[0.24.2] Docking Tutorial 1.1.3

[blizzy78]

Looking for a plugin developer to take over this plugin! See this thread for details.

I've made a plugin that uses the in-game interactive tutorial system to teach docking maneuvers.

Download Docking Tutorial Plugin 1.1.3

Please let me know what you think or what can be improved about it. Thanks!

In case you're interested, I've also made an in-game rendezvous tutorial and an in-game moon travel tutorial.

Changes:

1.1.3, 2014-07-27
- Updated for KSP 0.24.2.

1.1.2, 2014-03-11
- Updated the plugin for KSP 0.23.
- Automatic pod movement should be much smoother now.

1.1.1, 2013-08-09
- Optimized RCS thruster placement on the pods to minimize unwanted torque.
- While performing a docking maneuver, the player can now see the distance and relative velocity to the target.

1.1.0, 2013-07-27
- Reworked the complete tutorial so that there are more detailed steps to follow.
- Increased the mass of the side pods to make them easier to maneuver.
- Increased the height of the ship's orbit so that everything stays in the sun light longer.

1.0.0, 2013-07-24
- Initial public release.

The Docking Tutorial is licensed under the GNU GPL v3.

Edited November 25, 2014 by blizzy78

[acealeam]

Can you elaborate?

Is this a written guide, some kind of step by step ingame tutorial in the scenario thing, or what?

[draeath]

Your "Addon Installation Guide" is still pre-0.20...

[blizzy78]

Is this a written guide, some kind of step by step ingame tutorial in the scenario thing, or what?

It runs within the in-game tutorial system. To run, select Start Game > Training > Docking and follow instructions.

Your "Addon Installation Guide" is still pre-0.20...

I used the default installation guide provided by Spaceport. Here's hoping they update it for 0.21 :-/

Edited August 15, 2013 by blizzy78

[Moon Goddess]

I feel like it needs more instruction

I'm a person who has trouble with docking, I downloaded this to try and see if it would teach me.

It really only told me the controls, I already know those, and turned me loose with a difficult scenario. I played with it for a while till I got frustrated and stopped.

Perhaps Aim it to use that are bad at this a little better? Don't give us the whole thing all at once? every time I turned I started drifting and every time I tried to move laterally I found myself not turned right.

Basically I'm saying thank you for trying to help us but I need way more help than this.

[Benie]

This sounds neat. What about one for rendezvous, and landing on both atmospheric and non-atmospheric planets?

[HeadHunter67]

Thank you for this tutorial. Before today, I'd never attempted docking. While I agree with MoonGoddess that this mission could have used more explanation and helpful guidance, I didn't find it particularly difficult or troublesome. It would seem that finesse is key - very brief, gentle nudges in the desired direction. Change one axis at a time - that seems to be the most important part! And remembering that RCS still allows you to use PYR (Pitch/Yaw/Roll) maneuvers with the thrusters made it doable.

I look forward to more such tutorials about other somewhat complicated but common tasks.

[blizzy78]

every time I turned I started drifting and every time I tried to move laterally I found myself not turned right.

The hard part is imagining what you are doing. Perhaps you could try and shoot a video? That would help ALOT.

Basically I'm saying thank you for trying to help us but I need way more help than this.

No problem, I'm trying to understand where players are having a hard time with docking. My plugin is in no way a complete tutorial yet, it's just the first public version

This sounds neat. What about one for rendezvous, and landing on both atmospheric and non-atmospheric planets?

Whoa, we'll see about that. I liked doing the plugin so far, and for now I will continue to expand it.

It would seem that finesse is key - very brief, gentle nudges in the desired direction. Change one axis at a time - that seems to be the most important part! And remembering that RCS still allows you to use PYR (Pitch/Yaw/Roll) maneuvers with the thrusters made it doable.

These are very helpful tips. Let's see what I can do to implement these into the plugin.

Please keep the suggestions coming. I appreciate them very much!

