Monowheels a viable choice? I think so!

[noorm]

Another minimalist design!!! Why do you need so many wheels??? And the frame, and all that? Trim that excess weight!

With a single wheel, you can have a relatively maneuverable rover that can still take some jumps!

The video show SAS assisted manual control without mechjeb. Imagine what the Smart A.S.S. Surface Up mode can do... It get from relatively maneuverable to easily maneuverable!

All craft files from this thread (monowheels, ramp, halfpipe): here

Edited March 22, 2015 by noorm
Added craft files!

[T-Bouw]

Wahaha! (first thought)

It looked very unstable, but after watching your vid it's far from it.

Very stable, needing only minimal input to keep it upright.

I'll bet that you could use some form of analog control to have it behave even smoother.

But kudos on the design!

It's very crazy looking, thus very kerbal!

[Azimech]

Love it! Have some rep!

[Yukon0009]

ahh, you remind me of my first ever posted spacecraft, a kerbal sized segway.....

Also, with enough SAS you don't really need counterweights.

[Vashts]

you must name them Kegways

[Invisifly2]

Definitely using this. A great design.

[CrazyJebGuy]

Very cool. Nuff said. Rep!

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

Amazing,

do you have rover keys mapped to ijkl or numpad?

Rep!

[pwlnw]

Kasta la vista, baby !

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[noorm]

Concerning the question of control, I use the docking control and switch between linear mode (to go forward (W) and left (E) right (Q) control) and rotation mode (WASD for adjusting my "level"). The only control that is reversed is the left right in linear mode. I could try a few things to try to fix that but I didn't felt the need yet... it's not so bad controlling it this way. A big advantage of an upward facing okto pod is that a "one-click" mechjeb mode exist to automatically adjust the level.

Concerning the balancing and counterweights. Around 0:48 in my video, I almost touched the ground. Just before that I was going in a straight line (let say between 0:46 and 0:48) but the rover was slowly falling on the left despite SAS. After, when I did manually correct the level of my rover, the Advanced Inline Stabilizer was strong enough to bring my orientation back to normal. My conclusion from these observations is that "automatic" SAS does not use the full power available from the stabilizer. (Or there is some other phenomenon involved that I'm not considering, like counter steering or whatever...)

Also, during my tests with the Small Inline Reaction Wheel, I found it was not as forgiving when you add a kerbal's mass. So... with all that being said, I think balancing in itself is not a bad idea. That way, the SAS is not working against a fundamentally flawed rover, it's mostly working against centrifugal force when you're turning.

The most important downside to the ballast I think is the ground clearance. You could lean much more on the left side without the ballast in the way.

pwlnw, We don't even see a reaction wheel in the first picture! Style AND function? The whole package? Is there a hidden reaction wheel or that prototype crashed and burned soon after "launch"?

And finally... yes... I wish I could hold some magic key so I could use the mouse to steer or something (without mods). Analog controls would be awesome. I do know some mods exists for that but... but... I wish all the good mods were stock! I want KSP to be more awesome... awesomer?

Thank you everyone!!!!!!!!!!

Edited March 20, 2015 by noorm
More stuff... more... More... MORE!!!!

[noorm]

I liked pwlnw's design so I had to steal it!

And I realised... removing throttle fro W and S key simplify the whole control scheme. No need to switch between the two docking modes anymore!

Video also include bicycle design... it's a compilation of kind-of and could-have moments... more practice would be required!

Edit: Craft files... all monowheels, the halfpipe and the ramp: Here

Edited March 22, 2015 by noorm
Private message requesting craft files... I shall comply!

[pwlnw]

pwlnw, We don't even see a reaction wheel in the first picture! Style AND function? The whole package? Is there a hidden reaction wheel or that prototype crashed and burned soon after "launch"?

It was series of experiments. First picture have internal sas in probe core and doesn't very useful, but can run some meters.

Most useful is second picture.

[GreenWolf]

Telling SAS to hold along the radial out marker will do the same thing as MechJeb's Surface Up mode.

[noorm]

Telling SAS to hold along the radial out marker will do the same thing as MechJeb's Surface Up mode.

Hum... promising theory... unfortunately, the control algorithm for SAS Radial out is not the same as MechJeb's Surface Up mode... and it's not very good with both designs I just tested minutes ago (rover wheel or plane wheel with rocket engine)

I think Mechjeb's feedback loop is too aggressive leading to oscillations... but still controllable! (The helium-balloon like wobbling)

The default SAS Radial out feedback loop is too passive... leading to slow corrections like this:

First 8 seconds are braking in normal SAS/docking mode... Then until around 0:55 we have radial SAS in linear docking mode: controlling forward motion is a challenge.

After 0:55 I try a careless mix of radial mode and manual correction...