LN400

Hauling asparagus up the slopes of Mun's polar crater. Directional control is a bit like bambi on ice blindfolded but aslong as I keep the turns small, it's alright. Quite the climber too. Got me up 43 degrees slopes like a beast.

Unfortunately for the rocket geeks, a KSP 2 is less likely than a full KSP franchise with KSP platform jumping, KSP adventures, KSP car race, KSP logical puzzles, cards, board game, strategy, managerial, etc etc etc. Businesswise it would make more sense. More but still not a lot to SQUAD, I am imagining. For the die hard KSP fan. it would lead to seizures and cardiac arrests.

Launched 2x fuel depots to Mun... They better be reusable or I will charge someone for the costs... damn that Mun base contract is going to be a massive financial loss.

Gems They never get old.

Cursing and swearing as the magnet on the robotic arm did not performm to expectations, leaving the retrieve mission around Mun to be a thriller. Add to that I botched up the burn to Mun leaving me with 19m/s dv as I left Mun again, AFTER successfully retrieving the cabin floating around there. All medals and honours to the engineer onboard who attached the docking port before the cabin drifted away. The low dv budget also meant I had to use RSC instead of the main a lot, just to shave off mass to raise the main's dv. Homebound now but another thriller is coming up as the 8 ton ship is set for a periapsis over Kerbin at 30km. This will be hot. Also sent off the globe trotting science expedition to Kerbin's biomes. The final design has a lower top speed than originally wanted but with the ability to climb 40 degrees + slopes I can live with that.

Progress. As part of the dev program, I have created a quad walker that doesn't fall over and that does move forward. It took a bit of planning the leg movements. The movement is an 8 part cycle for something that could pass as a limp animal with its leg in cast. Directional control is not there and it turns to the left by quite a lot for no reason I can figure out right away other that it can be traced to the fact that each leg has 2 servos only. One for moving the leg back and forth, another to lift it as it moves in front position. Due to the circular motion of the back/forth movement, there is a bit of skidding but I can't tell why there is a strict left turn tendency and not left and right alternating. Main lesson I suppose is to think of leg movement in terms of frames, like making an animation (which it really is).

Wondering here, what's the status on being able to set up sequences in VAB/SPH? Reason I ask is, sometimes I can, other times I can't and that's with the same craft. The times I can, I get the whole editor thing and can set the sequences. When I can't, I get an empty editor box. EDIT: This time I couldn't but when I attached a dummy servo, the editor came back even after I removed the dummy servo.

After trial and LOTS of errors, it seems that for a biped like I have in mind, there is no way around having a fully fledged hip on this thing. Simple rotation does not give enough control. Anoter thing is the wobbles. Right now balance is impossible with this much wobble. I use standard size servos and RoboTruss (RoboTubes gave me even worse wobbles). I need to find parts that give less or even no wobbles. Then it's the issue with mass. Right now the legs are way too heavy for the servos to lift.

That thing is crazy. Thanks for the link. Unfortunately, there are no clues given on how to control/script it.

First, I am a complete newbie when it comes to walkers. Second, I have a pretty tall order in mind. Mods planned on using: IR, KOS, IR Sequencer (alternative to KOS). I am not at all very experienced with any of them although I have some experience with the first 2. Goals: - A biped walker capable of crossing uneven terrain up to about 20-ish degree slope. - Must be capable of turning using servos and KOS alone. Also capable of walking backwards (+ turning). - Stability provided by the IR servos and KOS/Sequencer alone without any need for reaction wheels. - Mass kept to a minimum but there must be a one man pod (lander can?) as part of the design. Power and solar panels to drive continously during daylight hours. Here is where I need all the help and guiding I can get. I think I'll go with servos on the feet to allow for tilting in all directions for max stability on slopes. Is there any way KOS or any other mod can "sense" the correct tilt angle as the foot moves forward? Any mod that offers pressure/stress sensors? Are there any KOS/Sequencer scripts for walkers anyone would want to share for me to learn from? Anything that leaps to mind you think I need to know about or take into consideration (apart from this being madness to begin with).

Thanks tons! It was driving me nuts. I'll have a look at them KFWs then.

Perhaps this is a know issue, perhaps not, I didnt find anything on it so here goes: KSP v1.3, the robotics parts work fine UNLESS I have a wheel attached to the robotic arm. Then everything bends out of shape as soon as the powered servos move. Unpowered seem to work but the powered ones are the ones giving me problems. Take the wheel off and the parts work again so it definitely has to do with them wheels. Type of wheel doesn't seem to affect anything. I tried putting the servos on the wrong way, same result. Are wheels regarded as some sort of control pod as far as IR is concerned? Any fix?

Continuing the planning of an insane endeavour: To travel to every biome on Kerbin by rover starting and ending at KSC. Target speed 30m/s minimum on flat terrain, capable of climbing 30 degrees as minimum, carrying all the experiments and a bunch of containers, resilient with backup systems should the mains fail (no engineer yet capable of repairing wheels). All while keeping the mass down. Going to rely on RT's rover cruise control or I will certainy go mad long before reaching the highlands just outside KSC.

