Micro-challenges for all! (Continuation of Newbie Central.)

[Kerbalstar]

 

 

Micro-Challenges For All!

Hello, and welcome to the micro-challenges for all thread! This is a continuation of the Newbie Central thread. Some of you know me from the Newbie Central thread, some of you just stumbled upon this thread in the challenges section. Here’s a quick Q&A to tell you what this is all about! 

 

 

Q1: What are micro-challenges? 

A: Micro-challenges are challenges that can be done in a few hours, not a few days. They don’t have to involve 5 launches, LKO assembly, replica craft, and specific maneuvers to build a base on Duna, with TAC-LS, that is self-sufficient for 360 days, with a space shuttle replica. That’s not to say that for a Duna base challenge, you can’t do that, just that you don’t have to. Essentially these are challenges that only take up a few hours of your KSP time.

Q2: What was “Newbie Central” and what happened to it?

A: Newbie Central was a thread created by @Alpha 360, @VelocityPolaris, @obney kerman, and me. Its purpose was to give newbies some challenges to introduce them to the more challenging aspects of KSP, such as interplanetary travel, bases, stations and SSTO’s. This thread had a poster rep limit of 750. Things went pretty good there for a while, we got lots of participation in the challenges, gave out lots of medals, and even gained 2 new team members, @doggonemess, and @Lucast0909. Then traffic on the thread started to slow down a little. A few weeks after we noticed the slowdown, @Alpha 360 reached the rep limit and handed control of the thread over to me. I and the team decided that it was time to close the thread and move on to new things. That’s how we got this thread, which will have no rep limit and be open to suggestions for challenges.

Q3: How do I suggest a challenge?

A: It’s actually fairly easy for you. All you have to do is come up with a cool idea and post it on the thread, saying something like: “Challenge suggestion: Hey, I think that a cool idea for a challenge would be a Duna Space Station with a detachable rover that can land and take off again multiple times and a base that can land once.” Note: To prevent confusion, when you make a challenge suggestion, you MUST include the words "Challenge suggestion" in your post. This is to help prevent confusion, especially when we get really well thought out suggestions, with lots of pictures and rules. We like those type of suggestions, it makes the work easier for us, just sometimes people get confused as to which challenge is the right one, the current challenge or a very well thought out suggestion.   When we one of us sees a suggestion that we like, we’ll share it with the team, and if enough people say, “Oh yeah, that’s a cool idea,” we’ll work on making it a challenge. Here’s how that works: Once we decide that we like an idea, we’ll review it, to turn it into a challenge. In that process, we might say, “Will, 2 rovers that can land and take off multiple times, plus a base sounds pretty hard.” “What if we just cut the base?”

“Sounds good, but that still sounds like a little more than a micro-challenge with all the rover design and testing that you need to do.”

”Fair point, how about just one rover, and it doesn’t have have to take off again?”

”Yeah, that sounds good.”

Then one of our team will do it, and make it into a challenge post, with credit to the original suggester. 

Q4: How do I join the team?

A: Me and the team have decided that the team is pretty big already and have decided that to join the team, you need to have something exceptional to offer in an area except challenge suggesting and medal making, as the thread is open to suggestions, and we have enough medal makers(both @Lucast0909 and @doggonemess got on the team for having great medals). All applications to join the team must be sent to me through PM, please don’t clutter the thread with useless posts that will get no answers, or PM another team member, who will just tell you to go to me. If another team member can vouch for you in some way, please tell me.

Q5: Who’s on the team?

A: Me, @doggonemess, @Lucast0909, and @obney kerman are currently on the team.

Q6: What do I get for completing a challenge?

A: You get a medal, sort of like this one(without the newbie winner, obviously). Our medal people are working on one right now.

Q7: Anything else I should know?

A: Well, the Moon isn’t made out of Swiss cheese, Africa is a continent,... All joking aside, you should probably know that dad challenge has a time limit of one week from posting before closing. After a challenge is closed, you can still do it, but you won’t get a medal for it. This is to prevent the thread from getting cluttered up with applications for a challenge from 10 weeks ago.  Due to the low volume of entries, you can now enter and receive a medal for every challenge! Have fun!

Q8: If you guys do like, 20 challenges, how am I supposed to find them?

A: I’ll keep an index of all of them with poster and, if applicable, the challenge suggesters names.

Q9: I see 2 challenges in the thread, one posted by @doggonemess, and one by @SomeRandomGuy, but the one by @doggonemess hasn't closed yet. Which challenge is the right one?

