[v1.3] The Gold Standard - Minable Gold and Unobtainium for profit!

[Dewar]

2 minutes ago, maculator said:

Well I guess it's not just me and it's not your mod:

http://bugs.kerbalspaceprogram.com/issues/12844

And thanks to your mod I recogniced that module manager is up to date, so I could "update" my mod too, thanks alot

Nice catch, thanks for pointing this out! 

4 hours ago, Senior Slaphead said:

So it turns out that 50+ tons of gold is not very buoyant.  High five to the recovery team for scraping Bill, Bob and the loots off the sea floor.  Word to the wise... if you are doing a heavy return like this you are going to need drogue chutes (I had to bring some up and do KAS attachment).

 

Wow, another great video man. That reentry was intense! 

[Senior Slaphead]

I redesigned the Gold Return Vehicle in the light of this landing, also incorporating a Hitchhiker so I can do a full crew rotation on Minmus (2 scientists, an engineer and a pilot) every time I do a gold run... necessary, as Kerbalism is irradiating my crew badly even with shielded habitats.

The vehicle pictured here costs 206k but is 80% reusable (I only lose fuel and the drop tanks, then do a powered return to KSC after one orbit). So the mission costs in the order of 40k. It's the best I can do until I have the 2.5 mil necessary for an R&D upgrade. It returns seven gold tins, so slightly over one million funds.

Info about the launcher HERE.

Edited October 12, 2016 by Senior Slaphead

[Rodger]

I just made a quick MM patch to show GoldOre while using SCANsat overlays:

Spoiler

SCANSAT_SENSOR
 {
      name = GoldOre
      SCANtype = 536870912 //2^29
 }

Just copy that into a new .cfg file in your game data and you should be able to select GoldOre in SCANsat's list of resources for overlays, and the M700 will scan for gold ore with stock scanning disabled. Compatible with CRP resources, but may not be compatible with any other resources added by other mods.

[Dewar]

3 hours ago, Rodger said:

I just made a quick MM patch to show GoldOre while using SCANsat overlays:

  Hide contents

SCANSAT_SENSOR
 {
      name = GoldOre
      SCANtype = 536870912 //2^29
 }

Just copy that into a new .cfg file in your game data and you should be able to select GoldOre in SCANsat's list of resources for overlays, and the M700 will scan for gold ore with stock scanning disabled. Compatible with CRP resources, but may not be compatible with any other resources added by other mods.

I'll add this into the updated version for the official release of 1.2. Thanks for this!

[Senior Slaphead]

New Gold Return Vehicle design, now with eight tins (1.24 mil funds), landing legs, gridfins for stability and RCS engines for docking with the Carryall and de-orbitting.  And yes... I'm totally fine with kerbals spending eight days in a flimsy metal tin with no radiation shielding.

Edited October 12, 2016 by Senior Slaphead
updated pic.

[DStaal]

You're using Gold as radiation shielding. 

[Draconomial]

Would you please make Cocaine mineable, while you're on this? The value is much higher per gram than gold, making mining it almost lucrative.

[Dewar]

Ummm.. no. I will be buffing gold a bit and adding in kerbinium soon if it's any consolation.

5 hours ago, Senior Slaphead said:

New Gold Return Vehicle design, now with eight tins (1.24 mil funds), landing legs, gridfins for stability and RCS engines for docking with the Carryall and de-orbitting.  And yes... I'm totally fine with kerbals spending eight days in a flimbsy metal tin with no radiation shielding.

Very cool man. 

Edited October 11, 2016 by Dewar

[Senior Slaphead]

12 hours ago, DStaal said:

You're using Gold as radiation shielding. 

I didn't think of it like that... totally legit bling shielding.

[Senior Slaphead]

On my way back to Minmus for the third course of gold.

The docked liquid tanks at the pointy end will be discarded but the take-off weight on Minmus is still going to be slow.  Gold is heavy.

Like a well-oiled machine, the crew and return vessel arrive for the third mining and science mission.  Barring mishap, this should finally pay for my R&D upgrade. The bang heard when I get within 200m of the base is the rover snapping to a particular altitude due to the KAS pipe connection... makes me jump every time.

