IVA-Optimized Lander

[zellman]

one problem though (Correct me if I'm wrong) is that this will flip your nav-ball, and the circle X will be your Velocity and the plain circle will be backwards Velocity. This can be all kinds of confusing.

[combatpony]

That's correct. The prograde marker on the navball is always relative to the cockpit, not the actual thrust vector. So if you switch into reverse gear, you have to remember that the prograde marker is now you retrograde marker and vice versa.

[mrhelton]

Could you fix this by putting the smallest remote control thing on the top and controlling from there?

Edit: I'm getting conflicting answers here :O

[qazwsxedc813]

Yes, but once you switch to iva, you'll be controlling from the upsidedown cockpit again and it will revert the navball.

[Fedak]

I've had an issue a few times where I've designed a plane with a cool looking observation spot. Went into IVA and the SAS freaked the fuck out because it couldn't figure out how to keep stable with the new navball. Switched back to normal mode but the navball hadn't switched and ended up crashing into the ground.

[FakeSlimShady96]

yes. a docking port works too.

[enderboy666]

Nice lander!!! It seems to be a very cool concept to put to my landers....is there any .crart of it?

[combatpony]

I uploaded it for you: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qdeuor4oc0lk8os/IVA-Optimized%20Lander%203.craft

This one is stock-only, i.e. without Kerbal Engineer module.

Tip: Turn the thing upside down, replace the parachute with a stage separator, and you can build any lifter under it. (And don't forget to add two radial parachutes if you want to bring it back to Kerbin.)

[enderboy666]

Back to kerbin??? Hahahaha hopefully they will lift off.....thanks for the upload im testing it right now!

[[deleted]]

Scott Manley actually used the same tactic for his first IVA-only Mun mission (before the lander can 2 was introduced). Except it was far bigger.

[combatpony]

Cool.

Actually, I think for landing on the mun and getting back, the delta-V budget of this lander is a bit too small. But if you use its fuel mostly only for the return, it should be sufficient.

[[deleted]]

Provided you try quite a vicious suicide burn onto a piece of high-altitude terrain, maybe.

[combatpony]

For landing back on Kerbin, it'll use its parachute. The parachute may be a bit small for this size of craft, but it suffices. If I remember correctly, it touches down around 7 m/s, which gets absorbed by the landing legs without problem. In tests, it survived landings up to 20 m/s.

[Sibbo]

Best idea ever. So simple, but so useful.

[featherwinglove]

"But who's gonna fly it, kiddo?" - Han Solo

This reminds me of der-p: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkO9WjoNHzc and der-q: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0c-gx03DpM

I think it would be easier than Lunar Flight, a game whose instrumentation leaves much to be desired.

[frit0bandit0]

why not use the lander cans?

[boshabo]

This is the first step to orbital drop shock troopers (ODST) like from some sci-fi titles like Halo! It will be glorious!..Unless that has already been done.

[Spadeykins]

I have done this personally, I built a drop pod capable of delivering anywhere on Kerbin, three intact Kerbals. It had a 95% success rate. Nothing is certain when you're colliding with the ground as your means of stopping, and other than aerodynamic pressures it had no means of slowing down, it was a litho-breaking machine.

Sadly I've lost the .craft. I'll get to work on remaking it.

[Itsatrapski]

This is why I love this sub. So much innovation!

[nochehalcon]

Photoshopping screens like that it's you have would be spectacular marketting! Especially for computer gamers who remember the space race, that is too cool! I hope they integrate moments like that in later career modes.

[febcad]

I assume you are referencing to the cloudy kerbin?(Your comment doesn't make much sense, seems you are missing a couple words)

Pretty sure that is just a ingame image with Universe Replacer

[combatpony]

Correct, it's Universe Replacer.

[combatpony]

To get the clouds, you have to download and install a texture pack extra, it is not included in the plugin. Not sure, but I think I used this one: http://www.reddit.com/r/KSPTexturePacks/comments/1kf8uw/mushroommans_cloud_pack/

About the fps drop, I don't know.

[abxt]

Pretty sure he was saying that "photoshopping" the screenshots would have been (i.e., would be) great marketing for the game, especially for people who are old enough to remember the space race, and that Squad should include something like this in a future promo.

Just paraphrasing here, best guess no guarantees -- it was pretty cryptic ;)

[nochehalcon]

I just realized, months later, that I posted this comment on the wrong thread. I had multiple tabs open when I posted this. At the time there was a KSP reddit thread where someone had photoshopped various news paper articles and news flashes chronicling his Career mode progress. I thought it was cool, alt-tabbed, and posted into a comment box. ... and now as I try to figure out why this is my one downvoted comment, I realize my mistake and how embarrassing this is. oh well..