I have double test the issue I have found and it only happens with the XR2. I have loaded a new copy of orbiter so the only add-on's I have installed are Orbiter sound, Ummu and the XR2. I start with the quick start scenario in the check list folder. I add the XR2 to the scenario with scenario editor. Then I click on one of the other ships listed in the editor. When I do this Orbiter dumps to the desk top. I wanted to make sure that is was not me or my pc so I loaded the XR1. When I add the XR1 to the scenario everything is fine I can pick other ships.
Thank you Doug for all your hard work.
Russ
Thanks, Russ, I hadn't tested switching vessels yet -- that's a good catch! I'll fix that for Beta-2.
yagni01 said:
As I've discovered. If you don't unload the pitch quickly, you're hosed.
I'll also be looking forward to the temperature fix. She's a nimble little minx, isn't she? Almost too hot to handle.
Yes, the XR2 has a lot of power. You really have to throttle back to 50% thrust right after takeoff. Regarding heating rate in dense atmosphere, the heating rate is actually several percent lower than the Vanguard's, but you notice it a lot more in the XR2 because of its power-to-weight ratio. As I said, I'll look into tweaking the heating algorithm for all XR-class vessels.
Coolhand said:
I've suggested a switch to trim this out when in the air so you can get off the ground earlier than you can now - perhaps with even more elevator power (bigger maximum deflection angle i was thinking) but switch it to reduce the elevator response when in the air so you can't move the elevators so much - roughly 40% of what it is now. at higher altitudes you could have the extra elevator control back so you don't have to switch to RCS so early. it could be an extra setting on the AF control switch - off, pitch, full, half. kind of like this aircrafts version of adding flap for takeoff.
Coolhand and I have discussed this further at great length over email, and there are several reasons why adding an additional switch for this isn't practical. However, the compromise we decided on is this: for those advanced pilots who want "dual-mode elevator functionality," I will add three new optional cheatcode settings to repurpose the seldom-used "Pitch" seeting on the AF Ctrl rheostat; they are:
ModifiedAFControlPitchOption = [0 or 1]: if enabled, when the "Pitch" setting on AF control is selected the ship will instantly apply both multipliers specified below to the elevators instead of just limiting AF control to pitch.
ModifiedElevatorAreaMultipliers = a b : multipliers to apply to the elevator area (changes pitch rate) when ModifiedAFControlPitchOption=1 and the pilot selects "Pitch" AF Control. : a = multiplier for "Pitch" setting, b = multiplier for "On" setting
ModifiedAileronAreaMultipliers = a b : multipliers to apply to the aileron area (changes roll rate) when ModifiedAFControlPitchOption=1 and the pilot selects "Pitch" AF Control a = multiplier for "Pitch" setting, b = multiplier for "On" setting
Note that if
ModifiedAFControlPitchOption=1, "AF Ctrl = Pitch" will still allow the pilot to control both roll and pitch: multiplier 'a' would be applied with you set AF Ctrl to "Pitch" and multiplier 'b' would be applied when you set AF Ctrl to "On." That will allow advanced pilots to alter pitch and/or roll performance in mid-flight, and it will not complicate the interface for novice pilots, push back the release date significantly, or cost me extra $$$ for additional voice callouts.
For example, setting this:
ModifiedElevatorAreaMultipliers = 1.40 0.50
...will set your elevator area modifier for "AF Ctrl=Pitch" to 1.40 (40% higher power than normal, which you could use during takeoff) and your elevator area modifier for "AF Ctrl=On" to 0.50 (half normal power, which you could use during flight).
As I said, this is for advanced pilots who want to alter elevator performance in mid-flight; novice pilots will not need to worry about these settings.
Coolhand said:
A thing that i haven't talked to Doug about, but i've realised recently seems to be missing from all the XR craft (or is extemely subtle) is a simulation of short-period pitch oscillation, which if you compare the DGIV or the DGEX you can see the effect quite clearly in their flight models. basically if you pull up you get a quick change in angle of attack and then it settles out. With the XR2 its like you get that quick stab and it keeps on going, maybe there's room for some refinement there?
That is very likely because the DGIV and DGEX aren't as neutral as XR vessels -- I put a large amount of effort into making XR vessels fly as smoothly as possible. The reason is because any oscillations make the ship "twitchier," especially when under autopilot control and/or at lower frame rates. I usually test my autopilots at 4x time acceleration or more to lower the effective frames-per-second to about 10 to show (and then fix as much as possible) any oscillation problems. This is why you can engage the Attitude Hold autopilot at 10x time acceleration during reentry and still have it hold a stable attitude all the way down. Don't try that in other Orbiter craft, or you're in for a surprise.
In other words, the reason that XR vessels fly so smoothly without oscillations is because I've worked hard to
make them fly that way. To put it yet another way, "This behavior is by design."
