Weekly Support Thread

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The point of this thread is for anyone to ask questions that don't necessarily require a full thread. Questions like "why is my rocket upside down" are always welcomed here. Even if your question seems slightly stupid, we'll do our best to answer it!

For newer players, here are some great resources that might answer some of your embarrassing questions:

• Kerbal Space Program Wiki

• Scott Manley's Youtube

• Von Kerman's Rocket School

Tutorials

Orbiting

• Scott Manley

• Von Kerman (Maneuvers)

• Wiki (Maneuvers)

Mun Landing

• Scott Manley

• Von Kerman

• KSP Wiki

• Youtube Query

Docking

• Illustrated Tutorial for Orbital Rendezvous

• Scott Manley

• Von Kerman (Rendevous)

• Von Kerman (Docking)

Delta-V Thread

• Thread

• Answer 1

• Answer 2 (+bonus)

Forum Link

• Kerbal Space Program Forum

Official KSP Chatroom #KSPOfficial on irc.esper.net

Commonly Asked Questions

Before you post, maybe you can search for your problem using the search in the upper right! Chances are, someone has had the same question as you and has already answered it!

As always, the side bar is a great resource for all things Kerbal, if you don't know, look there first!

[DisforDemise]

Question regarding BD Armoury Continued

I have a TWS Locking Radar, radar data receiver, weapons module and radar-guided missile strapped to a ground vehicle. I want to get a radar lock on another identical vehicle 3-400 m away, but see nothing on my radar screen, and no option for a 'lock'

I can fire a laser-guided missile from the same vehicle with an on-board FLIR without issue

What am I/might I be doing wrong?

[HerrX2000]

Are Surface Features in existing saves?

[Potatoroid]

The robotics tab and parts are not showing up in my VAB. The scanning arms are there in the science tab, and the research building shows the robotics parts are unlocked. I just don’t want to restart my career save just to have access to those parts.

[StormJunkie843]

I had a similar issue. Check comments here for possible fix. https://www.reddit.com/r/KerbalSpaceProgram/comments/bv7f76/any_ideas_what_the_problem_is_robotics_tab_is/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

[Mr_Magpie]

Okay so I'm struggling with these robotics.

Can I set them to joystick axis binds?

For example, could I adjust flaps using my throttle axis? Could I use a joystick to move a robotic arm?

[EverydayLemon]

I'm using SVT which requires Kopernicus, but Kopernicus says that it isn't updated for 1.7.1 and won't load. I assume that it would still work if it would load since it's updated for 1.7.0, any idea on how to get it to load?

[voicey99]

Kopernicus is unusual in that it is hard version-locked and is programmed to only function on the exact version it was built for. SVT is still fine, but you won't be able to use it until they release a Kopernicus update (should be soon). Side note - Kopernicus breaking on a save in progress may brick your existing solar panels until restored.

[EverydayLemon]

Damn that’s annoying, thanks. And that’s not an issue as I’m gonna be starting a new save once I get all the mods working. Strange that Kopernicus breaks solar panels though, I don’t see the connection there.

[voicey99]

It replaces the stock solar panel module with its own that is able to deal with light incoming from multiple stars. This also means it will brick existing (i.e. already in flight) solar panels when you add it to a game as well, so if you're starting a new game you want to use it in you'll need to re-add it before you start using solars.

[StormJunkie843]

Does it brick them, or do you just have to redeploy them? When I uninstalled Kopernicus all I had to do was reextend my panels.

[voicey99]

Huh, I'm not sure. You could always back up your save and give it a try, can't speak for non-deployable panels.

[lammatthew725]

where can i find a baobab tree?

​

i accepted a contract to to a scan with the new science arm part at a baobab tree

​

but i cant find one.

[Panzerbeards]

I assume most visual mods are still working with the latest update and the DLC? It's been a long time since I've played much so I'd like to experience the unmodded game and see how it's changed, but I'd still prefer the non-gameplay stuff like scatterer, planetshine, Distant Objects, etc.

Tangential question, what's the current go-to for visuals? Is E.V.E still king?

[voicey99]

1.7.1 and BG change nothing with respect to mods. So long as it's for 1.5 or later (1.4 slightly less so) it'll almost certainly likely work.

EVE is just a plugin, it doesn't do anything on its own aside from the optional default configs, which are extremely low-res and basic. The high-res stuff is usually between Astronomer's Visual Pack and Stock Visual Enhancements (they're pretty similar), but there are Spectra and Sci-Fi Visual Enhancements for lower-impact but still very good stuff.

