This is why EVA needs fixing...

[Synapse]

Surface report mission, rover parts not unlocked yet, no minimap, 4x time warp 2 mission elapsed hours....

[RainDreamer]

How did you get your kerbal so far away? Did you drop him in flight?

[Synapse]

No, I've walked 10km on 4x time warp. The problem is that rover parts aren't unlocked by the time you get mass exploration missions on the Mun. And secondly there is no minimap.

[LordFerret]

I don't get it. What needs fixing?

[Parkaboy]

In my save, I didn't have rover wheels when I got the first survey contracts, but I had rockets, so I didn't have to walk!

Joking aside, the lack of a way to guide your kerbals on EVA to the mission markers (since they don't have access to the navball) is a bit annoying.

[Vaporo]

You, sir, have way too much time on your hands. How is that broken, though? Barring limited air supplies, it is not unfeasible that an astronaut could walk ten kilometers to a point of interest.

[Slam_Jones]

Seems more like you'd prefer tech tree fixing, rather than EVA fixing.

[Reactordrone]

You have to use map view and dead reckoning a lot and know when to give up and turn back. I routinely do 7-8km return trips on the Mun using the EVA backpack and I've found most ground targets to be about 2km apart so as long as you land somewhere near the target you should be able to find the spots with a minimum of walking.

[Synapse]

Using map view I found you can actually navigate using the stars. Sucks however that you'd need to do this.

[PTNLemay]

The limited instrumentation you have while on EVA is intentional, you wouldn't have the equivalent to the capsule's navigational computers jammed into just a space suit. You're lucky you at least have a HUD in your helmet that gives you targeting capabilities and distance values, as well as that altimeter.

[Itsdavyjones]

At best, the way to improve EVA's is to add a compass to the HUD, then at least you know what direction to go, relatively.

[1101]

Which could even then be not used on certain worlds, to simulate ones that have no magnetic field. Unless you're proposing some sort of fancy Gyro Compass....

[FlyingPete]

All that's really needed is a target marker in EVA view, the same as you get in flight when rendezvousing with a ship. Set the 'set navigation' option in map view and the target would appear with a crosshair.

[TokiTech]

I think what you need a mini monoprop VTOL craft for distant travel, if by driving on wheels that 10kM will still take you forever to get to.

[LordFerret]

Sorry, I don't seem to have this problem (?). If I go EVA on a planet/moon, I first check my map while still onboard the craft... I make note of the direction I want to head, and then note the stars in the sky... and a look-back for the return trip is a little helpful, but the vessel marker showing kind of eliminates the need. Compass not needed.

[Sof]

The best way is to just ignore those pointless survey missions.

You easily get enough money just building simple satellites for Kerbin orbit to upgrade all the buildings you need before the first interplanetary launch window opens. (Even with using Kerbal construction time)

Then the admin building will give you stupid amounts of science for completing those easy satellite missions that you won't even have to bother making lots of specialist missions to the Mun or Minmus or fiddle around with planes across Kerbin. You'll have more than enough science points to unlock the whole tech tree before you can afford to upgrade the R&D.

[Aragosnat]

Sorry, I don't seem to have this problem (?). If I go EVA on a planet/moon, I first check my map while still onboard the craft... I make note of the direction I want to head, and then note the stars in the sky... and a look-back for the return trip is a little helpful, but the vessel marker showing kind of eliminates the need. Compass not needed.

The problem is he ran out of EVA jet pack juice and yes he should have tried for a closer landing. Also a compass would be nice as well. Sometimes the contracts are a bit far apart and you don't want to waste fuel getting there due to the place being far away and some times a bit to far away to well. The craft did not live but the Kerbal did. Might as well go get them contracts complete. Now I just need to know whichway I'm goind to to craft no longer being there to get a reading from.

[GigaG]

I wonder if there could be a high-level Astronaut Complex facilities upgrade (around the time you get advanced probe cores) that would give EVA suits a HUD with manuever nodes. Maybe even on the face of their helmets in IVA (they need to have IVA for EVAs sometime.)

As for rover wheels, maybe they do need to be a bit earlier. Maybe a small, somewhat fragile wheel? And a heavier, more bulky command seat? This would limit the size of rovers early on.

Concept time!

-RoveMax Prototype Mini-Wheel

-Manufacturer-Kerbal Motion

-Mass-0.09t

-Max temp - 3200K

-Impact tolerance - 18m/s

-Cost -500

-Electricity - 1.2e/s

-Top drive speed - 9m/s

-Break speed - 17m/s

-Description: "After years of outcry against the lack of proper powered wheels, a small startup named Kerbal Motion was formed. When there was outcry that they took too long to produce their products, they released this thing - an inefficient, weak, heavy, expensive electric rover wheel. But hey, better than nothing, right!"

