A KAS-Quantum PodRacer

[katateochi]

In a recent PM a friend suggested that Mods are the path to the darkside. Given that I use loads of mods that must mean I'm on the darkside. So it seemed only right that I should make my own podracer using these darkside powers.

Using the latest KAS release and Quantum struts I have made a craft where the engines are disconnected from the actual pod, they are only joined by 'magic' forces, no structural links.

Here's a short vid showing it;

And some more pics

The new KAS + Quantum struts make a very powerful combination. You can securely join anything to anything now, with or without docking ports, perfect for holding loose objects in cargo bays. You can just connect the KAS to any object, say a rover, then set the docked mode on the KAS and any QStruts that cover where the rover is parked will lock on to it. Very cool.

[soranno]

just awesome... races must be had!!!

[loppnessmonsta]

That's very cool. Have you tried removing the girder connecting the two engines? Also, you might be able to use the Lazor mod to make it levitate like in the movies. I don't know if that would hold up at speed, though.

[Tw1]

How do you place parts together like that in the SPH?

Or is this two craft linked together outside?

[katateochi]

That's very cool. Have you tried removing the girder connecting the two engines? Also, you might be able to use the Lazor mod to make it levitate like in the movies. I don't know if that would hold up at speed, though.

I did wonder about removing the girder between the engines. This was a first (rather hastily) done attempt, I might try that and the Lazor mod idea too.

How do you place parts together like that in the SPH?

Or is this two craft linked together outside?

There is a girder which holds everything in place until the KAS is hooked up, then it gets ejected. The way they are connected up is shown at the beginning of the vid.

[llamatoes]

Craft. NOW

[Vanamonde]

Awesome craft and movie, as always. But it's too bad you're only a master of evil, Katateochi!

[magnemoe]

Very cool, now put some rocket engines on the pod, and you can probably take it to orbit, Anakin was unable to do that

[loppnessmonsta]

Also, I propose that these officially be called Kodracers. Because it amuses me to imagine clumsy little green men riding fish as they race.

[CalculusWarrior]

Congratulations! That looks amazing!

"Wobbly space stations lead to Quantum Struts... Quantum Struts lead to KAS... KAS leads to KW Rocketry... KW Rocketry leads to *gasp* Mechjeb!"

[Darren9]

Great craft, I'm trying to make one Every time I connect a second KAS to the third pod (going for no center connection) it either buckles horribly or explodes. Has anyone got a three-part design to work?

[Catullus]

Try deactivating the quantum struts until it's all connected, then turn them on one side at a time.

[Darren9]

I've stolen your idea again Katateochi I managed to get rid of the middle strut after a fight with KAS. The dark side will never win!

[katateochi]

I've stolen your idea again Katateochi I managed to get rid of the middle strut after a fight with KAS. The dark side will never win!

Nice one! I like the separate engine design. Never underestimate the power of the darkside.

Craft. NOW

I've put the craft file in my public dropbox for ya'll;

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9436261/PodRacer2.craft

Action groups 1 and 2 toggle Qstruts,

3 toggles the ladder

4 raises the middle wheel on the pod, which I recommend lifting before trying to take off, G will raise all the others but ignores this central wheel.

It uses the KAS and quantum struts mods, but also has the TAC fuel balancer and some other parts from some non-plugin mods.

There is also a zip in my dropbox which includes all the parts which it uses. I have a script that generates these bundles from the craft file, I can't yet determine which plugins are used in code, so it just includes all my plugins so only take those you want. It has all the parts, stock and mod;

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9436261/PodRacer2_mod_bundle.zip

[Catullus]

Ooo, can I have the script?

[katateochi]

Ooo, can I have the script?

Sure, but it's written in Ruby (so you need that language installed) and currently only designed to work with Linux file paths. If you install Ruby on Rails for windows then that comes with a BASH prompt so file paths are OS agnostic and it will work, but unless you're a coder that might be too much hassle.

BUT!! I'm in the process of developing a little side tool kit for KSP and that will include this mod bundler for your craft files. It's main aim thou is to put your craft (and persistence) files under a version control system (GIT no less) and automatically track your craft as you make changes to them, enabling you to roll any craft back to a previous version without you needing to make copies of the craft all the time or having a complex naming scheme. It will automatically add them to version control every time you launch it with a slight change to the design. So if you have a perfectly working craft, then go and make some changes to it and find it's now totally broken, then you will be able to click on a previous version of the craft and restore it.

You'll also be able to manage your craft from another machine or tablet device on your network too (so you don't even need to tab out of KSP). It's very much a WIP atm, gonna need testers for it at some point thou.

[Catullus]

That's fine, I've been tinkering with a similar thing in Python, so it's more for the ideas than a perfectly working solution.

[lobsterbark]

Now make it an SSTO!