The contract briefings...They suck.

[Glaran K'erman]

Funny this topic comes up, was just thinking to myself last night how contract briefings and spaghetti joints are my two disappointments with this game.

[KSK]

@Kerbart

I like it! That introduction would be a good place to refer back to previous contracts too, or at least you could write the text making it vague enough that it looks like it ties back to a previous contract. For example:

Introduction:
After a recent stock-clearing sale at Flood Dynamics, company managers were unsure what to do with their left-over parts. After taking a straw poll in the company canteen, they decided to launch a science mission to [PLANET/MOON], Naturally, this is where you come in.

Mission brief:
Flood Dynamics have graciously offered to sponsor a science mission to investigate [PLANET/MOON] and have asked you to send a satellite there, gather some research data and transmit the data back to Kerbin. The satellite should include a Thermometer and Mystery Goo.

Your example (maybe with its tenses tweaked a little ) would then be the follow up contract to move that satellite into a different orbit. Not the greatest example perhaps, but it would link the two contracts into a mini-story, making them a bit more engaging.

Edited April 18, 2016 by KSK

[Knaapie]

Basically the whole career is more like a skeleton framework to later build upon, than a finished product. Further filling it in without a grand plan would require to redo it later on. It seems like the grand plan isnt there yet, or will never come. I have to add that there are small improvements easy to be made. The station expansion has been a great small idea to improve the career. We can now build upon earlier missions!. We need more of those. Or great ideas for a complete overhaul for the career.

I'd like to see planets having more unique features to investigate.. Why is there water on Laythe? on this seemingly cold planet.. Bring thermometers and seismic accelerometers, to answer few questions and find out more to investigate. Giving each body their own story and teaching ppl more about space exploration.

Contractors could have their own story as well. Flood dynamics might be interested in Eve or spashing down water crafts (get water speed records on Eve ^^). Doing missions for them would guide you more to this type of playing style. While others might give you SSTO challenges and Experimental Engeneering crashes their crafts around the solar system..

But again... I dont seen how you can write these better stories without having a final form for the career mode.

Edited April 18, 2016 by Knaapie

[Kerbart]

15 minutes ago, KSK said:

@Kerbart

I like it! That introduction would be a good place to refer back to previous contracts too, or at least you could write the text making it vague enough that it looks like it ties back to a previous contract. (...)

When I start thinking about it the possibilities are endless. You could mix & match follow up contracts, and the knowledge that there are follow-up contracts (preferably profitable) would remove the current loopholes* in the contract system. Something like this:

1. Launch unmanned science probe in orbit from x to y km with z° inclination. Have an antenna, a thermometer and a goo container on board. Do not activate the goo container yet
2. Based on readings from (1), reposition satellite in new orbit with parameters a, b and c (apo,peri, incl).
3. Based on readings from (1) and (2), do the goo experiment while in orbit with parameters a, b, and c.
4. Reset the goo container and do another goo experiment
5. De-orbit the satellite

A contract sequence like that would offer a variety of activities, good income, an incentive to not re-purpose the craft for other tasks (something the current contracts allow and thus kind of encourage), and a final de-orbit (paid for!) contract would also guarantee that you're not ending up with a cloud of debris in orbit.

How hard is it to write contract mods (I have no clue)?

 

* For instance, right now I'm executing three contracts in one mission: (1) put a station in Kerbin orbit; (2) put an unmanned satellite in Mun orbit (same station, it has a thermometer slapped on it); (3) put a station in Mun orbit. Station extension contracts tend to make my stations unuseable (space for 35 kerbals anyone?) so I don't care about those in the first place.

[Knaapie]

21 minutes ago, Kerbart said:

When I start thinking about it the possibilities are endless. You could mix & match follow up contracts, and the knowledge that there are follow-up contracts (preferably profitable) would remove the current loopholes* in the contract system. Something like this:

1. Launch unmanned science probe in orbit from x to y km with z° inclination. Have an antenna, a thermometer and a goo container on board. Do not activate the goo container yet
2. Based on readings from (1), reposition satellite in new orbit with parameters a, b and c (apo,peri, incl).
3. Based on readings from (1) and (2), do the goo experiment while in orbit with parameters a, b, and c.
4. Reset the goo container and do another goo experiment
5. De-orbit the satellite

A contract sequence like that would offer a variety of activities, good income, an incentive to not re-purpose the craft for other tasks (something the current contracts allow and thus kind of encourage), and a final de-orbit (paid for!) contract would also guarantee that you're not ending up with a cloud of debris in orbit.

How hard is it to write contract mods (I have no clue)?

 

* For instance, right now I'm executing three contracts in one mission: (1) put a station in Kerbin orbit; (2) put an unmanned satellite in Mun orbit (same station, it has a thermometer slapped on it); (3) put a station in Mun orbit. Station extension contracts tend to make my stations unuseable (space for 35 kerbals anyone?) so I don't care about those in the first place.

I basically already had a similar mission.

1. Launch a station on ike
2. We found strange seismic activity near station ike, go investigate (my station had a science roover, yay !
3. no, it doesnt come from here
4. no, it doesnt come from here
5. no, it doesnt come from here
6. no, it doesnt come from here
7. found the anomoly. (2h of driving later)

I like your idea better ..   Yet.. the contracts seem to be improving ^^ 

Edited April 18, 2016 by Knaapie

[KSK]

1 hour ago, Kerbart said:

*snip*

A contract sequence like that would offer a variety of activities, good income, an incentive to not re-purpose the craft for other tasks (something the current contracts allow and thus kind of encourage), and a final de-orbit (paid for!) contract would also guarantee that you're not ending up with a cloud of debris in orbit.

How hard is it to write contract mods (I have no clue)?

* For instance, right now I'm executing three contracts in one mission: (1) put a station in Kerbin orbit; (2) put an unmanned satellite in Mun orbit (same station, it has a thermometer slapped on it); (3) put a station in Mun orbit. Station extension contracts tend to make my stations unuseable (space for 35 kerbals anyone?) so I don't care about those in the first place.

Agreed. I think (although I'm not sure) that most of the game mechanics are already in place. It really would be just a matter of dressing them up with some suitable flavour text to provide a narrative to that sequence of contracts. In turn, that narrative provides a reason for your fictional space program to undertake those contracts other than 'grind random puzzles for loot'.

It's a small difference perhaps - after all it wouldn't make any difference at all to gameplay. But I think it would make a substantially more immersive Career game.

Edited April 18, 2016 by KSK