[Tripod27]

Simplest way I do it is to get close to the target (400 meters away), cancel velocity, use RCS (h/n is forward/back, i/j/k/l is to thrust up/left/down/right) to drift so I'm sorta looking at the port I want to dock at and it's in front of me, then manually sorta get both docking ports lined up visually using WASD. Then I put my target on the navball between my facing and my prograde marker by moving my prograde marker to the spot where I want it by using IJKL while having ASAS on to keep me lined up. This makes me drift so the target is right in front of me and we're both lined up from before. Then I use RCS again to stop when my facing and the target are lined up so my facing, my prograde marker and my target marker are all lined up and use H to fly to the target, wait till I get close (20m) make finer adjustments, repeat what I did before and dock at about 0.2-0.4m/s using N to slow down with ASAS off to let the ship wiggle to connect easier

If you want to not do the 20m adjustment, then either have the thing you're docking to be small enough that you can point one of the ports in a north/south direction so it rotates on it's axis while orbiting instead of rotating randomly, or if it's a big station that takes forever to turn and looks like it's going to rip itself apart when you do turn it, then have it at about 300km or higher to make it rotate slowly

Sorry, I don't have an in-game tutorial, but hopefully it still helps

Also, using chase camera for this is a huge help because it makes it easier to know which way is up even if it's stiffness is a bit nauseating. Don't forget to right click on the port you want to dock at and set it as target to have your target marker in the right spot (as opposed to just trying to dock with the other ship's center of mass instead of a docking port)

Edited July 25, 2013 by Tripod27

[blizzy78]

Just to be clear: This tutorial plugin is only about the docking part, not about rendezvous (coming from great distance) or approach (from 5 km down to let's say 100 m.) Just getting to dock when you're already at a distance of about 50 m to 100 m.

As I understand it (for example from MoonGoddess's comment) there are some people that are still having trouble while at this short distance. The plugin is intended to cover this. I'm pretty sure the instructions presented can be improved upon, I just need to figure out exactly how.

Edited July 25, 2013 by blizzy78

[KOCOUR]

Docking is peace of cake. if you can do orbital EVA and return with your kerbal back to the ship, you know how to dock. Randevouse, is the hard part.

[blizzy78]

Docking is peace of cake. if you can do orbital EVA and return with your kerbal back to the ship, you know how to dock. Randevouse, is the hard part.

Your mileage may vary

I find both docking and rendezvous easy. Not everyone is the same.

[Moon Goddess]

Docking is peace of cake. if you can do orbital EVA and return with your kerbal back to the ship, you know how to dock. Randevouse, is the hard part.

I can't disagree more, I find absolutely no relation between the way EVA behaves and the way Docking behaves. In EVA I simply line my camera up over the head of the Kerbal, spin till he's facing the ship and hit W. The kerbal never needs lateral movement to align docking ports.

The hard part is imagining what you are doing. Perhaps you could try and shoot a video? That would help ALOT.

I'll see about reinstalling fraps and recording a video, it might honestly be this weekend before I get to play again.

Just to be clear: This tutorial plugin is only about the docking part, not about rendezvous (coming from great distance) or approach (from 5 km down to let's say 100 m.) Just getting to dock when you're already at a distance of about 50 m to 100 m.

As I understand it (for example from MoonGoddess's comment) there are some people that are still having trouble while at this short distance. The plugin is intended to cover this. I'm pretty sure the instructions presented can be improved upon, I just need to figure out exactly how.

Rendezvous and Approach I've got no problem with, can do those all day (as long as I don't try something crazy, rendezvous in solar orbit didn't work well) , but once I get in close I simply have to hand it over to MechJeb.

I tried again last night after I posted my comment, I spend a good 20 minutes very slowly moving away, turning, translating, approach, WTF I'm above the docking port, I didn't translate up! But I didn't freak out or rage, I calmly moved back translated down, and come in again. SUCCESS I DOCKED!!!!!!! I did it I really did it. WHAT! The tutorial is telling me I docked with the wrong port!

Ok, yeah then I raged,

But I did manage to dock.

What I might suggest is make the tutorial in stages. Like, Set up a scenario that is just move forward and dock. Next, new ship, translate 5 meters, move forward and dock. Next new ship, rotate 90 degrees move forward and dock. Now combine skills translate, rotate, forward and dock. Repetition and practice help in learning and increasing the challenge helps build skills.

[blizzy78]

SUCCESS I DOCKED!!!!!!! I did it I really did it. WHAT! The tutorial is telling me I docked with the wrong port!

Haha, congratulations nonetheless

What I might suggest is make the tutorial in stages. Like, Set up a scenario that is just move forward and dock. Next, new ship, translate 5 meters, move forward and dock. Next new ship, rotate 90 degrees move forward and dock. Now combine skills translate, rotate, forward and dock. Repetition and practice help in learning and increasing the challenge helps build skills.

