Rock Collecting

[Just Jim]

2 hours ago, Djolox said:

Why are you using HyperEdit? I think we should do this legit not to ruin the fun.

For now I think most everyone is using it to verify and learn what we can about them.  

As for myself, I won't lie. I used HE so I could find one ASAP to use in my Emiko story.  If you haven't read it, then you wouldn't really understand, and that's cool.  But in a nutshell, I'm already using floating boulders a lot, and having a real Magic Boulder is a gift that practically writes itself in.  The second I learned about them I knew I had to have one to play with.
Don't get me wrong, I don't mind doing it the hard way, I already have an asteroid scout probe in orbit over Dres that could eventually locate one, no problem.  The problem is it could take years in game time, and this seriously screws up my story's subplots.  So I used HE to save time. 
 

[Djolox]

2 minutes ago, Just Jim said:

For now I think most everyone is using it to verify and learn what we can about them.  

As for myself, I won't lie. I used HE so I could find one ASAP to use in my Emiko story.  If you haven't read it, then you wouldn't really understand, and that's cool.  But in a nutshell, I'm already using floating boulders a lot, and having a real Magic Boulder is a gift that practically writes itself in.  The second I learned about them I knew I had to have one to play with.
Don't get me wrong, I don't mind doing it the hard way, I already have an asteroid scout probe in orbit over Dres that could eventually locate one, no problem.  The problem is it could take years in game time, and this seriously screws up my story's subplots.  So I used HE to save time. 
 

I get it, but I am kinda nostalgic for those find it legit times. Totally understand your reasons.

[Just Jim]

Just now, Djolox said:

I get it, but I am kinda nostalgic for those find it legit times. Totally understand your reasons.

Oh, I hear you!  Other than this one time, I'll stick to doing it the old fashioned way.  Much more fun that way. 

[Djolox]

1 minute ago, Just Jim said:

Oh, I hear you!  Other than this one time, I'll stick to doing it the old fashioned way.  Much more fun that way. 

I already have a probe on the way! I am using ion propulsion for the job!

[Just Jim]

You can see my asteroid scout attached to the one I found.  It's also Ion, but is rigged with a lot of vernor thrusters for close in maneuvering.  It has enough xenon to last for years, but also has a small drill and converter to replace the fuel for the thrusters. 
Also, if you look close, you'll notice a few solar panels got torn off when I captured it.  This one definitely doesn't like to be taunted!  hehehe

[Astrofox]

"Don't Taunt The Magic Boulder"

[Djolox]

21 hours ago, Just Jim said:

You can see my asteroid scout attached to the one I found.  It's also Ion, but is rigged with a lot of vernor thrusters for close in maneuvering.  It has enough xenon to last for years, but also has a small drill and converter to replace the fuel for the thrusters. 
Also, if you look close, you'll notice a few solar panels got torn off when I captured it.  This one definitely doesn't like to be taunted!  hehehe

Which sizes can they go up to? C? 

[ThatGuyWithALongUsername]

10 hours ago, Djolox said:

Which sizes can they go up to? C? 

Someone found a size D, so they can at least go up to that.

[ProtoJeb21]

Call me crazy, but I have decided to do a scientific and statistical analysis of the Magic Boulders in order to determine how common they are, and what colors are possible.

PROCEDURE:

1. Start a new KSP save.
2. Timewarp in the tracking station and track a total of 50 asteroids.
3. Use HyperEdit to visit each asteroid one at a time to check whether or not they are a magic boulder.
4. Mark the Magic Boulders with a spacecraft; Note their colors.
5. Find the probability of a Magic Boulder using the data from the hunt.
6. Once all MBs have been found in the 50 patch of asteroids, repeat steps 2-5 again. Remove any non-MBs before starting again.
7. Find the average probability of Magic Boulders (#/150) and the average percentage.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Amount of asteroids.

DEPENDENT VARIABLES: Size, color, and class of asteroid; Magic Boulder or not; Probability of Magic Boulders appearing.

