Favorite Challenges

[Probus]

What are your favorite challenges?  I wanted to compile a list of the top 10 fun challenges that players have tried.  If you like, you can give a difficulty rating from 1 - 10.  Ten being the hardest.  And maybe a link to the challenge post.  As an example, one of my favorite, fun challenges would be the land speed record from one end of the runway to the other.  That was a lot of fun and not too hard, maybe a 4.0.

List of popular challenges:

1. Jool 5 Challenge - (4) @sdj64 831
2. The K Prize - 100% reusable spaceplane to orbit and back - @boolybooly 2325 
3. Duna Permanent Outpost Mission Architecture Challenge - @sturmstiger 645
4. Stock Payload Challenge - @Red Iron Crown 634
5. Elcano Challenge - (2) @Claw 559
6. Eve Rocks Challenge - @Laie 528
7. Shuttle Challenge - @Speeding Mullet 489
8. Pine's Charter Challenge - @Pine 379
9. Caveman Challenge - @GoSlash27 307
10. Kerbievel's Minmus Rover Jump-Off Challenge - @Kuzzter 145

Edited October 5, 2016 by Probus

[Foxster]

One I remember fondly was where you deployed a ramp on Minmus and then using a rover with wheels (i.e. no engines attached) you had to see how far you could get by driving up and off the top of the ramp. 

It got really competitive and I had a few people waiting for me to post my entry which I claimed could make orbit - but it turned out to be a cheat as I used a mass-driver-like rig to blow my rover up the ramp. Was fun though

 

[Superfluous J]

Without putting too much thought into it, my favorites tend to be ones I can complete in an hour or so. Though I really REALLY enjoyed the Caveman Challenge which was several hours. I also enjoyed Jool 5 and my failed Grand Tour.

I also really enjoyed the one where you had to - in one go with no reverts and no mods - launch the game, build a rocket, send it to mun, land, plant a flag, and return to Kerbin safely. If your Kerbal died or could not do any of those things, you lost and could never try the challenge again.

[Martian Emigrant]

Putting a flag in orbit.

It turned out to be so easy. I won.

I was the only one who partook.

 

I won.

Me.

Imagine that.

 

ME

 

[Van Disaster]

FAR aircraft stuff, just coz I love designing and it gives a decent purpose - Pine's Charter Challenge running currently is a good example, lots of different things to do. There was a fun one to see how fast you could go under 500m altitude a long time back, even building for stock was fun.

Spoiler

FAR:
(old!) stock:

Elcano is great and everyone should do a run, but I never really quite got into it enough to make the most of it - when I reached the end of my run there was a big sigh of relief. I can't remember if I've even entered a space-based contest, if so it was probably something spaceplane related... I should probably try Jool-5 given how open the design requirements are but I've kinda forgotten how to go to Jool efficiently I tend not to enter things I have no chance of winning, eheh.

[Nefrums]

There have been many good challenges, but for me there are two that stand out, due to the design challenge the offer:

Stock Payload Fraction Challenge  by @Red Iron Crown

The Ultimate Jool 5 Challenge by @sdj64

 

I really hope for a revival of the first for 1.2 

Edited September 30, 2016 by Nefrums

[Red Iron Crown]

17 minutes ago, Nefrums said:

Stock Payload Fraction Challenge 

I can't take credit for inventing that challenge, it was inspired by an older one by @mhoram that similarly inspired some interesting designs.

Sadly I no longer have the time to maintain that challenge, perhaps someone else would like to revive it when 1.2 drops.

[sdj64]

My favorite right now has to be the Shuttle Challenge currently run by @Speeding Mullet

I also like the Eve Rocks Challenge, but that's been inactive for a while.  And I love the Jool 5 challenge, even though I run it now I keep coming back to design ships and complete it again.

 

3 hours ago, Nefrums said:

The Ultimate Jool 5 Challenge

Of course, I didn't invent that challenge either 

[Red Iron Crown]

14 minutes ago, sdj64 said:

Of course, I didn't invent that challenge either 

IMO Ziv set the gold standard for how a challenge should be administered.

[Speeding Mullet]

On 10/1/2016 at 1:26 AM, sdj64 said:

My favorite right now has to be the Shuttle Challenge currently run by @Speeding Mullet

With many thanks to @FCISuperGuy, and before him @inigma

 

On 10/1/2016 at 1:41 AM, Red Iron Crown said:

IMO Ziv set the gold standard for how a challenge should be administered.

Totally agree, his challenge is still probably in my all time top 3 favorite.  I remember also very very fondly @sturmstiger's Duna Permanent Outpost Mission Architecture Challenge.  There is a challenge that could do with being resurrected for sure!

 

SM

[Probus]

Thanks for the great suggestions!  I think I will start a list in the OP.

[GoSlash27]

 I don't know if I've even participated in 10 challenges

 Of course I enjoyed my own challenges. Not because I'm super- awesome or anything, but simply because I know what I like.

A few shout- outs to some of my favorites:

The Cheap 'n' cheerful rocket challenge: How cheap and reliable can you make a disposable lifter?

K-Prize: Make a SSTO space plane. Kind of mandatory whenever they tweak the physics.

Pro SSTO Master Challenge: Make a spaceplane that anyone can operate reliably and safely.

Best,
-Slashy

Edited October 5, 2016 by GoSlash27

[Just Jim]

Without a doubt my favorite so far has been the Elcano Challenge, driving around the Mun, and I plan on doing it again soon.
Just can't make up my mind where I want to go next...