How do you make your colonies?

[Hades514]

I always start with on landing module, then different modules like a lab module, storage module, etc. How about you?

[Geschosskopf]

I radially attach 4-6 Hitchhikers to a central core of some sort (girder spine or central module) and land the whole thing at once. None of this mucking about trying to dock base modules on the ground for me .

[phoenix_ca]

I wait for Modular Kolonization System to add ORS support. Then I go nuts with the modules.

That's the plan anyway.

[Overfloater]

I make them out of mobile modules. In case my landing spot doesn't have the best view.

I have already sent a 2nd colony, just have to merge 2 save files together and combine the colonies.

Also once in a long while (when I feel like it x-D) the crew is replaced, riding on a big comfy interplanetary bi-plane shuttle :^)

Edited May 17, 2014 by Overfloater

[Tw1]

I'm more a land-the-whole-shebang-at-once kind of guy.

I have two colonies, one on Minmus, one on the Mun, built of a few modules spread 2.5 km apart. I do add other parts, they get KAS pipe attached to the large modules.

[Felsmak]

I bury some Kerbals in the ground and wait for one to grow.

[Jon Tash]

I make them out of mobile modules. In case my landing spot doesn't have the best view.

I have already sent a 2nd colony, just have to merge 2 save files together and combine the colonies.

Also once in a long while (when I feel like it x-D) the crew is replaced, riding on a big comfy interplanetary bi-plane shuttle :^)

Interesting idea, a traveling base. I might try that soon.

When I build bases I often put a nuclear reactor in the center so that if it explodes, it destroys the whole base and I can move on to build something new.

My bases are generally multiple parts, landed one after the other and connected by pipes and what not (KAS mod).

[Vaporo]

I pile 3 or 4 hitchhiker cans on top of each other, then add parachutes, some fuel tanks, landing gear, and an engine on the bottom. On the top, I may add a docking port so that I can attach something else if I want. Not very elegant, but it works.

[Jean Deaux]

I bury some Kerbals in the ground and wait for one to grow.

Historically speaking, this apparently is also my preferred method.

[Tery215]

I just drop habitation modules w/ separatrons/large SRB's.

[TimePeriod]

I have never really seen the benefit of having a colony.

[Jon Tash]

Apart from building rocket (or whatever) on off world with the Extraplanetary Launchpad Mod there is no benefit. But there is some people that like doing RP stuff too.

[KvickFlygarn87]

Huh. Come to think of it, I've never actually built a colony!

Thanks a lot, that's tomorrow out the window

[Commander Zoom]

So far my only "colony" worthy of the name is my Mun base. Here are a few shots showing it in its current, "finished" (at least for now) state, along with the shuttle/skycrane used to land most of it.

The three tall landers were the initial core of the base, and still serve as the emergency return vehicles should it ever need to be abandoned. The flags between them commemorate the founding.

The power and comms mast was landed next, followed by a proper habitat module, which was assembled in Munar orbit (from the core and four wings, each of which was a separate launch/module), strutted (with KAS struts) and then very carefully landed in much the same fashion as the expansion is in these images. The latter includes two greenhouses, workshop space (the arm connecting to the hab), and a science lab. The supply pallet of KAS parts nearby had a small central fuel tank (now empty, of course), to simplify attachment to the shuttle and offset the fuel cost of bringing it down.

Off to the other side, you can see the base's fuel tank farm (the upright orange Jumbos), with refueling lines leading past the first shuttle, now used as a surface-to-surface hopper for the base. The tanks lying on their side are discarded empties; three of them have been welded together to serve as a solar storm shelter. (One of these days I'll get a bulldozer up there to pile some Munar soil on top of them for extra protection.) There's talk of turning the rest into wet workshops or the like, but the technology for that is still under development.

Edited May 18, 2014 by Commander Zoom

[Pecan]

I like those greenhouses - what mod are they from?

[Pwnstarr]

http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/greenhouse/

[Gojira]

Sometimes landing sites turn into permanent bases. Why? Usually the crew reports "out of fuel" or "only the cockpit survived." Generally it's the first one.

In all seriousness though I don't really see the benefits of colonies. What's the point (in-game) if there's no reward? Sure I'll probably build one on the Mun or Minmus or Duna or something but that probably won't happen for a while.

Edited May 18, 2014 by Gojira

[ArmchairGravy]

I do habitat modules, 2-man cans, and science labs with large docking ports on either end on the large rubber tires. Good amount of room aboard, stable to drive, easy to dock together, and doesn't require a lot of parts. Just make sure the wheels don't get ahead of the ports.

Edited May 18, 2014 by ArmchairGravy

[Smorfty]

Apart from building rocket (or whatever) on off world with the Extraplanetary Launchpad Mod there is no benefit...

as if there are no other mods have to do with bases

With KSP Interstellar, you can put research labs on the surface with 2 kerbals in each and 5 MW of electrical power and they'll generate science.

There's also Modular Kolonization System - http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/79588

[cantab]

In space. I've yet to make a ground colony.

[Richy teh space man]

I do my bases in one if I can, with support vehicles included with the main base. Other buildings/vessels come separately.

Main base in centre with 4 rovers supporting it. The airship to the left came on another vessel.

[The Jedi Master]

Drop a bunch of landers haphazardly somewhat close to each other. I'm not good at precision landings.

[Special Agent Sigvan]

Drop a bunch of landers haphazardly somewhat close to each other. I'm not good at precision landings.

*Tiredly raises had like a boss* Same here.

[r4pt0r]

Drop a bunch of landers haphazardly somewhat close to each other. I'm not good at precision landings.

ive been planing on doing a 6-pack of hitchhikers that separate with sepratrons at about 1000m they should all land within a 100m circle(on duna, deploy chutes well before separating)

[Captain Sierra]

My stuff gets sent out on massive colony ships if interplanetary.

When at the destination, I land it all and assemble it Temstar style on site.

Temstar Style:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/50685-Modular-Base-Creation-Kit

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/48876-The-art-of-modular-base-building

Given I am a Kethane user, there's plenty of reason for surface infrastructure and in both my theorycrafting and mission practice, I find that modularized infrastructure, albiet a bit more complicated to design, operate, and maintain, is generally more efficient with production and relocation.