Multi-Port Docking and Rings

[arq]

I finally decided to make a more-elaborate space station. I really liked some of the toroidal designs that people had and decided to follow that. I know that multiple-port docking is possible, though it treats all but one (the 'primary') of the connections as struts.

So I set out to make a station with 12 ring segments covering 30deg each. I have 3 'spokes' going to a core and so the orbital assembly step involves adding 3 segments between each pair of spokes. I successfully added a piece to each of two spokes, but when I try to 'connect' them with a third segment in the middle it gets very grumpy and starts flailing the 'secondary' connection around. Half the time the flailing subsides and half the time it rips the new part off or causes some other bug. So far I've only been able to complete 1/3 of the ring (and the connection there isn't great).

So, does anyone have suggestions for or experience with docking multi-port ring segments? Getting the alignment is especially difficult, because you need to connect with two ports that are 150deg apart (even with the docking port alignment mod this is tricky) and once it gets in range of one port the segment tends to get swung around a bit while the connection completes.

Edited August 27, 2013 by arq

[Nalin_Airheart]

Trying to make one of those fancy artificial gravity rings eh? I honestly don't know how to help but bigger docking ports = better connections. And avoid the octagonal strut because it will transform into a kraken and murder anything it touches. Also thats a ton of segments, why not just send a complete ring into space?

[Haze-Zero]

My experience is that making a segmented ring that you assemble and dock together is extremely frustrating, which you yourself are experiencing. I ended up sending mine up in one piece. You may wish to check out the Infernal Robots mod, it has docking washers which allow you to rotate your docking ports after they are docked.

[arq]

Thanks, after ditching the octagonal struts and the Jr docking ports, things are going much better. Though now the spacing is messed up. I'll need to work out a way to fix that...

[arq]

The station under construction, now using standard docking ports and no cubic octagonal struts:

And the finished project (took 25 dockings to assemble):

It went off without a hitch or any kraken attacks. Thanks!

Unfortunately, the spacing isn't quite right so the ring has small gaps. Maybe inline batteries are the right thickness to close them? That's a problem for another day...