Done for today with this swash project. It's not polished and needs some tweaking, as well as a way to get rid of the wobbles (which are surprisingly weak considering the flimsyness of it) If anyone are interested in looking at it for improvements, then please feel free https://kerbalx.com/LN400/Swash-Assembly-1

My IR prototype swash is working... as long as the rotor hub with the blade grips aren't involved (d'oh) but on its own, it works. Collective lowers and raises the swash as it should and the cyclic tilts the plate where it should. The problem I can't seem to work around is the connection between the upper swash and the blade grips. The way I'm doing it now is: Have the entire assembly rest on a Proc Fairings Interstage, using the top node for the rotor rotation motor. The swash assembly is connected to the interstage base. Bottom to top: Interstage base for a "disconnected" rotor drive on top. 4 servos for collective pushing and pulling a -> thrust plate where the cyclic servos are attached. They (one of them really) connects with the lower swash. On their own, this works. Powerless rotator Upper swash with linkages to blade grips. Top node: Rotor drive and hub Powerless pitch rotators with blade grips and control arms. Problem was as soon as I connected the upper swash with the control arms, the upper swash no longer tilted and the swash rotator snapped. The swash seems to work as long as the lower and upper assemblies are disconnected. As soon as they connect, all hell breaks loose. One test successfully had the rotor hub drive the upper swash but that was with no tilt. Collective has been the easy part so far. Cyclic not so much.

Since I'm attempting to build a working swashplate using IR/tweakscale and seeing the challenges coming from the limitations in the game mechanics (not being allowed to have more than one node/attachment path for one), I was wondering if it would be something for a thrifty modeller/mod to create a tweakabe swashplate in its entirety as one part. Points to consider when modelling/creating the part: The part could use IR tech/code for pushrods/servos. The swash needs to be able to tilt around the main mast with no/minimal lateral movement so the rotation points need to be on a plane halving the swash, precisely. Awareness of cross-coupling of inputs so to avoid those. The part could perhaps be KOS friendly but not dependent on KOS. Tweakscale should work with the part. A couple of different designs: 4 servos sharing collective/cyclic duties (perhaps KOS is necessary) or 4 servos for cyclic and another 4 for collective. 3 for cyclic is possible but I would think not without KOS to do the necessary mixing. Tail rotor assembly would also be something since it too has a "collective" (no "cyclic" though). Alternatively one could use a variable speed motor for the tail but for the sake of detail madness, a fully fledged tail would be sweet. Not sure if it is possible to have a "collar" part around a mast or if the mast would need to be in 2 pieces, one below and one aboe the swashplate assembly. Mad dream or doable?

Attempting to build a fully working helicopter swashplate using IR and tweakscale. So close but no cigar just yet, collective works but the 2 swash discs are hard to keep tilting together as one. I need to find a freewheeling bearing/unpowered rotator that follows the swash tilt and it would be a step towards success.

Perhaps I'm blind as a bat but weren't there a freewheeling rotatron? I can't seem to find it. Has it been thrown out, was it all my imagination or is it still there hiding?

Issue: KSP v 1.3, latest PF. Other mods: Problem is the auto shape feature or rather to disable it. Once in a while, I can disable it to customise the shape but mostly the button does nothing leaving the fairings locked to too short to cover the cargo (most of the time). Any idea how I can get the customisation back?

Thanks again, guys. Greatly appreciated. Been testing Boing 2 D and so far it has been really nice. Docile but not sluggish, takes off and lands almost hands off, tiny inputs to keep it on course and altitude but nothing more than one would expect from an actual plane, I guess. I think this is my keeper for those long trips.

I was wondering if there is, or can be made, a mod that adds regular typing papers as overlays on the KSC main screen/VAB/SPH/Mission Control where the player can type in any character from the keyboard, edit, delete, add etc, any text the player would want/need. Purpose: - Most missions are (I assume for most or all) player defined, that is not contractual. The number of missions that are needed/wanted in the future can add up and this mod can be f help keeping track of those planned missions, their progress etc. Physical pen and paper is absolutely a possibility but it would be a bit more tidy to have those papers in virtual form on the monitor, in the game. - Design notes: How well did the design meet the expectations/demands? Take notes. - In-game finds of all sorts the player wants to keep record of. - Maths formulas for the builds/missions. - Anything else one would want to write down.

Thanks tons for your help guys. FINALLY came up with something that flies rather well even without SAS. https://kerbalx.com/LN400/Boing-2-D

Mucho gracias. I'm off now but will test and report back as soon as I get back to KSP.

I've just about had it with planes in this game. Several totally different designs, playing with CoM, CoL and CoT, control throw, angles, torque, and all planes fly like grand pianos in a hurricane. Anyone have a craft file for stock 1.3 they are happy with, and want to share so I can have a look at how it's supposed to be done?

I used to play for about 30 years until I stopped doing it. Mostly punk (UK82 style mixed with Dead Kennedys mostly) but enjoyed playing a wide spectrum of styles. Now the guitar is a great dust collector. Still humming away on new ideas that never will be anything. Tricks and old dogs and all that.