Keyboard Cobra

Automatic precision flying for your keyboard.

Overview

"Keyboard Cobra" applies a damper to the pitch, roll and yaw of the player's vessel reducing each to 40% to 50% of their original values, thereby making it easier to line up the ship with targets. This aids flying when using the keyboard. It now works with all the standard Oolite ships, not just the Cobra Mk III.

Background

While the Cobra Mark III is a great ship to fly, those species without opposable thumbs, extensible claw-mandibles, pseudopodia or other means of gripping the analogue mouse / joystick astrogational navigation equipment struggle with the alternative press button "keyboard" flight interface, primarily because the digital turn/no turn does not work well with the Cobbie's super performance.

To aid these customers - and any space-travelling cold-blooded, sloth-like or plant-based life forms - the ship's standard rotational attitude performance control mechanism can be modified to have a greater temporal to rotational velocity ratio, that is, make the ship turn more slowly. This is achieved by applying the original KeyboardCobra OXP, which converts the Cobra Mk III into a Cobra Mk III-KB. Resale value is in no way affected and there is no cost involved.

The Omni-Keyboard interface upgrade (the "Keyboard OK")

Reinvestment from sales has permitted the enhancement to the KeyboardCobra to make it compatible with ALL the standard ships the modern Commander is flying in the vanilla Oolite Ooniverse. Purchase of the v1.1 KeyboardCobra add-on will function on everything from an Asp to a Boa Class Cruiser ... at the same fantastic price. The v1.2 release also includes the far Star Murderer, the Dram AN, the Dragon SE and the Dragon M.

Privacy concerns

There is no need for everyone to know you are using the backup keyboard controls so only you know it is a Mark III-KB. Fitting this device will not result in jibes from grizzled bounty hunters or greater interest from pirates. Equally, this means you will never see a Mk III-KB in the space-lanes. Ships for sale which can take the keyboard adaptation will have "-KB" or "(KB)" at the end of their name. But should you need a new vessel, such as when you use your Escape Capsule, rest assured the dockyard will discretely fit your required keyboard adaptation to your new Cobra Mk III at no cost to you.

Technical details

How much the controls are reduced depends upon the vessel. The Cobra Mk III is toned down by 40% to 50% of the original values. The nimble Adder is down to 20%, but the lumbering Anaconda is untouched.

Constraints

As at version 1.2 all core Oolite ships are affected, plus five OXP ships, the Shady Sungs Cobbie Mk 3, the Far Star Murderer and the three Dragon ships.

Mouse and joystick players who install this OXP will be equally slowed down.

Download

Download from my DropBox account (just 2.6 Kb !)

Requirements

• None

Discussion

This OXP has a discussion thread on the forum.

Version history

• v1.2 2012-07-08 Added the Far Star Murderer and the 3 Dragon ships.
• v1.1 2012-06-17 All standard Oolite ships are supported, plus the Shady Sugs Cobra. The "Keyboard OK".
• v1 2012-06-15 Initial release. The KeyboardCobra.

Links

• Keyboard Issues

Quick Facts

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Version	Released	License	Features	Category	Author(s)	Feedback
1.2	2012-07-08	Public domain	Ship control	Mechanics OXPs	Commander SandJ	Forum link