Contract Pack - History of Spaceflight - V1.0

[Morphisor]

36 minutes ago, GBOBCO said:

Thanks for the quick reply, and the debug info.  I had no idea ALT+F10 was even a thing...

There is an error on many of the bluedog parts.

[EXCEPTION] System.ArgumentException: 'bluedog_Juno1_Explorer1' is not a valid part.

This same error occurs on many contracts, all having to do with bluedog parts.  I am thinking I should un-install BDB and do a clean install?

 

Ah, that's a good find actually. You see, I built the BDB compatibility parameters using the BDB 1.7 dev build, which changes and adds quite a few new parts. Turns out, you will get issues on those specific contracts if you're on an older version of BDB.

So it's nothing technically wrong on your end!

As for how to deal with it, I suppose either get the BDB dev build or manually remove the BDB parameters from the contract. I'm not sure there's a way to have both versions be compatible

 

[GBOBCO]

Gotcha... Thanks for the awesome support.  I will go ahead and remove the BDB dependencies...  You have a great contract pack here.  

[GBOBCO]

Actually, I decided to move up to the 1.7 dev build of BDB.  Everything loaded fine, except for Apollo-XII.  It didnt like:

    REQUIREMENT
    {
        name = VesselValid
        type = VesselValid
        vessel = Surveyor-3
    }

I removed this, reloaded, and everything was happy.  Not sure how this will affect the mission, but I will keep my eye out.

[Morphisor]

13 hours ago, GBOBCO said:

Actually, I decided to move up to the 1.7 dev build of BDB.  Everything loaded fine, except for Apollo-XII.  It didnt like:

    REQUIREMENT
    {
        name = VesselValid
        type = VesselValid
        vessel = Surveyor-3
    }

I removed this, reloaded, and everything was happy.  Not sure how this will affect the mission, but I will keep my eye out.

Huh, I was sure I had already removed that requirement, as my own testing already showed that not working. Basically I try to make sure that surveyor 3 is still a thing before apollo 12 can trigger - but apparently vesselvalid is no longer a usable requirement, even though the CC wiki still says so.

Edit: the requirement is indeed already gone from all versions on the dev branch, so not sure how you managed to get that error unless you got an earlier build.

Edited April 18, 2020 by Morphisor

[ndiver]

On 4/17/2020 at 9:25 PM, Morphisor said:

You're going to have to provide more info than that. Do the contracts not load at all or are they not being triggered? You can check if a contract loads correctly from the CC debug menu, default access by alt-F10

I also didn't know Alt+F10, and get indeed red contracts for American and Canadian agencies. How do we copy an error log?
I'm playing with Contract Configurator 1.28 and Bluedog 1.6.2. Same issues of problem of part validation in my save.
 

Edited April 20, 2020 by ndiver

[GBOBCO]

16 minutes ago, ndiver said:

I also didn't know Alt+F10, and get indeed red contracts for American and Canadian agencies. How do we copy an error log?
I'm playing with Contract Configurator 1.28 and Bluedog 1.6.2. Same issues of problem of part validation in my save.
 

The only way I found to solve the parts validation issue is to A) get the BDB Dev build 1.7 from Github OR B)Edit the affected missions (there are many) to remove the specific part validation block.  Moving to BDB 1.7 has its challenges and rewards.  Many, Many, Many of the parts files in 1.7 BDB Dev build have be totally revamped, and if you knew how to build historic spacecraft in 1.6.1, you will have to re-learn in 1.7. 

I went with the upgrade to the 1.7 BDB build, and I think it is certainly worth the effort.  Not only does the contract pack work great (note: you will have to modify Apollo XII as referenced above), but the new BDB parts are fantastic.  I find that I have spend a lot more time researching the actual spacecraft to build them, instead of just following the excellent build guides that are out there.  It takes longer, but is more rewarding.

