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[SHAD0Wdump]

Yeah, build your bot right and you can jumpjet just fine.

 I already have a three legged mech that does just that... It also has a couple hoverblades for stabilization.

[TolyK]

I tried boosters for jumpjetting...
I couldn't EVER get it to not tip over. Hoverblades tip me over even more...

[Rose]

You just have to balance it right. Also strategically placed helium blocks can help a lot to stay stable in the air.

[crazysheep]

Thrusters tend to rotate your bot about its center of mass, so maybe take that into account as well? I think 4 thrusters is the minimum to achieve proper jumpjetting.
Re: walker legs and strafing (mentioned previously, tested last night): you can't, unless your bot is damaged. Leg and hoverblade behaviour are similar in that you pivot about your pilot seat instead of strafing. However, if you lose any extra legs or hoverblades, your bot can strafe.

[Rose]

If your bot is perfectly balanced, you can fly with two jets.

[TolyK]

Not straight up.

I even tried having the lift far above the center of mass... And it still tipped over like a mofo.

[alexandertnt]

I even tried having the lift far above the center of mass...

That won't actually help

[TolyK]

I have participated in physics Olympiads, so I understand torque.
However, the deviations are smaller the farther away to the top the boosters are, because their force vector is guaranteed to be pointing straight down (in your local coordinate system, that is) and turning forward is "harder" (takes more time, given the same trust) due to the fact that your length (and this moment of inertia) are larger.

So technically, it is more stable. But still unstable from the point of view that you will eventually fall down at an angle...

[Girlinhat]

Stable pure vertical lift is fairly easy.  Find your center of mass, position your center of thrust at the center of mass, but slightly above it.

[Rose]

Having thrust above center of mass does not help. Having it in line with it does, though.

[Girlinhat]

Having thrust above center of mass does not help. Having it in line with it does, though.

In my general experience, COL at or below your COM tends to flip more often, especially so with hovers.

[Rose]

Hovers are completely different than thrusters.

Hovers very definately should be put as high as possible, because they always point towards the ground.

Jets just have to be in line with your center of mass.

[alexandertnt]

I have participated in physics Olympiads, so I understand torque.
However, the deviations are smaller the farther away to the top the boosters are, because their force vector is guaranteed to be pointing straight down (in your local coordinate system, that is) and turning forward is "harder" (takes more time, given the same trust) due to the fact that your length (and this moment of inertia) are larger.

So technically, it is more stable. But still unstable from the point of view that you will eventually fall down at an angle...

Good point, I never actually thought of that.

[Mattk50]

This game, played as a hovertank, is the closest thing to wulfram 2 in a long time. It could take a lot of hints from that game. High variety in missiles and tools, much better implementation of a medic mechanic, better weapon mechanics in general, and basebuilding over hour long games. Shame it can't be played anymore.

If they took just it's utility system, robocraft would be hugely improved. direct fire damage rockets, long range missiles, flying swarm mines, long range slow damage maser, missiles that spin your enemy around or flip them over. And best of all you'd have more than one weapon system per tank without having to wade through fixing the existing silly weapon nonsense.

[SHAD0Wdump]

For people who are doubting the ability to fly with two thrusters in a mech, here's my Jump Jet Infantry bot. It is based off of something either Smashwuts or thexbriannova made that he considered a failure. He wanted something easily repaired by medics, I decided to go for absolute acrobatic maneuverability.

Front View:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Side View(Leg, t3 electroplate, and gun removed):

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Rear View(Leg removed):

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The hovers do provide stability there so long as you don't fly near hills, I found tier 4 blades can work as well, though I seem to prefer tier 5s. The hoverblades also give a second chance to high-tail it to a medic if you get a leg blown off, and in general improve survivability.

Use W and shift to control pitch, there is minor steering in air with A and D, remember to hold down shift when landing. If you flip over just hold shift and S and it will right itself if intact. When taking off try to settle the bot down first, it tends to twist in the air if you don't.

This bot is tier 6 using two tier 8 guns. They are positioned for upwards firing ability, their proximity to the tier 5 electroplates allows them to fire through, they are only impeded by the tier 3 electroplates, which was a setback I was willing to accept for the sake of anti-air capability.