Kerbal Space Program

Svenpa

<div class="IPBDescription">Have fun TRYING to explore space!</div><a href="http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/" target="_blank">http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/</a> <<< DOWNLOAD IT FOR FREE

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Introducing Kerbal Space Program!

<img src="http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/images/banner.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

KSP is a game where the player creates and manages his own space program.
Build spacecraft, fly them, and try to help the Kerbals to fulfill their ultimate mission of conquering space.

The game is currently under heavy development. This means the game will be improved on a regular basis, so be sure to check back for new updates.
Right now, KSP is in Alpha state, but we want you to try it out and have fun with it. The first versions are free to download and play, and will remain so forever.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<img src="http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/images/KSPimage11.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Best so far by me: <img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/98384/screengrab_20110713122828.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
My record is 2840 k altitude (same rocket) with a total mission time of 2 hours and 7minutes !

This puppy right here: <img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/98384/screengrab_20110713151059.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

What are you waiting for? GIT IT NAO. There are mods, don't use them. At least until you've exhausted the standard parts and reached 'space', most mods are just improved rockets with no weight to push ratio and stupendous amounts of fuel.

<span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>Bonus objective, make Jebidiah scared, he seems to be a particularly hardened psychopathic green astronaut</span>

Sops

I can see my whole day slipping away

Temphage

You should add that it's free. I didn't download it at first because it looks like an indy game and was going with the NS2 'buy before it's complete' route.

But I'm a dumb so...

Svenpa

New version out (0.8.3), although they named it "experimental" due to its buggyness. Rumors of a Multiplayer version is floating around but don't get your hopes up just yet.

Edit: Added clarification that it's free and MP "proof", probably fake considering the source (/v/ on 4chan): <a href="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/694/1310599827921.png" target="_blank">http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/694/1310599827921.png</a> (Can't link pngs, derp)

Temphage

Game fail, can't alt-tab back into fullscreen mode.

Sops

I just keep it in windowed mode.

I was hovering my rocket and was able to land the command module without deploying the parachute or killing the crew.

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/Sops102/landing_small.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Oh, and they all look scared.

Temphage

It also accepted my joystick inputs on the launch screen, but they don't seem to work in-game. Oh well, let's light this candle. And kill some green men! :D

Out of curiosity, how are you supposed to use the radial decoupler? I can't get anything attached to it.

Svenpa

<!--quoteo(post=1860495:date=Jul 14 2011, 02:16 AM:name=Temphage)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Temphage @ Jul 14 2011, 02:16 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1860495"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It also accepted my joystick inputs on the launch screen, but they don't seem to work in-game. Oh well, let's light this candle. And kill some green men! :D

Out of curiosity, how are you supposed to use the radial decoupler? I can't get anything attached to it.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

If I can remember the correct part, it can only hold solid fuel engines (boosters) and it's quite tricky to get it on. Try placing a booster from frontal view instead of the sides. In other news, you can just jam boosters together as they stick on each other. They even flip to horizontal position if you can get it on top of another booster. Furthermore, don't forget to use the symmetry button which is to the left of your rocket's name. See last picture in my first post, It's a circle with a yellow dot in the middle. Click it once or more and then place a part somewhere.

Generally good construction:
Stage 1: Command module with parachute
Stage 2: Fuel tanks connected to liquid fuel thrusters
Stage 3: As many boosters as you can fit to get it off the ground and then dump it all at once when the boosters runs out of fuel or overheats.

And don't forget to cram in at least 3-4 SAS modules (they fit pretty much anywhere and stack on each other), then pressing "T" to toggle them during launch. You will be much happier when a slightly crooked spacecraft can still keep itself somewhat straight without fiddling with WASD.

Temphage

Ah, I got it.

