Reentry - A Space Flight Simulator News

The 0.82 (next) update of Reentry will have features and suggestions based on community requests, lots of bug fixes, the first iteration of VR for Apollo, and other general VR improvements for Mercury and Gemini.

Alpha-floor: I have rolled out the first iteration of this update to the alpha-floor branch for testing, so that you can start to play around with the bits today! Feel free to join us on Discord to discuss the alpha-bits and provide feedback. To get started with the alpha bits, check out the guide here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/882140/discussions/0/3118160027737663624/

VR for Apollo
This is a long awaited feature by many VR-players. The Apollo program is the only module that does not yet have the preliminary VR support you see in Mercury and Gemini. VR for Apollo will be demanding, and the complexities of Apollo has been one of the biggest blockers for even rolling out a preliminary support for VR. Apollo has two spacecrafts that requires VR support initially, the CSM and the LM. Both quite advanced to render, with a magnitude of more computations than in Mercury and Gemini combined. However, I'm finally at the stage where I can with confidence say that I have solved the major blockers for even making it possible to render and operate the CSM and the LM in VR. It's still a long way to go, especially regarding performance, but at least it`s a start I wish to share with you!

In this video, I will show you the basics of VR in Reentry, and some of the new VR features 0.82 will have.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

To tune performance with your setup, you can do a few tweaks: As with the other crafts, you will need to tweak settings to get it to render with descent framerates on modern hardware. Set the quality to MINIMUM, disable post processing effects and probes, and give it a try, tweak as needed.

In this video, I try to explain how to set up VR in Reentry, and some things you can do to improve rendering:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]


VR: Gaze Cursor
I have started to work on a Gaze method for VR, where the mouse controls a cursor that can interact with the panels. It`s a bit cumbersome to implement as it will require its own interaction methods and User Interfaces and so on. I will need to think about how this should be set up (feel free to provide me with some suggestions on this), but in the mean time, I will position the Mission Pad and the Menus that are attached to the controller to a fixed location in the cockpit.

VR: Mission Pad menu
A dedicated VR menu in the VR Mission Pad can be used as an option instead of the Hand Attached UI. You can use it to change timescale in VR, and perform view changes as well as some of the Comm menu options (Apollo). I have also started to develop the User Interfaces for the SPS, TLI and TEI burn planners on the VR menu with a numeric VR keyboard you can use to provide input to the various fields.

VR: Mission Command Subtitles
I have added the mission commands to the VR camera so they function as subtitles in a movie. Each mission command will be shown there, and you can use the right thumbs stick to press ROGER, aka move on. This is the first version of this and I will iterate on it as I progress with VR support for Reentry!

VR: Checklist Guide Panel
You can now also run checklists in VR, where you can see the traditional Checklist Guide UI as well. Open the Mission Pad, select checklists, and hit RUN. The UI will appear below the mission pad.

VR: Change Camera view using the left thumbstick
The View can now be changed using the left thumbstick on the motion controller.

Lunar Module Crew Member features
Two new Lunar Module Crew operations in testing, where you can use the CREW MEMBER menu to let the Lunar Module face the CSM, and then another to align with the inverse attitude of the CSM with the docking port facing the CSM. If you are used to the current implementation of docking, and you start using these modes, it will feel a bit strange in the start, but much easier and more stable as you get used to these to modes.

Moon Tessellation Settings
Lunar Tessellation settings can be tweaked of you experience a low framerate in Lunar orbit. You can select the tessellation factor, and the minimum and maximum distance where tessellation will happen. Everything closer to minimum distance will be tessellated, and gradually face towards zero tessellation towards the maximum distance. Tessellation is an expensive operation, especially for those running on hardware without a dedicated GPU etc.

Lunar Module Quad Heater changes
The Lunar Module heaters for the RCS system has had a bug that would make it take hours to get them into an operational temperature.

Entry Monitor System updates
The CSM EMS system has a set of ground operation tests done before flight. A bug has prevented this from happening due to some late changes, but it should now be resolved, and you should be able to complete the ground operation tests of the EMS again.

Cloud Rendering tweaking
Console Commands for the new cloud system so you can modify density and cloud size scale. The command is "cloud -density 0.5" where 0.5 is a value between 0 and 1.5, and "cloud -height 1.0" where 1.0 is a number between 0 and 3. Remember, you can always revert back to the old cloud system from SETTINGS.

File based camera system with tooling
Added a system where you can use the console to modify the default camera positions on the cockpit views. For example, if you want to modify the default camera point that F5 or F9 moves the view to, you can use the arrow keys to move the camera to where you want it, and then use the console to modify any of the camera points to the current one.

Usage example:
Camera -list
-- shows a table of all the camera points, should be similar to the VIEW SELECTOR, with an index.

Lets say you want to change the view located at index 0 (commanders view, F5):
Camera -set 0

To revert to the factory settings, you can run the command that does this with the Camera tool in the console, or delete the files in the Cameras folder in Reentry's AppData. This will re-generate the files when the game loads the next time.

