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

[J534]

Hi everyone,

I'm relatively new to KSP but was looking for a way to make money besides contracts. Are there any instructions for how to play with this mod? Thanks.

[herman]

@DewarLooks like a really interesting and unique mod! Are you planning to update it for 1.3.1? I'd like to install it but I don't want to screw up my existing save!

[DStaal]

51 minutes ago, herman said:

@DewarLooks like a really interesting and unique mod! Are you planning to update it for 1.3.1? I'd like to install it but I don't want to screw up my existing save!

Nothing in this mod is likely to need updates.  I haven't tested it myself in 1.3.1 (I have other mods - or something - that's keeping me in 1.3), but I would expect it to just work.

On 12/5/2017 at 6:26 PM, J534 said:

Hi everyone,

I'm relatively new to KSP but was looking for a way to make money besides contracts. Are there any instructions for how to play with this mod? Thanks.

No real instructions - you find a place to mine, you mine, you refine, you return what you've refined.  All of these are stock mechanics - just being applied to a different resource.

[MaximumThrust]

On 6/19/2017 at 8:19 AM, FletcherDragon said:

Would like to see tanks for Planetary Base System mod

Building mining rovers with PBS parts look good and use so few parts AND can be reconfigured easy with KIS 

Please make that happen! KPBS already has an smelter and many colored drills, could have one just for gold ore. Also the electricity requirement could be made very high, to make use of the nuclear reactor included. I've made a very dirt edit on the ore tank to resemble the gold ore tank, just to show the potential (I guess the license for the mod allows that).

My skills are very limited, but I could help with everything I can.
 

@Nils277 @Dewar

Edited February 27, 2018 by MaximumThrust

[Dewar]

Hello everyone, 

I have been away busy with life, but seeing as 1.4 is now out and KSP will probably remain unchanged for the near future, I have decided to attempt a redo on the mod. 

It will include a new unique way of producing gold, and a few other new mechanics.

More soon.

Edit: A word

Edited March 13, 2018 by Dewar

[Dewar]

On 27/02/2018 at 10:03 AM, MaximumThrust said:

Please make that happen! KPBS already has an smelter and many colored drills, could have one just for gold ore. Also the electricity requirement could be made very high, to make use of the nuclear reactor included. I've made a very dirt edit on the ore tank to resemble the gold ore tank, just to show the potential (I guess the license for the mod allows that).

My skills are very limited, but I could help with everything I can.
 

@Nils277 @Dewar

@MaximumThrust have looked into this and have permission from the mod author @Nils277 to use his assets. 

Once my mod is brought to full 1.41 functionality I'll begin working on the add-on pack incorporating KPBS parts with my own mods mechanics.

 

Edited March 17, 2018 by Dewar
A word

[inigma]

Finally a mining mod for KSP. Perfect for Commercial Space Program plays.

[Dewar]

Hey guys,

If you or anyone you know are plugin creators, please check this out:

Update hopefully inbound, waiting on above plugin!

Have a good one!

Edited March 22, 2018 by Dewar

[Barar]

Hi Dewar,

Thank you for this mod, I play career mode and I find the contracts system limiting in that I am being told where to go, what to do for X amount of science and funds. It is rewarding at first, but I can only do so many rescue missions, satellite launches, bases or space stations. Just to finance the trips I want to do. This allows me to build up several gold mining bases and ship gold back home to fund my expeditions. I still have to put in the effort since I use the Umbra Space Industries mods from Roverdude. Just a bunch more fun for me then doing a ton of contracts, cheating, or playing sandbox. Since I can budget with each gold run I do.

 

If you want suggestions, I wouldn't be opposed to the making the processing take an extra step to complete with MKS integration. I sorta do this with my MKS install using a hijacked part. I am doing this from memory since I am away from my KSP files so my not be balanced or correct config. Obviously other files need to be altered to make it work. 

Sluice Box/Washplant
       INPUT_RESOURCE
         {
            ResourceName = PayDirt
            Ratio = 6.0
            FlowMode = STAGE_PRIORITY_FLOW
           }
         INPUT_RESOURCE:NEEDS[MKS]
         {
            ResourceName = Water
            Ratio = 2.5
         }
         INPUT_RESOURCE
         {
            ResourceName = ElectricCharge
            Ratio = 25
         }
        OUTPUT_RESOURCE:NEEDS[MKS]
         {
            ResourceName = Water
            Ratio = 2.0
            DumpExcess = true
            FlowMode = STAGE_PRIORITY_FLOW
         }         
        OUTPUT_RESOURCE
         {
            ResourceName = GoldConcentrate
            Ratio = 0.3
            DumpExcess = false
            FlowMode = STAGE_PRIORITY_FLOW
         }
         OUTPUT_RESOURCE
         {
            ResourceName = Ore
            Ratio = 1.5
            DumpExcess = True
            FlowMode = STAGE_PRIORITY_FLOW
         }
         OUTPUT_RESOURCE:NEEDS[ART]
         {
            ResourceName = Dirt
            Ratio = 2.9
            DumpExcess = True
            FlowMode = STAGE_PRIORITY_FLOW
         }
         OUTPUT_RESOURCE:NEEDS[ART]
         {
            ResourceName = Rock
            Ratio = 1.3
            DumpExcess = True
            FlowMode = STAGE_PRIORITY_FLOW
         }

