Crab steering for rover wheels

[sumghai]

As per the Devnotes of 24 June 2015, the upcoming revision to the in-game wheel system would intrinsically support Ackerman Steering:

https://41.media.tumblr.com/0ff9377afa68dc3ad3fe6844aaf1bd38/tumblr_inline_nqezpvr6fx1rr2wit_540.jpgFelipe (HarvesteR)

The new steering module uses a new method to calculate which way each wheel should turn based on the steering input, which is used to figure out where the commanded turn ‘pivot’ point would be, and that is then used to make each wheel rotate to face sideways to that point, so regardless of where or how they are mounted on a vessel, wheels will always respond properly to steer the right way (There will still be steering invert and toggle tweaks though, just in case). Another benefit of this approach is that Ackermann steering happens as a consequence.

For most applications, I'm sure Ackerman steering would suffice. However, I'd also like to propose crab steering as an additional option, to allow for rovers that can drive sideways directly:

[Grumman]

Good idea. This would give us three different types of steering: tank steering, car steering and crab steering. Pressing the left key would produce the following actions on the various wheels:

Front-left quadrant:

Tank: orient clockwise, drive backwards

Car: orient anticlockwise

Crab: orient anticlockwise, drive forwards

Front-right quadrant:

Tank: orient anticlockwise, drive forwards

Car: orient anticlockwise

Crab: orient anticlockwise, drive forwards

Back-left quadrant:

Tank: orient anticlockwise, drive backwards

Car: orient clockwise

Crab: orient anticlockwise, drive forwards

Back-right quadrant:

Tank: orient clockwise, drive forwards

Car: orient clockwise

Crab: orient anticlockwise, drive forwards

...and then let us toggle between each form of steering. A wheel like the XL-3 that cannot orient itself can only perform tank steering, but any wheel that can orient itself could be used for tank steering, car steering or crab steering (at least to a point - a wheel that can only turn 20 degrees left and right could only crab steer at a 20 degree angle forwards and backwards, zig-zagging its way sideways instead of just driving sideways).

[Daveroski]

While I like the whole idea of having crab steering wheels in KSP, I'd be happy for a long time if our current rover wheels actually worked as they were supposed to.

[Wjolcz]

While I like the whole idea of having crab steering wheels in KSP, I'd be happy for a long time if our current rover wheels actually worked as they were supposed to.

Seems that Unity 5 is about to bring the change we both desire so much.

I like the idea. The smallest, grey wheels would be perfect for that.

[Starwhip]

I'd like it, because then we could do this:

EDIT: Darn, wrong video.

EDIT2: Found it!

(Yeah, this was our FRC team's robot (Frame, not completed robot)... three years ago? I can't keep track anymore.)

Edited July 5, 2015 by Starwhip

[KerBlitz Kerman]

@Starwhip, I have a team doing FTC. Would you recommend cream steering?