[1.10.1+] Contract Configurator [v1.30.5] [2020-10-05]

[DBT85]

Interesting, let me know how that goes - if it's an issue in SCANsat I'd like get something out to DMagic sooner rather than later, since I know he's in the midst of getting SCANsat 9.0 ready for prime time. But what you've said so far has been helpful.

Just encountered a bug while testing. I'm zoned out now lol.

Fairly sure it was in SCANSat. Got to 50% coverage, everything ticking along fine. Went to the KSC for 20 seconds, went back to the ship and now its not recording new data. the LoRes text on the small map is orange suggesting I'm too high, but I'm at the same height I was when I hopped out. Nothing I did brought it back so we'll see.

I'll attempt more another time.

[notsorightstuph]

Nightingale,

I got your mod today with the two contract packs. So I looked and saw that the entire Jool system is missing from the SCANsat pack. This simply will not do for me. So I made them by copying a file then editing it for each of the Jool system bodies and I also included Gilly. It just ain't complete without every body in the game. So, I don't know about all the copyright crap and I admit I copied the original authors work, I even left his name in the created by line. But I want to share them. How can we do this? I say we because I just made em to give to you to distribute. I want nothing for them especially the trouble of all the stupid copyright laws. PM me if you would like to have the files. You can change the names of the ones I made to your name for all I care then distribute them anyway you see fit.

Thanks for a kick ass mod!

Edited January 16, 2015 by notsorightstuph
spelling

[ultrasquid]

I've been trying to think of a way to do treasure collecting type games in KSP, with a mechanic somewhat like Pac-Man, and between this and your other mod In-Flight waypoints I think I may just be able to do it.

[nightingale]

Nightingale,

I got your mod today with the two contract packs. So I looked and saw that the entire Jool system is missing from the SCANsat pack. This simply will not do for me. So I made them by copying a file then editing it for each of the Jool system bodies and I also included Gilly. It just ain't complete without every body in the game. So, I don't know about all the copyright crap and I admit I copied the original authors work, I even left his name in the created by line. But I want to share them. How can we do this? I say we because I just made em to give to you to distribute. I want nothing for them especially the trouble of all the stupid copyright laws. PM me if you would like to have the files. You can change the names of the ones I made to your name for all I care then distribute them anyway you see fit.

Thanks for a kick ass mod!

The best way to get it into the SCANsat contract pack is to go to tattagreis's github page for it and submit a pull request. If you don't know how to do that (and don't want to learn), then you should PM him the files - I'm fairly certain he'd be willing to add it.

And as far as the "copyright crap", tattagreis licensed it under the WTFPL - which basically says you're free to do what you want, so you've done nothing wrong here.

I've been trying to think of a way to do treasure collecting type games in KSP, with a mechanic somewhat like Pac-Man, and between this and your other mod In-Flight waypoints I think I may just be able to do it.

Awesome, can't wait to see it!

[tattagreis]

SCANsat pack is licensed by "DO WHAT THE .... YOU WANT TO" - license. There are NO rules, you can republish under your name or "do what the .... you want to" with

But I would be glad to add those contracts to the pack. Send my note or better make a pull request

[DBT85]

My SCANSAt pack has all bodies covered. Right now all the missions are unlocked so can be got at any time and the rewards are undergoing balancing. It's out there though

https://github.com/DBT85/CC-CP-SCANSat/releases

It's also in the CKAN as Contract Pack: SCANSat

License

The RemoteTech Contract Pack is licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0

Edited January 17, 2015 by DBT85

[ultrasquid]

Awesome, can't wait to see it!

It would involve placing a very dense arrangement of about 100 waypoints, I'd figure, just a few meters apart from eachother. I have no idea how hard that would be to implement but I'll give it a shot.

[nightingale]

It would involve placing a very dense arrangement of about 100 waypoints, I'd figure, just a few meters apart from eachother. I have no idea how hard that would be to implement but I'll give it a shot.

Depends.... If you want 99 points randomly distributed around another point, then it's quite easy. 100 hand coded coordinates wouldn't be hard, just time consuming.

