UCGO UI and kids

[ar81]

Kids are having dificulties driving UCGO vehicles.
I made a test this weekend.

They try to use the arrows.
Having steering and velocity separated, makes it very hard for kids to control UCGO vehicles.
Also, when they driver gets off the vehicle, focus remains inthe vehicle, which is non intuitive for kids.
Pressing F3, selecting an astronaut and pressing Ok and closing the window is too long a procedure for kids.

[DanSteph]

Use a joystick

Real Cars too are difficult to control from a keyboard.

Anyway Orbiter is not imho a kid's game.
There is far better free driving simulation with
simple contrôles.

Dan

[tofitouf]

yes, very funny troubles. My own kids have also some trouble making a good orbit with the glider. in fact they always prefer
to crash

[ar81]

Does UCGO support driving wheel?

My experience with orbiter workshop for kids is that they will get bored if they use the standard DG, since it only
bounces.  The standard DG is the ship of choice for take offs because they can see passengers.

But for in orbit missions, DGIV is better.

[sunshine135]

Kids have trouble driving and flying real spacecraft also!

Always remember you can create a custom keyboard mapping too. That may help on some of these issues.

[ar81]

Kids do not have so much trouble with Orbiter vessels once they learn.
Kids performed beaufifully in my orbiter workshops for kids at school in 2005-2006.

[sunshine135]

Key mapping or a custom keyboard/control for Orbiter might work (most computers can support more than two joysticks).

Also, I like the Fly-By-Wire module. It allows you to customize the controls to make them more "kid friendly".

Cheers,

[lowandslowflyer]

Hey, I'm a kid and I started fine driving UCGO cars. However they were odd to start.