[1.4.x] Contract Pack: Anomaly Surveyor [v1.7.1] [2018-03-30]

[Tes Daus]

Finally, I got to the cherry from the cake!

My impression in a couple of words: This is a very dangerous space pinball!

Very cool.

Thank you for great work!

[nightingale]

I love your contract packs. Thank you so much for making them.

Thanks! Hope you like the new one... should be out by the weekend!

Finally, I got to the cherry from the cake!

My impression in a couple of words: This is a very dangerous space pinball!

Very cool.

Thank you for great work!

Excellent, thanks for helping me squash some bugs along the way.

[nightingale]

New version out, download it now! Contains a few fixes for the final Jool contract.

ContractPack-AnomalySurveyor 1.0.5

• Minimum version of Contract Configurator is now 0.7.0
  
• Improvements to Island Airfield and Pyramids to work in RSS rescaled Kerbin.
  
• Jool Monolith
  
  • Improved logic for selection of EVA Kerbal to prevent issues.
    
  • Improved survivability (far less likely to crash into a planet and die).
    

  [*]Added notes to Mun Monoliths (only available in Contract Configurator 0.7.1).

[JorusAton]

This looks awesome! I really enjoy exploring the anomalies... there's a very 2001 a Space Odyssey feeling to finding a hidden artifact. Can't wait to try this out!

[BudgetHedgehog]

So I read this post and thought this would be the place to shoot the idea: I haven't completed these contracts yet so I don't know if it's available, but one pretty awesome thing would be to spawn a unique asteroid (at the right time - you'll need the Claw and the required building upgrades etc, obviously) that you can intercept and it'd give you a higher than normal boost in funds and rep. Is it possible to get unique science for it as well? If so, specific experiments and results from it and yeah.. I think it'd be a nice addition to surveying anomalies and easter eggs. Just make it spawn on a neat trajectory, not just basically outside Kerbins SoI.

But yeah, I don't know if this is good or even possible, just throwing ideas out

[nightingale]

So I read this post and thought this would be the place to shoot the idea: I haven't completed these contracts yet so I don't know if it's available, but one pretty awesome thing would be to spawn a unique asteroid (at the right time - you'll need the Claw and the required building upgrades etc, obviously) that you can intercept and it'd give you a higher than normal boost in funds and rep. Is it possible to get unique science for it as well? If so, specific experiments and results from it and yeah.. I think it'd be a nice addition to surveying anomalies and easter eggs. Just make it spawn on a neat trajectory, not just basically outside Kerbins SoI.

But yeah, I don't know if this is good or even possible, just throwing ideas out

Well, no spoilers or anything, if you complete the Jool monolith contract there's a chance you may see an asteroid or ten...

Otherwise nothing like this in the contract pack, but I think the idea certainly fits, and gives me an excuse to increment the minor version number.

So let's see, from what you've suggested, let's do some brainstorming:

1. Unique asteroid - Depends on what we mean by unique. Modelling is outside my skillset, so we'd either need a volunteer for that, or use the regular potatoroid. Big is easy to do. Interesting orbit (high inclination, highly elliptical, far orbit) are all easy. If we tie it to a very specific timeframe in game-time, we can do something like putting it on a near miss of Jool, and the player is required to bring it to Kerbin (where the only feasible delta-v option is to use a Jool gravity assist). That last one might be outside the scope of what makes sense for AS.
   
2. Unique science I've never looked at - but I doubt it's terribly hard to create a unique experiment, so that's on the table.
   

Now, getting way off of what you've suggested, I'm amazed that nobody in the community has come up with a comet mod. Basically start with the stock generation logic, but generate in more oot-cloud like orbits (and fewer, too). New model would be important. Making a tail seems feasible to me, and would give that super cool wow factor. Anyone modeller want to collaborate on that one?

[BudgetHedgehog]

Well, no spoilers or anything, if you complete the Jool monolith contract there's a chance you may see an asteroid or ten...

Nooo sssshhhh!

Well, Alternis had comets (with tails), Custom Asteroids has comets as well (no tails, stock 'roid model).. I've no idea how those happen though. Tying it to a specific UT wouldn't be ideal as there's no way of knowing if the player is capable of even tracking the thing, let alone encountering it, especially those with KCT where it can take years to complete the tree. But, if you could make it's orbital period line up with Jools so it would nearly encounter it every orbit, you'd just need a little nudge to get it. Though, I was more thinking of spawning it when necessary with a very high SoI entry speed (possibly retrograde and/or polar) with a PE that barely scrapes the atmo so you'd need to intercept and perform one nerve-wracking aerobrake to get it under control.. but something only obtainable via a Jool boost would be handy, I guess there's more room for ideas there. Use Jool to get out to it's orbit, use Jool or Laythe to control it or swing it down to Kerbins orbit and perform Science! there.

And I coulda sworn I saw an actual comet mod here a few weeks ago, but searching gets nothing. It was actual comets with tails that point away from the sun and everything, it was nothing like the stock potatoroid.. Gah, that's going to annoy me!

EDIT: Seems that comet mod (this is the post I was thinking of) is something from Kopernicus(/Tech) or something used by OPM. Either way, that's three leads to actual comets. But I'd be happy with the stock potato, really. Maybe a little remodel/retexture

Edited March 25, 2015 by ObsessedWithKSP

[nightingale]

Nooo sssshhhh!

