Mod possible? - Allow Engineers to adjust spring/damper settings

[Jognt]

Does a mod like this exist? Is a mod like this possible?

Getting spring/damper settings right is a nightmare of launch/revert/launch/revert. It would be so much easier if Engineers could alter it out in the world.

Please, share your thoughts.

[DoctorDavinci]

How about a mod that just allows you to adjust all the wheel settings on the fly while in the flight scene?

Shouldn't be that difficult to put together

As for having to use an engineer, I personally think an engineer shouldn't be needed as there is already real tech out there that allows the driver of a car to adjust ride height as well as spring and damper settings while driving and we all know that not all drivers are engineers 

[Geonovast]

The more I think about it (Also the more my new MH Mun rover with the stowable wheels bounces around on the Mun for no reason), the more I need this.

On 3/20/2018 at 12:55 PM, DoctorDavinci said:

not all drivers are engineers 

Not all drivers should be drivers, either.

I imagine that self-adjusting equipment would add a significant amount of weight, when doing it manually could be as easy as turning a nut with a wrench.  So I'm fine with an Engineer required to do it on EVA.

 

Although I think it would be better to build a mod that included much more than just landing gear adjustments.  Give the Engineers the ability to adjust much more.  Decoupler/Fairing ejection force, make it so an EVA'd Engineer is needed to adjust thrust limited on engines and authority on reactions wheels, the ability to fix broken solar panels, antennas, and TCSs (ideally with kits, not just magic like the parachutes.)  Oh, and kits for parachute packing!

You get the idea.

 

I may have some reading to do.

[Jognt]

On 3/22/2018 at 12:31 AM, Geonovast said:

Give the Engineers the ability to adjust much more.  Decoupler/Fairing ejection force, make it so an EVA'd Engineer is needed to adjust thrust limited on engines and authority on reactions wheels, the ability to fix broken solar panels, antennas, and TCSs (ideally with kits, not just magic like the parachutes.)  Oh, and kits for parachute packing!

While I am 100% for stuff that adds functionality, I am against _removing_ functionality. ie: forcing you to use kerbals to do stuff you don't need them for now.

I mostly just want a way to edit damper/spring settings in an environment that has physics enabled. So either in the flight scene, or with a simulated physics mode in the VAB/SPH.

Imagine being able to balance your rovers/SSTOs spring/damper ratios while building the craft by simulating physics in the SPH/VAB for a given body (if too cheaty, maybe as long as you have gravitational data on a body?)

It's too bad I don't know how to make mods at all. If anyone thinks either ideas (flight scene editing or sim.physics) are do-able for them, I'd love it if someone'd make this.

[Geonovast]

6 minutes ago, Jognt said:

While I am 100% for stuff that adds functionality, I am against _removing_ functionality. ie: forcing you to use kerbals to do stuff you don't need them for now.

That's why something like this should stay in mod territory.  You could have a mod that adds the functionality, a mod that adds it and requires the EVA Kerbal, or a mod that does both and the EVA requirement is toggle-able.  Personally, I would love the EVA requirement.  A simple setting would make both of us happy.

 

6 minutes ago, Jognt said:

I mostly just want a way to edit damper/spring settings in an environment that has physics enabled. So either in the flight scene, or with a simulated physics mode in the VAB/SPH.

This would be rather convenient.  However, you can... sort of.  You can build it, adjust what you need, launch, then hack the gravity with the F12 menu to match the body you want to test.  Granted, it's not as ideal as a full body simulator, but at least you can test in your target gravity.

 

Honestly C# is making my eyes cross as I'm used to much different languages.  Once I get some traction (i.e. the right tutorial that speaks to me), I'm sure I'll get something that will let you adjust the springs and likely break literally everything else.

[Jognt]

2 minutes ago, Geonovast said:

That's why something like this should stay in mod territory.  You could have a mod that adds the functionality, a mod that adds it and requires the EVA Kerbal, or a mod that does both and the EVA requirement is toggle-able.  Personally, I would love the EVA requirement.  A simple setting would make both of us happy.

Agreed

 

2 minutes ago, Geonovast said:

You can build it, adjust what you need, launch, then hack the gravity with the F12 menu to match the body you want to test.  Granted, it's not as ideal as a full body simulator, but at least you can test in your target gravity.

Myeah, that's pretty much what I do now, except also having to return to the VAB/SPH to try a different setting. Doing it all in sim.physics in the VAB/SPH would be the ultimate in user experience, which is my preferred part of development.

 

3 minutes ago, Geonovast said:

Honestly C# is making my eyes cross as I'm used to much different languages.  Once I get some traction (i.e. the right tutorial that speaks to me), I'm sure I'll get something that will let you adjust the springs and likely break literally everything else.

Forgive me for asking something that might be 'obvious', but what would be a good place to start getting into modding KSP?

[Geonovast]

2 minutes ago, Jognt said:

Forgive me for asking something that might be 'obvious', but what would be a good place to start getting into modding KSP?

If you're doing just a plugin, like this would be, first read some C# tutorials and get familiar with the language.

Then go here:

 

Annnd that's as far as I've gotten.  I tried dipping into modeling, but the tutorials are so antiquated at this point, that they're not much help.  Once I have the ambition to dedicate to it, I'm just going to have to con convince beg someone into holding my hand long enough for me to get the basics.

[wasml]

The source code is required to be included with any mod listed here on the forums - after looking over Diazo's getting started thread I would recommend picking a small mod that does something you find interesting and studying the source. There's also the plugin help and support thread:

https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/forum/29-plugin-development-help-and-support/