN]

I'll post up a rocket when I'm happy with the design! How do you couple together long stages? Sometimes they want to break away from eachother.

Just made over 1500k

It's still going! Over 2000k now! I don't think it's going to stop!

 

[Submerged]

Don't use Solid boosters... I have noticed (just now, will post the results later) that they do love to separate and go BOOOOOOOM when there is too much power and too much force involved for the stuff to hold together.

But you do need the solid boosters to get off the ground though.... damn.

 

[DQuaN]

3000k...

Another good feature would be to speed up time. I want to fall back to earth!

 

[Submerged]

They've had many users request that feature in the forums.... it is quite a long time to wait. Although, it is quite peaceful just looking at the world revolving below you....

edit: My craft has this stupid ability to right itself after the first decouplation.... NO, I WANT YOU TO BE ON ITS SIDE... Damn the unbalanced solid boosters. Back to the drawing board I guess....

edit 2: Oh.... I seem to have set my Kerbalnauts into space accidently orbiting around at about 84 km and counting (upwards).... my land speed has slightly stablilised at around 995 m/s. This is interesting. Oh, its just now losing altitude, quite rapidly! And gaining speed?!)

 

[Grayfox]

If you go on the fourms and look at the designs, someone made an Austin Powers one.

 

[Grayfox]

3,000km and still going since i have a speed of 6,000m/s.

 

[Submerged]

Well, I attempted to create a picture log of one of my spacecraft.... which went "interestingly" well in the sense of providing some amusement.

This is the spacecraft I was testing out. Its basically 56 metres tall (too tall for my liking) and the solid boosters were arranged in a shape that would allow them to push toward the centre of the rocket to keep them from exploding outwards or separating like a wild bronco horse

Nice.

Only problem with that spacecraft, you had to do an immediate liftoff. As the damn thing was a bit lopsided. Couldn't figure out the problem then (it was approaching midnight!).

So, lift off happened.

Now, lets look at the picture below and see if there's a problem.

My, the solid boosters are a bit far away from the centre line of the rocket! Wow. Now.... will they keep their shape and lead to a happy time for the Kerbals in the pod? (btw, Bob is feeling the stress at the moment)

Oooh, I hope they do, because this could be a really good orbit!

And the result of the solid boosters unfortunately separating a bit TOO far apart? MASSIVE BOOOOOOOOOM as the Solid Boosters take out all the volatile liquid tanks. I had to pause the game at that point as it kinda happened a little bit too quickly for me to screenshot it... But wait! There was something interesting after the big big big big explosion! (btw, this is the first time that Jeb has actually looked terrified)

My lovely Kerbalnauts have SURVIVED! And back on the launchpad as well.... Oh, this makes me happy! Bob is still freaking out though. Well, I guess he was still terrified about the whole BOOM bit, while the other two have happy faces....


Later on, I eventually did achieve some sort of orbit, after realising that I was counting the altitude reading wrong. And took a nice picture of those brave Kerbals orbiting over the planet, at about 73 kilometres high.

Ah, it was a nice view.

Pity I ran out of fuel and it plummeted down to Kerbal Planet. They did survive this time again, after I did some fancy steering and activated the parachute at JUST the right time for it to lead to a successful landing and all the crew survived. I forgot to take a picture of it at that time....

Ah.... a success story (of sorts).

Anyone has stories too?

 

[Stevisiov]

The best I have managed so far is 57'000 units of altitude. I know I could manage much more if I was a half decent pilot.

[edit]Just blown that one out of the water...

 

[Submerged]

Spending a lifetime in space then, with no ability to land?

 

[Joey D]

Is there anyway to end the flight and complete a mission? I mean is there a goal like to orbit the planet once and then land back at the Space Centre?

 

[Stevisiov]

Spending a lifetime in space then, with no ability to land?

I landed about 50 minutes after taking off.

 

[Sharky.]

Is there anyway to end the flight and complete a mission? I mean is there a goal like to orbit the planet once and then land back at the Space Centre?

There aren't any goals in Kerbal just yet, so at the moment you're just launching the Kerbalnauts into space for the sake of it. Hit esc, select end flight and choose either relaunch, VAB or the space centre to end the flight.

 

[Submerged]

I landed about 50 minutes after taking off.

Ah... I hope you were doing something else as well.... and did they all survive or explode?

 

[W3H5]

I played this a few weeks ago in the office. Couldn't really manage a good flight but finally got them in the air. I think I need more practice. 4 minutes in the air isn't record breaking though.

@Submerged - I will get back to your PM a soon as I have a moment in the day when I'm not being bothered to do demos! Comfortable chair was used by the way!

 

[Stevisiov]

Ah... I hope you were doing something else as well.... and did they all survive or explode?

They all managed to survive, I think they did an orbit or two in that time, but its hard to be sure.

I have done one 13km into space since, but they still fell back to earth safe and sound after an hour or so.

------

[edit]

I went a bit far this time.

Poor sods, doesn't look like they will be making it back in time for tea.

At least jebidiah is looking pretty chilled about the situation.

two and a half hours in and they are still heading off into space at an alarming speed.

 

[Lizard]

I just tried this and its great fun.


Anyway anyone got any tips in making a good rocket I really suck