Wheel friction multiplier

[Coeus]

This could be a friction multiplier for wheels, or even parts in general, based on the biome you're in. For example, when you're on Kerbin's ice caps, your friction should be way less than on its grasslands. This could prove fun for some ice-skid designs. Maybe this will make rough terrain really feel rough, or allow for some out-of-control drifting on the minmus flats with the new wheel physics.

I don't imagine this to be hard for the devs to do, but I'm not a modder, so please correct me if I'm wrong.

So, what are your opinions on this matter? Or are there already mods which do this?

(Also, first post)

Edited March 31, 2016 by Coeus

[Azimech]

I agree completely. But also for material type (which don't exist yet in stock).

[Angeltxilon]

Support.

[Coeus]

19 hours ago, Azimech said:

I agree completely. But also for material type (which don't exist yet in stock).

I guess they could do this, but I don't think it would add as much to the game. Though it could be used by modders. Now that I think about it, this system could be quite prone to phantom forces, when parts of a different material are touching the ground.

Edited April 1, 2016 by Coeus

[Azimech]

15 minutes ago, Coeus said:

I guess they could do this, but I don't think it would add as much to the game. Though it could be used by modders. Now that I think about it, this system could be quite prone to phantom forces, when parts of a different material are touching the ground.

Interesting ... would you care to elaborate?

[Tw1]

This would be cool, as long as it's only done to an extent which doesn't impede gameplay too much. Wheels are already hard to use in low G, so only a little harder there, please. Having to make a lander a little wider to avoid sliding down a muddy or icy slope sounds fair. 

But I like the idea, it would add some extra detail and variation to the experience of being on a planet.  

[Coeus]

41 minutes ago, Azimech said:

Interesting ... would you care to elaborate?

I was thinking, you could have a part with very high friction, and you combine it with a low friction part, Then you repeat this pattern and let it slide over e.g. the ice caps. This patern of high, and low friction forces could prove for some interesting scenarios.But this is just my thinking, and I might be completely wrong.

 

34 minutes ago, Tw1 said:

This would be cool, as long as it's only done to an extent which doesn't impede gameplay too much. Wheels are already hard to use in low G, so only a little harder there, please. Having to make a lander a little wider to avoid sliding down a muddy or icy slope sounds fair. 

But I like the idea, it would add some extra detail and variation to the experience of being on a planet.  

I doesn't have to mean lower friction, as values above 1 would even increase friction. It could even improve driving on Bop and Pol. Those moons look quite rocky. And anyway, if it impedes gameplay to much on low-gravity bodies, the devs just turn up the multiplier a tad to make it feel 'normal' again

[pandaman]

In principle I like the idea, I can see issues arising with 'phantom forces' (as @Coeus points out) in cases where different types of wheel are used or a rover happens to have the front wheels on one biome and the rear on another (sooner or later it will happen), but as a concept it definitely has some merit.

A straight forward 'biome traction modifier' for each biome on each body would (I guess) be a relatively simple way to represent the differences, and it could be enough.  But it may also be necessary to add a parameter to parts too, which could get quite complex as each part  (not just wheels and landing gear) could need them  eg. Skis are designed to slide on fresh snow and big chunky tyres work better over soft sand than bicycle wheels, each would need a modifier for each terrain type to represent it in a realistic manner, with all the game balance problems that would arise.  Non wheel and landing gear parts could have a default 'neutral' setting, but the parameter would presumably still need to be in there somewhere.