Allow IJKL translation at any time, not just when RCS light is on

[Riph]

Suggestion comes from this thread: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/88467-Disable-RCS-for-rotation-Enable-RCS-for-translations-only

In short, it'd be great if the IJKL keys always allowed us to perform RCS translations. R would still toggle RCS helping with rotation. Since some of us have enough reaction wheel torque to make our rotations, it's really annoying to be constantly tapping R on before every translation, then R off again before all our monoprop fuel gets blown away on simple rotations that we didn't need any help with.

[Red Iron Crown]

I agree with this suggestion. There's no reason for translation to ever be turned off (the keys aren't used for anything else), and it's a waste of propellant to use RCS for attitude control when reaction wheels or vectored thrust can do just fine.

I made a similar suggestion thread a few months ago, but the idea is even better now that we have the more powerful LFO RCS thrusters; they eat fuel much faster so the waste from using them for attitude control is greater.

[M3tal_Warrior]

Oh yes - I do hate it when RCS is used for attitude changes.

[Capt Snuggler]

you have my sword. totally agree.

[Riph]

Here's Red Iron Crown's thread, he beat me to the punch by several months

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/88467-Disable-RCS-for-rotation-Enable-RCS-for-translations-only

[Superfluous J]

I'm for anything that doesn't drain my RCS while I'm rotating toward a maneuver node in map view.

[Red Iron Crown]

Here's Red Iron Crown's thread, he beat me to the punch by several months

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/88467-Disable-RCS-for-rotation-Enable-RCS-for-translations-only

It's a good enough idea that it bears repeating.

[Mr Shifty]

Just adding my support. Concur totally with this suggestion.

[Tw1]

As someone who remaps the rover controls to IJKL to manage torque and driving separately, I disagree. However, perhaps clicking on the RCS light could switch between rotation, translation, and rotation&translation modes.

[Red Iron Crown]

As someone who remaps the rover controls to IJKL to manage torque and driving separately, I disagree. However, perhaps clicking on the RCS light could switch between rotation, translation, and rotation&translation modes.

Do your rovers typically have RCS systems? Your point about remapping rover keys is a good one (I do the same) but I've made very few rovers where this would be an issue.

[Capt Snuggler]

As someone who remaps the rover controls to IJKL to manage torque and driving separately, I disagree. However, perhaps clicking on the RCS light could switch between rotation, translation, and rotation&translation modes.

maybe a 3 mode switch?

have you tried driving in "docking mode?" sorted out my rover flipping issues.

[Riph]

I actually remapped keys the exact same way (IJKL for rover operation) and yet I have not once had this issue. I guess I've never built a rover with RCS

Tw1's suggestion about RCS having three modes (rotation, translation, rotation&translation) seems workable. Another workaround would be putting your rover controls on arrow keys, numpad, etc.

[Riph]

Actually, upon further consideration, having rotation on WASD and having translation on NUMPAD would make for a much more comfortable experience overall. Your hands wouldn't be so crowded together.

[Red Iron Crown]

Actually, upon further consideration, having rotation on WASD and having translation on NUMPAD would make for a much more comfortable experience overall. Your hands wouldn't be so crowded together.

Noooooo! Many people play on laptops!

The above message may be entirely self-serving.

[Alshain]

I'm against this because I do remap my rover keys and yes I do build rovers with RCS, it's the best way to right yourself if you get flipped over.

[Kasuha]

I don't see real problem with rover keys, there's plenty of keys to remap them to, it doesn't have to be IJKL.

I am definitely backing this suggestion, too.

[Riph]

I understand those posting not in favor of this change, but I ask you to consider that the conflict of IJKL being both translation and rover keys is the result of us personally remapping those keys (ie not Squad's fault). We could remap those keys to anything. RCS translation being on all the time can work fine if you simply map your rover keys and your translation keys to different keys. (Consider WASD for rotation, IJKL for rover operation, NUMPAD for translation.)

[LethalDose]

I personally like the 3-way (4 way with "off"?) switch idea.

My fingers often get confused and I've hit IJKL (and others) by accident, so I like having a way to shut off RCS. Having a toggle for RCS is like having a toggle for stage-lock.

[Random Tank]

Wait, why do people re-map rover controls? Just use docking mode (Key: Delete); this makes WASDQE not control rotation anymore...

Because of this, and what others have said earlier, I think this would be a good idea, please add!

[Red Iron Crown]

Wait, why do people re-map rover controls? Just use docking mode (Key: Delete); this makes WASDQE not control rotation anymore...

Because of this, and what others have said earlier, I think this would be a good idea, please add!

Remapping has the advantage of still being able to use the attitude controls for reaction wheels. Much easier to prevent flips if you can "lean" against the rover's tipping tendencies.

[allmhuran]

+1 for any implementation that provides the option to use RCS for translation only.

[Tarmenius]

Maybe a pair of options could be added to the Command Pods (and Probe Cores) labelled "Enable/Disable RCS Translation" and "Enable/Disable RCS Rotation". That way, those could be toggled on-the-fly during flight, or set up during building. Or perhaps an "RCS Control System" part could be made to handle that functionality, as well as actively balancing the RCS thrust to minimize yaw or pitch during translation. I know Caps Lock balances the RCS thrust to some degree already, but that's not exactly common knowledge. Having a part (or the Pods) handle those things would not only solve the issue, but bring one of several currently-obscure functions into the toolboxes of more players.

I think a dedicated part would serve this purpose better, as there would likely be an issue with any craft having more than one Pod or Core.

[Seshins]

+1 yes to this idea - many lkerbals have perished due to lost mono propellant because R was not pushed again.