'new craft' requirement and docking

[cephalo]

I have a contract for a new space station around Duna. I can fulfill this easily if I can dock the new craft to my pre-built interplanetary stage. Will docking my new craft with the old one nullify the contract? Googling tells me that you could previously fulfill 'new craft' contracts endlessly through docking, but that it was fixed. What does that mean?

How does the 'new craft' requirement interplay with the docking mechanism?

Edited June 14, 2015 by cephalo

[n0xiety]

If every part you are going to connect got launched after you accepted the contract everything will be fine. But if you were to dock a ship that you launched before you accepted the contract that won't work.

[Warzouz]

Yes, the contract section won't validate. You will have to remove the old parts from the build to validate the contract.

There is a way to circumvent that by editing the save file.

0- Backup your save file

1- Locate you contract in the save file

2- In the contract, locate the LaunchID parameter

3- Set it to 1

4- Save, reload and validate you contract

[Zephram Kerman]

Confirmed; my orbital station contract would only complete if each of the required parts were built after acceptance. I tried docking it to my lab already in orbit, but that wouldn't work.

On the other hand, I was fortunate to get two base contracts at the same time. So the LKO station contract was satisfied while I was assembling the Minmus base. (All I had to add was two kerbals on the external seats.)

[cephalo]

Hmm, What I mean is, my Duna lander design with small modifications could fulfill the contract. Could I build the lander, dock it with my interplanetary stage, then undock it in Duna orbit to fulfill the contract? All the actual parts will be new, it's just that they will be transported by the existing craft. That's ok right?

[Reactordrone]

Hmm, What I mean is, my Duna lander design with small modifications could fulfill the contract. Could I build the lander, dock it with my interplanetary stage, then undock it in Duna orbit to fulfill the contract? All the actual parts will be new, it's just that they will be transported by the existing craft. That's ok right?

As long as the lander ticks all of the boxes then the contract won't care how it gets to the location.

[Kryxal]

Does it check for all parts now? The last time I looked, the combined craft took on the mission time of the craft which was docked to (that is, NOT the craft being controlled) which allowed for just setting up for docking then switching craft.

[FancyMouse]

At least each part has a launchID. Implementation-wise it's easy to find the minimal launchID of all the parts in a vessel - I'm not implying it's for sure implemented that way, but I highly suspect it is the case.

[Warzouz]

Does it check for all parts now? The last time I looked, the combined craft took on the mission time of the craft which was docked to (that is, NOT the craft being controlled) which allowed for just setting up for docking then switching craft.

I'm nearly sure it does (99%). I've tested it a while ago, but I don't remember what I did precisely.

I think it was

- Get the contract

- Send first part to LKOt

- Dock an existing lander returning from Mun (older than the contract)

- Send the second part to LKO and dock

- Contract not validating

- Undock the lander (older than the contract)

- Contract validates

Edited June 15, 2015 by Warzouz

[maculator]

Yes, the contract section won't validate. You will have to remove the old parts from the build to validate the contract.

There is a way to circumvent that by editing the save file.

0- Backup your save file

1- Locate you contract in the save file

2- In the contract, locate the LaunchID parameter

3- Set it to 1

4- Save, reload and validate you contract

Now thats a great way of playing KSP ... why dont you just press Alt+F12 go to contracts and push the "complete" button?!

And @OP if you just want to farm money;

The easiest way is to accept the "Build a station in solar orbit" You just build it and push it straight up out of kerbin, takes only a few minutes and gives you tons of funds.

[FancyMouse]

Now thats a great way of playing KSP ... why dont you just press Alt+F12 go to contracts and push the "complete" button?!

Because then the contract parameter stays incomplete even if the contract itself is hacked complete, and people may or may not be happy with it