Different Conic drawing modes

[Rascal Nag]

Title should be self explanatory. I did this in order to make sure everyone could get a nice visual representation of what happens with each mode. I\'ve used a Mun free return as the maneuver to use to demonstrate each type.

Mode 0 (Relative to each body\'s current position). Here, the Mun\'s orbit looks all kinds of messed up. It\'s not, though. As the Mun moves through its orbit as time progresses, this projected orbit will become closer and closer to our Kerbin escape and re-encounter.

Mode 1, the default (Draws orbits relative to their position at SOI entry). Here, the exit point looks severed from the ship\'s path due to the entry point being the point of reference now. When we get into the orbit of the Mun, the exit point will obviously make its way over to the correct point.

Mode 2 (draws orbits relative to their position at SOI exit). This one is a bit weird to look at at first, but it gets clearer as you think about it. Here, the Mun orbit is where it will be when I leave the SOI to go back to Kerbin. This causes the entry point to seemingly be disconnected, but it\'s not.

Here is mode 3 (draws relative to the body you are orbiting). As you can see, it looks like you would expect: No sudden breaks or turns in the lines. I find this to be a very useful tool for maneuvers such as the free-return.

And finally, here is mode 4 (Lerped mode). It\'s... odd. I think that, as my ship closes in on the SOI switch, these orbits will move and match up more. But when you\'re first doing your burn, it\'s a bit confusing.

[Guest]

I think in gonna stick to mode 1. Thanks for the info, though!

[Jon Tash]

Hm... Interesting, I always thought the mode 4 was the easiest one (I\'m using it at the moment).

[Zhent]

I realize this isn\'t quite in the purview of the original post, but - how did you get that purple orbit to show up? When I do it, I only get the blue and yellow lines.

[RC1062]

I think he altered the conic draw patch limit (Or something like that). It is displaying 3 conics.

I\'ve bookmarked this, it is a useful guide. I think I shall use three from now on.

[vexx32]

I think perhaps 1 and 3 would be the most useful and most used modes. 1 is good for pretty much everything, but 3 is particularly good for FRTs and suchlike.

[Rascal Nag]

I realize this isn\'t quite in the purview of the original post, but - how did you get that purple orbit to show up? When I do it, I only get the blue and yellow lines.

Just go into the settings.cfg, and right by the conics mode setting (either above or below, not sure) you can set how many conics to draw. Like RC1062 said, I have 3 right now.

[deadshot462]

Question - how do you switch between view modes?

[cardgame]

Thanks for the information and explanation!

[Rascal Nag]

Question - how do you switch between view modes?

First, just go to your KSP folder. In the same folder as the application (just KSP.exe) you should see settings.cfg. Go in there, and find these lines:

CONIC_PATCH_DRAW_MODE = <insert number here>
CONIC_PATCH_LIMIT = <insert number here>

The CONIC_PATCH_LIMIT will give you more conics (display more orbits). Usually 3 will serve most purposes.

The CONIC_PATCH_DRAW_MODE determines the mode. It\'s 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.

[deadshot462]

Thanks for that info! I\'ll try out the different modes, I like the one that shows a FRT

[Rascal Nag]

All show an FRT actually, just in different ways.

[Sinner_D]

are there any other config settings like this that deal with conic lines? and can these setting be modified while in-game? like when does this cfg file initialize? id really rather not have to go through the long load up screen every time what with the number of parameters in this file, would take me forever to figure out what they do.

Who's idea was it to hide such a function of the game like this in a cfg file, seems like a huge game parameter you'd think they would have something in the in-game setup menu for this. those conic lines can be REAL confusing to newbies(i know they were for me at first...a lot of WTF moments...lol)

do you guys know what the defaults for "CONIC_PATCH_DRAW_MODE" "CONIC_PATCH_LIMIT" are? i went to go change myn and they were already set to "3" & "3" and i know for a fact it wasn't always like this.

P.S. whoever moved my question, i cant find it now...help! i bookmarked it, but for some reason my bookmark brought me back here :/

Edited April 7, 2014 by Sinner_D
typos

[-RanZ-]

This should be a sticky

[cantab]

Really old thread.

I believe the defaults in the current version of the game, .23.5, are 3 and 3. This version brought a new change though. If you shift focus to an object you're set to enter the SOI of, it automatically switches to mode 0. Mode 0 is incredibly useful because it shows the orbit around the current position of the body, and you can focus and zoom in on said current position to get a close-up look at the encounter and make precise course corrections.

[sal_vager]

Please refrain from posting in really old threads guys, link to them instead from a new thread or post.

Also, moving this to Tutorials as it didn't exist when this thread was made

[Taki117]

I think I have figured out Mode 4!

If I am understanding it correctly Mode 4 draws Patched Conics relative to your ship.

[linkxsc]

Please refrain from posting in really old threads guys, link to them instead from a new thread or post.

Also, moving this to Tutorials as it didn't exist when this thread was made

And what do we do in that case when we pull aggro from a mod who doesn't like duplicate topics even if one of the threads is long since dead?

[sal_vager]

And what do we do in that case when we pull aggro from a mod who doesn't like duplicate topics even if one of the threads is long since dead?

Simple, you check the age of the thread first, then either post or newthread and link, it's not rocket science

I better close this now, it's been necro'ed enough.

[sjwt]

And what do we do in that case when we pull aggro from a mod .....

You turn on an active Aggro reducing ability or get your team mates to pick up there DPS slack!