[ndiver]

11 minutes ago, GBOBCO said:

The only way I found to solve the parts validation issue is to A) get the BDB Dev build 1.7 from Github OR B)Edit the affected missions (there are many) to remove the specific part validation block.  Moving to BDB 1.7 has its challenges and rewards.  Many, Many, Many of the parts files in 1.7 BDB Dev build have be totally revamped, and if you knew how to build historic spacecraft in 1.6.1, you will have to re-learn in 1.7. 

I went with the upgrade to the 1.7 BDB build, and I think it is certainly worth the effort.  Not only does the contract pack work great (note: you will have to modify Apollo XII as referenced above), but the new BDB parts are fantastic.  I find that I have spend a lot more time researching the actual spacecraft to build them, instead of just following the excellent build guides that are out there.  It takes longer, but is more rewarding.

Is BDB 1.7 compatible with KSP 1.8.1?

[GBOBCO]

1 minute ago, ndiver said:

Is BDB 1.7 compatible with KSP 1.8.1?

That I dont know, as I am running 1.9.1

[ndiver]

1 minute ago, GBOBCO said:

That I dont know, as I am running 1.9.1

Wait, where is BDB 1.7? Its Github is just going until 1.6.2

[GBOBCO]

You can find it here:

https://github.com/CobaltWolf/Bluedog-Design-Bureau/tree/v1.7.0-Development

Also note that BDB 1.7 is still a dev build, and is changing.

Edited April 20, 2020 by GBOBCO

[Morphisor]

Yeah BDB 1.7 is still in development, but release may be a while off yet - it's still very usable and a major upgrade as it is. It works perfectly well on KSP 1.8.1 and above, but may have trouble on earlier versions. Sadly I've not found a way to make a PartValidation specific to a mod version, so I'm gonna keep it as it is and included a warning in the top post. 

As for Apollo 12, you really shouldn't have to touch it, the current available version loads correctly.

[ndiver]

So here are the contracts with errors I have.
 

Canada:

Spoiler

Alouette-1, -2 --> part validation

USA:

Spoiler

Communication:
Courrier-1B  --> part validation
LES-3  --> CollectScience
Relay-1, -2  --> part validation
Teslar-1, -2  --> part validation

Interplanetary:
Mariner-2  --> part validation
Pioneer-1, -4, -6, -7  --> part validation
Ranger-3  --> part validation + CollectScience
Ranger-6, -7, -8, -9  --> part validation

Manned:
Gemini-IV, -V, -VI-A, -X, -XII  --> CollectScience
Gemini-IX-ATDA, -VIII-ATV, -X-ATV, -XI-ATV, -XII-ATV  --> part validation
Aurora-7, Faith-7, Freedom-7, Friendship-7, Liberty-Bell-7, Mercury-Atlas-2, Mercury-Atlas-5, Mercury-Redstone-2  --> part validation
Sigma-7  --> part validation + CollectScience

Meteorological:
DMSP-4A-F1, -65-072A  --> CollectScience
ESSA-1, -2   --> CollectScience
Tiros-2, -7, -9  --> part validation + CollectScience

Navigational:
Aurora-1, SECOR-4, -5  --> CollectScience
Transit-4A  --> CollectScience + CollectScience

Reconnaissance:
Corona-41, -45, -55  --> part validation + CollectScience
Discoverer-13  --> part validation
Discoverer-18  --> part validation + CollectScience
Discoverer-36  --> CollectScience
Ferret-2, -5, -8  --> CollectScience
KH7-1, -10  --> part validation
KH8-8  --> part validation
Samos-2, -9, -11  --> CollectScience
Samos-7  --> CollectScience + CollectScience
GGSE-1  --> CollectScience
GGSE-2-3  --> CollectScience + CollectScience

Research:
ATS-1, -2, -3  --> CollectScience
Biosatellite-1  --> part validation
Biosatellite-2  --> part validation + CollectScience
Explorer-1, -3, -4, -7  --> part validation
Explorer-8, -11  --> part validation + CollectScience
Explorer-20, -22, -26, -30  --> CollectScience
OGO-1  --> part validation
OGO-2, -3  --> part validation + CollectScience
SOLRAD-6  --> CollectScience + CollectScience
Vanguard-1, -3  --> part validation
Vanguard-2  --> part validation + CollectScience
Vela-1A  --> CollectScience + CollectScience

 

[Morphisor]

3 minutes ago, ndiver said:

So here are the contracts with errors I have.
 

