totm october 2019 Beyond Hope Travelling Circus -- Episode 10: The Show Must Go On

[Speeding Mullet]

On 9/2/2019 at 12:04 PM, Geschosskopf said:

Unofficcially, ARSEFACE's acronym ended with "...Contemplating Elcano"

Go on, you know you want to Elcano. 

I've been on holiday and totally removed from the internet, which has been a joy.  A joy also to come back to another update!  Tasmania for anyone interested is a very nice place to get around.  Didn't manage an Elcano though, just a little jaunt up the East Coast.

I'm still torn between starting and waiting with a mission report.  Waiting for KSP 2 is tempting, but reading this is great fun so keep us updated with all the latest from calamity central!!

SM

[Geschosskopf]

4 hours ago, Speeding Mullet said:

Go on, you know you want to Elcano. 

Not with ARSEFACE.  It woldn't stand a chance.  Even without the long night, it can't climb the hills of which Ash is largely made.

I am, however, thinking of Elcanos elsewhere in this system.

 

4 hours ago, Speeding Mullet said:

I've been on holiday and totally removed from the internet, which has been a joy.  A joy also to come back to another update!  Tasmania for anyone interested is a very nice place to get around.  Didn't manage an Elcano though, just a little jaunt up the East Coast.

Glad you had a good vacation.  I guess it's winter down there.  Sounds nice as the tropical summer where I live has been rather brutal this year  

 

4 hours ago, Speeding Mullet said:

I'm still torn between starting and waiting with a mission report.  Waiting for KSP 2 is tempting, but reading this is great fun so keep us updated with all the latest from calamity central!!

KSP2 is more or less 6 months away.  You'll have to fill that time somehow  

[KerballingSmasher]

@Speeding Mullet You could start one, then pull a "Forgotten Space Program" when KSP2 comes out!

[Geschosskopf]

EPISODE 10: The Show Must Go On

(music by Queen)

The vaporization of Guslie had thrown a pall over AE-1.  It also put a kink in the plans to explore more of Ash as there wasn't a sciencemate now to spare for the rover trip.  All the others were busy in the lab.  But given that AE-1 ARSEFACE was pretty inadequate anyway, this really didn't make much difference.  So, while the sciencemates did research stuff, there wasn't much else to do but check on the deployed Science! once in a while.

 

Meanwhile, back on Rhode, the Boffins were hammering together the Circus' 2nd interplanetary mission, the 1st Scaythe Expedition, due to leave in a month or so.  This will be another uncrewed scouting mission.,  Scaythe is the next planet out from Rhode, an airless body a bit bigger than Rhode, making it a  challenge to land on.  Thus, the Boffins naturally want to try that.  Scaythe has a single moon, Scindo, a small, airless rock that looks like a jawbreaker, mostly white but with streaks and patches of many bright colors.  Spectrography from Rhode has been inconclusive as to its make-up.  Scientists are divided over whether it really is mostly sugar or  simply mineral pigments, so requested the Boffins send probes to settle the issue.

SE-1 will consist of 4 ships, shown below.  On the left is SE-1 PUSTULE (Probe Using Scaythe To Ultimately Land, Expendable), a combo orbital/lander probe.  The orbital section will function as a  short-range relay to support the lander.  Next is the SE-1 SCAN-Ore Probe, intended to map and assay both Scaythe and Scindo.  Hence, it needs nukes to give it the necessary dV to move between them.  Next is the SE-1 Scaythe Polar Relays Mk 2 with a stack of 2 small relay probes, each with the medium-sized dish.  Finally, on the right, is SE-1 SCHLEMIEL (Scindo Collector of High and Low Experiments Making itself, Eventually, a Lander).  This is the same idea as SE-1 PUSTULE, an orbital/lander Science! probe with the orbiter serving as a relay for the lander.

 

In the fullness of time, the sciencemates in AE-1 SCAB worked themselves out of a job so there was nothing for it but to get everybody back into AE-1 CRAP and go home.

 

AE-1 CRAP had a very low TWR on largish Ash and, due to a tall mountain inconveniently close downrange to the east, had to begin with a long, slow vertical ascent.  This gave the crew a good view of the lava lake that had eaten Guslie, ending the mission on a bummer.

