[1.4][1.7.7] GravityTurn continued - Automated Efficient Launches

[linuxgurugamer]

Ok.

CKAN is updated, the PR by @todi wasn't working, so I redid it (along with some others, it was NOT an error on @todi's part)

[robertordf]

I am using the November dll and is working well. Circ is very weird, its going to random direction, but may be due to my custom MJ, will see what happen soon after I upgrade MJ.

I tried to compile the current version but it didnt loaded into game, no errors.

 

[GreyRaven75]

This exception has been spamming in the console during flights:

NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
    GravityTurn.VesselState.ToggleRCSThrust (.Vessel vessel)
    GravityTurn.VesselState.Update (.Vessel vessel)

Any idea what I can do to get it to go away? It's causing pretty severe fps lag.
 

[YukiSama]

When I try to set my ending altitude or AP to 800km, it always overshoots. And, when I use backspace to delete it it deletes so many 0's that I didn't add. For instance, I put in 800.00 in the KM box, and if I keep hitting backspace when I put the cursor at the end it deletes something like 8000000. Can anybody explain this conundrum to me?

[De_Snail]

How can I disable the circularization feature? On the home front page, it says that I'll have to do it my self, but it always does it for me, and if I press abort before the end of the main turn, it locks me out of control. I'm trying to fly a craft with offset engines, and it won't allow me to tell it to pitch up 15°.

[Alewx]

@AndyMt Would it be possible to include somekind of TWR limiter like in ConstantTWR?
Both mods are incompatibel with each other, but GravityTurn is pushing at start with maximum thrust which is not always the best in my eyes.

[AndyMt]

On 15.7.2017 at 10:32 PM, De_Snail said:

How can I disable the circularization feature? On the home front page, it says that I'll have to do it my self, but it always does it for me, and if I press abort before the end of the main turn, it locks me out of control. I'm trying to fly a craft with offset engines, and it won't allow me to tell it to pitch up 15°.

Actually you can't right now, I'm sorry. I wanted to rework the UI for a while now, which would include an option to disable circularization. But summer and such...

On 16.7.2017 at 2:52 PM, Alewx said:

@AndyMt Would it be possible to include somekind of TWR limiter like in ConstantTWR?
Both mods are incompatibel with each other, but GravityTurn is pushing at start with maximum thrust which is not always the best in my eyes.

That's a rather interesting mod... I don't want to argue which approach is best, it probably depends on the vessel etc. I usually trim the launch TWR to be very close to 1.5. Then it doesn't usually change that much during launch. I also try to build the first stage in a way that it reaches the given time to apoapsis shortly before staging.

Reducing thrust will reduce efficiency, as the weight of the engine is still the same. And GT is all about maximum efficiency. I did consider a max G parameter once, though. But didn't get it to work properly. Maybe I give it a try again.

Right now summer is just too nice - so no programming at the moment.

[Alewx]

2 hours ago, AndyMt said:

That's a rather interesting mod... I don't want to argue which approach is best, it probably depends on the vessel etc. I usually trim the launch TWR to be very close to 1.5. Then it doesn't usually change that much during launch. I also try to build the first stage in a way that it reaches the given time to apoapsis shortly before staging.

Reducing thrust will reduce efficiency, as the weight of the engine is still the same. And GT is all about maximum efficiency. I did consider a max G parameter once, though. But didn't get it to work properly. Maybe I give it a try again.

Right now summer is just too nice - so no programming at the moment.

The problem is just that some of my constructions start with something at 2 to 2.7 as TWR.

Hmm so then the answer is, just get your rocket correct^^ Thanks for reply.

[DStaal]

4 minutes ago, Alewx said:

The problem is just that some of my constructions start with something at 2 to 2.7 as TWR.

Hmm so then the answer is, just get your rocket correct^^ Thanks for reply.

I actually like higher TWR with this mod - it means the turn can be steeper, which usually helps efficiency.  I've got a couple of basic probe launchers that I use regularly with a TWR of around 2, and they work great. 

[De_Snail]

On 7/18/2017 at 9:32 AM, AndyMt said:

Actually you can't right now, I'm sorry. I wanted to rework the UI for a while now, which would include an option to disable circularization. But summer and such...

1

Okay, thanks!

[jackalope50]

The "disable circularization" feature would be a welcome feature to what is the most useful mod I use!

