Spinning Chairs

[Archer]

Just a random idea I had a few minutes ago but it's something that might come in handy, particularly for small ships and for VR.  Usually in voxel games, particularly Space Engineers, when you sit down in a chair you're locked in place.  Your ability to interact with the environment is limited to a standardized control panel which probably involves an annoying menu interface.  The idea here is to enable players to interact with anything within arm's reach while seated in basically the same way as they would while standing.  This way you can place door controls, electrical panels, status displays, etc in voxel mode and have all of them fully usable while seated.  This would make it more practical to build compact interiors that don't generally provide enough room to move around without being limited to pre-made cockpit elements.  And yes, this also gives you the ability to spin your chair around.

[yamamushi]

I like this idea, it would certainly add a bit of realism to the VR support.

[ShadowLordAlpha]

Just a random idea I had a few minutes ago but it's something that might come in handy, particularly for small ships and for VR.  Usually in voxel games, particularly Space Engineers, when you sit down in a chair you're locked in place.  Your ability to interact with the environment is limited to a standardized control panel which probably involves an annoying menu interface.  The idea here is to enable players to interact with anything within arm's reach while seated in basically the same way as they would while standing.  This way you can place door controls, electrical panels, status displays, etc in voxel mode and have all of them fully usable while seated.  This would make it more practical to build compact interiors that don't generally provide enough room to move around without being limited to pre-made cockpit elements.  And yes, this also gives you the ability to spin your chair around.

now if we could get them to roll as well we could have office spinning chair races

[Bella_Astrum]

Spinning chairs could be a neat feature.

[Anaximander]

Just a random idea I had a few minutes ago but it's something that might come in handy, particularly for small ships and for VR.  Usually in voxel games, particularly Space Engineers, when you sit down in a chair you're locked in place.  Your ability to interact with the environment is limited to a standardized control panel which probably involves an annoying menu interface.  The idea here is to enable players to interact with anything within arm's reach while seated in basically the same way as they would while standing.  This way you can place door controls, electrical panels, status displays, etc in voxel mode and have all of them fully usable while seated.  This would make it more practical to build compact interiors that don't generally provide enough room to move around without being limited to pre-made cockpit elements.  And yes, this also gives you the ability to spin your chair around.

Good sir, given the nature of a star-ship and the inertial forces being present when you push a ship at a certain spin, the rotational nature of the chair could be summarised in two words :

 

DEATH TRAP

 

 

I can see a valid point of freedom to look around in a 180 degrees, but spinning chairs are quite pointless imho

[Bella_Astrum]

Hehe good point CaptainTwerkmotor. I guess they could 'locked' into place during launch, but no doubt there are practical implications.

[Archer]

Good sir, given the nature of a star-ship and the inertial forces being present when you push a ship at a certain spin, the rotational nature of the chair could be summarised in two words :

 

DEATH TRAP

 

 

I can see a valid point of freedom to look around in a 180 degrees, but spinning chairs are quite pointless imho

 

On the other hand a chair with a three-axis gimbal mount could actually help save you from high G forces.  If the chair is placed on the ship's center of mass then the ship can freely spin and tumble around the pilot while the pilot doesn't feel any of it.  Even off the center of mass the chair can align to the net acceleration vector, ensuring the pilot only ever has to experience Gs in one direction.  Plus the more traditional spinning chairs will let you replicate the effects of some of the Origin-Jumpworks ships in Star Citizen, where the chair faces backwards for easy access then rotates to line you up with the flight controls after you sit down.

[Anaximander]

On the other hand a chair with a three-axis gimbal mount could actually help save you from high G forces.  If the chair is placed on the ship's center of mass then the ship can freely spin and tumble around the pilot while the pilot doesn't feel any of it.  Even off the center of mass the chair can align to the net acceleration vector, ensuring the pilot only ever has to experience Gs in one direction.  Plus the more traditional spinning chairs will let you replicate the effects of some of the Origin-Jumpworks ships in Star Citizen, where the chair faces backwards for easy access then rotates to line you up with the flight controls after you sit down.

On the Star Citizen, in that game Wayfarers dogfight one another So maybe they are that "realistics"

 

 

Your idea though sounds like the best theme park ride imaginable!