Why doesn't the Keelback use its retro thrusters?

Seems to me like using the retro thrusters on the side for things like landing or vertical movements would give it a very unique role in the game.

Unless someone more educated on physics and all of that can explain why it wouldn't matter in space or on planets? In all honesty, this is really the only thing that interests me about this ship at all. I'm hoping in the feature that it becomes some cool VTOL ship...otherwise I'd rather use anything else especially since it's pretty ugly looking imo.

This was the only video I could find that showcases them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8puyvV3wt4Y

How is he able to fly in debug camera mode? Pretty sure I cant control my ship while using the external camera.
 
That depends on the center of mass, doesn't it? if more mass is located on the front end of the pivot point than the back, then using both thrusters angled down at 45 degrees would lift the back end more than the front. Or am I wrong?

If the pivot for the thrusters was not at the center of mass, the yes, some pitch could be achieved with them. However, if that were the case they would not be able to be used efficiently for vertical thrust, as they'd need some sort of counter thrust to not cause the ship to pitch then. Because of this, I'm assuming the pivot is at the center of mass.
 
If the pivot for the thrusters was not at the center of mass, the yes, some pitch could be achieved with them. However, if that were the case they would not be able to be used efficiently for vertical thrust, as they'd need some sort of counter thrust to not cause the ship to pitch then. Because of this, I'm assuming the pivot is at the center of mass.

You can clearly see the pivot point here.


PWdYqB9.png
 
I was at a Nav Beacon yesterday doing some basic Combat practise, and I encountered (over an hour or so) a few wanted Keelbacks. When I attacked them they all, to a greater or lesser degree, rotated those thrusters.
 
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IMHO it should be an excellent High G planet landable craft.


Supreme agree!!

forget the impractical engineering physics of landing with your thruster pylons pointed down. Lol. That's a long drop from the cargo hatch at 7g !!

Go ahead and shut them off at the last 20m then rotate them safely out of the way... As you plummet to the surface. Whoops. Starting to see why frontier didn't carry out the full thruster animation hand off between pylon and normal thrusters.

You can clearly see the pivot point here.


http://i.imgur.com/PWdYqB9.png

We don't know the mass distribution of Keel back. It could have too much junk in the trunk. ;)

Even if it was off center, the giant rockets might do less to pitch the ship than tiny standard lateral thrusters placed at the fore and aft, simply because of torque. Have you ever tried pushing a door closed by pressing on the door right next to the hinge? Nigh impossible. But even a feather weight of pressure near the door handle will swing it easily.

...this is why hobbit door knobs are impractical.
 
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We don't know the mass distribution of Keel back. It could have too much junk in the trunk. ;)

Even if it was off center, the giant rockets might do less to pitch the ship than tiny standard lateral thrusters placed at the fore and aft, simply because of torque. Have you ever tried pushing a door closed by pressing on the door right next to the hinge? Nigh impossible. But even a feather weight of pressure near the door handle will swing it easily.

...this is why hobbit door knobs are impractical.

Hey! Whose side are you on? I thought you agreed with me before about the thrusters helping with pitch! ;)
 
Hey! Whose side are you on? I thought you agreed with me before about the thrusters helping with pitch! ;)

just woke up, read pitch as roll. Need coffee before physics apparently!


So just be clear: yes to roll, and no (significant) help to pitch.
 
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Supreme agree!!

forget the impractical engineering physics of landing with your thruster pylons pointed down. Lol. That's a long drop from the cargo hatch at 7g !!

Go ahead and shut them off at the last 20m then rotate them safely out of the way... As you plummet to the surface. Whoops. Starting to see why frontier didn't carry out the full thruster animation hand off between pylon and normal thrusters.



We don't know the mass distribution of Keel back. It could have too much junk in the trunk. ;)

Even if it was off center, the giant rockets might do less to pitch the ship than tiny standard lateral thrusters placed at the fore and aft, simply because of torque. Have you ever tried pushing a door closed by pressing on the door right next to the hinge? Nigh impossible. But even a feather weight of pressure near the door handle will swing it easily.

...this is why hobbit door knobs are impractical.

Exactly. The center of mass is most likely NOT at the geometric center. After all, I would guess that those big main engines have quite a bit more mass than that big empty cockpit / cabin.
 
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