 

There had been some doubt at Mission Control as to whether AE-1 CRAP could actually make it home but the Boffins responsible were confident.  In fact, it had enough dV to circularize without aerobraking, and then had just enough left to deorbit.  AE-1 CRAP was the 1st ship where the return stage had a TAC Self-Destruct charge aboard.  Previously, such stages had just been allowed to burn and/or crash.  But this usually happened out of everyone's sight so Mission Control had started a new policy to blow these stages up after the deorbit burn.  The resulting gratuitous explosion did much to cheer the not-so-jolly crew (plus this post hadn't yet had a gratuitous explosion).

Landings on Rhode are a bit tricky as there are mountains everywhere but careful aim brought AE-1 CRAP down safely in a narrow valley running more or less parallel with the inclined descent path.

 

The load of Science! returned by AE-1 was not as large as hoped (mostly due to bugs with the deployed Science! causing Mission Control to destroy it) and by now all new tech was rather expensive, so the Boffins got few new toys.  Something they did get, however, were the  biggest relay antennae.  These were considered vital now that the Circus' 1st wave of interplanetary ships were getting further from home and signal strength was getting disturbingly low.  So, the Boffins immediately slapped together probes using 2 of the Wild Blue antennae, stacked 2 of these on a rocket, and sent them into polar orbit at Rhode.  Then they took the same rocket, added a bigger transfer stage in the middle, and sent it up to join SE-1 in parking orbit, as the SE-1 Scaythe Polar Relays MK IV. 

 

This made the original SE-1 Scaythe Polar Relays Mk 2 surplus to requirements.  There was some thought of sending it out anyway but it didn't seem worth the trouble so, much to everybody's delight, Mission Control decided to deorbit it.

 

Not much happening right now.  Your humble narrator apologizes.

Tune in next time for more of the slow spiral into damnation.

[Angelo Kerman]

Like! (Since the forum like-o-meter is down).

Will the boffins return to Ash to exact revenge?

[Geschosskopf]

1 hour ago, Angel-125 said:

Like! (Since the forum like-o-meter is down).

Back  at; ya

 

1 hour ago, Angel-125 said:

Will the boffins return to Ash to exact revenge?

Probably not.  There's really not a lot more to do there except climb a mountain to get Science! from the other 2 biomes. 

Basically, I'm tired of messing around in the Rhode system so will likely be warping ahead a fair amount, to get SE-1 on its way and maybe HE-1 to arrive, so I can explore Hydrus.  It looks quite interesting from the pics I've seen of it.  And after that, a window for Fury is coming and I really want to try a return mission from there.  Fury's like a cross between Eve and Moho only with rings  .

 

[KerballingSmasher]

Liked.... why is the like button not here? FORUM TECHIES WHAT DID YOU DO????

[obney kerman]

Did one of the forum devs' cat step on their delete button?

Edited September 15, 2019 by obney kerman

[Geschosskopf]

7 hours ago, Kerballing (Got Dunked On) said:

Liked.... why is the like button not here? FORUM TECHIES WHAT DID YOU DO????

 

4 hours ago, obney kerman said:

Did one of the forum devs' cat step on their delete button?

Thanks.  Back at you both. 

According to the forum about the forum, post reactions are having technical difficulties so are temporarily disabled.  They hope to have this fixed in the near future.

 

[cyberKerb]

2 hours ago, Geschosskopf said:

 

Thanks.  Back at you both. 

According to the forum about the forum, post reactions are having technical difficulties so are temporarily disabled.  They hope to have this fixed in the near future.

 

'Liked'  and thanx

Edited September 16, 2019 by cyberKerb

[KSK]

Another long-winded like from me. Guess we'll need to do this the old-fashioned way.

:d

[Geschosskopf]

8 hours ago, cyberKerb said:

'Liked'  and thanx

 

7 hours ago, KSK said:

Another long-winded like from me. Guess we'll need to do this the old-fashioned way.

:d

Thanks  Back at yas!

