Serial Space Station: Add your own module! (Closed - check out the new Community Space Station thread instead!)

[Jetski]

Things slowed down here due to an update a while back, but it has been revived spectacularly here!

This is a challenge for the space station builders out there.  I have created a very simple Sandbox Stock savegame (I'll try to keep the latest link above the picture), and it has been added to by other players. There is a single orbiting station that started with 5 parts at about 100km over Kerbin, and a number of kerbals are inside.  Your mission is to add 5 parts to the station by flying a mission and docking to the station.  Do it in this order to complete the challenge:

1. Post a note in this topic saying you are launching a module. This lets everyone know you have the latest version, and they should wait on their attempt until you complete the challenge.
2. Download the latest savegame.  Link is below over the picture, or if I haven't updated it just grab it from the latest forum post.
3. Fly a mission to add a module to the station.  Max 5 parts plus up to 2 docking ports can be added to the station, this includes tanks, lights, solar, batteries, any additional docking ports, RCS, everything.  So choose carefully.  Or add no docking ports, but you still only get 5 parts 
4. Dock your module with the station without destroying it.
5. Deorbit any debris or additional ships, or delete them from the tracking station.
6. Take pictures or video of the mission
7. Upload your images to a new post, and the (new and improved) savegame for the next person.

New! Community Spaceship Assembly for Jool mission on station - Cleared for launch!

Spoiler

1. Announce you are launching a section, take the savegame, and fly the mission
2. Document it, and mention how you suggest the section be used (e.g. drive section for the back of a ship, fuel section, command and control, etc).
3. Deorbit any debris or additional ships, or delete them from the tracking station.
4. Upload your images to a new post, and the (new and improved) savegame for the next person.
5. Support sections (anything not flying out to Jool with the ship) and station modules or service craft still capped at the 5 part limit.
6. Ship sections can have up to 8 parts plus up to 2 docking ports, each part flown as a different mission by a different player
7. Once a few parts are together, we can fly a maintenance mission and remove some docking parts/replace with KIS.
8. Ship must be built on station in 1.1 (version control to avoid losing the whole thing to a bad savegame)
9. Resist the urge to add payload, as the ship will become exponentially more difficult to assemble.  I suggest one or at most 2 lightish modules as payload and control, the rest should contribute fuel and engines
10. When we have a ship built, we'll decide how to get it there (possibly multiple segments)

 

Station Maintenance Mission:  Instead of launching a module, you may launch a maintenance shuttle (make it look cool!) with KIS/KAS installed, and basic tools on board.  Absolutely no mod parts (even struts/fuel lines) left on station please, the savegame still has to load for stock players.

Spoiler

1. First download and start the savegame normally
2. Your mission is to take an engineer either from the ground or already on station, and move parts around in a helpful way to reduce lag and part count.  
3. You may remove any pair of matching docking ports that are docked together and mount the parts together using KAS attachment
4. You may repair or remove any broken parts
5. You may (with great caution!) make small changes to "optimize" the station, moving things around (reaction wheels/RCS/batteries/lights) to improve the station, with the understanding that you are trying to keep the original intent of the module launchers!  Be prepared for criticism if you drastically change someone's work without their permission. I encourage consulting with the various module builders if you want to really change things around (to keep everyone happy).
6. Document your work thoroughly with screenshots or video, so we can watch the station maintenance
7. Do not bring any new parts up to the station at all, it is understood you are taking this mission instead of adding your 5-part module
8. Please don't do anything that can't be done stock - if it can't be attached that way in the VAB don't attach it that way on station (specifically thinking of KAS attaching parts to asteroids, but I'm sure there are other examples)
9. Deorbit or delete any removed parts, and safely land and recover your maintenance shuttle and personnel if you brought anyone up.
10. Upload the savegame just like in the regular module missions

It is understood that this side mission is fairly advanced work, and requires a bit of skill, so don't take it on unless you are quite certain you can manage it.

      Also, get yourself a shiny new badge!