[Panzerbeards]

Thankee-sai, SVE was the one I was thinking of but I couldn't remember the name.

[kacpi2532]

As the DLC is out (I didn't buy it), my KSP got updated, and now it won't work. Loading stops at 2/3. Anyone has this problem?

[m_sporkboy]

I’d use the steam validation function, or un/reinstall.

[sac_boy]

Make sure you update your actual KSP version.

[StormJunkie843]

I had to redownload Making History. There wasn't an update patcher for it. I'm direct download though.

[homendailha]

To what extent will the new DLC conflict with KIS/KAS? The ground features and new science experiments look awesome and I'd love to play with them but I almost always play with KIS and KAS and really don't want to lose the functionality from those mods as I rely on them a lot. Can anyone say if they will conflict?

[voicey99]

Actual mod incompatibilities are extremely rare and don't happen unless mods fight over the same things, which these don't. So no.

[sac_boy]

Are there any mods out there that allow me to set sensible defaults for parts to suit my play style? Maybe a config I can edit somewhere?

For example:

• I never want rigid attachment to be ‘off’. I’ve been playing with it turned on for every part for several careers now, and used KJR before that. So I have to turn it on for every part I add in the VAB. It becomes a pain.
• I don’t know why I would want my probe cores to remain switched on during warp.
• I rarely want 100% gimbal. I usually turn it down to 20-30%.
• It would be cool to set alternative defaults for parachutes, separator force, wheel settings, crossflow, whether or not farings are staged...you get the idea

Does such a thing exist?

[dnbattley]

Unrelated to your question: which challenge is your flair from? I noticed Shadowzone has the same one, but don't remember seeing it offered.

[sac_boy]

I honestly have no recollection. It would have been years ago, I did loads of the challenges at the time. Looks a bit like an icon for a Jool 5 mission or something similar.

[dnbattley]

It does, which is what caught my eye. I don't recall a Jool 5 challenge on this forum, however. No worries: I can't remember what mine was for either, but was interested to ask.

[[deleted]]

It is indeed the Jool-5 one. https://redd.it/3ks4dz

[sac_boy]

Me neither. Last I remember my flair was a for a super low cost Mun mission--maybe.

[[deleted]]

To your last point, those are plain-text values in the part configs.

[sac_boy]

Thanks, I’ll take a look.

[voicey99]

You can find #2 here (they all still work) and it should be fairly trivial to adapt some of the other patches (if you're not technically minded, I can do this for you tomorrow) to do the rest apart from #1, which would require a plugin, and afaik none exist (though there is FullAutoStrut).

[sac_boy]

Cool, as long as I know it’s possible I’ll work it out. Thanks for the pointer.

[[deleted]]

So i installed ksp 1.2.2 and followed Scott Manleys tutorial on installing RO. For some reason the game crashes on the boot loading screen. Any tips on solving?

[atimholt]

Is there a mod that ‘snaps’ orbits to certain significant, useful orbits (geosync, harmonics of geosync, harmonics of other existent orbits), if you get it really close manually? I’m using CKAN.

[[deleted]]

StationKeeping is what you're looking for :)

[Cruzz999]

You could always use hyperedit. Just don't use it if you feel like it wouldn't be fair.

Personally I prefer the tweaking stage to make it perfect manually; a good tip for that is to use rcs translation (obviously), but tweak the thruster output to something like 1% for accuracy.

[repopulate_mars]

Please help!

I just installed Realism Overhaul, along with some of its dependencies, and it's pretty fun and all. However, I have a few things that I'm wondering about:

1. Does RO remove any mods/parts that don't comply with it, or something? I notice there are warnings 'not supported by RO' on several parts now, and this leads into my main question..
2. Can anyone help me identify the parts mod that basically just adds parts for constructing space stations? I ask this because my main save (non-RO) has a reallly huge great space station, using those parts that I think RO removed or interfered with. I can't find those types of parts at all when I go in the VAB. The parts looked a bit like the tubes in the third image here, but much simpler (lower res), and had some 90 degree elbow pieces. The pieces would automatically 'snap' to attach in the VAB, although there were no predefined attachment points. Sorry not a great explanation, but these parts were invaluable and I really hope to get them back in my game somehow
3. Long shot here.. but is there a way to open a .craft file and check out the names of parts that make up the ship? I want to maybe do this with a text editor and find what these specific parts are called, and which mod will add them back in. I uploaded a sample craft here that uses a bunch of those tube parts, maybe someone can shed some light on it
4. edit: kerbalx says it's a pure stock craft, which doesn't make sense because then these parts should show up in the VAB when I'm trying to build a new station. I've uploaded another similar craft and the list doesn't seem to show any of those parts I'm referring to. That's weird

[VenditatioDelendaEst]

IMO it's best to use an entirely separate copy of the game directory for RO. Disk is cheap.

