Topic: Non-standard spaceflight thrusting

[Rosencrantz]

Is there any chance we could get a more inertial flight system working?

I know that there's coast, but A) You have to hold down a button for that,
and B) currently I can't get it to do anything but rotate while coasting.

Also on the coasting front, can we get it changed to a turn off/on instead of hold for coast?
Or perhaps an option to switch between the two.

For examples of some space based flightsim that mix inertial and "standard" flightsims look at
Babylon 5: I've found Her, and Vendetta Online.

Last time I played Vendetta's it was just a switch in an option menu. B5's you could switch on and off in mid-flight with spacebar (which made for some interesting dogfights).

--Rosencrantz

[Morgul]

I do want it to be toggle for coast. Thing is, coast simply ignores translational input. That's why rotation still works. It's to allow you to pick a direction, and then 'coast' so that you can turn your ship around, and fire at people behind you.

Now, what do you mean by 'more inertial'? Currently, we're doing everything with target velocities. We are using an accurate physics simulation, however, we're letting the game figure out what thrusts we need, given a desired velocity on a given axis. It's the most intuitive, and flyable thing we've been able to come up with.

Are you looking for something where once you srart movement, it keeps going? That would be interesting... setting the target velocity to the current one. then, toggle it back, and it acts like it currently does. Hmm... I think we could easily do this.

I guess the only real question is... what advantages do you have with this?

[Rosencrantz]

I do want it to be toggle for coast. Thing is, coast simply ignores translational input. That's why rotation still works. It's to allow you to pick a direction, and then 'coast' so that you can turn your ship around, and fire at people behind you.

Now, what do you mean by 'more inertial'? Currently, we're doing everything with target velocities. We are using an accurate physics simulation, however, we're letting the game figure out what thrusts we need, given a desired velocity on a given axis. It's the most intuitive, and flyable thing we've been able to come up with.

Are you looking for something where once you srart movement, it keeps going? That would be interesting... setting the target velocity to the current one. then, toggle it back, and it acts like it currently does. Hmm... I think we could easily do this.

I guess the only real question is... what advantages do you have with this?

As far as the advantages, I'm not sure that most of them couldn't be simulated by just using coast. I'll think about it though.

And I suppose I'm using inertial because thats what I think I've heard it called before and I haven't thought of a succint way of describing the differences between the two different flight models. Although I think the current Precursors model is somewhere in the middle of what I've seen. I keep feeling like some of the other models don't take inertia into account very well, whereas precursors definetly does.

Also on the coast front, the way it works now is fine, I was just thinking it might be nicer to have it operate slightly different in terms of button mechanics. Right now you have to hold down the button, it would be nice for less finger gynamistics if you could just hit it once to turn it on, and then hit it again to turn it off.

--Rosencrantz

[Caenus]

if you guys want a good flightsim that demonstrates great inertial effects, you need to go rent Crimson Skies for xbox or else download F/A-18 Flight Simulator.

Trust me, it'll get you thinking in the right direction.