-Appearance - Looks like the RoveMax Model S2 but with more "bulk" and wheels that look kind of like cages.

-Tech Tree - Earlier than the stock wheels, preferably by more than 1 level. I haven't set an unlock cost.

-Because this kind of precludes the narrative of the M1 wheel, here is a new description for that-

"Initially planned to be the first RoveMax series product released, it took even longer to make when Kerbal Motion was pressured into releasing their prototype tiny wheel. So here you have it, then - a half-decent larger wheel!"

-The RoveMate rover body would be moved to the tech node with the prototype rover wheel.

-Kerbal Motion Prototype Rover Seat (functionally identical to the EAS-1 External Command Seat, but just crappier.)

-Manufacturer - Kerbal Motion

-Mass - 0.11t (not massless)

-Max temp - 2500K

-Impact tolerance - 10m/s

-Cost - 400

-Description - "Due to Kerbal Motion's release of a low-quality rover wheel, they needed to release a seat, too. Still angry at being forced to release their wheel early, they took revenge on space programs by cutting a rather uncomfortable chair out of the heaviest metal they could find in their factory and bolting the most expensive digital control system they could find onto the back of it. The only advantage over other seat concepts is its durability and the fact that it actually exists. Space programs have stated that Kerbal Motion should "never make a chair again."

-Appearance - A solid metal block cut into a vaguely chair-like shape, with a door on the back (representing access to the flight computer) and a joystick on one armrest.

-Tech Tree - Same as the Prototype Rover Wheel. I haven't set an unlock cost.

[Liowen]

What I have often asked for in either mod form, or in game itself, is something like the LRV that was used on the lunar mission from NASA. Mainly it was used to go from point A to point B and back again for collecting samples and visual surveys. Here is the basic idea of how it worked from the Apollo 15 press kit:

Maybe with something like KAS you could put small sensors on the rover to take get more information, but it would be limited to the smaller experiments (IE no mat bays or goo cans). Once deployed it could not be put back on the ship, much like the LRV. The cost would be minimal for the basic unit but if you wanted to add on more sensors it would add more to the cost, and maybe make them useless unless there is a Kerbal there to take the reading to keep from science spamming rovers.

Also here is the video of the Apollo 15 team deploying their Rover.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ShauSWcTC4

Edited January 11, 2015 by Liowen

[Rolanvorxariat]

Want deployable rovers. I have a Ike survey contract while I was planning a Ike mission, and I had to squeeze a rover into a formerly nice looking lander.

KAS needs to be stock.

Edited January 11, 2015 by Rolanvorxariat

[Renegrade]

There's

All that's really needed is a target marker in EVA view, the same as you get in flight when rendezvousing with a ship. Set the 'set navigation' option in map view and the target would appear with a crosshair.

a

What I have often asked for in either mod form, or in game itself, is something like the LRV that was used on the lunar mission from NASA. Mainly it was used to go from point A to point B and back again for collecting samples and visual surveys. Here is the basic idea of how it worked from the Apollo 15 press kit:

Mod

Want deplorable rovers. I have a Ike survey contract while I was planning a Ike mission, and I had to squeeze a rover into a formerly nice looking lander.

KAS needs to be stock.

For that.

(those are URLs, btw, last two are identical. I haven't tried the first one in EVA view, but it works VERY well in a vehicle.)

[Asharad]

There's nothing to fix. Don't accept contracts before you are ready. I like that you can be offered contracts before I have the tech available. It gives me something to work for.

[moogoob]

There's nothing to fix. Don't accept contracts before you are ready. I like that you can be offered contracts before I have the tech available. It gives me something to work for.

This. Why do people think you have to accept every contract that comes up, when it comes up?

[magnemoe]

You have to use map view and dead reckoning a lot and know when to give up and turn back. I routinely do 7-8km return trips on the Mun using the EVA backpack and I've found most ground targets to be about 2km apart so as long as you land somewhere near the target you should be able to find the spots with a minimum of walking.

Yes aim at target, burn forward and up, use map mode to confirm landings point.

If low on fuel aim 5-700 meter short as kerbals bounce well :-)

[Liowen]

There's

a Mod For that.

Has the issue with KAS flipping thing in low gravity been resolved? Last time I tried to make one using KAS it was a funny sight, but ended up destroying the lander.