The One Take Challenge

[dnbattley]

Background: It has been long known that a plethora of "unusual gravimetric readings" recorded within the Kerbol system suggest the possibility that time travel is not only possible, but regularly occurs. The rival religious cults "Protection of the Five" and "The Choice of Nine" both claim insight into these effects, and while neither agree on their meaning, both claim that they are a divine effect that inevitably occurs as a result of leaving the atmosphere. The Kerbalist Movement have hired the services of the KSC to demonstrate that the occurrence of such fourth dimensional intervention is not inevitable, and to search for, and if possible, bring evidence of this back to Kerbin.

The mission: build and execute a manned mission from the KSC, leaving the atmosphere and returning back to Kerbin for recovery without using any form of saving/reverting as demonstrated by an ability to "revert to launch" upon arrival. Impress us with your derring-do.

Rules:

• Stock parts (including Making History) only, no mods that change game and parts physics
• All other flight and aesthetics mods OK (except of course, NO Hyperedit, config file editing, etc)
• The mission must includes at least one Kerbonauts. What they do, and where they go is up to you.
• No clipping of parts in a way that will change the physics / aerodynamics of the craft.  Minor clipping (e.g. into fairings) is OK.
• ISRU/refuelling is allowed
• Note that in addition to normal mission evidence you will be asked to evidence the "return to launch" button at the end of the mission: NB videos of your mission are not (of themselves) sufficient to evidence completing it in one take. Please also be aware that switching vessels or going to the space centre or tracking station will usually "clear" the revert ability, but that EVA, normal decoupling and re-coupling should not cause issues. You are strongly encouraged to check complex mission vessel designs carefully e.g. testing any reconfiguration while in LKO, before embarking on the proper mission.

There will be no leaderboard per se, but a number of awards/Halls of Fame will be available to make this mission as widely available as possible:

Halls of Fame (and indicative mission type, subject to change):

One Take Participant (e.g. return safely from orbit)

One Take Silver (e.g. return safely from landing on Mun/Minmus, or from orbiting a solar system body)

One Take Gold (e.g. return safely from landing on one/more solar system body)

One Take Platinum (e.g. return safely from Eve, or having landing on both of Tylo and Laythe)

Additional Discretionary Awards:

The Jeb Award - for exceptional riskiness (please try to document with photos)

So Near Award - for crashing on Kerbin (after an impressive mission)

Masochist Award - for using console, or undertaking without mods

Methusula Award - for exceptional mission duration

Skeleton Award - for an exceptionally bare-bones mission design

 

Given the self-evidence of this challenge being possible, I beg for the indulgence of the mods in allowing me to submit my own attempt at a later stage.

[SlamduncAZ]

I might try it later. Currently my philosophy is: “quicksaves are the equivalent to actually having the time to plan it beforehand.”

[Superfluous J]

I did Mun and back for a different challenge years ago.

 

Edited May 4, 2019 by 5thHorseman

[RedSun Rocketry]

this challenge is too easy, i rarely revert to launch with my simpler orbital missions(when I'm paying attention to what I'm doing at least)

maybe if you added a craft weight limit it would be challenging but even then someone could just use quickloading to get the same affect

[Rocket In My Pocket]

I do this challenge all the time on accident without realizing it lol.

I'll be 45 minutes into a mission and be like "...did I ever quicksave?"

/Panic 

[Rocket In My Pocket]

15 minutes ago, RedSun Rocketry said:

this challenge is too easy, i rarely revert to launch with my simpler orbital missions(when I'm paying attention to what I'm doing at least)

maybe if you added a craft weight limit it would be challenging but even then someone could just use quickloading to get the same affect

Well, the basic entry level challenge is certainly easy, but going to Eve, Tylo, or Laythe in one take with no saves would be fairly challenging.

I think his intent was that each contestant decide upon and sort of "make" their own level of challenge, commensurate with their skill level.

I like these kinds of challenges myself, where it's not so much about a super strict set of parameters, or leaderboards; but more so expressing yourself within the confines of the challenge. I think it's only meant to be as hard as you make it for yourself. 

[dnbattley]

1 hour ago, Rocket In My Pocket said:

Well, the basic entry level challenge is certainly easy, but going to Eve, Tylo, or Laythe in one take with no saves would be fairly challenging.

I think his intent was that each contestant decide upon and sort of "make" their own level of challenge, commensurate with their skill level.

Exactly so. This is meant to be accessible, but nevertheless as challenging as you wish it to be: anything up to borderline impossible...

 

1 hour ago, Rocket In My Pocket said:

I do this challenge all the time on accident without realizing it lol.

Me too, and this was the inspiration for this challenge, alongside the dawning realisation that the 1.7 upgrade has improved quality of life so much that I can almost live without any additional mods.

19 hours ago, 5thHorseman said:

I did Mun and back for a different challenge years ago.

Amazing! I clearly need to add an award for "design, build and undertake mission from scratch on one take": "The Full Monty Award", perhaps? Anyway congratulations on a great first entry.

[dnbattley]

I am reminded that I made an old Reddit weekly challenge video to Duna in one take (I had meant to cut and edit it, but ran out of time), so here is a slightly absurd video for the readers' delight.

 

[ffx]

Quote

this challenge is too easy, i rarely revert to launch with my simpler orbital missions(when I'm paying attention to what I'm doing at least)

Me too

[Pds314]

Is testing craft using hacks beforehand permitted?

[dnbattley]

23 minutes ago, Pds314 said:

Is testing craft using hacks beforehand permitted?

Of course... unless you want to make the challenge even harder for yourself?