Conics Patch...

[spikeyhat09]

I'v heard some talk about changing the conics patch limit in the settings file (or something along those lines ), but i was wondering what this actually does. Can some one explain to me what each conics patch limit does, and what each is good for?

[sal_vager]

The conic patch limit controls the number of orbit lines you see in the map, though each line will be less accurate than the one before.

Conic patch draw mode will change how the lines are drawn, 3 is reasonably good if you feel like a change, it's best to experiment

[spikeyhat09]

Thanks!

-Oh I forgot- what about the draw mode thingy?

[sal_vager]

I can't remember what each mode is called, there is an old post by HarvesteR that explain them, really the settings file needs to have comments so we know whats what

[Aphox]

That's CONIC_PATCH_DRAW_MODE and CONIC_PATCH_LIMIT in your settings.cfg in the root KSP folder where you have it installed. As sal_vager has pointed out before, open it in Notepad or Notepad++, but not Wordpad to edit it.

I have my mode set to 3 and patch limit set to 5 just because. It works pretty well but some of the encounters can be inaccurate. I think it's worth being able to see them though.

Basically it makes it so you can see future orbits before you actually get to them, such as when transferring from Kerbin to Kerbol, you can see an intercept course with, say, Duna, before you actually leave Kerbin's orbit, which you couldn't do before.

[sal_vager]

Even inaccurate, the later orbit lines are still useful asAphox says, just knowing your orbit can intercept another body is very helpful, you can always fine tune the orbit later.

[phoenix_ca]

As I recall, Harv said something about there being some rendering bugs/issues with draw mode 3 still and that's why it hasn't been set to the default yet (indicating that, thankfully, they're aiming for mode 3 to be the default as soon as it's more accurate). Still, it's well worth it...much, much easier on the brain-meats.

[TheDarkStar]

What exactly do the different settings do? Can someone list them?

[Aphox]

Here are the basic settings in the settings.cfg file located in the root KSP folder. I have added in bold what I believe they do. If anyone else has answers to some of them that are correct/more precise, please let the rest of us know. These are what these settings do, to the best of my knowledge, may be incorrect, and are subject to change.

// KSP Game Settings

TUTORIALS_EDITOR_ENABLE = False // I believe this one and the one underneath it, by the way they sound, enable to game to show the VAB and Flight tutorials when the game is first started, which explains why they don't appear if you start a new save.

TUTORIALS_FLIGHT_ENABLE = False

VAB_USE_CLICK_PLACE = True // Not entirely sure. Perhaps there's another part placement method?

VAB_USE_ANGLE_SNAP = True // Snaps to angles in the VAB and SPH. C key by default changes this value in-game.

VAB_ANGLE_SNAP_INCLUDE_VERTICAL = False // Interesting. I want to test this out. Instead of only snapping on a spinning axis around the parts, I imagine this allows parts to be snapped at a vertical axis (up and down in VAB)

VAB_CAMERA_ORBIT_SENS = 0.04 // This and the next 5 settings are camera sensitivity related.

VAB_CAMERA_ZOOM_SENS = 0.1

FLT_CAMERA_ORBIT_SENS = 0.04

FLT_CAMERA_ZOOM_SENS = 0.5

FLT_CAMERA_WOBBLE = 0.1

FLT_CAMERA_CHASE_SHARPNESS = 1.5

FLT_CAMERA_CHASE_USEVELOCITYVECTOR = True // Forces the chase cam (not available in .17 as far as I can tell) to use your velocity vector as it's chase point.

FLT_VESSEL_LABELS = True // Shows vessel labels at a distance. F4 in-game by default changes this value.

SIMULATE_IN_BACKGROUND = True // I believe this value changes whether or not the game will progress while minimized/alt-tabbed/out of focus.

MAX_VESSELS_BUDGET = 250 // Amount of vessels able to be active before others are deleted(?)

CONIC_PATCH_DRAW_MODE = 3 // This and patch limit were discussed previously. Allows view of (slightly inaccurate) future orbit and encounter figures.

CONIC_PATCH_LIMIT = 5

SHOW_PWARP_WARNING = False // Whether or not the game shows the warning about large ships when entering physical warp modes. Changes to false after first warning.

CALL_HOME = False // ET phone home. Not sure what this does.

DONT_SEND_IP = False // A disclaimer and agreement is shown at first launch whether or not to send your IP, among other information, to the developer for development and I assume demographic purposes. Can be true or false depending on your answer.

CHECK_FOR_UPDATES = True // Exactly as it says. Automatically checks for updates on launch.

SHOW_CONSOLE_ON_ERROR = False // I assume this is a developer tool to show the developer console when an error occurs. Disabled by default.

AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL = 300 // Interval in seconds (I assume) between auto-saves in-game.

AUTOSAVE_SHORT_INTERVAL = 5 // I'm not sure

SHOW_SPACE_CENTER_CREW = True // I assume this is to enable or disable the Kerbal scientists walking around the VAB and such.

SHIP_VOLUME = 0.09689867 // The following 8 settings are related to volume and are relative to your in-game volume settings.