I'll be looking at potential enhancements to the waypoint stuff in 0.6.0 - let me know if there's any behaviour you want implemented. I was thinking I'd look at better handling for navigation (like automatically moving to the next point), as well as giving the option to make a waypoint disappear after completing it.

[ultrasquid]

Depends.... If you want 99 points randomly distributed around another point, then it's quite easy. 100 hand coded coordinates wouldn't be hard, just time consuming.

I'll be looking at potential enhancements to the waypoint stuff in 0.6.0 - let me know if there's any behaviour you want implemented. I was thinking I'd look at better handling for navigation (like automatically moving to the next point), as well as giving the option to make a waypoint disappear after completing it.

Random scatters would be a good short-term solution, but I'd like to place points specifically too, such as running up the stairwell of the VAB. Your proposed enhancements would be very useful. Also I'd like to replace the waypoint icon with an arbitrary part model, so it becomes more of a coin-like object. I've started a thread about this in the general add-on forum called Koins!. It's mostly a thought exercise at this point but I hope to make it happen someday.

[nightingale]

Random scatters would be a good short-term solution, but I'd like to place points specifically too, such as running up the stairwell of the VAB. Your proposed enhancements would be very useful. Also I'd like to replace the waypoint icon with an arbitrary part model, so it becomes more of a coin-like object. I've started a thread about this in the general add-on forum called Koins!. It's mostly a thought exercise at this point but I hope to make it happen someday.

Neat idea. I've just completed the SpawnVessel behaviour (will be released in 0.6.0) which could be used, but I'd suggest sticking with waypoints for a starting point - much lighter weight... 100 one-part vessels might already be getting up there. In fact when you move away from waypoints, I'd be included still keep the same logic as in-flight waypoints - rendering a single image for the coin, rather than a 3d model. Gives it more of a platformer feel.

No idea what your c# skill level is, but one of the design goals for Contract Configurator was to be fully extensible. So once you have your proof of concept working and you want to generate "coins" instead of waypoints, you can swap out the GenerateWaypoint behaviour for one that you've written yourself and Contract Configurator will load it and expose it for you. That way you can add something that would never make sense as part of Contract Configurator itself (ie. generating coins).

The other thing is, I don't know how well the waypoint stuff works when you start getting to ultra low values for the distance tolerance - you might be okay, but you may find out that it doesn't behave well for small values (but I haven't personally tested).

[ultrasquid]

There's the rub. My C# skill is zero. I'm no programmer. I'll have to find some assistance if it comes down to more than tweaking some .cfg files.

[DBT85]

Nightingale, did I see correctly that you have a change ready to go for the next release to resolve this SCANSat issue as per your conversation with DM on Git?

I've just been testing out two more of my missions (Eve and Duna) and had the Eve one be fulfilled again before I'd even started scanning. I wondered if a "disableOnStateChange = false" might be another short term solution.

Incidentally, never been to Eve before, or Ike, so those two were fun! Cocked up the one to Gilly though.

[notsorightstuph]

Well since there are already other packs out there with all bodies I'm just going to keep what I got. Ty for the pack. It gave me all the knowledge I needed to do what I wanted. I have a scan contract for all 16 bodies in a nice progression chain.

I do want to know what exactly is a dll file? I noticed in the cc mod there is one for both remote tech and scansat. Does it need these files to have a pack work with it? How do I read it? How do I make one? I have so many questions.

I think for my next step in making a pack I will try to make contracts to build a stock space station. Seems everybody loves to build one why not make some money while doing it.

[voidheart]

My SCANSAt pack has all bodies covered. Right now all the missions are unlocked so can be got at any time and the rewards are undergoing balancing. It's out there though

https://github.com/DBT85/CC-CP-SCANSat/releases

It's also in the CKAN as Contract Pack: SCANSat

Firstly thank you for authoring the SCANsat missions. I'm a bit confused about your current release. Or rather what is the current release of this package. I guess your github above is authoritative (and I can see recent activity) but my view of CKAN* has seriously confused me.

