The best way to build Rovers

[Dr. Muttonstache]

Is there an easier way to build rovers besides making them in the VAB? Symmetry with wheels gets all whack in there. I tend to guess where to place my wheels, one by one (because if I use x2 symmetry, one wheel is facing up, the other the right way) by using points where the wheel slips/flips/changes direction on the part where I'm placing it, and repeat for the other side, tends to work fine, but its a long process, or rather, could be shorter.

How do the rest of you make rovers? (and actually fly them somewhere, mind you.)

[Vanamonde]

Many of us build them in the SPH with bilateral symmetry, then leave the game and copy the .craft file to the VAB folder, then return to the game and build a rocket under the rover in the VAB. However, this causes a couple of nasty headaches of its own. Moving the rover can cause some struts to disappear, and when you leave the flight, the game will try to default-return to the SPH instead of the VAB each time. There's a fix for the SPH return, which is to change line 3 of the .craft file from SPH to VAB, but that doesn't fix the strut problem, and may cause an even nastier glitch in which parts get stuck to the mouse pointer and you can't set them down. In short, it's a headache either way.

[envivor]

Surely there must be a clever way to do it in VAB? For me it sometimes works best to first do 1 side, then alt+click it to copy, then drag to the other side and use the QWEASD keys to flip it the right way. Then I add the bits that only go on one side.

[CalculusWarrior]

I use Subassembly Loader, or just bite the bullet and build them in the VAB. Symmetry I find helps for opposite wheels, so then I only have to place two, rather than having to line up all four perfectly.

[Dr. Muttonstache]

Many of us build them in the SPH with bilateral symmetry, then leave the game and copy the .craft file to the VAB folder, then return to the game and build a rocket under the rover in the VAB. However, this causes a couple of nasty headaches of its own. Moving the rover can cause some struts to disappear, and when you leave the flight, the game will try to default-return to the SPH instead of the VAB each time. There's a fix for the SPH return, which is to change line 3 of the .craft file from SPH to VAB, but that doesn't fix the strut problem, and may cause an even nastier glitch in which parts get stuck to the mouse pointer and you can't set them down. In short, it's a headache either way.

I wasn't aware you could do this, but with the problems you've mentioned, i think i'll pass on that for now, unless I get desperate!

[Giggleplex777]

You can press the button with a hexagon in it so that it turns into a circle. This allows things to be surfacely attached.

[loppnessmonsta]

Indeed, turning angle snap off helps. But if you just really want to use angle snap, you can try addons like Subassembly Loader.

[W3asel]

I use the VAB and can get perfectly symetrical wheel placement:

put a cubic strut on the bottom node of whatever you've got so far

attach beams to the side of it using 2-way symmetry and snap-to-angle

attach wheels to the ends of the beams

move the cubic strut (and everything attached to it) to where one of the wheel placements should go

copy from the cubic strut (alt-click/drag I think is the default) to everywhere else you want wheels

This method certainly has limitations - I placed the cubic mounts using 2-way symmetry on my last rover and from then on anything I attached to the beams by the wheels would go to 4-way symmetry but only attach to three places, no idea why (I just carefully placed the 4th without symmetry). I'd post pictures, but I'm not on the computer I use for KSP currently.

edit: I didn't come up with this - it was mentioned on the forums shortly after .19 came out, but obviously I can't go find the post to give credit anymore.

[Dr. Muttonstache]

I use the VAB and can get perfectly symetrical wheel placement:

put a cubic strut on the bottom node of whatever you've got so far

attach beams to the side of it using 2-way symmetry and snap-to-angle

attach wheels to the ends of the beams

move the cubic strut (and everything attached to it) to where one of the wheel placements should go

copy from the cubic strut (alt-click/drag I think is the default) to everywhere else you want wheels

This method certainly has limitations - I placed the cubic mounts using 2-way symmetry on my last rover and from then on anything I attached to the beams by the wheels would go to 4-way symmetry but only attach to three places, no idea why (I just carefully placed the 4th without symmetry). I'd post pictures, but I'm not on the computer I use for KSP currently.

edit: I didn't come up with this - it was mentioned on the forums shortly after .19 came out, but obviously I can't go find the post to give credit anymore.

I actually used this on my rover last night before you posted this, it worked pretty well.

[AffreuxLex]

You can sort of fake bilateral symmetry.

- Place your first wheel as a single part in the place you want it.

- Grab a second wheel and press X to get bilateral symmetry.

- Go to the opposite side to a point where you can see the original wheel.

- Line up your second wheel so that the ghost image overlaps the first wheel. Your new one will be upside down.

- Once you have matched the first wheel, press Shift+X without moving your new wheel to return to single part mode.

- Flip your new wheel 180 degrees and apply. It will now perfectly match your first wheel.

Edit: Threw in a few hopefully helpful pictures

Edited April 29, 2013 by AffreuxLex

[Brofessional]

see this

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/26233-Editor-Tools