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Cool game, but it has a pretty egregious physics error. It seems like the velocity vector of the craft always points in the direction you're facing. If you rota
by jstanley 5y ago
Cool game, but it has a pretty egregious physics error. It seems like the velocity vector of the craft always points in the direction you're facing. If you rotate the craft, then the velocity vector also rotates. It's like it's cornering on rails. This makes the game much easier than it should be.
In reality, if you are travelling forwards at some speed and then rotate the craft to one side, you'll still be travelling in the same direction as before. The world you see out the window will appear to be flying past sideways, because you still need to cancel out your previous forwards velocity.
- JKCalhoun 5y agoYou're kind of right. I didn't want to make the game even harder than it already is but there is a fuel penalty involved for moving forward and turning. The moon craft is applying the correct horizontal thrust to allow you to "corner on rails" but subtracting that thrust from your fuel. You notice if you have no horizontal movement, yaw takes negligible fuel: a short burst rotates you and you can indefinitely rotate without additional fuel. The instant you have a horizontal component, there is a continuous fuel penalty as you rotate — because, as you point out, an additional velocity vector is required to keep you both moving forward and turning. It's much more fuel efficient to establish the direction you want to fly the craft before applying forward thrust.
- jstanley 5y agoAh, good to know it is correct internally!
- matheusmoreira 5y agoWould be amazing if you could turn this maneuvering assistance off! On kerbal space program, I can lower my periapsis until my orbital trajectory intercepts my target and then allow gravity to take me there. I always keep the ship pointed retrograde in order to control its speed.