Sifter:
       INPUT_RESOURCE
         {
            ResourceName = GoldConcentrate
            Ratio = 2.5
            FlowMode = STAGE_PRIORITY_FLOW
           }
         INPUT_RESOURCE:NEEDS[MKS]
         {
            ResourceName = Water
            Ratio = 2.0
         }
         INPUT_RESOURCE
         {
            ResourceName = ElectricCharge
            Ratio = 25
         }
         OUTPUT_RESOURCE
         {
            ResourceName = GoldOre
            Ratio = 2.0
            DumpExcess = false
            FlowMode = STAGE_PRIORITY_FLOW
         }
       OUTPUT_RESOURCE:NEEDS[MKS]
         {
            ResourceName = Metals
            Ratio = 0.5
            DumpExcess = True
            FlowMode = STAGE_PRIORITY_FLOW
         }
        OUTPUT_RESOURCE:NEEDS[MKS]
         {
            ResourceName = Water
            Ratio = 1.8
            DumpExcess = true
            FlowMode = STAGE_PRIORITY_FLOW
         }         
ISRU
         INPUT_RESOURCE
         {
            ResourceName = GoldOre
            Ratio = 2.5
            FlowMode = STAGE_PRIORITY_FLOW
           }
         INPUT_RESOURCE
         {
            ResourceName = ElectricCharge
            Ratio = 25
         }
         OUTPUT_RESOURCE
         {
            ResourceName = Gold
            Ratio = 0.20
            DumpExcess = false
            FlowMode = STAGE_PRIORITY_FLOW
         }
 

Just something to chew on.

[Dewar]

1 hour ago, Barar said:

Hi Dewar,

Thank you for this mod, I play career mode and I find the contracts system limiting in that I am being told where to go, what to do for X amount of science and funds. It is rewarding at first, but I can only do so many rescue missions, satellite launches, bases or space stations. Just to finance the trips I want to do. This allows me to build up several gold mining bases and ship gold back home to fund my expeditions. I still have to put in the effort since I use the Umbra Space Industries mods from Roverdude. Just a bunch more fun for me then doing a ton of contracts, cheating, or playing sandbox. Since I can budget with each gold run I do.

 

If you want suggestions, I wouldn't be opposed to the making the processing take an extra step to complete with MKS integration. I sorta do this with my MKS install using a hijacked part. I am doing this from memory since I am away from my KSP files so my not be balanced or correct config. Obviously other files need to be altered to make it work. 

 

####Insert code that should be in <> brackets.####

 

Just something to chew on.

@Barar  I do appreciate the effort you put in here, and I may end up going that direction in the end.

 

As the mod stands now, I want to change the entire way that you recover your gold; hopefully in a way that will ignite a challenge, while further making it necessary for landed infrastructure.

If the plugin-gods send me a programmer; instead of filling up tanks of Gold, you will produce large rocks of gold to be manually hauled back to Kerbin.

I feel that the current, "land> mine> fill random tanks with substance> convert to gold> fill another tank", is a little too easy, and too near cheating for me to be comfortable with. 

It also didn't feel like what the creators would have done in Stock. 

Somehow grabbing a giant boulder of gold and dragging it across the solar system for profit seems much more on the nose to me.

Most of the progress to this end has already been made...

Edited March 23, 2018 by Dewar

[Barar]

That looks awesome, would download it.

For my game setup, this might be too easy. I use OPM, Extra Solar. Combined with the FTL mod. I would find this method a little op if I find a big nugget. Since I would just FTL back home. Then stick a bunch of parachutes on it with a command module and drop it on my MAB.

I balance this right now by having to land on a planet, setup a base with Kerbals to get the drilling bonus. MKS has lifesupport so I need build the production chain. I also need a fuel depot, water, and other resources to extract. Then I finally get up to building a launch pad to build my gold drop ships and ship the gold back to Kerbin. Before I can do that, I need to send ships to the gold mining planet, refuel the ship, take on the gold, and send it back to Kerbin. That not even including the SatScan probes I need to send to find a place with water, gold and other resources. It no small effort to get my money maker working and unlocking the science I need to do so.