Other
- Minor needle shake when engines are burning on the various analogue gauges in the cockpit.
- Fixed the Gemini Space Walk campaign mission
- Fixed the CSM SCS roll stutter issue
- Mercury has received some upgrades on the MA-6 mission.
- Faster camera transitions in cockpit views.
- Moved the default camera points for astronauts in the CSM and LM to their correct head positions.

Uploaded a minor patch that should correct the following issues:
- Some rewiring logic in the Atlas and Redstone Launch Vehicles
- Rewiring of the Atlas Abort logic that has blocked the completion on Mission 4 in the Mercury Campaign
- Game Manuals link correction from the Academy

Uploaded a minor patch that should correct the following issues:
- Minor Mercury Ascent logic changes, should prevent the disappearance of the Atlas Booster on CapSep that happens in some occasions.
- Fixed the logic that should prevent saving state when SIVB/LM/CSM is docked (not yet supported in the save state). This is the state where you have separated from the SIV-B, docked with the CSM, but not yet extracted it from the S-IVB.
- Loading Screen for MOCR and MCCL.
- CSI-2 burn corrections for LM ascent and Rendezvous.

The 0.8122.EA patch contains some fixes for the Mercury Guidance logic that has prevented players from completing campaign missions etc. Please give it a try and let me know if your are unblocked.

In addition, multiple changes in the MOCR Voice Intercom logic has been applied to correct the issues regarding not being able to hear others after some of the players has left the session, and rejoined, or joined another session without restarting the client.

Thanks for reporting, still looking into some of the other reported things.

Reentry has been updated to version 0.8! It's been a long one, but it does contain a lot of improvements, fixes, and new features:

Steam branching
The default public branch on Steam will always contain the latest release of Reentry. However, multiple new branches has been made:

• alpha-floor: This is a dedicated branch for those who wish to try the latest alpha builds on Reentry. A dedicated alpha-build channel on Discord exist for discussions, testing rounds and feedback. The alpha-log can be found here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/882140/discussions/0/3118160027737663624/
  
• old versions: As I release new builds to the default release branch, the old major builds will receive a dedicated branch so you can revert back to it if you wish. I created one for the 0.75 build now.
  

You can switch between branches on the BETAS tab on the games property page through Steam.

CSM and LM system changes and updates
A lot of effort has been made to fix major issues in the LM and the CSM, as well as the journey from Earth to the Moon, and back. For example, the Lunar Module radars, LGC Program Alarm, the CSM/LM Master Alarms, CSM Optics, TEI calculation logics fixes, changes to the T&D (S-IVB/LM and CSM docking) logic, and LM ascent/rendezvous fixes. The major issues around a mission starting from the pad to lunar landing has been solved too, such as going below the surface of the Moon, but balancing and deeper systems are still todo, such as the PTC maneuver, reactant balancing, ECS management++.

Apollo Mission Control Live
The first alpha-version of MOCR is released for public testing (as we did with MCC Live).
This means that many telelights, buttons, indicators and screens are missing, but will be iterated on in patches and updates going forward. The important thing here is the networking logic, as well as its use during testing sessions. MOCR will receive its main focus in version 1.1.


Saturn V Abort Modes
The preliminary implementation of abort modes has been added to the Saturn V, along with the procedures for them.


CSM System Failures
The Failure System has been added to Apollo, making it possible to trigger random failures, scripted failures and trigger failures from the Apollo Mission Control module. The main aspect here is the system itself, while more failures will be added as the project evolves.


New Cloud System
An experimental cloud system has been added and can optionally replace the existing cloud system. It has a slight 3D look to it, and corrects all the night side pixel artifacts. It does have some seams on the day side that needs more attention.


SPS Burn Tool updates
Radial burns are added to the SPS burn planner.


Optics
P52 now supports option 2. This will let you align the IMUs with the local vertical at a given time.


Lunar Module exterior update
The exterior of the Lunar Module has been updated with a more detailed and functional model. Some internal changes has been made too such as moving the STOP button and the protection of the STAGE FIRE sw.


Campaign IV: The End of the Decade
A new campaign exists where the focus is to fly a full mission from launch, to lunar landing, and back.


More Achievements
New achievements has been added:
- Campaign I
- Campaign II
- Campaign III
- Campaign IV
- One Small Step
- Lunar Landing
- Lunar Ascent & Docking


Mercury
New Atlas guidance logic and inclination modifications has been applied.

Challenges
A new challenge system has been added as an experiment, but if wanted, will host challenges where you receive a score based on how well you can do manual ascents, dockings, lunar landings etc. with Leaderboards. Currently, this system has one challenge: The Atlas Ascent challenge, where you need to manually insert the capsule into a target orbit.


Autosave/Quicksave
You can now enable autosave from Settings. This will automatically save states before planning burns etc. You can also bind a hotkey to perform quicksaves. It is not possible to save during powered maneuvers etc.

Cockpit Cursor is optional
The cockpit cursor is now optional and can be toggled from SETTINGS.

MOCR Operations manual
The draft of the MOCR operations manual has been released and describes most of the currently implemented features of the Apollo Mission Operations Control Room.

You can find the manual in the Academy or here: https://reentrygame.com/manuals