Center of mass and thrust indicators

[Code24]

 

Anyone who has played KSP knows how important these are to building a stable craft.

Since DU claims to have realistic physics, these would very useful in the design process. The adjustor elements will probably help make up for off center thrust to a large degree, however many designers will want to make their ships as efficient as possible without relying on them for stabilization.

[Lethys]

Iirc they mention this in their first ship building video. That's exactly why you would need RCS too because of good old Newton

[Anaximander]

 

Anyone who has played KSP knows how important these are to building a stable craft.

Since DU claims to have realistic physics, these would very useful in the design process. The adjustor elements will probably help make up for off center thrust to a large degree, however many designers will want to make their ships as efficient as possible without relying on them for stabilization.

The Adjustors would really work up to a certain degree / size of a craft, i.e. star-fighters that can't afford the power needed for actual thrusters for maneuverability. I'd be betting that after a point, the adjustors don't cut it at all, and a person has to add some actual, minor thrusters across a ship to maek it turn.

 

It would help, if NQ provided with a visual way of detecting center of mass, like gravitometric scanners, cause I think most people have a hard time figuring out average values, let alone procuring a center of mass.

 

 

On the topic of ship designs though, people need to understand, that cool != efficient. You can make a ship look like a unicorn with the main propulsion coming in rainbow colors out of its rear, but you will have to figure out all the different materials going into it to make said ship fly without being wonky. But hey, if you can make it shoot laser from its eyes, good for you, you made a good, functional ship that does look like a unicorn. 

 

Call me if someone actually makes one. I'm interested for a friend of mine.

[mrjacobean]

On the topic of ship designs though, people need to understand, that cool != efficient. 

However, uncool designs (cube ships) won't sell. A balance of the two is needed if you are going to be a ship builder

[Anaximander]

However, uncool designs (cube ships) won't sell. A balance of the two is needed if you are going to be a ship builder

 

 

Cube = most layers of armor, maximum angles for placing batteries of turrets un rows., excellent for battleships.

 

 

Cool looking ships = pretty coffins in most cases.

 

 

 

Actually smart people will give zero squats about the ''pretty'' factor. They will destroy people in cubes.

 

Function over form.

 

The ''pretty'' will sell when it comes to houses and the such most likely.

[Kurock]

Back to topic:  Center of mass and potentially thrust indicators.  

 

These would be very useful while building on dynamic cores. Ideally a toggle on the construct while it is being built so show or hide these indicators, so that they don't get in the way of actual building. 

 

The static cores will probably not need the center of mass or thrust indicators... since they don't move.

[Lethys]

Back to topic: Center of mass and potentially thrust indicators.

 

These would be very useful while building on dynamic cores. Ideally a toggle on the construct while it is being built so show or hide these indicators, so that they don't get in the way of actual building.

 

The static cores will probably not need the center of mass or thrust indicators... since they don't move.

Since they already plan for COM ships, RCS and all those degrees of freedom, I suspect they will implement such indicators. Otherwise it will be a pain to build a ship that can turn quickly in fight to attack a chasing pirate. So I'm convinced they will come up with something

[Anaximander]

Since they already plan for COM ships, RCS and all those degrees of freedom, I suspect they will implement such indicators. Otherwise it will be a pain to build a ship that can turn quickly in fight to attack a chasing pirate. So I'm convinced they will come up with something

They could indiate the COM by its proximity to the Core Unit as a frame of referrence. IT's not something that's hard to figure out and put into an algorithm and since Core Units do deploy a voxel grid around them, they already act as a point of origin in a three-dimensional map.

 

 

I'd say making the Core Units could have a toggle optino for their CoM to show up as a sphere, that either expands or shrinks depending on how a ship is spread out, so people can adapt and place thrust accordingly closer to it.

[ShadowLordAlpha]

honestly I would be fine even if they didn't have it as it adds even more of an engineering challenge to properly balance the ships thrust and such

[Anaximander]

honestly I would be fine even if they didn't have it as it adds even more of an engineering challenge to properly balance the ships thrust and such

Or, just have people design a ship first, then play around with material composition to bring the center of mass back towards the main propulsion, instead of making it a mathematical nightmare to calculate. Wiring a ship up will be a challenge already, and most people don't understan d what wattage and ampage mean, let alone how powergrids work. Having them figure out the center of mass manually, is an overkill.