Movable Planets?

Mdvalley, you may need to upload the file as a new 'document' and then 'unpublish' the old. That should work. Also, that way we have a record of different versions maintained. Just in case.

Try to upload as a new document for your orbit mod when ready. Let me know if there are any more problems.

After some lab testing, I’ve discovered that using Sim.PlaceRelativeTo on a planet or station that’s been moved triggers the no-turn bug. So when I move the planets, either I’m not setting some important property that Sim.PlaceRelativeTo depends on, or Sim.PlaceRelativeTo has some bug that never came out during testing because the dev team never tested moving planets.

I wonder if the AI has this problem?

Oddly enough, Sim.PlaceNear does not suffer from the same effect, and seems safe to use.


... wait, that still doesn’t explain why it works on loaded saves!

okay, I have a potential problem. I was hoping to add the 'Beanstalk' station I created (with Shanes aid) to the US release. This station requires a specific orientation, facing the planet, so that the 'stalk' connects to the planet. Now, in your Orbit mod, could this be dealt with?

It can be done, sure. I could write in an exception for beanstalks to make them orbit at a specific speed (however fast the planet is supposed to rotate), with a simple PointAt to keep them facing the right way.

Unless you want them not to move in their orbits at all. That can be done, too.

What if all stations used the "point at"? Then there would be no need for exceptions? Can you find the parent of a station easy enough?

Any luck with slowing rates of rotation?

Well it would be one or two lines to make a station point at its parent, but think of the people on the station! They need some variety in the views out the windows! Imagine the poor sap in the living quarters whose window never gets to face the planet (or worse, always faces the dull, featureless surface).

Sim.SetAngularVelocity has no effect on planets.