So, some numbers for balancing purposes...

My launcher costs 142k, but you get 100k back with a decently close return. I have to do three launches for a gold run... two fuel, plus one for the crew/gold transport. In all probably about 150k in fuel and lost parts... for which I get 1.2 mil in pure gold. There is also the setup cost of the Mining Rig, Power Plants and Carryall discussed earlier, but all potentially have a very long life (provided you don't mess something up) and the Carryall can be used for other missions. In the same amount of time I guess I could do 3 or 4 contracts instead of a mining run.

Of course, not everyone goes to the time and effort of doing reusable vehicles... it would be much more costly using throwaway stuff.

Edited October 12, 2016 by Senior Slaphead

[Dewar]

6 hours ago, Senior Slaphead said:

On my way back to Minmus for the third course of gold.

The docked liquid tanks at the pointy end will be discarded but the take-off weight on Minmus is still going to be slow.  Gold is heavy.

Like a well-oiled machine, the crew and return vessel arrive for the third mining and science mission.  Barring mishap, this should finally pay for my R&D upgrade. The bang heard when I get within 200m of the base is the rover snapping to a particular altitude due to the KAS pipe connection... makes me jump every time.

So, some numbers for balancing purposes...

My launcher costs 142k, but you get 100k back with a decently close return. I have to do three launches for a gold run... two fuel, plus one for the crew/gold transport. In all probably about 150k in fuel and lost parts... for which I get 1.2 mil in pure gold. There is also the setup cost of the Mining Rig, Power Plants and Carryall discussed earlier, but all potentially have a very long life (provided you don't mess something up) and the Carryall can be used for other missions. In the same amount of time I guess I could do 3 or 4 contracts instead of a mining run.

Of course, not everyone goes to the time and effort of doing reusable vehicles... it would be much more costly using throwaway stuff.

@Senior Slaphead I think on a vanilla campaign the current value is inadequate.  I'll be bumping values up a bit to balance this in the next version. 

I actually had planned on releasing an update on Tuesday but real life happened and I've been put out of commission for a few days.

Thanks for all the feedback, I am definitely listening!

 

[Senior Slaphead]

18 hours ago, Dewar said:

@Senior Slaphead I think on a vanilla campaign the current value is inadequate.  I'll be bumping values up a bit to balance this in the next version. 

I actually had planned on releasing an update on Tuesday but real life happened and I've been put out of commission for a few days.

Thanks for all the feedback, I am definitely listening!

 

A bit more value would be fine I guess... or maybe you could link it to difficulty level, or something. 

As has been established the extreme weight of gold is a design challenge I enjoy.  My most recent return was something of a heavy ground landing but fortunately I was able to recover all the gold...

...and all the Kerbals, after taking advantage of a well timed quicksave...

Now that my R&D is upgraded I might do one last mining mission on Minmus to pad the finances, then I'll be off to a more exotic destination.  I suppose I had better build a sturdier lander...

Edited October 13, 2016 by Senior Slaphead

[Senior Slaphead]

Had to do an emergency return due to radiation sickness (Kerbalism) so ended up inclined to the KSC... not ideal conditions but all the gold was recovered again.  I'm getting used to the gold weight but it's too much for the small legs, even with my mistimed retro boosters.  So time for another redesign.

So now I'm using this Hardened Gold Returner... carries 1.5 mil in gold and the ratio of chutes to leg strength should mean no more mishaps. RCS engines for docking and final de-orbit burn. Hitchhiker is fully radiation hardened with a radiation force field part above it for added protection (Kerbalism... I got sick of getting sick). Hollow SAS unit contains batteries, plus enough food and water for one month. Design definitely gets easier once you have the larger gold tanks... but I don't think we need to go any bigger than this.

Edited October 18, 2016 by Senior Slaphead

[linuxgurugamer]

On 10/2/2016 at 9:42 PM, Dewar said:

@Identitools I don't use CKan personally, so I will need confirmation, but I think when I gave permission on spacedock the mod was added to their database.

It actually wasn't, but I'll fix that for you.

