[1.2.x] Contract Pack: Interplanetary Mountaineer v1.1.2

[Syntax]

My first forray into the world of plugins is this pack of 15 contracts. Players will be rewarded for traveling to the most extreme elevations (both high and low) of the various bodies in the Kerbol system and planting flags. The contracts for celestial bodies with unique, non-sea-bed base elevations (Eve, Kerbin, Minmus, Laythe, and Tylo) only require the player to summit the body's highest mountain.

*** Please note: As this is my first attempt at writing a plugin, I expect there to be hiccups here and there. I encourage reporting of those issues here, and will do my best to address them.

Credit: Coordinates of maximum and minimum elevations obtained from kerbalmaps.com (temporarily located here)

Installation

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Available on SpaceDock and through CKAN.

Dependency: Contract Configurator (min version 1.20.2. May work with earlier versions, but no guarantees)

Recommended mod: Waypoint Manager

Recommeded setting: High terrain detail (see: Known Issues below)

To install: make sure you've downloaded Contract Configurator and placed it in your GameData folder, along with a folder called "ContractPacks." Download Interplanetary Mountaineer, unzip, and place in the "ContractPacks" folder.

Changes/Updates

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UPDATE (08/29/2016): 1.0.3 - Changed proximity to waypoints required for contract completion from 15m to 150m to compensate for identified issues with kopernicus and terrain detail settings. If you want a narrower radius in your game, you can edit the .cfg files, and/or PM me.

UPDATE (12/31/2016): 1.1 - Long overdue after an extended hiatus. I hope people will still find it fun and interesting

• Checked-over for KSP 1.2.x and for Contract Configurator 1.20.2+ (minimum CC version is now 1.20.2).
• Changed so each contract can be completed only once.
• Added a couple fun loading tips (see if you can spot them when you start up the game).
• Fixed issue where flags planted earlier but away from waypoint were counted toward parameter completion; changed language describing flag parameter.
• Updated Mun_K1 coordinates
• General cleanup

UPDATE (02/03/2017): 1.1.1 - Added requirement: Astronaut Complex lvl 2 (to avoid players trying to complete contracts without the ability to plant flags on EVA). Thanks Skalgrin.

UPDATE (02/10/2017): 1.1.2 - Fixed serious issue where contracts cancelled when going from VAB/SPH to launch. Thanks NCommander.

Known Issues

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• Waypoint coordinates are approximate, and only as accurate as their source, kerbalmaps.com (temporarily located here). I mayy occasionally release updated versions with more accurate coordinates as I complete the contracts myself (but I play slow, so don't wait up). Kerbin K1 is the only completely accurate coordinate at this time.
• CC seems to determine waypoint altitudes based on the maximum terrain detail setting, even though the waypoints are programmed to appear at terrain height (they are only to specific coordinates, and not to a specific altitude), so this seems to be a CC issue.
• Players with the Kopernicus mod installed should expect some issues with their waypoints. See this post: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/138325-113-contract-pack-interplanetary-mountaineer-v10-jun282016/#comment-2569643

Pack distributed under the MIT License.

Edited February 11, 2017 by Syntax
02/10/2017 Update 1.1.2

[Mr Shifty]

This sounds like a great idea! I'll be picking it up posthaste.

[fourfa]

Subscribed

[RealGecko]

That sounds fun

Can you please update CKAN version of this module to KSP 1.1.2?

[severedsolo]

Oh very cool. I don't even want to ask how long it took to get all the co-ordinates for the mountains.

. @nightingale - might wanna add this to the list.

[Artfact]

Awesome! Adventure is out there!

[hab136]

Neat idea for contracts!

[nightingale]

Neat idea for a contract pack, I'll add it to the list in the Contract Configurator thread.

[Syntax]

  On 5/1/2016 at 8:10 AM, RealGecko said:

Can you please update CKAN version of this module to KSP 1.1.2?

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Good call! Thanks for the prod. It has been done now. My apologies for the delay; I'm away on vacation.

  On 5/1/2016 at 8:17 PM, nightingale said:

Neat idea for a contract pack, I'll add it to the list in the Contract Configurator thread.

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Thanks! I didn't know about that list!

[RealGecko]

  On 5/2/2016 at 1:45 PM, Syntax said:

Good call! Thanks for the prod. It has been done now. My apologies for the delay; I'm away on vacation.

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My thanks

[Violent Jeb]

Wow this is cool. Just  saw it on CKAN. Great Idea

[Enceos]

Lovely idea for a contract pack! Installed right away.

 

My game argues with the actual location of the K1 peak.

This was as close as I could get to your marker:

 

And the peak itself (104 meters from the marker). I had to cheat to get the contract done. Terrain detail - Default.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Enceos

[Enceos]

The Mun valley turned out to be a little off as well. It was exciting to visit a place which is below 0 altitude on the Mun, I've never been there. Some mods even glitched at this anomaly.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Enceos

[Syntax]

  On 5/5/2016 at 7:56 PM, Enceos said:

My game argues with the actual location of the K1 peak.

This was as close as I could get to your marker:

[image omitted]

And the peak itself (104 meters from the marker). I had to cheat to get the contract done. Terrain detail - Default.

