[1.12.x] The Malemute Rover

[RoverDude]

Don't worry, @Kowgan - it will fit in the corresponding MKS parts

[DStaal]

And Nils has said he's going to try to get the garage to fit the PackRat, at the very least...  (Which *nearly* fits - it's within the suspension limits on the wheels to get through the door.)

---

Finally got a chance to actually play around with the rover a bit - even it was just a test build at the KSC.  Some quick thoughts:

• I'm going have to write up CLS and AntennaRange patches for this.    (Should the Service Bay be passable?  I'm not sure how wide the center section is.)
• I love the extra attachment points on the undercarriage - a great place to put some RTG's to power this whole thing.  (Though the big RTG's I put in blocked the wheel on that section.  I kinda expected that.)  Though I do wonder if that was your intended use.
• Could we get an attachment node on the front of the main cabin?  It's useful to secure it in cargo bays for shipping - I'm not actually sure how to ship one of these at the moment, though I'm sure I can figure out something.  Also, it makes it easier to build a rover in the SPH, and then attach it to a transit vehicle.
• For some reason I was expecting the Geology Lab to have a built-in ScanOMatic/resource scanner.  Though being able to pull up a map is nice.

Still, looking forward to deploying it in the field. 

[Vrana]

Just now, DStaal said:

Should the Service Bay be passable?  I'm not sure how wide the center section is.

Since the only two parts which always have crew are front (cabin) and back (rear airlock) seems to make sense to make it passable. Also as far as shipping goes, rear airlock has an attach point i think.

[DStaal]

It makes some sense - but on the other hand, there are parts which definitely shouldn't be passable, like the cargo bed.  So not all configurations expect you to use the rear airlock for entry/egress.

I'll take a look at the rear airlock - that could be useful.  Though unless the behavior has changed in 1.1.x, it doesn't help in what I'd consider the standard case of starting building at the front of the rover - when you try to merge it in to your transit ship, only open attach points on your root part will be available.

Oh: One other question for Rover: Do those expandable docking ports (well, the mount for them anyway) match heights with anything in MKS?  I haven't had a chance to check yet.  (I'll check eventually - but if they don't, I don't think I'll be using them much, despite how cool they are.)

[Tr1gg3r]

Lol, love the star wars targeting computer graphic in iva view, nice  

[panarchist]

Super-awesome!  And you're right, the rover in Last Days on Mars was killer.  So was all the gear in that movie - too bad the movie was so horrid otherwise.  Would have liked to see more of their ship in orbit, too.  This is going to make an awesome addition to the Karibou.

[KhaosCorp]

18 minutes ago, panarchist said:

Super-awesome!  And you're right, the rover in Last Days on Mars was killer.  So was all the gear in that movie - too bad the movie was so horrid otherwise.  Would have liked to see more of their ship in orbit, too.  This is going to make an awesome addition to the Karibou.

HAHA it's crazy right??

 

If the writers had been even 1/4 as good as the props department and the technical advisors that movie would have been amazing. 

[drhay53]

AVC says the Firespitter and CRP released with the malemute are not the latest versions, btw.

[mikerl]

The Malemute front piece actually does have a front attachment node.  The problem is its sunk too far in to see, unless you grab something big like a fuel tank.  I found it when trying to compare it to a mk3 cargo bay.

[Nils277]

7 hours ago, Kowgan said:

Thanks for the winch tip! But yeah, I guess rescaling the garage can be a bit tricky, since it's already done in measure to fit the adapter part, etc. Would be nice if Roverdude had teammed up with Nils while creating the Malemute, to make sure it would fit there in the first place.

A rescale is already planned  Other rovers like the Buffalo should fit too. I waited for the Malemute with rescaling to make sure it fits too. But this is rather a topic for the KPBS thread. 

Back to topic: @RoverDude you have uploaded a Video to YouTube some time ago, that shows an early version of the Malemute together with trailer hitches.

Do you plan to release them some day for the Malemute? They looked quite fun. Or were they too unreliable the be used in a wide range?

Edited May 17, 2016 by Nils277

[Vrana]

7 hours ago, DStaal said:

 

I'll take a look at the rear airlock - that could be useful.  Though unless the behavior has changed in 1.1.x, it doesn't help in what I'd consider the standard case of starting building at the front of the rover - when you try to merge it in to your transit ship, only open attach points on your root part will be available.

 

 

What i usually do is start from the cabin/command pod and then, when i am finished, use the re-root widget to change the root to whatever part needs root status for the sub-assembly to work.

[Kwarazi]

Oh Wow I can't keep up with all of your mods although been a member and had KSP for over 5 years now, I have only recently since 1.1 was released started playing. I have only just started a career mode game and have all of these installed including LS and enjoying every minute of them, keep it up @RoverDude I love your work its great.

[RoverDude]

11 hours ago, DStaal said:

Oh: One other question for Rover: Do those expandable docking ports (well, the mount for them anyway) match heights with anything in MKS?  I haven't had a chance to check yet.  (I'll check eventually - but if they don't, I don't think I'll be using them much, despite how cool they are.)

They exactly match the standard height for MKS bits.

9 hours ago, drhay53 said:

AVC says the Firespitter and CRP released with the malemute are not the latest versions, btw.

