RCS Balancer, not build aid

[Conbadicus]

Surely there must be some kind of way to manage the amount of thrust coming out of RCS to ensure that RCS accurately translates. Placing RCS at the center of gravity or at equal distances from it work for as long as the fuel is balanced, but... you know we use up the fuel.   Surely, computer systems should be able to account for this to stop rotation when trying to do a translation?

[legoclone09]

Well you can thrust limit them, and use the build aid to show the balance in the VAB with the limiters, I do that and it's really useful.

[artwhaley]

Doesn't mechjeb have an rcs balancing mode?  Additionally you can use mechjeb to lock your orientation while translating so it will compensate for reasonable sized balance issues?  I mean, YES it would be possible to do a plugin that helps with this, but... it seems like it would be modding away one of the fun challenges of craft design?  It's sort of like how, hypothetically you could make a MM config that added a control surface module to all of the first stage type engines so you didn't have to design aerodynamically stable rockets anymore, but...   

[steve_v]

Yup, MechJeb has "smart RCS translation". If it's shifting fuel load that disturbs your calm (and you have several tanks), there's also PWB Fuel Balancer to even it out again.

[Drew Kerman]

@Snark Made mention in a Q&A thread that fine control [ / ] actually modulates RCS thrust to reduce/remove roll when translating

[Snark]

1 hour ago, Gaiiden said:

@Snark Made mention in a Q&A thread that fine control [ / ] actually modulates RCS thrust to reduce/remove roll when translating

Caps lock for fine control, on Windows machines anyway.

8 hours ago, Conbadicus said:

Surely there must be some kind of way to manage the amount of thrust coming out of RCS to ensure that RCS accurately translates. Placing RCS at the center of gravity or at equal distances from it work for as long as the fuel is balanced, but... you know we use up the fuel.   Surely, computer systems should be able to account for this to stop rotation when trying to do a translation?

Yes, they do.   The stock game does exactly what you describe, in exactly the way you want it.  No mod required.  The secret handshake is that you have to turn on fine-control mode, then it does it.  Details in the link above.

One of the (unfortunately) best-kept secrets in KSP...

 

Edited January 3, 2016 by Snark

[Conbadicus]

ooooo, i see

[Drew Kerman]

Whoops I forgot I remapped it

[Superfluous J]

Good thing Fine Control Mode allows you to use RCS thrusters at full thrust during translation.

...

(For those on the far side of the sar-chasm: While I know about fine tuned mode, I still would like a mode where I can translate my ship with the actual full thrust of my RCS jets while not wasting a ton of RCS rocking the ship back and forth forever, just for having RCS and SAS on at the same time)

[artwhaley]

13 hours ago, 5thHorseman said:

Good thing Fine Control Mode allows you to use RCS thrusters at full thrust during translation.

...

(For those on the far side of the sar-chasm: While I know about fine tuned mode, I still would like a mode where I can translate my ship with the actual full thrust of my RCS jets while not wasting a ton of RCS rocking the ship back and forth forever, just for having RCS and SAS on at the same time)

The, Mechjeb or good ship design seem the best answers.