that1guy

I really couldn't think of a better place to put this post than in the general discussion, so with that said, here we go. Kerbal Space Program is a great example of how the early access model can be used responsibly and effectively to achieve a game that both fills the initial design scope and use fans to help improve and prioritize the goals of the game. For example, I have logged something near 1500 hours of KSP time, from about version 0.12 right up until now, which is more than any other game I have ever played (including any one Civilization game). I felt that when Squad asked for money to have access to the "full version", they did so in a responsible manner. When I bought the game at 0.14, I thought that the features they were had in the game were worth the asking price (I think it was about $10). This allowed Squad to get paid while the game was in progress and the fans to have a hand in debugging and directing the game. When more features would get added, the price would go up to match the amount of features in the game at the time, not what would eventually be added (as many games on steam early access would have you do). The community surrounding this early game were dedicated fans who wanted to see KSP come to its full operational state. It was truly an amazing spectacle to behold. Then, KSP went onto the steam store, and opened the game to a wider audience, and more importantly, they did so when the game had enough working and implemented features to be fun and playable for the people who were just getting into the game at the time of the steam release. As such, the game community grew and was largely enriched by this and Squad was able to continue to make the game that most fit their vision and our desires. However, this did come at a small cost. A few sentences ago, I mentioned that I have played close to 1500 hours of KSP. No matter how great a game is, early access has one flaw, people can and do get burned out before the game is released. This is not me saying that the game is bad or that I wanted something else from Squad. Quite the opposite actually, I feel that KSP was shaped just as much by Squad as it was me and the other community members, both old and new. What all that was set up as was a method to convey this, Squad nailed the early access model on the head, but it comes with a small cost. What are your feelings about this, am I way off base, or do you agree with me?

I would like a quick vote before my next piece, should I continue to use the Hellion III or be allowed to use the new parts from economic boom? your call, comment and let me know

Mad props to Xacktar, thanks man, I still need to iron out some frame rate issues around landing, but I really like this software... That having been said, I hope everyone both posting and watching this colab series enjoys it. Shout out to Paprika for setting up the forum page, thanks man, glad to be working with you again.

very carefully, based on how many parts I saw, how many classes of SSTO there are and the destinations.

Cheers all, I am still alive! I have just been busy with work... ugh, such work, much stress...wow okay I am still here, and I realize epi 6 is actually 140 points as I forgot to give you the vanilla award in epi 1 @ Kokanee: I am assuming that you are have run only 2 missions at this point and have 1 station (with a total of 15 pre qualifier points), am I correct? Also, right smart videography on the orbit over the pole Cake, well done, I would say that is worth 3 points if you want them for impressing me (if you want them)

haven't the foggiest, I would check the BB code for that, and or the forum

yup, that is correct

you can grab them up from the ocean

yeah, no more bonus points for you... in case you were wondering, the break down is as follows 5 points for the video, 5 points for making me laugh irl

kk, here we go 1a.) totally legal 1b.) so long as the parts are stock, you're good 2.) IDK, I could throw on like 5-10 points for that... sure why not 3.) Nope, this challenge contiues Ad infinitum ad astra (to infinity to the stars) 4.) none what so ever (but in the spirit of the challenge and for the People for Ethical Treatment of Kerbals, I would try to land them safely... even ditching in the ocean is cool) 5.) I suppose I could work one up... will prlly be like the MICR crest 6.) please do... I love free publicity P.S.) I feel like the current system works fine for that... in theory if you can build a station/ base on Laythe, you can also build one on Duna and Ike

This is just my personal preference, I feel space planes are easier to recover and refuel in an RP type situation

righto, SSTOs vanilla?

Because the Octopus in my head told me to run the challenge thusly... tbh, it is a more design and practicality focused limitation... it would be possible to load up an SSTO (like in Scott Manley's reusable space program) that took off from the launch pad, in my RP based mindset, it would be easier to maintain a plane like craft VS one that would *hypothetically* need a crawler to get to the pad... plus horizontal landings make for easier recover in real life (less resources expended). Hope that answered my decision

to simplify the rules, if it goes to or is intended to go to space, it counts as a space plane class for the contest (unless it is a payload)... that said, HALO dropping flags with standard jets is fine... so long as that is all they are used for

righto, everything is fine... I am a doof... you are clear to begin the challenge uberyuber!

you sir are needing imagur, I can not see the pics

okay, to Uberlyuber, a class of SSTO would be a basic design that the payload is attached to the ship... the different payloads would not change the design (or class) of the ship... however, if you had a payload baring craft and a different style (or class) of craft for hauling fuel up that would be 2 classes... the challenge is to use as few classes as possible

yeah, they are, I think I will add some provisions to the rules, but they are allowed.

