Kerbal Charter Challenge!

[Mycroft]

I think a VTOL aspect to this challenge would be good. I have precisely the VTOL for the job!

BTW, just re-installed the squad folder to my game data from an extra copy I threw away… Now to see if it works...

[HazelPine]

I'm gonna do some thinking on how to go about placing a mountain landing spot and what to do there, although right now I'm leaning on a medvac rescue/tourist deal. If you have an idea, please share!

[Van Disaster]

Do we have to do these trips non-stop, btw? I'm currently taking a few VIPs to the pole at... 90m/s. I am going to have to sleep at some point, I suspect before they get anywhere near

I am really growing to loathe small gear. No problems with 90t stuff on the big gears, all the hassle in the world with light aircraft...

Edited September 4, 2016 by Van Disaster

[DoctorDavinci]

2 minutes ago, Van Disaster said:

Do we have to do these trips non-stop, btw? I'm currently taking a few VIPs to the pole at... 90m/s. I am going to have to sleep at some point, I suspect before they get anywhere near

That is what autopilots and alarm clocks are for

Edited September 4, 2016 by DoctorDavinci

[Van Disaster]

If I could be sure it wouldn't fly into a mountain :P.

[Baybrawler]

@Pine helicopters are a lot of fun in ksp. Perhaps allowing KAX or similar and TCA (throttle controlled avionics) to make it easier. This way you could do a real life style rescue as landing a medically equipped aircraft on unprepared surfaces is not usually a good idea.

[HazelPine]

@Van Disaster, you can always quicksave or land on the way, that's what I do when I have to sleep..

@Baybrawler, helicopters are fine for the challenge, since they work practically the same as a propeller, so we'll see!  

Edited September 4, 2016 by Pine

[Mycroft]

Ummm… my version (1.1.3) is reporting that the save is incompatible with that version of KSP. I literally just downloaded the save again, so I could see the bushwhacker, but could you do something about that? Also, is anyone else having this problem with this?

@Pine help mee?

[Van Disaster]

13 minutes ago, Mycroft said:

Ummm… my version (1.1.3) is reporting that the save is incompatible with that version of KSP. I literally just downloaded the save again, so I could see the bushwhacker, but could you do something about that? Also, is anyone else having this problem with this?

@Pine help mee?

Are you very sure you installed 1.1.3? I'd just install a copy into a new location & copy your save folder over.

@Baybrawleraccording to the rules, anything except magical anti-grav engines or flying carpets appears to be ok I don't suppose anyone's found any small aircraft structural parts outside of SXT? I'd make some, but I draw the line at using unshared content in a contest...

Edited September 4, 2016 by Van Disaster

[Mycroft]

1 minute ago, Van Disaster said:

Are you very sure you installed 1.1.3? I'd just install a copy into a new location & copy your save folder over.

@Baybrawleraccording to the rules, anything except magical anti-grav engines or flying carpets appears to be ok

Of Course I’m sure! 

[HazelPine]

I'm not sure what's going on exactly there. Maybe when you downloaded the save it got corrupted? It seems like it worked for Van Disaster, so I have no idea why it is giving you trouble...

 

Or maybe your copy of KSP is bugged, who knows? Do you have a log or something? Did you install the save correctly?

Edited September 5, 2016 by Pine

[Van Disaster]

Try opening the savegame file in a text editor to check it didn't mangle itself. I know the file isn't corrupt, I've visited every airport already.

In my *cough* bush plane *cough*.

Edited September 5, 2016 by Van Disaster

[Baybrawler]

Alright just finished my newest mission. I call it the three-in-one as it completes all three missions for the Polar Charter Challenge! This wasn't the most impressive flight (especially rescue, idk if it even qualifies), but it accomplished all three missions! I probably messed up in my math somewhere so please correct me! http://imgur.com/gallery/AJAhK Proof images. Also, the fuel used was 3,328 units. 

Rescue: Managed to get the (personal) first place time at a mere 2:37:44! Luckily the plane had medical supplies aboard to treat whatever injuries or whatnot he had, which makes up for the time. Hayne stayed up in the cockpit with Jeb, not in the crew cabin. Somehow he got away with making the other passengers pay for his ticket. 

Cargo: The weight of the cargo dropped off was 37.2 tons. The total fuel cost was 2663, but as I couldn't double charge it's divided by 2, so 1331.5 tons for both the Cargo and Passenger flights. Math: 1331.5/37.2 = 35.8 Price Per Ton

Passenger: Four four passenger cabins were taken so a total of 16 passengers. Math: 1331.5/16 = 83.2 Price Per Passenger

[max_creative]

4 hours ago, Pine said:

I'm gonna do some thinking on how to go about placing a mountain landing spot and what to do there, although right now I'm leaning on a medvac rescue/tourist deal. If you have an idea, please share!

Ok!

I'm good at crashing planes, bad at landing planes, and good at crashing into mountains, so lithobreak brake landing on a mountain can't be too hard, right?

[Koolkei]

On 9/4/2016 at 1:07 AM, Pine said:

So, @Koolkei, You made it to 5th and 6th place in the passenger and rescue missions! Not bad for a starting contender! I hope you're enjoying the challenge! BUT, your updated entry has a little problem right now, which is that you didn't mention how much fuel it spent, so I can't really calculate a score for you. That being said, I'll add the entry in the leaderboards as soon as we can figure out a score for you, so if you could find out how much fuel the plane had before it took off, I'd appreciate it! (After all, from the looks of it, it might be a pretty good entry for the Passenger category!)

 

that last pic of mine wasn't the entry. it's just the proof of the amount of fuel i started with on my last post. the 288 kerbals rescue plane

[Mycroft]

5 hours ago, Van Disaster said:

Try opening the savegame file in a text editor to check it didn't mangle itself. I know the file isn't corrupt, I've visited every airport already.

