Trajectory in map displaying the orbit after air resistance

[FunnyBunny14]

First of all, there already is a mod that does this: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/93685-0-24-0-25-Trajectories-v0-4-1-(2014-10-16)-atmospheric-predictions-FAR-NEAR

I basically want something like this mod to be default in the game. It seems so obivous and it is so useful that it should be in the game without a mod. The mod also displays the area on the map where you will land with a red cross, and it will look like it isn't correct at all at first, but then you realise that that is where you'll be when you land. That too should be in the game by default, as it makes landing a lot easier.

So this suggestion basically consists of two parts:

1. Trajectory calculation with drag.

2. Landing site display on the map.

Please feel free to post your own opinions of these ideas and suggestions for other features that would be useful while displaying orbits and such.

[Pthigrivi]

I do a ton of aerobreaking and I love this idea.

[Wallygator]

Lookup the "Trajectories" mod. I think it also does exactly this.

I agree something like this is quite useful perhaps obtained as a "onboard landing computer" somewhere in the tech progression.

EDIT: Sorry typed should have indicated "I looked up..."

Edited November 14, 2014 by Wallygator

[Kegereneku]

I support this idea.

If the players are to navigate "by sight" helped by a bunch of visual helper, you could make this one. It would both reduce the infuriating error left to left to chance, and yet allow the player to take more risk (usually spaceplane don't come back with much fuel left if you really wanted to reduce weight)

At first it might make a little too easy to get back right on KSP and recover everything.

But that's a necessity when you'll need to do aerobreaking and try to land in different atmosphere without being forced to reload a save.

By the way, a stock deltaV reader fit in the same category. It's meaningless to be able to read a maneuver's cost in m/s if you don't give the tool to know how many you have (or at least as something you buy/unlock later of course).

[FunnyBunny14]

At first it might make a little too easy to get back right on KSP and recover everything.

But that's a necessity when you'll need to do aerobreaking and try to land in different atmosphere without being forced to reload a save.

It definitely should indeed not be that easy. I was actually thinking that maybe that red cross could come as a bonus with the tier 3 tracking station. That way it only is available later in the game. The air resistance thing would then come at tier 2, to make it easier for players to go interplanetary.

Lookup the "Trajectories" mod. I think it also does exactly this.

Look closely at the link in my first post here (and no, I didn't edit it).

[CaptRobau]

After playing with Trajectories, I can only concur. With trajectories I manage to land in places I want for the first time and with I also consciously used reentry mechanics to skip out of the atmosphere and further along for the first time. Without atmospheric trajectories that would not have been possible. Really enhances the game.

[FunnyBunny14]

After playing with Trajectories, I can only concur. With trajectories I manage to land in places I want for the first time and with I also consciously used reentry mechanics to skip out of the atmosphere and further along for the first time. Without atmospheric trajectories that would not have been possible. Really enhances the game.

I definitely agree with that. The red cross is a bit overpowered for starting the game though, but like I said, if it gets worked into the building upgrades it would be an incredible edition to the game.

I've actually got a bunch of mods that I'm using that don't change the game a lot, but make life easier. The most noteworthy was the trajectory mod, and since I thought "why isn't this in the game by default", I decided to create this thread.

[Tuareg]

I definitely agree with that. The red cross is a bit overpowered for starting the game though, but like I said, if it gets worked into the building upgrades it would be an incredible edition to the game.

I've actually got a bunch of mods that I'm using that don't change the game a lot, but make life easier. The most noteworthy was the trajectory mod, and since I thought "why isn't this in the game by default", I decided to create this thread.

glad u did, it would be great in stock game.

[prophet_01]

Yep it's a great mod. I use it for almost all of my shuttle missions, which is roughly 60% of my launches in late game.

It makes safe reentries directly to the KSC possible. Eyeballing this with FAR and DRE on a shuttle is nearly impossible and I wouldn't use shuttles in hard career mode otherwise, as the risk of losing my crew is way too high (planes have a lower heat resistance than heetshields from pods). To be clear I usually don't have more than 200 dv left and have to do that stuff unproppelled (with airbreaks to alter my velocity of course). Efficient shuttles and SSTO's usually don't have enough fuel left to deal with errors which at least I can't avoid with the little info the stock game offers :/

I would like the implementation of that stuff in a part ("aerodynamics package" or something similar) which needs to be unlocked and attached to a craft. I agree that it should be a late game part.

[FunnyBunny14]

Yep it's a great mod. I use it for almost all of my shuttle missions, which is roughly 60% of my launches in late game.

It makes safe reentries directly to the KSC possible. Eyeballing this with FAR and DRE on a shuttle is nearly impossible and I wouldn't use shuttles in hard career mode otherwise, as the risk of losing my crew is way too high (planes have a lower heat resistance than heetshields from pods). To be clear I usually don't have more than 200 dv left and have to do that stuff unproppelled (with airbreaks to alter my velocity of course). Efficient shuttles and SSTO's usually don't have enough fuel left to deal with errors which at least I can't avoid with the little info the stock game offers :/

I would like the implementation of that stuff in a part ("aerodynamics package" or something similar) which needs to be unlocked and attached to a craft. I agree that it should be a late game part.

I'm generally against parts to add functionality. It is just a mission control thing, after all. Wouldn't you agree that it is a lot better to have this worked into the building upgrades?