Angelo Kerman

Today I got most of the meshes done for the Resource Support Unit parts and got them into the game: For context: The RSU parts aren't just for the orbital MSEV, they double as foundations to rest rover and station parts on the surface:

https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Tutorial:Making_an_asset_from_start_to_finish Last thing I looked at today: making a drill for the Buffalo. This is the stock ISRU drill: The stock drill is too big for the rover, so I'm thinking that a 70% scale version would do the trick. Just clone the part, maybe retexture it, and done. I'm trying to get Buffalo 2 done by end of October (end of the year at the latest), and there just a huge amount of work still do do...

The current release's Buffalo Chassis Coupler (Chassis variant) will be ideally suited for the RSU.

Today, in between personal tasks, I managed to unwrap the Resource Support Unit meshes and figured out the basic coloring: There are 14 meshes! Given all the variants, I've decided to group them into Front, Back, and Middle sections. The Middle sections will have subvariants that include notches for docking ports. Once these are done, I have a couple of extra parts to make out of the middle section meshes: a Power Support Unit (kind of like the Buffalo Power Chassis) and a Converter Support Unit (an Omniconverter if you have WildBlueTools installed). This will definitely take a few days...

The gate will pay for the resource toll. As an example, the mini jumpgate pays the jump toll. This was done so that kerbals could traverse the gate (ideally ground-to-ground, because if they appear in space they'll keep walking).

I'd prefer people who use Buffalo 2 to be on 1.12.3 for consistency. Technically it'll work on 1.12.2, but since 1.12.3 is the last version of KSP and it's been out for months, I don't see much reason why people can't upgrade.

Yup, Buffalo 2 requires KSP 1.12.3.

As I start in on v1.3: Back to Bases, I worked out how the Resource Support Unit parts would work. There will be 2 parts; a mid section, and an end section, with multiple variants. I've started working on the pieces themselves (texture work in progress): The RSUs hold resources and are designed to be used in space or resting on the ground. They're styled after the service module on the MMSEV. Here's some context: It'll take a couple of days to flesh this out fully, but the parts are off to a good start. The RSU mid-section will have a notch in the bottom for that new Buffalo Chassis Coupler (Chassis variant) to fit underneath. That'll let automated rovers get underneath and pick it up. I've got more design work to do, but the RSU is a major piece of the work for Buffalo 2 v1.3.

I had it on Duna earlier, I’ll have to do it again tomorrow and take some screenshots.

I finished the last parts needed for Buffalo 2 v1.2: Making Connections. It has adapters, docking ports, robotics, and more. You can find the latest here: https://github.com/Angel-125/Buffalo2/releases/tag/v1.2

Today was the final push for the Making Connections release. I finished up the Buffalo Chassis (5th Wheel)... ... I added a new alternate form for the Medium-Short length Buffalo Chassis... ... Then I added a Chassis and Body variant to the Buffalo Chassis Coupler... ... And on top of that, I created a new B2 Trailer Frame part. It has a few variants... Here is the Buffalo Big Rig, which showcases these new parts. Now you can build intermodal shipping containers and truck them around! Finally, with these remaining parts completed, I'm proud to announce that Buffalo 2 v1.2: Making Connections is ready for release! Here's the complete change list: Changes - Fixed B9PS configs- thanks Rodger! New Parts - B2 Chassis Tank: This small tank holds Liquid Fuel and Oxidizer. It has two length variants: Short and Medium-Short. - B2 Hinge (Requires Breaking Ground DLC): This hinge has a limited pivoting range but it's sized to fit the Buffalo Chassis. - B2 Side Hatch (Short): This short-length inline body module comes equipped with deployable ladders and doors that open and close. It also doubles as a small cargo bay. - B2 Endcap: This simple endcap covers up the ends of the B2 body parts. It has Rover, Station, Superstructure, and Sub variants, and comes in white or blue. - B2 Sloped Endcap: This sloped endcap covers up the ends of the B2 body parts. It has Rover, Superstructure (long & short), and Superstructure corridor (long & short). - B2 Trailer Frame: This modular frame serves as a mounting point for components like the Buffalo rover's body parts. It has short and medium length variants as well as variants designed to attach the Buffalo Chassis Decoupler (Body variant). The frame make intermodal shipping containers possible. - BC-S1 Adapter: This adapter connects the Buffalo Chassis to Size 1 (1.25m) parts. It is offset to account for rover body parts. - RB-S1 Adapter: This adapter connects the rover body to Size 1 (1.25m diameter) parts. It has various lengths. - SB-S1 Adapter: This adapter connects the submarine body to Size 1 (1.25m diameter) parts. It has various lengths. - ST-S1 Adapter: This adapter is specifically designed to connect Station form factor parts to Size 1 (1.25m) parts. - Buffalo Chassis (Mini): Designed as a "filler" chassis, this mini chassis adds a little bit of chassis structure to rovers. - Buffalo Chassis (Sloped): By popular demand, this sloped chassis provides a fashionable chiseled edge for Buffalo chassis. - Buffalo Chassis (5th Wheel): This specialized chassis part has an integrated servo motor that's specially designe to support trailers. - Buffalo Chassis Coupler: This docking port is specially designed to fit the Buffalo Chassis. It has several variants to handle a variety of docking situations. - Buffalo Chassis Decoupler: Separate unwanted chassis parts with this decoupler. - Buffalo Power Chassis: At the expense of some batteries, this chassis has an integrated fuel cell and a solar panel on top. - Auxiliary Electronic Navigator: This chassis component is a probe core. It has two length variants: Short and Medium-Short.

