Space station with quadruple-docks

[PTNLemay]

And so my quest for an obsessively solid station begins.

A total of 10 connection points, each with 4 junior docks, perfectly aligned using the sub-assembly loader. Using this I can build away from one of the nodes, turn at a right angle, build down, turn a right angle again, and rejoin the bottom node. So long as all of the opposing connectors are of perfectly equal lengths (meaning so long as they're made of the same parts, really).

I hope to at least build a cube before my computer start to sputter. This part of the station already uses 84 parts, which isn't too bad... but I'd like to make it much bigger. And yes I realize that in the end the station may well be less stable due to the extra numbers of parts being used, I'm still gonna have fun trying.

[SkyRender]

You know, it's a lot simpler just to use Clamp-o-Tron Sr. docking ports...

[FITorion]

I admire your bravery... but... I have never managed to get multiple ports to connect properly and it only gets harder as you increase the number of ports.

It is far more easy to just use the a Sr port.

[PTNLemay]

You know, it's a lot simpler just to use Clamp-o-Tron Sr. docking ports...

The problem is that as the station gets bigger, the need for everything to be properly aligned becomes more and more important. With seniors you can ensure a 90 degree connection on the first portion but beyond the first joint it can start to veer off. You can tip-toe your way around it, but I'd rather use connections that just don't connect until you're perfectly aligned. Like with the multi-docks.

This is a Sketchup to show you what I mean, with multi-docks this kind of miss-alignment can't happen. But with singular docks it happens ALL the time.

[PTNLemay]

Is it just me, or has my meticulous OCD plan failed me already? They must be straight, and yet... I get a sneaking suspicion that they're not.

EDIT:

It was probably just a trick of the shadows. I think it's looking good. I should have a proper square done after the next launch. I'll connect the last corner bit out, then disconnect that whole side and flip it. That way I can approach a flat surface to a flat surface rather than try to connect surfaces that are at right angles to one another simultaneously.

EDIT 2:

So... I learned something. I had assumed that since the docks connected to their respective components pretty much straight as can be, if the docks connected perfectly you would end up with a perfect square, sadly these two pics will confirm that's not the case. Essentially, the game will allow a dock even when it's not perfectly aligned.

http://i.imgur.com/jsBiZW8.png

http://i.imgur.com/gU8UwH7.png

Edited December 14, 2013 by PTNLemay