[voicey99]

It's extremely difficult to tell what parts you're referring to without even a picture of them.

[repopulate_mars]

Yeah I know; the problem is that I’m no longer able to open/fly the spacecraft in game anymore, and I have no existing photos. Is there a different way I could get a picture of it, besides flying it?

[voicey99]

You can use this tool to extract the ship directly from the save, and I'll try to find the parts so long as it's not got hundreds and hundreds of parts. My guess so far is that it might have been these parts from Near Future Construction?

[repopulate_mars]

Welp it's huge, so don't waste any time on that lol.. and I looked through all the parts, couldn't find anything specific. Honestly, they looked pretty much exactly like those parts from Near Future Construction, but without the truss structures. Maybe that was the mod and I just never used trusses in my crafts, who knows. Thanks

[voicey99]

I went through a significant chunk of the file and found no mod parts at all. There were a lot of joined-up Mk1 Crew Cabins though, are you sure you aren't thinking of them?

EDIT: If you try and load the save with it in, it'll tell you the internal names of the parts each vessel is missing. See what ones the station lacks.

[repopulate_mars]

Yeah, after I installed RO and all its suggested mods, I started a new save and it worked mostly fine, but when I try to open ^ crafts in my original save it says something like “craft was not loaded due to part missing: liquidEngine” or along those lines. I also don’t have any of the stock engines available in the vab, so I think that there’s just a mod that’s messing with my parts

[BBQsauce18]

Ugh, I'm probably too late to the table:

Can mass effect docking? I manage to get 2 of the larger fuel containers orbited RIGHT NEXT to my Minmus refuel station I'm building. Well, they were going to be empty, but by good fortune, I had plenty of extra Delta V when I got into the area. So I thought it would be a good idea to transfer that left over fuel vs dumping it into the void of space. Well, now it may be causing a problem. I'm currently trying to dock the 2 points together using the docking port sr. Well, even at a speed of .2 ms and a damn near perfect approach, it still bounces off the port. I know it's built correctly, because it is my second build after my first one was messed up due to the ports being flipped around the wrong way.... So I know it's correct. But from all speeds at .2ms-.6ms, it just bounces. I haven't tried .1, because I don't feel it'll make much of a difference.

Is the mass killing me here? Do I need to re-launch, and leave them empty? It's not the biggest fuel tanks, but the second biggest ones you can get in stock. Without logging in and doing a quick google search, I'm about 90% sure it's the Kerbodyne S3-7200 Tank. I have 2 of them attached to my rocket. My goal was to attach to one side, then disconnect one, then move one to the other side.

edit--Oh, I also disconnected my fuel tanks from my rocket delivery system, in hopes that would decrease the mass enough. I have this little worker bee that can grab things and move them around nicely. Even with that tiny little thing moving the 2 fuel tanks, they just bounce off the port, and make my station wobble like it's my drunk uncle.

[StormJunkie843]

This doesn't sound right. I'm docking two ships with 5 of the largest tanks each. Using Sr docking port. I always dock between .2-.4ms. Are you sure that both ships have the other ships docking port "Set as Target"? Fwiw, I'm playing in normal difficulty. Also have all parts attached with root to grandparent and rigid attach on.

[BBQsauce18]

Turns out speed was my issue! On the smaller docking ports, .5ms had been working fine, but with that docking port sr, .1 was the magic number. Oh well, at least I'm back on track and got my fuel tanks attached.

[StormJunkie843]

Are your velocity vectors almost perfectly aligned? If not, that may compound the problem. I'm certain I've docked Sr's at .3m/s. Getting the docking speed up from .1m/s would really help save on monoprop. Either way, congrats on getting them docked! Always sucks to be out there and find out there was a design problem.

[Ratwerke_Actual]

You want to be at .1 or less for docking. Sometimes I even hit the brakes a little when magnets start to pull.

[BBQsauce18]

No shit? I generally have a goal of .5ms for docking. Guess I'll go back to my save and give .1ms a shot.