When will this be released, it's still the "PRE" version

The CKAN submission has been fixed, expect it to show up in CKAN later today.

However, since the version on Spacedock is still listed as 1.1.3, you won't be able to install it on a 1.2 release.  Furthermore, if you install it on a 1.1.3 release, you will get the 1.2 prerelease version. 

All-in-all, a mess, which will be cleaned up as soon as a final release is done for 1.2

[cy-one]

This is not a "get it done" bothering reply, but is there an eta on the 1.2-release? Just asking, wondering if I should install it manually now and switch over to ckan once possible, or wait.

[magnemoe]

Anybody else having issues with the gold smelter overheating on return to miner?  
Probably my output is too high so smelter runs at 20% capasity, I have 14 drills and an level 3 engineer, did not have this issue with an level 2
Its not an thermal issue, the radiators are cold, they glow red then returning and the ISRU is running. 
I guess its related to how 1.2 handles unloaded resources. 

[Dewar]

Hey guys, sorry for being absent. I've had real world issues to deal with. I'll see if I can't update the mod for the latest release and cKan before the weekend.

[Dewar]

2 hours ago, magnemoe said:

Anybody else having issues with the gold smelter overheating on return to miner?  
Probably my output is too high so smelter runs at 20% capasity, I have 14 drills and an level 3 engineer, did not have this issue with an level 2
Its not an thermal issue, the radiators are cold, they glow red then returning and the ISRU is running. 
I guess its related to how 1.2 handles unloaded resources. 

I imagine this to be a stock issue. As most of the configs are a copy directly from the stock ore drill module.

In any case I'll take a look at it for the next release, if it is my side it will be fixed.

[magnemoe]

11 hours ago, Dewar said:

I imagine this to be a stock issue. As most of the configs are a copy directly from the stock ore drill module.

In any case I'll take a look at it for the next release, if it is my side it will be fixed.

Yes, it looks like the unloaded resource handling was changed from 1.13. previously it would always top up ore before converting to fuel then unloaded but it don't looks like it works like this anymore.
Keep up the good work

Installing an stack of gold ore tanks to migrate this problem anyway. first is up and creating two more in the workshop in front. 

Gold return probe in back, 7x3k gold, using an inflateable heat shield, its under the orange tank who is dropped before aerobraking. needed more fuel for going from Minmus surface to aerobrake.
6 vectors as landing engines as even with all the parachutes its moves at 25 m/s
 

[OME]

I don't see gold in S.C.A.Nsat's resource panel. Is this mod incompatible with S.C.A.Csat?

[magnemoe]

Landing 260 ton gold. 

7 large tanks, 5 braking parashutes open at 5km 6 radials to open at 2 km, 6 other at 1500 meter and 6 of the large inline at 700. 6 vector engines reduce touchdown speed to 5 m/s. 
Broke up on landing but all gold containers survived, 

[Dewar]

On ‎10‎/‎30‎/‎2016 at 11:18 AM, OME said:

I don't see gold in S.C.A.Nsat's resource panel. Is this mod incompatible with S.C.A.Csat?

There is a config file that I've been meaning to add in for the next release. Check back in the comments as it is mentioned.

Again sorry for no updated release, work/life has been hectic lately.

[OME]

8 hours ago, Dewar said:

There is a config file that I've been meaning to add in for the next release. Check back in the comments as it is mentioned.

Again sorry for no updated release, work/life has been hectic lately.

Better later than never. You have done a great work already! I appreciate it so much.

Have a nice day with your life and work~

[Phoenix Nebula]

Have you considered adding other materials to mine. For example: Platinum, Silver, Lead, Titanium, Tungsten, Iridium, Osmium, Tin, Nickle, and other valuable metals?

[DStaal]

7 hours ago, Phoenix Nebula said:

Have you considered adding other materials to mine. For example: Platinum, Silver, Lead, Titanium, Tungsten, Iridium, Osmium, Tin, Nickle, and other valuable metals?

There's been some talk of additional resources, but you have to answer the question: Why?  What's it's use?  Because a couple dozen parts for a resource that basically duplicates a resource you already have just clutters things up.