How to build a rover?

[Leberschnitzel]

Hi everyone,

I think I got some design Problems or miss some functions of the Building part of KSP:

When I try to build a Rover with rovemates, I am not able to stick them together except on 2 Points. How can you build nice Rovers with more than one of them? Is there some function to attache them everywhere or to make more connection Points?

Thank you for your help

EDIT:

Thanks very much for your help guys!

You can read how it worked for me in this post:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/29533-What-did-you-do-in-KSP-today?p=677793&viewfull=1#post677793

Edited October 5, 2013 by Leberschnitzel
Solved!

[LeadMagnet]

You should be able to attach rover wheels to any surface of the Probodobodyne RoveMate part. With the RoveMax Model 1 and 2 and the TR-2L Ruggedized Vehicular Wheel, you can get 6 (3 on each side) without issue (some clipping with the larger wheels). The RoveMax Model 3 is a tad big for this part so you'll need some beams or girders to get more than 2 attached.

Try building your rovers in the SPH and save. Use the SubAssembly loader (included in version 0.22, I think) mod to include in your VAB builds.

[Johnno]

You don't need RoveMates to build rovers, you can use just about anything. For a functioning unmanned rover you need a probecore, a battery, powersource (solar panel or RTG) and wheel(s).

For attaching multiple RoveMates to eachother you'd have to do a workaround with I-beams or cubic octostruts or something.

Have a look at the Rover MEGATHREAD for inspiration.

[Leberschnitzel]

I think my problem is more a general building problem. For example this picture in the rover megathread:

http://i.imgur.com/bkGnG9I.jpg

how the hell do I fit those plates together to fitt that well?

[Starwhip]

If you build rovers in the SPH, which I do all the time, you can then test them on Kerbin before designing the launch vehicle. Holding SHIFT allows you to rotate parts by 5 degrees instead of 90. It helps quite a bit.

[capi3101]

Time for a shameless Hellhound 7 plug...

As for using structural panels (which I highly recommend; see the link for my usual array of rover building tips), Starwhip's got you covered. You touch the panels end to end, then rotate them (WASDQE) until the panels are flush with one another. It helps if you're zoomed in (keypad + and - control zoom in the VAB and SPH); you get a bit more control that way.

Johnno's got you covered on the necessary bits of rovers - only thing I'll add is to be sure to protect the vulnerable bits (the probe core and essential electrical systems) by encasing them in parts with high impact tolerance (panels and girders). Rovemates are totally unnecessary to make rovers - the core piece of the Hellhound is a reaction wheel.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with using Rovemates, particuarly for smaller rovers...the one in this pic can even haul a Kerbal around: