Slam_Jones

The first version of my D-3 Constructor on Duna. Tweakscaled up the props... a lot

The first ones are usually built from the cockpit. There's also a small workshop inside the cargo bay, but it's not much more efficient than the cockpit. That's why for a lot of the bigger projects (cities, etc.) I'll build an external workshop (you can see it in the pics in the post above). Basically, the productivity factor on the on-plane modules is about 0.4, while the actual workshop has a factor of 5.0 or something crazy. It takes a 180-day project down to 7-days or so. So, the first two things at a site will take about a month to build. After that, only about a week to finish everything else.

Thanks Here's a quick overview of the city-building process: First, send the flying ChapStick container to find a mostly flat spot This looks flat enough. Anything less that 3 degrees is acceptable, and less than 1 degree is basically perfect. Once it's confirmed to be a good site, we send in the Constructor (pictured is the old D-3, though now we use the D-9) The constructor doesn't have a lot of storage room for parts, so the first thing we build is extra storage Since we don't have the best building facilities on-board (all that stuff is heavy!) we next build a workshop. This allows the kerbals to build much more efficiently (and quicker!) After that, it's much easier to build a few more tanks. Once they're filled, we'll have enough parts to build the city. And lastly, the city itself. It's built as one vessel in the VAB on kerbin, then the blueprints are uploaded to the D-9. With the workshop, we were able to get this city up in about a week, Kerbin time. After that, it's done! More houses can be added if desired, but they'll be attached via KAS, and won't look as good as single-vessel ones. Not a big deal, though. Sometimes I'll detach the parts tanks and terminate them to clean the area up a bit. For Duna City, I left them in place. (for now)

Yep! Let me dig them up real quick... I forget the exact stats, but I think it has a (stable) TWR of 2.0+, or up to 4.0 for emergencies (drains batteries VERY quickly at that pace), and I think weighs somewhere in the 30 ton range. Max crew of 8, without expanding. Building a Rocket Parts tank takes about 7 kerbin days (about 2.5 Duna days), and a workshop about 30 days. The workshop increases productivity (basically how much 1 kerbal can build in a day) by something like 10x. I'll put it this way: without the workshop, a Duna City would take about 180 days to build, with 8 kerbals. If I have a workshop (and put the kerbals in it), it drops to about 7 days. A MAJOR difference, if time is a factor. (The purple bit at the front is the "Orbital Construction Dock" piece, which is one of many parts that allow for on-site construction. It happened to be the lightest and easiest to place, so I've used it extensively Also, drill and ISRU stuff stored inside cargo bay, which opens downward) Tested first on Kerbin Then built on Duna

Usually much easier to work with screenshots taken during the day, but luckily I have GIMP and could change up brightness/etc to make it more visible. I'd say stick on fins on the end of the two booster "legs," with at least 3x symmetry on each. After that, add at least 3 Reaction wheels to each leg, plus a similar amount to the top of the craft, just behind the cockpit. I don't have too much experience with the level of clipping you've got going on with those fuel tanks, but that might be an issue as well. Make sure they're properly strutted, as oscillations there would only create a positive feedback loop (meaning, the movement causes more movement, which cause more, and more, etc in a loop til something breaks) This should boost stability greatly, and keep it pointed mostly the way you want to go. Just remember not to be too aggressive on your turns, or it will cause too much drag and, potentially, some big issues. keep your heading no more than 5 degrees from your prograde marker.

1210 parts! Impressive! You must be running a supercomputer I'm surprised my .craft parser even got thru the whole thing

You may want to try slapping some more Reaction Wheels on it, or place some stabilizing fins at the bottom of each stage. just make sure the bottom set of fins are the largest. Reaction wheels will help it keep pointed the direction you want, and the fins would help make sure the rear end stays at the rear (kinda like the feathers on an arrow). As far as I know (and I could be wrong) that issue is usually caused by the payload becoming heavier than the booster (due to shifting CoM from burning fuel), which makes it want to flip around.

Curious to see if you can do anything with this: No big rush, whenever you're bored

"Under the Dome"

For some projects, smaller is better. When all you're trying to do is find flat pieces of ground with no other fancy gimmicks, sometimes the best solutions are the simplest ones. It looks like a tube of Chapstick, but it's actually one of my favorite vessels so far. Due to its diminutive stature and weight, it can move quite quickly, and with the reaction wheel in the middle, it can flip around like a demented flying squirrel. Not much use beyond looking for flat areas, and it start overheating VERY quickly, but it works well enough for now.

A yapping Yorkie, launched mainly across oceans. wootwoot

Hi! I've been building some Duna bases using your parts, and people have been really enjoying them, so I figured I'd show them off here as well I have a lot of mods installed, but the Civilian buildings really end up taking center-stage. They look way nicer than anything I could come up with, plus they make my bases actually look like bases! Duna City New Kerbin City Unnamed City(very much open to name suggestions ) As far as the IVA's go, PLEASE KEEP THEM! THEY'RE AWESOME!