Very nice. Today I built the B2 Hinge. It only has 35-degrees of pivoting freedom, but that's plenty to handle trailers. Here's a look: I've also worked out a design for the Fifth Wheel servo. It's a work in progress, but I have the basic layout. It is a chassis part with a turntable that you attach the B2 Hinge to. Here's a look:

https://github.com/Angel-125/KerbalActuators/releases

Yeah, I've seen the KAS parts and used them. I tend to get gimbal lock with the towbar, which makes it hard to drive around. Using hinges does the trick because I can control the pivot axis.

Small update today, I've been working a bit too hard and it's catching up. This is the new Buffalo Chassis Decoupler. It is a micro docking port designed to dock chassis components together: Here it is with the stock G-00 Hinge. I'm going to make a B2 Hinge to complement the new coupler...

Looks great!

Today I experimented with ways to create a trailer hitch that could pivot. I had some initial success and was able to make the attachment node pivot like the stock Claw does: Unfortunately, I have yet to figure out how to restore the orientation so that you could dock another craft to the trailer hitch. So, back to the drawing board. I experimented with robotics and as loose as they are, they actually do make good pivots: Based on my research, all I really need to do is make a small docking port sized for the chassis that you'd attach to the ends of the robotics parts, and possibly something that lets you make a Fifth Wheel for mac trucks: Perhaps one part is the pivot for the fifth wheel, and another is a servo that lets the trailer rotate. Like so:

That's already slated for Back To Bases (1.3) and Loose Ends (1.4).

Nice shark catcher! I didn't get very far with SunkWorks' boat parts but I like what you did with them. I'm working hard to finish Buffalo 2 ASAP and it has to be done no later than end of the year- that's when I'm retiring from modding KSP 1 and enjoying the fruits of my labor. So I don't know if I'll have time to finish the boat parts... Today I built the new Auxiliary Electronic Navigator (same name as the original, different part). It has two length variants: Short, and Medium-Short: Then I took a detour and built a B2 Chassis Tank when I realized that the Buffalo Power Chassis had no LFO storage. It supports WildBlueTools, of course, and (grumble) B9PS. Here's a look: What do you do with these new parts? Well, I'm gearing up to make a Buffalo Crawler that's designed to pick up modules for a Buffalo 2 base and haul them around. Here's some context: The Buffalo Crawler carries the base element on its back. I'm planning on making a Power Support Unit and a Resource Support Unit based on the PSU from NASA's Habitat Demonstration Unit (See Figure 4). In the above image, I'm simulating the PSU/RSU using chassis parts. In case you're wondering, I tried to make the Ti-ATHLETE a few years ago using robotics but it didn't go well. The robotics joints were simply too wobbly. It's here in the Breaking Ground Mini-Mods in case you're interested. I've thought about taking one last attempt at it by using DockRotate's NodeRotate, but it would need its parts redone, and I am short on time...

@RodgerIf you're up for it I'll add your B9PS patch into Buffalo 2 and credit your work.

I should just get rid of B9PS support, it just causes me no end of grief.

I haven’t seen that but it looks like a B9PS error. Can you ask on the form?

I've been going like gangbusters on Buffalo 2, mostly because I've got the time to do it right now, and I want to finish this project by end of the year at the latest. So today, I finished up the Buffalo Power Chassis: And I built the BC-S1 Adapter: Some context for the adapter: I have three more parts to make before Buffalo 2 v1.2 is ready, but you can find a pre-release with the latest here.