Ohls

I'm sure this has been suggested before. With 0.24 and specifically contracts however, it feels like the idea has some new aspects. The basic idea is that there would be a second KSC, with a different faction. Basically it would just be some buildings and a runway. Nothing you can really interact with besides the physical objects. I'm pretty sure Squad wouldn't add a competing faction with funds and etc of their own. And this isn't what this idea is about. It's more about adding story if you will and more purpose for contracts. Examples: Rescue missions could be kerbals stranded by KSC2, and now you have to carry out the rescue because KSC2 doesn't have the funds/technology/whatever. Be it lone kerbal stranded in orbit. Vessel stranded orbiting minmus without fuel(your contract is then to dock and refuel said vessel). Get to the mun before KSC2 does. Shorter deadline and perhaps more reputation gain. If you fail, perhaps a flag could be spawned by KSC2 to show their landing site and your shame in defeat(along with a jab on the plaque or something). Deliver parts to KSC2. Would involve flying over there and landing within a set distance with parts attached. Escort contracts. You have to deliver a kerbal to KSC2s space station/landed science station/etc. I'm not sure where Squad stands on adding CPU vessels though. Just having them spawn/despawn at given locations would be fun. Having them fly in real time would be more fun!

Like someone mentioned, you can activate an engine with action groups or by clicking it. Then just hitting the stage at the right moment to still get the contract fulfillment. Not sure if this should be considered a bug, or if it's just the way squad choose to authenticate parameters of the contracts. I also have to chime in on the random factors. I actually like them! Having them restricted to normal acsent and decsent speeds in given altitudes would make them a lot more boring if you ask me. Most of us can build a properly functioning rocket that sticks to a "normal" ascent route. Just sticking parts to a typically built rocket to get the contract would just make it repetetive. Having odd values for the contracts makes them fun and challenging!

Wow, you guys are amazing. Thanks everyone for taking the time to answer my fairly simple question with some fairly fleshed out answers!

It's not as in it doesn't matter what orbital altitude you choose, or it's not as in it's more efficient to start out with a low orbit?

Is there any difference in total delta-v usage depending on what starting orbital altitude you choose on Kerbin? For example. I always try to land a orbit around 100km before taking of to other bodies. I also typically keep my refueling stations at this altitude. But is it more efficient to hit 200km, 300km, 1000km before taking of to other bodies? Obviously you will spend more delta-v to achieve that orbit but will you save that when leaving Kerbin?

I've get this bug where sometimes the screen where you select the VAB, Tracking station and etc goes all black. All I can see is the UI which only lets me quit. I've tried clicking around but no luck. I'm playing with the following add-ons: Engineer, Deadly Reentry, Kerbal Alarm Clock and Remote Tech. Before I installed Kethane I never had this problem. I've played with the same add-ons with Kethane instead of Remote Tech before and didn't have this problem. So I'm guessing it has something Kethane and Remote tech isn't working together. Anyone else played with these addons? Anyone know what the problem could be?

Just got this mod and I'm not sure If I'm doing something wrong, would appreciate some help. I've got 4 probes set up with 2 dishes(KR-7 and KR-14) as well as a omnidirectional antenna, communotron 32. They are orbiting kerbin at 400km. All the dishes and antenna are on and on the map view I can see that the form a little network over mission controll and kerbin. Then I've got a science lab orbiting the mun. It's on the side of the moon facing kerbin, the communication devices are on(comms-DTS-M1 and communotron 32), But every time I try to transmit science, I get the error message "No comms devices on this vessel. Cannot transmit data". I've tried pointing the dish on the science lab at mission control, kerbin and all the probes orbiting kerbin. Can't get it to transmit. Anyone know what could be wrong?

Thanks for the answers. Did not realize you could reset experiments. Don't know if some mod is making me not able to EVA, or if I was too zoomed out. I'll try again later tonight.

I know that you get some percentage more science of your transmissions to Kerbin. But I still don't see the point. I can't exit the lab with the kerbals(don't know if this is a bug, intended or if I'm just stupid), so the only option to leaving them stranded is the build a ship capable of returning. And since the science modules break after transmitting your science, this fully defeats the purpose of the lab. However, even if you can exit the lab you then need to send another ship to pick them up. While it might be easier to build a return capable ship without the science parts, it will not be that much easier considering you need to bring along empty capsules. Not to mention the time it takes to make the trip twice. So, am I missing something? To me it just seems like the lab is more cumbersome than helpful.

Ah, thanks for you answer! I'll try that after work.

How is it done? I can dock easily when landing with a rover or other wheel-equiped craft. But docking two stations that are only equiped with landing struts seems impossible to me. I can land in the vicinity of a station, but to then navigate precisly enough to land with the docking ports perfectly aligned seems extremely difficult to me. Switching from controlling via the navball to visually looking at the craft always messes me up. Sometimes the docking port isn't on the "front" and so makes left/right tilt the craft up/down(seen from the position of the docking port being front). This compounds the difficulty. It is hard enough in space. With a surface and gravity to contend with I just can't do it. I've seen several multidocked station on the forums so I know it can be done. Is there a special technique to doing this? I've searched to no avail, yet maybe I missed a tutorial somewhere? Or better yet, a video tutorial? Thanks in advance, fellow kerbinauts.