Good plan, I'll see about implementing that. As for repetition, I kind of want a feature in the tutorial that lets you reset the entire scenario to a certain point. Such as, "click this button and I'll reset everything for you so you can try it again." Not sure if that's possible, though.

[KOCOUR]

I can't disagree more, I find absolutely no relation between the way EVA behaves and the way Docking behaves. In EVA I simply line my camera up over the head of the Kerbal, spin till he's facing the ship and hit W. The kerbal never needs lateral movement to align docking ports.

I dont say its the same dificulty, i just say it is the same proces. you just push WASD Shift Ctrl for eva or IJKL HN for docking. Off course docking need bit more patience, and slover aproach, but in core it is the same. And it is not hard, if you dont hurry it.

[Moon Goddess]

But even if I don't hurry it I still find no relation.

EVA moves pretty much like any video game I've ever played, the differences are minor between it and say QUAKE or WOW

Docking doesn't move like anything I'm familiar with, the orientation of my camera controls change the direction of my movement in EVA mode, the orientation of the camera means nothing in docking save to get me turned around backwards. "What! I pushed J why are you going right?"

Basically I'm happy that you're a better player than I am, but I appreciate blizzy's work here, because for me it is hard, even if I go just frustratingly slow.

[blizzy78]

"What! I pushed J why are you going right?"

Which is exactly why I'm favoring the "chase" camera mode. In this mode, up is always up, left is always left and so on. (Assuming the camera is behind the craft - you can still rotate the camera in "chase" mode.)

In EVA mode the camera works almost exactly like the "chase" camera, so I feel KOCOUR is pretty much right.

[Moon Goddess]

Which is exactly why I'm favoring the "chase" camera mode. In this mode, up is always up, left is always left and so on. (Assuming the camera is behind the craft - you can still rotate the camera in "chase" mode.)

In EVA mode the camera works almost exactly like the "chase" camera, so I feel KOCOUR is pretty much right.

But the problem is I can't see where lining up if I'm behind the craft so I do have to rotate like constantly, and that's when I get upside down without knowing it and things go backwards.

I stay in chase mod a lot even when not docking I just prefer it, but i don't know the EVA feels easier. something about it is different.

[blizzy78]

But the problem is I can't see where lining up if I'm behind the craft so I do have to rotate like constantly, and that's when I get upside down without knowing it and things go backwards.

Hmm, that's odd. I just rotate the camera so that I see everything from the side, then just use up/down to line up with the docking port's axis. Then repeat the same with a top down view and moving just left/right. Another quick check from both viewing angles again if both directions are aligned property, and the only thing left is moving forward.

[mellojoe]

Rendezvous and Approach I've got no problem with, can do those all day (as long as I don't try something crazy, rendezvous in solar orbit didn't work well) , but once I get in close I simply have to hand it over to MechJeb.

Ditto. Not that I'm GREAT with rendezvous, but that I'm good enough to make it work sometimes. But, then I turn on MechJeb and let it go in for the final push.

Looking forward to trying out this tutorial. I'm so bad at docking and I MUST get better at it to be able to handle all these plans in my head. Very much looking forward to tonights KSP session.

Also, My biggest problem with docking is having unbalanced RCS. So, whey I try to laterally shift to the left (for instance) I also introduce a rotational element which moves the front of my ship out of position. I think I might try a mod for RCS balancing for a bit in order to learn docking first. Then wean myself off that as I get better at learning how my crafts change center of mass during flight (spending fuel).

[blizzy78]

Docking Tutorial 1.1.0 is now available for download. Please see the OP for a list of changes.

[RKHVTC]

Much better! I can dock now!

[HeadHunter67]

Awesome, I'll be checking it out. Has the craft file changed? (I'm actually using that as my rendezvous target while I learn to get close enough to dock.)

[blizzy78]

Has the craft file changed?

Yes, it has. Actually I've pulled it from the archive, because as a regular craft file it is not the same while in the tutorial scenario. The reason is that when you load up the tutorial, the plugin will modify the mass of some of the parts for easier maneuverability. I found that the original side pods were much too light.

Not sure if and when the craft file returns.

[HeadHunter67]

I suppose as long as I can keep using the stock craft for my non-tutorial missions, that would be fine. Otherwise I have to find a way to recover its crew.