I will post my results after I have combed through 150 individual asteroids, which may take a few hours or a few days. I should have some interesting results!

[ThatGuyWithALongUsername]

6 minutes ago, ProtoJeb21 said:

Call me crazy, but I have decided to do a scientific and statistical analysis of the Magic Boulders in order to determine how common they are, and what colors are possible.

PROCEDURE:

1. Start a new KSP save.
2. Timewarp in the tracking station and track a total of 50 asteroids.
3. Use HyperEdit to visit each asteroid one at a time to check whether or not they are a magic boulder.
4. Mark the Magic Boulders with a spacecraft; Note their colors.
5. Find the probability of a Magic Boulder using the data from the hunt.
6. Once all MBs have been found in the 50 patch of asteroids, repeat steps 2-5 again. Remove any non-MBs before starting again.
7. Find the average probability of Magic Boulders (#/150) and the average percentage.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Amount of asteroids.

DEPENDENT VARIABLES: Size, color, and class of asteroid; Magic Boulder or not; Probability of Magic Boulders appearing.

I will post my results after I have combed through 150 individual asteroids, which may take a few hours or a few days. I should have some interesting results!

Cool! Magic Boulder SCIENCE is great!

[Astrofox]

@ProtoJeb21 you should make a spreadsheet just for this. Maybe even some stuff in Desmos (online free graphing calculator)?

[ProtoJeb21]

14 minutes ago, ThatGuyWithALongUsername said:

Cool! Magic Boulder SCIENCE is great!

It's great...unless you taunt Magic Boulder.

13 minutes ago, Astrofox said:

@ProtoJeb21 you should make a spreadsheet just for this. Maybe even some stuff in Desmos (online free graphing calculator)?

Maybe, although you gave me an idea to record these observations on a Google Spreadsheet.

[Just Jim]

I just found a second one around Dres, and it's also green!  This one is Class-E, so I can confirm they do get this big.

[ProtoJeb21]

6 minutes ago, Just Jim said:

I just found a second one around Dres, and it's also green!  This one is Class-E, so I can confirm they do get this big.

I think that may be a new color! What should we call it, Mint Oreo Green or Jool Green?

[Brownhair2]

Unfortunately the one I had already captured did not turn into a magic boulder

I'm trying to set up an encounter with another one. Here's hoping it's a magic boulder

EDIT: It wasn't 

Edited July 1, 2016 by Brownhair2
;-;

[ProtoJeb21]

I FOUND A MAGIC BOULDER!

Surprisingly, it was my 5th asteroid. This Magic Boulder is a tan/orange/yellow type, and is pretty small. I will post some pictures tomorrow!

[AviosAdku]

On ‎25‎/‎06‎/‎2016 at 11:28 PM, Just Jim said:

For now I think most everyone is using it to verify and learn what we can about them.  

As for myself, I won't lie. I used HE so I could find one ASAP to use in my Emiko story.  If you haven't read it, then you wouldn't really understand, and that's cool.  But in a nutshell, I'm already using floating boulders a lot, and having a real Magic Boulder is a gift that practically writes itself in.  The second I learned about them I knew I had to have one to play with.
Don't get me wrong, I don't mind doing it the hard way, I already have an asteroid scout probe in orbit over Dres that could eventually locate one, no problem.  The problem is it could take years in game time, and this seriously screws up my story's subplots.  So I used HE to save time. 
 

Oh, that explains it (pardon my total ignorance)., come to think of it, I didn't even realise what that was.

Looks like I might have a motive to actually get back to my KSP save some day and get it on a footing where asteroids can be found.

Edited July 5, 2016 by AkuAerospace
Removed "sign off"

[Just Jim]

10 hours ago, ProtoJeb21 said:

I FOUND A MAGIC BOULDER!

Surprisingly, it was my 5th asteroid. This Magic Boulder is a tan/orange/yellow type, and is pretty small. I will post some pictures tomorrow!

