Part - RoveMate Classic (jeep)

[DrunkenKerbalnaut]

DK Salvage is proud to present

RoveMate Classic

DOWNLOAD LINK

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6yqmkoqynt620xx/RoveMateClassic1.0.zip?dl=0

DESCRIPTION

The RoveMate Classic. It's manufacturer abandoned the design decades ago for lighter designs that worked in vacuum. But we at DK Salvage have uncovered a small trove of these rusting beauties, and will be restoring them for atmospheric use. Includes an old Diesel motor that we modified to run on Kerosene (liquid fuel/intake air) and a KIS/KAS storage compartment. 

LICENSE

included in the download, WTFPL. 

SUPPORT & UPDATES

Not in the traditional sense. I'm uploading this to share, as I'll be fielding the part in an upcoming race on these forums. I figured it would be sporting to allow others a to have one for themselves. I may roll out more features or textures in the future. For now, I've left very detailed notes in the config, and the necessary tools for you to re-texture it easily. I will retain the raw models for personal use, but the license is quite permissive. PM me here if you want a copy of it in .blend or .dae, and I will consider it. Or just reverse engineer using available tools. 

[Madrias]

Well, I'll admit right off the bat that mine isn't quite stock anymore.

However, for a nice "Add Seats and Go" platform, it's really quite nice.  In fact, I honestly wish there were more of these kind of vehicles.

Perhaps... If it wouldn't be too impractical, a sort of modular rover system allowing us to build several different designs of rover with a parts-kit.  Fenders, main engine, cab unit, cargo tray or cargo box, that sort of thing.

As it is, it's brilliant, it provides the perfect means to get around with two kerbals.  I just wish there were more versions, more things to do with it.  Granted, it's a great base for the Kerbal Dakar Rally, and I might be bold enough to try, after the Rally, for a KSC to Polar North run, but I somewhat wish there were more like this.  Even if all we got was something like an old pickup truck, I'd be happy, as it'd give some storage space other than KIS/KAS storage.  Sometimes you just need to be able to have a couple friends riding in the back, after all.

[DrunkenKerbalnaut]

1 minute ago, Madrias said:

Well, I'll admit right off the bat that mine isn't quite stock anymore.

However, for a nice "Add Seats and Go" platform, it's really quite nice.  In fact, I honestly wish there were more of these kind of vehicles.

Perhaps... If it wouldn't be too impractical, a sort of modular rover system allowing us to build several different designs of rover with a parts-kit.  Fenders, main engine, cab unit, cargo tray or cargo box, that sort of thing.

As it is, it's brilliant, it provides the perfect means to get around with two kerbals.  I just wish there were more versions, more things to do with it.  Granted, it's a great base for the Kerbal Dakar Rally, and I might be bold enough to try, after the Rally, for a KSC to Polar North run, but I somewhat wish there were more like this.  Even if all we got was something like an old pickup truck, I'd be happy, as it'd give some storage space other than KIS/KAS storage.  Sometimes you just need to be able to have a couple friends riding in the back, after all.

Thanks for the feedback.

I, too, would like to see more of these. I have another I'm working on in blender that may interest you, but that'll be a bit before it's released. It's tentative title is Trophy Truck, if you want a hint as to where I'm going with it. I'll link here when it's done. 

Originally, I intended to make it (this jeep) a bit more modular, but I get a little weary of mods that add a bunch of parts when most people would use them together anyways. And given the amount of mesh colliders on this particular piece, it felt more efficient to forego that - for efficiencies sake. 

 

[Madrias]

1 minute ago, DrunkenKerbalnaut said:

I have another I'm working on in blender that may interest you

 

1 minute ago, DrunkenKerbalnaut said:

Trophy Truck

Yeah, I'd be interested in that.

As for modularity, I understand.  I like the idea of putting something together, personally, but I understand a lot of people don't like having to put pieces together to get the whole thing.  I liked things like the PackRat rover back in the day, which was kinda the perfect amount of cool because it could be stuffed into storage containers and assembled in the field.

I suppose things like that, and the idea that parts can be knocked off in the field and put back on with KIS/KAS are the reasons I want modularity in vehicles now.  If I go over a jump and slam down hard on the suspension and knock half the front off of my rover, I'd have options.  Do I want to try to pick up the pieces and rebuild, or leave them off and keep going?  I liked the Muscle-Car parts mod that was around for 1.0.5, but sadly, while they come in pieces, they're not modular.

Hence liking the idea of modularity.  If I could take the same cab and attach a different engine (the Diesel engine or a Fuel-Cell Generator, etc) to the cab, a different cargo area (flat bed tray, truck box, or space for two seats and a trunk), and other parts like that, I could theoretically put parts into KAS compartments and assemble different rovers on the field instead of having to figure out how to protect the vehicle in flight.

But I also respect that modding takes a lot of time and effort, and a lot of skill.  I can't 3D model, so I'm stuck bouncing ideas off of people's heads who can 3D model in hopes something sounds good to them, too.  Most I can do is config bash, and even at that, I'm far from good at it.  I know a few tricks, but not many.

[DrunkenKerbalnaut]

It's time consuming, but this jeep is actually pretty damned simple. No animations, or transforms. I'm no maestro. I just recently started modding, myself. It took a sec to understand some terminology and all, but you too can do it. My skill with a computer passes as a tiny little bit above average for my generation, and that's just cuz I'm a nosy guy - everything gets opened in a text editor haha. 

 

Take a look at this when you get a moment. He talks fast, but it's where I started a few weeks ago. 

And of course, it's nice to have the help of an accomplished modder that doesn't mind a few PMs back and forth. He knows who he is. Thanks bud. 

 

EDIT: @Madrias

Edited January 2, 2017 by DrunkenKerbalnaut

[BureauJaeger]

The rover hype is real.  I tend to use the yellow truck from SXT for the early career science collecting around the KSC because it's quick to slap together and can convert fuel to EC, and I think this could be a perfect alternative for that, but even easier. @DrunkenKerbalnaut if you're tweaking this further I'd suggest getting rid of the prefab roll bar to give the flatbed a bit more space. I mean it can always be built with the structural tubes if needed.  Also the thin metal parts, the wheel arches and whatnots, could use some thickening, they look a bit flimsy in game.

Here's a quick and dirty test with the yellow truck wheels and some Buffalo chassis pieces under the bodywork. Those fit perfectly btw. And with square headlights. Because it was acceptable in the 80s.

Oh and I definitely need to retexture this to match those wheels. Construction yellow is the new black.

[DrunkenKerbalnaut]

I think if I do revisit this guy, it'll be with an eye towards modularity. A well argued point. Another forum user was offered a sneak peek at it, shortly after I started playing with it in game, and he did some interesting things with the model that you guys would probably like.

But I've still gotta get that revision released for Structural Tubes. And the aforementioned trophy truck. I was gonna tackle ST today, after a few stages of Dakar, but personal matters came up. All in good time, I suppose. 

Thanks for the feedback, @BureauJaeger !

[Madrias]

Well, I'll admit, I'm not going to be making anything any time soon, but I am bumbling my way through Blender.  Slowly.  But maybe I'll set that as a goal, that this is the year I learn to use Blender and do something to give back for all the great mods here.  I've got an idea of what I want to do, so the hardest part is converting from my somewhat old-school way of doing things to learning Blender.  Because, let's face it, my ability to fold paper into models is a great strategy for seeing what something needs to look like, but it's hardly useful for KSP.

I actually have to thank you for the link to that tutorial, because seeing how easy it is to work with Blender has actually inspired me to try, even if what I come up with looks bad to start with.