The Trek of the Dawn Racer -- Elcano Challenge

[Starwhip]

Welcome to the mission log of the CRN-07A Dawn Racer, and its trek around Kerbin's globe. Rumored to be one of the fastest vehicles in the running, though farther behind than most, the Dawn Racer will not be taking a direct route around the globe. Rather, it will go wherever I see the most interesting feature.

I am not the only competitor, however. Be sure to check out the other's submissions as well!

If you want to download a basic version of the Dawn Racer, you can go here:

CRN-07 Dawn Racer release thread

The stats are outdated now, but it can still go on land, in air, and through the seas, just not as fast.

Mission Logs:

Part One -- The Ship

Part Two -- Pedal to the Metal!

Edited May 31, 2015 by Starwhip

[Bob_Saget54]

Nice craft there Starwhip, certainly puts mine to shame!

Anyways, from one boat user to another, good luck on the seas!

[Starwhip]

Album uploading, challenge restarted for Version 1.0!

[Endersmens]

This thread should be renamed " I have too much time on my hands"

[Starwhip]

Right. Kerbal Engineer Redux is a big fat liar.

Ran out of fuel 20 mins after launch, approximately 12 degrees south of KSC.

[Starwhip]

Once I affirm that the Dawn Racer functions in the latest update, I will resume this challenge.

[Overland]

Comforting and Disheartening at the same time.. it seems im not the only one battling the changes of 1.0+

Thanks for dropping by my elcano thread the other day starwhip..

for me its the sounds.. I just cant seem to find any thread about what those pitch/volume values mean.. traditionally configured engines play the sound curve too soon leveling out way too early in the throttle... almost at 1/4 travel.. copied stock data isnt much help either..I gather your encountering similar with your fine craft?

power curves also seem to be a tad different for wheels.. as does electricity...

it might be a bug.. as ive had lights dim and go dark when im *not* pulling power with the traction motors and then light up brightly when all the powers sucked out of the system during acceleration.. totally opposite to what should happen and whats always happened..

I give you well wishes for your progress.. I think it'd do alot of people good in this challenge if we all perhaps post little issues like this.. technical issues.. deep within the dark unknown depths of a now alien configuration file... trying to get a perfectly tuned craft back to its original state after such a steep update of the way config files work.. this is the way wills are broken.. more than any steep hill or water crossing.. even the loss of a craft isnt so critical as it can be replaced....

one things for sure.. it'd be good to see you back underway

Goodluck starwhip!

[Starwhip]

Thanks, Overland.

Well, the Dawn Racer does work in 1.0.2... however, its maximum land speed was halved. Problem.

It still uses the same amount of fuel per second, but now it has half the range.

So, the Dawn Racer II is in its design phase.

[Starwhip]

Turns out the CRN-07 Dawn Racer is still a reliable rover... er, jet-boat-rover.

So, I sent out a scouting mission for the real one, which will occur when I get back to my more powerful laptop.

Jeb steps out to plant a flag.

The Dawn Racer's engines begin to spool up.

Contact! All ahead full!

Opposite Bank Spotted.

Heave ho, lad!

All Stop!

Hey, let's celebrate with a flag! Jeb jumps out of the Dawn Racer, moves over, and plants one. On the way back he bumped a wheel and spooked the Racer... Poor thing.

Maybe time warp will help?

Darn it.

[Squiggsy]

ah noo! haha that is a nice looking craft you got there though, and a good speed to be able to achieve over water!! I wish you luck with your replacement Dawn Racer!

[Starwhip]

The CRN-07A has been developed. Warranty void if engineers reveal that the only change was an autonomous probe core for remote righting of the craft.

[Starwhip]

The Journey Continues!

A new rover deployed, and away we go! The KSC monolith ate my flag I planted there... ominous.

Anyways, the Dawn Racer made a successful crossing across the bay. Jeb is too set on speed to think of a name, but the crew of the final mission will spend some time on those.

Hopping out as the sun set, planting a flag.

Night falls. The flag is still there!

Ah, it's bright now!

Engines on, then.

Yeeeeehaaawwww!

The Racer is just begging me to open up that throttle...

Path Ahead.

More to come!

Edited May 29, 2015 by Starwhip

[Geschosskopf]

Good luck with the new ride.

I hear they "fixed" (aka took the fun out of) the radial intakes in 1.x, so what do you use for floats these days?

[Starwhip]

Good luck with the new ride.

I hear they "fixed" (aka took the fun out of) the radial intakes in 1.x, so what do you use for floats these days?

Radial intakes.

Still work for me.

[Starwhip]

The Kraken strikes yet again.

Jeb had been sinking into the ground for the duration of the mission, and on a recent flag-planting, he finally stood on solid terrain. As such, the flag was denoted with "Less Glitch Ground".

All was well until, ironically, that same flag teleported three kilometers to the north, exploding on impact with the ground.

Then stuff got weird. It seemed to be going more or less well for a while.

Until I came up on this hill.

Aye, Thar be Quicksand Here! The terrain suddenly stopped being terrain, and the Dawn Racer sunk into the ground before exploding.

These here capsules are super stronk.

Well, thus ends another scouting run. It's what I get for playing on "Low" terrain detail.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Starwhip

[Geschosskopf]

Well, thus ends another scouting run. It's what I get for playing on "Low" terrain detail.

