[1.2] Real Solar System v12.0 Dec 8

[HoneyFox]

Not entirely sure where to ask this, but is there a better way to calculate when to launch for the best angle for a lunar encounter? Doing it by eye i usually only get within 6-12 degrees and MechJeb always launches me exactly 52/54 degrees off, so thats useless too.

I usually use another way that aims for the predicted rendezvous point with the moon. Using this method, you can launch the rocket at any moment so you don't need to worry about launching window.

The method's details:

First, find the three points: earth's center point, your launch site point, and the predicted rendezvous point (nearly 70~80 degrees ahead of the moon).

Second, try to figure out the plane those three points are all on. This plane should clip through the center of the earth and clip across your launch site as well.

Judge the launch azimuth based on your launch site and that plane. You might miss that for several degrees but it should be OK.

After that, launch your rocket using the azimuth to a parking orbit of inclination of that plane. There are actually two directions that match the inclination, but you'd better choose the one that is pro-grading. e.g. If the inclination is 60 degree ascending and if you are launching from equator, you have two azimuth options available: 030 & 210. Obviously you should choose the 030 one.

Once you get into the parking orbit, you need to do the transfer quickly, normally in 2 orbits it won't hurt, otherwise you'll miss the rendezvous window. The point of transfer maneuver is obviously at the opposite side of the predicted rendezvous point.

Edited March 3, 2014 by HoneyFox

[AbeS]

Or use the launch windows planner in my sig You just need to click "Add Body", then select "Vessel", write down all the info and "Plot it!"

[Starwaster]

Not entirely sure where to ask this, but is there a better way to calculate when to launch for the best angle for a lunar encounter? Doing it by eye i usually only get within 6-12 degrees and MechJeb always launches me exactly 52/54 degrees off, so thats useless too.

Which MJ function are you using for your Münar transfer? You should be using Hohmann Transfer. If that does result in a Münar encounter, then follow it up with 'Fine Tune'. The closer to circular your starting orbit, the better. (no need to go overboard, just so long as it isn't grossly elliptical)

[Camacha]

I hear talk of a real life earth and possibly matching PQS stuff. Is this right and where would I find this?

[Starwaster]

I hear talk of a real life earth and possibly matching PQS stuff. Is this right and where would I find this?

I... think the dev build posted within the past few pages has it? (with RSS Kerbin now being optional....?)

[Camacha]

I... think the dev build posted within the past few pages has it? (with RSS Kerbin now being optional....?)

Ah, okay. I scanned through 10-15 pages or so and did not see any obvious images of similar stuff. I will look for the dev build more specifically. Thanks!

[DasBananenbrot]

Ah, okay. I scanned through 10-15 pages or so and did not see any obvious images of similar stuff. I will look for the dev build more specifically. Thanks!

Can't link it now but have been on that particular page today so I can say the prerelease is posted on page 163 of this thread. Hope this helps

[Camacha]

Can't link it now but have been on that particular page today so I can say the prerelease is posted on page 163 of this thread. Hope this helps

That made life easy, nice! A relevant link for those who are interested

[DasBananenbrot]

That made life easy, nice! A relevant link for those who are interested

Always glad to help

[Camacha]

Oh dear, non equatorial space centers. We are not having it easy anymore. I am loving it though, this is all excellent.

[OtherBarry]

Which MJ function are you using for your Münar transfer? You should be using Hohmann Transfer. If that does result in a Münar encounter, then follow it up with 'Fine Tune'. The closer to circular your starting orbit, the better. (no need to go overboard, just so long as it isn't grossly elliptical)

Hoffman Transfer and Fine tune closest approach to target both work fine, its the 'launch into plane of target' function of ascent guidance that doesn't seem to work. I think it gets confused by KSC having a higher latitude than the Moon's inclination.

[PhaserArray]

I've seen a few people playing with a real Earth (texture and terrain wise) with the KSC somewhere in Florida. How could I get something like that, as mine is currently like Kerbin? Is this some Universe Replacer feature?

[Ralathon]

I've seen a few people playing with a real Earth (texture and terrain wise) with the KSC somewhere in Florida. How could I get something like that, as mine is currently like Kerbin? Is this some Universe Replacer feature?

Nah, it's the 6.0 prerelease.

Turns Kerbin into Earth.

[NathanKell]

Yeah. I just finished the prerelease and then haven't been at my desktop for more than 3 days in the last month. I will try to get a full release out ASAP.