Canada:

  Reveal hidden contents

Alouette-1, -2 --> part validation

USA:

  Reveal hidden contents

Communication:
Courrier-1B  --> part validation
LES-3  --> CollectScience
Relay-1, -2  --> part validation
Teslar-1, -2  --> part validation

Interplanetary:
Mariner-2  --> part validation
Pioneer-1, -4, -6, -7  --> part validation
Ranger-3  --> part validation + CollectScience
Ranger-6, -7, -8, -9  --> part validation

Manned:
Gemini-IV, -V, -VI-A, -X, -XII  --> CollectScience
Gemini-IX-ATDA, -VIII-ATV, -X-ATV, -XI-ATV, -XII-ATV  --> part validation
Aurora-7, Faith-7, Freedom-7, Friendship-7, Liberty-Bell-7, Mercury-Atlas-2, Mercury-Atlas-5, Mercury-Redstone-2  --> part validation
Sigma-7  --> part validation + CollectScience

Meteorological:
DMSP-4A-F1, -65-072A  --> CollectScience
ESSA-1, -2   --> CollectScience
Tiros-2, -7, -9  --> part validation + CollectScience

Navigational:
Aurora-1, SECOR-4, -5  --> CollectScience
Transit-4A  --> CollectScience + CollectScience

Reconnaissance:
Corona-41, -45, -55  --> part validation + CollectScience
Discoverer-13  --> part validation
Discoverer-18  --> part validation + CollectScience
Discoverer-36  --> CollectScience
Ferret-2, -5, -8  --> CollectScience
KH7-1, -10  --> part validation
KH8-8  --> part validation
Samos-2, -9, -11  --> CollectScience
Samos-7  --> CollectScience + CollectScience
GGSE-1  --> CollectScience
GGSE-2-3  --> CollectScience + CollectScience

Research:
ATS-1, -2, -3  --> CollectScience
Biosatellite-1  --> part validation
Biosatellite-2  --> part validation + CollectScience
Explorer-1, -3, -4, -7  --> part validation
Explorer-8, -11  --> part validation + CollectScience
Explorer-20, -22, -26, -30  --> CollectScience
OGO-1  --> part validation
OGO-2, -3  --> part validation + CollectScience
SOLRAD-6  --> CollectScience + CollectScience
Vanguard-1, -3  --> part validation
Vanguard-2  --> part validation + CollectScience
Vela-1A  --> CollectScience + CollectScience

 

All of which is BDB parameters, so that's quite a few things new to 1.7 it seems. No easy way to change that either; so use the latest, don't use BDB, or remove the offending parameters manually. I know it's not ideal, but unless anyone's got a better idea...

[PmThay]

Hello @Morphisor. First of all I want to congratulate and thank you for this release, I've been a great fan of  Frylovespi & Whitecat106 work and I do like your Work here as well  
But I have doubt (or 2). I do like mods like BDB or Tantares but at this moment i'm not using them. My question is, will the missions that have the Parameter "PARAMETER:NEEDS[Bluedog_DB]" (or Tantares), work? if I don't have those mods installed?

If not, can I erase Those Parameters in the missions config files? and will they still work?
sorry to bother you and thanks once again.

Cheers  

Edited April 20, 2020 by PmThay

[Morphisor]

18 hours ago, PmThay said:

Hello @Morphisor. First of all I want to congratulate and thank you for this release, I've been a great fan of  Frylovespi & Whitecat106 work and I do like your Work here as well  
But I have doubt (or 2). I do like mods like BDB or Tantares but at this moment i'm not using them. My question is, will the missions that have the Parameter "PARAMETER:NEEDS[Bluedog_DB]" (or Tantares), work? if I don't have those mods installed?