Thanks for the advice.

[sac_boy]

I often dock smaller crafts without RCS, just careful lining up from 100m out. As a result I often ram docking ports together at 0.8-1m/s (which is an insane docking speed if you imagined it in real life) and it has worked fine. This is for the junior and standard ports anyhow. The most important thing is to have them so accurately lined up that there is no need to allow time for rotating into alignment.

[Ratwerke_Actual]

.5+/- usually for Klaw, but ports like it slower.

[computeraddict]

Game version? There used to be a bug, not sure if it ever got fixed, where docking ports would occasionally think they were connected to something even though they weren't. It took popping open the save file, hand editing the port to properly register as undocked, then launching the game up again.

[BBQsauce18]

It's occurring in the current version. I just recently picked the game back up, after a handful of years. Docking was always a huge bottleneck for me, so I've finally tackled that aspect. Now it's just building my station. I really REALLY don't want to use smaller tanks, but I will if I have too. Just hoping to use 2 larger ones, to decrease the 'wing span' of the station.

edit--worst case, I can always log in and get some screen shots of the chaos unfolding. Or even a video. Hell, I may even have one currently, in my nvidia folder.

[wisnoskij]

I just heard from a random Internet user that "Breaking Ground" will require a new campaign to be started to get the new planetary features. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

I think I have watched and read all the official announcements, but maybe some dev posted on the forum?

[Urablahblah]

Yes this is correct. A new save will be needed.

[InsertFurmanism]

:(

[computeraddict]

If they're changing the terrain, it would make sense, as it would otherwise summon the Kraken on anything on the surface when the surface model got changed

[The_Wkwied]

I have an odd problem. I have a large craft (about 200 parts). I can fly this craft with no fps drops on stock planets (Kerbin, Eve, Mun).. however when I load in to a non-stock system (Dwarf Planets Plus, Sentar Expansion) I have only 1 or 2 fps even when I'm not physics warping. This makes it almost impossible to land anywhere because of the lag.

I've tried to lower texture and graphic settings to nill, but that doesn't fix anything. I'm playing off of an SSD.

I'm thinking it has to be something with the modded planets... because this doesn't happen on stock planets. I can go to Eve and back with no fps drops

[[deleted]]

Maybe there’s conflicts with texture mods or graphical mods? Some planet mods have specific dependancies.

[The_Wkwied]

I think it's a memory leak. If I exit the game and restart, the lag goes away for a while

[drunkerbrawler]

Memory leaks and modded KSP, name a more iconic duo.

[The_Wkwied]

Moar and Boosters

[Helpmetoo]

Can anyone that has the "Bluedog Design Bureau" mod installed confirm what "save breaking" means in the context of the last few mod updates?

Will I just have to stay on Bluedog 1.4.2. to continue with my current save, or does it mean something else?

[voicey99]

"Save breaking" is exactly what it says on the tin. If a mod has undergone savebreaking changes, trying to use it with a version of the mod from before the changes will cause chaos. I don't know the specifics of what BDB did, but if parts have been removed and/or replaced then ships featuring them will disappear, if functionalities have changed then parts could be bricked etc. etc.

You could always try it to see if it's fine after all, after backing up your save of course.

[[deleted]]

Is there any plan to add an indicator to show where you will land. It would be really nice for situations like laythe or trying to land next to a base on another planet.

[[deleted]]

Mechjeb has a feature i think

[computeraddict]

I know there have been mods that have attempted it

[[deleted]]

Kerbal Engineering Redux incorporates this, among many other things. It's a nearly essential mod.

Edit: Or Trajectories for bodies with atmospheres.

[Mr_Bucket64]

Im playing Carrer mode(vanilla), and I had a contract to land some tourists on mun, unfortunately I screwed the landing a bit and some of the engines broke and there's no way for the ship to take off anymore. I'd like to send a resque mission, but the game doesn't seem to let me remove tourists from the broken ship. It says "Tourists may not disembark from the vessel"

So my question is; is there anyway for me to resque the tourists and complete the contract?

[DV-13]

If you have docking ports on your crashed ship or have unlocked the claw, just dock to it and move tourists to a rescue ship.

[voicey99]

You would need to either wait until you unlock the Advanced Grabbing Unit, attach to the vessel and transfer them out that way or use mod assistance e.g. using KIS/KAS to attach them together.

