Full Angle Range Spotlight

[luppolo]

I managed to reach space(yeah!) but i find really hard to manouver in the dark zone of an asteroid cluster.
Initially i built some corner lights on the base of the (space)ship but they don't really fit the role.
Then i built a rotor with an hinge and a spotlight and they work, giving me the option to choose what to light up.

BUT

Moving it is a real PITA.
The position lock works randomly so i need to turn them on and off and using the Reverse option for movement.
It takes 4 quickbar's slots just to move a single light.

Am i missing something? Is there a better way to achieve what i'm trying do ?
Is there a working mod to have faster and better aiming?

Thanks

[Tregrenos]

I think I get what you're looking for. Have you tried using the rotating lights instead and turning them up to max? Chances are you're not gonna see as far as the spotlights, but they'd be rotating quickly and flash any nearby asteroid from angles the spotlights might miss. You may want to place something to block the flashing lights directly so they don't annoy you with the flickering, or perhaps only turn them on when you're in this specific situation.

[luppolo]

Originally posted by Tregrenos:

[...]flash any nearby asteroid from angles the spotlights might miss[...]

That's not what i was trying to do but it sounds great so i'll implement it asap! Thanks

Meanwhile i've found this mod that maybe can serve the purpose
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1767567028

[Karmaterrorᵁᴷ]

If you want vanilla you can make a mini turret, maybe with hinges, not sure. Defo with rotors though, add a remote block, gyro and camera aswell as the spotlight. Then you can take control and use your mouse to aim it around. Stick lock hinges/rotors on the remotes hotbar so you can aim it and lock it then go back to ship control seat :)

[luppolo]

Originally posted by Karmaterrorᵁᴷ:

If you want vanilla you can make a mini turret, maybe with hinges, not sure. Defo with rotors though, add a remote block, gyro and camera aswell as the spotlight. Then you can take control and use your mouse to aim it around. Stick lock hinges/rotors on the remotes hotbar so you can aim it and lock it then go back to ship control seat :)

That's what i built: https://imgur.com/a/C8VJGvj

So if i attach a remote, a gyro and a camera in can put the remote in the seat hotbar and aim it with the mouse? That'd be great

[Karmaterrorᵁᴷ]

Yep thats the one, youd take control of the remote from the ship seat, then on remotes hotbar is view camera, and toggle lock. Will have to have torque low enough to allow the gyro to move the rotors/hinges. Not messed with hinges yet but you want them almost floating about when unlocked so the gyro can easily move it :)

[luppolo]

I wasn't able to move the hinge so i tried with 2 rotors and it works. I just don't have the full freedom of movement:
https://imgur.com/a/jDySvSG
Can't pitch down with such setup

[Karmaterrorᵁᴷ]

If you remove the head from a large rotor, in its control panel is option to "add small head". Then you can make a more elaborate all angle design for half the space. Ofc the spotlight range isnt as good on small grid, but its an option at least :)

[luppolo]

I'm ok with the dimensions, i've got all the space(pun intended) that i need.
I'm going to try again with an hinge out of curiosity.
Do you have any screenshots/videos to show those kind of contraptions?

[Doom]

Originally posted by luppolo:

I managed to reach space(yeah!) but i find really hard to manouver in the dark zone of an asteroid cluster.
Initially i built some corner lights on the base of the (space)ship but they don't really fit the role.
Then i built a rotor with an hinge and a spotlight and they work, giving me the option to choose what to light up.

BUT

Moving it is a real PITA.
The position lock works randomly so i need to turn them on and off and using the Reverse option for movement.
It takes 4 quickbar's slots just to move a single light.

Am i missing something? Is there a better way to achieve what i'm trying do ?
Is there a working mod to have faster and better aiming?

Thanks

It would take 4 to 6 blocks to control a 2-axis "spotlight turret", so unless you can script a programmable block, it is going to be this complicated.

[luppolo]

After lot of tries i came up with this and it's working very smooth.
https://imgur.com/a/kyy1Ay2

It was hard finding the sweetspot for the forces at play but it paid out very well.

The strangest thing is that if i turn off the rotors i can control them with the mouse, if i keep them on they force the rotation put in the angular velocity but once i leave the manual control they stay in position.
Rotor OFF
Share Inertia Tensor OFF
https://imgur.com/a/7hg7eAl

[Karmaterrorᵁᴷ]

Nicely done

Can use same concept to make bigger turrets but in gravity they start to fall when they get to heavy.

A more surefire way to control "player made turrets" is with a script, like doom says...

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=944915802

[luppolo]

That sounds very clean and simple. I'll give it a try, thanks!

[luppolo]

That's what i ended up with(no mods, no scripts, just vanilla parts) https://imgur.com/a/bXXTy5k
Maybe i'll try to add another axis to make a full gimbal but it could make it hard to manouver.
Thanks for help guys!