Only challenges posted by people on the team(see Q5), are actual challenges, all other ones are simply suggestions. Only actual challenges are eligible for challenges. 

Q10: What about mods? Can I use (my favorite mod)?

If your favorite mod is Hyperedit, then no. Sorry. Unless a challenge says to use Hyperedit, then you can't use it. You: Why would a challenge say to use Hyperedit? Hey, don't interrupt my answer, I was getting to that!  (Joking.) A challenge might say to use Hyperedit if say, you're supposed to rendezvous with something in orbit, and putting it there isn't part of the challenge (unlikely, but maybe), it might say just Hyperedit it up there. Anyway, non-cheaty or OP mods or fine. I.e., KER, MJ, VOID, EVE, SVE, KIS/KAS, KJR, etc., are fine. Feel free to ask about your favorite mod! 

Q11: Can I use this craft I found in the Spacecraft Exchange?

No. Unless a challenge says so, only craft that you build are allowed.

Q12: Are you going to do a bases thing like that @Alpha 360 guy? 

A: Yes, glad you asked! Here they are!

Planes:

 

 

(@Lucast0909's screenshot.)

Space Stations:

 

 

(@doggonemess's screenshot.)         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

 

(@VelocityPolaris's screenshot.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Interplanetary travel:

(@Lucast0909's screenshot.)

Land travel:           (My screenshot.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Spaceplanes:  (@obney kerman's screenshot).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Bases: 

Challenge 1: 

 

Challenge 2:

Challenge 3:

Challenge 4:

Challenge 5:

Challenge 6:

Challenge 7:

Challenge 8:

Challenge 9:

Challenge 10:

Challenge 11:

 

Challenge 12:

Challenge 13:

Challenge 14:

Challenge 15:

Challenge 16:

Thank you all for reading, 

Kerbalstar

Edited January 18, 2019 by Kerbalstar
Added Challenges 15 and 16 to Challenge Index.

[The Minmus Derp]

FIRST!  This is a great continuation of the Newbie Central. Although, I kinda thought the rep limit actually made sense, keeping people like, say, @Matt Lowne from doing challenges in, like, 1 minute. Can there be a single or multilaunch minmus base challenge?

[Kerbalstar]

1 minute ago, The Minmus Derp said:

FIRST!  This is a great continuation of the Newbie Central. Although, I kinda thought the rep limit actually made sense, keeping people like, say, @Matt Lowne from doing challenges in, like, 1 minute. Can there be a single or multilaunch minmus base challenge?

As for the rep limit, there are people who have over that rep limit that aren’t very good at the game and people under who are experts. We’ll see about the Minmus Base Challenge.

[hoioh]

It's unfortunate I couldn't do the final challenge on the n00b thread, too busy working IRL and on the Duna architecture challenge. But I'll pop in here every once in a while and if the current challenge is A interesting and B I can work it into something else I'll be sure to participate!

As a first suggestion for this lovely new enterprise:

Build a bush plane that can take off and land in the space before the first "pedestrian crossing" on the runway and land it in an interesting spot

Good luck with the new thread and don't forget to have fun, always!

[Kerbolitto]

Really cool to see a continuity to this type of challenges !

 

My suggestion : Eve sea-base !

[sturmhauke]

Getting to Eve's surface at all is a challenge.

[The Minmus Derp]

Gilly base!

[Pascovian]

A Kerbin System Grand Tour: Flyby on Mun and return from Minmus to Kerbin.

[Alpha 360]

I would second the Kerbin Grand Tour proposal by @Pascovian. Nice, simple, and you get to feel the satisfaction of completing a 'grand tour'.

Happy Explosions!

[Kerbalstar]

22 minutes ago, Alpha 360 said:

I would second the Kerbin Grand Tour proposal by @Pascovian. Nice, simple, and you get to feel the satisfaction of completing a 'grand tour'.

Happy Explosions!

Sounds good, we’ll certainly look at that suggestion.

[SiriusRocketry]

My favorite idea of a challenge (as of late) is an Orion style design, which is used for a Mun landing. More a design challenge, but does require skill.

[The Minmus Derp]

Make a mission that lands on Duna and Ike!

 

 

 

and (preferably) returns!

Edited August 23, 2018 by The Minmus Derp

[Pascovian]

17 hours ago, kerbalstar said:

18 hours ago, Alpha 360 said:

I would second the Kerbin Grand Tour proposal by @Pascovian. Nice, simple, and you get to feel the satisfaction of completing a 'grand tour'.