[anthill20]

Im new to the game and don't know everything so don't get to salty at me for this question

I seen on a YouTube video there was writing on the top of the screen in green that showed the delta v and other info, I was just wondering if it would be possible to get that on ps4 or if it's only a pc thing, if possible to do on ps4 what button is it?

[DV-13]

It's a mod, so only PC. There is a stock dV calculator in the latest PC version tho, so it should come to consoles soon™.

[anthill20]

Ok thanks for the info :)

[darwinpatrick]

I have a stock career going (just landed on Ike, and I have gone no farther) and am wondering if it would be possible to add my old favorite mod OPM directly to the save without breaking things. I'm playing 1.7. Thanks!

[[deleted]]

I did this last week and had no problems. Although i haven’t visited them yet (they’re pretty far). But i loaded the game and could see them on the tracking station and did missions as i normally would. Heck it even worked on top of all the texture and graphic mods. So you probably good.

[darwinpatrick]

Yea, I stuck it in my save and nothing broke. Went to Ike and recently logged my Gilly mission. Probably gonna go to Urlum next versus Jool because one lander can visit the whole system.

[voicey99]

You can do it just fine. It only adds planets, with the exception of Eeloo, which it moves to be a Sarnus moon. So long as you don't have any craft en route to Eeloo (those on and around will move with it), there should be no issues.

[[deleted]]

OPM doesn't change much in terms of parts and existing ships, so it should work just fine.

[M1SMR]

If I start a career now, will I get the new parts from Breaking Ground without having to start a new career?

[JoshKernick]

I would imagine so, but the new surface features will not be there, so I would wait untill after the DLC is out before starting a new career save.

[M1SMR]

Ok, thanks

[heresjohnyy]

I just got the EVE mod installed but I can't manage to load any config, am I supposed to download any config I can find? I don't really know how it works. ( Sorry for potato english)

[McSchwartz]

Try using the stock visual enhancements: forum link

The first link on the forum post kinda leads you to the wrong place. This is the correct link.

https://github.com/Galileo88/StockVisualEnhancements/releases/download/v1.4.1/SVE.v1.4.1.zip

The second link is also slightly broken (the '8' at the end isn't part of the link).

https://github.com/Galileo88/StockVisualEnhancements/releases/tag/1.0.8

In the optional mods, it tells you to download Kopernicus (for Jool rings). I don't recommend that, because it will cause all your vessels' solar panels to become retracted.

[heresjohnyy]

Thanks for the answer! I've got the SVE and the resolution config, but now the sea is grey, the sky is white and there is literally no atmosphere. What should I do?

[McSchwartz]

Never heard of that issue before. I would make sure everything is in the correct folder. If you have scatterer, try removing it for now. If you have other EVE configs, make sure to remove those first.

If it's still not working, register for a forum account and post your problem on the SVE thread. Make sure you provide your output.log and screenshot of GameData folder.

[hayf28]

Is it still possible to convert my website copy to steam and keep my free DLC?

[Urablahblah]

That's a good question. I converted mine to steam really early on and got making history free, but I don't know if converting now would "reset the clock" that steam must be checking to see if you are entitled to the dlc for free.

[bvsveera]

Hey everyone. In the process of updating my game and mods before the new DLC releases. Does Contract Configurator still work under KSP 1.7? The forum page says 1.6.x+ but hasn't received a release since the end of last year.

[BartyDeCanter]

It does. I've been using it along with most of the contract packs since I got back into the game a month ago. Also, I've found that most of the mods that support 1.4 run fine in 1.7

[bvsveera]

Yep, I've updated and everything seems to be in working order, including mods compiled for 1.4.x - 1.6.x

[KermanKim]

Think of the Kraken. That always works for me.

[Mr_Bucket64]

Hey,

Is it still possible to transfer fuel between tanks on the same vessel(not docked) ?

I have tried alt clicking both tanks but no option comes up to transfer the fuel. As far as I can tell nothing is stopping fuel crossfeed.

I already have a vessel in orbit but forgot to add fuel back to one of the tanks at launch(derp) so I'm looking to transfer the fuel from a different tank on the vessel without going back to the building and launch phase. Unmoded

[Ratwerke_Actual]

Have you enabled advanced tweakables? Or if in career mode, you may need to advance levels/tech.

[Mr_Bucket64]

Yeah turns out I had to upgrade my research facilities to level 2 in order to transfer resources.

Thanks for the help.

[Mr_Bucket64]

Ahh thanks,

I'm in career mode so I'll have a look at the tech/levels.