Creating a simple base

CREATING A LANDING PAD

Orbiter have several .CFG files in the CONFIG directory. Those files describe the properties of objects.

Each planet has a CFG file. For example, for planet Earth there is an Earth.cfg file. In each planet CFG file there is a list of bases, and each base has a CFG file too.

FINDING A LOCATION FOR YOUR BASE

The first step to create a base is to find out the coordinates of our base.

Let's open orbiter and load a scenario. Any scenario is good.

As the mission is loaded, make sure it is nor paused. Now press CTRL-F1. Now you see the "orbiter: camera" window.

There is a "+" in the left of the word "Sun" in that window. Click it. Now click on "Earth" (we are going to place a new base on Earth.

Now push the "apply" button. Use your mouse wheel to zoom in/out. Press right click and move your mouse until the place where you want your base is right in the center of the screen. You may want to zoom in once you have located the location.

Now press the "Ground button" and then the "Current" button. As you see, 3 numbers wil appear in one field in that window. We need to copy and paste the first 2 numbers.

So select the first 2 numbers and copy them to the clipboard. Now we have the latitude and longitude of the base.

ADDING A BASE TO THE PLANET

Now close the Orbiter camera window. Now press CTRL-Q to exit Orbiter.

Open Notepad. Open the Orbiter directory, and then open the Config directory. Drag the Earth.cfg file to the Notepad window.

Scroll down until you find

; === Surface Bases ===

BEGIN_SURFACE

As you see, there is a list of bases right after that. Each base has a CFG file.

Let's guess we want to create a base called "Rincon de la Vieja" and let's guess your coordinates are -84.989845 +10.739155, and the base properties will be placed in a file called Rincon.cfg.

Between BEGIN_SURFACE and END_SURFACE add a line that reads:

Rincon: -84.989845 +10.739155

Notice that instead of those numbers I used, you should paste the numbers that you just had in your clipboard.

Save and exit Notepad. Now you have added your base to the planet.

CREATING THE LANDING PAD

Now open Notepad. Copy the following text and paste in Notepad.

; === Surface Base ===

Name = Rincon de la vieja Size = 2000 ObjectSize = 2000

BEGIN_OBJECTLIST LPAD2 POS 0 0 0 SCALE 0.5 0.15 0 TEX Lpad02 NAV 128.05 END END_OBJECTLIST

Now save this as "Rincon.cfg in the CONFIG directory, and then exit Notepad.

Congratulations!! You have created a base with a landing pad.

VIEWING YOUR BASE

You now can open orbiter and load a scenario. If you press CTRL-F1 and you click on the "+" that is next to "Spaceports".

Scroll down until you find your base. Click on the name of your base and press the "Apply" button.

Press the "Track" button and then press the "Movable target relative" button.

You should see your base now. --- created by "Pablo Luna from Costa Rica", posted with his permission