Nevertheless, thanks for updating and maintaining "Gravity Turn". I haven't used Mechjeb in months and possibly will never go back

 

[MerlinsMaster]

Hey guys' does anyone have a problem with Gravity Turn deploying the fairings too early?  It happens to me all the time, no matter where I put it in the staging sequence.

[JAFO]

3 hours ago, MerlinsMaster said:

Hey guys' does anyone have a problem with Gravity Turn deploying the fairings too early?  It happens to me all the time, no matter where I put it in the staging sequence.

Yes, I used to have this problem. Fortunately, the solution is simple.

Set the 'Pressure Cutoff' value to 1200, What you want is to press the SETUP button towards the bottom of the UI.  A small window will open, and the top line, 'Fairing Pressure', will have 1000 as default. I have mine set at 10, and fairings will deploy at 65-67 km ASL. This might be higher than some people might prefer, but I found it was the point at which the sudden change in atmospheric drag will have the least impact on dV. Experiment with the value to see what suits you best.

 

Edited to correct a stupid goof caused by my bad memory! Thanks to @MaxxQ for the correction!

Edited August 18, 2017 by JAFO

[MerlinsMaster]

3 minutes ago, JAFO said:

Set the 'Pressure Cutoff' value to 1200.0, and fairings will deploy at 65-67 km ASL.

But that is what it is already set at, and for me, they deploy at around 29km.  Hmmm.

[JAFO]

Just now, MerlinsMaster said:

But that is what it is already set at, and for me, they deploy at around 29km.  Hmmm.

Do you have any atmosphere changing mods installed?

[MerlinsMaster]

I don't believe so.  I don't have FAR or Realistic Atmospheres.  Does Realchute do anything like that?

[JAFO]

2 minutes ago, MerlinsMaster said:

Does Realchute do anything like that?

Not that I'm aware of.. 

Very strange. Have you tried messing with the Pressure Cutoff settings to see what happens?

[MerlinsMaster]

Not yet.  Do you think lower the value would help, or increasing it?

[JAFO]

Pretty sure I lowered it.. I seem to recall GT used to install with it set to 10,000 or something like that. But it's been close to a year since I played KSP much.

[MerlinsMaster]

Well, I tried 600 and it still deployed at 29km.  Strange.

[JAFO]

Try it with a brand new craft.. GT saves a bunch of settings for every craft you build. Maybe something got borked.

[MaxxQ]

@MerlinsMaster, @JAFO - Pressure cutoff has nothing to do with deploying the fairing.  What you want is to press the SETUP button towards the bottom of the UI.  A small window will open, and the top line will have 1000 as default.  THAT is the number to change for fairing deployment.  I have mine set to 200, and my fairings deploy at between 47,000m and 55,000m, depending on which launch vehicle I'm using and what the initial turn speed and angle are set at.  Higher values deploy sooner.  Just remember that fairing have mass, so if you get rid of it sooner, you get a bit more mileage from your booster.  The downside is that you can increase drag, heating on the exposed items, or both.

[MerlinsMaster]

Oh, okay.  Good to know.  Thanks for the tip!

[JAFO]

41 minutes ago, MaxxQ said:

Pressure cutoff has nothing to do with deploying the fairing.  What you want is to press the SETUP button towards the bottom of the UI.  A small window will open, and the top line will have 1000 as default.  THAT is the number to change for fairing deployment.  I have mine set to 200, and my fairings deploy at between 47,000m and 55,000m

Ahh.. thanks for that! Far too long since I've played around with KSP.. so my memory on this particular issue is spotty at best. This discussion is getting me interested in playing again, in fact.

I've just checked, and my fairing setting is 10. That gives me a typical deployment altitude of 65,000m to 67,000m.

I've edited my post above to include your instructions.

41 minutes ago, MaxxQ said:

Just remember that fairing have mass, so if you get rid of it sooner, you get a bit more mileage from your booster.

Agreed.. but in my experimenting, the gain from mass loss seldom compensated for the increased drag losses. There may be a "sweet spot" somewhere, but I've yet to find it.

Edited August 18, 2017 by JAFO

[MerlinsMaster]

2 minutes ago, JAFO said:

I've just checked, and my fairing setting is 10. That gives me a typical deployment altitude of 65,000m to 67,000m.

Awesome.  That's probably what I need to do then.

3 minutes ago, JAFO said:

Agreed.. but in my experimenting, the gain from mass loss seldom compensated for the increased drag losses. There may be a "sweet spot" somewhere, but I've yet to find it.

Hell, I just don't want the fairing to hit something and explode, lol.