Okay, here is the challenge, using only SSTO space planes, you must build an orbital infrastructure. What is considered orbital infrastructure? Well, it is a way to replace one off missions like the N-1/L-3, or Apollo missions by having all of the equipment involved be reusable (much like Scott Manley's reusable space program). Therefore, the minimum requirements for this challenge are this, you must have at least 2 stations in orbit around different bodies (E.G. Kerbin and the Mun) and a way to get Kerbals from station A to station B (and back again safely). Okay, official rules and scoring Rules: 1. The only craft allowed to take off and land on Kerbin are SSTOs 2. You may bring non-SSTO craft into orbit, so long as it is brought to orbit on or in an SSTO (for example, bringing an apollo style capsule craft into orbit for Munar transit is fine, so long as it remains off the surface of Kerbin and follows rule 3) 3. Landers and craft capable of landing on non-Kerbin bodies are permitted, however, unless they are intended as permanent structures, they must be able to return to orbit and dock with the nearest station. 4. Surface bases are permitted, however all parts (except adapters used to hold the base parts to the surface on a craft) must remain intact. 5. Accedents are allowed, however, in the event of a non-SSTO non-Kerbin impact, the structure may not have its flight aborted. 6. SSTO classes do not include the same design with different payloads (E.G. the Hellion III is the same weather it is carrying a station part or a buggy) Scoring: SSTOs This is a running count, even if you downgrade from 2 classes to one at any point in your save game, the class count will still be at 2 >3 classes of SSTO: 1 point 3 classes of SSTO: 2 points 2 classes of SSTO: 3 points 1 class of SSTO: 4 points Tourism capability This is only counted as the maximum number of kerbals that can be taken up on one SSTO per flight (only 1 SSTO class will be counted for this, but it is your choice which one) 1 Kerbal to orbit: 1 point 2-3 Kerbals to orbit: 2 points 4-7 Kerbals to orbit: 4 points 8-11 Kerbals to orbit: 6 points 12-20 Kerbals to orbit: 8 points >20 Kerbals to orbit: 10 points Destinations this is the total number of bodies that you have space stations orbiting and can support space tourism (E.G. you can fly Kerbals there with regularity) 2 bodies: 1 point 3 bodies: 3 points 4-5 bodies: 5 points 5-6 bodies: 9 points >6 bodies: 15 points Surface bases Surface bases mus be able to be gotten to and from in order to count and any bases may not exist on Kerbin (one base per body will be counted as to prevent spamming the same body for points) 1 base: 5 points 2 bases: 6 points 3 bases: 10 points 4 bases: 11 points >4 bases: 25 points Bonus Points: this category can and will be changed to reward those who I deem have done something truly challenging or impressive, but there will be internal logic to it Vanilla (did not use mod parts): 100 points Spumoni (SSTOs are vanilla, but stations or landers use mod parts): 50 points Neapolitan (SSTO Engines, Wings (or other parts that generate lift), and fuel tanks are stock... mods can be used for everything else): 35 points Welcome to the Hotel Kerbifornia (have a space station with over 100 parts and at least 9 modules): 25 points Welcome to the Space Marriott (have Kerbifornia sized stations for every station in your save world, minimum 3): 100 points Welcome to the 4 Planets Hotel (all stations and surface bases are Kerbifornia sized: minimum 3 stations and 2 bases): 300 points Jeb's Spring break (take a pic of Jeb in, on, or near all craft type, stations, and bases in your world): 5 points Oh, East? I thought you said Weest... (have your Kerbin space station orbit to the west): 40 points BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME TO! (notify me that you will be attempting the challenge in this thread before submitting your entry): 1 point Okay, so the best way to go about this is using a CLEAN save file and sandbox mode. In order to qualify, proof must be provided that the file is devoid of all flights (including flags) at the beginning of the challenge. Users can enter the contest more than once with the same file if they expand their infrastructure (the score will be updated). Imagur albums, videos, or other screenshot proof of missions are accepted (word of mouth alone is not... word of mouth will be judged on a case by case basis). The participants will have their names posted in this post, from highest score to lowest score. That said, have fun Prize Once you hit 30 points, you get the ICAR badge. ICAR stands for Institutium Caeli et Aetherei Romani (Roman Institute of Air and Space). Why Roman, because I wanted to. It is a smart looking badge. I have reasons for the way it looks, look out for it on the forums. Score Board: CakeNinjaProductions: 274.6 points (+10 points for very kerbal deployment of components) Kokanee 15 points Mecha Pants: 7 points Uberlyuber: 1 point Tarantulae: 1 point My Attempt This is not scored for fairness reasons This is a test flight of the craft I want to use This is the first station part put into orbit with the Hellion III

Indeed, all that happened, I am thrilled to be back here. Thanks booly

Okay, so, this is my latest entry to the K-prize, my first released craft that uses RAPIERs and my first K-prize where I would not feel right without giving a shout out to another user on the forum. I reversed engineered Rune's Broadsword II, which gave me massive insight on how to construct a fuselage for the Hellion series of craft (mostly the spine and centre panels). That having been said, in the video there is a "ship" that re-enters the atmosphere is merely a docking adapter that I used to install the solar panels on the station without leaving a docking port on that part of the station. I suppose I should mention that this is the Hellion III craft

This is a great discussion, I love that people are being rational about this. I totally agree, in fact, my latest K-prize entry would not be possible without a user on this forum (Rune). As a historian, I believe that the moment that we stop learning from each other, we invite chaos and waste into our lives. That is not to say that we should not attempt things (especially in KSP) on our own first, rather understand that someone else may have your "ah-ha" moment in some aspect of their craft. Continue discussing, this is a good thread.

Okay, so, I want some opinions and some rational discussion. I personally see downloading craft and using aspects of downloaded craft in your own design as no big deal. For example, Pa1984 is a brilliant SSTO engineer, I have used some of his design tactics along with other fuselage designs in my cargo hauling SSTO. That having been said, the lifting body, wing profile, and engine configuration are all from previous SSTO building on my part. So, discuss, is it okay to download and learn, or is it morally reprehensible?

like I said, dumb luck, will probably never happen again. I would say the stars aligned, but it was more the planets

I should have clarified, it had a mild amount of RCS left, it was in an elliptical orbit that glanced off the eeloo orbit, changed the plane, hit the dres plane (which equatorialized it to the sun), hit the sun periapsis, on its way out, it hit Eve with a 250km periapsis, changing the sun orbit, hit duna in a west-east orbit, which after 3 sun orbits came back to kerbin at a 300km periapsis, which I then RCS'ed down to 20km... my only regret in this incredible tale is that the DSORC is unmanned. Edit: I attribute this mostly to dumb luck and I doubt it will ever happen again to me