I'm not sure if you see something different in the GUI version of CKAN but when I run a search for SCANsat I see this:

ContractConfigurator-ContractPack-SCANsat
ContractConfigurator-SCANsat
SCANsat

I had 'ContractConfigurator-SCANsat' installed, which reported itself as 1.0.2. It was in what I think was the old location, \gamedata\cc_contracts.

I just installed 'ContractConfigurator-ContractPack-SCANsat', which reports itself as 0.4.0, which seems to be in the new (common) location of /gamedata/ContractPacks. Moreover it seems it to use the newer parameters (and even mulit-spectral scans etc - yay) BUT has different file names (like 'MonLoRes.cfg' instead of 'ScanMun.cfg' as in your GitHub.) None the less, it definitely seems to be your mod (you are identified at the top of each file).

Could you help me out and let me know which is the most current?

- The 1.0.3 version from Github?

- The 'ContractConfigurator-SCANsat' @ v1.0.2 on CKAN?

- The ContractConfigurator-ContractPack-SCANsat' @ v0.4.0 on CKAN?

This is also a PSA that the situation is bound to be a bit confusing for others too, and they might not see any updates you push using CKAN.

* My view of CKAN is through the command line client - latest and updated just now.

Thanks again for your work

PS. I feel bad getting support for your Contract Pack on the Configurator thread, maybe start a new one (or point me to it )

[nightingale]

My SCANSAt pack has all bodies covered. Right now all the missions are unlocked so can be got at any time and the rewards are undergoing balancing. It's out there though

https://github.com/DBT85/CC-CP-SCANSat/releases

It's also in the CKAN as Contract Pack: SCANSat

Firstly thank you for authoring the SCANsat missions. I'm a bit confused about your current release. Or rather what is the current release of this package. I guess your github above is authoritative (and I can see recent activity) but my view of CKAN* has seriously confused me.

I'm not sure if you see something different in the GUI version of CKAN but when I run a search for SCANsat I see this:

ContractConfigurator-ContractPack-SCANsat
ContractConfigurator-SCANsat
SCANsat

I had 'ContractConfigurator-SCANsat' installed, which reported itself as 1.0.2. It was in what I think was the old location, \gamedata\cc_contracts.

I just installed 'ContractConfigurator-ContractPack-SCANsat', which reports itself as 0.4.0, which seems to be in the new (common) location of /gamedata/ContractPacks. Moreover it seems it to use the newer parameters (and even mulit-spectral scans etc - yay) BUT has different file names (like 'MonLoRes.cfg' instead of 'ScanMun.cfg' as in your GitHub.) None the less, it definitely seems to be your mod (you are identified at the top of each file).

Could you help me out and let me know which is the most current?

- The 1.0.3 version from Github?

- The 'ContractConfigurator-SCANsat' @ v1.0.2 on CKAN?

- The ContractConfigurator-ContractPack-SCANsat' @ v0.4.0 on CKAN?

This is also a PSA that the situation is bound to be a bit confusing for others too, and they might not see any updates you push using CKAN.

* My view of CKAN is through the command line client - latest and updated just now.

Thanks again for your work

PS. I feel bad getting support for your Contract Pack on the Configurator thread, maybe start a new one (or point me to it )

I have pretty much no time right now, so I can't address some of the specific points brought up until later - but I wanted to get some general thoughts.

1. First off, congrats on the release, DBT85! I missed your post last night. I believe you need to specify the license on the forum post to satisfy the forum rules (although I see that it is there in the download, so you're 99% of the way there).
   
2. Second, I have no direct issue with having multiple similar contract packs. However, I would like be able to make them differentiatable to the users. Both in terms of CKAN naming and in terms of a general description it would be nice to be able to have enough information to tells a user what they'll get if they install one, the other or both.
   

[nightingale]

Okay, starting with this. I changed the second post to have a listing of rules and recommendations for contract packs. Not all of it is due to the current situation, but some stuff that I had wanted to get out there for a little while (and this gives me the excuse to go and do it).

