Planetary Docking System

[s1l3nt_c0y0t3]

There needs to be a better way to dock ships while on the surface of a planet. It is difficult to impossible to use the standard docking ports to attach two base elements to each other with docking ports while on the surface. Attaching parts with the claw is easier, but tends to crash the game. Plus, the claw's dimensions make it hard to add radially to anything meant to be lifted in a cargo bay. I'm thinking maybe a 1.25m part that has a covered docking port on the end and accordion extends out and can flex around to connect with other docking porst despite slightly uneven terrain.

[Wjolcz]

Fuel hoses and 1.25m corridor sleeves, so it doesnt feel weird when transferring crew + some KIS/KAS tools for kerbals.

[Superfluous J]

I'd be happy if you could transfer crew and resources around between any landed vessels that are a certain distance apart. Personally I'd be fine with "both in the physics window" but people would probably call that time saver "cheating."

[Kaezan]

you can use pathfinder with KAS for a workaround

[WinkAllKerb'']

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_absorber

spring, hydraulic, pneumatic etc. ; ; ; some need a way to get back at a vab/sph preset value to help with docking, could do the trick stock also.

[Snark]

Absolutely there needs to be a good way to dock landed ships. There are plenty of things I'd like to see in KSP, but IMHO the lack of a landed docking solution is far and away the biggest hole. Adding such a mechanism would be a huge enabler for planetary exploration, making bases possible.

<rant>

A space exploration game without planetary bases? Really? I appreciate that Squad is a tiny company and that there are far more things to do than there are people to do them. But it seems misplaced to pour so much effort into airplanes, patch after patch after patch, without addressing this gaping hole. Can we get some love for planetary exploration, here?

</rant>

Ahem. Sorry, don't know what came over me, there. Anyway, yes, this. A thousand times, this.

My personal favorite mechanism for this is what KAS/KIS does, with connector ports that an EVA kerbal can connect with a pipe via a couple of mouse clicks. Simple, effective, easy to use, looks good, and gives another reason for sending crewed missions. This should just be stock.

[Wcmille]

I'd be happy if you could transfer crew and resources around between any landed vessels that are a certain distance apart. Personally I'd be fine with "both in the physics window" but people would probably call that time saver "cheating."

I like it; it's simple to implement and doesn't mess with the pace of the game or create a tedious landing interaction.

I'd add to your rule:

Within certain distance (I like 15m) and *landed* and at least one is crewed. Maybe special part required by one of them.

[Superfluous J]

Within certain distance (I like 15m) and *landed* and at least one is crewed. Maybe special part required by one of them.

What if the ships are 8m wide, so you cannot physically get their centers 15m apart? I don't think you can (easily) determine if 2 ships' edges are 15m apart. I was leery to come up with a distance that was both restrictive enough to cause interesting gameplay, and generous enough to not cause inanity when you park your large fuel lifter next to your large drilling base.

[Waxing_Kibbous]

Check this guy out, he's awesome- whenever I watch his videos I think I need to be thinking more creatively and have more fun

The key is a bit of planning and standardizing (aka engineering).

[s1l3nt_c0y0t3]

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/110647-Xiggurat-Industrial-Group

I already have a standardized system. And if the terrain is anything other than perfectly flat, it still ranges from difficult to impossible to dock base parts on the surface on any planet with significant gravity (greater than 0.2G). I know it can be done; I've done it. I'm saying there should be a better way to do it. Just like you can build a space station with only 1.25m parts. I used to do that all the time. I still do it early in career mode. But it's so much easier with a part better suited to the task, the Clampotron Sr.

[fireblade274]

...part that has a covered docking port on the end and accordion extends out and can flex around to connect with other docking porst despite slightly uneven terrain.

That sounds great to me. i already have KIS/KAS but it would be a lot simpler and easier to have a port that can extend and adjust slightly to compensate for uneven terrain. Also would be a lot simpler then having to build a separate "crawler" vehicle aspect to construct base designs.