Well, Alternis had comets (with tails), Custom Asteroids has comets as well (no tails, stock 'roid model).. I've no idea how those happen though. Tying it to a specific UT wouldn't be ideal as there's no way of knowing if the player is capable of even tracking the thing, let alone encountering it, especially those with KCT where it can take years to complete the tree. But, if you could make it's orbital period line up with Jools so it would nearly encounter it every orbit, you'd just need a little nudge to get it. Though, I was more thinking of spawning it when necessary with a very high SoI entry speed (possibly retrograde and/or polar) with a PE that barely scrapes the atmo so you'd need to intercept and perform one nerve-wracking aerobrake to get it under control.. but something only obtainable via a Jool boost would be handy, I guess there's more room for ideas there. Use Jool to get out to it's orbit, use Jool or Laythe to control it or swing it down to Kerbins orbit and perform Science! there.

And I coulda sworn I saw an actual comet mod here a few weeks ago, but searching gets nothing. It was actual comets with tails that point away from the sun and everything, it was nothing like the stock potatoroid.. Gah, that's going to annoy me!

EDIT: Seems that comet mod (this is the post I was thinking of) is something from Kopernicus(/Tech) or something used by OPM. Either way, that's three leads to actual comets. But I'd be happy with the stock potato, really. Maybe a little remodel/retexture

Ah, very cool, more out there than I knew about... I'll have to give this one some thought. Maybe there's more to this than something for anomaly surveyor, this could be my next contract pack...

[khearn]

I just got offered this contract, and something doesn't quite add up..

Am I missing something?

[nightingale]

Oops! There used to be five, but I removed one that's underground. I'll fix it for the next release.

[nightingale]

5thHorseman just put together an absolutely fantastic preview video of Anomaly Surveyor. Click here to go check it out (it's now featured on the first post of this thread).

Once you've watched it, there's a few things you can do to show your appreciation:

1. Give him some rep on the linked post!
   
2. Go to his youtube channel and subscribe!
   
3. Kneel before him and bask in reflected magnificence!
   

[Lord Aurelius]

Quick question (may have been asked and answered already, I didn't take the time to read all the way through this thread):

Do these contracts work with rescale mods, or does that tend to break things horribly (i.e. all the anomalies end up buried underground)?

[nightingale]

It should work with rescale mods, although it hasn't been extensively tested. There's certainly the possibility that there are some of the anomalies that are underground. In general though, the last update made offsets based on the PQS information - meaning that the waypoints should all be the right spots, at least.

[mic_e]

I have only done the first two contracts (island airfield and pyramids), but IMO the rewards are far too low. I'd expect a science payout especially.

Also, your description states that if I have SCANsat, I won't get the contracts until I have mapped the anomalies - are those two exceptions?

[futrtrubl]

Also, your description states that if I have SCANsat, I won't get the contracts until I have mapped the anomalies - are those two exceptions?

Indeed. Too big or too close to have been missed even without mapping.

[nightingale]

I have only done the first two contracts (island airfield and pyramids), but IMO the rewards are far too low. I'd expect a science payout especially.

Hmm, those are quite low, I'll raise them a bit. But no science for those contracts, bring a thermometer along for the ride if you need science.

Also, your description states that if I have SCANsat, I won't get the contracts until I have mapped the anomalies - are those two exceptions?

Yup, like futrtrubl said - it doesn't make logical sense to require a sat in orbit to see those.

[FatherLawrence]

I'm having a problem with the very first airfield mission. I crashed my jet onto the airstrip and EVA and then walk up to both the anomalies, and the waypoints are in the right place, but I can't complete the contract. I've taken reports while standing on them, jumping on them, laying down prone on them, I've called upon the small green gods of my ancestors but couldn't complete the contract. The condition of being by the pod or being in the tower would light up green, indicating it could be completed, but no dice.

[nightingale]

Hmmm.... this hasn't really changed recently, and lighting up green really should be all they do. Do they turn back to grey after you walk away, perhaps?

EDIT: If you're able to provide a screenshot, it would probably help.

Edited April 18, 2015 by nightingale

[FatherLawrence]

Yes, they turn back to grey after I've walked away from them and the contract remains unchanged, just taking up a contract slot. I'll try to get a screenshot shortly.

[nightingale]

Yup, just completed this one successfully, so not sure what the problem would be. Make sure you're on the current version of Contract Configurator, and maybe provide a log along with the screenshot in case there's something really bad going on.

[nightingale]

New KSP 1.0 compatible version is out! Download it now!

ContractPack-AnomalySurveyor 1.1.0

• Jool Monolith fixes for KSP 1.0.
  
• Fixed text in Kerbin Monolith contract (thanks khearn).
  
• Increase Kerbin contract rewards (thanks mic_e).
  
• Minor fixes to various contract text.
  

[Zesty]

I can't find this mod in ckan. Is that because KSP updated to 1.0.2?

[Boamere]

^Same, I think so

[nightingale]

Yup, gotta go through mods and verify everything works in 1.0.2. Based on what I saw on another thread, I suspect Contract Configurator broke in 1.0.1 and requires a new release. Once that is done and everything else gets their version files upped to 1.0.2 everything should start working again. Expect that to all get fixed in about 5 hours (ie. after the kidlets are in bed).

[BudgetHedgehog]

Expect that to all get fixed in about 5 hours (ie. after the kidlets are in bed).

Sigh.. *loads up PayPal again*