Well... it's fun, but the bugs are irritating and there's some design there I don't understand. Most specifically, the fact that complicated rockets completely break in the editor. I tried using the 0.8.3 release but that one won't even let me attach fuel tanks to each other due to bugs...

sheena_yanai

geez this is fun, after killing about 100 green man with my contraptions ive finally reached space, meco at 200 kilometers, very nice ballistic flight, still climbing, now at 500, theres still a whole tank fuel left for another burn to get into an orbit :D

sheena_yanai

argh.. ive seperated the last stage after accelerating into orbit, now ive got no way to brake for re-entry, jebediah doesnt seem to be concerned about that

<img src="http://yanai.blackmage.org/orbit.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Retales

My plan was to get my brave astronauts into orbit and leave them there for the night. Unfortunately, my endeavours were delayed due to bugginess. Once I may have gotten my guys into orbit (40 km high, 2.3 km/s horizontal speed), but I wasn't quite sure I was going fast enough. I decided to try to add one more stage to my rocket to be sure, but the bugs got the better of me. Towards the end the stages were activating in wrong order or overlapping with each other, and the last version of my rocket just tipped on its side and blew up on the launch pad.

Anyways, I see myself <strike>wasting</strike> spending countless hours with this game. I definitely have my eye on this.

Svenpa

New version out (AGAIN!) 0.8.4 first post link still leads to it. Boy, the devs sure update fast. Not quite the feature quantity or quality like NS2 but still.

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->===================================== v0.8.4 =====================================================

Bug Fixes:
* Fixed a small but incredibly disruptive bug which prevented engines from being connected to fuel tanks

===================================== v0.8.3 =====================================================

New:
* Added key to lock staging, to prevent accidental jettisoning (remember to set it off later). Set to Alt+L
* Added a tooltip for the Symmetry Button

Bug Fixes:
* Fixed A TON of bugs with the symmetry and ship construction in general. Game is stable again.
* Fixed a bug where parts would lose staging info and revert to default when returning from flight to the VAB. (the staging reset bug)
* Fixed a glitch introduced in 0.8.3 RC1 that allowed parts to be attached to frozen parts.


===================================== v0.8.2 ======================================================

This version is a hotfix for a couple of ugly bugs found with the 0.8.1 release.

WARNING:

The 0.8.1 release introduced a few changes to the .craft file format, so it is possible that ships
created with versions prior to 0.8.1 might not be compatible with the new version.

Bug Fixes:
* Fixed a serious bug where swapping about symmetrical parts would crash the game
* Pod cannot be dropped if an Escape Tower (PunchOut addon) is attached


===================================== v0.8.1 =======================================================
New:
* Added options to use Angle Snapping when placing surface-aligned parts.
* Symmetrical placement mode in the VAB.
* It's now possible to set aside a part of group of parts. This enables adding parts in between others without deleting half the ship.
* Sound Normalizer, keeps the volume balanced even with 50+ boosters firing
* Added framerate cap to keep GPUs from screaming on light scenes. (configurable through the settings.cfg file)
* Deleting a part now requires clicking the parts list. This prevents accidental deletion. (Or you can also press 'Delete)
* Fuel can now flow through Strut parts like the tricoupler

Bug Fixes:
* Fixed bug where starting a new ship with a loaded multi-stage ship would create empty stages
* Smoke trail effects now fade away when nearing the edge of the atmosphere
* Fixed SkySphere culling issues at large distances
* Added cfg parameter to enforce a symmetry mode when stacking (like 3 under the tricoupler)
* Updated editor tutorial to reflect the changes in this update<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

That_Annoying_Kid

this program looks legit

DiscoZombie

My first ship after tutorial (liquid fuel engine and two fuel tanks) made it into space, but I was out of fuel and therefore could not propel myself back into the atmosphere. Or maybe I didn't escape gravity but just thought I did and didn't wait around long enough to find out. This game is 100% sandbox, right? there are no missions per se, other than the general goal of getting into space and back to the ground without everyone dying in a fire?

I think I'll keep watching this thread but I'll sit the game out for a while. Sometimes my ship doesn't separate properly and I don't know whether it's a bug or design error on my part. Not fun to spend 5 minutes watching your ship majestically fly towards the heavens just to have it suddenly not separate for no reason.

Sops

Game is still in early development, not sure what is planned but there will likely be some kind of goals/missions added in.

lolfighter

I predict an achievement called either "I'm in space" or just "Spaaaaaaaace!"

Svenpa

<!--quoteo(post=1860980:date=Jul 16 2011, 12:09 PM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lolfighter @ Jul 16 2011, 12:09 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1860980"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I predict an achievement called either "I'm in space" or just "Spaaaaaaaace!"<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Now I predict someone modelling that sphere and actually placing it in the game as dekal or some kind of engine.

