Motion Value Wizard

tool updated

Added a readme file to the archive explaining two basics of the FL physics engine and a documentation of the Wizard’s form elements.

You’re welcome.
The more questions, requests, complaints there come the better it can get at the end

There is one idea I had, that included a code I am not familiar with. Precisely what I think of, is the option to load the compound file to be checked for the absolute HpPilot position (i.e. checking its coordinates and, if required, the offset of the part it is attached to). Optional this should stay, because if it isn’t every ship would have to have a HpPilot and that’s waste of all those modders’ time, who don’t want pilot models to be sitting in their battleship bridges.

Is anyone out there familiar to the compound configuration readout algorithms who would like to help me with this?

Tool updated:

• Optimized code structure
• Bug fixed: Torques calculations now use correct acceleration values.

Hm, I maybe should make it integrate the values directly to freelancer ini files… JONG, please, throw me a PM with questions you have - I can’t spot what might be missing in the readme, maybe I could help you better in interaction.

On a side note, stress testing the program myself (basically using it for very much its purpose, but extensively), I found a few bugs easy to play around but which definately must and will be fixed when i figure a new formula for angular motions. Please keep them in mind so far:

1 - The input of mass is interpreted as an integer, so any float values will give an error message.
2 - The angular values output field gives a spelling error that doesn’t quite crash freelancer or even cause a message in the FLSpew, but does affect motion unless corrected: It says “rotation_intertia” instead of “rotation_inertia”.
3 - For some reason in the list of functions under the linear calculation button I inattentively put also one requesting values from angular calculations. Since however the linear values are not affected by angular calculation, the float values in the cockpit offsets and calculation of angular values is merely a formality that by the version uploaded here must be done prior to linear calculations.
4 - Apparently the formula I have been working with for angular motions is imperfect. It takes into account linear accelerations during angular motion or rather motion around a different point. With slow accelerations and high cockpit radii (as on larger ships) the issue is insignificant; however the closer the cockpit gets to the pivot point the more the ship becomes immaneurverable which makes the values more or less useless. Technically there is a div by 0 error when the cockpit has a 0 radius for some axis.

A new build including all the bug fixes will be available once i have combined and implemented a solution to problem #4. If anyone wishes to help me understanding the forces during rotation, their relation to newtonian linear physics and most importantly forces affecting a pilot in angular motion, you are certainly welcome to. Also, I am open to suggestions for additional features to be added in the next version.