If not, can I erase Those Parameters in the missions config files? and will they still work?
sorry to bother you and thanks once again.

Cheers  

Thanks, and it's no bother at all. With Module Manager, any parameter that gets assigned a NEEDS attribute, is unloaded if the NEEDS check isn't met. What this means is, that if you don't have BDB, Tantares or Coatl, their respective extra parameters will not be there in your game. The contract will however load normally with all the other parameters still in place. All missions have been designed to be perfectly usable without the extra mods installed, so you will be fine. Of course, I still recommend you do get them, because it's truly worth getting the full experience this way. But that's entirely up to each player for themselves and I support both alternatives.

21 hours ago, Morphisor said:

All of which is BDB parameters, so that's quite a few things new to 1.7 it seems. No easy way to change that either; so use the latest, don't use BDB, or remove the offending parameters manually. I know it's not ideal, but unless anyone's got a better idea...

Now, as to this issue, turns out there is a solution after all! @Stone Blue and @Zorg pointed out to me that a NEEDS check can also refer to mod subfolders, something I was unaware of until now. This allows me to adjust all problematic BDB parameters to point to subfolders that are new for v1.7, thereby stopping them from throwing errors for users of an earlier release version of BDB.

In fact, I have spent a large part of today doing just that, with many thanks to @ndiver for providing the list of contracts affected! All those contracts and even a few others have been fixed accordingly, and the changes have been pushed to the Dev branch. I would very much love to hear from anyone using pre-1.7 BDB if all contracts now load correctly using this latest version!

Oh and, some other new stuff in there as well: Salyut launch missions and Soyuz up until 12 have been completed and are on the github dev branch.

Edited April 21, 2020 by Morphisor

[GBOBCO]

Just downloaded the dev contract pack, and back loaded BDB 1.6.2.  Here is a list of loading issues:

 

Spoiler

USA Missions -> Manned Programs -> Skylab-3 -> Collect Science (Solar Wind) 

USA Missions -> Manned Programs -> Skylab-4 -> Collect Science (Solar Observations)

Navigation Programs -> SECOR-4 -> Collect Science (improve local Mapping data)

Navigation Programs -> SECOR-5 -> Collect Science (improve local Mapping data)

Reconnaissance Programs -> SAMOS-7 -> Collect Science (perform and transmit IR radiometer experiments)

Research Programs -> Explorer-31 -> Collect Science (Do a ionospheric study)

Research Programs -> OSO-1 -> Collect Science (study solar physics)

Research Programs -> OSO-2 -> Collect Science (study solar physics)

 

Hope this helps.  It seems all listed missions had the same warning.

Edited April 21, 2020 by GBOBCO

[Morphisor]

12 hours ago, GBOBCO said:

Just downloaded the dev contract pack, and back loaded BDB 1.6.2.  Here is a list of loading issues:

 

Hope this helps.  It seems all listed missions had the same warning.

Thanks for the quick check. All of these should now be fixed!

[GBOBCO]

Everything loads perfect from the latest DEV build.  Thanks for the quick turn around and again, a great pack!

[DeadJohn]

@Morphisor, can you clarify whether these contracts are mostly to replicate mission goals, or are specific parts from BDB and Tantares required for many of the contracts?

BDB and Tantares are great mods, but I've used them a lot and want to work more with KNES for my next save.

[Morphisor]

9 hours ago, DeadJohn said:

@Morphisor, can you clarify whether these contracts are mostly to replicate mission goals, or are specific parts from BDB and Tantares required for many of the contracts?

BDB and Tantares are great mods, but I've used them a lot and want to work more with KNES for my next save.

When any of the recommended mods is installed, you will be required to use the proper command module or probe core for their respective missions. Additionally, you may have a few extra objectives.

The missions are all fully functional without those mods however, they are NOT required.

[DeadJohn]

On 4/12/2020 at 11:43 AM, Morphisor said:

Good catch about the text, it was indeed Blossom with that.

