Rover Garage

[Paradigm Storm]

This is my idea.

To go along with the VAB and SPH, a smaller facility for the construction of ground vehicles.

While the SPH does fulfill this function, I think a much smaller scale and possibly a different control setup (like the difference between the VAB and SPH scenes) would help.

This also allows for another set of building upgrades.

One possibility would be to upgrade to "Proving Grounds" where the Rover, or what have you, could be tested on different terrain.

I know this sounds a little like Kerbal Konstructs, but I am not suggesting anything nearly as ambitious. It would be a way to get Kerbals to EVA's on different parts of Kerbin, without requiring a Rocket or Space plane.

[Grumman]

I don't care about the control setup or building upgrades, but having a third location where we can launch vehicles would make it a lot easier to run a truly reusable space program. It is annoying to have to juggle vehicles to clear the runway so you can spawn a tanker or a bus to reload a returning spaceplane, so being able to spawn these sorts of vehicles somewhere other than the runway would be useful.

[Crusher48]

Basically, add a Rover Depot somewhere near Kerbin that can launch rovers?

[Alshain]

Something like this?

http://i.i.cbsi.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim//2010/08/09/082310Curiosity.jpg

http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/mars-curiosity-rover-640x426.jpg

It's certainly not a bad idea but I'm not sure it is worth the effort. The only reason the SPH exists was because originally you couldn't switch between Radial and Mirror symmetry. That's actually a fairly recent addition. If they did do it, you wouldn't want it too small. I've seen some huge rovers in this game.

Edited August 25, 2015 by Alshain

[mattinoz]

Well the junction edges of KSC create some funky angles and conditions for rover testing.

A concrete slab out there as spawn point would also be useful for engine and part test contracts.

Objects built and named in this building could then appear as sub-assemblies in the other construction buildings.

So you can build your rover send out to test then when ready to send it elsewhere get quick access to it.

Although to me this would be useful for building or refining sub-assemblies.

[CaptainTurbomuffin]

I don't know... We should need some more reasons to build rovers, something more than simply miners. Or else noone would upgrade it.

[WinkAllKerb'']

Coolness inside, actually you can always use the cavemen way to build a garage close to sph ; )

[Yukon0009]

Off topic but I think this is the 6,666th thread in this subforum.

[Hagen von Tronje]

Crazy as this sounds, I think a small assembly building would be great. Without using camera mods, trying to make very small probes and rovers with precise part placement can be tricky, nevermind small subassemblies. A really small workshop with much closer camera angles could be great for building such things. Big rovers can still get built in SPH.

Indifferent on launch point. My "proving grounds" are the launch pad itself, that thing has some of the roughest terrain you could ask for in such a dense area, no joke. Anything that would simulate bad driving conditions better than what you can do there would have to be a full fledged simulator with low g and nonatmospheric settings available, which I also support but that has much broader applications than a rover proving ground.

A pickup point for missions that require loading kerbals up on the runway would be nice though.

[Isabelle.V.Fuchs]

You could use Kerbal Konstructs for building one or some more Launchsides.

That means that you will build your rover in the SPH but launch it to another launchsite. I have made one just in front of the SPH. So I can land my Shuttle on the runway, park it there and then launch a rover in front of the SPH and drive it to the parked shuttle to refuel it there.

It works like a charm.

[Pax Kerbana]

Well the junction edges of KSC create some funky angles and conditions for rover testing.

A concrete slab out there as spawn point would also be useful for engine and part test contracts.

Objects built and named in this building could then appear as sub-assemblies in the other construction buildings.

So you can build your rover send out to test then when ready to send it elsewhere get quick access to it.

Although to me this would be useful for building or refining sub-assemblies.

Yes! A concrete playground with ramps, bowl, curbs, and a big flat area with a few blast marks!

I didn't know I wanted a rover garage and test area until this thread!

[FishInferno]

You all are complaining about KSP becoming too plane-focused, but here you are asking for a dedicated rover building

No offense of course.

[mattinoz]

Can't speak for others but I know I've supported more rover, plane and rocket parts.

Other than the memory management issue (which should be fixed regardless) I see no reason not to have more of all of them.