A distance from surface determiner.

[TYRT]

Hello, This thread is a part suggestion.

We need a distance from surface determiner. It's really important for landings, especially night landings. This part will show you how many meters away from surface.

Sorry for bad english.

[RadHazard]

The IVA views for the command pods actually have a "Radar Altitude" gauge that does exactly this already. I would, however, like them to add an option to display this on the external view as well.

[UberFuber]

The IVA views for the command pods actually have a "Radar Altitude" gauge that does exactly this already. I would, however, like them to add an option to display this on the external view as well.

I agree, it would be nice to have a toggle (similar to the toggle on the navball allowing you to set velocity relative to the target, orbit, or surface) on the altitude gauge. So you can switch between altitude to surface and altitude to sea-level.

[Galacticruler]

The IVA views for the command pods actually have a "Radar Altitude" gauge that does exactly this already. I would, however, like them to add an option to display this on the external view as well.

that thing to the right of the altimeter.

[Yakky]

Hello, This thread is a part suggestion.

We need a distance from surface determiner. It's really important for landings, especially night landings. This part will show you how many meters away from surface.

Sorry for bad english.

There is one on the mechjeb mod, I forget which screen but it's in there. Very useful.

[OdinYggd]

This is quite a useful suggestion.

Hopefully they consider adding this. It would be very useful when performing low-light manual landings.

[stupid_chris]

Hm. I wonder if that can be modded. Perhaps a small button next to the altimeter to toggle between sea level/true altitude. It's but a matter of overriding the altimeter display.

[Specialist290]

I agree, it would be nice to have a toggle (similar to the toggle on the navball allowing you to set velocity relative to the target, orbit, or surface) on the altitude gauge. So you can switch between altitude to surface and altitude to sea-level.

I like this way of going about it. Just as long as there's a clear indicator of which mode you're in, it would be quite handy.

[vexx32]

Rather than a toggle, would it not make sense to simply 'switch over' between altitude from surface and altitude from sea level when appropriate? For example, the current radar altimeter in the pods only really functions at about 500m above ground, from memory. Physics is only normally loaded at a 2.5km distance. As such, it would make some sense to simply have the altimeter switch over (with an indicator, and optional toggle to go back to sea level) to measuring from ground level when one is approximately 2km from the ground, yes? Ideally, it should also detect if the sea level is higher than ground level, and in such a case measure only to sea level as normal (i.e., when you're flying over the ocean).

[Supernovy]

The speed gauge on the navball does a similar thing (auto switching over) but can also be toggled, perhaps automatic with the option of toggling would be the best way to go about this?

[vexx32]

I think so, aye.

[KvickFlygarn87]

the current radar altimeter in the pods only really functions at about 500m above ground

It's 3000. I've done enough (1½) IVA only landings to remember that :-D

[vexx32]

Heh, you can tell I don't do many powered landings

[tetryds]

it should simply allow you to click the altimeter and toggle between surface and orbit altitudes whenever you want

but you shouldnt be afraid of landing from IVA on a dark side of the mun without any lights

its just like the normal rocket vision, without the rocket vision...

just keep an eye on the navball and another on the altimeter, kill horizontal speed and go down slowly

then cross your fingers to land on a flat spot (its not like you would find a flatstpot with 3rd person view of the rocket anyway)

[SuperWeegee4000]

Five moderators posting on a thread in a row?? Am I still asleep?

[vexx32]

You should see what we did to the Forum Games section after a bit of trouble started in a few threads a few weeks back, ehehe.

Anyway, back on topic: I'm thinking there should be some kind of indication which altitude is being used. Maybe change the color of the altimeter slightly, or add a light on one side to indicate this?

[tetryds]

You should see what we did to the Forum Games section after a bit of trouble started in a few threads a few weeks back, ehehe.

Anyway, back on topic: I'm thinking there should be some kind of indication which altitude is being used. Maybe change the color of the altimeter slightly, or add a light on one side to indicate this?

the different color is an amazing idea, it would also be very discrete

but how to let the first-launch user know which is which?

[vexx32]

Something rather logical, is all. A brown tint for over land, and a blue tint for over sea/at altitude.

[boomerdog2000]

I think the different color might be a little too discrete. Maybe just an indicator like on the velocity display, sea level and terrain perhaps?

[vexx32]

There isn't exactly room to be adding any text anywhere, though.

[edwardc]

I like the colour idea. If you put it in the landing tutorial as a popup description you should cover new players. Existing players would probably read the patch notes.

Mountains in the dark when I forget lights are my least favorite way to crater...

[User Unrelated]

I seond this, as I've installed the flight engineer mod specifically for this purpose (it displays a lot of other data, too)

but it slows down my game significantly...

I used to do a lot of IVA landings

can't do IVA landings with probes, though!

[S4qFBxkFFg]

There isn't exactly room to be adding any text anywhere, though.

How about this?

If we assume the radio altimeter is like the IVA version, and only active at 3000m or below, we can replace some text to make it work - as the altimeter is 7 digit (6 numbers, plus unit), why not replace the first three digits with "RAD", in big red (maybe flashing) letters and use the remaining four digits for height?

Unfortunately, kerbonauts may take it as an assessment of their piloting skills.

[vexx32]

A simple R at the left of the digits would be sufficient, yes, good solution indeed! (I still like the idea of color indicating whether it's over sea or land, though, so one knows whether to prepare to land in water or on the terrain)

[tetryds]

i would rather it to show S for surface distance

R or RAD is not that logical, since the point of it is tell the newcomers what is going on

so i would like to see a green for land and blue for sea and space, assuming the space altimeter shows the distance from sea level