AMBIENCE_VOLUME = 1

MUSIC_VOLUME = 0.8

UI_VOLUME = 1

VOICE_VOLUME = 1

SOUND_NORMALIZER_ENABLED = True

SOUND_NORMALIZER_THRESHOLD = 1

SOUND_NORMALIZER_RESPONSIVENESS = 16

SOUND_NORMALIZER_SKIPSAMPLES = 0

SCREEN_RESOLUTION_WIDTH = 1920 // This and the height are self-explanatory. Your in-game resolution after the initial launch screen is generated and the game begins to load.

SCREEN_RESOLUTION_HEIGHT = 1080

FULLSCREEN = True // Whether or not the game sets itself to full screen when launched.

ANTI_ALIASING = 8 // Anti-aliasing quality. 8 is highest.

TEXTURE_QUALITY = 0 // Texture quality. Assuming 0 is highest since I have mine on full.

SYNC_VBL = 0 // Wait for vertical sync. Has several settings. 0 is no sync.

LIGHT_QUALITY = 8 // Lighting quality. 8 is maximum I believe.

SHADOWS_QUALITY = 4 // Changed in the registry values for some people, not an in-game setting due to graphical limitations. 0-4 (5 in registry sets this value to 4).

FRAMERATE_LIMIT = 180 // Limits framerate to user choice for whatever reason. 180 is max. Cannot be unlimited by default.

FALLBACK_PART_SHADERS = False // Compatibility mode for older hardware. Checking this in the graphics options may ruin some transparency textures. I made this mistake.

PLANET_FORCE_SHADER_MODEL_2_0 = False // I believe this setting forces the planets to use shader model 2.0 or 3.0, depending on the value. I believe it uses 3.0 by default.

PLANET_SCATTER = True // Value of terrain scattering in the options, combined with the amount in the option below.

PLANET_SCATTER_FACTOR = 0.5

INPUT_KEYBOARD_SENSIVITITY = 2 // I might change this for testing purposes. This is the input sensitivity of keyboard clicks on flight models.

The rest of the options in your settings.cfg are related to keybinds and are per-user if not default. Other settings are related to planets and settings for them.

[samstarman5]

The conic patch limit controls the number of orbit lines you see in the map, though each line will be less accurate than the one before.

Conic patch draw mode will change how the lines are drawn, 3 is reasonably good if you feel like a change, it's best to experiment

And by experiment...save backups! It's fun to go hogwild on .cfg files and the like with the game to see what you can mod and tweak out, but unless you have perfect recall, you need to backup your files. Don't count on a quick and easy download to get the default files back. Squad's servers get stressed out enough as it is.

[Awaras]

I am currently using only conic patch draw mode 0 because it is the most useful one for interplanetary transfers - it draws the encounter orbit around the target planet itself instead of a 'ghost image' of the planet. This lets you focus the camera on the target planet and fine-tune your approach orbit. This way I get into an equatorial orbit every time.

[Moach]

the default mode '1' shows your "future" orbits in relative space to the position of the body you're intercepting... it's stable, but arguably the best depiction of what's gonna happen, as far as situational awareness goes... it makes it look like you'd physically change velocity when you reach an SoI in quite a misleading way....

mode '2' i don't really remember.... but that's not important right now

mode '3' is expected to replace the default after the bugs are ironed out -- it shows encounters with bodies that are "below" your current SoI (Kerbin to Mün is a move "down" in the hierarchy, whereas a Kerbin escape is a move "up") in space relative to the the "larger" body - while a move "up" would display the post-escape orbit in relation to the dominant body from then on

so you'll see your encounter to the mun, for instance, in the same way it would appear to an observer on the ground at Kerbin - great for those "figure-8" free-return paths - and by far the most intuitive display of your predicted flight

upon reaching the Mün's SoI, it would change over to display your trajectory in relation to the Mun itself, and following after the escape back onto Kerbin SoI, you'd see the future trajectory in Kerbin-relative space again, so it's easy to adjust your post-escape orbit while still inside the "smaller" SoI

it's by far the best setting for interplanetary travel and general orbitings - so i'd even recommend everyone set their conics draw mode to 3 (which i believe it'll be set by default soon enough), even though there are bugs where it goes kinda crazy when you reach escape velocity from a planet while in one of it's moons' SoI

cheers!

[Iansoreta]

I have no idea why they set the conic draw mode to 3 but when it comes to planetary transfers, I usually set it to conic patch limit of 5 and draw mode of 0. Conic draw mode 0 helps a lot since I can predict the future orbit within planet's SOI without losing accuracy, and also help in planning gravity assist. I tried performing gravity assist with default conic patch setting but I failed miserably and cost me a lot of fuel to perform course correction, in addition to that, it doesn't help with gravity assist either.

[tntristan12]

Holy galloping necros of Styx river batman! You do realize this post is 2 years old right? O.o

[sal_vager]

Holy galloping necros of Styx river batman! You do realize this post is 2 years old right? O.o

I do love how inventive people can be with these posts, they rarely fail to make me smile

Closed thread, start a new one and link back if you really need to talk about this Iansoreta.