[1.12.x] ConstantTWR

[linuxgurugamer]

If you are doing launches and getting frustrated by having to constantly modify the engine thrust to maintain the desired TWR, then this mod is for you.

If you have G force limits set in a hard mode, so that your Kerbals will die if they get too many G's, or if the vessel will break if there are too many G's, then this mod is for you.

The idea is simple:  Specify a TWR ratio to maintain during a launch.  The implementation is a bit more difficult.

This mod is under active development, feedback and ideas are welcome.

New Dependencies

• Click Through Blocker

Currently, the mod has the ability vary the thrust of the vessel based on one of 4 different measurements:

• Altitude
• Speed
• Mach
• G-Limit

For each of these, the following can be specified:

• A range of values of the measurement where the desired TWR can be set
• A range of values for the TWR

Keep in mind that the TWR values you can set have nothing to do with the vessel;  the TWR range is merely a target for the throttle to be set to;  if the target TWR is greater than what the vessel can provide, the target throttle will be 100%.

The way it work is that when the measured value is at the lowest point of the range, then the lowest point of the TWR range is used as the target TWR.  As the measurement increases, the target TWR will increase, assuming there is a range of TWR values.   You can also set the TWR range so that the minimum is equal to the maximum, which would effectively have a constant TWR during the ascent.

You can specify multiple ranges, so that when the first range is finished, the next one will be used.  This will continue until all ranges have been used.

TWR profiles can be saved, but they are not specific to a vessel.  This allows you to define and name a TWR profile and save it, and then load it as necessary.

The windows are available both in the editor (VAB/SPH) and on the launch pad.  

When  you are ready with your profile, click the "Activate" button and then launch the vessel.

Now for what you are all waiting for:

Download Information

Spacedock: https://spacedock.info/mod/1429/ConstantTWR

Source code: https://github.com/linuxgurugamer/ConstantTWR

License: GPLv3

 

 

Edited June 30, 2019 by linuxgurugamer

[GDJ]

Neat! I shall try this out.

[NSEP]

Indeed very interesting mod Linux!

Might try it out, awesome!

[ioresult]

Can you add a PID loop? So that TWR can be set using turbojet engines? (thinking of hovering using a VTOL with draining fuel).

EDIT: yeah not the point of this mod. But of this one:

 

Edited July 3, 2017 by ioresult

[linuxgurugamer]

4 hours ago, ioresult said:

Can you add a PID loop? So that TWR can be set using turbojet engines? (thinking of hovering using a VTOL with draining fuel).

EDIT: yeah not the point of this mod. But of this one:

 

As you said, not the point of this mod.

Sorry.

 

[garwel]

Looks cool: I get bored of having to constantly watch TWR and press Ctrl at intervals; a relatively smart monkey could do this job. Now, this mod goes even farther with its conditions and presets. Gonna give it a try (that is, as soon as I can continue playing).

[ioresult]

I like manually adjusting throttle on ascent, especially since we have prograde SAS lock now, I can focus on maintaining inclination and time to apoapse. My throttling can vary wildly during a launch.

[GDJ]

Well, it seems to work well.
My style of rockets is more "Light them up, pedal to the metal!!" then have a feather touch in orbit.

Cool mod tho'! If I need to do some real finesse flying, then it's getting used.

[Beetlecat]

On 7/3/2017 at 6:44 AM, ioresult said:

Can you add a PID loop? So that TWR can be set using turbojet engines? (thinking of hovering using a VTOL with draining fuel).

EDIT: yeah not the point of this mod. But of this one:

 

Also check out Throttle Controlled Avionics if you're keen to build hovering things. It's quite a suite of controls.

[Alewx]

Could you add some fields to enter the values by keyboard, the sliders are not exaclty accurate.

[linuxgurugamer]

New release, 0.0.2:

• Updated for KSP 1.3.1

On 7/8/2017 at 2:13 PM, Alewx said:

Could you add some fields to enter the values by keyboard, the sliders are not exaclty accurate.

I'll add this as an enhancement request. May be a little bit, I'm busy with updates right now

Next time, ping me so I see the message

Edited October 9, 2017 by linuxgurugamer

[linuxgurugamer]

Very minor update, 0.0.2.1:

• Fixed version file

[Apaseall]

I was going to just post Yay. Then I saw the message about this being an old thread. Old? only Oct 17, pffft. Thanks.

[Gordon Dry]

@linuxgurugamer

DirectoryNotFoundException: Directory 'D:\Kerbal Space Program\GameData\ConstantTWR\PluginData' not found.
  at System.IO.Directory.GetFileSystemEntries (System.String path, System.String searchPattern, FileAttributes mask, FileAttributes attrs) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at System.IO.Directory.GetFiles (System.String path, System.String searchPattern) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at System.IO.DirectoryInfo.GetFiles (System.String searchPattern) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at (wrapper remoting-invoke-with-check) System.IO.DirectoryInfo:GetFiles (string)
  at ConstantTWR.ConstantTWR.GetFileList () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at ConstantTWR.ConstantTWR.FileSelWindow (Int32 id) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at UnityEngine.GUILayout+LayoutedWindow.DoWindow (Int32 windowID) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at UnityEngine.GUI.CallWindowDelegate (UnityEngine.WindowFunction func, Int32 id, Int32 instanceID, UnityEngine.GUISkin _skin, Int32 forceRect, Single width, Single height, UnityEngine.GUIStyle style) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
 
(Filename:  Line: -1)

1. the folder was not existing, so the mod bugged out, after I manually added the folder the UI was back alive
2. the folder should perhaps be \ConstantTWR\Plugins\PluginData

[linuxgurugamer]

