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[Saint]

Content shamelessly taken from a thread on FP


Website (download is on the page): http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/
Download mirror (0.8.0): http://bit.ly/kspv08win
Extra parts: http://www.speedyshare.com/files/29364470/EXTRA_EXTRA_PUT_IN_PARTS.rar
Extra parts mirror: http://www.mediafire.com/?f36kytio353rfmo

Forum: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php


Kerbal Space Program is a game focusing on making your own space program. Yes, that's it. But it does not end there, oh no; even though there are currently only two engines it's the almost endless combinations possible that makes this so enjoyable to play. You see, much like real space rockets this game features multistage rockets that you design and create. Setting up these multistages is easy, though it can become rather complicated when your rocket has a gazillion stages.
 There is no real goal. You might want to achieve a stable orbit around the planet or just reach for the stars. You can also satisfy your competetive side of yourself and challenge your friends to a game of "who-can-reach-the-highest-altitude".
 And have you ever wanted to prove to NASA how lousy their space rockets are? This is the time to prove to them how wrong they are in their designs!

Kerbal Space Program is currently in alpha, to quote the developers:




Propulsion:

Solid Fuel Rocket


Description: High thrust for a short period of time. And unlike the liquid fuel rocket its fuel is within it.

Liquid Fuel Rocket and its Tank



Description: Moderate thrust for a longer period of time, this time can be extended by stacking fuel tanks on top of eachother
The liquid fuel rocket works by attaching the rocket muzzle itself to the end of the liquid tank.

Command & Control
Command Pod


Description: The Kerman trio (seen in the lower right corner in-game) inhabits this pod for the duration of the flight (also their metal coffin if you so desire :v:).

S.A.S Module


Description: As long as this module is attached to the rocket and you hold the F key (or t to toggle), it'll apply force to attempt to keep the rocket straight. More of these will make the ship more stable but will add to the overall weight.

Structural & Aerodynamic

Decoupler


Description: attachable to the side of a module, and on it other things (such as rockets) can be attached.
When the stage that the decoupler is part of is activated, the decoupler detaches from the module it's attached to. Extremely useful.

Stacked Decoupler


Description: This decoupler is only attachable to the top/bottom of a module, and it will detach itself from the module above it when its stage is activated

Stack Tri-coupler


Description: You can attach 3 modules to this one while it itself is attached to a single module. However, it's not detachable itself like the decouplers.

Wings


Description: Aerodynamic wings that are attachable to your craft.

Utility & Scientific

Parachute


Description: Attachable to anything like everything else and will extend a parachute when triggered in a stage. Its main use is to land the command pod safely in case you re-enter the planet or didn't reach space.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjQolxo1VIM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGKeAxIHsMw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcGWNtd5P7I



It's highly advisable to do the in-game tutorial

What do the devs have planned?
Colonization
Other planets
Shuttles
Moon
More parts
etc...

I'll probably write up my own better OP later, but I'm occupied with packing for a trip I leave for tomorrow, won't be back until the 15th.

[Alehkhs]

I've been checking this game out recently. It is amazing, both in the already present item of its simple fun, as well as the potential that this game has. I'm probably gonna do a write-up for TIGSource, but we'll see how things progress.

Now then, to the moon!

[lordcooper]

This looks like it has potential, but is it actually fun at present?

[Jay]

It feels like decoupled engines get their fuel reset. Nope, I was just reading it wrong.  Figures.
I decoupled my liquid boosters when I hit space-level (Again, nope, according to Wikipedia, I didn't even make it a third of the way.  But it looked so close!), but because of a failure, they didn't decouple, and it threw me back down into the ocean.
Whoops.
EDIT: It's probable I didn't do it right, though.  :V

[Saint]

This looks like it has potential, but is it actually fun at present?

Yes.
It's never been so much fun to try to fly a rocket only to find it had a catastrophic hull integrity failure mid launch and collide into the launch tower.
It's even more fun to try to salvage that launch and make it into space with only one half your original design.

Parachute failures, even better.

[Saint]

It feels like decoupled engines get their fuel reset.
I decoupled my liquid boosters when I hit space-level, but because of a failure, they didn't decouple, and coupled (hah) with the aforementioned bug, threw me back down into the ocean.
Whoops.

Yeah, if you de-couple with the engine still going it just continues until it runs out of fuel, they're probably fixing that next release.

[The Scout]

I tried to couple 9 fuel tanks to a 9 coupler. They're green when I put them on, then they go red a second later, making it impossible to put it on. :|
Edit: Me being stupid. Almost amde it to space....

[Saint]

It bugs sometimes, you have to ajust the pieces a bit, something's blocking the link for some reason.
The devs are releasing a snap to grid and symetrical placement function to the next version to help with that.

[Jay]

Damn.  I got to 257 KM out but because I was going straight up, didn't have enough horizontal movement to stay out there...  Gravity's a jerk sometimes.

[Bremen]

It feels like decoupled engines get their fuel reset. Nope, I was just reading it wrong.  Figures.
I decoupled my liquid boosters when I hit space-level (Again, nope, according to Wikipedia, I didn't even make it a third of the way.  But it looked so close!), but because of a failure, they didn't decouple, and it threw me back down into the ocean.
Whoops.
EDIT: It's probable I didn't do it right, though.  :V

Worth noting that Kerbal is smaller and has less atmosphere than Earth, so using wikipedia info for orbital calculations wont work.

There's a list of orbital speeds somewhere, but the one I remember (and usually aim for) is 100,000 meters up with 2,200 m/s lateral velocity. You want to aim for 60,000 meters to get clear of air resistance.

Remember, you can't orbit by going straight up (though a sufficiently beefy rocket can achieve escape velocity).

[Jay]

Spoiler: Big, I guess (click to show/hide)

Crap.

[The Scout]

Well, my giant rocket failed. When the first fuel tanks run low, the rockets fall off, instead of using the second tanks. :| Gotta make rockets for each tank. :|

[inteuniso]

This game is so much fun.

[Bremen]

Well, my giant rocket failed. When the first fuel tanks run low, the rockets fall off, instead of using the second tanks. :| Gotta make rockets for each tank. :|

No, one engine can use multiple tanks. I think they have to be stacked directly on top of the engine though. Also worth noting that fuel tanks are *heavy* (a capsule, 3 fuel tanks, and a liquid engine on overthrust wont even lift off the ground until some of the fuel is used up, lightening the ship)

My current best rocket, spoilered because I've had a lot of time to experiment.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Bottom liquid engines and the 6 solid boosters fire for the first stage, after the boosters run out of fuel they're jetisoned but the liquid engines stay on. With proper piloting, by the time the liquid engines run dry and jettison the ship is practically in orbit, and the third stage has plenty of fuel for establishing a solid orbit and maneuvering; I usually end up with 2 full tanks left for an eventual de-orbit and landing

[Xinvoker]

rofl, this game is awesome for a while! Looking forward to future improvements!