[1.3] Pilot Assistant: Atmospheric piloting aids - 1.13.2 (May 28)

[Crzyrndm]

Never had an issue with it myself, maybe it's something limited to parts (that wouldn't surprise me...)

[Crzyrndm]

Version 1.10.0

• Complete SSAS control rewrite. Significantly improved behaviour
  
• Tweaks to the drag resizing of the Pilot Assistant window
  
• Added heading # lock to Pilot Assistant modes
  

SSAS now behaves on par with any other attitude control system in any direction (dependent on tuning of course), no more hacks, no more weirdness, it just works as it should. That's one overhaul that was long overdue.

NOTE: It's currently back to locking to a heading value instead of a direction, so watch out when traversing polar regions. This is not a permanent change

NOTE2: You may want to clear SSAS defaults. The scale of the numbers is similar, but it is a completely new system (not that the new defaults are perfect )

[gilflo]

Hello

Something useful and very simple i am looking for is a slider (and/or some virtual key to add by step of 1% or 5%) so as to move the Throttle more precisely than when using keys....

Davon system or TCA are to sophisticated for simple use.

[Midnight Jade]

WOW!! What a complete change SSAS is now! It obeys pitch, heading, and roll immediately without a hitch.

I was wondering if it was due to an additional SAS unit I put in my spaceplane... Does this mod even use SAS parts to do its job? Does adding more SAS units help it?

[eodh]

Blizzy toolbar: It's already in. You do need to enable it in the settings file though (Pilot Assistant/PluginData/Pilot Assistant/config.xml => useStockToolbar = 0)

I can see the blizzy Icon still in the folder, but no config files...

[Crzyrndm]

WOW!! What a complete change SSAS is now! It obeys pitch, heading, and roll immediately without a hitch.

I was wondering if it was due to an additional SAS unit I put in my spaceplane... Does this mod even use SAS parts to do its job? Does adding more SAS units help it?

By SAS units, I assume you mean reaction wheels? It will use any and all available sources of torque. Each craft has an optimum level of torque past which things can get out of control. Retuning the SAS parameters will change what levels of torque work best, but that can take a little know how

I can see the blizzy Icon still in the folder, but no config files...

You need to leave the flight scene atleast once for it to create the settings file

[Midnight Jade]

Yeah, that's what I meant. Thanks

[ctbram]

I am having trouble figuring out how to use this. Is there any chance someone can toss together a camtasia or bandicam video tutorial and put it up on youtube?

I sure would appreciate it. I have really avoided planes in ksp because they are tedious to build, and very twitchy to fly. I'd like to make a small, medium, and heavy SSTO that I can reliably get to space. So far I have not been very successful with anything in 1.0.x. I was getting close to something stable with FAR pre 1.0.x but now with 1.0.x I am not even coming close to attaining orbit. It's pretty frustrating.

[gilflo]

Does PA record the PID setting as well as KP, KI..... settings when i change them and update them in a new preset?

Because i did it and every time i charge my preset i loose PID preset.

[Crzyrndm]

I don't understand the problem you are having? Presets record every current setting visible to the player, so if that's not happening it sounds like a bug.

[Crzyrndm]

Version 1.10.1

• SSAS roll control refined so it doesn't perform unnecessary spins and is more stable over a wider range of orientations
  
• All SSAS control calculations shifted to double format for increased precision (previously the error resolution was limited to ~0.02 degrees resulting in some unnecessary noise)
  
• Integration of stock SAS modes into SSAS function (eg. prograde, normal, target). When using these modes, only bank angle can be specified through the UI.
  
• Improved default SSAS tuning to reduce wobble
  

EDIT

Version 1.10.1.1

• Fix for planes trying to fly upside down
  

Edited June 10, 2015 by Crzyrndm

[Ikarim]

Pls add the autopilot for every craft for itself so we can do aerialrefueling (speed limiter/wing levler/heightcontrol)

[Crzyrndm]

Pls add the autopilot for every craft for itself so we can do aerialrefueling (speed limiter/wing levler/heightcontrol)

It's coming (slowly). It's going to be a big change and a lot of work though, so I need to make sure every current feature is working as I want it to before throwing it to the sharks

[Crzyrndm]

Pls add the autopilot for every craft for itself so we can do aerialrefueling (speed limiter/wing levler/heightcontrol)

On this topic, someone care to enlighten me how you get multiple vessels in the air? It's somewhat difficult to test this stuff when you have to keep the grounded craft within 350m of each other

EDIT

Success!

NOTE: Each of those vessels has their own targets and UI. I'll need to add something to switch which UI is visible...

