Rotor Control Console

[Aetrion]

I would really like to see a block that I can use to control rotors more naturally. Having to somehow finagle them into place through the number keys and only being able to start/stop/reverse them just isn't doing it for actually controlling a heavy turret or crane arm or whatever.

Basically I'd like to have a console that you can sit down in and that has configurable inputs like a Button Panel, except instead of buttons these inputs are configurable for your Mouse X and Y axis, and the WS/AD/QE buttons.

In combination with this console you should be able to set up rotors and pistons to simply turn left or right, extend or contract on push with any of those inputs.

That would allow us to make heavy turrets, cranes, welding arms etc. in a much more natural way that is intuitive and fun to control.

[lil_kahann]

Just to clarify As in you press button to make it go left, let go to stop?

[Aetrion]

Yea, or you just control it with the mouse.

There is a game called From the Depths where you can set up the controls for every part of your vehicle that way, and from a control standpoint that game is just vastly superior to Space Engineers because of it. It's not as good in many other regards.

[Kraft51]

if you attach 1 Gyro and a cockpit and set the rotor torque and braking torque to zero you can freely control your turrets and cranes :)

i do suggest not using the advanced rotor for this application however. i know it works because i've made several manned turrets in this manner.

[lil_kahann]

True, but without any weight to said design, you will basically spin around like crazy just like spinning in an office chair (that you should never try at home)

[Kraft51]

no spinning on any of the turrets i've designed in this fashion actually. the reduced weight make the gyro a little over powered yes but nothing out of control. besides you could mess around with the gyro settings to make it more suitable.

btw crazily spinning on office chairs is really fun and highly recommended :) my kid and i do it all the time :D

[Aetrion]

I know that this is a workaround people use, but you still have to sit in a cockpit on the rotating portion of your ship to do it, so you can't really make a turret that you can control from your ships main control room or anything like that.