I'm interested to see what the Kerbal community can assemble in orbit - kind of like the ISS with different nations adding their modules.  Hoping for a truly spectacular station by the time everyone is caught up in 1.1

A few ground rules:

1. No parts mods at all, and particularly no modded parts added to the final station savegame, or it will break it for the next user.
2. No HyperEdit, F12, etc, fly this like a real mission.  I particularly encourage innovation - if you have a nice SSTO to bring your module up in a cargo bay, or a clever way to build a module, go for it!
3. Leave the station in LKO.  You can move it if you absolutely must, but keep it well within the orbit of the Mun to avoid interference and keep this challenge doable even by newer players
4. Imgur albums are good for pics, unless you have a better way, also Dropbox is decent for posting the savegame.
5. If you break the station or break parts, you have failed the challenge.  Either reload the save, or accept a failed mission
6. Try to only keep the station savegame long enough to do the challenge.  If you post that you are starting your attempt, the next person has to wait for you to complete it, so don't hold on to it forever.  Do your mission, post the savegame, and let the next person give it a shot.
7. Missions are all to be done in 1.1.x, to avoid savegame loading conflicts.
8. One at a time!  You can add multiple modules if you like, but only one per attempt, and let at least one other player take a turn between your additions.
9. Leave a docking port open for the next player!
10. Please make sure all struts used connect FROM your launcher TO the payload, otherwise they add mass and part count, and will count against your 5 part limit.

Here's a recent shot of the station, and I'll try to keep an active link to the latest savegame  If it's not current, just look to the latest forum post.  Total 245 parts and growing

For newer players, here's how to use a downloaded savegame.

Spoiler

1. load KSP, make a fresh Sandbox save called KSS
2. download the KSS.sfs file
3. save it to your "ksp\saves\KSS" directory. 
4. Go into your KSS sandbox save within KSP, go to Space Center, and Load Saved game
5. you should see "KSS" as one of the options (also persistance and quicksave), load it up
6. You are in the correct universe to do the challenge.  Get to it!
7. When you finish, go to Space Center and Save Game as KSS.
8. Go find your savegame file, should be "ksp\saves\KSS\KSS.sfs"
9. upload that file to a file sharing site of your choice (I used Dropbox)

Edited May 30, 2017 by Jetski

[Dfthu]

Why is there a 5 part limit? And why is this a challenge?

[HoloYolo]

16 minutes ago, Dfthu said:

Why is there a 5 part limit? And why is this a challenge?

mission ideas and there are challenge rules.

[Jetski]

1 hour ago, HoloYolo said:

mission ideas and there are challenge rules.

this ^^  

 

5 part limit is so that many people can contribute to the same station without part count going to the thousands.  Feel free to build whatever you like, but if you are participating in the challenge, please only share the save with 5 additional parts.  A high part count station isn't particularly challenging for most players, but working within the limit to add to an existing structure may prove more interesting.  Ideally we would be getting a high part count (many contributors) right around when 1.1 drops, and we get to go big after that.  Assuming anyone else thinks this would be interesting

 

Also, I'll likely keep a current part count and a current pic of the station on the OP, so we can watch it grow

Edited April 9, 2016 by Jetski

[Dfthu]

ehh ill join

ill fly real quick

Should raise it to 10

Edited April 9, 2016 by Dfthu

[Dfthu]

Ok I did it

Save https://www.dropbox.com/s/mdnss70o8t8kyqq/KSS.lnk?dl=0

 

[Jhawk1099]

So all I have to do is download the save file and put a 5 part module on the station and get rid of all debris? How about 5 of the biggest fuel tanks in the game? well I guess 4 because docking port is needed

[Jetski]

@Dfthu Savegame link isn't working - Appears to be a link to your KSS directory?  we only need the .sfs text file from the savegame directory to stay platform independent (hopefully).  

 

29 minutes ago, Jhawk1099 said:

So all I have to do is download the save file and put a 5 part module on the station and get rid of all debris? How about 5 of the biggest fuel tanks in the game? well I guess 4 because docking port is needed

Pretty much exactly that, yes.  Add whatever you want.  You download the latest save file (which will be the latest forum post with a link once Dfthu fixes it) and the station keeps growing!.  

Edited April 10, 2016 by Jetski

[Dfthu]

Hmm.. ok then

Here you go https://www.dropbox.com/s/v167ize5vvct1g1/KSS.sfs?dl=0

[Jetski]

6 minutes ago, Dfthu said:

Hmm.. ok then

Here you go https://www.dropbox.com/s/v167ize5vvct1g1/KSS.sfs?dl=0

Great, thanks.  I'm going to start a kind of builders log on the OP, adding you to it.  Station is now up for grabs for the next challenger!

