Are the physics "worse" on a slow computer?

[0Kev]

Recently started playing KSP. LOVE IT.

I play at work (it is our slow season) and at home, I email my save file back and forth.

My work computer is half decent, a 27" iMac with a quad core i5. Not a top of the line version, but gets the job done in KSP.

Home is where the trouble seems to be.

2.4 Ghz Core 2 Duo (dual core Conroe platform - circa ~2007)

4GB RAM

8400 GS video card - this is by far the worst component, my ATI 4870 died last year.

I've got all the graphics settings bottomed out, resolution at 1280x1024 windowed.

When I put a really large rocket on the pad, it seems it will never stop bouncing around. I left it wobbling while I went to the kitchen, came back several minutes later and it was still wobbling around like crazy. I launched it, and it wobbled and wobbled until it fell apart in the air very shortly after launch.

I tried another large craft which is quite stable at work, I can hardly get it into orbit at home without it shaking apart during the ascent.

While this is happening, the framerate chugs along at what looks to be about 10 fps, maybe 20.

So, as the post title asks - is the slow computer?

[haltux]

Yes, frame rate impacts physics, because the position of each body is recomputed at each frame, so the lower the frame rate is, the more each objects move between each computation, making the complete model less precise. That can lead to various problems like more wobbling.

For the same reason you get a warning about the fact that physical warp impacts rocket behaviour.

[triffid_hunter]

there's a setting which allows you to tune the maximum physics time step. I turned mine down to 0.05s, it hurt the game speed but my space stations are a LOT more stable

ps: if your rocket is wobbling on the pad, it will never make it to orbit. MOAR STRUTS!

[AfailingHORSE]

ps: if your rocket is wobbling on the pad, it will never make it to orbit. MOAR STRUTS!

screw that, go SRBs and enjoy the 1fps explosions

[0Kev]

there's a setting which allows you to tune the maximum physics time step. I turned mine down to 0.05s, it hurt the game speed but my space stations are a LOT more stable

ps: if your rocket is wobbling on the pad, it will never make it to orbit. MOAR STRUTS!

I agree. But this one particular rocket will be nice and stable on the work computer, stable on the pad and stable all the way to Mun. At home, it's troublesome to just reach orbit without killing Jebediah again.

I also noticed: at home the launch towers blow up when I launch, but at work they usually remain standing.

[Themohawkninja]

I think so, because I tried a rocket design on my friends laptop, and it got to ~435 km, but when I got home to my much better computer, it only got to around 350 km.

[borzwazie]

I have found that disabling sound normalization helps.

[boxman]

I agree. But this one particular rocket will be nice and stable on the work computer, stable on the pad and stable all the way to Mun. At home, it's troublesome to just reach orbit without killing Jebediah again.

I also noticed: at home the launch towers blow up when I launch, but at work they usually remain standing.

Do you happen to use mods like for example lazorcam?? There is a bug with latest version and that mod that causes the launch clamps to just blow up. I have also had a weird experience with launch clamps suddenly dropping from the sky and crashing into my ship at 10k~ altitude.

[Sᴄɪɴᴛɪʟʟᴀᴛᴏʀ]

Physics are calculated by frame so short answer, yes.