Better get the new ones then - KSP-AVC is doing it's job

4 hours ago, Nils277 said:

Back to topic: @RoverDude you have uploaded a Video to YouTube some time ago, that shows an early version of the Malemute together with trailer hitches.

Do you plan to release them some day for the Malemute? They looked quite fun. Or were they too unreliable the be used in a wide range?

Eventually, was more of a POC

[vardicd]

 

[panarchist]

Messing around with the (very versatile) Malemute:

I'm pretty sure that voids the warranty.  All stock parts except for the Malemute, of course.

Jeb will fly anything, apparently.  Also, it's a real pain to get off the runway.

Edited May 17, 2016 by panarchist

[goldenpsp]

That is a bad@ss plane

[SpeckledFleebeedoo]

The interiors should have no hatches. The Free IVA mod (partially) integrated this, but it doesn't seem to be updated to 1.1 due to lack of time.

Right now, some parts are looking a little cramped...

[RoverDude]

I have no idea what you're saying/asking.

Every hatch is there for a reason, and I'm quite happy with how the IVAs are.

[panarchist]

45 minutes ago, goldenpsp said:

That is a bad@ss plane

Thanks!  The CoG is too far forward to make orbit right now - it's needs some rework to be a viable SSTO, but I love the way the cab looks and after looking at the modular nature for a while, my mind's eye was saying "This would make an awesome orbital taxi", followed by "I should put an engine on the back of this in the VAB", and then it morphed into a spaceplane.

These are the things I do on lunch on a workday.  After work, I might screw around with it and add some other USI parts to make something probably not flyable - but I really like how this one turned out overall.

Oh, and agree with RoverDude: +1 to awesome IVAs - it's supposed to look cramped, it's smaller than the Karibou.

Edited May 17, 2016 by panarchist

[DStaal]

Anyone else have it dance the jitterbug on the smaller wheels?  It's steady as a rock on the main ones, but on the small I get it bouncing around all over the place - even with the brakes on on the runway.

Oh, and I've got configs for CLS and AntennaRange - I'll set up a PR for them tomorrow, but for the moment I'll put them here for comment.  They appear to work in my install.

CLS: https://github.com/DanStaal/KSP-Configs/blob/master/Malmute_CLS.cfg

Spoiler

// The majority of the parts are attachable only at the front and back nodes.
// Not surface passable - you'd be cutting through equipment, so don't do that.

@PART[Malemute_RoverCab,Malemute_RoverCrewCab,Malemute_RoverScienceLab,Malemute_RoverServiceBay,Malemute_RoverTail,Malemute_RoverTank*]
{
    MODULE
	{
		name = ModuleConnectedLivingSpace
		surfaceAttachmentsPassable = false
		passablenodes = top,bottom
	}
}

// Docking module is passable via front, back, the docking nodes, and surface attach.
// (Because if you want to cut into it to attach stuff, there's nothing stopping you - it's designed for transfers.)

@PART[Malemute_RoverDockModule]
{
    MODULE
	{
		name = ModuleConnectedLivingSpace
		surfaceAttachmentsPassable = true
		passablenodes = top,bottom,dock1,dock2
	}
}

// Docking Port is passable no matter what you do with it.

@PART[Malemute_ExpandingDockingPort]
{
    MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleConnectedLivingSpace
        passable = true
        passableWhenSurfaceAttached = true
        surfaceAttachmentsPassable = true
    }
}

AntennaRange: https://github.com/DanStaal/KSP-Configs/blob/master/AntennaRange_configs/Malemute.cfg

Spoiler

// Malmute looks like it has one of the whip antennas - so I'm matching that.

@PART[Malemute_RoverScienceLab]:NEEDS[AntennaRange]
{
	@MODULE[ModuleDataTransmitter]
	{
		@name = ModuleLimitedDataTransmitter
		nominalRange = 6364
		simpleRange = 20500000
		maxPowerFactor = 8
		maxDataFactor = 4
	}

}

 

[vardicd]

7 hours ago, DStaal said:

Anyone else have it dance the jitterbug on the smaller wheels?  It's steady as a rock on the main ones, but on the small I get it bouncing around all over the place - even with the brakes on on the runway.

Kottabos Noted this behavior as well in his youtube review, at the end of his video his little 'stumpy' rover was jittering around. He said he noticed this when using 4 of the smaller wheels, but another of his rovers, which was using 10 or 12 of the smaller wheels, was stable. I have seen this behavior myself in game with stock wheels. I, personally, think its a matter of the wheels having too much spring in the suspension, with not enough weight in the craft to hold them down, as it only seems to happen for me on lighter or smaller craft.

[FRESH71]

Will it support RPM?

[RoverDude]

Everything 'supports' RPM, but unless someone sends me a pull request for a non-laggy RPM cockpit, it will not be included as I don't use RPM.

[Tantalus]

Hi @RoverDude, really a great rover (once again). Only two small questions: is it intended that the malemuthe is behind the karibou in tech tree? And do you plan to list it on ckan?

Regards

Tantalus

Oh, and by the way, imho the movie wasnt that bad. Ive seen much worse

Edited May 18, 2016 by Tantalus

[RoverDude]

CKAN eventually.  Tech tree placement is by design, same place a lot of other rovers have.  Karibou is more of a construction platform.