The Dunatian, Playable Save File (Like a Scenario)

[selfish_meme]

Lookin' good!

What kind of speed can it comfortably handle?

I was just keeping it flat out, but it wasn't particularly rough terrain, I went to map mode and back and found it flipping, no idea why. It was almost out of charge so that was the end of the journey. I am adding a system to right the rover in case of a roll. You are right about the engineer, I blew one tyre in earlier testing, lucky I had Bill on board.

[Yukon0009]

Hey guys I've decided to go ahead with my Hermes. You might want to tick my name under the "Hermes" box.

[Majorjim!]

Docking alignment went much easier than expected, one tiny change to the front of the rover and everything docked easily

http://i.imgur.com/HgIxI0Y.png

Rover craft updated, docks to itself and the hab

That's looking really cool matey. I can't wait to see all that sitting on Duna! I kinda wish I could fly it all there though.. We need inflatable habs Squad!

Oh and the rovers are super cool, good job dude.

[selfish_meme]

That's looking really cool matey. I can't wait to see all that sitting on Duna! I kinda wish I could fly it all there though.. We need inflatable habs Squad!

Oh and the rovers are super cool, good job dude.

It would be pretty cool, reverse fairings, when you stage them they erect. Good idea for a mod. If we could fill them with lighter than air gas it would be even better.

[Yukon0009]

I redesigned Hermes

[Majorjim!]

I redesigned Hermes

http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah315/Yukon0009/screenshot4270_zpsowhbyvad.png

You must be cursing the fact they decided to make such a complex, convoluted transfer vehicle! How long will yours be?

[Yukon0009]

Yeah, before I saw the trailer I had the mental picture of a simplistic ion vehicle..Mine will be about the length of a large SRV longer.

[selfish_meme]

Yeah, before I saw the trailer I had the mental picture of a simplistic ion vehicle..Mine will be about the length of a large SRV longer.

If you are building it for this theres no need to remain completely truthful to the film, let practicality with stock parts have a hand.

[Yukon0009]

Yah I'm mostly basing it off the film but retaining some of my imagination.

[selfish_meme]

OK I am rovering, the new rover is handling well, no problems with terrain so far, I went west to the edge of the crater, but that was a mistake, the terrain is gentle enough I could have gone straight south and saved some time. Took me 15 minutes to the crater edge. Having two batteries and four RTG's means there is hardly any current drain, I went full speed the whole way. It's probably full again in the time it takes to type this. Will have to reduce the RTG's. I have climbed about 1000m.

[selfish_meme]

Spent about an hour and a half and am probably within striking distsance of the pathfinder location, the rover handled very well, was watching TV with my finger on the button so I didn't see what caused the roll, so far it has handled even quite steep slopes well, even going across them. Top speed so far 35m/s, so here are some beauty shots.

You can see the crater I came out of behind the rover

Just after the roll, just lost the roofs, didn't even undock, the self righting system helped stop the roll

The image is centered on the rover looking south, not much further to the end of the valley.

So I could have gone straight south instead of going to the lowest part of the crater rim first and then turning south for the valley mouth. Would probably be at pathfinder right now. Good to remember, leave base and head 180 degrees south to get to pathfinder.

Edited September 11, 2015 by selfish_meme

[kStrout]

This is awesome that you guys are doing this all stock, but if we could also make a modded version with KIS and TAC life support, along with some mod allowing us to grow crops in the hab, we would have a truly interactive story. Also I may point out that in the book Watney had one RTG and drove mostly on battery power to recharge every 5 days using solar power. However I don't know how practical this is in KSP.

[selfish_meme]

This is awesome that you guys are doing this all stock, but if we could also make a modded version with KIS and TAC life support, along with some mod allowing us to grow crops in the hab, we would have a truly interactive story. Also I may point out that in the book Watney had one RTG and drove mostly on battery power to recharge every 5 days using solar power. However I don't know how practical this is in KSP.

Someone else can do the modded version, or even do it in parallel with us.