I am in no way trying to convince you to change what you are doing, I am simply discussing how I play and what I do. I find it a challenge doing the mining as I have made dependencies(water) and hooks into other mods like MKS and Stockalike Mining Extension that the stock play would not offer. Your mod is a must have for me, as I always download since it fits my play style, it is only parts,config files and contains no dll files that I need to wait on version updates.

[Dewar]

42 minutes ago, Barar said:

That looks awesome, would download it.

For my game setup, this might be too easy. I use OPM, Extra Solar. Combined with the FTL mod. I would find this method a little op if I find a big nugget. Since I would just FTL back home. Then stick a bunch of parachutes on it with a command module and drop it on my MAB.

I am not removing the scanning for resources/mining goldore mechanics from the mod.

What I am hoping to add is gold nugget production via a smelter, which will require electricity and goldore to produce. 

I don't like that gold is so easy to load up into a ship, as half of real world mining is dealing with the logistics of moving the substances after obtaining them.

Additionally, the idea of having to deal with a big unwieldy rock appeals to the Kerbal in me.

I am also going to make multiple configs to drop onto the mod in order to change the difficulty (whether resources are available on mun and/or minmus for example).

 

Edited March 23, 2018 by Dewar
a word

[Barar]

The Gold is pretty heavy, but I see your point. It just disappears into a magic number in a tank nicely package and balanced to send back home.

Would be fun to use a claw to wrestle a boulder and load it onto a ship planet side. Since Gold is a rather soft material and could be cut up rather easily or melted. Would it be better to make it some other material that maybe wasn't processed as easily, like a really big diamond or some Unobtanuium rock which would need gold ore to break it down. Just throwing out ideas.

[Dewar]

@BararSomehow the idea that Kerbals are smart enough to get to another planet and mine for a rare resource, yet too dumb to consider the ramifications of the resulting product, makes me smile at the absurdity. 

Speaking of Unobtainium though, I feel that there is almost no need to ever go after it in the current mod.

Perhaps combining goldore, unobtainium, and ore  could be used as a recipe for a new product.

Something that would be valuable for an alternate reason, ie: power production (as an alternative to 20 RTGs), late game science production via recovery, or something else.

Would like to hear any thoughts on this.

[Barar]

You mod captures a core element for me, off world mining for funds in career mode. Its an alternative that frees me from doing contracts all the time to get funds. As for gold uses, on Earth is as follows. Source

52.44% is Jewelry

25.29% Bar and coin

9.12% to Electronics 

6.52% Other Industrial

4.98% Central bank

So tying the gold resource to some other resource like power generation or as a fuel would take away from what I see as a core part of your mod, off world gold mining for funds. Since the majority value of gold it not attributed to industrial use.

For me in career mode, the very generalized raw basic of this game are science(tech tree unlocks, KRnD), resources(Gold mining),funds(Gold turn in) and parts(Ships).

Funds + Parts = Science,

Science + Funds = Parts,

Resources + Parts = Funds,

Parts + Science + Funds + Resources = Fun for me. *note - fun can be very subjective. 

But the Unobtainium resource, I wonder if you would want to make it into a booster supplement? With ISRU's, drills and such, it would be easy. Just have a Unobtainium Enhanced button that could give a performance boost of 10%, 30%, 50%. It would be a copy of the regular ISRU or drill module config with the better inputs, outputs and consume Unobtainium while in use, could even make it run hotter or cooler. 

Engines could be a bit tricky as you may need to make your own, same with RCS thrusters. Although you could use the MultiModeEngine module were regular LFO thrust is 100, and the LFO + Unobtainium = 150thrust, or just an ISP increase. It would help taking off from EVE.

Hard part would be that people could just fill it up in the VAB and use the enhance parts. If you could somehow block filling the resource in the MAB/VAB and make people mine it. Since making it really expensive would undercut the GoldOre. Making it too heavy making would make it too difficult for transport.

Maybe if it was a bit more common and make it a into a gas with some ISRU processing. Then stored in a big fragile ballon like container that inflates as you fill it (MKS has a tank like this -> MKS_InflationTank.cfg ). When it is filled, it could have high drag, low breaking force, torque, low max temp so it would be difficult to survive atmosphere exit or re-entry. But could be stored in a cargo hold when empty. It could also require EC to remain full. You could move it about, but would need to be careful. Sorry just rambling on. 

Maybe treat it like Naquadah from Stargate. It makes everything better.

 

Edited March 24, 2018 by Barar
Made something clearer, maybe.

[Dewar]

Quote

Engines could be a bit tricky as you may need to make your own, same with RCS thrusters. Although you could use the MultiModeEngine module were regular LFO thrust is 100, and the LFO + Unobtainium = 150thrust, or just an ISP increase. It would help taking off from EVE.

That is an amazing idea and easily implemented! I think I could get this going tonight to test.