Edited April 10, 2016 by Jetski

[Dfthu]

Could people build for the station after they already launched a part?

[Jetski]

8 minutes ago, Dfthu said:

Could people build for the station after they already launched a part?

You are welcome to add more modules, but let at least one other player go first so it doesn't just turn into a single player game.   Adding that rule to the OP

Also added a rule to allow up to 2 docking ports that don't count towards your 5-part limit.  I just realized that if everyone uses a port to attach, and leaves a port for the next player, you really only get 3 parts to play with.  My bad

 

 

Edited April 10, 2016 by Jetski

[Alpheratz]

This is a very interesting mission idea! I'm looking forward to seeing the station after many iterations. I'm guessing we must use 1.0.5 for the moment, is that right?

[HoloYolo]

4 minutes ago, Alpheratz said:

This is a very interesting mission idea! I'm looking forward to seeing the station after many iterations. I'm guessing we must use 1.0.5 for the moment, is that right?

From the OP

"Keep this in version 1.05 until 1.1 drops this week, then we will upgrade it.  If you must try this with 1.1, make a note in your submission so 1.05 people don't try with a broken savegame."

Man, I wish we could use 1.1. I'm not going back to 1.0.5.

[Jetski]

4 minutes ago, HoloYolo said:

From the OP

"Keep this in version 1.05 until 1.1 drops this week, then we will upgrade it.  If you must try this with 1.1, make a note in your submission so 1.05 people don't try with a broken savegame."

Man, I wish we could use 1.1. I'm not going back to 1.0.5.

@HoloYolo I'm afraid that if we run it on a 1.1 build, it will be broken for all future 1.05 players.  And since I'm still on 1.05 (Squad Store purchaser), I would have no way to check out what's happening.  As soon as 1.1 drops I'll update it to the new version and you can have at it

Edited April 10, 2016 by Jetski

[HoloYolo]

Just now, Jetski said:

@HoloYolo I'm afraid that if we run it on a 1.1 build, it will be broken for all future 1.05 players.  As soon as 1.1 drops I'll update it to the new version and you can have at it

Ik. Already designing some 5-part stuff to dock. I have state testing this week and next week. Gives me something else to think about.

[Jetski]

13 minutes ago, Alpheratz said:

This is a very interesting mission idea! I'm looking forward to seeing the station after many iterations. I'm guessing we must use 1.0.5 for the moment, is that right?

Pretty sure it's going to be the most Kerbal station ever   And yes, 1.05 for the next few days

 

Edited April 10, 2016 by Jetski

[HoloYolo]

Just now, Jetski said:

Pretty sure it's going to be the most Kerbal station ever

 

inb4 mass relay

[Jhawk1099]

So am I cleared to launch a module when I figure out how to load the save @Jetski

[Jetski]

4 minutes ago, Jhawk1099 said:

So am I cleared to launch a module when I figure out how to load the save @Jetski

Yes, you are cleared for launch!

If you follow the directions on the OP below the picture, you should be good to go..

Let me know if there are any problems, so I can make the instructions more clear if needed.

Edited April 10, 2016 by Jetski

[Jhawk1099]

Ok. I threw on a Habitat module +comms +2m docking

Here's the save: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sjr1y6ggzxroku3/KSS.sfs?dl=0

[Jetski]

25 minutes ago, Jhawk1099 said:

Ok. I threw on a Habitat module +comms +2m docking

Here's the save: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sjr1y6ggzxroku3/KSS.sfs?dl=0

Great job, updated the OP.  Ready for the next module!

[BowWhalley]

Honestly, this isn't a challenge, this is a project for others to contribute too.

[Jhawk1099]

36 minutes ago, BowWhalley said:

Honestly, this isn't a challenge, this is a project for others to contribute too.

Then contribute . 

[Jetski]

5 hours ago, BowWhalley said:

Honestly, this isn't a challenge, this is a project for others to contribute too.

Think of it as a really easy challenge. To come up with a way to make 5 parts connect to the station and be worthwhile, and to dock it without leaving debris or wrecking the station. Meant to be accessible for even new players, there are plenty of hard challenges out there.