What is the round dial next to the altimeter?

[Esme]

Doubtless due to my age and eyesight (I'm longsighted, and it's getting worse with age) I can't make out what teh unit markings are on that little round dial next to the altimeter. Frankly, it's only because I'm waiting for a ship that got into an on orbit just scraping teh top of teh atmosphere (with no propulsion left) to de-orbit) that I've notice teh thing much. Been playing since 0.23 and just really noticed the thing now. My best guess is that it might be temperature-related, but if so, temprature of what? exterior of capsule? interior of capsule? Or is it something else entirely?

Edited July 19, 2015 by Esme

[guitarxe]

It's the vertical speed.

And it's not your eye-sight, it's really tiny and hard to read. I think most people use information mods like KER and MechJeb that show the vertical speed and other stuff much more clearly and so nobody complains.

[Godot]

If you want to use it just remember that the middle marker (i.e. the hand pointing left to 9 o´clock) means 0 m/s vertical speed,

the 10:30 positions are +10 m/s vertical speed and the 7:30 position are -10 m/s.

This gives you a little oriantation without having to read the numbers.

But as guitarxe says ... using mods, like Kerbal Enghineer Redux is the better solution (as this gives you clear numbers)

[Vanamonde]

You know, there are multiple size settings for the UI, under, well, settings. On the first page that comes up: "General."

[RocketBlam]

Also keep in mind, it's not consistent. Which is to say, it's exponential.

If the needle is right in the middle, you are neither descending nor ascending, you're maintaining your altitude. If the needle goes up, you're ascending. If it goes down, you're descending. But the further it goes, the more extreme you ascent or descent rate is. The first number is 10, but the number right next to it is 100. So if the needle is half way through the 0 and 10 ascent lines, you're ascending at 5 meters per second. If it is half way through the 10 and 100 lines, you're ascending at 50 meters per second.

[Xannari Ferrows]

Also keep in mind, it's not consistent. Which is to say, it's exponential.

Isn't it Logarithmic? The little needle moves gradually slower if you stay at a constant speed.

[Kryxal]

If you feel like looking at it that way, logarithmic is exponential with the axes reversed...

[Tex_NL]

Isn't it Logarithmic? The little needle moves gradually slower if you stay at a constant speed.

As far as I know it is. The first mark above and below 0 is 10 m/s the second 100, the third 1000, etc.

[Sharpy]

I definitely prefer KER as besides vertical speed it gives you vertical acceleration. You're at stable altitude only when both are zero - otherwise you're just in a momentary state between rising and falling.

[Esme]

(chuckle) Thank you, all who responded! Oh, so it's rate of ascent/descent, is it? Well, I've lived without it so far, and given I already do use mods like MechJeb etc, I'm fine without it, thank you. Although given my love of flight sims, that's just given me an idea for a mod which I'm off to post on the mod requests area. Esme

[Sharpy]

the proper aerospace engineering term is "variometer"

[Captain H@dock]

Now, for bonus, what's the tiny down facing triangle shaped light on the top left of that dial?

It sometime green, sometime orange, most of the time it's off (black). Looks like a gear ground contact light to me, but I'm not sure...

It seems to be new-ish, when googling for screenshot it wasn't visible. But this one has it: http://i.share.pho.to/fef4446f_o.png

[Sharpy]

And I'll ask about the "STAGE" LED next to the pitch/roll/yaw indicators...

[Stargate525]

Now, for bonus, what's the tiny down facing triangle shaped light on the top left of that dial?

It sometime green, sometime orange, most of the time it's off (black). Looks like a gear ground contact light to me, but I'm not sure...

It seems to be new-ish, when googling for screenshot it wasn't visible. But this one has it: http://i.share.pho.to/fef4446f_o.png

It indicates whether there's dropdown items for 'back to space center' or 'recover'. Its color depends on what's hidden up there.

[amorymeltzer]

It indicates whether there's dropdown items for 'back to spaaace center' or 'recover'. Its color depends on what's hidden up there.

This just blew my mind, thanks!

[X-SR71]

And I'll ask about the "STAGE" LED next to the pitch/roll/yaw indicators...

I believe has to do with the delay before activating the next stage. The delay prevents staging many stages at once by accident.

[JetJaguar]

And I'll ask about the "STAGE" LED next to the pitch/roll/yaw indicators...

The stage LED is to let you know if the next stage is locked (green = active, red = locked). Alt-L locks staging so accidentally pressing the space bar doesn't activate it.

[Captain H@dock]

This just blew my mind, thanks!

Same here. Thanks a lot Stargate525.

[Stargate525]

Same here. Thanks a lot Stargate525.

Cheers! ^^