Xeldrak

Well, anything by Clarke - I especially enjoyed "Rendezvous with Rama". Thats quite hard SciFi that focuses more on the technical details than characters. Another book I liked was "The Forever War" by Joe Haldemann. Basically how to wage (and experience) war in a pretty hard SciFi setting. Anything by Heinlein is not as hard but still quite awesome. Now, this is all stuff from the sixties and seventies. A period I thorougly enjoy - but it has it's own flavour not anyone might like. I recently read some modern stuff I can also recommend: John Scalzi: Old Man's War - not very hard SciFi, but awesome, engaging and sometimes disturbing. I'd call it space opera. Paolo Bacigalupi: The Windup Girl - well, it's hard to classify - Wiki calls it Science fiction, Biopunk. No spaceships but lots of genetic engineering in a kinda dystopian future. Just read it

Well, I get the feeling, that rapiers are better for small Space Planes, where you can keep the whole thing simpler by using only a single engine and (maybe) a single tank.

This is the CRAP, the ChemRock Anaerobic Plane: Xeldrak Craft Name: CRAP Part Count: 18 ((150-18)*10= 1320) Time to LKO: 7:00 MET ((10-7)*50=150) Fuel Remain:8.66 ((8.66/10) * 3 = 3.87) Total score: 1473.87 Craft File: https://www./?pr15jjruu3a2yh3 OR (I'm a little confused your example calculation) Xeldrak Craft Name: CRAP Part Count: 18 ((150-18)*10= 1320) Time to LKO: 7:00 MET ((10-7)*5=15) Fuel Remain:8.66 ((8.66/10) * 3 = 3.87) Total score: 1338.87 Craft File: https://www./?pr15jjruu3a2yh3 Challenge guideline. 1) Single Stage to Orbit. (Means stage 0 only) (check!) 2) You must start from the runway. Liftoff horizontally and able to land horizontally. (check!) 3) No parachute allow for landing. And your plane must be landing friendly. (check!) 4) You must have present a "plane outlook" instead of a rocket with wings. (check!) Challenge Rules. *) No science equipments required. (No bonus for that) 0) There will be no poll-voting. (check!) 1) You are only allow to use a single type of engines. Thats R.A.P.I.E.R. engines. and 100% stock part only. (check!) 2) Must have at lease 80 units of RCS Gas. (And RCS thruster block or linear RCS port). (check!) 3) Must have at lease a docking port. (All sizes accepted) (check!) 4) Manned craft. At lease 1 crew. (check!) 5) Maximum parts allows 150. (check!) 6) No Alt-F12 part clipping. (Normal means part clipping allow). (check!) 7) Cubic Octagonal Strut, Octagonal Strut, Modular Girder Segment, M-Bean 650 I-Beam, and BZ-52 Radial Attachment Point are forbidden to use. (check!) 8) A screenshot of your craft and .craft file must be made available. (check!) 9) Flight ascend (takeoff) profile must include in in-game .craft description. (check!) @Sirine: In you example point calculation, I think you mean: "Time to LKO: 7:10 MET ((10-7.1)*50=145)" or you mean "Time to LKO: 7:10 MET ((10-7.1)*5=14.5)" in wich case the overall points you provided do not add up.

We have a winner! Congratulations to Ravenchant, Deathsoul097 and antbin! Well, that was a rather eventfull BSC-iteration But it was fun as allways and I'd like to thank everyone who entered the contest or voted according to the guideline - you guys make the challenge possible I don't think I will start the next BSC before Christmas Eve, since there is a new update that should each one of you busy and lots of social occasions - but keep an eye open.

Well, what does uncontrolled mean? Just no input after launch? No probe core or command pod? No activated SAS?

Allright, Xolotl - now that you've basically filled up a whole page on this thread alone, why dont you collect all the stuff you intend to write in a single post? Or do it like me and edit your last post as long as it is the newest post in the thread. While it's awesome that you actively take part in this challenge, filling up a whole page with relatively short post is not considered to be well-mannered.

I voted for Deathsoul097's Sojurner. Usually I prefer bigger rovers (as you can clearly see on the CRAATRV), but I think the Sojurner strikes the heart of the challenge: It's simple - really simple and still looks good It's probably one of the few entries a newb could actually rebuild after examining it.

On a small sidenote: You shoulde be able to right the CRAATRV on duna and all bodies with lower gravity, using only torque.

Allright - the primary votes are (finally) done You can see the results right here.Now it's time for a final 48h vote! Remember to check the Challenge Guidelines - it's not a beauty contest! The vote is public - people will see for whom you voted.

Allright - primary vote is closed! The finalists are: 1. antbin - The One Way Ticket 2. tie: Deathsoul097 - Sojurner verliert gegen antbin - The One Way Ticket Ravenchant - R-31 Dustmarcher & Heron skycrane 4. tie: Andrew Hansen - NOKERB Exploring Machine XolotlLoki - Simple 6. Xeldrak - CRAATRV Well, you guys know the drill - give me a few minutes

ocular implants!

Just a small reminder - the primaries will close in about 24h. I will then probably set up a 48h final poll ot decide the actual winner. This is probably the longest running bsc since first one, that had one week building, one week voting ^^

Just moved to Xerox and wrote my first factbook entry. Seems to be a very relaxed game, sufficient to log in only once or twice a day.

Well, while I cant entertain you with the current ranking, I can give you all the Info I've got Right now, you have 17 registered voters, 9 have allready voted. The vote will close in about 72h. Also, thanks for all the reputation - lots of you gave me some after I reset the vote. I feel flattered and got the feeling that I did the right thing

Well, I've started my own Empire today: Xeldrakia. It think it looks like fun - we'll see.

Uhm - yah, I can do it. Allthough it's a little strange to post a challenge and then plug it in the same subforum, basically in the thread next to it.

Lazro 1Revenger1 You guys should have mail. I fear right now, I cant change that the mail is probably in german, but it should still be no problem to vote. You simply need to click the long link in the mail you received. Should the voting page also be german: Rang = rank stimme abgeben = cast vote this should get you through @M5000: It's fine if you impose your own criteria - after all, I think I don't want to know, how many people still vote the best looking craft. Is amazing, tha you wrote such a lenghty review - although I'm sad, of course, that you had now love for the CRAATRV.

Yeah, seems like the page recognizes my Austrian ip adress and uses German accordingly. I'll look into it tomorrow - it's 0027 AM over here.

That lander looks awesome

Ravenchant Deathsoul097 You guys should have mail.

Funny thing is - right now even I can't access the results. I guess this will be quite the suprise on sunday.

Allright, antbin briansun1 SaplingPick Spartwo Lions rhompaia you shoul all have a mail - check your spam filters if not I hope this all works as planned - had to set it up on the fly :/

Tau (10Char)

Yeah, for some reason I tend to be so naive to think that grown ups in this forum wouldn't cheat. Maybe I should get out of the house more often.