I have another comment about the Blossom-1 mission text. It wants me to "Return the fruit flies safely". I searched my experiments and couldn't find anything for fruit flies. Maybe I didn't unlock it yet? So I searched through all the mods I've downloaded. Still couldn't find it.

The mission completed as soon as I landed another contract. The "fruit flies" are apparently just fluff text. I like the fluff text for historical context about the mission, but maybe clarify that it's not really a contract requirement.

 

[Guest]

On 4/13/2020 at 12:41 PM, Morphisor said:

Never mind my previous post, did some testing and found the issue: I forgot a simple disableOnStateChange = true for this type of contract. I pushed a fix for the affected Pioneer contracts to the dev build on Github already. Other contracts may also be affected by this issue, but I can't think of any right now. Will do a broad check later, any fixes will be in the dev build.

Destroying the Vanguard results in it's not having been launched successfully.

[Guest]

Using the pocket sized contract pack, with the USA Missions only, one is offered both Vanguard TV-3 and WAC Corporal as first missions.

Completing one or both of them results in being offered either Vanguard TV-3 or WAC Corporal again. Declining one or both of them results in the same.

EDIT: Okay, so once you have left the atmosphere you are offered the next group of contracts. Could we have Blossom-1 trigger immediately after the WAC Corporal mission? That would give us a 'Leave the Atmosphere' objective and allow moving on to Vanguard-1 and Explorer-1.

Edited April 26, 2020 by Guest

[ndiver]

On my side, I've installed BDB 1.7 now and will try will the contracts with the new parts.

The first point I can say is that the PartValidation is not clear for me.
Does it mean that the contract will only show if the part is unlocked or that you need to have the part on your spacecraft to validate the contract?

[Morphisor]

4 hours ago, MailletC said:

Destroying the Vanguard results in it's not having been launched successfully.

Strange happening this; I didn't change anything to the code of this contract and it's worked fine for me multiple times; I can only presume it works fine for others, too, since this is the first I've heard of it. Still, I added an extra line to be extra sure the vessel parameter gets checked before crash.

3 hours ago, MailletC said:

Using the pocket sized contract pack, with the USA Missions only, one is offered both Vanguard TV-3 and WAC Corporal as first missions.

Completing one or both of them results in being offered either Vanguard TV-3 or WAC Corporal again. Declining one or both of them results in the same.

EDIT: Okay, so once you have left the atmosphere you are offered the next group of contracts. Could we have Blossom-1 trigger immediately after the WAC Corporal mission? That would give us a 'Leave the Atmosphere' objective and allow moving on to Vanguard-1 and Explorer-1.

This is even more strange, I've never had an instance where the contract that just completed was offered again, and I cannot reproduce the issue you describe. Not sure what could be done about it either, the only thing required for ANY contract in this pack is for the pre-requisite contract to be completed. And even that can easily be turned off in the CC debug menu. The only thing I can say is to double check CC and any other related mods are installed correctly, and hopefully you didn't install 2 versions of this pack either. 

Besides that, if anyone else has a similar issue do please speak up and provide logs so I've got something to investigate.

2 hours ago, ndiver said:

On my side, I've installed BDB 1.7 now and will try will the contracts with the new parts.

The first point I can say is that the PartValidation is not clear for me.
Does it mean that the contract will only show if the part is unlocked or that you need to have the part on your spacecraft to validate the contract?

PartValidation parameters mean that you have to put the specified part on the vessel for the contract. It should mention it clearly in the contract; any objective directly related to the vessel will need to be performed on a vessel with the required part included.

---

Finally, I just pushed an update to the dev branch, including:

- Soyuz missions 13-20

- Sciencedef compatibility patches for the BDB science parameters; my work on BDB contracts showed there to be some compatibility issues with a few definitions that overlap with DMOS and SCANsat, resulting in errors if these mods are combined. These issues have now been tracked down and resolved with several dozen new MM patches.