How do you make a modular land base?

[lyndonguitar]

I want my land bases to appear as "one vessel", like a Modular Station. however connecting things on land seems a bit harder. My modules are all scattered around and It fills up the tracking center of land bases

The reason for this is because I don't like to launch a unrealistic-already-connected-land-base from kerbin without fairings, I want them to be modular, constructing them one launch at a time.

Is there someone who have some modular land base craft files I can look into as an example? I found some pretty cool pics around here but no craft files

like this one but with a more optimized part count

Edited June 10, 2013 by lyndonguitar

[Syhrus]

I use KAS for this. I just attach the base together with winches set to docked mode. Best bit is that you don't even need to rebuild your current bases as there are detachable connector points. Just fly a 'substation' to your base and connect up all your different bits.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/25563-0-20-KAS-v0-3-1-Kerbal-Attachment-System

[lyndonguitar]

I use KAS for this. I just attach the base together with winches set to docked mode. Best bit is that you don't even need to rebuild your current bases as there are detachable connector points. Just fly a 'substation' to your base and connect up all your different bits.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/25563-0-20-KAS-v0-3-1-Kerbal-Attachment-System

I've been thinking of using this, Is this stable to use? "permanently" docking your base together using this won't break it? I might return one day and see my base all bugged up.

Actually I had suggested to the Dev there to put a Docking Strut style Attachment System, kinda like KAS but specializes on Docking Bases, not a rope, but a rigid object

[Johnno]

The simple answer is: Docking ports. Actually connecting stuff on the ground is easier, it's the landing parts close enough to eachother that's the hard part. There are threads for bases and whatnot in the exchange subforum, have a look there. I've seen lots of different designs utilizing wheels to drive modules around, others have landing legs and utilize a lifter vehicle to move them, some use both.

It's really just down to how you want it to look designwise, then make all the ports the same height and have a way to move them around and you're set.

[Sephta]

I've been thinking of using this, Is this stable to use? "permanently" docking your base together using this won't break it? I might return one day and see my base all bugged up.

Actually I had suggested to the Dev there to put a Docking Strut style Attachment System, kinda like KAS but specializes on Docking Bases, not a rope, but a rigid object

It's the same risk as using a mod with any other ship. KAS is in the comfortable position, that isn't made redundant by planned features (yet), so you can expect (hopefully), that it is maintained for another few versions. Hold updating until KAS has a propoer Version for any new release published and you should be fine. Also: You can remove the connectors from your stock-build base, remove only the connector hub build with KAS and you're fine for any future. Only costs an EVA

[Nibb31]

I think it's probably easier to dock things in munar orbit and land them together. This is what Bigelow wants to do with his modules. I have to try out this theory, but this can only work if the base is symetrically balanced.

If you want to dock them on the ground, you should fit them with wheels or with some kind of crane/tractor vehicle.

[entaran]

If you do the old docking ports route, launch them all on kerbin and dock them together on flat land to make sure you get the heights right. You _CANNOT_ dock if the z axis is not perfect. And you can't alter the z axis on the ground.