Raw Control

If you wish to have your kOS script manipulate a vessel’s flight controls directly in a raw way, rather than relying on kOS to handle the flying for you, then this is the type of structure you will need to use to do it. This is offered as an alternative to using the combination of LOCK STEERING and LOCK THROTTLE commands. To obtain the CONTROL variable for a vessel, use its :CONTROL suffix:

SET controlStick to SHIP:CONTROL.
SET controlStick:PITCH to 0.2.

Unlike with so-called “Cooked” steering, “raw” steering uses the SET command, not the LOCK command. Using LOCK with these controls won’t work. When controlling the ship in a raw way, you must decide how to move the controls in detail. Here is another example:

SET SHIP:CONTROL:YAW to 0.2.

This will start pushing the ship to rotate a bit faster to the right, like pushing the D key gently. All the following values are set between \(-1\) and \(+1\). Zero means the control is neutral. You can set to values smaller in magnitude than \(-1\) and \(+1\) for gentler control:

print "Gently pushing forward for 3 seconds.".
SET SHIP:CONTROL:FORE TO 0.2.
SET now to time:seconds.
WAIT until time:seconds > now + 3.
SET SHIP:CONTROL:FORE to 0.0.

print "Gently Pushing leftward for 3 seconds.".
SET SHIP:CONTROL:STARBOARD TO -0.2.
SET now to time:seconds.
WAIT until time:seconds > now + 3.
SET SHIP:CONTROL:STARBOARD to 0.0.

print "Starting an upward rotation.".
SET SHIP:CONTROL:PITCH TO 0.2.
SET now to time:seconds.
WAIT until time:seconds > now + 0.5.
SET SHIP:CONTROL:PITCH to 0.0.

print "Giving control back to the player now.".
SET SHIP:CONTROL:NEUTRALIZE to True.

One can use SHIP:CONTROL:ROTATION and SHIP:CONTROL:TRANSLATION to see the ship’s current situation.

Raw Flight Controls Reference

These “Raw” controls allow you the direct control of flight parameters while the current program is running.

Note

The MAINTHROTTLE requires active engines and, of course, sufficient and appropriate fuel. The rotational controls YAW, PITCH and ROW require one of the following: active reaction wheels with sufficient energy, RCS to be ON with properly placed thrusters and appropriate fuel, or control surfaces with an atmosphere in which to operate. The translational controls FORE, STARBOARD and TOP only work with RCS, and require RCS to be ON with properly placed thrusters and appropriate fuel.

Suffix	Type, Range	Equivalent Key
MAINTHROTTLE	scalar [0,1]	LEFT-CTRL, LEFT-SHIFT
YAW	scalar [-1,1]	D, A
PITCH	scalar [-1,1]	W, S
ROLL	scalar [-1,1]	Q, E
ROTATION	Vector	(YAW,PITCH,ROLL)
YAWTRIM	scalar [-1,1]	ALT+D, ALT+A
PITCHTRIM	scalar [-1,1]	ALT+W, ALT+S
ROLLTRIM	scalar [-1,1]	ALT+Q, ALT+E
FORE	scalar [-1,1]	N, H
STARBOARD	scalar [-1,1]	L, J
TOP	scalar [-1,1]	I, K
TRANSLATION	Vector	(STARBOARD,TOP,FORE)
WHEELSTEER	scalar [-1,1]	A, D
WHEELTHROTTLE	scalar [-1,1]	W, S
WHEELSTEERTRIM	scalar [-1,1]	ALT+A, ALT+D
WHEELTHROTTLETRIM	scalar [-1,1]	ALT+W, ALT+S
NEUTRAL	Boolean	Is kOS Controlling?
NEUTRALIZE	Boolean	Releases Control

SHIP:CONTROL:MAINTHROTTLE

Set between 0 and 1 much like the cooked flying LOCK THROTTLE command.

SHIP:CONTROL:YAW

This is the rotation about the “up” vector as the pilot faces forward. Essentially left \((-1)\) or right \((+1)\).

SHIP:CONTROL:PITCH

Rotation about the starboard vector up \((+1)\) or down \((-1)\).

SHIP:CONTROL:ROLL

Rotation about the longitudinal axis of the ship left-wing-down \((-1)\) or left-wing-up \((+1)\).

SHIP:CONTROL:ROTATION

This is a Vector object containing (YAW, PITCH, ROLL) in that order.

SHIP:CONTROL:YAWTRIM

Controls the YAW of the rotational trim.

SHIP:CONTROL:PITCHTRIM

Controls the PITCH of the rotational trim.

SHIP:CONTROL:ROLLTRIM

Controls the ROLL of the rotational trim.

SHIP:CONTROL:FORE

Controls the translation of the ship forward \((+1)\) or backward \((-1)\).

SHIP:CONTROL:STARBOARD

Controls the translation of the ship to the right \((+1)\) or left \((-1)\) from the pilot’s perspective.

SHIP:CONTROL:TOP

Controls the translation of the ship up \((+1)\) or down \((-1)\) from the pilot’s perspective.

SHIP:CONTROL:TRANSLATION

Controls the translation as a Vector (STARBOARD, TOP, FORE).

SHIP:CONTROL:WHEELSTEER

Turns the wheels left \((-1)\) or right \((+1)\).

SHIP:CONTROL:WHEELTHROTTLE

Controls the wheels to move the ship forward \((+1)\) or backward \((-1)\) while on the ground.

SHIP:CONTROL:WHEELSTEERTRIM

Controls the trim of the wheel steering.

SHIP:CONTROL:WHEELTHROTTLETRIM

Controls the trim of the wheel throttle.

SHIP:CONTROL:NEUTRAL

Returns true or false depending if kOS has any set controls. This is not settable.

SHIP:CONTROL:NEUTRALIZE

This causes manual control to let go. When set to true, kOS lets go of the controls and allows the player to manually control them again. This is not gettable.

Unlocking controls

Setting any one of SHIP:CONTROL values will prevent player from manipulating that specific control manually. Other controls will not be locked. To free any single control, set it back to zero. To give all controls back to the player you must execute:

SET SHIP:CONTROL:NEUTRALIZE to TRUE.

Advantages/Disadvantages

The control over RCS translation requires the use of Raw control. Also, with raw control you can choose how gentle to be with the controls and it can be possible to control wobbly craft better with raw control than with cooked control.