Chris0132

Hmm, running into that law that makes space flight difficult.

The one that says what you mostly need in a rocket is fuel to launch the fuel to launch the fuel to launch the rocket.

That and square cube law making it really hard to build big rockets.

I can get it into low orbit fine, and accelerate it to 2km/s or so, but that's about it.

The rocket is literally made entirely of engines and most of the are used up in the first 5000 metres.

lolfighter

This is why we should be working on space elevators goddammit!

DiscoZombie

I lied when I said I wasn't gonna keep playing. this is my best so far - I'm betting I escaped gravity this time but have no way to get back to earth so the poor Kermans are doomed to die cold and alone in space.

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/99279/spaaace.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Here is the rocket that got me here. I was surprised it worked; I expected the solid fuel boosters to melt the fuel tanks right next to them:

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/99279/spaaaceship.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

sheena_yanai

today ive achieved escape velocity, and my boys are on the way to boldly go where no kerbal has gone before.

Mission time +5:00:17
distance 34 000 km
speed 1773.2 m/s constant


<img src="http://yanai.blackmage.org/moontrip.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

im quite concerned about the thumbling of the craft which must have happend when i was away, and the resulting gforces which spike up to 14g.

but as long jeb is having a blast, i wont correct this. its 356400 km to the moon, so its safe to say these kerbals could reach it

update: after checking the course and direction ive realized they are moving towards the sun :o

sheena_yanai

mission time T+10:50:12
distance 71 234 km
speed 1773.3 m/s


something creepy just happend.
planet is so small, i cant even see it anymore.
vehicle speed increased by 0.1 m/s

<img src="http://yanai.blackmage.org/moontrip2.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

That_Annoying_Kid

as long as Jeb ain't trippin' it's all good

monopolowa

Yeah, think I've escaped planet Kerbal as well...
time: 5:35:49
dist: 42355 Km
speed: 2067.5 m/s constant (or very close, hasn't changed for several minutes)

sheena_yanai

the game seems to have a memory leak or something, it bluescreened my computer after 20 hours just when i tried to do a screenshot of their journey, and the strange speed gain of 2.4, G force indicator needle was buried past 15G, and all my kerbals lost their nametags, my camera was way behind them, and i had to zoom in quite a distance to find them again.

THEY WILL BE REMEMBERED
<div align='center'><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v436/RiesstiuIV/kerbalspaceodyssey-1.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></div>
<div align='center'>a kerbal space odyssey</div>

NeonSpyder

<!--quoteo(post=1861318:date=Jul 18 2011, 02:29 AM:name=sheena_yanai)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (sheena_yanai @ Jul 18 2011, 02:29 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1861318"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->the game seems to have a memory leak or something, it bluescreened my computer after 20 hours just when i tried to do a screenshot of their journey, and the strange speed gain of 2.4, G force indicator needle was buried past 15G, and all my kerbals lost their nametags, my camera was way behind them, and i had to zoom in quite a distance to find them again.

THEY WILL BE REMEMBERED
*pictar*
a kerbal space odyssey<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

That is pretty excellent.

Also I really like this game as a concept and am looking forward to seeing more come out of it.

It's surprisingly FUN to develop spacecraft and launch them. Are there any other games like this?

That_Annoying_Kid

tough little ######s just chillin in 15g

lolfighter

How do these spacecraft even remain functional with two thirds of the crew going "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" at any given moment?

Chris0132

It does mention in the tutorial that they aren't flying the ship, I assume they're there for the same reason the dog was there when the russians fired it into space.

Besides, I don't know for sure, but I don't think real life astronauts fly the ship while being mashed into their seats under two or three times normal gravity in a spacesuit.

RichardRahl

<!--quoteo(post=1861411:date=Jul 18 2011, 10:45 AM:name=Chris0132)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chris0132 @ Jul 18 2011, 10:45 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1861411"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It does mention in the tutorial that they aren't flying the ship, I assume they're there for the same reason the dog was there when the russians fired it into space.

Besides, I don't know for sure, but I don't think real life astronauts fly the ship while being mashed into their seats under two or three times normal gravity in a spacesuit.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

they do not ground control flys them and even most of the time during space all flight is done by computer, the space riders are just that, riders and button pushers.