I was thinking more along the lines of improving the thrust of nuclear rockets, as those are the ones that everyone uses end game anyway. 

I could add a switch that would allow for the consumption of both Unobtainium and Liquid Fuel while increasing TWR and/or atmospheric ISP. 

Quote

Hard part would be that people could just fill it up in the VAB and use the enhance parts. If you could somehow block filling the resource in the MAB/VAB and make people mine it. Since making it really expensive would undercut the GoldOre. Making it too heavy making would make it too difficult for transport.

Actually, this is already implemented in my updated version of the mod. It is an easy Resource config setting something like: Tweakable = No or some such.

Quote

Maybe treat it like Naquadah from Stargate. It makes everything better.

Lol... Love Stargate... I guess most players in this game do. 

[Dewar]

@Barar

I did get a working version of the lv-n running on liquid fuel+unobtainium.

I kept consumption rates the same for liquid fuel and just added in .05 Unobtainium to the mix, kind of like a Nitrogen Oxide equivalent.

I set ISP at 400 - 650 and increased thrust to 140kn from the base 800 ISP and 60kn. 

I also made it impossible to spawn unobtainium (and goldore) in the hab.

The SSTO designer in me likes the idea of needing to build a silo next to my runway to manually supply spaceplanes with their added fuel.

More infrastructure, and more reasons to go places is a win to me.

I'm thinking of just doing tweaks on a few engines, perhaps one of each type, nuclear, air breathing, and liquidox

Any thoughts on balance?

[Barar]

I haven't looked at the weight of Unobtainium, how much the tank can hold, how long at max thrust 0.05 ratio would take to consume X amount of Unobtainium on the vessel.

So you would need to consider weight, storage capacity, tank size/form factor, burn time of engine, and difficulty to gather/process/store Unobtainium.

If your SSTO was 50TONS. But attaching an Unobtainium tank would increase the weight by 10TONS. Only to give you 5 minutes of 230% thrust increase with a temporary 20% increased weight and reduced ISP. Is that balanced? I am personally horrible at SSTO's so not sure if this is what you are aiming for. I assume the ISP is for space, not atmosphere?

[Dewar]

I don't think I am going to make unobtainium heavy this time around, at least not like gold. 

I want it to be more about getting out there and obtaining it. (Get it!?)

 

 

[Barar]

Maybe it needs to be called Obtainium.

It would be nice to have it common enough that you would use it, but not so common that its the only thing you would use and depend on it. Which the engine switching would help with. I do look forward to see where you are going with it.

[Dewar]

So quick update, I am taking a full-time intensive course on web/program development atm and won't be releasing my planned redux for a while. 

Until then, I am planning on releasing a general update this weekend that will incorporate some of the stuff I am hoping to accomplish.

Call it an alpha, so it won't be the default download on the main page.

The changes to come are as follows:

- unobtainium removed (thought it useless) 

-NQ-125 added: a high thrust fuel multiplier that can be utilized with a number of switchable engines. Configs to be adjusted on feedback (currently quite conservative IMO)

- Removed all functionality with vanilla drills.

- retextured and updated bahamut's set of drills for use on gold and NQ-125. (Will be leaving full credit for his models) 

-drill configs have been altered to incentivize use of more crew on drilling rigs, and greater infrastructure through drill consumption of liq/ox depending on resource.

- Have done some minor changes to tanks and spawn rules/situations for full functionality with futureplanet packs.

- Have created configs for a number of engines to incorporate the use of NQ-125.

- will be adding an interstellar fuelswitch config if I get around to it for greater storage options.

Will let you guys know if I get busy and push this release back, but hoping to complete it this weekend.

Cheers

[Dewar]

So, I was handed a bunch of work over the weekend. 

Will try to push an update soon.

Apologies.

[grossbe]

Love the idea of this mod!

It doesent seem to work with SCANsat properly tho. I have a Sat with a narrow band scanner in polar orbit around mun. I have 3 Options on the scanner: scan for ore, gold and unobtainium. I activated all three but only ore has been found. Gold and UO said "no data". I have stock resource scanning disabled in scansat, so maybe thats the problem?

I tried to activate stock scanning again and found some concentration of gold (i watched the narrow band scanner for some time until it said x% on Gold ). But sadly i dont have the M700 Scanner yet so i cant have the overlay and the scansat maps dont show gold either. I would really like to use scansats ressource scanning, it feels much more realistic.

Anyone has a similar problem? Is there a solution for that already?

ps: i am using 1.4 so maybe that is a problem too

[rukhafi]

Hey! Where is my Unobtainium on Icarus?

[Burning Kan]

@rukhafiare u paying him or should this sound s funny that u speek like a boss to him?

cant like it when people come like u freshman! and dont respect the crowd ,that do so much for u

people like u deserve the ignore button -initiated

good luck for future