ID Numbers associated with Contracts

[mpk10]

I think it would be fun to compete with other KSP players on our relative efficiency at completing contracts. I realize that the contracts are randomly generated, but assuming that the payouts in money, reputation and science are the same for a given task, would it be possible to give some sort of long 10 digit i.d. number associated with each one? That way, threads in the challenge forum could be created for specific contracts?

[Dunbaratu]

Even if they are randomly generated, it can be possible to encode the seed of the random number generator in an ID number for the contract. So part of the ID would identify the contract template, and the seed would force the same random "dice rolls" to be used for filling the contract.

The hard part would be that some of what those dice rolls are used for may vary per installation. i.e. "choose a planet randomly by rolling M mod N, where M is the random die roll, and N is the number of planets you've visited so far this campaign" will give a different answer for different N's.

[mpk10]

Interesting. I guess it might not be possible for contracts to be comparable like that, but I do believe that there is probably an easy solution to this idea that might let players compare themselves to others on contract completion.

It also opens a door to the potential for a mod, or perhaps future stock concept, where players bid on contracts (against other players of equal reputation/skill, say).