Attachable Fuel Lines in Stock KSP

[Sasquatch_Punter]

I haven't seen this mentioned on here, but with the new mining/resource processing mechanics, doesn't anyone think the stock game should incorporate reattachable fuel lines for surface refueling? Something similar to what KAS does, since being forced to use docking ports on the ground can be fairly frustrating.

[Starwhip]

Yes, I would very much like this.

(This has been mentioned many times.)

[Sasquatch_Punter]

LOL, good. Seems like an obvious addition.

[pandaman]

Been suggested lots of times previously. But gets my vote (again) anyway.

Not tried it myself, but I believe the mod Kerbal Attachment System has this feature.

[klgraham1013]

I agree with this.

[Wjolcz]

Been suggested over one million times, but I still agree with it.

[tater]

Yep. Another, simple idea for ground bases would be simple proximity to fulfill contracts. Have the elements within 50m of each other.

[Kegereneku]

I support this. You simply can't have an efficient ISRU without it.

[mattinoz]

Yes Please. It's been suggested a lot but I think it's getting more and more of a requirement for stock.

[RidingTheFlow]

What's wrong with using Claw? Used to work like a treat for me for surface refuelling.

[Mutex]

What's wrong with using Claw? Used to work like a treat for me for surface refuelling.

It sort of works if you manage to get the two lined up perfectly. It's still a massive pain, although better than docking on the surface.

But if you want to do ISRU, KAS is more or less required at the moment. It joins a list of numerous other mods which are pretty much required (modular fuel tanks being another).

[tater]

KAS/KIS (the 2 should simply be merged) should really be stock. I don't think it is out of scope in the least. I made a lander designed to tip over a largish (for me) rover on the surface. Why? Because the stock game has parts for rovers, but no good way to deposit them anywhere assuming you want your rockets to look like rockets, and not lollipops. Anyway, I ended up with the front of the rover pointed "up" on the rocket stack (inside a realistic sized fairing, obviously), which made for a tippy lander. That was the point. I had some verniers designed to break the fall when I retracted the gear on the rover wheel side of the lander to let it tip the rover wheels down to the surface.

I don't use verniers much, or they care which way "control" is, and they fired the wrong direction. Long story, short, it ended up on the ground, but with the front 2 wheels popped.

No worries, engineers can repair... oh, wait, they have to be level 3, which means an arbitrary trip outside kerbin SoI. OK, well no lvl 3, but I have an engineer, and I have KIS/KAS installed. I ended up removing a lander leg, installing it as a jack on the rover, then replacing the wheels (had to send a resupply ship with a couple wheels in storage).

It was really fun. I remember about a year ago when I first started tipping over my first mun rover and watching it roll down a crater. It was pretty broken, and I had to walk/hop back to the lander several km away. Repair adds a lot, and really gives engineers something to do.

[RidingTheFlow]

It sort of works if you manage to get the two lined up perfectly. It's still a massive pain, although better than docking on the surface.

Align what with what sorry? Claw just grabs whatever it bumps into contact with, you just need to travel at some speed, direction generally does not matter. I just placed "refueling boom" with claw in front of wheeled miner/fuel truck and it could connect to ships which landed nearby for refuel.

Edited July 20, 2015 by RidingTheFlow