In the book he recharged every day, but had an oxygen day every four or five days. The batteries in KSP last about 5 to 10 minutes, so I need RTG's to make them last longer, so you can get an hours drive, then recharge. Overall I don't want people to have to drive the rover too long it can be a bit boring. That was my longest rover trip to date, just to get to pathfinder. The leg to get to the DAV is currently three times that.

Edit: after getting past 10 minutes the urge to do donuts or something equally stupid faded. I think the more time you have invested in the trip the less you want to crash.

[Majorjim!]

I think the more time you have invested in the trip the less you want to crash.

Agreed, it really takes patients to drive that far but it makes it very satisfying when you do.

[selfish_meme]

You may be wondering why go to pathfinder at all, there is no need. We cannot use any part of pathfinder to complete the journey, it's only symbolic. That may be true now, but in the future with 1.1 we are going to have ranged antennae. This means the DAV and Pathfinder will have the only antennae that can talk to Kerbin or a satellite in space. So? Well I am thinking ahead to when maybe this scenario involves tasks (contracts) and information is provided via radio (maps maybe?).

So what do you guys think, keep the pathfinder side trip or leave it out for now?

[CommanderSpock]

Keep it

[selfish_meme]

Actually it could be optional as long as there is a couple of hours more than the quickest short trip before the launch window, which you can timewarp through.

[selfish_meme]

So I made it, trouble is no anomaly. I'm using high terrain detail so it should be there. I have been cruising around trying to find it but no luck. everything I can find so far says it should be at

-30.8,-28.8

but no luck so far. Rover is still in good condition, sans roof. I am going to change over to a slightly updated model here and then do the next leg.

Edit: with a good route planned I probably could have done it in just over an hour, as it is it took me almost three.

-30.3 , -28.8

will check it out next time.

Edited September 12, 2015 by selfish_meme

[clivman]

Who is doing Hermes?

[selfish_meme]

Who is doing Hermes?

I know Yukon is doing a Hermes, but don"t let that stop you submitting your own. There is no predermined list. I will pick whichever craft fits best with the gameplay and the asthetic.

[bonyetty]

Please keep it selfish.

Oh would like to see your Hermies Yukon if possible. I am having trouble viewing the image using the link.

And great work guys looking fantastic.

[Westi29]

I also am working on a Hermes. Mine is based off of this guy's Deviant Art drawings. I tried using a cluster of RTG's and ion engines, but it's a lot easier to use the fuel cells and rocket fue with the ion engines. Mine rotates around the ion engines to simulate gravity (not perfect yet), is modular and launchable, and even has four monopropellent engines in the forward air lock to simulate the rescue scene.

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I'll upload craft files when I have launchers made and the rotation better.

[selfish_meme]

I also am working on a Hermes. Mine is based off of this guy's Deviant Art drawings. I tried using a cluster of RTG's and ion engines, but it's a lot easier to use the fuel cells and rocket fue with the ion engines. Mine rotates around the ion engines to simulate gravity (not perfect yet), is modular and launchable, and even has four monopropellent engines in the forward air lock to simulate the rescue scene. http://pre02.deviantart.net/9cbd/th/pre/i/2014/271/a/e/hermes_leaving_earth_by_francisdrakex-d80t79h.jpg

http://imgur.com/a/Ao8f0

I'll upload craft files when I have launchers made and the rotation better.

I like a smaller Hermes, the movie version surprised me with how big it was, it would probably cost the GDP of the US for a year to launch it.

[selfish_meme]

Holy crap it is big! Quite spectacular

[selfish_meme]

First launch, blew the Launchpad up, it got off the ground OK but a staging error later on (there only about 50 stages gimme a break) caused fairing loss. Back to the VAB for some more launch clamps and staging rearrangement, second launch 100km orbit, at the moment it is 350 odd parts (200 or so in the cargo - 2 rovers). It has no RCS and nearly all control came from the engine gimbals. 100+t into orbit. Left is the transfer stage 47t and the payload 58t. Do you think an S3-7200 and a rhino will get it to Duna?

Edit: Oh it's 2/3 scale same as the Ares 1, uses the same SRB's in fact.