KSP Caveman Challenge!

[Moesly_Armlis]

[quote name='GoSlash27']Alpheratz,

Also, be advised that I am no longer administering this challenge. If any of the clan would like to take it over, feel free!

Best,
-Slashy[/QUOTE]

Too bad to read that Slashy this is an excellent challenge and needs leadership. I understand it its a lot of work to go through the entries to verify how it was done. The only way is to go with the honour system as it seems way too easy to cheat.


I nominate 5thHorseman for the position. Not because he would be extremely competent or that he spends time on this forum and is easily recognized, or that he might enjoy this sort of thing.

It is because he replied first.

But seriously someone should administer this excellent challenge.

[GoSlash27]

MoeslyArmlis,
I would be fine with 5ThHorseman taking over the job if he's interested. Or for that matter, I'd be cool with you taking over if you're interested. The "caveman challenge" is for the cavemen, and all clan members are equals :D

Best,
-Slashy

[Alpheratz]

I havent read all the 28 pages of this challenge, but I found a way to get EVA reports while flying high:
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/obPuh7B.png[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/zcfhiAJ.png[/IMG]
Next step: EVA from space all around Kerbin :)

[Superfluous J]

I appreciate the nomination, but will have to decline. While I do seem to spend quite a bit of time on the forum it's in short bursts and I rarely actually DO anything here.

[Moesly_Armlis]

[quote name='Alpheratz']I havent read all the 28 pages of this challenge, but I found a way to get EVA reports while flying high:

Next step: EVA from space all around Kerbin :)[/QUOTE]

This is pure gold!

The ability to grab EVA science without upgrading the Astronaut Complex will make a very interesting extreme hard career. The last EH career I managed to land on Mun and Minmus and by using the docking port to break the weight/part count limits was looking further. All this was accomplished by just upgrading the AC that allows the gathering of EVA science. Now it seems the AC does not need to be upgraded so long as kerbals are sent into space in a cage.

Caveman breaking the rules is awesome:

1. not allowed to build large interplanetary vessels.
- Caveman builds Voltron vessel by using docking ports juniors

2. not allowed patched conics or maneuver nodes
- Caveman study the celestial movements and learns from simulation experience

3. no EVA in space until astronaut complex upgraded
- Caveman are sent into space in a kerbal corral


@5thHorseman That is too bad. The contributions you have added to the forum I would say are meaningful.

@Slashy Thinking about administration and I would be too relaxed and not strict enough. I could easily update the cave wall though.

[Superfluous J]

[quote name='MoeslyArmlis']
@5thHorseman That is too bad. The contributions you have added to the forum I would say are meaningful.
[/QUOTE]

Thank you :) But that's not exactly what I meant. I meant I log on, snipe a few quick replies, and then take off again. I simply don't have the time to peruse several dozen images or a video to make sure the entry is legit.

[Rakaydos]

Status update:
[img]http://i.imgur.com/1sWPaVi.png[/img]

[GoSlash27]

MoeslyArmlis,
If you'd be willing to update the wall and have somebody else arbitrate the rules, I'm sure that'd be helpful.
I'd recommend starting a "caveman 2" thread so you'll have the ability to edit the OP.

Best,
-Slashy

[Rakaydos]

Moving the final piece into position...

[img]http://i.imgur.com/XYqUEqI.png[/img]

...or not. Dammit!

[Moesly_Armlis]

The new caveman part deux will be up soon.  Still waiting for the thermal interface material I ordered to arrive and this will give me opportunity to play vicariously.

 

That's Dave Lister, Since the new forum update I can now make out Slashy's avatar and finally get this.

P.S. Nurse Ratched knows him as Lloyd Mullaney

 

[Caithloki]

Okay, I just noticed this challenge isn't active anymore, but I completed it finally. For some reason I do not have the ability to post to imgur (I will do it and edit this post) but here is my lets play of my Cave man Challenge.

 

 

This is the first of 11 videos, I am posting the 9th video at the moment.

[GoSlash27]

Caithloki,

 You're almost there!

 I think this ended up being quite a grind for you because your use of SRBs was killing your payload fraction. It gets a lot easier when you are able to mathematically tailor your stages to the mission.

 I'm looking forward to the next video.

Best,

-Slashy

[Caithloki]

I started the upload of the final mission now should be up and in the playlist in an hour, might start another challenge soon, or maybe think of a way to bring this challenge to the next level.

And you are right about the SRB,s now that I finished the challenge I checked into my two ships (One with two side fleas and one with two T-200 tanks but same center stages) with kerbal engineer to see how they differed, turns out the fleas gave me a higher starting T to W ratio but gave me about 200 less delta V. I guess I am just used to slapping on a ton of SRBS to get to orbit height, or to brute force my way straight to Kerbol orbit.