Rules for Getting a Contract Pack Listed on the First Post

1. A contract pack is an add-on and falls under Squad's forums rules for add-on posting. All rules in that posting must be followed, but this licensing one in particular should be pointed out (emphasis mine):

   Licenses
   All add-ons that are posted on the services maintained by Squad that serve the KSP Community (such as this forum and Curse) must be accompanied by a license that regulates what other users can do with the copyrighted material. This license must be made available in both the download file and in the location the user downloads from (such as a forum post or a Curse listing).

2. If the contract pack modifies, enhances or uses another mod, be respectful of the licenses of those mods. If the maintainer of a mod used by a contract pack requests that a contract pack be removed or modified, please work with them to make the Contract Pack comply with their wishes and vision for their mod. Remember that the contract pack wouldn't be possible without the original author's mod.
   
3. I, nightingale, have the final say on what is listed. I do not generally want to be the one telling people what they can and cannot do, so I will list most contract packs so long as the comply with the above two rules.
   

Recommendations for Contract Packs

1. Have your contract pack install into a subdirectory under GameData/ContractPacks/. Contract Configurator does not require this directory structure, but this keeps it cleaner for the end user.
   
2. If adding your contract pack on CKAN, a name of the form "Contract Pack: <name of contract pack>" is recommended. This keeps the listings of all contract packs together, and allows the player to easily compare and decide which contract packs they are interested in.
   
3. Try to be original. If your contract pack has significant overlap with an existing contract pack, consider contacting the author and working with them to enhance the contract pack.
   
4. Be creative! The possibilities for contract packs are endless.
   

As far as the current situation goes, I will be listing DBT85's pack on the first post, as it complies with the rules above (oh, but make sure you go back and mention the license on your post).

However, I would strongly recommend that you and tattagreis talk and figure out a mutual resolution where we end up with one SCANsat contract pack. I don't want to the hard work that either of you have done go to waste, but I'd like to also get it to a point where it's best for the players.

If for whatever reason we continue to have the two packs, then can we do something to differentiate them on CKAN? I don't have a specific recommendation, but if we end up going down this route I'm happy to give more thoughts on what can be done.

Nightingale, did I see correctly that you have a change ready to go for the next release to resolve this SCANSat issue as per your conversation with DM on Git?

I've just been testing out two more of my missions (Eve and Duna) and had the Eve one be fulfilled again before I'd even started scanning. I wondered if a "disableOnStateChange = false" might be another short term solution.

Incidentally, never been to Eve before, or Ike, so those two were fun! Cocked up the one to Gilly though.

I wouldn't quite say ready to go yet. I've put a proposed change forward for DMagic to review. Hopefully the change works as expected and gets accepted. If it does, then we shouldn't have any more issues in SCANsat 9.0 related to the contract parameters completing unexpectedly. And yes, the disableOnStateChange = false would give you a partial workaround - but only if it's not the last parameter to complete in the contract.

Edited January 17, 2015 by nightingale

[DBT85]

Firstly thank you for authoring the SCANsat missions. I'm a bit confused about your current release. Or rather what is the current release of this package. I guess your github above is authoritative (and I can see recent activity) but my view of CKAN* has seriously confused me.

I'm not sure if you see something different in the GUI version of CKAN but when I run a search for SCANsat I see this:

ContractConfigurator-ContractPack-SCANsat
ContractConfigurator-SCANsat
SCANsat

I had 'ContractConfigurator-SCANsat' installed, which reported itself as 1.0.2. It was in what I think was the old location, \gamedata\cc_contracts.

I just installed 'ContractConfigurator-ContractPack-SCANsat', which reports itself as 0.4.0, which seems to be in the new (common) location of /gamedata/ContractPacks. Moreover it seems it to use the newer parameters (and even mulit-spectral scans etc - yay) BUT has different file names (like 'MonLoRes.cfg' instead of 'ScanMun.cfg' as in your GitHub.) None the less, it definitely seems to be your mod (you are identified at the top of each file).

Could you help me out and let me know which is the most current?

- The 1.0.3 version from Github?

- The 'ContractConfigurator-SCANsat' @ v1.0.2 on CKAN?

