Auto Maneuver Planner

[Hoagster35]

During my experience in Kerbal Space Program, I have found it hard to simply plan a maneuver! So I thought of a simple solution to this problem! When you plan to make a maneuver with the planner, you can target the location you want to go to and then set down your planner like you normally do on the orbit but you don't need to do anything, it will automatically set the best way to get to your location! Let me tell you that this will not effect YOUR piloting and maneuvering skills, this is simply just the planner. This would be a setting if you want to have it on or not, I know people like to do their fancy maneuvers which Jeb is very fond of, so it will be an option if you want it or not. I still have trouble simply planning a maneuver to get to Ellio! I think that this will surely help beginners and people who are having a lot of trouble just trying to get to a location even when they use the maneuver planner. Please tell me if you would like or dislike this feature in the game.

I'm sorry if this has been suggested before I read the rules and what not to suggest.

Edited September 10, 2013 by Hoagster35

[leax256]

it would probally be better if the mechjeb function of punching in numbers was added, your idea seems to fall under "auto piolet"

[Hoagster35]

Mine isn't really auto pilot. Auto pilot is well, you just sit there as it flies. You still need to do the action, just a simple change in the planner is all.

[Beeman]

This has actually been suggested before. A really good idea someone had once was to have a chalkboard or whiteboard you could interact with in the mission control building somewheres. It was a grand discussion, but some of the ideas brought up involved having stickers representing planets(after you'd discovered them, of course), moving them about to plan maneuvers and things then maybe even roughly crunching numbers based on your telescopic measurements of the planet's distance. Additionally, it was said that there should be a type of maneuver node editor in the mission/launch control building where you take your rough sketch and plot your maneuver nodes manually before the launch and try your best to keep to them.

I thought it was all really compelling stuff. I think it might've been two threads I'm talkin' about, but either way, it's a good suggestion, more or less.

[leax256]

it's the fact that it automatically sets up the node that could be seen as auto pilot. I would just like more features on the node system to allow better manual fine changes to the nodes

though changes in the flying aspect are on a bit of the back burner for now, least till career mode get more finished.

[Guest]

I would like a way to make a maneuver(I never can spell that right) that is more than one orbital period into the future, making it easier to find ideal transfer windows. Also, I second the fine tuning improvements.

[Diazo]

The problem is how do you get to your target?

Minimum time?

Use up X% of fuel on board?

Minimum fuel?

Hoffman Transfer? (Same as minimum fuel I think?)

How many orbits to wait?

If you just miss your window to Jool on a minimum fuel trajectory you are waiting days (months? can't remember Jool's orbital period and no game to reference on this computer) of game time for it to come around again. How does this auto-node handle that?

Really, this is a case of too many variables. This is something better left to mods (imo) so you can use the one that does what you want.

D.

[Guest]

I like trying to find the encounter that has the lowest delta-v.

[Hoagster35]

The node would find the BEST way to get to that location. This includes trying to get you use you as less fuel as possible,and trying to get it to that location as quick as possible. This addition would be mainly used for beginners or people who can't ever find the right way to get to that location. The advanced players are not really going to use this because of those (as said in the passage) fancy maneuvers. If you miss your orbit to whatever planet, that would be your fault, but when you want to see where to go again, just reset the node. So just to clarify this addition is to get you the best possible way to get to the location, it would probably not use a slingshot of Jool or anything fancy like that, thank you for your feedback.

Edited September 10, 2013 by Hoagster35

[Mr Shifty]

I would like a way to make a maneuver(I never can spell that right) that is more than one orbital period into the future, making it easier to find ideal transfer windows. Also, I second the fine tuning improvements.

This can be done. Place a maneuver node down somewhere ahead of your current location in orbit. Then place a second maneuver node just behind the first one. The second one will be for your second orbit. You can keep adding maneuver nodes, each behind the previous one, for successive orbits.

[Eric S]

I really don't see this happening. You may not call this an autopilot, but really, if all you're doing is executing the maneuver nodes that this spits out, then this is removing all need to understand orbital physics, so you might as well go full autopilot.

[Guest]

Thanks Mr Shifty! I'm gonna try that out.

[Hoagster35]

I don't understand if you guys know that I plan for this to be optional. It's for beginners. Don't like it turn it off.

By the way, thank you for your feedback.

[Eric S]

I understand that, and I'm actually all in favor of something like this that helps people that use it to learn why it's doing what it is, but I don't see this doing that, and I don't see how to change it so that it does, short of popup windows that explain each step. I'd just rather not add a crutch to the game that makes it easier to not learn orbital mechanics as part of the stock program. Maneuver nodes make it easier to figure out how to do something by guessing till you get it right, but it still encourages you to learn what each of the six knobs do, just so that you can get it to do what you want faster. So as a helper mechanic with teaching potential, it works.

[RocketYeah]

I like the trial and error that you currently have to do, I just make sure to take a pic of map view once I have the maneuver set up correctly to get to a planet, that way I roughly know the positions I'll need next time

[Apollo13]

MechJeb has all the planning features you need. Even if you NEVER use its auto-pilot functions. Therefore, MJ does the planning and you do the work. The Maneuver Node Editor is a great MJ app.

[DaveStrider]

I think if there were to be a node editor like your idea, it should pick a completely average delta-v, rather than the best possible. This way new players have an incentive to use it while they get used to orbital mechanics, while still being able to play the game, but experienced players will find that doing it manually will result in a more efficient, and more engaging flight.