[image omitted]

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  On 5/6/2016 at 9:53 AM, Enceos said:

The Mun valley turned out to be a little off as well. It was exciting to visit a place which is below 0 altitude on the Mun, I've never been there. Some mods even glitched at this anomaly.

[image omitted]

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This is awesome insight! Thank you! You will note in my edit of the original post that I obtained all the coordinates from kerbalmaps.com. I did so without verifying them all, and so was afraid they might be out of date or inaccurate. Perhaps a little time playing with scansat and/or hyperedit is in order this week. I intend to fix this when I find some time, and I will try to make it a priority (it's not like I won't enjoy it ).

Any insight that you (or anyone!) can provide on getting the most accurate coordinates for these places would be much appreciated!

[Enceos]

  On 5/6/2016 at 6:06 PM, Syntax said:

 

This is awesome insight! Thank you! You will note in my edit of the original post that I obtained all the coordinates from kerbalmaps.com. I did so without verifying them all, and so was afraid they might be out of date or inaccurate. Perhaps a little time playing with scansat and/or hyperedit is in order this week. I intend to fix this when I find some time, and I will try to make it a priority (it's not like I won't enjoy it ).

Any insight that you (or anyone!) can provide on getting the most accurate coordinates for these places would be much appreciated!

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Actually it's quite easy. HyperEdit and Vessel Mover will allow you to place your kerbal anywhere in seconds, then Waypoint Manager can create a waypoint at your current position, you can copy its coordinates to your contracts' data.

I just don't wanna spoil everything for myself, sorry 

Edited May 6, 2016 by Enceos

[Syntax]

  On 5/6/2016 at 8:16 PM, Enceos said:

Actually it's quite easy. HyperEdit and Vessel Mover will allow you to place your kerbal anywhere in seconds, then Waypoint Manager can create a waypoint at your current position, you can copy its coordinates to your contracts' data.

I just don't wanna spoil everything for myself, sorry 

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Well, playing around with things, I'm not sure where the issue lies... When I use those mods to place a ship at those coordinates, I end up precisely at the point of the highest peak on Kerbin (altitude 6767, not 6764). But the Mun valley is definitely off. I'm not sure why the Kerbin peak waypoint is displaying the way it is in your game... the way I wrote it, it should just default to the level of the terrain (I didn't feed it an altitude). I have my settings completely maxed out, so maybe that's the issue (will test that next). Kerbin and Mun are the only places I've looked into thus far, as they are where you identified issues.

 

EDIT: Do you have Contract Configurator (v 1.10.4 or later) installed?

Edited May 8, 2016 by Syntax

[Enceos]

@Syntax Yeah, I have the latest CC. Maybe terrain detail affects the shape of things, I have set it on high. Or maybe Kopernicus did something to the planet.

EDIT: Anyway, the precision doesn't really matter. I'm placing a flag where I think it would be good to place it, then walk to the waypoint marker and quest gets completed. I'm having much fun in role-playing these missions,  thanks again.

Edited May 8, 2016 by Enceos

[Syntax]

  On 5/8/2016 at 3:08 AM, Enceos said:

Yeah, I have the latest CC. Maybe terrain detail affects the shape of things, I have set it on high. Or maybe Kopernicus did something to the planet.

EDIT: Anyway, the precision doesn't really matter. I'm placing a flag where I think it would be good to place it, then walk to the waypoint marker and quest gets completed. I'm having much fun in role-playing these missions,  thanks again.

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Still would like to spend some more time tonight looking into the issue. Will keep you updated.

[severedsolo]

  On 5/8/2016 at 6:31 PM, Syntax said:

Still would like to spend some more time tonight looking into the issue. Will keep you updated.

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@Enceos - not using Kopernicus by any chance? Waypoints being off (specifically CC ones) are a known issue with that mod.

[Enceos]

  On 5/8/2016 at 6:56 PM, severedsolo said:

@Enceos - not using Kopernicus by any chance? Waypoints being off (specifically CC ones) are a known issue with that mod.

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I see. thanks for notifying, looks like I'll have to cope with that. I'm playing with KerbinSide and all my passengers spawn inside the runways, I was wondering why.

[Starfire70]

Neat idea! More jaw dropping screenshots await to be taken.

[Bishop149]

Oh, this idea I like!

Will grab tonight

[fourfa]

This was fun...  made a plane with a downward facing cargo bay.  Stuck a Mk1 pod with chute on a decoupler in the bay.  Put the copilot in the pod, flew slow over the summit and dropped him.  I missed pretty bad - the red 5.2km on the right is the pod.  No matter, hiked him to the summit and flagged (after landing the plane in the grasslands 20km away).  Then I managed to land the plane on the glacier below the summit to rescue the copilot (took many explody attempts) after I realized how long it would take to hike down to the grasslands.  Good fun!

[Syntax]

@fourfa that's awesome! I can only imagine the fun you had with that. When I developed the pack, I had VTOLs in mind, but it just goes to show that there are many ways to skin a cat, so to speak Good job!

Edited June 12, 2016 by Syntax

[fourfa]

Heh @Syntax VTOLs are hard   Probably easier than landing on that d$^$%ed glacier though