Edited December 3, 2015 by Caithloki
spelling

[Rakaydos]

5 hours ago, GoSlash27 said:

Caithloki,

 You're almost there!

 I think this ended up being quite a grind for you because your use of SRBs was killing your payload fraction. It gets a lot easier when you are able to mathematically tailor your stages to the mission.

 I'm looking forward to the next video.

Best,

-Slashy

I know that most of my rockets so far have used a few SRB stages to get a vaccum rated engine out of the lower atmo- was able to get a manned orbiter that way, and an unmanned low-mun flyby and cut-off solar orbit science.

[Caithloki]

The SRB's are pretty useful for that purpose but with the limits of the challenge there downfalls come into play. I enjoy putting a massive starting stage of SRBs, then a single powerful for the next stage, usually can get a ship with 4000 delta V to Kerbol orbit if using Space Y SRBS

[GoSlash27]

6 hours ago, Rakaydos said:

I know that most of my rockets so far have used a few SRB stages to get a vaccum rated engine out of the lower atmo- was able to get a manned orbiter that way, and an unmanned low-mun flyby and cut-off solar orbit science.

Raykados,

Yeah, you can use SRBs and still get a lot done, but in Caveman the 18t pad mass limits how much mass you can put into orbit and your orbital mass dictates what you can or cannot accomplish from there. If you run the DV equation backwards, you quickly realize that SRBs are a terribly mass inefficient way to generate DV and this wastes payload capacity in orbit. It won't stop you from completing the challenge if you're resourceful, but it's bound to get grindy.

 They are helpful, however, in the early going though when trying to space within the part count limit.

Best,

-Slashy

Edited December 3, 2015 by GoSlash27

[Rakaydos]

Speaking of grindy, i should get back to assembling my super-rocket something this week.

8 double-stacked BACCs, 4 skippers, and a poodle, stacked almost 30m high with 2.5m tanks.

[GoSlash27]

Congrats on completing the Caveman challenge, Caith Loki!

Best,

-Slashy

[WinkAllKerb'']

; ) slighty side slide off in topic, but this made me think slashy don't get it's full reward for completing the caveman challenge V1:
 

Spoiler

,'') /bow

 

Edited December 4, 2015 by WinkAllKerb''

[GoSlash27]

All,

  Just out of curiosity, I ran the math to see exactly how much of a disadvantage SRBs put you at in caveman conditions.

 I mathematically designed 2 stage rockets to see how much payload they could put in orbit while staying within a total vehicle mass of 18t.
 The lower stage is designed to achieve 1800 m/sec DV and 1.2 thrust to weight. The upper stage is designed to achieve 1700 m/sec and 0.7 thrust to weight.

 The results:
-An LV-T30 booster stage can orbit up to 3.0 tonnes payload. It's right at the edge of both the pad limit and it's lifting capacity, making it ideal for caveman heavy lifting.
-An LV-T45 booster stage can orbit up to 2.3 tonnes. It runs out of lifting capacity before it overloads the pad.
-An RT-10 booster stage can orbit up to 1.3 tonnes. Any more than that exceeds the pad limit.
-A BACC booster stage can orbit up to 1.2 tonnes. It's weight approaches half the pad's mass limit all by itself.

 3 tonnes orbital is quite a lot for caveman conditions. You can get manned landers or fully returnable science sweeps.   1.2 tonne is good to get a manned capsule in LKO or small surface probes to the Mun.

Best,

-Slashy

[Bev7787]

I used the Thud on my launches.

[GoSlash27]

5 hours ago, Bev7787 said:

I used the Thud on my launches.

Bev,

I didn't check the Thud. Hang on a sec....

*rummaging in basement*...

The Thud can orbit 2.7 tonnes of payload in the above situation. Good choice. The LV-T30 still has the edge, but no thrust vectoring and let's face it... you don't really need more than 2.7t of payload in orbit to pull off caveman awesomeness.

Best,

-Slashy

Edited December 5, 2015 by GoSlash27

[Caithloki]

Wow, so I made this challenge for myself alot more difficult than it needed to be with the two SRB engines on the sides.

[GoSlash27]

18 minutes ago, Caithloki said:

Wow, so I made this challenge for myself alot more difficult than it needed to be with the two SRB engines on the sides.

CaithLoki, Not a lot more difficult, just a little. They were little SRBs. But that big honkin' BACC was hurting you pretty bad. I think your early avoidance of the aviation node made it more difficult than even the BACC booster did, but you were resourceful and tenacious. Ultimately that's what matters most. Caveman challenge is like a wilderness survival course; proving that you can survive on twigs and berries. You made it through and have earned your badge.

Best,

-Slashy

Edited December 5, 2015 by GoSlash27

[Jetski]

Did it, thanks this was a fun challenge.  I didn't take enough pics as I went, but what I have is here. http://imgur.com/a/1fBaV

Edited December 5, 2015 by Jetski