Help! Programming thruster override

[maaaxaltan]

Hello!

I am working on a helicopter script, but can't seem to figure out how to set the thrust override properly.

Okay, so I have my thruster override setting and all... but when I input 50, the thrusters have a value other than 50 kN. Help!?

[maaaxaltan]

OBSERVATIONS
(edits are listed latest-to-first)

3rd edit:
I'm going to use algebra to calculate the actual force given using the altitude and % of thrust. Found this; http://imgur.com/odE3ADU

2nd edit:
kN as seen in UI changes based on the altitude, so it seems that the actual force produced is influenced both by altitude AND the amount of thruster force trying. (the 0-100 number)

1st EDIT:

Okay this is seriously weird.

Here are some benchmarks.

Thrust % (input) to ThrustOverride value.
The results were linear and made sense, but I don't know what units ThrustOverride are.

Testing thrust overrides from 0 to 150 at intervals of 5
0 -> 0
5 -> 20400
10 -> 40800
15 -> 61200
20 -> 81600
25 -> 102000
30 -> 122400
35 -> 142800
40 -> 163200
45 -> 183600
50 -> 204000
55 -> 224400
60 -> 244800
65 -> 265200
70 -> 285600
75 -> 306000
80 -> 326400
85 -> 346800
90 -> 367200
95 -> 387600
100 -> 408000
105 -> 408000

Thrust % (input) to kN force as seen in the UI.
this is really weird! The results, unlike other benchmarks, are NOT linear. ALSO, when I tested this different times, I got different values!!!

 10%-> 38.1 kN
 20%-> 63.8 kN
 30%-> 86.5 kN
 40%->115.5 kN
 50%->148.2 kN
 60%->177.5 kN
 70%->244.0 kN
 80%->272.5 kN
 90%->297.5 kN
100%->314.3 kN / 321.0 kN

Observations so far (for anyone interested)

- thrust.SetValueFloat is in % - 0 to 100
- thrust.GetValueFloat uses same units as SetValueFloat
- thrust.ThrusterOverride gives different unit, still investigating

[maaaxaltan]

Ok, I solved the problem (3 years later). I am using atmospheric thrusters and apparently this has to do with how their efficiency changes over altitude. The actual thrust outputted by an atmospheric thruster is going to be the thrust override you put in, multiplied by an "effectiveness factor" that depends on the altitude and atmosphere of the planet you are on.

You can calculate the effectiveness factor by dividing `thruster.MaxEffectiveThrust / thrust.MaxThrust`. This gives you a number between zero and one. Then, divide your desired thrust override by this factor, which will compensate for atmospheric effects.

[evilplantosavetheworld]

Well 2 years after you came back, thank you for doing so! I was having the same problem and was having so much trouble figuring out the solution!