Thrust Vectoring Controller Block

There are two certainties in Space Engineers:

• 1) You will forget to add gyros to your ship.
• 2) You will stick something on the end of a rotor.

My request relates to the latter - can we please have a thrust vectoring controller?

• (2.a? - You will add a tool, weapon or thruster to the end of the rotor... invoking the wrath of Clang?)

Picture the current Turret Controller ("TC"), for the longest time, creating turrets was a tedious task that invovled tagging blocks and configuring PBs. Then, just before Grid AI, we received this block that made player made turrets entirely possible, which was a feature long requested. This provided numerous gameplay improvements, particularly allowing those with little knowledge of the game to create effective turets, tanks, etc.

Now, post Grid AI, the fantastic Vector Thrust OS script (https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2831096030) has not received an update to support AI flight blocks. Unfortunately, this has meant vectored thrust drones that use AI blocks are currently unfeasable. (I must stress I am not blaming the author, rather, I appreciate them - their script is itself an update to an older script. We, the community, simply cannot expect or rely upon authors to support older material. This is unlike the reliance we place upon Keen SWH to maintain the state and direction of the game, for example)

Whilst other scripts do exist, notably the common Subgrid Thrust management types, I beleive we can avoid the aformentioned problem of support by making this a fundamental feature of the game. (Much the same occured before addition of the TC block). Furthermore, the fictional timeframe for when SE is the near / not too distant future. Such technology is and has been experimented with for at least the past decade both inside and outside of the game - players want to do this too.

Therefore, I propose the creation and inclusion of a Thrust Vectoring Controller ("TVC") block. Simply put, it manages directional thrust of a thruster mounted on a subgrid (rotor / hinge). Much like the TC , TVC would have a simple UI where a user defines the selected rotor and matches it with available (subgrid) thrusters. The block monitors all ship controllers (cockpits/remote controls/AI flight) and automatically adjusts the angle and thrust of the rotor to propel the grid in the desired direction of travel.

How might this change the game? -

• "VTOL type ships" become significantly easier to build and manage, and therefore more prevelant, impacting the current dynamic of building which favours grids with many thrusters facing all directions.
• This in turn encourages users to experiment with new types of grid shapes, such as with balancing heavier components on grids, paying closer attention to pivots points and more importantly, the center of mass.
• Needless to say this also opens up the oppurtunity to all types of players, new and old, to experiment with the placement of thrusters, letting them imagine creative ways of propelling their ships more effeciently.

How might this be balanced?

• TVC Blocks are likely to be computationally expensive, both within the simulation and within the back end code. Considerations regarding use of the TVC block could be implemented by

1. increasing the PCU of the block
2. hints detailing loss of the TVC block / or vectored thrust component effectivelly results in the loss of a thruster in 2 axis, this encourages users to protect such components and controllers.

• Contentious - one TVC for each vectored rotor... or a certain limit per parent grid?
• Thrust Vectoring means less power / fuel draw for 2 axis of travel - this could be offset by power consumption of block.

To summarise the above:

• I think this would be a fantastic and much welcomed addition to the game (- perhaps allowing us to more frequently appease Clang, as opposed to summoning it!)
• I beleive there are way in which such a block can be balanced within the wider context of the game.
• I suspect I am not the only one to think the inclusion of such a block is a good idea.
• If included as standard, this would benefit the gameplay expierience, opening new possibilities for players. This would enable players to build new contraptions, showcasing what SE does best, creativity.
• Managed by devs therefore ensures there is ongoing support, testing etc for any new addition to the game, such as a TVC.