Problem Adjusting jettison speed?

[Saturn V]

I have an SC3 vessel set up with a payload I want to jettison. The vessel and payload show up fine in the scenario, but when I press the "J" key, the payload disappears from its stowed location and instantaneously re-appears on the ground below the mothership.

I have indeed read (and re-read) the section on payloads in the docs and it states that jettison speed relative to the "mother" ship is configurable. I have tried every variation I can think of and get the same result each time.

For what it's worth, the "mother" craft is a vessel hovering 20 - 30 feet off the ground and what I'm looking to do is jettison the payload so that it falls realistically to the ground below, not the "magic" trick I'm getting now.

Am I overlooking something? Other parameters I need to look at in conjunction with this setting? Or is it a limitation/non-functioning feature of SC3?

Thanks for any input...

 

[MJR]

Let me see the configuration file.

 

[Saturn V]

You want the whole thing or just the payload section?

 

[MJR]

all

 

[Saturn V]

[CONFIG]
MESHNAME="Recovery_Helicopter_1"
SIZE=8
EMPTY_MASS=15000
FUEL_MASS=33000
HOVER_THRUST=5.5e5
ATTITUDE_THRUST=9.9e4
ISP=50000
TRIM=0.05
PMI=(15.5,22.1,7.7)
CW_Z_POS=0.09
CW_Z_NEG=0.09
CW_X=2.
CW_Y=1.4
CROSS_SECTION=(53.0,186.9,25.9)
COG=2.47
PITCH_MOMENT_SCALE=0.00005
BANK_MOMENT_SCALE=0.00005
ROT_DRAG=(1.5,1.5,1.5)
WING_ASPECT=0
WING_EFFECTIVENESS=0
LAND_PT1=(0,-10.5,9)
LAND_PT2=(-4,-10.5,-5)
LAND_PT3=(4,-10.5,-5)
VISIBLE=1
CAMERA=(1.18,0.4,8.6)

[SOUND]
HOVER_THRUST=Sound\Vessel\SH3\SH3.wav
RCS_THRUST_ATTACK=Sound\Vessel\roll.wav
RCS_THRUST_SUSTAIN=Sound\Vessel\roll.wav

[AERODYNAMICS]
; lift/drag attack point of the vertical airfoil
VAIRFOIL_ATTACK=(0,0,-0.5)
; wing chord length of the vertical airfoil
VAIRFOIL_CHORD=1
; wing area of the vertical airfoil
VAIRFOIL_AREA=1
; wing aspect ratio of the vertical airfoil
VAIRFOIL_ASPECT=1
; lift/drag attack point of the horizontal airfoil
HAIRFOIL_ATTACK=(0,0,-4)
; wing chord length of the horizontal airfoil
HAIRFOIL_CHORD=1
; wing area of the horizontal airfoil
HAIRFOIL_AREA=1
; wing aspect ratio of the horizontal airfoil
HAIRFOIL_ASPECT=1
; surface area of aileron
AILERON_AREA=1
; lift change of aileron
AILERON_LIFT=1
; lift/drag attack point of left aileron (right aileron deduced by x -> -x
AILERON_ATTACK=(7,-0.5,-15)
; surface area of elevator
ELEVATOR_AREA=1
; lift change of elevator
ELEVATOR_LIFT=1
; lift/drag attack point of elevator
ELEVATOR_ATTACK=(0,0,-15)
; surface area of rudder
RUDDER_AREA=1
; lift change of rudder
RUDDER_LIFT=1
; lift/drag attack point of rudder
RUDDER_ATTACK=(0,3,-16)
; speed brake maximum drag change
SPEEDBRAKE_DRAG=1
; speed brake drag attack point
SPEEDBRAKE_ATTACK=(0,7.5,-14);

[PARENT_ATTACH_0] ;hook
NAME="recovery_hook"
POS=(2.28,-1.36,0.24)
DIR=(1,0,0)
ROT=(0,0,1)
LOOSE=0
RANGE=25

[ROBOTIC_ARM]
JOINT_0_NAME="hook_lower"
JOINT_0_SEQ=3
JOINT_0_RANGE=(0,1)
JOINT_0_NAME="hook_catch"
GRAP_SEQ=3
GRAP_ATTACH=0

[ANIM_SEQ_0]
; landing gear
KEY=G
DURATION=6.7

[ANIM_SEQ_1]
; Rotors
KEY=K
DURATION=0.22
REPEAT=1

[ANIM_SEQ_2]
; Rear Door
KEY=1
DURATION=6.7

[ANIM_SEQ_3]
; Hook and lines
KEY=2
DURATION=15

[ANIM_COMP_0]
; front gear
SEQ=0
GROUPS=255,256,257,258,346,347,348,349,350,351,352,353
RANGE=(0.1,0.9)
ROT_PNT=(0,-2.05,5.8)
ROT_AXIS=(1,0,0)
ANGLE=80

[ANIM_COMP_1]
; Main Rotor
SEQ=1
GROUPS=180,181,182,183,184,185,186,187,188,189
RANGE=(0,1)
ROT_PNT=(0,3,4)
ROT_AXIS=(0,1,0)
ANGLE=360.

[ANIM_COMP_2]
; Rear Rotor
SEQ=1
GROUPS=190,191,192,193,194,195,196,197,198,199,200,201,202,203,204,205,206,207,208,209,210
RANGE=(0,1)
ROT_PNT=(-1,1.52,-12.45)
ROT_AXIS=(1,0,0)
ANGLE=360.