21 minutes ago, Gordon Dry said:

@linuxgurugamer

DirectoryNotFoundException: Directory 'D:\Kerbal Space Program\GameData\ConstantTWR\PluginData' not found.
  at System.IO.Directory.GetFileSystemEntries (System.String path, System.String searchPattern, FileAttributes mask, FileAttributes attrs) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at System.IO.Directory.GetFiles (System.String path, System.String searchPattern) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at System.IO.DirectoryInfo.GetFiles (System.String searchPattern) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at (wrapper remoting-invoke-with-check) System.IO.DirectoryInfo:GetFiles (string)
  at ConstantTWR.ConstantTWR.GetFileList () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at ConstantTWR.ConstantTWR.FileSelWindow (Int32 id) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at UnityEngine.GUILayout+LayoutedWindow.DoWindow (Int32 windowID) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at UnityEngine.GUI.CallWindowDelegate (UnityEngine.WindowFunction func, Int32 id, Int32 instanceID, UnityEngine.GUISkin _skin, Int32 forceRect, Single width, Single height, UnityEngine.GUIStyle style) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
 
(Filename:  Line: -1)

1. the folder was not existing, so the mod bugged out, after I manually added the folder the UI was back alive
2. the folder should perhaps be \ConstantTWR\Plugins\PluginData

The location is correct, a new build process left out the directory.

Just create the missing folder in 

ConstantTWR/PluginData

I'll get it fixed this evening 

New release, 0.0.4:

• Added code to create config directory if it wasn't there
• Changed version info to allow all 1.4.*

[linuxgurugamer]

New release, 0.0.4.1

• Added dependency check

[linuxgurugamer]

New release, 0.0.4.4

• Version bump for KSP 1.7.2
• Updated AssemblyVersion.tt for location independent builds

[Stone Blue]

Nice mod.. cant believe I havent seen this yet...
I am *constantly* adjusting throttle, watching TWR to maintain within a good a range, during ascent... (I usually overbuild rockets... dont spend much time testing and fine tuning them)

I dont know if its just me imagining it, or KSP aero really does take into consideration, MaxQ... vOv
but I've found (in stock scale), that throttling down between ~7.5km to 9, 10km, along with switching SAS to follow prograde during this part of ascent (or just letting off on pushing AoA changes, and go to prograde manually), seems to help prevent rocket flipping, or sudden pitch changes... vOv
I also try to work similar strategy during side-booster sep... (at least the following prograde, and having 0° AoA during sep)... it seems to help keep booster/core collisions from happening...

So, my question is, if KSP aero does indeed consider/model MaxQ, and I am not really crazy imagining this, would it possible/within scope of the mod, to add in automatically adjusting thrust level/TWR based on *pressure* measurement? vOv

Edited June 28, 2019 by Stone Blue

[Tacombel]

@Stone Blue for that you would probably be better using MechJeb 2

[linuxgurugamer]

On 6/28/2019 at 10:59 AM, Stone Blue said:

Nice mod.. cant believe I havent seen this yet...
I am *constantly* adjusting throttle, watching TWR to maintain within a good a range, during ascent... (I usually overbuild rockets... dont spend much time testing and fine tuning them)

I dont know if its just me imagining it, or KSP aero really does take into consideration, MaxQ... vOv
but I've found (in stock scale), that throttling down between ~7.5km to 9, 10km, along with switching SAS to follow prograde during this part of ascent (or just letting off on pushing AoA changes, and go to prograde manually), seems to help prevent rocket flipping, or sudden pitch changes... vOv
I also try to work similar strategy during side-booster sep... (at least the following prograde, and having 0° AoA during sep)... it seems to help keep booster/core collisions from happening...

So, my question is, if KSP aero does indeed consider/model MaxQ, and I am not really crazy imagining this, would it possible/within scope of the mod, to add in automatically adjusting thrust level/TWR based on *pressure* measurement? vOv

Its an interesting idea.  How would you adjust the throttle?  I would assume that you would want the twr adjusted according to the pressure, but how?

[linuxgurugamer]

New release, 0.0.5

• Added InstallChecker
• Rebuild for 1.8

[leatherneck6017]

@linuxgurugamer Currently, if using MechJeb ascent guidance for launches, Constant TWR can't control the throttle. Would it be possible to get that to function? An idea I had would be to make this mod control the max thrust, instead of the throttle. Thoughts?

[linuxgurugamer]

1 hour ago, leatherneck6017 said:

@linuxgurugamer Currently, if using MechJeb ascent guidance for launches, Constant TWR can't control the throttle. Would it be possible to get that to function? An idea I had would be to make this mod control the max thrust, instead of the throttle. Thoughts?

This can't override Mechjeb.  If Mechjeb is controlling the throttle, then you are stuck with that.

And this wasn't written to control the max thrust, rather different internally

[linuxgurugamer]

21 hours ago, leatherneck6017 said:

@linuxgurugamer Currently, if using MechJeb ascent guidance for launches, Constant TWR can't control the throttle. Would it be possible to get that to function? An idea I had would be to make this mod control the max thrust, instead of the throttle. Thoughts?

And I just remembered that Mechjeb can do the same thing, just limit the top accel.

[leatherneck6017]

54 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

And I just remembered that Mechjeb can do the same thing, just limit the top accel.

That "sorta" works. I'm playing a highly modded JNSQ and I get the best results using the MechJeb default launch profile and MANUALLY controlling the max thrust myself via the PAW to keep TWR at around 1.5 until 45km or so. I was just curious if there was a code change for this mod that would hook into the max thrust instead of throttle.

Edited February 10, 2020 by leatherneck6017