Conclusion

Wasp89 · Post by **Wasp89** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 9:57 pm

All right, Here is a simple lab report based on my findings, both qualitative and quantitative, of my experimentation in gravity fields. These sections will probably be in several different installments as I have time to hammer them out.

Wasp89 · Post by **Wasp89** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 9:58 pm

Before I jump in, let me answer a few pertinent hanging questions about my methods used to perform my previous experiments:

Eliminating the Y-variable: When doing my previous experimentation (and for my new data here) I right clicked on the center of the planet (or star) and then changed the x-coordinate by a number (+/-) that would put me at an altitude above the planet or star's surface, preferably somewhere in the middle of the gravity field but outside the crush point for a star and outside the atmosphere for a planet. I would then align myself along a heading of 0 or 180 degrees and with a pitch of 0 (thereby aligning myself to be parallel to the z-axis) This eliminates the y-variable, as I should not be going up or down at all along this heading. I also found it useful to self-destruct my craft, as when I respawn it would automatically be perfectly aligned at a heading of 0 and a pitch of 0.

To begin the experiment, I would then initiate a jump. When I came out of the jump, I would be traveling towards the nav point, which was set to be on the x-axis running through the planet (or star), thereby perfectly parallel to the tangent of the planet's surface below it, and also perfectly aligned on the planet's equator. Therefore, when I would pass through the nav point, I knew that I was set up in a position that my craft would assume if it was passing through this point on a true orbit.

[Edited on 2-14-2009 by Wasp89]

Wasp89 · Post by **Wasp89** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 10:01 pm

In another thread, I have posted my tests and my conclusions about how the game engine uses gravity to calculate the path of a craft through the gravity field. See this thread for a more detailed explanation of my findings and how I came to the hypothesis I will be using as my foundation for these further experiments (below)

Summary of past results:
Based on my results in the other thread (link above), I theorized that the game engine computes the actual speed and direction of a craft in a gravity well based on the direction that it would be traveling in the absence of a gravity field, i.e. based on the throttle the craft is set at and the speed/direction the craft is flying through when it enters the gravity field. I also suggested that the game engine does not update this speed and direction as the gravity field affects the craft, meaning that it continues to use the same number for computation after computation as it adjusts the craft's true velocity through the gravity field. Unless the pilot intentionally changes this initial direction and speed with manual input form the engines/thrusters/afterburners, this velocity becomes a constant in the equation which the game engine uses to calculate the effect of the acceleration of gravity. In an equation, a constant will never change, so the only variable in the calculation of the actual velocity vectors becomes the variable of the strength and direction of the gravitational force (for our purposes here, the gravity force vector) on the craft, which of course is dependent upon location of the craft in relation to the center of the gravity field. Based on these assumptions, I drew two probable paths that a spacecraft would take.

[Edited on 2-14-2009 by Wasp89]

Wasp89 · Post by **Wasp89** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 10:10 pm

Because the velocity the craft would normally be going in a gravity field is treated as a constant, an orbit path of no more than 1/4 distance around a gravity field is possible in Evochron Legends. This orbital path will have two possible results, and will display very key end behavior. As the craft approaches 1/4 the distance of a full orbit, it will begin to exhibit one of two behaviors:

A) move away from the gravity body at a rate that is faster than its velocity component that is

B) move towards the gravity body at a rate that is greater than its velocity component that is parallel to the axis directed from the craft's initial orbital entry point and the center of the gravity body.

Early diagrams of these two expected results:

Note: This diagram does not illustrate clearly the principles in the hypothesis above

[Edited on 2-14-2009 by Wasp89]

Wasp89 · Post by **Wasp89** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 10:34 pm

Procedure will go here:

Wasp89 · Post by **Wasp89** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 10:35 pm

Data will go here

[Edited on 2-14-2009 by Wasp89]

Wasp89 · Post by **Wasp89** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 10:35 pm

Results will go here

Wasp89 · Post by **Wasp89** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 10:35 pm

Conclusion will go here