Specify orbit direction in mission description for "probe in set orbit" contracts

[SkyRender]

Pretty simple request, but a reasonable one. As it stands, you don't really know whether the orbit they want is prograde or retrograde until you go to the tracking station to check (which is a bit of a pain in the butt as well, but would be trickier to fix). It could save a lot of trouble and horribly inefficient U-turns in orbit if we knew before we launched which way the contract expected us to be launching the probe in. It would also help steer us away from accepting a contract and preparing for it to be part of a larger mission, only to discover upon actually launching that the probe needs to be going retrograde while the rest of the mission needs to be going prograde.

[federicoaa]

Actually they do. I noticed there is a series of dots moving in the specified orbit that indicates the direction you should go.

[SkyRender]

Actually they do. I noticed there is a series of dots moving in the specified orbit that indicates the direction you should go.

Yes, I know that as well. The problem is that you can't find out what direction the orbit is in until you check the tracking station. That's a problem when planning missions based on contracts, since you keep having to swap out of mission control to check what direction the required orbit is in.

[ddenis]

The inclination is written in contracts, it can give you approximate understanding.

If inclination =0, it means that the orbit is equatorial, we can call it "prograde" in your terms.

If inclination = 180 - it's opposite to the previous one, it's "retrograde" in your terms.

If inclination = 90 - the orbit is between previous two and called polar orbit, because it goes over poles

And so on...

But you have to remember that on this picture displayed one orbit, but you see it different because of different point of observation and different starting points. So, you do have to look on map to see when is the best time to start and in what direction you have to fly, because the factors depends on the rotation of the planet

[SkyRender]

If you know that, sure, it's quite handy. Most players don't actually know that.

[ddenis]

If you know that, sure, it's quite handy. Most players don't actually know that.

And you are absolutely right!

It's another problem - KSP isn't friendly enough for new players.

This such information have to be displayed to users when a new contract type is opened. Additionally a link on in-game library with useful information would be great.

As for me it's easier to explain this to a player, than try to invent some another method of showing it.

Edited December 18, 2014 by ddenis

[GusTurbo]

And you are absolutely right!

It's another problem - KSP isn't friendly enough for new players.

This such information have to be displayed to users when a new contract type is opened. Additionally a link on in-game library with useful information would be great.

As for me it's easier to explain this to a player, than try to invent some another method of showing it.

Agreed. In-game library is a good idea as well:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/103778-In-game-Knowledge-Base-for-info-necessary-to-play-the-game