Pilot Input¶

These are suffixes of ship:control.

They are similar to the suffixes on the Raw control page, except that these suffixes refer to the player’s actual input controls, rather than kOS’s own controls that are layered on top of them, overriding them.

Please note that the Breaking Ground DLC parts that can be configured to respond to the throttle, such as electric motors and propellor pitches will only respond to the settings described here on this page, and NOT the settings described in the raw control page, or the settings in lock throttle or lock steering. SQUAD designed these to only pay attention to the player’s controls, not autopilot controls.

Most are read-only¶

Most of these controls are get-only because trying to change them has no effect anyway (If kOS did let you set them, KSP would just reset them back to match the player’s actual input axis device immediately anyway.) The controls can be read to find out what the player is trying to do, if you’d like to write a script that tries to respond to that information.

But some are set-able¶

There are exceptions - some controls here can be set. The only controls that might be settable in here are the ones that are for settings that “stay put” and don’t reset to center when the pilot lets go of the stick. For example, while PILOTPITCH matches whatever temporary position the pilot’s stick is in, PILOTPITCHTRIM stays where it was last set. Thus PILOTPITCHTRIM is settable here, while PILOTPITCH is not. The docmentation below marks which suffixes are indeed set-able. Through the use of these trim-able settings, it is possible to control the ship in a way that still lets the pilot temporarily grab the controls for a second to override what kOS is doing.

structure Control¶

Suffix	Get/Set	Type, Range	Equivalent Key
PILOTMAINTHROTTLE	Get and Set	scalar [0,1]	`LEFT-CTRL`, `LEFT-SHIFT`
PILOTYAW	Get-only	scalar [-1,1]	`D`, `A`
PILOTPITCH	Get-only	scalar [-1,1]	`W`, `S`
PILOTROLL	Get-only	scalar [-1,1]	`Q`, `E`
PILOTROTATION	Get-only	`Vector`	`(YAW,PITCH,ROLL)`
PILOTYAWTRIM	Get and Set	scalar [-1,1]	`ALT+D`, `ALT+A`
PILOTPITCHTRIM	Get and Set	scalar [-1,1]	`ALT+W`, `ALT+S`
PILOTROLLTRIM	Get and Set	scalar [-1,1]	`ALT+Q`, `ALT+E`
PILOTFORE	Get-only	scalar [-1,1]	`N`, `H`
PILOTSTARBOARD	Get-only	scalar [-1,1]	`L`, `J`
PILOTTOP	Get-only	scalar [-1,1]	`I`, `K`
PILOTTRANSLATION	Get-only	`Vector`	`(STARBOARD,TOP,FORE)`
PILOTWHEELSTEER	Get-only	scalar [-1,1]	`A`, `D`
PILOTWHEELTHROTTLE	Get and Set	scalar [-1,1]	`W`, `S`
PILOTWHEELSTEERTRIM	Get and Set	scalar [-1,1]	`ALT+A`, `ALT+D`
PILOTWHEELTHROTTLETRIM	Get and Set	scalar [-1,1]	`ALT+W`, `ALT+S`
PILOTNEUTRAL	Get-only	Boolean	Are the pilot’s controls zeroed, including trim?

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTMAINTHROTTLE

Get and Set

Returns the pilot’s input for the throttle. If this is set, and a lock throttle is in effect, the lock throttle will override this, BUT it still affects where the throttle returns to when kOS lets go of the controls.

RP-1 Special Case: If using the RP-1 mod, and flying a “sounding rocket” where the avionics controls are insuficcient to steer but are good enough to ignite engines, then lock throttle does not work to activate those engines, but this suffix can do it. RP-1 actively suppresses the normal ability for an autopilot to control the throttle in this case and only pays attention to the pilot’s own manual control.

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTYAW

Get-only.

Returns the pilot’s rotation input about the “up” vector as the pilot faces forward. Essentially left \((-1)\) or right \((+1)\).

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTPITCH

Get-only.

Returns the pilot’s rotation input about the starboard vector up \((+1)\) or down \((-1)\).

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTROLL

Get-only.

Returns the pilot’s rotation input about the logintudinal axis of the ship left-wing-down \((-1)\) or left-wing-up \((+1)\).

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTROTATION

Get-only.

Returns the pilot’s rotation input as a Vector object containing (YAW, PITCH, ROLL) in that order.

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTYAWTRIM

Get and Set

The pilot’s input for the YAW of the rotational trim. Note that this CAN be set, unlike PILOTYAW, making it possible to use it for an autopilot control program. The player can also adjust it too, though, overriding what you set it to.

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTPITCHTRIM

Get and Set

The pilot’s input for the PITCH of the rotational trim. Note that this CAN be set, unlike PILOTPITCH, making it possible to use it for an autopilot control program. The player can also adjust it too, though, overriding what you set it to.

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTROLLTRIM

Get and Set

The pilot’s input for the ROLL of the rotational trim. Note that this CAN be set, unlike PILOTROLL, making it possible to use it for an autopilot control program. The player can also adjust it too, though, overriding what you set it to.

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTFORE

Get-only.

Returns the the pilot’s input for the translation of the ship forward \((+1)\) or backward \((-1)\).

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTSTARBOARD

Get-only.

Returns the the pilot’s input for the translation of the ship to the right \((+1)\) or left \((-1)\) from the pilot’s perspective.

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTTOP

Get-only.

Returns the the pilot’s input for the translation of the ship up \((+1)\) or down \((-1)\) from the pilot’s perspective.

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTTRANSLATION

Get-only.

Returns the the pilot’s input for translation as a Vector (STARBOARD, TOP, FORE).

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTWHEELSTEER

Get-only.

Returns the the pilot’s input for wheel steering left \((-1)\) or right \((+1)\).

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTWHEELTHROTTLE

Get and Set

The the pilot’s input for the wheels to move the ship forward \((+1)\) or backward \((-1)\) while on the ground.

Because this is not an axis that resets, it can be set by a script although it may get suppressed when a lock throttle is in effect.

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTWHEELSTEERTRIM

Get and Set

Returns the the pilot’s input for the trim of the wheel steering.

Because this is a trim, it can be set by a kOS script.

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTWHEELTHROTTLETRIM

Get and Set

Returns the the pilot’s input for the trim of the wheel throttle.

Because this is a trim, it can be set by a kOS script.

SHIP:CONTROL:PILOTNEUTRAL

Get-only.

Returns true or false if the pilot is active or not.

Be aware that kOS can’t control a control at the same time that a player controls it. If kOS is taking control of the yoke, then the player can’t manually control it. Remember to run:

SET SHIP:CONTROL:NEUTRALIZE TO TRUE.

after the script is done using the controls, or the player will be locked out of control.