Happy Explosions!

Sounds good, we’ll certainly look at that suggestion.

I'm starting to wonder if i should give specifications or it's still on a idea/proposal stage? idk, to be honest

[Kerbalstar]

46 minutes ago, Pascovian said:

I'm starting to wonder if i should give specifications or it's still on a idea/proposal stage? idk, to be honest

It’s fine, we’ll decide the specifics, when we discuss the suggestions this weekend.

[Pascovian]

Oh, ok, Thx!

[The Minmus Derp]

If the multi (or single) launch minmus base is put up, can I use mods?

[Kerbalstar]

37 minutes ago, The Minmus Derp said:

If the multi (or single) launch minmus base is put up, can I use mods?

It depends on what kins of mods. Hyperedit, no. Pathfinder, as much as I like it, also probably not. Near future launch vehicles, I don’t see why not.

 

There’s going to be a delay in posting the challenge, unfortunately. To quote @Lucast0909:

Houston, we have problem. I can't post it tonight either: the aircraft I'm using is having... Issues. (A bit more than that: spinning out when taking off, spinning out when landing, trying to spin out while flying, a barely passable TWR, space issues, ironically the one problem I haven't had is spontaneous combustion)

[The Minmus Derp]

Well... I'm on every day! 

[W. Kerman]

Oof- Got sidetracked from KSP for awhile due to IRL stuff- Anyhow, great to see a new thread, and an opportunity to hop back in! Thanks for continuing this!

[The Minmus Derp]

Great! How is da kallenge selection goin?

[Pascovian]

i dunno?

its's Sunday already so idk what's happening

[Kerbalstar]

4 hours ago, The Minmus Derp said:

Great! How is da kallenge selection goin?

Quoting @Lucast0909:

As well as can be expected for KSP- Glitches, Runway overruns, and spinouts. I'll tell you when it gets done, but as it is it'll likely be a bit. I'd give you a date: but at this point I think it's more a matter of if I get lucky.

[Lucast0909]

Universal Aerospace Assistance Flyer

Attention! Airlift Challenge Issued!

The Kerbin Rotunda for Aircraft and Persons, henceforth known as KRAP, have issued a formal challenge for aircraft companies to prove our abilities to airlift heavy cargo across kerbin. Spearheading this effort we, General Universal, are requesting the support of other companies in this endeavor. The challenge, codenamed Operation: HERCULES, is to airlift thirty tons (About two 2.5m large grey tanks, or two 2.5m full ore tanks) of cargo from the KSC to the island Runway. Sound easy? It won't be.

The further stipulations are as follows:

1. The cargo must be loaded outside of the Hangar, the cargo bays should be empty on launch and emptied after landing.
2. Any resources aboard the cargo cannot be used in flight.
3. The cargo must be removed from the aircraft at the destination, as in the image above.
4. The cargo must be intact at the destination, the transport not necessarily: but it is recommended.

I look forward to your submissions. Good luck, and Godspeed my fellow kerbals.

~Lucas Kerman, C.E.O.

Medal:

Edited January 3, 2019 by Lucast0909

[4x4cheesecake]

FIRST!!

There is one thing I really don't like in KSP: using cargo bays on a plane! It is small, the bottom to drive on is even smaler and things like to break apart just by driving on a cargo ramp, even though you don't touched anything! So I came up with a different way to load and unload my plane, I hope you like it as much as I do

Spoiler

Payload of 39.660t:

Waiting next to the runway for the plane:

Well, there is no ramp at the plane...

...but I can place the payloasd just beneath the cargo bay...

...retract the landing gear...

...and a claw at the top of the cargo bay will do the rest

Nobody said I have to close the cargo bay, right?^^

It's going to be a short trip:

Some chutes to slow down properly:

Release the payload from the claw:

And place it in the hangar (with still all the fuel in it)

It was quiet fun, thanks for this wonderful new challenge

Imgur album: https://imgur.com/a/fpgMiei

Edited August 29, 2018 by 4x4cheesecake
Added album link

[hoioh]

That was easy: 

Spoiler

 

Actually kind of surprised it went so smooth! First time, worked like a charm. Unfortunately I broke the engines off during unloading which made it impossible to fly back, but with a little tweaking this would be a very useful cargo plane

In the SPH, payload weighs 44t (check the video in the spoiler)

 

Had to load cargo outside of hangar... Maybe tonight I'll try again and do it proper

 

Edited August 29, 2018 by hoioh