- The ContractConfigurator-ContractPack-SCANsat' @ v0.4.0 on CKAN?

This is also a PSA that the situation is bound to be a bit confusing for others too, and they might not see any updates you push using CKAN.

* My view of CKAN is through the command line client - latest and updated just now.

Thanks again for your work

PS. I feel bad getting support for your Contract Pack on the Configurator thread, maybe start a new one (or point me to it )

Ok, first up, thanks for trying it out!

There is a little confusion because both I and tattagreis have a SCANSat Pack out. His was an initial pack that I believe was a demonstrator for the ideas and only covered LoRes and that was about it and he said he was happy for others to release another with more stuff. I'll talk to him to see what we're going to do there as I'm happy to combine.

The ContractConfigurator-SCANsat is tattagreis pack and AFAIK still does install to his choice of cc_contracts.

The ContractConfigurator-ContractPack-SCANsat is my pack and is on version 0.4.0 and installs to the ContractPacks directory (should appear in there as CC-CP-SCANSat).

In the GUI for CKAN, my pack appears right next to Nightingales RemoteTech pack and the Contract Configurator, while tattagreis pack appears a little further down (I think).

I'll get an OP sorted tonight hopefully, just been busy testing things out!

As you may have seen, in version 0.4.0 you have all the missions are unlocked so you can get them all the time, also the rewards are a bit skewed as all are set to be 10lk or 10 and the games multiplier is working it out. In the dev branch for 0.5.0 I so far have 5 of the contracts balanced for the rewards and locked so that you can only get them at specific times. My plan is for each contract to only be dependant on either parts being available, or scan data from Kerbin, Mun or Minmus. I'm reluctant to require scan data from Duna before going to Jool for example, as it'll take bloody ages to do everything and I don't feel it particularly realistic!

I have pretty much no time right now, so I can't address some of the specific points brought up until later - but I wanted to get some general thoughts.

1. First off, congrats on the release, DBT85! I missed your post last night. I believe you need to specify the license on the forum post to satisfy the forum rules (although I see that it is there in the download, so you're 99% of the way there).
   
2. Second, I have no direct issue with having multiple similar contract packs. However, I would like be able to make them differentiatable to the users. Both in terms of CKAN naming and in terms of a general description it would be nice to be able to have enough information to tells a user what they'll get if they install one, the other or both.
   

Thanks Thanks for even making it possible! The license is now in the post.

I'll add some more to the CKAN description for people to help differentiate.

Okay, starting with this. I changed the second post to have a listing of rules and recommendations for contract packs. Not all of it is due to the current situation, but some stuff that I had wanted to get out there for a little while (and this gives me the excuse to go and do it).

As far as the current situation goes, I will be listing DBT85's pack on the first post, as it complies with the rules above (oh, but make sure you go back and mention the license on your post).

However, I would strongly recommend that you and tattagreis talk and figure out a mutual resolution where we end up with one SCANsat contract pack. I don't want to the hard work that either of you have done go to waste, but I'd like to also get it to a point where it's best for the players.

If for whatever reason we continue to have the two packs, then can we do something to differentiate them on CKAN? I don't have a specific recommendation, but if we end up going down this route I'm happy to give more thoughts on what can be done.

I'll talk to him and we'll sort something out one way or another Without both your work mine wouldn't have been possible at all!

I wouldn't quite say ready to go yet. I've put a proposed change forward for DMagic to review. Hopefully the change works as expected and gets accepted. If it does, then we shouldn't have any more issues in SCANsat 9.0 related to the contract parameters completing unexpectedly. And yes, the disableOnStateChange = false would give you a partial workaround - but only if it's not the last parameter to complete in the contract.

Ah ok, excellent. IN my pack the issue seems o rear its head most when the scan percentage is showing up before the countdown is complete, so just running that disabeOnStateChange will work fine as the timer will always be running.

Edited January 17, 2015 by DBT85

[voidheart]

There is a little confusion because both I and tattagreis have a SCANSat Pack out. His was an initial pack that I believe was a demonstrator for the ideas and only covered LoRes and that was about it and he said he was happy for others to release another with more stuff. I'll talk to him to see what we're going to do there as I'm happy to combine.