OtherBarry: "Launch into plane of target" is somewhat misnamed. What it really does is launch when the launch site is in the plane of the target, but launch into the inclination's *azimuth*, ignoring planetary rotation. Depending on your latitude you may have to up or lower the desired inclination in the ascent guidance window in order to end up with the actual correct inclination. You likely will also have to do a slight plane change burn after circularization to fine-tune.

[Morden96]

Has anyone else experienced Kraken attacks while landing on the Mun? Around 10km goes nuts and my CoG is nowhere near my ship....

[VonFrank]

Does anyone know how to improve the detail of planetary textures when using this?

From what I can see, KSP enhances the textures on the surface of a planet/moon as you get closer. I'm not sure how it does this, but it seems to work fairly well. With RSS, planets are larger and this results in blurry terrain. The terrain gets more blurry because the textures are spread over a larger area. Can this be overcome by having the game enhance textures an additional time during the decent to a planet?

These sections in KSP's main config file for example:

		PLANET
		{
			name = Kerbin
			minDistance = 6
			minSubdivision = 1
			maxSubdivision = 9
		}

Does anything here control how many times a planet's textures are enhanced as you get closer to the surface? Does "maxSubdivision" have something to do with texture detail near the surface?

[NathanKell]

Um, no, that's not what's happening. What's happening is that KSP renders planets in two different ways: the PQS (procedural terrain, i.e. viewpoint-dependent dynamic geometry used when the camera is near the planet's surface) and the scaled space mesh (used when far away). The latter uses a single static mesh of fixed geometry and a single texture page for the entire planet and even an 8192x4096 texture is pretty blurry when used on a large planet. The former uses dynamic geometry where more detail is added near the camera (up to a maximum subdivision as specified*), coloring by vertex color (in the case of Kerbin), and a detail texture for roughness.

If you want to increase the detail of the PQS, use the maxLevel parameter in RSS.cfg. If you want to change the swap distance (the distance where the PQS is swapped for the scaled space mesh and vice versa) change the PQS and SS fade parameters in RSS.cfg.

[HoneyFox]

Um, no, that's not what's happening. What's happening is that KSP renders planets in two different ways: the PQS (procedural terrain, i.e. viewpoint-dependent dynamic geometry used when the camera is near the planet's surface) and the scaled space mesh (used when far away). The latter uses a single static mesh of fixed geometry and a single texture page for the entire planet and even an 8192x4096 texture is pretty blurry when used on a large planet. The former uses dynamic geometry where more detail is added near the camera (up to a maximum subdivision as specified*), coloring by vertex color (in the case of Kerbin), and a detail texture for roughness.

If you want to increase the detail of the PQS, use the maxLevel parameter in RSS.cfg. If you want to change the swap distance (the distance where the PQS is swapped for the scaled space mesh and vice versa) change the PQS and SS fade parameters in RSS.cfg.

Talking about this, it reminds me of the weirdness of the Mars' Phobos in RSS... it has really big difference between its PQS and SS.

[NathanKell]

Is that still true in v6pre? I thought I implemented a function call that will make the SS exactly track the PQS.

[HoneyFox]

Is that still true in v6pre? I thought I implemented a function call that will make the SS exactly track the PQS.

If that v6pre is the one with terrain of real earth, then it is.

[VonFrank]

If you want to increase the detail of the PQS, use the maxLevel parameter in RSS.cfg.

This is most likely the answer to my question, but unfortunately I cannot find that particular line of code anywhere in the RSS.cfg. Is it listed under a different name by any chance?

Thanks for the reply BTW.

[AndreyATGB]

This is most likely the answer to my question, but unfortunately I cannot find that particular line of code anywhere in the RSS.cfg. Is it listed under a different name by any chance?

Thanks for the reply BTW.

These lines

SSFStart = 200000

SSFEnd = 205000

PQSfadeStart = 200000

PQSfadeEnd = 205000

PQSdeactivateAltitude = 210000

[VonFrank]

These lines

Ok, that controls the SSF and PQS fade-in/fade-out distance, but it doesnt have any impact on the close-up terrain detail.

The only place I can find reference to a "maxLevel" parameter is in the planet configs in krag's planet factory (which still doesn't increase terrain detail BTW). There's nothing in RSS about it.

[AndreyATGB]

Ok, that controls the SSF and PQS fade-in/fade-out distance, but it doesnt have any impact on the close-up terrain detail.

The only place I can find reference to a "maxLevel" parameter is in the planet configs in krag's planet factory (which still doesn't increase terrain detail BTW). There's nothing in RSS about it.

What do you mean by detail? If you mean the accuracy of hills and such then you need a higher res height map, but I don't know if KSP can load more than 8k (which is already included).

[NathanKell]

Using v6pre?