Why am I getting different results using the time warp?

[bmac203]

Is it just me, or do we get different results when we multiply the time? 1x launch goes great…. 4x goes horribly wrong.

Is there an intended game mechanic that I am missing?

It seems to me that if I launch the same rocket 4 times at 4 different speeds, then 3 out of 4 shouldn't go wrong if the 1x flies perfectly.

Ideas/thoughts/clarifications?

[Laflaga]

I remember in one of the tutorials its warns you that warping puts more strain on your ships.

[Murph]

That's not time warp, it's physics warp, and should generally not be used during launches. If memory serves, there's a popup the first time you use it, warning that it can cause problems. Large ships, and any situation with large physics forces (thrust, drag, aerodynamic control, etc) are liable to have failures with it.

Bottom line, expected behaviour, don't use physics warp when there's forces around, or with large ships.

[Kasuha]

Ion propulsion, very small thrust (nuclear engine against substantial mass) and aerobraking are usually safe for physics warp. But if you see your ship bending or oscillating it's time to get back to x1. And you need to be careful around limits where parachutes open (2500 and 500 m above terrain).

Large forces are a big no with physics warp.

The matter is, during physics warp the physics engine does the same number of iterations, it just makes larger steps. So in x4 mode, all forces are multiplied by 4 and even though all structural links are also reinforced four times, there might be too much happening for them to withstand it.

Edited December 23, 2013 by Kasuha

[buzz66boy]

It's important to look at the time in the upper-left corner. When you enter physics warp, if the timer is red, it means that the engine is skipping physics calculations in order to maintain physics warp. If at 1x speed the timer is yellow, it means time is being scaled so that the computer has enough time to calculate physics and you really should not enter time warp. So bottom line: don't use physics warp if the timer goes red unless you're really sure you know what you're doing.

[Sirrobert]

High physics warp makes the physics engine do very weird things. For example a tiny movement gets amplified to extremes, which can cause your ship to break