[KerballingSmasher]

*ding* wait... still can't like... GAH ITS APRIL 2013 ALL OVER AGAIN  not really idk what happened then i wasn't playing...

[Geschosskopf]

1 hour ago, Kerballing (Got Dunked On) said:

*ding* wait... still can't like... GAH ITS APRIL 2013 ALL OVER AGAIN  not really idk what happened then i wasn't playing...

Thanks and back at ya!  I'll settle up the tab when/if the "like" button returns.

I started here in June 2013 so the newly resurrected forum was still echoing with wailing and gnashing of teeth from the very recent "Great Forum Crash".  But I myself missed it and the forum got so many posts per day (even then) that, from looking at it 2 months later, you couldn't tell anything had happened.

TBH, I kinda like the (hopefully) temporary absence of the "like" button.  It allows me to thank personally the folks who take the time to actually type something instead of just hitting the button.  So while we're all having to actually talk to each other, does anybody have any constructive criticism or requests for future episodes?  On the request side of things, here's what's already in store...

1. Short-term, I've already got the 1st Hydrus expedition en route and will soon have the 1st Scaythe Expedition on the way.  The Hydrus system promises to be very interesting and will certainly require a follow-up expedition with crew.  Scaythe, I dunno, but returning a crew from Scaythe is sort of a Tylo challenge so is on the list of cool things to do.  It largely depends on how much MacGuffinite the initial probes find.
2. Next up is Fury, the better part of a year in the future.  This is a slightly easier version of Eve but in a Moho-ish orbit.  Definitely needs a crewed mission from the get-go for *reasons*.
3. By then it will be about time for a window to Gateway, the local gas giant, and all its moons.  Some of the moons look quite tasty.
4. Generally and incrementally explore the rest of the BH system as tech allows.  I want to go everywhere.  The ultimate stretch goal is to go interstellar and explore what's left of the Kerbol system hanging out there in the far distance.  I honestly hope to have UFO technology by then (as I've got @Angel-125's UFO mod).

 

[Angelo Kerman]

It sounds like a good plan.  Hopefully by the time you go Interstellar I’ll have the mothership ready. Last week I did finish the conceptual design for its warp system:

https://github.com/Angel-125/Blueshift-Kerbal-FTL/issues/1

https://imgur.com/LNXGL23

 

[KerballingSmasher]

2 hours ago, Geschosskopf said:

Gateway, the local gas giant, and all its moons.  Some of the moons look quite tasty.

Oh wow... TAS-TEE MOONS!  I unfortunately don't know too much about BH, so I'm probably going to have to look it up for some kind of a system map...

[Geschosskopf]

1 hour ago, Kerballing (Got Dunked On) said:

Oh wow... TAS-TEE MOONS!  I unfortunately don't know too much about BH, so I'm probably going to have to look it up for some kind of a system map...

Well, this might cut to the chase.  Kottabus review:

https://youtu.be/LoJot56nmkc

 

Edited September 17, 2019 by Geschosskopf

[Geschosskopf]

2 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

It sounds like a good plan.  Hopefully by the time you go Interstellar I’ll have the mothership ready. Last week I did finish the conceptual design for its warp system:

Bravo!  It's going to be a long slog to get the UFO stuff, though, from looking at the tech tree.  But if the UFO stuff isn't ready on either your end or mine, the good ol' DSEV will suffice.  I've got pretty much all of that now except the fusion engine, but I do have the Trinity (which still oozes pink clouds by itself, when not running, even with no other parts attached to it).  My plan for the 1st Fury Expedition is to make a reusable DSEV. to ferry the crew and a bunch of expendable junk there.  The massive, expendable crew return lander will have to go separately.  When the DSEV comes back from Fury, it'll likely be sent elsewhere, perhaps with an engine change.

 

[Angelo Kerman]

15 hours ago, Geschosskopf said:

Bravo!  It's going to be a long slog to get the UFO stuff, though, from looking at the tech tree.  But if the UFO stuff isn't ready on either your end or mine, the good ol' DSEV will suffice.  I've got pretty much all of that now except the fusion engine, but I do have the Trinity (which still oozes pink clouds by itself, when not running, even with no other parts attached to it).  My plan for the 1st Fury Expedition is to make a reusable DSEV. to ferry the crew and a bunch of expendable junk there.  The massive, expendable crew return lander will have to go separately.  When the DSEV comes back from Fury, it'll likely be sent elsewhere, perhaps with an engine change.