Youch! I had no idea low terrain detail caused collider issues. Thanks for the warning.

[Starwhip]

Youch! I had no idea low terrain detail caused collider issues. Thanks for the warning.

I'm pretty sure it makes the collider issues worse, though I've had a rare few occur on high detail. But the rate is much, much lower.

Anyways, tired of having to drive the Dawn Racer to the last known point, a deployment mechanism was constructed.

[Mister Dilsby]

I really admire the perseverance--difficult driving/piloting I will deal with, but for losing progress due to glitchiness I haz not patience! Perhaps one should stay off of land entirely, except briefly to plant flags?

[Starwhip]

I really admire the perseverance--difficult driving/piloting I will deal with, but for losing progress due to glitchiness I haz not patience! Perhaps one should stay off of land entirely, except briefly to plant flags?

Speaking of glitches, when I staged the deployer to drop the rover, the capsule fell off.

Maybe I should turn off the engines next time?

[Starwhip]

UPDATE:

Deployment test.

Down she goes! Brace!

Gear down, engines maxed.

Touchdown confirmed. Success!

Now for the real thing. Dawn Racer II changes course to the wreck, closing the distance in a mere matter of minutes.

Reaching a good range, the deployer was separated... mostly.

DEAR GOD GET IT OFF OF ME!!!

Some fancy maneuvering later and a check of the f3 window, the Racer II successfully separates with no lasting damage.

Prepare for landing. The deployer has been destroyed.

Touchdown confirmed, prepare for rendezvous.

Bill here, requesting transfer.

Bill exits the capsule of the Racer II.

Here comes Jeb, the terrain is trying to eat him.

Hopefully the Dawn Racer II will survive at least until some part of the poles.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Starwhip

[Starwhip]

Graphics! Framerate! Quality! Resolution! Shadows!

Hahaha! Now we can truly begin!

Tonight I've got a window to use my better, newer laptop, so the scouting run shall cease, and the true Elcano Challenge will begin again!

[Starwhip]

Dawn rises at the KSC. Jeb is awoken by Gene Kerman, who over-excitedly calls Jeb down to the Research and Development building. Wondering what all the fuss is about, Jeb straps his suit on and steps out the doors to be met by an unusual sight:

Jeb's comms unit comes to life with Gene's voice. He tells Jeb that the craft is called the Dawn Racer, and it is the fastest land and sea vehicle ever to be developed by Kerbalkind. This peaks his interest. Jeb walks over and reads a small plaque affixed to a flag near the arch:

Control notifies him of a global competition to circumnavigate Kerbin occurring at this very moment, with teams both having completed the journey and nearing their ends. "WHAT?!?!" exclaims Jeb, not one to be outdone, and hauls butt over to the ladder of the Dawn Racer:

Studying the instruments for a while, Jeb realizes that the speed readout is stuck on the "Orbital" setting, and he cannot figure out how to change it. But no matter. He inches the throttle forward and begins to pull out of the shade.

Realizing that he may be in the Dawn Racer for a long while, Jeb gazes longingly at the Vehicle Assembly Building.

The Tracking Station. Many not-so-fond memories of mission controllers watching his every move, but memories nonetheless.

Mission Control. As demanding as the controllers could be sometimes be, they'd kept him alive more times than he could count.

The birthplace of the Dawn Racer and tower-buzzing aircraft alike (Jeb loved those), the Spaceplane Hangar. A rather impressive structure.

Focusing on the task at hand, Jeb finally figures out how to change the display on the speed readout.

A camera mounted outside of the Mission Control building captures the Dawn Racer as it goes into what Jeb would later call "Peacock Mode":

Onwards, now, no time to dawdle! We begin at once!

Edited May 31, 2015 by Starwhip

[Starwhip]

Go, Jeb! Not a moment to lose. Up until this moment, Jeb had not the slightest idea of the Dawn Racer's capabilities... but now he knew.

By the time the first hill presented itself, the Racer had accelerated to over 100 m/s.

Soon it was time for a planed course change. Jeb deployed the right-side airbrakes.

A spot of interest? Oooh! Jeb punches it and rolls smoothly onto the sand.

It's a sandy place, ain't it? Creatively, Jeb decides to call it the "Sandy Sinkhole".

A minor deviation. Jeb wanted to go check out a large island off the coast.

Leaving the land behind.

This shore is a bit steep, but no matter. The Dawn Racer's thrust easily overpowers gravity.

There's an interesting feature here. Jeb commemorates it "damerell Ridge" in the name of a fellow circumnavigator.

Time to go!

Pulling up on land again.

Interesting bit of terrain once again, this time a series of decently-sized lakes... or monstrous puddles. They could also be minute oceans, depending on how you look at it. Anyways, they have been called the "Solune Lakes".

Progress after Day One. Jeb decides to call it a night and rest.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Starwhip

[Geschosskopf]

Off to a good start, looks like. Good luck and kodspeed

[Starwhip]

What's it like to pilot the Dawn Racer? Well, now you'll know! Take a look at this video (Sped up to account for lag; this is the actual speed of the Dawn Racer. I was surprised myself!) and tell me what you think!