Pyrotechnics Guides

(from T3)

Interface

When you edit the design of a mortar, the mortar widget will appear. Through this interface you can specify how the firework behaves. A firework is comprised of between 1 and 12 stages. These stages are listed in the mortar widget with the values that define their behavior.

• Add a new stage by clicking "Add Stage."
• Delete a stage (except for stage 0) by clicking that stage's "delete."
• Test fire the firework by clicking "Test Fire." You must have the necessary resources on hand, which are then loaded into the mortar. You can reclaim the resources by disarming the mortar. Test firing does not consume the resources, but only the mortar owner will see the firework.
• Scroll among the stages using the scroll bar at the bottom.
• Resize the window using the handle in the lower right.

Design

First, you'll need a mortar, which cost 10 Firebricks. There is some confusion over the tech requirement to build mortars. Starting the test, learning Pyrotechnic Mortar Construction, or both may be required. Mortars are reusable; the design can always be changed and the mortar rearmed and fired. then when you click on the mortar you'll bring up 12 stages with the following options. Stage 0 is launched from the mortar; stages 1-11 are launched from another stage which you specify.

• Launch From

The parent of the current stage. Not available for the first stage.

• Flight Time

How long this stage will live. Range: 0.1 to 99.9 seconds

• Rockets

The number of rockets to use per repetition. Used for rings, fans, omnis and random. Range: 1 to 4000

• Direction

The direction that the rocket is launched from the parent: Forward, Backward, Pitch Up, Pitch Down, Yaw Right, Yaw Left, Ring, Fan, Omni, Random.

• Launch Speed

The speed of the rocket when it is first launched from its parent stage. Range: 0 to 6500 ft/sec

• Launch Roll

Rotates the rocket around its forward axis. This is a one time rotation at the moment of launch and not a rotation over time. Range: -360 to 360 degrees

• Thrust Forward

The acceleration on the rocket in the forward direction. Range: -300 to 300 ft/sec^2 (Note: Negative thrust can give you some strange and fun results as the speed reaches 0 and the rocket then endlessly flips over).

• Thrust Pitch Up

The acceleration on the rocket in the vertical (z-axis) direction relative to the orientation of the rocket. Range: -300 to 300 ft/sec^2

• Thrust Yaw Right

The acceleration on the rocket horizontal (left-right or y-axis) direction relative to the orientation of the rocket. Range: -300 to 300 ft/sec^2

• Launch Reps

Launch another set of rockets every N seconds, where N is total time of the parent stage divided by the number of repetitions. Range: 1 to 250

• Launch Offset

The delay after the parent's launch before this stage is launched. Effectively reduces the total time for repetitions mentioned above by the value specified here. Range: 0.0 to 99.9 seconds

• Star

The type of star to use. Only lists stars that you currently have in your inventory. You must select a star type to launch or test. See Star Recipes for available types.

Notes:

1) Egypt appears to have a gravitational acceleration of -33.00 ft/sec^2.

2) The initial stage appears to last 0.1 second longer than the entered time. If stage 0 is a forward launch, you can simply reduce the Flight Time to get calculated values to work (example: 0.9 sec flight time with a 33 ft/sec launch speed will give you a stationary platform for the next stage).

Launch Directions

It is important to remember that child rockets will retain the movement and orientation of the parent stage at launch (Example: firing backwards from a rapidly moving rocket may well only give you a slightly slower child instead of one moving the other way). Also, now that a rocket's orientation is defined by its direction of travel, the launch directions will vary as the parent travels along its path.

• Forward

Sends the child in the same direction as the parent is heading.

• Backward

Sends the child in the opposite direction to the parent (this will either give a slower rocket moving in the same direction or one moving in the opposite direction depending on parent speed at launch and child launch speed).

• Pitch Up

Sends the child upwards (from the parent's point of view)

• Pitch Down

Sends the child down from the parent rocket (this does not necessarily mean towards the ground).

• Yaw Right

Sends the child to the right of the parent rocket.

• Yaw Left

Sends the child to the left of the parent rocket.

• Ring

Child rockets fly away from the center in a ring in the plane perpendicular to the forward direction of the parent. Rockets are evenly distributed around the ring. The down direction of the children matches the backward direction of the parent.

• Fan

Child rockets fly forward and away from the center in a half circle in the plane defined by the forward direction and yaw direction of the parent (need verification for all circumstances). The down direction of the children matches the down direction of the parent.

• Omni

Child rockets shoot away in a sphere.

• Random

Each child is fired at a randomly chosen direction away from the parent.

Resource Costs

To arm a mortar you'll need some Papyrus Paper, Gunpowder, and the appropriate Stars. Once the mortar has been armed, it may be fired.

Papyrus Paper - 1 Stars- Total # of rockets over all stages that use that type of star. Gunpowder - Formula undetermined, but affected by individual stage durations, thrusts, possibly launch speeds, and of course the number of stars being moved around.