I almost never use Micronode, but I def use Basic Fin and I-beams! The least used stock part for me, though, is probably the micronode, actually. Usually a cubic octagonal strut will function the same, and has less restrictive attachment rules.

Hmmm... I might build a little boat and put it on Duna... or a big boat, even

Thanks! The part pack with most of the cool-looking stuff (the biodomes, houses, Farm, etc.) come from Civilian Population mod. I should point out that while you can use the buildings to recruit kerbals, I chose to just use them to look pretty. I believe the corridors come from Stockalike Station Parts Expansion. They're built on-site by the D-9 Constructor, a VTOL mining craft that can build stuff. I usually scout for a new place using a tiny drone, and once I've found an open area with a slope of less than 3 degrees, then I bring in the D-9. The D-9 opens to cargo doors, mines some ore, and converts it into Rocket Parts. Since it can only store so much on-board, the first thing I always build is another external tank to hold rocket parts (the bigger or more complex the thing you're building, the more R Parts you need). I always paint them silver to identify easily. After that, it's just a matter of making sure you have enough room to hold all the parts you need, and then dig em up. Here's my full mod list, in case anyone is curious: - Civilian Population - ExtraPlanetary LaunchPads - ExtraPlanetary LaunchPads Simplifier (makes it easier to go from Ore -> Rocket Parts) - Firespitter - KAX (Kerbal Aircraft Expansion) - KAC - KER - KAS/KIS - KJR - Kerbal Stats - Infernal Robotics - New Future: - - Construction, Electrical, IVA props, Propulsion, Solar, Spacecraft Parts - Procedural Parts (plus two different texture packs) - Stockalike Station Parts Expansion - Take Command - Tweakscale

Built it on the spot! Using mining and the Extraplanetary Launchpad mods, I can turn dirt into cities! The plane/helicopter you can see behind both of them is what built them. It has all the stuff on-board to be able to build. Just mine up some Ore, turn it into Rocket Parts, and choose what to build

Duna colony going nicely. Two new additions to the planet:

Because Duna ain't gonna colonize itself. "New Kerbin City" ------ Edit: Another neighboring city, freshly built. Needs a name... any ideas?

Every easter, liquid oceans observed. Dooona

Included in a mod like RemoteTech, sure. In stock, though? Basically pointless.

Personally, I've never used stock vehicles either. In a game where one of the first things you need to do is design vehicles, I feel like the stock vehicles should be a good example of an excellent craft, not something that has one fatal flaw that a new player will never notice, or know how to fix. I've never seen it mentioned anywhere other than the forums that they're supposed to be a little off. I would imagine it would work fine, and serve as an example of what to strive for. I just think it's silly (and a tad unrealistic) to expect new players (the ones most likely to use Stock vehicles) to be able to identify the flaw of a spacecraft (again, in a game they only just bought) and know how to fix it. Or have the desire to tinker extensively with something they didn't even build. I'd be very curious as to any statistics regarding players who use (or have used) stock vehicles, and whether or not they tinkered with them. I wouldn't be surprised to see a very low percentage of players doing so. IMO, it'd be leagues better if there were an interactive tutorial saying (something along the lines of), "Hey, look at this ship! See this part here? You need to fix it. Let me show you how..."

Little to no purpose beyond looking awesome!!! Yes, assembling in stock game is crazy annoying, but I think it would actually add more interest to bases. Imagine watching the base actually interacting with the environment... wind currents, sand building up in lull spots, etc etc. Probably not within the scope or possiblity for the current game, but it would make bases a lot cooler to work with and look at. Besides, I think it would be pretty awesome to watch a Duna sandstorm from within a BioDome

Ion engines have insanely high ISP but very low thrust. It's a good option if you don't mind babysitting your burns on 4x timewarp for 10 minutes LV-N nuclear engines are also very efficient, but provide more power. They're also heavier, so really better suited for larger ships. For a probe, though, an Ion engine is probably the best way to go. I recommend a mod like MechJeb or KER that will display your delta-V, if you don't have one already.

I'd like at least one atmosphere scatter (similar to terrain scatter, but, well, in the air) per planet. Kerbin has white, fluffly clouds. Duna has sand storms. Other places have other things. It would def make everything feel more alive.

Few more randoms from yesterday. Duna City Concepts (Single-vessel cities, tested on Kerbin before being built on Duna) Temple of Kerpollo (not as big as I'd hoped, might do a Mk-2) Also, the Mk-1 capsule unintentionally looks like a Hollywood Native American, with headband, feather, and war paint. Didn't realize til I built it, but I kinda like it And my new mobile builder, the new D-9 Constructor. VTOL-capable means it's a lot less likely to crash. Tested on Kerbin, recently built on Duna, and will soon be building new Duna settlements and cities.