[ANIM_COMP_3]
; Rear Door
SEQ=2
TYPE=TRANSLATE
GROUPS=428,429,430,431,436
RANGE=(0,1)
ROT_PNT=(0,0,0)
SHIFT=(0,0,1.7)
ANGLE=0

[ANIM_COMP_4]
; Line
SEQ=3
GROUPS=259
RANGE=(0,1)
TYPE=SCALE
SCALE0=(1,1,1)
SCALE=(1,34.89,1)
REF=(0,0.73,0)

[ANIM_COMP_5]
; hook_lower
SEQ=3
TYPE=TRANSLATE
GROUPS=354
RANGE=(0,1)
ROT_PNT=(0,0,0)
SHIFT=(0,-9.8,0)
ANGLE=0

[ANIM_COMP_6]
; hook_catch
SEQ=3
RANGE=(0,1)
TIP_1=(2.28,-1.36,0.24)
TIP_2=(2.28,-3.36,0.24)
TIP_3=(2.28,-1.36,-1.24)
PARENT=5

[PAYLOAD_0]
MESHNAME=gemdiver1
OFF=(1.12,-0.78,1.35)
MASS=5
MODULE=Gemdiver1
NAME=Gemdiver1
SPEED=(0,0.1,0)
ROT_SPEED=(0,0,0)

 

[MJR]

Actually for SC3 payloads you can't really do what you want to happen. SC3 is limited.

 

[liber]

If is gemdiver1 a spacecraft vessels than you need to change module:

[PAYLOAD_0]
MESHNAME=gemdiver1
OFF=(1.12,-0.78,1.35)
MASS=5
MODULE=spacecraft\spacecraft3
NAME=Gemdiver1
SPEED=(0,0,0)
ROT_SPEED=(0,0,0)

If is not than maybe problem may be with gemdiver1 configuration file.

 

[Saturn V]

Got knocked offline by the storms coming up the Atlantic coast last night. WOW! Don't think I've heard thunder like that in YEARS!!!

Anyway, thanks for the input guys.

Liber, actually, yes "gemdiver1" is a spacecraft3 vessel, however when I set up the Recovery Helicopter ini the way you suggest (that was the first thing I tried), I get a CTD. I had to create a a "gemdiver1" cfg in the vessel folder which points to the spacecraft3 module. For some odd reason, that works! But that's why the ini file is set up as it is.

What can I do to get it working with the "obvious" set up (the one you suggest & my original attempt)? What could have caused the CTD?

MJR, yeah, I know SC3 is a bit limited, but it's great when you're too thick to write a dll...:suicide:...LOL!

If there's really no way to slow down the jettison, I'll just have to accept the limitation. Not exceptionally realistic, but it is what it is...

 

[Donamy]

If it can be an attachment, try pressing LeftShift + A the leftshift + keypad0

 

[Saturn V]

Working on that now, but if it works the same as when I release an astronaut from the hook, I suspect the diver will appear to "float" down into the water. I don't know which will look the strangest! We'll see...

 

[liber]

Got knocked offline by the storms coming up the Atlantic coast last night. WOW! Don't think I've heard thunder like that in YEARS!!!

Before few day storm hit my town,I lost 90% of my orange,have about 900 tree of mandarina,all lost for this year.

Liber, actually, yes "gemdiver1" is a spacecraft3 vessel, however when I set up the Recovery Helicopter ini the way you suggest (that was the first thing I tried), I get a CTD. I had to create

That's strange,that shoud not make CTD,don't know than,maybe you have old spacecraft3.dll.

 

[Saturn V]

I thought the same thing, so I just downloaded it from Vinka's site again this morning. Same thing...

 

[liber]

I thought the same thing, so I just downloaded it from Vinka's site again this morning. Same thing...

If is not this than have no idea,check is it in gemdiver1.ini

MESHNAME=gemdiver1

 

[MJR]

You have a config for the diver?

 

[Saturn V]

Just tried the attachment approach, and as I expected, it looks as though the diver is taking a very slow elevator into the water!!!

Guess I'm going with the "payload" option.

 

[MJR]

Can't you increase the speed?

 

[Saturn V]

Not on the attachment release.

Neither one is quite realistic, but the attachment option looks far stranger to me.

 

[MJR]

Id do the spontaneous one.

 

[liber]

Just tried the attachment approach, and as I expected, it looks as though the diver is taking a very slow elevator into the water!!!

Guess I'm going with the "payload" option.

Hm,if you want higer speed than change it let say:

SPEED=(0,-75,0) - tune as you think is good.
ROT_SPEED=(0,0,0)

 

[Saturn V]

I fooled around with a few things here and discovered that if I apply a little more hover thrust to the helicopter, the jettison seems to respond to the speed parameters set in the ini. The jettison speed is relative to the helicopter if I understand the docs correctly, so it may have been that I didn't have enough hover thrust to elicit the correct response.

It doesn't appear that there's much middle ground though. Right now, the diver drops (through the bottom of the helicopter) very slowly into the water (same as releasing from the attachment point).

If I mess with the speed settings, I get some variation in the movement (mostly left/right relative to the diver), but the drop speed remains pretty much constant. Either very slow or if I set the speed a little higher, there's a quick white flash and the diver disappears completely... but no crash. The scenario continues to run, but the diver is nowhere in sight.

What I'd really like to do is have the diver translate out the door and drop into the water, but I don't seem to be able to find a combination of settings to achieve it.

Any ideas?

---------- Post added at 04:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:28 PM ----------

Quite strange. Regardless of the settings I select, the jettison speed appears to be essentially an "all or nothing" proposition.

I've tried countless combinations of settings and there doesn't seem to be much of in the way of options other than letting him drop through the floor. And very slowly at that.