In my *cough* bush plane *cough*.

How would I tell if it got mangled?

[Van Disaster]

1 hour ago, Mycroft said:

How would I tell if it got mangled?

If it's human readable - well, coder-readable, and no chunks of garbage text. Further than that, I think you probably need to start asking in the support forums.

--

To get something on the leaderboard, I dug out an old Mk3 amphibian & got hacking a bit.

It does look wonderfully waterfoul-esque...

Spoiler

Gobblegobble - I missed the capsule the first time & took 3-4 mins maneuvering back.

And at this point I lost any control of the craft, so I had to go back to the space centre & to the craft again... cost me at least 30s and also the ability to rewind to the SPH :S. Can't reload the game at the moment because I'm halfway through a different mission.

Anyway back in the air:
 

Spoiler

 

 

Final time 12:13, -2 mins for bringing the capsule back

Score 10:13 (FAR board) - can *much* improve that.

Edited September 5, 2016 by Van Disaster

[Adelaar]

Nice to see an extended challenge @Pine! I'll be sure to check out what you have thought up this time soon^TM

[Adelaar]

On 17-7-2016 at 3:04 AM, Pine said:

Cargo Drop Offs:

In this mission you are tasked to deliver AT LEAST 1 cargo to each of the nearby airports (no polar), and return home! The score is based on the cost of fuel used divided by the average mass of the the cargo (add all delivered cargo masses and divide by 5). Lowest score wins!

 

Pine, you aren't actually very clear on this one. What is "1 cargo"? Because 1 cargo can just as much be 50 tons as it can be 50 kg. So I could just drop off 50 tons of cargo at stop number one, and drop antennae at the rest... Gets the job done, fits the requirements and because I lost pretty much all the weight right at the start, my score is lower than it would be if I dumped my 50 tons at the last airport.
So, I'd suggest changing "one cargo" into "One standard unit of cargo" where every unit weighs the same. It's up to the participant to chose what weight the cargo has, but it has to unload ONE standard unit at EACH airport. Only then an average score can be properly calculated.

[HazelPine]

@Adelaar, suggestion noted! I'll change it to one standard cargo in the OP, and later tonight I'll update the leaderboards!

 

Ok, I made it all cargo has to be the same mass, with a tolerance for a difference of 100kg, since the cargo may change shape depending on where it is carried. I think that works well enough to kep the spirit of the cargo haul and promote creativity! 

 

Also, is it fine with you all if I attempt this too? I kinda want to try my hand at beating you all!

Edited September 5, 2016 by Pine

[Van Disaster]

13 minutes ago, Pine said:

Also, is it fine with you all if I attempt this too? I kinda want to try my hand at beating you all!

I would sincerely hope you compete in your own challenge

You know, you could *provide* a standard unit of cargo ( the equivalent of a palette ) as a subassembly. Or a couple of different sizes.

Edited September 5, 2016 by Van Disaster

[HazelPine]

Haha! I guess I just feel like I'm bringing attention to myself in these situations, but then again, since everyone is having fun I might as well join in! I'll see what contraption I can make tonight after I update the OP with the new attempts!

 

Also I liked your red nosed plane in the "What did you do today" thread, is it preparation for the challenge, perhaps?

[Van Disaster]

25 minutes ago, Pine said:

Also I liked your red nosed plane in the "What did you do today" thread, is it preparation for the challenge, perhaps?

This one?

It's "quite" powerful ( accelerating still at this point, this is straight off the runway )

Spoiler

 

 

 

but I can't make it fly slow enough at altitude to land anywhere rough yet, something of a WIP.

I knocked up a few different things based on that airframe, it's fun to fly.

Spoiler

( also your airport is pretty busy! )

Edited September 5, 2016 by Van Disaster

[Van Disaster]

Another leaderboard-starter ( FAR VIP trip this time ).

We start off in our Mk2 Badger with 56.61 units ( with this particular craft, decimals make a difference ). Engine & main body from SXT, wings B9-pw, paint colour is my own half-complete partmodule I'm using this to test.

 

Spoiler

 

Approching the resort:

 

Picked up 5 VIPs. Obviously not important enough to merit a jet aircraft, though.

 

Spoiler

 

Climbing back past KSC on the way north:

Mountains are an issue in a light plane:

Especially in the dark - the trip takes a while at 90m/s

But finally we're almost there, half a Kerbin day later:

 

Overnighted at the rather busy Polar airport to hopefully fly back in daylight - of course I left it a bit long as we'll see later...

 

Spoiler

 

Taxi out - or at least out of the way:

And up:

Oh dear: can't land on a grass strip at night, we'll have to stop at KSC.

Let's at least make it an *exciting* stop:

Off to the bar:

Next morning, up we go again:

 

Well, they look happy to be back:

 

Spoiler

 

Finally off home:

 

And done:

So:

VIPs: 5
Fuel: 56.61 - 45.0 = 11.61
Score: 11.61*0.8 / 5 = 1.8576 - for the FAR VIP leaderboard.

Incidentally found a pic of my local airfield, would be right at home in this contest... https://flic.kr/p/atWof8

@Pine: can we put everyone in a different plane at KSC, btw?

Edited September 6, 2016 by Van Disaster

[HazelPine]

@Van Disaster, I think your fuel usage calculations might be wrong, because from what you wrote you spent 11 units of fuel for a flight to the pole and back, and I think you meant to say you spent 45 units? 

 

Also, what do you mean by putting everyone in a different plane in the KSC? I'm afraid I have no idea what that might be about. But it may be my tiredness speaking.