Tan/Orange/Yellow?  Cool!!!  Please post pics when you can! 

[Ultimate Steve]

I should check my old stations. I've been away the last few days, but I'll go boulder hunting sometime...

Finally, an excuse to go to dres!

Edited June 28, 2016 by Ultimate Steve

[ProtoJeb21]

Good news! I've done my first round of Magic Boulder hunting, and have found a total of THREE colorful rocks, each a different color.

First up is the tan/orange/yellow Magic Boulder that I've nicknamed Beige Boulder. It is an A-Class asteroid that was easy to redirect. Beige Boulder is by far the smallest Magic Boulder I have encountered, and so far the only color I have discovered.

Next is Green Thing. The name is stupid, but GT is an interesting object. It is a heavy D-Class rock covered in brightly glowing green cracks. This type of green isn't as vibrant as the one found by @Just Jim, but is brighter than that of the original Magic Boulder. I found it less than an hour ago.

Finally, there is the largest Magic Boulder I found, Big Blue. This is one of the Cyan boulders, and is enormous. Big Blue is an E-Class asteroid that makes my Boulder Boss spacecraft (which is about 10 meters wide) look like a complete midget! Shockingly, I found Big Blue right after Green Thing.

So, I bet everyone is ready for the calculations. The fractional rate is 3/50 (duh), and the percentage is 6% (0.06). I've decided to change my procedure for this experiment, though. I will just be doing one more round of 50 asteroids, but I will treat the total 100 asteroids as a whole to find the best percentage values.

Also, here are some pictures of me redirecting a few asteroids I found that were going to hit Kerbin:

 

Edited June 28, 2016 by ProtoJeb21

[Just Jim]

I'm not sure if this is the same as the pink one already posted, or if I've (finally) found a red one:

[ProtoJeb21]

Yesterday, I finished my search through 100 asteroids! Well, I went over by 5, but I didn't find any Magic Boulders in those extra asteroids, so they don't matter. Anyways, I found two more Magic Boulders that were both purple, nicknamed Barney and Purple Dude. You can tell that I'm already running out of names. However, I was able to calculate an exact 5% (5/100) spawn rate for Magic Boulders. I find it amazing that I got an exact number for once.

Pictures of the horribly named purple Magic Boulders (and possibly some more for Asteroid Day) soon!

Also, @ThatGuyWithALongUsername, can you put up the results of my survey up on the OP? And does my beige Magic Boulder count as a new color variety?

[ThatGuyWithALongUsername]

44 minutes ago, ProtoJeb21 said:

Yesterday, I finished my search through 100 asteroids! Well, I went over by 5, but I didn't find any Magic Boulders in those extra asteroids, so they don't matter. Anyways, I found two more Magic Boulders that were both purple, nicknamed Barney and Purple Dude. You can tell that I'm already running out of names. However, I was able to calculate an exact 5% (5/100) spawn rate for Magic Boulders. I find it amazing that I got an exact number for once.

Pictures of the horribly named purple Magic Boulders (and possibly some more for Asteroid Day) soon!

Also, @ThatGuyWithALongUsername, can you put up the results of my survey up on the OP? And does my beige Magic Boulder count as a new color variety?

Sorry, I'll update the OP tomorrow. 

[Iamsodarncool]

2 hours ago, ProtoJeb21 said:

 I was able to calculate an exact 5% (5/100) spawn rate for Magic Boulders. I find it amazing that I got an exact number for once.

Well, when you have a sample size of 100 you're going to get an exact number

[ProtoJeb21]

Just now, Iamsodarncool said:

Well, when you have a sample size of 100 you're going to get an exact number

Well, with all fractions I've been getting, I put them into a scientific calculator to get their decimal and percentage values. Sometimes it's an answer as straightforward as 0.05. However, if I included those useless five extra asteroids, then I would've gotten a value of something like 0.046etc. Also, using a set of 100 was used to get exact values, as you said before. I wonder what I would've gotten with a set of 150...