Edited June 11, 2015 by Crzyrndm

[Wanderfound]

On this topic, someone care to enlighten me how you get multiple vessels in the air? It's somewhat difficult to test this stuff when you have to keep the grounded craft within 350m of each other

Tried launching as a single vessel that decouples into two once airborne? You don't have to make a super-fancy thing; just strap two small aircraft to an SRB.

[Storywalker4]

I've needed this for so long! Now I don't have to use CheatJeb for autopilot anymore. Just need it for unatmo landing still (the suicide burn countdown is immensely useful and target landings are complicated)

[frencrs]

On this topic, someone care to enlighten me how you get multiple vessels in the air? It's somewhat difficult to test this stuff when you have to keep the grounded craft within 350m of each other

EDIT

Success!

http://i.imgur.com/StdZvPB.png

NOTE: Each of those vessels has their own targets and UI. I'll need to add something to switch which UI is visible...

Awesome!

Have you seen the recent version of smartparts? It has a "radio" unit that can send commands to all vessels in the same group which I think can be used to mirror control input for rough formation flying, I need to try it out more.

edit: maybe it can just do staging, throttle, and action groups. I think another method would be to use a kOS cpu on each craft and use a kOS script to mirror the input.

Edited June 11, 2015 by frencrs

[H3xx]

One feature I would like to see would be a spaceplane ascent/descent guidance module. Something that can take off from the runway, go to orbit, and then land back on that runway with no problem.

[Crzyrndm]

One feature I would like to see would be a spaceplane ascent/descent guidance module. Something that can take off from the runway, go to orbit, and then land back on that runway with no problem.

That will not happen. Ever. I want to keep the player interacting with the craft to some extent, not have a "1 button to space" mode

Tried launching as a single vessel that decouples into two once airborne? You don't have to make a super-fancy thing; just strap two small aircraft to an SRB.

Probably easier than my current method...

[Crzyrndm]

Aeris 3A needs 1.8m of vertical clearance to prevent collisions...

For anyone interested in multi vessel control, there is a test build available on gihub (linky). Be warned, I can just about guarantee I haven't ironed out all the issues yet

EDIT

Now I really kinda want to build a rocket to throw 5-10 of these things into the air, just for S&G's

EDIT

now with a vessel UI selector so you can control all active systems (you need to switch to a vessel atleast once to "attach" the control system)

Edited June 12, 2015 by Crzyrndm

[Crzyrndm]

Pilot Assistanvt v1.11.0

• Multi vessel support. Switch to another vessel within physics range and any active control system will remain active on the original vessel.
  
• Full integration of SSAS with the stock SAS system. All targets in all reference frames have appropriate behaviours, surface relative behaviour is only engaged when the current reference frame is surface (indicated by the speed display)
  

[Ikarim]

Pilot Assistanvt v1.11.0

• Multi vessel support. Switch to another vessel within physics range and any active control system will remain active on the original vessel.
  

Wow so quick implemented

i'm sorry that i couldn't reply to you sooner

well i think BDArmory has something that removes that "can not switch vessels in atmosphere" restriction.

I am so in love with this "simple" but effective mod right know should be stock

EDIT: Some strange bug apeared that does, that the autopilot does nothing and the toolbar symbols duplicating after every launch

pls fix

Edited June 16, 2015 by Ikarim
EDIT 1

[Volt]

Ikarim, reproduction steps, screenshots (press F2) and logs. 'Some strange bug appeared at some time and a bunch of stuff happened' is no use to anyone and really frustrates modders. They've given time for you, give some time for them.

[dragonsmate17]

Getting the same bug with revert flight with a NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object, no dropbox so I can not post log

(Filename: Line: 70)

NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object

at PilotAssistant.FlightModules.SurfSAS.Update () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

at PilotAssistant.FlightModules.AsstVesselModule.Update () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

at PilotAssistant.PilotAssistantFlightCore.Update () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

(Filename: Line: -1)

Edited June 16, 2015 by dragonsmate17
hope this helps

[Crzyrndm]

Ikarim, reproduction steps, screenshots (press F2) and logs. 'Some strange bug appeared at some time and a bunch of stuff happened' is no use to anyone and really frustrates modders. They've given time for you, give some time for them.

Particularly in this case, events that occurred just before a bug manifests are very important. There is a release version because I am fairly confident that it is stable for a single vessel and most instances of multiple vessels. At the same time, I know there are still a multitude of ways to cause the multi-vessel implementation to break and I need to know what happened that caused it to break.

@Ikarim

Check that the selected number in the little menu was the one that was highlighted in green (NOTE: only visible if you have switched between loaded vessels). That is the control systems for the active vessel. You may have been controlling a different vessel.