Ship directional axis changer?

[MLWostal]

Anyone know of a module or mod that supports changing the main axis of a ship? Like from vertical to horizontal?

The WIKI has nothing but I know it can be done. The landing gears have a command but, since it's imbedded in the landinggear module, I can't use it standalone and the description of the command is rather.... lacking.

[ultrasquid]

Usually it involves having an alternative control device (like a docking port or SAS module) that's oriented perpendicular to the main command unit of your craft. Then, in flight, select "control from here" from that unit's right-click menu.

However, if you select your pilot's IVA, control reverts to the original orientation.

[S1000RRHP4]

You can take control from a docking port: you place in the direction you want and you hit "control form here"

[MLWostal]

Thanks. Had not thought of docking ports. The ship is not really setup for one but, with some playing around, I might be able to utilize it.

Wish the darned code was available but, alas, the WIKI is no where near being complete.

[lo-fi]

Have a nose through the Skylon dev thread, and maybe ask Captain Kipard. He had the same requirement and found a cunning way to get around it, but I can't remember what that was

[MLWostal]

Thanks, will have a cruise through the thread and see what I can find.

[lo-fi]

Sorry I can't be more helpful. Details may actually be in another thread, in which I remember CK saying "hey, that will be really useful for changing the control plane for my skylon". I've got a feeling it was something to do with docking ports in the modelling discussion thread, would have been late last year.

[MK3424]

I hope there will be something like that implemented; that would make flying space shuttle easier: because of the offset thrust and gimballing engines, the heading of the craft should be the thrust through the Centre of Mass, instead of the heading of the craft model.

Wish i could visualise what i meant...

[Gaalidas]

I actually had a play with the Skylon mod a while back and the control part actually had a switch on it for changing the control direction, though the change was very slight since it was meant only to compensate for the angle of the engines for the differences in atmospheric vs. orbital maneuvering. I wasn't quite as interested in the mechanics of this stuff back then, but now I'm really wondering how exactly it worked. Gonna have to go look that up again now.

UPDATE: So, I took a look at it and it seems they used an animation. My guess is that the animation is set up to change a specific transform to face a different angle and, from my memories of playing with the part, the animation/transformation is smooth too, but contains no visual change as would usually come from an animation.

So, to replicate this you would need a model with an animation attached to that transform (or whatever it is, I'm not model development savvy right now) that modifies the direction that is considered "forward" on that part, then activate that animation using your favorite animation module in the part config. I was hoping it was actually plugin-based, which would allow me to replicate the functionality to match the function in the control mode toggle plugin (I totally forgot what the plugin is called right now) to do more than just set flight mode. As it is, it wouldn't be very easy to adapt this for existing parts.

Edited February 17, 2015 by Gaalidas

[MLWostal]

Found a way to do it! The Kupiter 2 has an 'Astrogator' on the top. Well.... Why not use it for what it's meant for. Now, click on the astrogator, choose 'Control from here' and bingo, direction is forward. Click on the Upperhull of the Kupiter 2 and 'control from here' for lift direction. Rather abrupt but, at least it's flying the way it was meant to.

Tried to do an animation in unity to control it but, alas, one more thing I failed at.

Also, Unity trashed all my Unity Kupiter 2 files. Almost have it all rebuilt. For nostalgia lovers, this might be a ship for you.

Now, to find the best sound effects for the engines and try to learn emissions in Unity for the proper effects. The ship looks funny with rocket exhaust coming from it.

Thanks for the replies and help all.