Right. Everything makes some sense now Thanks for your reply. Hopefully the two contract-packs can be combined (or have known, different flavours) so users don't end up making a Coke/Pepsi choice.

I am really interested in ContractConfigurator and am fooling around with a few potential packs of my own, but my time is limited (mostly by my desire to play KSP in the time I do have). I wonder if there is any interest among others in helping me out (so the question is, should I share early or wait until I have something beta-ish?).

The contract packs I'm working on:

1) Into the Black - Extra Progression Contracts beyond LKO

2) Better Parts Testing - Parts Testing Contracts that actually teach you how to use the Parts (and Play KSP)

It might be a better use of my time to contribute to other's contract packs though, so we'll see. Last night for example I was really wanting just to fix some of the deprecation warnings on the other SCANsat pack to reduce the noise in the logs.

I'm also interested in more specific mod themed contracts to help demonstrate how to use the mod. There are a lot of mods that might otherwise be installed and not fully exercised or explored.

[DBT85]

I'm happy to work with you if you like

I believe tattagreis has a pack under construction that you might want to look at to see what he's covering. It might be something you can collaborate on or at least see where he's going. I believe right now it's covering from a first launch to early orbit missions and then a whole bunch of missions to Mun.

Hopefully more mods can be incorporated like the orbital science ones or Cacteye orbital telescope etc so that packs can be made for them.

EDIT: More importantly, the only correct answer is Coke.

[voidheart]

I'm happy to work with you if you like

I might chuck something up on Github then

I believe tattagreis has a pack under construction that you might want to look at to see what he's covering. It might be something you can collaborate on or at least see where he's going. I believe right now it's covering from a first launch to early orbit missions and then a whole bunch of missions to Mun.

Do we need a Work in Progress list then? Something perhaps maintained on the second or third post of the thread? I can see a lot of people coming up with similiar ideas and not knowing others are working on the same stuff. The more collaboration around the packs the fewer higher quality ones we will have, the less user confusion etc etc.

Hopefully more mods can be incorporated like the orbital science ones or Cacteye orbital telescope etc so that packs can be made for them.

Random question - I don't think there is any generic way to make a contract mod specific, is there? Regardless of whether deep support is offered, I can think of instances were within a contract pack you might want to offer a specific contract only if the user has or has not got a specific mod installed. Just wondering

[voidheart]

Random question - I don't think there is any generic way to make a contract mod specific, is there? Regardless of whether deep support is offered, I can think of instances were within a contract pack you might want to offer a specific contract only if the user has or has not got a specific mod installed. Just wondering

Actually there is an obvious if slightly brittle way to do this, just add a part requirement from the mod.

[nightingale]

Do we need a Work in Progress list then? Something perhaps maintained on the second or third post of the thread? I can see a lot of people coming up with similiar ideas and not knowing others are working on the same stuff. The more collaboration around the packs the fewer higher quality ones we will have, the less user confusion etc etc.

I'll make a general thread on the Add-On Development board for Contract Packs and throw the link up here.

Random question - I don't think there is any generic way to make a contract mod specific, is there? Regardless of whether deep support is offered, I can think of instances were within a contract pack you might want to offer a specific contract only if the user has or has not got a specific mod installed. Just wondering

Actually there is an obvious if slightly brittle way to do this, just add a part requirement from the mod.

Module manager is the answer here! I design the structure specifically for this kind of thing. Here's a random made up example:

[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Consolas]PARAMETER[/FONT][/COLOR][COLOR=#333333][FONT=Consolas]:NEEDS[KarbPlus][/FONT][/COLOR][COLOR=#333333][FONT=Consolas]
[/FONT][/COLOR]{
    name = HasResource
    type = HasResource

    resource = Karborundum
    minQuantity = 100.0
[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Consolas]}[/FONT][/COLOR]

In this example, it would add the parameter only if the player has Karbonite Plus installed. You can do that on any node, so CONTRACT_TYPE/PARAMETER/REQUIREMENT can all be controlled this way.

