Rework Heat shield darkening - Ablator is black on launch when lowering slider.

[HafCoJoe]

When lowering ablator (useful for optimizing launch mass) the heatshield texture starts at launch almost pitch black:

Since Heatshield ablator effects part mass, I don't think this is a fairly uncommon thing to do. I'm not the biggest fan of the current effects in comparison.

Edited June 23, 2015 by Avera9eJoe

[Red Iron Crown]

I think this effect is meant to emulate the charring that a heatshield experiences as ablator is burned off. It looks a bit odd when ablator is tweaked out, but I don't think that is how heatshields are "meant" to be used. I say that as someone who uses them as insulators in stacks with the ablator tweaked out.

[HafCoJoe]

I think this effect is meant to emulate the charring that a heatshield experiences as ablator is burned off. It looks a bit odd when ablator is tweaked out, but I don't think that is how heatshields are "meant" to be used. I say that as someone who uses them as insulators in stacks with the ablator tweaked out.

It's supposed to emulate the ablator burned off but it does look pretty bad when starting at low ablator :/. After sitting on this over night, I'm thinking it would be nice if the effect was taken as a percentage of the ablator at launch.

To explain better, at launch ablator would be at 100%, no matter where on the slider you put it. As it nears depletion (0%) it gradually changes to becoming completely black, rather than changing color based on where on the slider it is. I think that would be more realistic.

Using Heatshields as insulators? That sounds genius! XD I shall experiment...