Ladders

[relin]

I'm trying to design a core module that allows for my Kerbals to transfer from one face of a cube to another, like so:

Jeb can EVA, follow down the first ladder to the second, but can't make it to the third. And he can't climb back up. I haven't attempted this in orbit, only on the launchpad.

Does anyone have an example of something that works?

Edited January 11, 2014 by relin
question answered, thanks everyone

[stevism]

have you tried "Shift Hold to rotate parts in 5° instead of 90° steps"

let's you be more accurate with the ladders.

otherwise im not sure. maybe the direction has something to with it.

but why bother? EVAs are fun

[relin]

have you tried "Shift Hold to rotate parts in 5° instead of 90° steps"

let's you be more accurate with the ladders.

otherwise im not sure. maybe the direction has something to with it.

but why bother? EVAs are fun

All three ladders are adjusted in that way: the first in tilted toward the cupola by 5%, and the others are... some number of degrees, I didn't pay THAT close attention Though I'm stuck, what I did find is that an obtuse-enough angle will allow Jeb to transfer as expected... in one direction.

And while EVAs are fun, they make me nervous. Plus, having ladders around the whole thing is just cool.

[Markus Reese]

I think it is a matter of angles myself. What happens if you use one long ladder to go between the two?

[relin]

I think it is a matter of angles myself. What happens if you use one long ladder to go between the two?

Two things happen:

I still need the short ladder to make sure Jeb can transfer across the senior docking ports. Without it, he just falls through the long ladder (I haven't tried this in orbit: can Jeb do that without a ladder off-world? Maybe another experiment.)

With the short ladder, he will transfer down to the long ladder. Just like before, however, he won't go back up.

[6.forty]

This works on the launchpad, not sure about in orbit though.

[Markus Reese]

Yeah, I would need to play around with it a bit to figure it out as well. I think it is just an angles thing messing it up. Ladders are funny that way. Sometimes fine, sometimes want to smash! I had one rocket where a ladder had to make a partial spiral to clear some stuff and that part worked fine, then it got hung up one one silly bit!

[relin]

http://i.imgur.com/G4kMltTl.png

This works on the launchpad, not sure about in orbit though.

Here's a more relevant example of what I'm attempting to do:

There's an escape pod on all four senior ports along one axis, while two opposite ports are left open for modular expansion. My hope it to allow Kerbals to leave habitat modules outside of this core module and walk their way to an escape pod: one long ladder, no free EVA.

I followed your lead in the image above and attached the ladder to the attached piece instead of the core itself, and I'm happy to report that it works. It's a little ugly, but I can pretty it up later.

That said, I'd prefer ladders on the core since it makes modular builds more doable. That way I can design several different connecting pieces that would connect with the core. Any other ideas? I'm not against different designs on the core, either: I just hope to have six degrees of freedom when building.

[Monger]

Do the ladders need to be retractable? Otherwise you might consider covering your curvy surface with additional structural elements that are a little straighter.

[relin]

Do the ladders need to be retractable? Otherwise you might consider covering your curvy surface with additional structural elements that are a little straighter.

Caught me just before bed.

No, ladders do not need to be retractable. I just prefer it because of weight and because it's cool to see them all toggle in unison when the thing's in orbit.

No matter how I go about building the core, though, I still wind up coming across the same problems as with the aesthetic look I've shared so far: I gotta get a Kerbal from one face of the cube to another.

Got an example of what you mean? Seeing something else might inspire me.

[DrMonte]

Here it is:

Kerbonaut smoothly goes from the ladder beginning to its end. Meaning you must place next ladder at the previous end and never cross them (direction does not matter). Even a gap or an angle will not hurt just NO INTERSECTIONS.

I say smoothly because with some twinkle winkle around (to left and right) Kerbonaut can get to the next ladder even if it is placed badly (or falloff into deep space).

Edited January 10, 2014 by DrMonte

[lajoswinkler]

You need to use shift key small increments in angle, avoiding intersections. There are cases when a Kerbal can be thrown into space because of the glitch.

I like ladders, too.

What kind of station are you trying to make?

[PapaGuido]

Looks like someone needs to make a procedural ladders mod!

[relin]

You need to use shift key small increments in angle, avoiding intersections. There are cases when a Kerbal can be thrown into space because of the glitch.

I like ladders, too.

What kind of station are you trying to make?

Nice station! That gif at the end of the post really makes it.

This question was specific to a space hotel, but I'm designing a completely modular set of station parts. I've gotten the fuel, power and docking parts finished, so I've been working on the hotel parts for a few days now. Here's my finished fuel depot:

A spacedock and a stardock are visible (former connects via a shielded docking port, the latter with a senior). Eight jumbo fuel tanks, sixteen large RCS tanks, and sixty-four of the small Xenon tanks. Eleven launches in all, and I could have brought up more tanks if needed... I stopped because it because too difficult to rotate the thing after the first four.