 

Nice! Glad you are enjoying the mods. Not sure why the Trinity is giving you trouble, there might be a mod conflict somewhere. Meanwhile, I am curious about the Hydrus system, it sounds like a water world. And Gateway sounds like Jool in a way. It will be interesting to see how you build a mission for it and its moons.

Edited September 17, 2019 by Angel-125

[Geschosskopf]

56 minutes ago, Angel-125 said:

Nice! Glad you are enjoying the mods. Not sure why the Trinity is giving you trouble, there might be a mod conflict somewhere. Meanwhile, I am curious about the Hydrus system, it sounds like a water world. And Gateway sounds like Jool in a way. It will be interesting to see how you build a mission for it and its moons.

The only part mods I have are yours:  MOLE, DSEV, and UFO.  These have the stuff for the MOARdV fancy interiors.  Otherwise, all I have are instrumentation things (not counting, of course, all the stuff needed to run mod planets with clouds).

Speaking of mods, I have a totally separate installation with BDA stuff.  One of the mods recommended with the BDA stuff is something that prevents click-through from mod PAWs to stuff below them.  I recall you had trouble trying to do that so maybe you could see if this click-through prevention mod can work with your stuff.

Hydrus is kinda like a hot Titan:  low gravity, very thick, dense, O2-free atmosphere.  And anomalies  Gateway is like Jool, only blue and with rings.  And most of the moons are densely packed in close, so will present challenges maneuvering between them.

[Cydonian Monk]

On 9/15/2019 at 9:22 AM, Geschosskopf said:

Scindo, a small, airless rock that looks like a jawbreaker

Hmm. Candy for the giant space kraken.....

<like> (Is this what we've been reduced to? Having to actively express how we feel instead of just drive-by liking?)

[Angelo Kerman]

3 hours ago, Cydonian Monk said:

Hmm. Candy for the giant space kraken.....

<like> (Is this what we've been reduced to? Having to actively express how we feel instead of just drive-by liking?)

Yes. We are forced to communicate.  It’s an introvert’s nightmare... 

oooo, Hydrus has anomalies! That’ll be fun to see.

[Geschosskopf]

3 hours ago, Cydonian Monk said:

Hmm. Candy for the giant space kraken.....

<like> (Is this what we've been reduced to? Having to actively express how we feel instead of just drive-by liking?)

It beats drive-by licking   And thanks  

 

31 minutes ago, Angel-125 said:

Yes. We are forced to communicate.  It’s an introvert’s nightmare... 

oooo, Hydrus has anomalies! That’ll be fun to see.

Any introvert who is extrovert enough to post his works in any subset of fanworks will be troubled only by the nightmares already parasitizing his psyche.  

As to the Hydrus anomalies, if you want them spoilt you can watch the last couple minutes of the Kottabus video linked above.  If not, then suffice to say their anomalously anomalous, to the point of providing a hook for UFO tech filling the void left by the absence of crashed UFOs in this mod system.

Edited September 19, 2019 by Geschosskopf

[Angelo Kerman]

13 hours ago, Geschosskopf said:

It beats drive-by licking   And thanks  

 

Any introvert who is extrovert enough to post his works in any subset of fanworks will be troubled only by the nightmares already parasitizing his psyche.  

As to the Hydrus anomalies, if you want them spoilt you can watch the last couple minutes of the Kottabus video linked above.  If not, then suffice to say their anomalously anomalous, to the point of providing a hook for UFO tech filling the void left by the absence of crashed UFOs in this mod system.

OOO, ok, I'll wait to see what they are.

[RealKerbal3x]

@Geschosskopf

So I choose to read this when reactions are down...

Whatever, you've done an excellent job. Expect a storm of notifications from me when the likes return

Edited September 19, 2019 by RealKerbal3x