- - - Updated - - -

Here you go, General Contract Pack thread is up, have fun.

[Mulbin]

Could anyone tell me how I would go about making a mission to make stock space stations less pointless?

It would need to do the following...

1. Detects active craft assigned as space stations and selects one at random for the mission.

2. Assigns a mission to take 1-3 crew to the station

3. Assigns a random length of time that the crew need to remain (maybe 1 week - 6 months?) MUST BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON OTHER SHIPS DURING YOUR WAIT>

4. Crew then needs to be returned to Kerbin to complete.

5. Pays out cash/sci/rep once completed.

Is this possible with this mod?

[nightingale]

Could anyone tell me how I would go about making a mission to make stock space stations less pointless?

It would need to do the following...

1. Detects active craft assigned as space stations and selects one at random for the mission.

2. Assigns a mission to take 1-3 crew to the station

3. Assigns a random length of time that the crew need to remain (maybe 1 week - 6 months?) MUST BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON OTHER SHIPS DURING YOUR WAIT>

4. Crew then needs to be returned to Kerbin to complete.

5. Pays out cash/sci/rep once completed.

Is this possible with this mod?

Long term, the goal would be to support contracts like this, but it's not quite there yet.

1. This will probably be one of the last things in your list to get supported, for now you'd have to be somewhat explicit about the vessel (although you can specify one from a previous "launch a station" contract).
   
2. Supported
   
3. Random length not yet supported, but definitely planned. Definitely support ability to focus on other ships during that time.
   
4. Supported.
   
5. Supported - standard contract funcationality.
   

[DBT85]

As Nightingale said, that's all doable right now provided you made the station with a contract in the first place. You can then reference that station in a later contract and add other modules to it or crew or whatever.

For example, in my first contract for SCANSat, you put a sat into polar orbit and it gets defined as Maxwell I behind the scenes. (Hopefully soon it'll also actually change the name).

In a later contract I have an optional part of a mission set to put Maxwell I into a suborbital trajectory to de orbit it.

For your code for the first mission to put the base segment of your station up might look like this. It's not perfect or tested (at work) and I've had to make part names up as I don't keep a list with me

name = ISS1


// Contract text
title = Start a space station
description = All kerbalkind has come together to fund a space station for research of all kinds. We need to get the first part launched before we can build on it.
synopsis = Put a habitation module, some fuel and some big solar panels into a 300km equatorial orbit. Don't forget a docking port.
completedMessage = Terrific, we can now start to get other launches ready to add to the station1

// Target Celestial body - controls where the contract must be completed, has some automated
// effects on numeric parameters (increasing science, etc.)
targetBody = Kerbin

// Always offered by the R&D department
agent = Research & Development Department

// Contract rewards, Kerbin multiplies by 1.25 on Normal mode.
advanceFunds = 10000.0
rewardScience = 10.0
rewardReputation = 10.0
rewardFunds = 10000.0

// Can only be done once
maxCompletions = 1
maxSimultaneous = 1

// Prestige level 2
prestige = Significant

PARAMETER
{

name = Station1
type = VesselParameterGroup
define = International Space Station
disableOnStateChange = false

PARAMETER
{
name = HasCrew1
type = HasCrew
maxCrew = 0
minCrew = 0
}

PARAMETER
{
name = PartValidation
type = PartValidation
// making part names up here!
part = HabitationModule
part = SomeFuel
part = GigantorSolar
part = 1.25mDockingPort
part = SomeRCSStuff
}

PARAMETER
{
title = Achieve an orbit with the following parameters
name = Orbit
type = Orbit
targetBody = Kerbin
minApA = 295000
maxApA = 305000
minPeA = 295000
maxPeA = 305000
maxEccentricity = 0.00244
minInclination = 0
maxInclination = 1
disableOnStateChange = false
}

// Once all of the above are complete, start the countdown.
PARAMETER
{
name = Duration
type = Duration
duration = 6h
preWaitText = We need a stable orbit for at least
waitingText = Orbit acquired, monitoring.
completionText = Stable orbit confirmed!
}
}

}

CONTRACT_TYPE:{

And then the second mission to crew it might look like this

name = ISS2


// Contract text
title = Crew the ISS
description = With the station stable in orbit we can now send a small crew up to begin studying the long term effects of weightlessness.
synopsis = Send 3 Kerbals to the ISS, and keep it kerbaled for 4 weeks.
completedMessage = Interesting. Bob appears to have turned greener but aside from that everyone is looking good!

// Target Celestial body - controls where the contract must be completed, has some automated
// effects on numeric parameters (increasing science, etc.)
targetBody = Kerbin

// Always offered by the R&D department
agent = Research & Development Department

// Contract rewards, Kerbin multiplies by 1.25 on Normal mode.
advanceFunds = 10000.0
rewardScience = 10.0
rewardReputation = 10.0
rewardFunds = 10000.0

// Can only be done once
maxCompletions = 1
maxSimultaneous = 1

// Prestige level 2
prestige = Significant

PARAMETER
{

name = Station1
type = VesselParameterGroup
vessel = International Space Station
disableOnStateChange = false

PARAMETER
{
name = HasCrew1
type = HasCrew
maxCrew = 3
minCrew = 3
}

// Once all of the above are complete, start the countdown.
PARAMETER
{
name = Duration
type = Duration
duration = 28d
preWaitText = We need the station crewed for 4 weeks.
waitingText = Crew undergoing long term weightlessness
completionText = Long term weightlessness achieved!
}
}
}

CONTRACT_TYPE:{

And then maybe a third mission to attach another module and boost to a 500km orbit might look like this.

name = ISS3


// Contract text
title = Add a cupola module to the ISS
description = The guys up there are doing well but have asked for more windows to look out of.
synopsis = Attach a Cupola module to the ISS and at the same time, boost the orbit to 500km.
completedMessage = Outstanding. With more windows to look out of we're getting more pictures back of Kerbal looking all pretty.

// Target Celestial body - controls where the contract must be completed, has some automated
// effects on numeric parameters (increasing science, etc.)
targetBody = Kerbin

// Always offered by the R&D department
agent = Research & Development Department

// Contract rewards, Kerbin multiplies by 1.25 on Normal mode.
advanceFunds = 10000.0
rewardScience = 10.0
rewardReputation = 10.0
rewardFunds = 10000.0

// Can only be done once
maxCompletions = 1
maxSimultaneous = 1

// Prestige level 2
prestige = Significant

PARAMETER
{

name = Station1
type = VesselParameterGroup
vessel = International Space Station
disableOnStateChange = false

PARAMETER
{
name = PartValidation
type = PartValidation
// making part names up here!
part = CupolaModule
}

PARAMETER
{
title = Boost the orbit to the following
name = Orbit
type = Orbit
targetBody = Kerbin
minApA = 495000
maxApA = 505000
minPeA = 495000
maxPeA = 505000
maxEccentricity = 0.002
minInclination = 0
maxInclination = 1
disableOnStateChange = false
}

// Once all of the above are complete, start the countdown.
PARAMETER
{
name = Duration
type = Duration
duration = 6h
preWaitText = We need a stable orbit for at least
waitingText = Orbit acquired, monitoring.
completionText = Stable orbit confirmed!
}
}

}

CONTRACT_TYPE:{

So the first mission defines the vessel as International Space Station with the define command

PARAMETER    {
        name = Station1
        type = VesselParameterGroup
        define = International Space Station
}

And any subsequent mission to that station would use the vessel command to identify that the mission must occur on that specific vessel.

PARAMETER    {
        name = Station1
        type = VesselParameterGroup
        vessel = International Space Station
}

Personally I'd also use the ability for Contract Configurator to also disable stock station contracts. I've done it already for satellite contracts in my game.

If you'd like to start a pack up pop into the development thread and we can help out

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/107661-Contract-Packs-for-Contract-Configurator-General-Thread

Edited January 18, 2015 by DBT85